The Astrologers heard what the King had to say, and then continued their journey. And the star which they had seen in the east led them on, until it reached, and stood over, the place where the child was.

It is you who are the Salt of the earth; but, if the salt should lose its strength, what will you use to restore its saltiness? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown away, and trampled underfoot.

Let your words be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything beyond this comes from what is wrong.

For, if you love only those who love you, what reward will you have? Even the tax-gatherers do this!

And, if you show courtesy to your brothers only, what are you doing more than others? Even the Gentiles do this!

But, when you do acts of charity, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

So that your charity may be secret; and your Father, who sees what is in secret, will recompense you.

But, when one of you prays, let him go into his own room, shut the door, and pray to his Father who dwells in secret; and his Father, who sees what is secret, will recompense him.

Do not imitate them; for God, your Father, knows what you need before you ask him.

That he may not be seen by men to be fasting, but by his Father who dwells in secret; and his Father, who sees what is secret, will recompense him.

That is why I say to you, Do not be anxious about your life here--what you can get to eat or drink; nor yet about your body-- what you can get to wear. Is not life more than food, and the body than its clothing?

Do not then ask anxiously 'What can we get to eat?' or 'What can we get to drink?' or 'What can we get to wear?'

Do not give what is sacred to dogs; nor yet throw your pearls before pigs, lest they should trample them under their feet, and then turn and attack you.

If you, then, wicked though you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in Heaven give what is good to those that ask him!

The men were amazed, and exclaimed: "What kind of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!"

Suddenly they shrieked out: "What do you want with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before our time?"

At this the men who tended them ran away and went to the town, carrying the news of all that had occurred, and of what had happened to the possessed men.

Go and learn what this means--'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice'; for I did not come to call the religious, but the outcast."

If no one welcomes you, or listens to what you say, as you leave that house or that town, shake off its dust from your feet.

Whenever they betray you, do not be anxious as to how you shall speak or what you shall say, for what you shall say will be given you at the moment;

What I tell you in the dark, say again in the light; and what is whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.

Now John had heard in prison what the Christ was doing, and he sent a message by his disciples,

The answer of Jesus to the question was-- "Go and report to John what you hear and see--

"What did you go out into the Wilderness to look at? A reed waving in the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man richly dressed? Why, those who wear rich things are to be found in the courts of kings!

What, then, did you go for? To see a Prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a Prophet.

But to what shall I compare the present generation? It is like little children sitting in the market-places and calling out to their playmates--

But, when the Pharisees saw this, they said: "Look! your disciples are doing what it is not allowable to do on a Sabbath!"

"Have not you read," replied Jesus, "what David did, when he and his companions were hungry--

Jesus, however, was aware of what was passing in their minds, and said to them: "Any kingdom divided against itself becomes a desolation, and any town or household divided against itself will not last.

You brood of vipers! how can you, evil as you are, say anything good? For what fills the heart will rise to the lips.

For, to all who have, more will be given, and they shall have abundance; but, from all who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.

When any one hears the Message of the Kingdom without understanding it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what has been sown in his mind. This is the man meant by the seed which was sown along the path.

It is not what enters a man's mouth that 'defiles' him, but what comes out from his mouth--that does defile him!"

On this his disciples came up to him, and said: "Do you know that the Pharisees were shocked on hearing what you said?"

"What, do even you understand nothing yet?" Jesus exclaimed.

On leaving that place, Jesus went to the shore of the Sea of Galilee; and then went up the hill, and sat down., you will do what not only what has been done to the fig tree, but, even if you should say to this hill 'Be lifted up and hurled into the sea!' it would be done.

What good will it do a man to gain the whole world, if he forfeits his life? or what will a man give that is of equal value with his life?

For the Son of Man is to come in his Father's Glory, with his angels, and then he 'will give to every man what his actions deserve.'

"Yes," answered Peter. But, on going into the house, before he could speak, Jesus said: "What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly kings take taxes or tribute? From their sons, or from others?"

What think you? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them strays, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills, and go and search for the one that is straying?

Again, I tell you that, if but two of you on earth agree as to what they shall pray for, whatever it be, it will be granted them by my Father who is in Heaven.

But, on going out, that same servant came upon one of his fellow-servants who owed him ten pounds. Seizing him by the throat, he said 'Pay what you owe me.'

When his fellow-servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and went to their master and laid the whole matter before him.

So that they are no longer two, but one. What God himself, then, has yoked together man must not separate."

And a man came up to Jesus, and said: "Teacher, what good thing must I do to obtain Immortal life?"

"What commandments?" asked the man. "These," answered Jesus:-- "'Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not say what is false about others.

"I have observed all these," said the young man. "What is still wanting in me?"

"But we--we left everything, and followed you; what, then, shall we have?"

'You also may go into my vineyard,' he said, 'and I will pay you what is fair.'

Take what belongs to you, and go. I choose to give to this last man the same as to you.

Have not I the right to do as I choose with what is mine? Are you envious because I am liberal?'

"What is it that you want?" he asked. "I want you to say," she replied, "that in your Kingdom these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right, and the other on your left."

"You do not know what you are asking," was Jesus' answer. "Can you drink the cup that I am to drink?" "Yes," they exclaimed, "we can."

Then Jesus stopped and called them. "What do you want me to do for you?" he said.

And said to him: "Do you hear what these boys are saying?" "Yes," answered Jesus; "but did you never read the words--'Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast called forth perfect praise'?"

"I tell you," replied Jesus, "if you have faith, without ever a doubt, you will do what not only what has been done to the fig tree, but, even if you should say to this hill 'Be lifted up and hurled into the sea!' it would be done.

After Jesus had come into the Temple Courts, the Chief Priests and the Councillors of the Nation came up to him as he was teaching, and said: " What authority have you to do these things? Who gave you this authority?"

"I, too," said Jesus in reply, "will ask you one question; if you will give me an answer to it, then I, also, will tell you what authority I have to act as I do.

It is about John's baptism. What was its origin? divine or human?" But they began arguing among themselves: "If we say 'divine,' he will say to us 'Why then did not you believe him?'

So the answer they gave Jesus was--"We do not know." "Then I," he said, "refuse to tell you what authority I have to do these things.

What do you think of this? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the elder and said 'Go and work in the vineyard to-day my son.'

Now, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?"

Tell us, then, what you think. Are we right in paying taxes to the Emperor, or not?"

"The Emperor's," they answered: on which he said to them: "Then pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and to God what belongs to God."

"Teacher, what is the great commandment in the Law?"

"What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?" "David's," they said.

So, while Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, his disciples came up to him privately and said: "Tell us when this will be, and what will be the sign of your Coming, and of the close of the age."

As soon, then, as you see 'the Foul Desecration,' mentioned by the Prophet Daniel, standing in the Holy Place," (the reader must consider what this means)

Therefore watch; for you cannot be sure on what day your Master is coming.

But this you do know, that, had the owner of the house known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have been on the watch, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

And, in my fear, I went and hid your money in the ground; look, here is what belongs to you!'

For, to him who has, more will be given, and he shall have abundance; but, as for him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away from him.

The disciples were indignant at seeing this. "What is this waste for?" they exclaimed.

I tell you, wherever, in the whole world, this Good News is proclaimed, what this woman has done will be told in memory of her."

And said "What are you willing to give me, if I betray Jesus to you?" The Priests 'weighed him out thirty pieces of silver' as payment.

Then he came to his disciples, and found them asleep. "What!" he said to Peter, "could none of you watch with me for one hour?

On which Jesus said to him: "Friend, do what you have come for." Thereupon the men went up, seized Jesus, and arrested him.

Then the High Priest stood up, and said to Jesus: "Have you no answer? What is this evidence which these men are giving against you?"

What is your decision?" They answered: "He deserves death."

But Peter denied it before them all. "I do not know what you mean," he replied.

Then Judas, who betrayed him, seeing that Jesus was condemned, repented of what he had done, and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the Chief Priests and Councillors.

"I did wrong in betraying a good man to his death," he said. "What has that to do with us?" they replied. "You must see to that yourself."

"What then," Pilate asked, "shall I do with Jesus who is called 'Christ'?" "Let him be crucified," they all replied.

"Why, what harm has he done?" he asked. But they kept shouting furiously: "Let him be crucified!"