There went out to him people of all classes from Judaea, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem of all ranks, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, making open confession of their sins.

As for John, his garment was of camel's hair, and he wore a loincloth of leather; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

where He remained for forty days, tempted by Satan; and He was among the wild beasts, but the angels waited upon Him.

One day, passing along the shore of the Lake of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, Simon's brother, throwing their nets in the Lake; for they were fisherman.

Going on a little further He saw James the son of Zabdi and his brother John: they also were in the boat mending the nets, and He immediately called them.

"What have you to do with us, Jesus the Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--God's Holy One."

And all were amazed and awe-struck, so they began to ask one another, "What does this mean? Here is a new sort of teaching--and a tone of authority! And even to foul spirits he issues orders and they obey him!"

When it was evening, after sunset people came bringing Him all who were sick and the demoniacs;

Then He cured numbers of people who were ill with various diseases, and He drove out many demons; not allowing the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.

One day there came a leper to Jesus entreating Him, and pleading on his knees. "If you are willing," he said, "you are able to cleanse me."

and saying, "Be careful not to tell any one, but go and show yourself to the Priest, and for your purification present the offerings that Moses appointed as evidence for them."

But the man, when he went out, began to tell every one and to publish the matter abroad, so that it was no longer possible for Jesus to go openly into any town; but He had to remain outside in unfrequented places, where people came to Him from all parts.

Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are pardoned."

Now there were some of the Scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts.

At once perceiving by His spirit that they were reasoning within themselves, Jesus asked them, "Why do you thus argue in your minds?

Which is easier?--to say to this paralytic, 'Your sins are pardoned,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your mat, and walk?'

"To you I say, 'Rise, take up your mat and go home.'"

The man rose, and immediately under the eyes of all took up his mat and went out, so that they were all filled with astonishment, gave the glory to God, and said, "We never saw anything like this."

When He was sitting at table in Levi's house, a large number of tax-gatherers and notorious sinners were at table with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many such who habitually followed Him.

(Now John's disciples and those of the Pharisees were keeping a fast.)

So the Pharisees said to Him, "Look! why are they doing what on the Sabbath is unlawful?"

"Have you never read," Jesus replied, "what David did when the necessity arose and he and his men were hungry:

how he entered the house of God in the High-priesthood of Abiathar, and ate the Presented Loaves--which none but the priests are allowed to eat--and gave some to his men also?"

Then He asked them, "Are we allowed to do good on the Sabbath, or to do evil? to save a life, or to destroy one?" They remained silent.

Grieved and indignant at the hardening of their hearts, He looked round on them with anger, and said to the man, "Stretch out your arm." He stretched it out, and the arm was completely restored.

And the foul spirits, whenever they saw Him, threw themselves down at His feet, screaming out: "You are the Son of God."

These twelve were Simon (to whom He gave the surname of Peter)

For if civil war breaks out in a kingdom, nothing can make that kingdom last;

So if Satan has risen in arms and has made war upon himself, stand he cannot, but meets his end.

Now a crowd was sitting round Him; so they tell Him, "Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, inquiring for you."

"Who are my mother and my brothers?" He replied.

And, fixing His eyes on the people who were sitting round Him in a circle, He said,

"Here are my mother and my brothers. For wherever there is one who has been obedient to God, there is my brother--my sister--and my mother."

Once more He began to teach by the side of the Lake, and a vast multitude of people came together to listen to Him. He therefore went on board the boat and sat there, a little way from the land; and all the people were on the shore close to the water.

Some falls on the rocky ground where it finds but little earth, and it shoots up quickly because it has no depth of soil;

But some of the seed falls into good ground, and gives a return: it comes up and increases, and yields thirty, sixty, or a hundred-fold."

When He was alone, the Twelve and the others who were about Him requested Him to explain His figurative language.

"To you," He replied, "has been entrusted the secret truth concerning the Kingdom of God; but to those others outside your number all this is spoken in figurative language;

Those who receive the seed by the way-side are those in whom the Message is sown, but, when they have heard it, Satan comes at once and carries away the Message sown in them.

In the same way those who receive the seed on the rocky places are those who, when they have heard the Message, at once accept it joyfully,

but they have no root within them. They last for a time; then, when suffering or persecution comes because of the Message, they are immediately overthrown.

Others there are who receive the seed among the thorns: these are they who have heard the Message,

Those, on the other hand, who have received the seed on the good ground, are all who hear the Message and welcome it, and yield a return of thirty, sixty, or a hundred fold."

He went on to say, "Is the lamp brought in in order to be put under the bushel or under the bed? Is it not rather in order that it may be placed on the lampstand?

Of itself the land produces the crop-- first the blade, then the ear; afterwards the perfect grain is seen in the ear.

Another saying of His was this: "How are we to picture the Kingdom of God? or by what figure of speech shall we represent it?

But a heavy squall came on, and the waves were now dashing into the boat, so that it was fast filling.

But He Himself was in the stern asleep, with His head on the cushion: so they woke Him. "Rabbi," they cried, "is it nothing to you that we are drowning?"

"Why are you so timid?" He asked; "have you still no faith?"

Then they were filled with terror, and began to say to one another, "Who is this, then? For even wind and sea obey Him."

And constantly, day and night, he remained among the tombs or on the hills, shrieking, and mangling himself with sharp stones.

Jesus also questioned him. "What is your name?" He said. "Legion," he replied, "for there are a host of us."

He gave them leave; and the foul spirits came out and entered into the swine, and the herd--about 2,000 in number--rushed headlong down the cliff into the Lake and were drowned in the Lake.

and when they came to Jesus, they beheld the demoniac quietly seated, clothed and of sane mind--the man who had had the legion; and they were awe-stricken.

But He would not allow it. "Go home to your family," He said, "and report to them all that the Lord has done for you, and the mercy He has shown you."

So the man departed, and related publicly everywhere in the Ten Towns all that Jesus had done for him; and all were astonished.

and besought Him with many entreaties. "My little daughter," he said, "is at the point of death: I pray you come and lay your hands upon her, that she may recover and live."

"Daughter," He said, "your faith has cured you: go in peace, and be free from your complaint."

While He is yet speaking, men come from the house to the Warden, and say, "Your daughter is dead: why trouble the Rabbi further?"

To this their reply is a scornful laugh. He, however, puts them all out, takes the child's father and mother and those He has brought with Him, and enters the room where the child lies.

On the Sabbath He proceeded to teach in the synagogue; and many, as they heard Him, were astonished. "Where did he acquire all this?" they asked. "What is this wisdom that has been given to him? And what are these marvellous miracles which his hands perform?

And He could not do any miracle there, except that He laid His hands on a few who were out of health and cured them; and

Wherever you enter a house, make it your home till you leave that place.

But wherever they will not receive you or listen to you, when you leave shake off the very dust from under your feet to bear witness concerning them."

For John had repeatedly told Herod, "You have no right to be living with your brother's wife."

Then He said to them, "Come away, all of you, to a quiet place, and rest awhile." For there were many coming and going, so that they had no time even for meals.

So when Jesus landed, He saw a vast multitude; and His heart was moved with pity for them, because they were like sheep which have no shepherd, and He proceeded to teach them many things.

"Give them food yourselves," He replied. "Are we," they asked, "to go and buy two hundred shillings' worth of bread and give them food?"

All ate and were fully satisfied.

Those who ate the bread were 5,000 adult men.

for they all saw Him and were terrified. He, however, immediately spoke to them. "There is no danger," He said; "it is I; be not alarmed."

Then He went up to them on board the boat, and the wind lulled; and they were beside themselves with silent amazement.

For they had not learned the lesson taught by the loaves, but their minds were dull.

And enter wherever He might--village or town or hamlet--they laid their sick in the open places, and entreated Him to let them touch were it but the tassel of His robe; and all, whoever touched Him, were restored to health.

They had noticed that some of His disciples were eating their food with 'unclean' (that is to say, unwashed)

(For the Pharisees and all the Jews--being, as they are, zealous for the traditions of the Elders--never eat without first carefully washing their hands,

So the Pharisees and Scribes put the question to Him: "Why do your disciples transgress the traditions of the Elders, and eat their food with unclean hands?"

"Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites," He replied; "as it is written, "'This People honour Me with their lips, while their hearts are far away from Me:

But idle is their devotion while they lay down precepts which are mere human rules.'

"Praiseworthy indeed!" He added, "to set at nought God's Commandment in order to observe your own traditions!

For Moses said, 'Honour thy father and thy mother' and again, 'He who curses father or mother, let him die the death.'

But *you* say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, It is a Korban (that is, a thing devoted to God)

And so you no longer allow him to do anything for his father or mother,

thus nullifying God's precept by your tradition which you have handed down. And many things of that kind you do."

"For those words of yours, go home," He replied; "the demon has gone out of your daughter."

And the man's ears were opened, and his tongue became untied, and he began to speak perfectly.

If I were to send them home hungry, they would faint on the way, some of them having come a great distance."

"Where can we possibly get bread here in this remote place to satisfy such a crowd?" answered His disciples.

The number fed were about 4,000. Then He sent them away,

and when He admonished them, "See to it, be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod,"

He perceived what they were saying, and He said to them, "What is this discussion of yours about having no bread? Do you not yet see and understand? Are your minds so dull of comprehension?

Then He asked them pointedly, "But you yourselves, who do you say that I am?" "You are the Christ," answered Peter.

But turning round and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Adversary," He said, "for your thoughts are not God's thoughts, but men's."

He went on to say, "In solemn truth I tell you that some of those who are standing here will certainly not taste death till they have seen the Kingdom of God already come in power."

Moreover there appeared to them Elijah accompanied by Moses; and the two were conversing with Jesus,

when Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, we are thankful to you that we are here. Let us put up three tents--one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

For he knew not what to say: they were filled with such awe.

As they were coming down from the mountain, He very strictly forbad them to tell any one what they had seen "until after the Son of Man has risen from among the dead."

Immediately the whole multitude on beholding Him were astonished and awe-struck, and yet they ran forward and greeted Him.

"What is the subject you are discussing?" He asked them.