The whole of Judea, as well as all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, went out to him; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

And he was there in the Wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and among the wild beasts, while the angels ministered to him.

"Come and follow me," Jesus said, "and I will set you to fish for men."

And they were all so amazed that they kept asking: "What is this? Strange teaching indeed! He gives his commands with authority even to the foul spirits, and they obey him!"

And the fame of Jesus spread at once in all directions, through the whole neighborhood of Galilee.

Now Simon's mother-in-law was lying ill with fever, and they at once told Jesus about her.

In the evening, after sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who were ill or possessed by demons;

And the whole city was gathered round the door.

Jesus cured many who were ill with various diseases, and drove out many demons, and would not permit them to speak, because they knew him to be the Christ.

And he went about making his proclamation in their Synagogues all through Galilee, and driving out the demons.

And so many people collected together, that after a while there was no room for them even round the door; and he began to tell them his Message.

The man got up, and immediately took up his mat, and went out before them all; at which they were amazed, and, as they praised God, they said: "We have never seen anything like this!"

Jesus went out again to the Sea; and all the people came to him, and he taught them.

Hearing this, Jesus said: "It is not those who are in health that need a doctor, but those who are ill. I did not come to call the religious, but the outcast."

Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were keeping a fast, and people came and asked Jesus: "Why is it that John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, while yours do not?"

Jesus answered: "Can the bridegroom's friends fast, while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.

But the days will come, when the bridegroom will be parted from them, and they will fast then--when that day comes.

And no man ever puts new wine into old wine-skins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins are lost. But new wine is put into fresh skins."

How he went into the House of God, in the time of Abiathar the High Priest, and ate 'the consecrated bread,' which only the priests are allowed to eat, and gave some to his comrades as well?"

And a great number, hearing of all that he was doing, came to him from Judea, from Jerusalem, from Edom, from beyond the Jordan, and from the country round Tyre and Sidon.

For he had cured many of them, and so people kept crowding upon him, that all who were afflicted might touch him.

And when a household is divided against itself, it will not be able to last.

No man who has got into a strong man's house can carry off his goods, without first securing him; and not till then will he plunder his house.

I tell you that men will be forgiven everything--their sins, and all the slanders that they utter;

Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother."

Jesus again began to teach by the Sea; and, as an immense crowd was gathering round him, he got into a boat, and sat in it on the Sea, while all the people were on the shore at the water's edge.

And he said: "To you the hidden truth of the Kingdom of God has been imparted; but to those who are outside it all teaching takes the form of parables, that--

You do not know the meaning of this parable!" he went on; "Then how will you understand all the other parables?

Let all who have ears to hear with hear.

Take care what you listen to," said Jesus. "The measure you mete will be meted out to you, and more will be added for you.

For, to those who have, more will be given; while, from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away."

And then sleeps by night and rises by day, while the seed is shooting up and growing--he knows not how.

By what can we illustrate it? Perhaps by the growth of a mustard-seed. This seed, when sown in the ground, though it is smaller than all other seeds,

Then those who had seen it related to them all that had happened to the possessed man, as well as about the pigs;

But Jesus refused. "Go back to your home, to your own people," he said, "and tell them of all that the Lord has done for you, and how he took pity on you."

So the man went, and began to proclaim in the district of the Ten Towns all that Jesus had done for him; and every one was amazed.

And undergone much at the hands of many doctors, (spending all she had without obtaining any relief, but, on the contrary, growing worse),

"If I can only touch his clothes," she said, "I shall get well!"

Then the woman, in fear and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and threw herself down before him, and told him the whole truth.

They began to laugh at him; but he sent them all out, and then, with the child's father and mother and his companions, went into the room where she was lying.

They drove out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were infirm, and cured them.

Now King Herod heard of Jesus; for his name had become well known. People were saying--"John the Baptizer must have risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are active in him."

And when his daughter--that is, the daughter of Herodias--came in and danced, she delighted Herod and those who were dining with him. 'Ask me for whatever you like,' the King said to the girl, 'and I will give it to you';

When the Apostles came back to Jesus, they told him all that they had done and all that they had taught.

"Come by yourselves privately to some lonely spot," he said, "and rest for a while"--for there were so many people coming and going that they had not time even to eat.

And many people saw them going, and recognized them, and from all the towns they flocked together to the place on foot, and got there before them.

Jesus directed them to make all the people take their seats on the green grass, in parties;

Taking the five loaves and the two fishes, Jesus looked up to Heaven, and said the blessing; he broke the loaves into pieces, and gave them to his disciples for them to serve out to the people, and he divided the two fishes also among them all.

And they picked up enough broken pieces to fill twelve baskets, as well as some of the fish.

Immediately afterwards Jesus made his disciples get into the boat, and cross over in advance, in the direction of Bethsaida, while he himself was dismissing the crowd.

For all of them saw him, and were terrified. But Jesus at once spoke to them. "Courage!" he said, "it is I; do not be afraid!"

Hurried over the whole country-side, and began to carry about upon mats those who were ill, wherever they heard he was.

So wherever he went--to villages, or towns, or farms--they would lay their sick in the market-places, begging him to let them touch only the tassel of his cloak; and all who touched were made well.

(For the Pharisees, and indeed all strict Jews, will not eat without first scrupulously washing their hands, holding in this to the traditions of their ancestors.

When they come from market, they will not eat without first sprinkling themselves; and there are many other customs which they have inherited and hold to, such as the ceremonial washing of cups, and jugs, and copper pans).

His answer was: "It was well said by Isaiah when he prophesied about you hypocrites in the words--'This is a people that honor me with their lips, While their hearts are far removed from me;

For while Moses said 'Honor thy father and thy mother,' and 'Let him who reviles his father or mother suffer death,'

Why, then you do not allow him to do anything further for his father or mother!

Then Jesus called the people to him again, and said: "Listen to me, all of you, and mark my words.

Because it does not pass into his heart, but into his stomach, and is afterwards got rid of?--in saying this Jesus pronounced all food 'clean.'

All these wicked things come from within, and do defile a man."

And a profound impression was made upon the people. "He has done everything well!" they exclaimed. "He makes even the deaf hear and the dumb speak!"

"My heart is moved at the sight of all these people, for they have already been with me three days and they have nothing to eat;

And if I send them away to their homes hungry, they will break down on the way; and some of them have come a long distance."

"Where will it be possible," his disciples answered, "to get sufficient bread for these people in this lonely place?"

They had also a few small fish; and, after he had said the blessing, he told the disciples to serve out these as well.

Now the disciples had forgotten to take any bread with them, one loaf being all that they had in the boat.

"John the Baptist," they answered, "but others say Elijah, while others say one of the Prophets."

For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, and whoever, for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, will lose his life shall save it.

What good is it to a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?

Whoever is ashamed of me and of my teaching, in this unfaithful and wicked generation, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed, when he comes in his Father's Glory with the holy angels."

"I tell you," he added, "that some of those who are standing here will not know death till they have seen the Kingdom of God come in power."

But, as soon as they saw Jesus, all the people, in great astonishment, ran up and greeted him.

for he was instructing his disciples, and telling them-- "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of his fellow men, and they will put him to death, but, when he has been put to death, he will rise again after three days."

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said: "If any one wishes to be first, he must be last of all, and servant of all."

"None of you must prevent the man," answered Jesus, "for no one will use my name in working a miracle, and yet find it easy to speak evil of me.

For it is by fire that every one will be salted.

Salt is good, but, if the salt should lose its saltiness, what will you use to season it? You must have salt in yourselves, and live at peace with one another."

I tell you, unless a man receives the Kingdom of God like a child, he will not enter it at all."

"Teacher," he replied, "I have observed all these from my childhood."

Jesus looked at the man, and his heart went out to him, and he said: "There is still one thing wanting in you; go and sell all that you have, and give to the poor, and you shall heave wealth in Heaven; then come and follow me."

Then Jesus looked round, and said to his disciples: "How hard it will be for men of wealth to enter the Kingdom of God!"

Who will not receive a hundred times as much, even now in the present--houses, and brothers, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and land--though not without persecutions, and, in the age that is coming, Immortal Life.

But many who are first now will then be last, and the last will be first."

One day, when they were on their way, going up to Jerusalem, Jesus was walking in front of the Apostles, who were filled with misgivings; while those who were following behind were alarmed. Gathering the Twelve round him once more, Jesus began to tell them what was about to happen to him.

"Listen!" he said. "We are going up to Jerusalem; and there the Son of Man will be betrayed to the Chief Priests and the Teachers of the Law, and they will condemn him to death, and they will give him up to the Gentiles,

Who will mock him, spit upon him, and scourge him, and put him to death; and after three days he will rise again."

And whoever wants to take the first place among you must be the servant of all;

Many of the people kept telling him to be quiet; but the man continued to call out all the louder: "Son of David, take pity on me."

"Go to the village facing you," he said; "and, as soon as you get there, you will find a foal tethered, which no one has ever ridden; untie it, and bring it.

And, if any one says to you 'Why are you doing that?', say 'The Master wants it, and will be sure to send it back here at once.'"

Many of the people spread their cloaks on the road, while some strewed boughs which they had cut from the fields;

And those who led the way, as well as those who followed, kept shouting: "'God save him! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!'

And would not allow any one to carry anything across the Temple Courts.

Then he began to teach. "Does not Scripture say," he asked, "'My House shall be called a House of Prayer for all the nations'? But you have made it a den of robbers.'"

Now the Chief Priests and the Teachers of the Law heard this and began to look for some way of putting Jesus to death; for they were afraid of him, since all the people were greatly impressed by his teaching.

"I tell you that if any one should say to this hill 'Be lifted up and hurled into the sea!', without ever a doubt in his mind, but in the faith that what he says will be done, he would find that it would be.

And therefore I say to you 'Have faith that whatever you ask for in prayer is already granted you, and you will find that it will be.'

They came to Jerusalem again. While Jesus was walking about in the Temple Courts, the Chief Priests, the Teachers of the Law, and the Councillors came up to him.