As it is written in Isaiah the Prophet, "See, I am sending My messenger before Thee, Who will prepare Thy way";

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.

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

"Come and follow me," said Jesus, "and I will make you fishers for men."

when all at once, there in their synagogue, a man under the power of a foul spirit screamed out:

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!"

And His fame spread at once everywhere in all that part of Galilee.

Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill in bed with a fever, and without delay they informed Him about her.

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

and the whole town was assembled at the door.

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.

In the morning He rose early, while it was still quite dark, and leaving the house He went away to a solitary place and there prayed.

And He went through all Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and expelling the demons.

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.

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."

Again He went out to the shore of the Lake, and the whole multitude kept coming to Him, and He taught them.

"Can a wedding party fast while the bridegroom is among them?" replied Jesus. "So long as they have the bridegroom with them, fasting is impossible.

But a time will come when the Bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast.

and from Judaea and Jerusalem and Idumaea and from beyond the Jordan and from the district of Tyre and Sidon there came to Him a vast crowd, hearing of all that He was doing.

For He had cured many of the people, so that all who had any ailments pressed upon Him, to touch Him.

Nay, no one can go into a strong man's house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house.

In solemn truth I tell you that all their sins may be pardoned to the sons of men, and all their blasphemies, however they may have blasphemed;

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.

"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;

"Do you all miss the meaning of this parable?" He added; "how then will you understand the rest of my parables?"

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 also said to them, "Take care what you hear. With what measure you measure, it will be measured to you, and that with interest.

For those who have will have more given them; and from those who have not, even what they have will be taken away."

he spends days and nights, now awake, now asleep, while the seed sprouts and grows tall, he knows not how.

It is like a mustard-seed, which, when sown in the earth, is the smallest of all the seeds in the world;

yet when sown it springs up and becomes larger than all the herbs, and throws out great branches, so that the birds build under its shadow."

But except in figurative language He spoke nothing to them; while to His own disciples He expounded everything, in private.

And those who had seen it told them the particulars of what had happened to the demoniac, and all about the swine.

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 Jesus went with him. And a dense crowd followed Him, and thronged Him on all sides.

and had undergone many different treatments under a number of doctors and had spent all she had without receiving benefit but on the contrary growing worse,

Immediately Jesus, well knowing that healing power had gone from within Him, turned round in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"

"You see the multitude pressing you on all sides," His disciples exclaimed, "and yet you ask, 'Who touched me?'"

until the woman, frightened and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and threw herself at His feet, and told Him all the truth.

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

He goes in. "Why all this outcry and loud weeping?" He asks; "the child is asleep, not dead."

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?

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."

Many demons they expelled, and many invalids they anointed with oil and cured.

King Herod heard of all this (for the name of Jesus had become widely known)

at which Herodias's own daughter came in and danced, and so charmed Herod and his guests that he said to her, "Ask me for anything you please, and I will give it to you."

He even swore to her, "Whatever you ask me for I will give you, up to half my kingdom."

The girl immediately came in, in haste, to the King and made her request. "My desire is," she said, "that you will give me, here and now, on a dish, the head of John the Baptist."

When the Apostles had re-assembled round Jesus, they reported to Him all they had done and all they had taught.

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.

But the people saw them going, and many knew them; and coming by land they ran together there from all the neighbouring towns, and arrived before them.

So He directed them to make all sit down in companies on the green grass.

Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and lifting His eyes to Heaven He blessed the food. Then He broke the loaves into portions which He went on handing to the disciples to distribute; giving pieces also of the two fish to them all.

All ate and were fully satisfied.

When evening was come, the boat was half way across the Lake, while he Himself was on shore alone.

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 they scoured the whole district, and began to bring Him the sick on their mats wherever they heard He was.

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.

(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,

and when they come from market they will not eat without bathing first; and they have a good many other customs which they have received traditionally and cling to, such as the rinsing of cups and pots and of bronze utensils, and the washing of beds.)

"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.'

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

Then Jesus called the people to Him again. "Listen to me, all of you," He said, "and understand.

because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and passes away ejected from him?" By these words Jesus pronounced all kinds of food clean.

all these wicked things come out from within and make a man unclean."

"Let the children first eat all they want," He said; "it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."

Then Jesus charged them to tell no one; but the more He charged them, all the more did they spread the news far and wide.

Heaving a deep and troubled sigh, He said, "Why do the men of to-day ask for a sign? In solemn truth I tell you that no sign will be given to the men of to-day."

For whoever is bent on securing his life will lose it, but he who loses his life for my sake, and for the sake of the Good News, will secure it.

Why, what does it benefit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?

Every one, however, who has been ashamed of me and of my teachings in this faithless and sinful age, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in His Father's glory with the holy angels."

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."

"Elijah," He replied, "does indeed come first and reforms everything; but how is it that it is written of the Son of Man that He will endure much suffering and be held in contempt?

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

for He was teaching His disciples, and telling them, "The Son of Man is to be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will put Him to death; and after being put to death, in three days He will rise to life again."

Then sitting down He called the Twelve, and said to them, "If any one wishes to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all."

"You should not have tried to hinder him," replied Jesus, "for there is no one who will use my name to perform a miracle and be able the next minute to speak evil of me.

and whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, I solemnly tell you that he will certainly not lose his reward.

Every one, however, will be salted with fire.

Salt is a good thing, but if the salt should become tasteless, what will you use to give it saltness? Have salt within you and live at peace with one another."

In solemn truth I tell you that no one who does not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child will by any possibility enter it."

"Rabbi," he replied, "all these Commandments I have carefully obeyed from my youth."

Then Jesus looked at him and loved him, and said, "One thing is lacking in you: go, sell all you possess and give the proceeds to the poor, and you shall have riches in Heaven; and come and be a follower of mine."

Then looking round on His disciples Jesus said, "With how hard a struggle will the possessors of riches enter the Kingdom of God!"

but will receive a hundred times as much now in this present life--houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, lands--and persecution with them--and in the coming age the Life of the Ages.

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

"See," He said, "we are going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the High Priests and the Scribes. They will condemn Him to death, and will hand Him over to the Gentiles;

they will insult Him in cruel sport, spit on Him, scourge Him, and put Him to death; but on the third day He will rise to life again."

"Allow us," they replied, "to sit one at your right hand and the other at your left hand, in your glory."

but as to sitting at my right hand or at my left, that is not mine to give: it will be for those for whom it is reserved."

and whoever desires to be first among you must be the bondservant of all.

Many angrily told him to leave off shouting; but he only cried out all the louder, "Son of David, have pity on me."

"Go," He said, "to the village facing you, and immediately on entering it you will find an ass's foal tied up which no one has ever yet ridden: untie him and bring him here.

And if any one asks you, 'Why are you doing that?' say, 'The Master needs it, and will send it back here without delay.'"

while those who led the way and those who followed kept shouting "God save Him!" Blessed be He who comes in the Lord's name.

and would not allow any one to carry anything through the Temple.

And He remonstrated with them. "Is it not written," He said, "'My House shall be called The House of Prayer for all the nations?' But you have made it what it now is--a robbers' cave."