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.

His announcement was, "There is One coming after me mightier than I--One whose sandal-strap I am unworthy to stoop down and unfasten.

The people listened with amazement to His teaching--for there was authority about it: it was very different from that of the Scribes--

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

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.

"Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns," He replied, "that I may proclaim my Message there also; because for that purpose I came from God."

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 such numbers of people came together that there was no longer room for them even round the door. He was speaking His Message to them,

when there came a party of people bringing a paralytic--four men carrying him.

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

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.

At another time, when He went to the synagogue, there was a man there with one arm shrivelled up.

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.

And He went into a house. But again the crowd assembled, so that there was no opportunity for them even to snatch a meal.

"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.

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

Why, there is nothing hidden except with a view to its being ultimately disclosed, nor has anything been made a secret but that it may at last come to light.

At once, on His landing, there came from the tombs to meet Him a man possessed by a foul spirit.

for many a time he had been left securely bound in fetters and chains, but afterwards the chains lay torn link from link, and the fetters in fragments, and there was no one strong enough to master him.

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

Feeding there, on the mountain slope, was a great herd of swine.

when there came one of the Wardens of the Synagogue--he was called Jair--who, on beholding Him, threw himself at His feet,

But Jesus said to them, "There is no Prophet without honour except in his own country, and among his own relatives, and in his own home."

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

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.

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."

There is nothing outside a man which entering him can make him unclean; but it is the things which come out of a man that make him unclean."

About that time there was again an immense crowd, and they found themselves with nothing to eat. So He called His disciples to Him.

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

Then there came a cloud spreading over them, and a voice issued from the cloud, "This is my Son, dearly loved: listen to Him."

"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.

As He went out to resume His journey, there came a man running up to Him, who knelt at His feet and asked, "Good Rabbi, what am I to do in order to inherit the Life of the Ages?"

"Why do you call me good?" asked Jesus in reply; "there is no one truly good except One--that is, God.

"In solemn truth I tell you," replied Jesus, "that there is no one who has forsaken house or brothers or sisters, or mother or father, or children or lands, for my sake and for the sake of the Good News,

So He came into Jerusalem and into the Temple; and after looking round upon everything there, the hour being now late He went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

Then He began to speak to them in figurative language. "There was once a man," He said, "who planted a vineyard, fenced it round, dug a pit for the wine-tank, and built a strong lodge. Then he let the place to vine-dressers and went abroad.

Then came to Him a party of Sadducees, a sect which denies that there is any Resurrection; and they proceeded to question Him.

There were once seven brothers, the eldest of whom married a wife, but at his death left no family.

"The second is this: 'Thou shalt love thy fellow man as thou lovest thyself.' "Other Commandment greater than these there is none."

So the Scribe said to Him, "Rightly, in very truth, Rabbi, have you said that He stands alone, and there is none but He;

But there came one poor widow and dropped in two farthings, equal in value to a halfpenny.

For nation will rise in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth.

"At that time if any one says to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'See, He is there!' do not believe it.

For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, displaying signs and prodigies with a view to lead astray--if indeed that were possible--even God's own People.

But they said, "Not on the Festival-day, for fear there should be a riot among the people."

Now when He was at Bethany, in the house of Simon the Leper, while He was at table, there came a woman with a jar of pure, sweet-scented ointment very costly: she broke the jar and poured the ointment over His head.

But there were some who said indignantly among themselves, "Why has the ointment been thus wasted?

Then he will himself show you a large room upstairs, ready furnished: there make preparation for us."

So they came to a place called Gethsemane. There He said to His disciples, "Sit down here till I have prayed."

So they led Jesus away to the High Priest, and with him there assembled all the High Priests, Elders, and Scribes.

Peter followed Jesus at a distance, as far as the outer court of the High Priest's palace. But there he remained sitting among the officers, and warming himself by the fire.

At noon there came a darkness over the whole land, lasting till three o'clock in the afternoon.

There were also a party of women looking on from a distance; among them being both Mary of Magdala and Mary the mother of James the Little and of Joses, and Salome--

But go and tell His disciples and Peter that He is going before you into Galilee: and that there you will see Him, as He told you."