And, therefore, I also, since I have investigated all these events with great care from their very beginning, have resolved to write a connected history of them for you,

Let your lives, then, prove your repentance; and do not begin to say among yourselves 'Abraham is our ancestor,' for I tell you that out of these very stones God is able to raise descendants for Abraham!

And they were all lost in amazement, and kept saying to one another: "What words are these? For he gives his commands to the foul spirits with a marvelous authority, and they come out."

Jesus was surprised to hear these words from him; and, turning to the crowd which was following him, he said: "I tell you, nowhere in Israel have I met with such faith as this!"

All these events were reported to John by his disciples.

When these men found Jesus, they said: "John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask--'Are you 'The Coming One,' or are we to look for somebody else?'"

But Jesus said: "It is for you to give them something to eat." "We have not more than five loaves and two fishes," they answered; "unless indeed we are to go and buy food for all these people."

About eight days after speaking these words, Jesus went up the mountain to pray, taking with him Peter, John, and James.

At that same time, moved to exultation by the Holy Spirit, Jesus said: "I thank thee, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that, though thou hast hidden these things from the wise and learned, thou hast revealed them to the childlike! Yes, Father, I thank thee that this has seemed good to thee.

Now which, do you think, of these three men," asked Jesus, "proved himself a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers' hands?"

But alas for you Pharisees! You pay tithes on mint, rue, and herbs of all kinds, and pass over justice and love to God. These last you ought to have put into practice without neglecting the first.

Think of the lilies, and how they grow. They neither toil nor spin; yet, I tell you, even Solomon in all his splendor was not robed like one of these.

These are the things for which all the nations of the world are seeking, and your Father knows that you need them.

No, seek his Kingdom, and these things shall be added for you.

"Do you suppose," replied Jesus, "that, because these Galileans have suffered in this way, they were worse sinners than any other Galileans?

On his return the servant told his master all these answers. Then in anger the owner of the house said to his servant 'Go out at once into the streets and alleys of the town, and bring in here the poor, and the crippled, and the blind, and the lame.'

It would be good for him if he had been flung into the sea with a mill-stone round his neck, rather than that he should prove a snare to even one of these lowly ones.

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

But as for my enemies, these men who would not have me as their King, bring them here and put them to death in my presence.'"

But Jesus answered: "I tell you that if these men are silent, the very stones will call out."

On one of these days, when Jesus was teaching the people in the Temple Courts and telling the Good News, the Chief Priests and the Teachers of the Law, joined by the Councillors, confronted him,

And addressing him, said: "Tell us what authority you have to do these things. Who is it that has given you this authority?"

"Then I," said Jesus, "refuse to tell you what authority I have to do these things."

These men asked Jesus a question. They said: "Teacher, we know that you are right in what you say and teach, and that you do not take any account of a man's position, but teach the Way of God honestly;

These are the men who rob widows of their houses, and make a pretense of saying long prayers. Their sentence will be all the heavier."

"As for these things that you are looking at, a time is coming when not one stone will be left upon another here, which will not be thrown down."

And, when you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified, for these things must occur first; but the end will not be at once."

For these are to be the Days of Vengeance, when all that Scripture says will be fulfilled.

And, when these things begin to occur, look upwards and lift your heads, for your deliverance will be at hand."

And so may you, as soon as you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near.

Then Jesus, with a loud cry, said: "Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit." And with these words he expired.

While they were talking about these things and discussing them, Jesus himself came up and went on their way with them;

But we were hoping that he was the Destined Deliverer of Israel; yes, and besides all this, it is now three days since these things occurred.

While they were still talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, [and said "Peace be with you."]