'What shall I do?' said the owner of the vineyard. 'I will send my son, who is very dear to me. Perhaps they will respect him.'

So they threw him outside the vineyard and killed him. Now what will the owner of the vineyard do to them?

He will come and put those tenants to death, and will let the vineyard to others." "Heaven forbid!" they exclaimed when they heard it.

But Jesus looked at them and said: "What then is the meaning of this passage?-- 'The very stone which the builders despised has now itself become the corner-stone.'

Every one who falls on that stone will be dashed to pieces, while any one on whom it falls--it will scatter him as dust."

After this the Teachers of the Law and the Chief Priest were eager to lay hands on Jesus then and there, but they were afraid of the people; for they saw that it was at them that he had aimed this parable.

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;

"Show me a florin. Whose head and title are on it?"

"The Emperor's," they said; and Jesus replied: "Well then, pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and to God what belongs to God."

They could not lay hold of this answer before the people; and, in their wonder at his reply, they held their tongues.

"Teacher, Moses laid down for us in his writings that-- 'Should a man's married brother die, and should he be childless, the man should take the widow as his wife, and raise up a family for his brother.'

About the woman, then--at the resurrection, whose wife is she to be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?"

But Jesus said to them: "How is it that people say that the Christ is to be David's son?

For David, in the Book of Psalms, says himself--'The Lord said to my lord: "Sit at my right hand,

"Be on your guard against the Teachers of the Law, who delight to walk about in long robes, and like to be greeted in the streets with respect, and to have the best seats in the Synagogues, and places of honor at dinner.

He saw, too, a widow in poor circumstances putting two farthings into them.

On this he said: "I tell you that this poor widow has put in more than all the others;

For every one else here put in something from what he had to spare, while she, in her need, has put in all she had to live upon."

"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."

So the disciples questioned Jesus: "But, Teacher, when will this be? and what sign will there be when this is near?"

And Jesus said: "See that you are not led astray; for many will take my name, and come saying 'I am He,' and 'The time is close at hand.' Do not follow them.

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."

Yet not a single hair of your heads shall be lost!

As soon, however, as you see Jerusalem surrounded by armed camps, then you may know that the hour of her desecration is at hand.

Then those of you who are in Judea must take refuge in the mountains, those who are in Jerusalem must leave at once, and those who are in the country places must not go into it.

They will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be taken prisoners to every land, and 'Jerusalem will be under the heel of the Gentiles,' until their day is over--as it shall be.

There will be signs, too, in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth despair among the nations, in their dismay at the roar of the sea and the surge.

Men's hearts will fail them through dread of what is coming upon the world; for 'the forces of the heavens will be convulsed.'

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

Then he taught them a lesson thus-- "Look at the fig tree and all the other trees.

As soon as they shoot, you know, as you look at them, without being told, that summer is near.

For come it will upon all who are living upon the face of the whole earth.

Be on the watch at all times, and pray that you may have strength to escape all that is destined to happen, and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man."

During the days, Jesus continued to teach in the Temple Courts, but he went out and spent the nights on the hill called the 'Mount of Olives.'

And he went and discussed with the Chief Priests and Officers in charge at the Temple the best way of betraying Jesus to them.

And you shall say to the owner of the house 'The Teacher says to you--Where is the room where I am to eat the Passover with my disciples?'

The man will show you a large upstairs room, set out; there make preparations."

When the time came, Jesus took his place at table, and the Apostles with him.

"I have most earnestly wished," he said, "to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.

For I tell you that I shall not eat it again, until it has had its fulfillment in the Kingdom of God."

"Take this and share it among you. For I tell you that I shall not, after to-day, drink of the juice of the grape, till the Kingdom of God has come."

Then Jesus took some bread, and, after saying the thanksgiving, broke it and gave to them, with the words: "This is my body, [which is now to be given on your behalf. Do this in memory of me."

And in the same way with the cup, after supper, saying: "This cup is the New Covenant made by my blood which is being poured out on your behalf.]

Yet see! the hand of the man that is betraying me is beside me upon the table!

True, the Son of Man is passing, by the way ordained for him, yet alas for that man by whom he is being betrayed!"

Then they began questioning one another which of them it could be that was going to do this.

Jesus, however, said: "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their oppressors are styled 'Benefactors.'

But with you it must not be so. No, let the greatest among you become like the youngest, and him who leads like him who serves.

Which is the greater--the master at the table or his servant? Is not it the master at the table? Yet I myself am among you as one who serves.

So that you may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom, and be seated upon twelve thrones as judges of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Simon! Simon! listen. Satan demanded leave to sift you all like wheat,

Then he said to them all: "When I sent you out as my Messengers, without either purse, or bag, or sandals, were you in need of anything?" "No; nothing," they answered.

"Now, however," he said, "he who has a purse must take it and his bag as well; and he who has not must sell his cloak and buy a sword.

Jesus then went out, and made his way as usual to the Mount of Olives, followed by his disciples.

"Father," he said, "if it is thy pleasure, spare me this cup; only, not my will but thine be done."

On which Jesus said to him: "Judas, is it by a kiss that you betray the Son of Man?"

But when those who were round Jesus saw what was going to happen, they exclaimed: "Master, shall we use our swords?"

On which Jesus said: "Let me at least do this"; and, touching his ear, he healed the wound.

Then, turning to the Chief Priests and Officers in charge at the Temple and Councillors, who had come for him, he said: "Have you come out, as if after a robber, with swords and clubs?

Those who had taken Jesus prisoner took him away into the house of the High Priest. Peter followed at a distance.

But Peter denied it. "I do not know him," he replied.

But Peter said: "I do not know what you are speaking about." Instantly, while he was still speaking, a cock crowed.

And the Master turned and looked at Peter; and Peter remembered the words that the Master had said to him-- "Before a cock has crowed to-day, you will disown me three times";

They blindfolded him and then questioned him. "Now play the Prophet," they said; "who was it that struck you?"

At daybreak the National Council met--both the Chief Priests and the Teachers of the Law--and took Jesus before their High Council.

"Are you, then, the Son of God?" they all asked. "It is true," answered Jesus, "I am."

At this they exclaimed: "Why do we want any more evidence? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips!"

And they began to accuse him: "This is a man whom we found misleading our people, preventing them from paying taxes to the Emperor, and giving out that he himself is 'Christ, a King.'"

"Are you the King of the Jews?" Pilate asked him. "It is true," replied Jesus.

And, having satisfied himself that Jesus came under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who also was at Jerusalem at the time.

So he questioned him at some length, but Jesus made no reply.

And said to them: "You brought this man before me charged with misleading the people; and yet, for my part, though I examined him before you, I did not find this man to blame for any of the things of which you accuse him;

(Barabbas was a man who had been put in prison for a riot that had broken out in the city and for murder.)

But they kept calling out: "Crucify, crucify him!"

"Why, what harm has this man done?" Pilate said to them for the third time. "I have found nothing in him for which he could be condemned to death. So I will have him scourged, and then release him."

And, as they were leading Jesus away, they laid hold of Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and they put the cross on his shoulders, for him to carry it behind Jesus.

A time, I tell you, is coming, when it will be said--'Happy are the women who are barren, and those who have never borne children or nursed them!'

At that time people will begin to say to the mountains 'Fall on us,' and to the hills 'Cover us.'

If what you see is done while the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"

There were two others also, criminals, led out to be executed with Jesus.

[Then Jesus said: "Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing."] His clothes they divided among them by casting lots.

One of the criminals who were hanging beside Jesus railed at him. "Are not you the Christ? Save yourself and us," he said.

It was nearly mid-day, when a darkness came over the whole country, lasting till three in the afternoon,

The Roman Captain, on seeing what had happened, praised God, exclaiming: "This must have been a good man!"

All the people who had collected to see the sight watched what occurred, and then went home beating their breasts.

All the friends of Jesus had been standing at a distance, with the women who accompanied him from Galilee, watching all this.

And, when he had taken it down, he wrapped it in a linen sheet, and laid him in a tomb cut out of stone, in which no one had yet been buried.

It was the Preparation Day, and just before the Sabbath began.

And, on going into it, they could not find the body [of the Lord Jesus].

While they were at a loss to account for this, all at once two men stood beside them, in dazzling clothing.

What they said seemed to the Apostles mere nonsense, and they did not believe them.

[But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. Stooping down he saw nothing but the linen wrappings, and he went away, wondering to himself at what had taken place.]

It happened that very day that two of the disciples were going to a village called Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem,

"What is this that you are saying to each other as you walk along?" Jesus asked. They stopped, with sad looks on their faces,

And then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, said to Jesus: "Are you staying by yourself at Jerusalem, that you have not heard of the things that have happened there within the last few days?"

"What things do you mean?" asked Jesus. "Why, about Jesus of Nazareth," they answered, "who, in the eyes of God and all the people, was a Prophet, whose power was felt in both his words and actions;

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.

And what is more, some of the women among us have greatly astonished us. They went to the tomb at daybreak

But they pressed him not to do so. "Stay with us," they said, "for it is getting towards evening, and the sun in already low." So Jesus went in to stay with them.

After he had taken his place at table with them, he took the bread and said the blessing, and broke it, and gave it to them.