O serpents, O vipers' brood, how are you to escape condemnation to Gehenna?

but all these miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth.

"At that time they will deliver you up to punishment and will put you to death; and you will be objects of hatred to all the nations because you are called by my name.

"then let those who are in Judaea escape to the hills;

And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants!

"'Give us some of your oil,' said the foolish ones to the wise, 'for our torches are going out.'

But Jesus heard it, and said to them, "Why are you vexing her? For she has done a most gracious act towards me.

and said, "What are you willing to give me if I betray him to you?" So they weighed out to him thirty shekels,

In that case how are the Scriptures to be fulfilled which declare that thus it must be?"

Then the High Priest stood up and asked Him, "Have you no answer to make? What is it these men are saying in evidence against you?"

Jesus however remained silent. Again the High Priest addressed Him. "In the name of the ever-living God," he said, "I now put you on your oath. Tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God."

A short time afterwards the people standing there came and said to Peter, "Certainly you too are one of them, for your brogue shows it."

Meanwhile Jesus was brought before the Governor, and the latter put the question, "Are you the King of the Jews?" "I am their King," He answered.

"Do you not hear," asked Pilate, "what a mass of evidence they are bringing against you?"

and said, "You who would pull down the Sanctuary and build a new one within three days, save yourself. If you are God's Son, come down from the cross."

But the angel said to the women, "As for you, dismiss your fears. I know that it is Jesus that you are looking for--the crucified One.

"What have you to do with us, Jesus the Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--God's Holy One."

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."

Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are pardoned."

Which is easier?--to say to this paralytic, 'Your sins are pardoned,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your mat, and walk?'

So the Pharisees said to Him, "Look! why are they doing what on the Sabbath is unlawful?"

how he entered the house of God in the High-priesthood of Abiathar, and ate the Presented Loaves--which none but the priests are allowed to eat--and gave some to his men also?"

Then He asked them, "Are we allowed to do good on the Sabbath, or to do evil? to save a life, or to destroy one?" They remained silent.

And the foul spirits, whenever they saw Him, threw themselves down at His feet, screaming out: "You are the Son of God."

Now a crowd was sitting round Him; so they tell Him, "Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, inquiring for you."

"Who are my mother and my brothers?" He replied.

"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."

Those who receive the seed by the way-side are those in whom the Message is sown, but, when they have heard it, Satan comes at once and carries away the Message sown in them.

In the same way those who receive the seed on the rocky places are those who, when they have heard the Message, at once accept it joyfully,

but they have no root within them. They last for a time; then, when suffering or persecution comes because of the Message, they are immediately overthrown.

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

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."

Another saying of His was this: "How are we to picture the Kingdom of God? or by what figure of speech shall we represent it?

But He Himself was in the stern asleep, with His head on the cushion: so they woke Him. "Rabbi," they cried, "is it nothing to you that we are drowning?"

"Why are you so timid?" He asked; "have you still no faith?"

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

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?

"Give them food yourselves," He replied. "Are we," they asked, "to go and buy two hundred shillings' worth of bread and give them food?"

(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,

"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.'

He perceived what they were saying, and He said to them, "What is this discussion of yours about having no bread? Do you not yet see and understand? Are your minds so dull of comprehension?

Then He asked them pointedly, "But you yourselves, who do you say that I am?" "You are the Christ," answered Peter.

But turning round and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Adversary," He said, "for your thoughts are not God's thoughts, but men's."

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."

when Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, we are thankful to you that we are here. Let us put up three tents--one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

"What is the subject you are discussing?" He asked them.

and the two shall be one'; so that they are two no longer, but 'one.'

Jesus, however, on seeing this, was moved to indignation, and said to them, "Let the little children come to me: do not hinder them; for to those who are childlike the Kingdom of God belongs.

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;

"You know not," said He, "what you are asking. Are you able to drink out of the cup from which I am to drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am to be baptized?"

"We are able," they replied. "Out of the cup," said Jesus, "from which I am to drink you shall drink, and with the baptism with which I am to be baptized you shall be baptized;

Jesus, however, called them to Him and said to them, "You are aware how those who are deemed rulers among the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men make them feel their authority;

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

when some of the bystanders called out, "What are you doing, untying the foal?"

and asked, "By what authority are you doing these things? and who gave you authority to do them?"

So they came to Him. "Rabbi," they said, "we know that you are a truthful man and you do not fear any one; for you do not recognize human distinctions, but teach God's way truly. Is it allowable to pay poll-tax to Caesar, or not?

For when they have risen from among the dead, men do not marry and women are not given in marriage, but they are as angels are in Heaven.

He is not the God of dead, but of living men. You are in grave error."

Perceiving that the Scribe had answered wisely Jesus said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God." No one from that time forward ventured to put any question to Him.

"Tell us, When will these things be? and what will be the sign when all these predictions are on the point of being fulfilled?"

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.

When however they are marching you along under arrest, do not be anxious beforehand about what you are to say, but speak what is given you when the time comes; for it will not be you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

You will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name, but those who stand firm to the End will be saved.

And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants!

the stars will be seen falling from the firmament, and the forces which are in the heavens will be disordered and disturbed.

But Jesus said, "Leave her alone: why are you troubling her? She has done a most gracious act towards me.

Then said Jesus to them, "All of you are about to stumble and fall, for it is written, 'I will strike down the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered in all directions.'

and He said, "Abba! my Father! all things are possible for Thee: take this cup of suffering away from me: and yet not what I desire, but what Thou desirest."

Then He came and found them asleep, and He said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Had you not strength to keep awake a single hour?

A third time He came, and then He said, "Sleep on and rest. Enough! the hour has come. Even now they are betraying the Son of Man into the hands of sinful men.

But He remained silent, and gave no reply. A second time the High Priest questioned Him. "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" he said.

Thereupon some began to spit on Him, and to blindfold Him, while striking Him with their fists and crying, "Prove that you are a prophet." The officers too struck Him with open hands as they took Him in charge.

A second time he repeatedly denied it. Soon afterwards the bystanders again accused Peter, saying, "You are surely one of them, for you too are a Galilaean."

But he broke out into curses and oaths, declaring, "I know nothing of the man you are talking about."

So Pilate questioned Him. "Are *you* the King of the Jews?" he asked. "I am," replied Jesus.

Pilate again and again asked Him, "Do you make no reply? Listen to the many charges they are bringing against you."

But he said to them, "Do not be terrified. It is Jesus you are looking for--the Nazarene who has been crucified. He has come back to life: He is not here: this is the place where they laid Him.

Seeing that many have attempted to draw up a narrative of the facts which are received with full assurance among us

But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your petition has been heard: and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call his name John.

You will conceive in your womb and bear a son; and you are to call His name JESUS.

and uttered a loud cry of joy. "Blest among women are you," she said, "and the offspring of your body is blest!

The crowds repeatedly asked him, "What then are we to do?"

There came also a party of tax-gatherers to be baptized, and they asked him, "Rabbi, what are we to do?"

The soldiers also once and again inquired of him, "And we, what are we to do?" His answer was, "Neither intimidate any one nor lay false charges; and be content with your pay."

Then the Devil said to Him, "If you are God's Son, tell this stone to become bread."

Then he brought Him to Jerusalem and caused Him to stand on the roof of the Temple, and said to Him, "If you are God's Son, throw yourself down from here; for it is written,

"Ha! Jesus the Nazarene, what have you to do with us? I know who you are--God's Holy One!"

Demons also came out of many, loudly calling out, "You are the Son of God." But He rebuked them and forbad them to speak, because they knew Him to be the Christ.

On another occasion, when He was in one of the towns, there was a man there covered with leprosy, who, seeing Jesus, threw himself at His feet and implored Him, saying, "Sir, if only you are willing, you are able to make me clean."

He saw their faith and said to him, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."

Well aware of their reasonings, Jesus answered their questions by asking in turn, "What is this that you are debating in your hearts?

Which is easier? --to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'?

This led the Pharisees and Scribes of their party to expostulate with His disciples and ask, "Why are you eating and drinking with these tax-gatherers and notorious sinners?"

And some of the Pharisees asked, "Why are you doing what the Law forbids on the Sabbath?"

how he entered the house of God and took and ate the Presented Loaves and gave some to his followers--loaves which none but the Priests are allowed to eat?"

Then Jesus said to them, "I put it to you all whether we are allowed to do good on the Sabbath, or to do evil; to save a life, or to destroy it."

Then fixing His eyes upon His disciples, Jesus said to them, "Blessed are you poor, because the Kingdom of God is yours.

"Blessed are you who hunger now, because your hunger shall be satisfied. "Blessed are you who now weep aloud, because you shall laugh.