By the seed which was sown among the brambles is meant the man who hears the Message, but the cares of life and the glamour of wealth completely choke the Message, so that it gives no return.

On this the owner's servants came to him, and said 'Was not it good seed that you sowed in your field? Where, then, do the tares in it come from?'

'No,' said he, 'for fear that, while you are gathering the tares, you should root up the wheat as well.

This seed is smaller than all other seeds, but, when it has grown up, it is larger than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that 'the wild birds come and roost in its branches.'"

The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom all that hinders and those who live in sin,

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again, and then, in his delight, went and sold everything that he had, and bought that field.

Finding one of great value, he went and sold everything that he had, and bought it.

When Jesus had finished these parables, he withdrew from that place.

Going to his own part of the country, he taught the people in their Synagogue in such a manner that they were deeply impressed. "Where did he get this wisdom?" they said, "and the miracles?

At that time Prince Herod heard of the fame of Jesus,

And said to his attendants: " This must be John the Baptist; he must be risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are active in him."

That he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked.

In the evening the disciples came up to him, and said: " This is a lonely spot, and the day is now far advanced; send the crowds away, that they may go to the villages, and buy themselves food."

Every one had sufficient to eat, and they picked up enough of the broken pieces that were left to fill twelve baskets.

But the people of that place, recognizing Jesus, sent out to the whole country round, and brought to him all who were ill,

"How is it that your disciples break the traditions of our ancestors? For they do not wash their hands when they eat food."

His reply was: "How is it that you on your side break God's commandments out of respect for your own traditions?

'This is a people that honor me with their lips, While their hearts are far removed from me;

It is not what enters a man's mouth that 'defiles' him, but what comes out from his mouth--that does defile him!"

On this his disciples came up to him, and said: "Do you know that the Pharisees were shocked on hearing what you said?"

"Every plant," Jesus replied, "that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up.

"Do not you see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is afterwards expelled?

But the things that come out from the mouth proceed from the heart, and it is these that defile a man;

These are the things that defile a man; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile a man."

On going away from that place, Jesus retired to the country round Tyre and Sidon.

There, a Canaanite woman of that district came out and began calling to Jesus: "Take pity on me, Master, Son of David; my daughter is grievously possessed by a demon."

"Yes, Master," she said, "for even dogs do feed on the scraps that fall from their owners' table."

"Your faith is great," was his reply to the woman; "it shall be as you wish!" And her daughter was cured that very hour.

On leaving that place, Jesus went to the shore of the Sea of Galilee; and then went up the hill, and sat down., you will do what not only what has been done to the fig tree, but, even if you should say to this hill 'Be lifted up and hurled into the sea!' it would be done.

Afterwards Jesus called his disciples to him, and said: "My heart is moved at the sight of all these people, for they have already been with me three days and they have nothing to eat; and I am unwilling to send them away hungry, for fear that they should break down on the way."

How is it that you do not see that I was not speaking about bread? Be on your guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

Then they understood that he had told them to be on their guard, not against the leaven of bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

On coming into the neighborhood of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked his disciples this question-- "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"

"Some say John the Baptist," they answered, "Others, however, say that he is Elijah, while others again say Jeremiah, or one of the Prophets."

"But you," he said, "who do you say that I am?"

Then he charged his disciples not to tell any one that he was the Christ.

At that time Jesus Christ began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, and undergo much suffering at the hands of the Councillors, and Chief Priests, and Teachers of the Law, and be put to death, and rise on the third day.

But Peter took Jesus aside, and began to rebuke him. "Master," he said, "please God that shall never be your fate!"

What good will it do a man to gain the whole world, if he forfeits his life? or what will a man give that is of equal value with his life?

While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and there was a voice from the cloud that said-- "This is my Son, the Beloved, in whom I delight; him you must hear."

"How is it," his disciples asked, "that our Teachers of the Law say that Elijah has to come first?"

And I tell you that Elijah has already come, and people have not recognized him, but have treated him just as they pleased. In the same way, too, the Son of Man is destined to undergo suffering at men's hands."

Then the disciples understood that it was of John the Baptist that he had spoken to them.

Then Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy; and he was cured from that very hour.

Afterwards the disciples came up to Jesus, and asked him privately: "Why was it that we could not drive it out?"

"Because you have so little faith," he answered; "for, I tell you, if your faith were only like a mustard-seed, you could say to this mountain 'Move from this place to that!' and it would be moved; and nothing would be impossible to you."

Still, that we may not shock them, go and throw a line into the Sea; take the first fish that rises, open its mouth, and you will find in it a piece of money. Take that, and give it to the collectors for both of us."

Therefore, any one who will humble himself like this child-- that man shall be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

What think you? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them strays, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills, and go and search for the one that is straying?

And, if he succeeds in finding it, I tell you that he rejoices more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine which did not stray.

So, too, it is the will of my Father who is in Heaven that not one of these lowly ones should be lost.

But, if he does not listen to you, take with you one or two others, so that 'on the evidence of two or three witnesses, every word may be put beyond dispute.'

I tell you, all that you forbid on earth will be held in Heaven to be forbidden, and all that you allow on earth will be held in Heaven to be allowed.

Again, I tell you that, if but two of you on earth agree as to what they shall pray for, whatever it be, it will be granted them by my Father who is in Heaven.

And, as he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold towards the payment of the debt, together with his wife, and his children, and everything that he had.

But, on going out, that same servant came upon one of his fellow-servants who owed him ten pounds. Seizing him by the throat, he said 'Pay what you owe me.'

Upon that the master sent for the servant, and said to him 'You wicked servant! When you begged me for mercy, I forgave you the whole of that debt.

At the conclusion of this teaching, Jesus withdrew from Galilee, and went into that district of Judea which is on the other side of the Jordan.

"Have not you read," replied Jesus, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,'

So that they are no longer two, but one. What God himself, then, has yoked together man must not separate."

"Why, then," they said, "did Moses direct that a man should 'serve his wife with a notice of separation and divorce her'?"

"Moses, owing to the hardness of your hearts," answered Jesus, "permitted you to divorce your wives, but that was not so at the beginning.

But I tell you that any one who divorces his wife, except on the ground of her unchastity, and marries another woman, is guilty of adultery."

"If that," said the disciples, "is the position of a man with regard to his wife, it is better not to marry."

Jesus, however, said: "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for it is to the childlike that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs."

At this, Jesus said to his disciples: "I tell you that a rich man will find it hard to enter the Kingdom of Heaven!

"I tell you," answered Jesus, "that at the New Creation, 'when the Son of Man takes his seat on his throne of glory,' you who followed me shall be seated upon twelve thrones, as judges of the twelve tribes of Israel.

So, when the first went up, they thought that they would receive more, but they also received two shillings each;

"What is it that you want?" he asked. "I want you to say," she replied, "that in your Kingdom these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right, and the other on your left."

"You do not know what you are asking," was Jesus' answer. "Can you drink the cup that I am to drink?" "Yes," they exclaimed, "we can."

"You shall indeed drink my cup," he said, "but as to a seat at my right and at my left--that is not mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."

Two blind men who were sitting by the road-side, hearing that Jesus was passing, called out: "Take pity on us, Master, Son of David!"

The crowds that led the way, as well as those that followed behind, kept shouting: "God save the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! God save him from on high!"

But, when the Chief Priests and the Teachers of the Law saw the wonderful things that Jesus did, and the boys who were calling out in the Temple Courts "God save the Son of David!", they were indignant,

Which of the two sons did as his father wished?" " The second," they said. "I tell you," added Jesus, "that tax-gatherers and prostitutes are going into the Kingdom of God before you.

And that, I tell you, is why the Kingdom of God will be taken from you, and given to a nation that does produce the fruit of the Kingdom.

After listening to these parables, the Chief Priests and the Pharisees saw that it was about them that he was speaking;

So he said to him 'My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding-robe?' The man was speechless.

They sent their disciples, with the Herodians, to say to him: "Teacher, we know that you are an honest man, and that you teach the way of God honestly, and are not afraid of any one; for you pay no regard to a man's position.

That same day some Sadducees came up to Jesus, maintaining that there is no resurrection. Their question was this:--

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they collected together.

"How is it, then," Jesus replied, "that David, speaking under inspiration, calls him 'lord,' in the passage-

No one could say a word in answer; nor did any one after that day venture to question him further.

Therefore practice and lay to heart everything that they tell preach but do not practice.

But alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You turn the key of the Kingdom of Heaven in men's faces. For you do not go in yourselves, nor yet allow those who try to go in to do so.

Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You destroy widow's houses, even while pretending to make long prayers; therefore you shall receive greater condemnation.

Alas for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You scour land and sea to make a single convert, and, when he is gained, you make him twice as deserving of the Pit as you are yourselves.

Fools that you are and blind! Which is the more important? The gold? Or the Temple which has given sacredness to the gold?

Therefore a man, swearing by the altar, swears by it and by all that is on it,

Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You pay tithes on mint, fennel, and caraway seed, and have neglected the weightier matters of the Law--justice, mercy, and good faith. These last you ought to have put into practice, without neglecting the first.

Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are filled with the results of greed and self-indulgence.

You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the dish, so that the outside may become clean as well.

Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed look fair outside, while inside they are filled with dead men's bones and all kinds of filth.

Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You build the tombs of the Prophets, and decorate the monuments of religious men,

By doing this you are furnishing evidence against yourselves that you are true children of the men who murdered the Prophets.

That is why I send you Prophets, wise men, and Teachers of the Law, some of whom you will crucify and kill, and some of whom you will scourge in your Synagogues, and persecute from town to town;

in order that upon your heads may fall every drop of innocent 'blood split on earth,' from the blood of innocent Abel down to that of Zechariah, Barachiah's son, whom you murdered between the Temple and the altar.

Jesus replied to them as follows: "See that no one leads you astray;

When that time comes, they will give you up to persecution, and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations on account of my Name.

Yet the man that endures to the end shall be saved.