So when he saw that he could gain nothing, but that on the contrary there was a riot threatening, he called for water and washed his hands in sight of them all, saying, "I am not responsible for this murder: you must answer for it."

Over His head they placed a written statement of the charge against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

While they went on this errand, some of the guards came into the city and reported to the High Priests every detail of what had happened.

"And if this," they added, "is reported to the Governor, we will satisfy him and screen you from punishment."

So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this story was noised about among the Jews, and is current to this day.

"The time has fully come," He said, "and the Kingdom of God is close at hand: repent, and believe this Good News.

And all were amazed and awe-struck, so they began to ask one another, "What does this mean? Here is a new sort of teaching--and a tone of authority! And even to foul spirits he issues orders and they obey him!"

"Why does this man use such words?" they said; "he is blaspheming. Who can pardon sins but One--that is, God?"

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

The man rose, and immediately under the eyes of all took up his mat and went out, so that they were all filled with astonishment, gave the glory to God, and said, "We never saw anything like this."

Hearing of this, His relatives came to seize Him by force, for they said, "He is out of his mind."

This was because they said, "He is possessed by a foul spirit."

By this time His mother and His brothers arrive, and standing outside they send a message to Him to call Him.

"To you," He replied, "has been entrusted the secret truth concerning the Kingdom of God; but to those others outside your number all this is spoken in figurative language;

"Do you all miss the meaning of this parable?" He added; "how then will you understand the rest of my parables?"

Another saying of His was this: "The Kingdom of God is as if a man scattered seed over the ground:

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?

Then they were filled with terror, and began to say to one another, "Who is this, then? For even wind and sea obey Him."

This man lived among the tombs, nor could any one now secure him even with a chain;

But He continued looking about to see the person who had done this,

He goes in. "Why all this outcry and loud weeping?" He asks; "the child is asleep, not dead."

To this their reply is a scornful laugh. He, however, puts them all out, takes the child's father and mother and those He has brought with Him, and enters the room where the child lies.

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?

Is not this the carpenter, Mary's son, the brother of James and Joses, Jude and Simon? And do not his sisters live here among us?" So they turned angrily away.

King Herod heard of all this (for the name of Jesus had become widely known)

By this time it was late; so His disciples came to Him, and said, "This is a lonely place, and the hour is now late:

"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:

After He had left the crowd and gone indoors, His disciples began to ask Him about this figure of speech.

"My heart yearns over the people," He said; "for this is now the third day they have remained with me, and they have nothing to eat.

"Where can we possibly get bread here in this remote place to satisfy such a crowd?" answered His disciples.

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?

And He strictly forbad them to tell this about Him to any one.

This He told them plainly; whereupon Peter took Him and began to remonstrate with Him.

Every one, however, who has been ashamed of me and of my teachings in this faithless and sinful age, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in His Father's glory with the holy angels."

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

Then Jesus asked the father, "How long has he been like this?" "From early childhood," he said;

"An evil spirit of this kind," He answered, "can only be driven out by prayer."

"Whoever for my sake receives one such young child as this, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not so much me as Him who sent me."

"It was in consideration of your stubborn hearts," said Jesus, "that Moses enacted this law for you;

For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cling to his wife,

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 will receive a hundred times as much now in this present life--houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, lands--and persecution with them--and in the coming age the Life of the Ages.

and He said to the tree, "Let no one ever again eat fruit from thee!" And His disciples heard this.

This the High Priests and Scribes heard, and they began to devise means to destroy Him. For they were afraid of Him, because of the deep impression produced on all the people by His teaching.

In solemn truth I tell you that if any one shall say to this mountain, 'Remove, and hurl thyself into the sea,' and has no doubt about it in his heart, but stedfastly believes that what he says will happen, it shall be granted him.

"Have you not read even this passage," He added, "'The stone which the builders rejected has become the Cornerstone:

this Cornerstone came from the Lord, and is wonderful in our esteem?'"

And they kept looking out for an opportunity to seize Him, but were afraid of the people; for they saw that in this parable He had referred to *them*. So they left Him and went away.

They brought one; and He asked them, "Whose is this likeness and this inscription?" "Caesar's," they replied.

"Is not this the cause of your error," replied Jesus--"your ignorance alike of the Scriptures and of the power of God?

"The chief Commandment," replied Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord;

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

So He called His disciples to Him and said, "In solemn truth I tell you that this widow, poor as she is, has thrown in more than all the other contributors to the Treasury;

And I solemnly tell you that wherever in the whole world the Good News shall be proclaimed, this which she has done shall also be told in remembrance of her."

Also during the meal He took a Passover biscuit, blessed it, and broke it. He then gave it to them, saying, "Take this, it is my body."

"This is my blood," He said, "which is to be poured out on behalf of many--the blood which makes the Covenant sure.

"I solemnly tell you," replied Jesus, "that to-day--this night--before the cock crows twice, you yourself will three times disown me."

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."

Day after day I used to be among you in the Temple teaching, and you never seized me. But this is happening in order that the Scriptures may be fulfilled.'

"We have heard him say, 'I will pull down this Sanctuary built by human hands, and three days afterwards I will erect another built without hands.'"

But not even in this shape was their testimony consistent.

At last the High Priest stood up, and advancing into the midst of them all, asked Jesus, "Have you no answer to make? What is the meaning of all this that these witnesses allege against you?"

and at this time a man named Barabbas was in prison among the insurgents--persons who in the insurrection had committed murder.

Then they crucified Him. This done, they divided His garments among them, drawing lots to decide what each should take.

This Christ, the King of Israel, let him come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe." Even the men who were being crucified with Him heaped insults on Him.

And when the Centurion who stood in front of the cross saw that He was dead, he exclaimed, "This man was indeed God's Son."

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.

"By what proof," asked Zechariah, "shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is far advanced in years."

"I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God," answered the angel, "and I have been sent to talk with you and tell you this good news.

And now you will be dumb and unable to speak until the day when this has taken place; because you did not believe my words--words which will be fulfilled at their appointed time."

"How can this be," Mary replied, "seeing that I have no husband?"

The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for this reason your holy offspring will be called 'the Son of God.'

And see, your relative Elizabeth--she also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.

Not long after this, Mary rose up and went in haste into the hill country to a town in Judah.

But why is this honour done me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

Because He has not turned from His maidservant in her lowly position; For from this time forward all generations will account me happy,

All who heard the story treasured it in their memories. "What then will this child be?" they said. For the lord's hand was indeed with him.

Just at this time an edict was issued by Caesar Augustus for the registration of the whole Empire.

And this is the token for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."

Then, as soon as the angels had left them and returned to Heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go over as far as Bethlehem and see this that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us."

Symeon blessed them and said to Mary the mother, "This child is appointed for the falling and the uprising of many in Israel and for a token to be spoken against;

after staying the full number of days, when they started back home the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not discover this,

now added this to crown all the rest, that he threw John into prison.

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

And the Devil said to Him, "To you will I give all this authority and this splendour; for it has been handed over to me, and on whomsoever I will I bestow it.

Then He proceeded to say to them, "To-day is this Scripture fulfilled in your hearing."

And they all spoke well of Him, wondering at the sweet words of kindness which fell from His lips, while they asked one another, "Is not this Joseph's son?"

But Jesus rebuked the demon. "Silence!" He exclaimed; "come out of him." Upon this, the demon hurled the man into the midst of them, and came out of him without doing him any harm.

All were astonished and awe-struck; and they asked one another, "What sort of language is this? For with authority and real power He gives orders to the foul spirits and they come out."

But He said to them, "I have to tell the Good News of the Kingdom of God to the other towns also, because for this purpose I was sent."

This they did, and enclosed a vast number of fish; and their nets began to break.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell down at the knees of Jesus, and exclaimed, "Master, leave my boat, for I am a sinful man."

Then the Scribes and Pharisees began to cavil, asking, "Who is this, uttering blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?"

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

After this He went out and noticed a tax-gatherer, Levi by name, sitting at the Toll office; and He said to him, "Follow me."

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?"

But a time for this will come, when the Bridegroom has been taken away from them: then, at that time, they will fast."

"Have you never read so much as this," answered Jesus--"what David did when he and his followers were hungry;

And they, when they came to Jesus, earnestly entreated Him, pleading, "He deserves to have this favour granted him,

For I too am a man obedient to authority, and have soldiers under me; and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this or that,' and he does it."