When they heard this the disciples were utterly astounded. "Who then can be saved?" they exclaimed. Jesus looked at them.

"In solemn truth I tell you," Jesus answered, "that in the New Creation, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, you also who have followed me shall sit on twelve thrones, to govern the twelve tribes of Israel.

"And every one who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or lands, for my sake, shall many times as much, and fall heir to eternal life.

"But many who are first shall be last, and many who are last shall be first.

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out at dawn to hire workmen for his vineyard.

"When those came who had begun at five o'clock, they received two shillings apiece;

"'Those last men,' they said, 'have toiled only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the burning heat of the day.'

My cup you indeed shall drink," he answered, "but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."

And two blind men, sitting by the side of the road, heard that it was Jesus who was passing by, and cried out, "Have pity on us, Master, Son of David!"

And the crowds who preceded and those who followed after him shouted again and again, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed be he who is coming in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"

And as he came into Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred. "Who is this?" they said.

Then Jesus entered into the Temple courts, and cast out all who were buying and selling there, and overturned the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of those who sold pigeons.

But when the chief priests and the Scribes saw the wonderful works he did, and the boys who were shouting in the Temple Courts and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!"

When he had entered the Temple courts, and was teaching, the high priests and elders of the people came to him and asked him, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?"

"But give me your judgment. There was once a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said to him, "'Son, go work today in my vineyard!'

"Listen to another parable: "A man who was a householder planted a vineyard, fenced it about, dug a wine vat in it, built a tower, then rented it to vine-dressers and went abroad.

"He will utterly destroy those wretches," they answered, "and will entrust his vineyard to other vine-dressers, who will pay back the fruits to him in their season."

"He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but he upon whom it falls will be scattered as dust."

"The kingdom of heaven," he said, "may be compared to a king who made a wedding-feast for his son.

"So those slaves went out into the roads, and gathered together all whom they found, good or bad, and the banquet-hall was filled with the guests.

"Then the king came in to inspect his guests, and he discovered there a man who had not put on a wedding-garment. He said to him,

That very day there came to him some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection. and they questioned him.

"whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.

"But woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces; for you do not enter, yourselves, nor do you permit those who are about to come in, to enter.

"Woe unto you, blind guides, who say, If any one swears by the Sanctuary, it is nothing, but if any one swears by the gold of the Sanctuary, the oath is binding.

"He then, who swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it;

"and he who swears by the Sanctuary swears by it and by Him who dwells therein;

"and he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits thereon.

"You blind guides! who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!

"So you bear witness against yourselves, that you are the descendants of those who slew the prophets!

"that upon your heads may come every drop of innocent blood spilt upon the earth, from the blood of Abel, the just, to the blood of Zechariah the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the Sanctuary and the altar.

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, murdering the prophets, and stoning those who have been sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together, as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not!

"For I tell you that never shall you see me again until you say, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." "nor did they know until the deluge came and swept them away; so will be the coming of the Son of man.

but he who endures to the end will be saved.

then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains;

let him who is upon the housetop not go down to get the things in his house,

Alas for thee women who are with child, and for the nursing mothers in those days!

"Who, then, is the faithful and prudent slave, to whom his master has entrusted his household, to give them their food in due season?

Blessed is that slave whom his Master, when he comes, shall find so doing.

"Then will the kingdom of heaven be likened to ten maidens who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride.

"And while they were going away to buy, the bridegroom came; and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding-feast. And the door was shut.

"For it is like a man going into another country, who summoned his slaves, and committed his property to their care.

"At once the man who had received the five talents went out and traded with them, and made five talents more.

"In the same way the one who got two talents made another two.

"But he who had received the one talent went off, and dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master's money.

"The man who had received the five talents came, bringing five more, and said: "'Master, five talents you entrusted to me; see, I have gained five more.'

"The second, who had received the two talents, came up and said: "'Master, it was two talents that you entrusted to me; see, I have gained two more.'

"Then the man who had received the one talent came up and said: "'Master, I knew you were a hard man, reaping where you had not sown, and gathering where you had not scattered;

So take away the talent from him, and give it to the man who has ten talents.

(For to every one who has, it shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but from him who has not shall be taken away even what he has.)

Then the chief priests and the elders of the people met together in the court of the palace of the high priest who was called Caiaphas,

a woman came up to him who had an alabaster vase of very costly perfume, and poured it over his head, as he reclined at table.

It was then that one of the Twelve, he who was called Judas Iscariot,

In reply he said: "One who has dipped his hand with me in the dish will betray me.

"The Son of man is indeed to go as it is written concerning him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man shall be betrayed. It were good for that man if he had never been born."

In answer, Judas, who betrayed him, said, "Surely it is not I, Rabbi?" He said to him, "Is it not?"

And, behold, one of these who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, and smote the slave of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

Then Jesus said to him. "Put back your sword into its place! for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.

Then all his disciples forsook him and fled; but those who had apprehended Jesus led him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had assembled.

However, at last two came forward who said, "This fellow declared, 'I can destroy the Temple of God and build it in three days.'"

"Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it who struck you?"

Soon afterward he went out into the porch, and another maid saw him, and said to those who were there, "This fellow certainly was with Jesus, the Nazarene!"

Then was fulfilled the word spoken by the prophet Jeremiah. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him who had been priced, whom certain of the Children of Israel had priced;

Now it was the Governor's custom, during the Passover, to release to the people any one prisoner whom they selected.

So when they had assembled, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release to you, Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?"

And Pilate asked, "What then shall I do with Jesus, who is called Christ?" What one voice they shouted, "Let him be crucified!"

And as they went out they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, whom they compelled to go with them to carry his cross.

Those who passed by reviled him, wagging their heads saying.

"You who were going to destroy the Temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!"

In the same way the robbers also who were being crucified with him, dept reviling him.

the earth quaked; the rocks split; the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised.

When the Roman captain and the soldiers who were with him, guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and all that happened, they were greatly terrified and said, "Certainly this man must have been God's Son."

And there were present several women who were looking on from a distance; they had followed Jesus from a Galilee, ministering to him.

When it was eventide, there came a rich man of Arimathea, named Josephus, who was himself a disciple of Jesus.

In the desert came John who baptized, and preached a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;

As he went a little farther on he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in their boat mending the nets.

"What business have you with us, you Jesus of Nazareth? Are you come to destroy us? I know you who you are, the Holy One of God."

He cured many who were ill with various diseases, and drove out many demons. But he did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew who he was.

But there were some Scribes sitting there who reasoned in their hearts.

"Why does this man speak like this? He blasphemes. Who is able to forgive sins but One, God himself?"

Later on Levi was sitting at table in his house, and together with Jesus and his disciples a number of tax-gatherers and sinners were guests, for there were many of them who used to follow him.

On hearing this Jesus said to them. "It is not the healthy who need a physician, but the sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

For he had healed so many that all the people who had ailments pressed upon him so as to touch him.

Then he went up the hillside and called to him those whom he chose, and they came to him.

Twelve of them whom he also called "Apostles," he appointed to be with him, and also that he might send them out to preach,

There was Simon, whom he surnamed Peter,

and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.

The Scribes also who had come down from Jerusalem, said, "He is Beelzebub," and, "He casts out demons by the power of the Prince of the demons."

but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit is never forgiven. Nay, he is in the grasp of an eternal sin."

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

Then, with a glance at those who were in the circle sitting around him, he added.

"Any one who has ears to hear," he added, "let him listen to this."

And like the sowing upon 'stony ground' are those who, whenever they hear the Word, at once receive it with joy,

There are others who are 'sown among thorns.'

But those, on the other hand, who were sown on that good soil, are those who listen to the Word, and welcome it, and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold."

For he who holds, to him will more be given, and he who holds not, from him will be taken even what he holds."

Then they were awestruck, and said one to another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey him!"

who lived among the tombs.

When they got to Jesus they found the demoniac sitting there clothed and in his right mind??he man who had had the "Legion"??nd they were awestruck.

And those who had been eye-witnesses told them what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine.