Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain alone by themselves. There his appearance was transformed before their eyes,

And suddenly, on looking round, they saw that there was now no one with them but Jesus alone.

But, when Jesus saw that a crowd was quickly collecting, he rebuked the foul spirit: "Deaf and dumb spirit, it is I who command you. Come out from him and never enter him again."

With a loud cry the spirit threw the boy into repeated convulsions, and then came out from him. The boy looked like a corpse, so that most of them said that he was dead.

for he was instructing his disciples, and telling them-- "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of his fellow men, and they will put him to death, but, when he has been put to death, he will rise again after three days."

But they were silent; for on the way they had been arguing with one another which was the greatest.

"It was owing to the hardness of your hearts," said Jesus, "that Moses gave you this direction;

When, however, Jesus saw this, he was indignant. "Let the little children come to me," he said, "do not hinder them; for it is to the childlike that the Kingdom of God belongs.

And, as Jesus was resuming his journey, a man came running up to him, and threw himself on his knees before him. "Good Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to gain Immortal Life?"

One day, when they were on their way, going up to Jerusalem, Jesus was walking in front of the Apostles, who were filled with misgivings; while those who were following behind were alarmed. Gathering the Twelve round him once more, Jesus began to tell them what was about to happen to him.

They came to Jericho. When Jesus was going out of the town with his disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the road-side.

Hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to call out: "Jesus, Son of David, take pity on me."

Jesus entered Jerusalem, and went into the Temple Courts; and, after looking round at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

And, noticing a fig-tree at a distance in leaf, he went to it to see if by any chance he could find something on it; but, on coming up to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.

As they passed by early in the morning, they noticed that the fig-tree was withered up from the very roots.

They came to Jerusalem again. While Jesus was walking about in the Temple Courts, the Chief Priests, the Teachers of the Law, and the Councillors came up to him.

It is about John's baptism. Was it of divine or human origin? Answer me that."

So their answer to Jesus was--"We do not know." "Then I," replied Jesus, "refuse to tell you what authority I have to do these things."

He had still one son, who was very dear to him; and him he sent to them last of all. 'They will respect my son,' he said.

After this his enemies were eager to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd; for they saw that it was at them that he had aimed the parable. So they let him alone, and went away.

Next came some Sadducees--the men who maintain that there is no resurrection. Their question was this--

While Jesus was teaching in the Temple Courts, he asked: "How is it that the Teachers of the Law say that the Christ is to be David's son?

As Jesus was walking out of the Temple Courts, one of his disciples said to him: "Teacher, look what fine stones and buildings these are!"

It was now two days before the Festival of the Passover and the Unleavened bread. The Chief Priests and the Teachers of the Law were looking for an opportunity to arrest Jesus by stealth, and to put him to death;

When Jesus was still at Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, while he was at table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of choice spikenard perfume of great value. She broke the jar, and poured the perfume on his head.

On the first day of the Festival of the Unleavened bread, when it was customary to kill the Passover lambs, his disciples said to Jesus: "Where do you wish us to go and make preparations for your eating the Passover?"

And just then, while he was still speaking, Judas, who was one of the Twelve, came up; and with him a crowd of people, with swords and clubs, sent by the Chief Priests, the Teachers of the Law, and the Councillors.

Peter, who had followed Jesus at a distance into the court- yard of the High Priest, was sitting there among the police- officers, warming himself at the blaze of the fire.

While Peter was in the court-yard down below, one of the High Priest's maidservants came up;

As soon as it was daylight, the Chief Priests, after holding a consultation with the Councillors and Teachers of the Law--that is to say, the whole High Council--put Jesus in chains, and took him away, and gave him up to Pilate.

But Jesus still made no reply whatever; at which Pilate was astonished.

A man called Barabbas was in prison, with the rioters who had committed murder during a riot.

For he was aware that it was out of jealousy that the Chief Priests had given Jesus up to him.

And they led Jesus out to crucify him; and they compelled a passer-by, Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to go with them to carry his cross.

They brought Jesus to the place which was known as Golgotha- -a name which means 'Place of a Skull.'

It was nine in the morning when they crucified him.

The Temple curtain was torn in two from top to bottom.

The Roman Officer, who was standing facing Jesus, on seeing the way in which he expired, exclaimed: "This man must indeed have been 'God's Son'!"

All of whom used to accompany Jesus when he was in Galilee, and attend on him--besides many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem.

The evening had already fallen, when, as it was the Preparation Day--the day before the Sabbath--

Joseph from Ramah, a Councillor of good position, who was himself living in expectation of the Kingdom of God, came and ventured to go in to see Pilate, and to ask for the body of Jesus.

But Pilate was surprised to hear that he had already died. So he sent for the Officer, and asked if he were already dead;

And, on learning from the Officer that it was so, he gave the corpse to Joseph.

Mary of Magdala and Mary, the mother of Joseph, were watching to see where he was laid.

When the Sabbath was over, Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought some spices, so that they might go and anoint the body of Jesus.

But, on looking up, they saw that the stone had already been rolled back; it was a very large one.

Yet even they, when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, did not believe it.

So the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into Heaven, and sat at the right hand of God.

In the reign of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the Division called after Abijah. His wife, whose name was Elizabeth, was also a descendant of Aaron.

One day, when Zechariah was officiating as priest before God, during the turn of his Division,

And, as it was the Hour of Incense, the people were all praying outside.

Zechariah was startled at the sight and was awe-struck.

When he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision there. But Zechariah kept making signs to them, and remained dumb.

And, as soon as his term of service was finished, he returned home.

Six months later the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,

To a maiden there who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. Her name was Mary.

Mary was much disturbed at his words, and was wondering to herself what such a greeting could mean,

When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child moved within her, and Elizabeth herself was filled with the Holy Spirit,

Asking for a writing-tablet, he wrote the words--'His name is John.' Every one was surprised;

All their neighbors were awe-struck at this; and throughout the hill-country of Judea the whole story was much talked about;

And all who heard it kept it in mind, asking one another-- "What can this child be destined to become?" For the Power of the Lord was with him.

Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and, speaking under inspiration, said:

This was the oath which he swore to our forefather Abraham--

About that time an edict was issued by the Emperor Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole Empire.

(This was the first census taken while Quirinius was Governor of Syria).

To be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was about to become a mother.

And she gave birth to her first child, a son. And because there was no room for them in the inn, she swathed him round and laid him in a manger.

Eight days after the birth of the child, when it was time to circumcise him, he received the name Jesus--the name given him by the angel before his conception.

There was at that time in Jerusalem a man named Simeon, a righteous and devout man, who lived in constant expectation of the Consolation of Israel, and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Moved by the Spirit, Simeon came into the Temple Courts, and, when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the Law,

While the child's father and mother were wondering at what was said about him,

There was also a Prophetess named Hannah, a daughter of Phanuel and of the tribe of Asher. She was far advanced in years, having lived with her husband for seven years after marriage,

The child grew and became strong and wise, and the blessing of God was upon him.

When Jesus was twelve years old, they went according to custom to Jerusalem,

Thinking that he was with their fellow-travelers, they went one day's journey before searching for him among their relations and acquaintances;

It was not till the third day that they found him in the Temple Courts, sitting among the Teachers, now listening to them, now asking them questions.

However he went down with them to Nazareth, and submitted himself to their control; and his mother treasured all that was said in her heart.

In the fifteenth year of the reign of the Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was Governor of Judea, Herod Ruler of Galilee, his brother Philip Ruler of the territory comprising Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias Ruler of Abilene,

And when Annas and Caiaphas were High Priests, a Command from God came to John, the son of Zechariah, while he was in the wilderness.

This was in fulfillment of what is said in the writings of the Prophet Isaiah--'The voice of one crying aloud in the wilderness: "Make ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight.

Now after the baptism of all the people, and when Jesus had been baptized and was still praying, the heavens opened,

When beginning his work, Jesus was about thirty years old. He was regarded as the son of Joseph, whose ancestors were--Eli,

On returning from the Jordan, full of the Holy Spirit, Jesus was led by the power of the Spirit through the Wilderness for forty days, tempted by the Devil.

All that time he ate nothing; and, when it was over, he became hungry.

And he began to teach in their Synagogues, and was honored by every one.

Coming to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, Jesus, as was his custom, went on the Sabbath into the Synagogue, and stood up to read the Scriptures.

The book given him was that of the Prophet Isaiah; and Jesus opened the book and found the place where it says--

And yet it was not to one of them that Elijah was sent, but to a widow at Zarephath in Sidonia.

And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the Prophet Elisha, yet it was not one of them who was made clean, but Naaman the Syrian."

In the Synagogue there was a man with the spirit of a foul demon in him, who called out loudly:

On leaving the Synagogue, Jesus went into Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a severe attack of fever, and they asked Jesus to cure her.

And even demons came out from many people, screaming 'You are the Son of God.' Jesus rebuked them, and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

At daybreak, Jesus went out and walked to a lonely spot. But crowds of people began to look for him; and they came to where he was and tried to detain him and prevent his leaving them.

Jesus, however, said to them: "I must take the Good News of the Kingdom of God to the other town also, for that was why I was sent."

On one occasion Jesus was staying in a town, when he saw a man who was covered with leprosy. When the leper saw Jesus, he threw himself on his face and implored his help: "Master, if only you are willing, you are able to make me clean."

And then Jesus impressed upon him that he was not to say a word to any one, "but," he added, "set out and show yourself to the priest, and make the offerings for your cleansing, in the manner directed by Moses, as evidence of your cure."

On one of those days, when Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and Doctors of the Law were sitting near by. (They had come from all the villages in Galilee and Judea, and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was upon Jesus, so that he could work cures.)

And there some men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed. They tried to get him in and lay him before Jesus;

One Sabbath Jesus was walking through cornfields, and hi disciples were picking the ears of wheat, and rubbing them in their hands, and eating them.

Jesus' answer was: "Have not you read even of what David did, when he was hungry, he and his companions--