For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

It would be good [i.e., better] for him to have had a huge millstone tied around his neck and be thrown into the ocean [Note: This "millstone" was a huge, circular stone rolled over grain to crush it and was moved by an animal walking in a circle], rather than having him cause one of these little ones [i.e., humble followers of the Lord] to be led astray [from God].

And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

Perceiving this, He said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the Priests." And while on their way to do this they were made clean.

then prostrating himself at the feet of Jesus, he gave him thanks. now this man was a Samaritan.

There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.

But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.

"And this was in the time of Noah, so will it be in the time of the Son of man.

after this manner shall it be in the day that the Son of man is revealed.

On that day, the person who is on a housetop [Note: This was a flat area where people retired for rest, prayer, etc., with its stairway on the outside], whose belongings are [still] in his house, is not to go down and [attempt to] take any of them away. And the person who is in a field [i.e., doing farm work], also is not to return [to his house].

I tell you, in this night, there shall be two men in one bed; one shall be taken and the other left.

There will be two women grinding grain together [Note: This was done with a hand-operated millstone where two persons sat across from each other and rotated a circular stone over kernels of grain]; one will be taken while the other one will be left. {{Some ancient manuscripts include verse

[This verse is not in the majority of the Greek manuscripts.]

Then they asked Him, "Where, Lord, will this be?" And He said to them, "Wherever there is carrion the vultures will flock."

And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

He said, "There was a certain judge in this town who did not revere God nor respect man.

And he would not for a long while: but after this he said, Though I fear not God, nor respect man;

Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

observe, said Jesus, that language of this unrighteous judge.

And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

People were bringing babies to Jesus so He could touch them [i.e., to bestow a blessing on them], but when His disciples saw this, they spoke harshly to these people.

Then a person of distinction ask'd him this question, good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?

And [when he] heard [this], Jesus said to him, "{You still lack one thing}: Sell all that you have, and distribute [the proceeds] to the poor--and you will have treasure in heaven--and come, follow me."

And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.

When Jesus noticed this, he said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!

So those who heard [this] said, "And who can be saved?"

Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.

And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.

And it happened as Jesus was approaching Jericho [Note: This was a town about eighteen miles northeast of Jerusalem], that a certain blind man was [seen] sitting along side of the road, begging.

and hearing a multitude going by, he inquired what this meant.

And immediately his sight was restored and he followed Jesus, giving honor to God. And when all the people saw this, they [too] praised God.

And behold, a man called by name, Zacchaeus. And he was a chief tax collector, and this man was rich.

So, he ran on ahead [of the crowd] and climbed up a mulberry tree [Note: This was a tree that produced a fig-like fruit] in order to see Jesus, who was supposed to pass that way [soon].

And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him, and said to him: Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for I must spend this day at your house.

upon seeing this, they all murmur'd, saying, he is going to be treated by a dissolute person.

And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.

Their attention being raised by this, Jesus pursued his discourse with a parable, occasion'd by their thinking, that, because he was advanc'd so nigh to Jerusalem, the kingdom of God would immediately commence.

So, He said, "A certain distinguished gentleman went to a distant country to receive a royal appointment [i.e., as king over a territory] and then return. [Note: This is the only parable of Jesus' that correlates with a known incident; that of Herod's son Archelaus going to Rome to receive from Caesar Augustus an appointment to rule over Judea, Samaria and Idumaea in

And he sent for ten of his servants and gave them ten pounds and said to them, Do business with this till I come.

But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.

So he said to this one also, 'And you be over five cities.'

And when he had said this, he went on in front of them, going up to Jerusalem.

And if anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying [it]?' you will say this: 'The Lord has need of it.'"

Now [as] he was drawing near by this time to the descent from the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began rejoicing to praise God with a loud voice for all the miracles that they had seen,

They were saying, 'May the King who comes in the name [i.e., by the authority] of the Lord, be blessed. May there be peace in heaven and praise [to God] in the highest [i.e., may this praise reach to the highest heaven].'

upon this some of the Pharisees, who were in the crowd, said to him, master, rebuke your disciples.

Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.

They will throw you and your children, [who are] within your walls, to the ground and they will not allow one stone to remain on top of another in your city because you did not recognize that [God was] visiting you." [Note: This "visitation" refers either to the redemption which they had rejected or to the punishment of the siege and destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70].

And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?

And they discussed [this] with one another, saying, "If we say 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why did you not believe him?'

Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time.

So he sent another slave. They beat this one too, treated him outrageously, and sent him away empty-handed.

And he proceeded to send a third, but they wounded [and] threw out this one also.

And the lord of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Perhaps they will be made ashamed after seeing this man.

But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.

He will come and destroy those tenant farmers and give the vineyard to others." And [when they] heard [this], they said, "[May this] never happen!"

And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?

Every one falling on this stone shall be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder.

And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.

And they watched and sent forth spies, pretending themselves to be righteous men, so that they might seize upon a word of His, that they might deliver Him in this way to the power and authority of the governor.

they address'd him therefore in this manner; master, we know that what you say and teach is all right. you are not influenc'd by the quality of men, but explain the divine law with sincerity:

show me a penny: whose image and inscription is this? they answer'd, Cesar's.

They could not lay hold of this answer before the people; and, in their wonder at his reply, they held their tongues.

Afterwards some of the Pharisees, who deny there is any resurrection, accosted him with this question,

saying, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us if someone's brother dies having a wife, and this man is childless, that his brother should take the wife and {father} descendants for his brother.

And the second took the woman, and this man died childless.

and then the third married her, and in this same way all seven died, leaving no children.

And Jesus said unto them, The sons of this world marry, and are given in marriage:

And some of the scribes, in answer to this, said, Master, you have said well.

And after this they durst not ask him any question at all.

Then Jesus looked up [i.e., from his seated position at the entrance to the Temple], and saw people throwing their gifts [of money] into the treasury [Note: This was a large open-mouthed container used for receiving offerings for meeting expenses of Temple upkeep].

And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, This poor widow cast in more than they all:

For these all put [gifts] into the offering out of their abundance, but this [woman] out of her poverty put in all the means of subsistence that she had."

"As for all this that you are admiring, the time is coming when not one stone will be left upon another, that will not be torn down."

Then they asked Him, "Teacher, when will this be? And what is the sign that it is about to take place?"

he answered, take care, that you be not seduced: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ. it won't be long e'er this happens, therefore do not follow them.

And when you hear of wars and tumults, never be panic-stricken. For this has to take place first, but the end will not come all at once."

But before all this, they will take you and be very cruel to you, giving you up to the Synagogues and to prisons, taking you before kings and rulers, because of my name.

This will turn out to you for a [time of] witness.

[But], by holding out steadfastly, you will gain your life. [Note: This means either "preserve your earthly life," or "attain never ending life"].

for this is the time of vengeance, when all that is writ, shall be accomplished.

Woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days! for there shall be great distress upon the land, and wrath unto this people.

"Then [Note: This event answers to the "immediately" of Matt. 24:29, and suggests the next major event on God's calendar] there will be [supernatural] signs [evident] in the sun and moon and stars. And on earth [there will be] distress among nations; they will be perplexed by the roaring of the ocean's churning waves. [Note: Probably this is figurative language for highly agitated conditions on earth].

And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great splendor [Note: This no doubt refers to the second coming of Christ. See II Pet. 3:9-10; Matt. 24:30-31; Rev. 1:7].

But when all this is beginning to take place, grieve no longer. Lift up your heads, because your deliverance is drawing near."

When they put out [foliage], now you see for yourselves [and] know that by this time the summer is near.

So, whenever you see all this happen, be sure the Reign of God is at hand.

Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all things be accomplished.

But take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you suddenly as a snare:

For that is the way this 'day' will arrive for everyone [else] living on the entire earth.

Watch therefore continually and pray, that ye may obtain grace to fly all this that shall come. And that ye may stand before the son of man."

Now Jesus was teaching in the Temple every day, and He went out and lodged on the hill called Olivet every night [Note: Possibly this meant He lodged in a house in Bethany, which was situated on the side of this hill].

Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching. [Note: This was the annual Jewish festival commemorating Israel's deliverance from Egyptian bondage under Moses' leadership].

They were glad of this, and agreed to pay him.

He assented to this and sought a good opportunity for betraying him to them in the absence of the crowd.

And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:

for I declare unto you, I shall not celebrate this passover with you any more, to the time, when it shall have its accomplishment in the kingdom of the messiah.

And he received a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: