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 priest." And as they went they were made clean.

And threw himself on his face at Jesus' feet, thanking him for what he had done; and this man was a Samaritan.

Have not any of them come back to give glory to God, but only this one from a strange land?

But first, he will have to undergo much and be put on one side by 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 take place?" He told them, "Wherever there's a corpse, there the vultures will gather."

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;

Because this widow is a trouble to me, I will give her her right; for if not, I will be completely tired out by her frequent coming.

"Listen" said the Lord, "to what this unjust judge says.

And he made this story for some people who were certain that they were good, and had a low opinion of others:

The Pharisee, taking up his position, said to himself these words: God, I give you praise because I am not like other men, who take more than their right, who are evil-doers, who are untrue to their wives, or even like this tax-farmer.

I say to you, This man went back to his house with God's approval, and not the other: for everyone who makes himself high will be made low and whoever makes himself low will be made high.

Now some people were even bringing their infants to Jesus to have him touch them. But when the disciples saw this, they sternly told the people not to do that.

A ruler put this question to him. "Good teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

Then Jesus hearing this, said to him, Yet one thing thou lackest: sell all whatsoever thou hast, and distribute to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

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

Seeing this, Jesus said to his disciples: "How hard it is for men of wealth to enter the Kingdom of God!

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

Who will not get much more in this time, and in the world to come, eternal life.

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 the sound of a great number of people going by, he said, What is this?

Instantly he regained his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people gave praise to God when they saw this.

Now this was a rich man.

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.

On seeing this, every one began to complain: "He has gone to stay with a man who is an outcast."

And Jesus said to him, Today salvation has come to this house, for even he is a son of Abraham.

As they were listening to his words he added this parable, because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the kingdom of God was immediately to appear.

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 people had no love for him, and sent representatives after him, saying, We will not have this man for our ruler.

Then said he also to this man, Be thou also 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].

That the chief priests and the scribes and the rulers of the people came to him and said, Make clear to us by what authority you do these things and who gave you this authority.

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

And he gave the people this story: A man made a vine-garden and gave the use of it to some field-workers and went into another country for a long time.

The owner afterwards sent another servant; but the tenants beat and insulted this man too, and sent him away empty-handed.

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

And the owner of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my son -- the beloved, perhaps having seen this one, they will do reverence;

But when the workmen saw him, they said to one another, This is he who will one day be the owner of the property: let us put him to death and the heritage will be ours.

He will come and put them to destruction and give the garden to others. And when he said this, they said, May it not be so.

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 who falleth upon this stone shall be broken to pieces; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

And the chief priests and the scribes made attempts to get their hands on him in that very hour; and they were in fear of the people, for they saw that he had made up this story 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 put this question to him, "Teacher, we know you are straight in what you say and teach, you do not look to human favour but teach the Way of God honestly.

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.

Presently there came up some Sadducees, who maintain that there is no resurrection. Their question was this--

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.

Jesus said to them, "The people of this world marry and are married,

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, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has dropped in more than all of them;

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 takes place, people will arrest you and persecute you, and turn you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake.

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.

Alas for the women who are pregnant and those who have nursing babies in those days! For there will be great misery in the land and wrath on 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.

"I solemnly say to you, this generation will not pass away before all this takes place.

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.

But ever be watching and always praying, so that you may have strength to escape all this that is going to take place, and so you may take your stand in the presence of the Son of Man."

His habit at this time was to teach in the Temple by day, but to go out and spend the night on the Mount called the Oliveyard.

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 consented to this, and looked for an opportunity to betray him, when the people were not present.

And He said to them, "I have heartily desired to eat this Passover supper 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.

Then He received a cup of wine, gave thanks, and said, "Take this and share it among you,