'A voice was heard in Ramah, Weeping and much lamentation; Rachel, weeping for her children, Refused all comfort because they were not.'

Be glad and rejoice, because your reward in Heaven will be great; for so men persecuted the Prophets who lived before you.

But, when he saw the crowds, his heart was moved with compassion for them, because they were distressed and harassed, 'like sheep without a shepherd';

He who welcomes a Prophet, because he is a Prophet, shall receive a Prophet's reward; and he who welcomes a good man, because he is a good man, shall receive a good man's reward.

And, if any one gives but a cup of cold water to one of these lowly ones because he is a disciple, I tell you that he shall assuredly not lose his reward."

Then Jesus began to reproach the towns in which most of his miracles had been done, because they had not repented:

At the Judgment, the men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation, and will condemn it, because they repented at Jonah's proclamation; and here is more than a Jonah!

At the Judgment the Queen of the South will rise up with the present generation, and will condemn it, because she came from the very ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon; and here is more than a Solomon!

That is why I speak to them in parables, because, though they have eyes, they do not see, and though they have ears, they do not hear or understand.

And he did not work many miracles there, because of their want of faith.

Yet, though Herod wanted to put him to death, he was afraid of the people, because they looked on John as a Prophet.

"Because you have so little faith," he answered; "for, I tell you, if your faith were only like a mustard-seed, you could say to this mountain 'Move from this place to that!' and it would be moved; and nothing would be impossible to you."

Alas for the world because of such snares! There cannot but be snares; yet alas for the man who is answerable for the snare!

'Because no one has hired us,' they answered. 'You also may go into my vineyard,' he said.

Have not I the right to do as I choose with what is mine? Are you envious because I am liberal?'

The Chief Priests took the pieces of silver, but they said: "We must not put them into the Temple treasury, because they are blood-money."

Jesus cured many who were ill with various diseases, and drove out many demons, and would not permit them to speak, because they knew him to be the Christ.

But, as soon as the crop is ready, immediately he 'puts in the sickle because harvest has come'."

For Herod himself had sent and arrested John, and put him in prison, in chains, to please Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because Herod had married her.

Because Herod stood in fear of John, knowing him to be an upright and holy man, and protected him. He had listened to John, but still remained much perplexed, and yet he found pleasure in listening to him.

On getting out of the boat, Jesus saw a great crowd, and his heart was moved at the sight of them, because they were 'like sheep without a shepherd'; and he began to teach them many things.

Because it does not pass into his heart, but into his stomach, and is afterwards got rid of?--in saying this Jesus pronounced all food 'clean.'

For he did not know what to say, because they were much afraid.

"Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons by using your name, and we tried to prevent him, because he did not follow us."

If any one gives you a cup of water because you belong to Christ, I tell you, he shall assuredly not lose his reward.

Later on, he made himself known to the Eleven themselves as they were at a meal, and reproached them with their want of faith and their stubbornness, because they did not believe those who had seen him after he had risen from the dead.

And now you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when this takes place, because you did not believe what I said, though my words will be fulfilled in due course."

Among others Joseph went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem, the town of David, in Judea--because he belonged to the family and house of David--

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.

They were amazed at his teaching, because his words were spoken with authority.

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.

And every one in the crowd was trying to touch him, because a power went out from him which restored them all.

He may be compared to a man building a house, who dug, and went deep, and laid the foundation upon the rock. Then, when a flood came, the river swept down upon that house, but had no power to shake it, because it had been built well.

And for this, I tell you, her sins, many as they are, have been pardoned, because she has loved greatly; but one who has little pardoned him, loves but little."

Because his only daughter, who was about twelve years old, was dying. As Jesus was going, the people were pressing closely round him.

Prince Herod heard of all that was happening, and was perplexed, because it was said by some that John must be risen from the dead.

Thereupon John said: "Sir, we saw a man driving out demons by using your name, and we tried to prevent him, because he does not follow you with us."

But the people there did not welcome him, because his face was set in the direction of Jerusalem.

I tell you that, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is a friend, yet because of his persistence he will rouse himself and give him what he wants.

At the Judgment the Queen of the South will rise up with the men of this generation, and will condemn them, because she came from the very ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon; and here is more than a Solomon!

At the Judgment the men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation, and will condemn it, because they repented at Jonah's proclamation; and here is more than a Jonah!

You are actually witnesses to your ancestors' acts and show your approval of them, because, while they killed the Prophets, you build tombs for them.

"Do you suppose," replied Jesus, "that, because these Galileans have suffered in this way, they were worse sinners than any other Galileans?

But to-day and to-morrow and the day after I must go on my way, because it cannot be that a Prophet should meet his end outside Jerusalem.

'Your brother has come back,' the servant told him, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has him back safe and sound.'

He tried to see what Jesus was like; but, being short, he was unable to do so because of the crowd.

As the people were listening to this, Jesus went on to tell them a parable. He did so because he was near Jerusalem, and because they thought that the Kingdom of God was going to be proclaimed at once.

For I was afraid of you, because you are a stern man. You take what you have not planted, and reap what you have not sown.'

They will trample you down and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know 'the time of your visitation.'"

"Do you believe in me," asked Jesus, "because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You shall see greater things than those!

And because he did not need that others should tell him what men were; for he could of himself read what was in men.

He who believes in him escapes condemnation, while he who does not believe in him is already condemned, because he has not believed in the only Son of God.

The ground of his condemnation is this, that though the Light has come into the world, men preferred the darkness to the Light, because their actions were wicked.

John, also, was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there were many streams there; and people were constantly coming and being baptized.

And they said to the woman: "It is no longer because of what you say that we believe in him, for we have heard him ourselves and know that he really is the Savior of the world."

But the man who had been restored did not know who it was; for Jesus had moved away, because there was a crowd there.

And that was why the Jews began to persecute Jesus--because he did things of this kind on the Sabbath.

This made the Jews all the more eager to kill him, because not only was he doing away with the Sabbath, but he actually called God his own Father--putting himself on an equality with God.

And, because he is Son of Man, he has also given him authority to act as judge.

I can do nothing of myself; I judge as I am taught; and the judgment that I give is just, because my aim is not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

And you have not taken his Message home to your hearts, because you do not believe him whom he sent as his Messenger.

You search the Scriptures, because you think that you find in them Immortal Life;

A great crowd of people, however, followed him, because they saw the signs of his mission in his work among those who were afflicted.

"In truth I tell you," answered Jesus, "it is not on account of the signs which you saw that you are looking for me, but because you had the bread to eat and were satisfied.

As the Living Father sent me as his Messenger, and as I live because the Father lives, so he who takes me for his food shall live because I live.

After this, Jesus went about in Galilee, for he would not do so in Judea, because the Jews were eager to put him to death.

The world cannot hate you, but it does hate me, because I testify that its ways are evil.

Go yourselves up to the Festival; I am not going to this Festival yet, because my time has not yet come."

(By this he meant the Spirit, which those who had believed in him were to receive; for the Spirit had not yet come, because Jesus had not yet been exalted.)

Yet, even if I were to judge, my judgment would be trustworthy; because I am not alone, but the Father who sent me is with me.

I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you are seeking to put me to death, because my Message finds no place in your hearts.

How is it that you do not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to listen to my Message.

As for you, you are children of your Father the Devil, and you are determined to do what your father loves to do. He was a murderer from the first, and did not stand by the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, he does what is natural to him; because he is a liar, and the father of lying.

But, as for me, it is because I speak the truth to you that you do not believe me.

He who comes from God listens to God's teaching; the reason why you do not listen is because you do not come from God."

His parents spoke in this way because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that, if any one should acknowledge Jesus as the Christ, he should be expelled from their synagogues.

When he has brought them all out, he walks in front of them, and his sheep follow him, because they know his voice.

They will not follow a stranger, but will run away from him; because they do not know a stranger's voice."

He does this because he is only a hired man and does not care about the sheep.

This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life- -to receive it again.

But you do not believe me, because you are not of my flock.

"It is not for any good action that we would stone you," answered the Jews, "but for blasphemy; and because you, who are only a man, make yourself out to be God."

Do you say of one whom the Father has consecrated and sent as his Messenger to the world 'You are blaspheming,' because I said 'I am God's Son'?

"Are not there twelve hours in the day?" answered Jesus. "If a man walks about in the day-time, he does not stumble, because he can see the light of the sun;

But, if he walks about at night, he stumbles, because he has not the light."

He said this, not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and, being in charge of the purse, used to take what was put in it.

Because it was owing to him that many of the Jews had left them, and were becoming believers in Jesus.

This, indeed, was why the crowd met him--because people had heard that he had given this sign of his mission.

Isaiah said this, because he saw Christ's glory; and it was of him that he spoke.

In truth I tell you, he who believes in me will himself do the work that I am doing; and he will do greater work still, because I am going to the Father.

The world cannot receive this Spirit, because it does not see him or recognize him, but you recognize him, because he is always with you, and is within you.

In a little while the world will see me no more, but you will still see me; because I am living, you will be living also.

You heard me say that I was going away and would return to you. Had you loved me, you would have been glad that I was going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I.

You are already clean because of the Message that I have given you.

I no longer call you 'servants,' because a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have given you the name of 'friends,' because I made known to you everything that I learned from my Father.

If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world--that is why the world hates you.

But they will do all this to you, because you believe in my Name, for they do not know him who sent me.

Yes, and you also are to bear testimony, because you have been with me from the first.

They will do this, because they have not learned to know the Father, or even me.

I did not tell you all this at first, because I was with you. But now I am to return to him who sent me; and yet not one of you asks me--'Where are you going?'