I indeed am baptizing you in water on a profession of repentance; but He who is coming after me is mightier than I: His sandals I am not worthy to carry for a moment; He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire.

"Do not for a moment suppose that I have come to abrogate the Law or the Prophets: I have not come to abrogate them but to give them their completion.

Or if the son shall ask him for a fish will offer him a snake?

But when they have delivered you up, have no anxiety as to how you shall speak or what you shall say; for at that very time it shall be given you what to say;

Do not two sparrows sell for a halfpenny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's leave.

"Wicked and faithless generation!" He replied, "they clamour for a sign, but none shall be given to them except the sign of the Prophet Jonah.

It has struck no root, however, within him. He continues for a time, but when suffering comes, or persecution, because of the Message, he at once stumbles and falls.

A wicked and faithless generation are eager for a sign; but none shall be given to them except the sign of Jonah." and He left them and went away.

Yes, I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God."

and having made an agreement with them for a shilling a day, sent them into his vineyard.

"'My friend,' he answered to one of them, 'I am doing you no injustice. Did you not agree with me for a shilling?

For as it was in the time of Noah, so it will be at the Coming of the Son of Man.

"But the King will answer them, "'In solemn truth I tell you that in so far as you rendered such services to one of the humblest of these my brethren, you rendered them to myself.'

"But he will reply, "'In solemn truth I tell you that in so far as you withheld such services from one of the humblest of these, you withheld them from me.'

"for this might have been sold for a considerable sum, and the money given to the poor."

and from that moment he was on the look out for an opportunity to betray Him.

But to their amazement there had been a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord had descended from Heaven, and had come and rolled back the stone, and was sitting upon it.

but they have no root within them. They last for a time; then, when suffering or persecution comes because of the Message, they are immediately overthrown.

The Pharisees followed Him and began to dispute with Him, asking Him for a sign in the sky, to make trial of Him.

Heaving a deep and troubled sigh, He said, "Why do the men of to-day ask for a sign? In solemn truth I tell you that no sign will be given to the men of to-day."

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God."

For the Son of Man also did not come to be waited upon, but to wait on others, and to give His life as the redemption-price for a multitude of people."

And they kept looking out for an opportunity to seize Him, but were afraid of the people; for they saw that in this parable He had referred to *them*. So they left Him and went away.

They gladly listened to his proposal, and promised to give him a sum of money. So he looked out for an opportunity to betray Him.

Peter followed Jesus at a distance, as far as the outer court of the High Priest's palace. But there he remained sitting among the officers, and warming himself by the fire.

So he asked for a writing-tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." And they all wondered.

For a Saviour who is the Anointed Lord is born to you to-day, in the town of David.

Then, as soon as the angels had left them and returned to Heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go over as far as Bethlehem and see this that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us."

Symeon blessed them and said to Mary the mother, "This child is appointed for the falling and the uprising of many in Israel and for a token to be spoken against;

So the Devil, having fully tried every kind of temptation on Him, left Him for a time.

When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, "Push out into deep water, and let down your nets for a haul."

Those on the rock are the people who on hearing the Message receive it joyfully; but they have no root: for a time they believe, but when trial comes they fall away.

Here, on landing, He was met by one of the townsmen who was possessed by demons--for a long time he had not put on any garment, nor did he live in a house, but in the tombs.

And Herod said, "John I have beheaded; but who is this, of whom I hear such reports?" And he sought for an opportunity of seeing Jesus.

for a friend of mine has just come to my house from a distance, and I have nothing for him to eat'?

And what father is there among you, who, if his son asks for a slice of bread, will offer him a stone? or if he asks for a fish, will instead of a fish offer him a snake?

or if he asks for an egg, will offer him a scorpion?

Others, to put Him to the test, asked Him for a sign in the sky.

Are not five sparrows sold for a penny? and yet not one of them is a thing forgotten in God's sight.

Be you also ready, for at an hour when you are not expecting Him the Son of Man will come."

"For a time he would not, but afterwards he said to himself, "'Though I have neither reverence for God nor respect for man,

Why, it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God."

Then He proceeded to speak a parable to the people. "There was a man," He said, "who planted a vineyard, let it out to vine-dressers, and went abroad for a considerable time.

He accepted their offer, and then looked out for an opportunity to betray Him when the people were not there.

To Herod the sight of Jesus was a great gratification, for, for a long time, he had been wanting to see Him, because he had heard so much about Him. He hoped also to see some miracle performed by Him.

For a time is coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the women who never bore children, and the breasts which have never given nourishment.'

See my hands and my feet--it is my very self. Feel me and see, for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see I have."

And the Word came in the flesh, and lived for a time in our midst, so that we saw His glory--the glory as of the Father's only Son, sent from His presence. He was full of grace and truth.

"How is it possible," Nicodemus asked, "for a man to be born when he is old? Can he a second time enter his mother's womb and be born?"

Wonder not at this. For a time is coming when all who are in the graves will hear His voice and will come forth--

He was the lamp that burned and shone, and for a time you were willing to be gladdened by his light.

So Jesus said, "Still for a short time I am with you, and then I go my way to Him who sent me.

This led some of the Pharisees to say, "That man has not come from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath." "How is it possible for a bad man to do such miracles?" argued others.

"Yet a little while," He replied, "the light is among you. Be faithful to the light that you have, for fear darkness should overtake you; for a man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.

But a Pharisee of the name of Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, held in honour by all the people, rose from his seat and requested that they should be sent outside the court for a few minutes.

and they were taken to Shechem and were laid in the tomb which Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a sum of money paid in silver.

They said to Aaron, "'Make gods for us, to march in front of us; for as for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.'

His influence over them arose from their having been, for a long time, bewildered by his sorceries.

"Rise," said the Lord, "and go to Straight Street, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man called Saul, from Tarsus, for he is actually praying.

and Peter remained for a considerable time at Jaffa, staying at the house of a man called Simon, a tanner.

And he directed that they should be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they begged him to remain with them for a time.

When tidings of this reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas as far as Antioch.

He succeeded, and brought him to Antioch; and for a whole year they attended the meetings of the Church, and taught a large number of people. And it was in Antioch that the disciples first received the name of 'Christians.'

When they had gone through the whole length of the island as far as Paphos, they there met with a Jewish magician and false prophet, Bar-Jesus by name,

The Lord's hand is now upon you, and you will be blind for a time and unable to see the light of day." Instantly there fell upon him a mist and a darkness, and, as he walked about, he begged people to lead him by the hand.

For a period of about forty years, He fed them, like a nurse, in the Desert.

Next they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a Benjamite, who reigned forty years.

For such is the Lord's command to us. "'I have placed Thee,' He says of Christ, 'as a light to the Gentiles, in order that Thou mayest be a Saviour as far as the remotest parts of the earth.'"

Yet Paul and Barnabas remained there for a considerable time, speaking freely and relying on the Lord, while He bore witness to the Message of His grace by permitting signs and marvels to be done by them.

So they set out, being accompanied for a short distance by some other members of the Church; and as they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told the whole story of the conversion of the Gentiles and inspired all the brethren with great joy.

So when he had seen the vision, we immediately looked out for an opportunity of passing on into Macedonia, confidently inferring that God had called us to proclaim the Good News to the people there.

This she persisted in for a considerable time, until Paul, wearied out, turned round and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out immediately.

Those who were caring for Paul's safety went with him as far as Athens, and then left him, taking a message from him to Silas and Timothy, asking them to join him as speedily as possible.

For as I passed along and observed the things you worship, I found also an altar bearing the inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' "The Being, therefore, whom you, without knowing Him, revere, Him I now proclaim to you.

So Paul remained in Corinth for a year and six months, teaching among them the Message of God.

But he sent two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he himself remained for a while in Roman Asia.

He was accompanied as far as the province of Asia by Sopater the Beroean, the son of Pyrrhus; by the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; by Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and by the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus.

But we ourselves sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined them in the Troad, where we remained for a week.

He instantly sent for a few soldiers and their officers, and came down among the people with all speed. At the sight of the Tribune and the troops they ceased beating Paul.

The following night the Lord came and stood at Paul's side, and said, "Be of good courage, for as you have borne faithful witness about me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome."

So, in obedience to their orders, the soldiers took Paul and brought him by night as far as Antipatris.

When for a long time they had taken but little food, Paul, standing up among them, said, "Sirs, you ought to have listened to me and not have sailed from Crete. You would then have escaped this suffering and loss.

Now, when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and had thrown them on the fire, a viper, driven by the heat, came out and fastened itself on his hand.

Here we found brethren, who invited us to remain with them for a week; and so we reached Rome.

Meanwhile the brethren there, hearing of our movements, came as far as the Market of Appius and the Three Huts to meet us; and when Paul saw them he thanked God and felt encouraged.

But we should be glad to hear from you what it is that you believe; for as for this sect all we know is that it is everywhere spoken against."

Why, it is scarcely conceivable that any one would die for a simply just man, although for a good and lovable man perhaps some one, here and there, will have the courage even to lay down his life.

For as through the disobedience of the one individual the mass of mankind were constituted sinners, so also through the obedience of the One the mass of mankind will be constituted righteous.

For as a means of righteousness Christ is the termination of Law to every believer.

If you can, so far as it depends on you, live at peace with all the world.

with power manifested in signs and marvels, and through the power of the Holy Spirit. But--to speak simply of my own labours--beginning in Jerusalem and the outlying districts, I have proclaimed without reserve, even as far as Illyricum, the Good News of the Christ;

I hope, as soon as ever I extend my travels into Spain, to see you on my way and be helped forward by you on my journey, when I have first enjoyed being with you for a time.

And so far as I myself was concerned, I came to you in conscious feebleness and in fear and in deep anxiety.

I now deal with the subjects mentioned in your letter. It is well for a man to abstain altogether from marriage.

Do not refuse one another, unless perhaps it is just for a time and by mutual consent, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer and may then associate again; lest the Adversary begin to tempt you because of your deficiency in self-control.

For a Christian, if he was a slave when called, is the Lord's freed man, and in the same way a free man, if called, becomes the slave of Christ.

I think then that, taking into consideration the distress which is now upon us, it is well for a man to remain as he is.

Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to get free. Are you free from the marriage bond? Do not seek for a wife.

Am I not free? Am I not an Apostle? Can it be denied that I have seen Jesus, our Lord? Are not you yourselves my work in the Lord?

But I, for my part, have not used, and do not use, my full rights in any of these things. Nor do I now write with that object so far as I myself am concerned, for I would rather die than have anybody make this boast of mine an empty one.