So they entered the house; and when they saw the babe with His mother Mary, they prostrated themselves and did Him homage, and opening their treasure-chests offered gifts to Him--gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

"No man can be the bondservant of two masters; for either he will dislike one and like the other, or he will attach himself to one and think slightingly of the other. You cannot be the bondservants both of God and of gold.

and yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his magnificence could array himself like one of these.

When the demon was expelled, the dumb man could speak. And the crowds exclaimed in astonishment, "Never was such a thing seen in Israel."

"Provide no gold, nor even silver nor copper to carry in your pockets;

And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink because he is a disciple, I solemnly tell you that he will not lose his reward."

And have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the Temple break the Sabbath without incurring guilt?

And if you knew what this means, 'It is mercy I desire, not sacrifice', you would not have condemned those who are without guilt.

At that time a demoniac was brought to Him, blind and dumb; and He cured him, so that the dumb man could speak and see.

He was still speaking when a luminous cloud spread over them; and a voice was heard from within the cloud, which said, "This is My Son dearly beloved, in whom is My delight. Listen to Him."

Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked Him, "Why could not we expel the demon?"

"Tell the Daughter of Zion, 'See, thy King is coming to thee, gentle, and yet mounted on an ass, even on a colt the foal of a beast of burden.'"

"So they went out into the roads and gathered together all they could find, both bad and good, and the banqueting hall was filled with guests.

No one could say a word in reply, nor from that day did any one venture again to put a question to Him.

"Alas for you, you blind guides, who say, "'Whoever swears by the Sanctuary it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the Sanctuary, is bound by the oath.'

"Blind fools! Why, which is greater? --the gold, or the Sanctuary which has made the gold holy?

Fill up the measure of your forefathers' guilt.

and because of the prevalent disregard of God's law the love of the great majority will grow cold;

when I was ill-clad, you clothed me; when I was sick, you visited me; when I was in prison, you came to see me.'

When did we see Thee homeless, and give Thee a welcome? or ill-clad, and clothe Thee?

when homeless, you gave me no welcome; ill-clad, you clothed me not; sick or in prison, you visited me not.'

"Then will they also answer, "'Lord, when did we see Thee hungry or thirsty or homeless or ill-clad or sick or in prison, and not come to serve Thee?'

Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and He said to Peter, "Alas, none of you could keep awake with me for even a single hour!

but they could find none, although many false witnesses came forward. At length there came two

So when he saw that he could gain nothing, but that on the contrary there was a riot threatening, he called for water and washed his hands in sight of them all, saying, "I am not responsible for this murder: you must answer for it."

This man lived among the tombs, nor could any one now secure him even with a chain;

And He could not do any miracle there, except that He laid His hands on a few who were out of health and cured them; and

Therefore Herodias hated him and wished to take his life, but could not;

Then He rose and left that place and went into the neighbourhood of Tyre and Sidon. Here He entered a house and wished no one to know it, but He could not escape observation.

For what could a man give to buy back his life?

His garments also became dazzling with brilliant whiteness--such whiteness as no bleaching on earth could give.

Then there came a cloud spreading over them, and a voice issued from the cloud, "This is my Son, dearly loved: listen to Him."

Instantly they looked round, and now they could no longer see any one, but themselves and Jesus.

After the return of Jesus to the house His disciples asked Him privately, "How is it that we could not expel the spirit?"

But in the distance He saw a fig-tree in full leaf, and went to see whether perhaps He could find some figs on it. When however He came to it, He found nothing but leaves (for it was not fig time)

He had still one left whom he could send, a dearly-loved son: him last of all he sent, saying, "'They will treat my son with respect.'

for they have all contributed out of what they could well spare, but she out of her need has thrown in all she possessed--all she had to live on."

What she could she did: she has perfumed my body in preparation for my burial.

Meanwhile the High Priests and the entire Sanhedrin were endeavouring to get evidence against Jesus in order to put Him to death, but could find none;

For he could see that it was out of sheer spite that the High Priests had handed Him over.

But Pilate could hardly believe that He was already dead. He called, however, for the Centurion and inquired whether He had been long dead;

But they, when they were told that He was alive and that she had seen Him, could not believe it.

But when they could find no way of doing so because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiling--bed and all--into the midst, in front of Jesus.

"Be glad at such a time, and dance for joy; for your reward is great in Heaven; for that is just the way their forefathers behaved to the Prophets!

But neither of them could pay anything; so he freely forgave them both. Tell me, then, which of them will love him most?"

Then came to Him His mother and His brothers, but could not get near Him for the crowd.

But while he was thus speaking, there came a cloud which spread over them; and they were awe-struck when they had entered into the cloud.

Then there came a voice from within the cloud: "This is My Son, My Chosen One: listen to Him."

I entreated your disciples to expel the spirit, but they could not."

On once occasion He was expelling a dumb demon; and when the demon was gone out the dumb man could speak, and the people were astonished.

Then He said to the people also, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, 'There is to be a shower;' and it comes to pass.

And He gave them the following parable. "A man," He said, "who had a fig-tree growing in his garden came to look for fruit on it and could find none.

To this they could make no reply.

saying, 'This man began to build, but could not finish.'

And when he has found it, he lifts it on his shoulder, glad at heart.

"No servant can be in bondage to two masters. For either he will hate one and love the other, or else he will cling fast to one and scorn the other. You cannot be bondservants both of God and of gold."

Then, turning to His disciples, He said, "There will come a time when you will wish you could see a single one of the days of the Son of Man, but will not see one.

"I tell you that this man went home more thoroughly absolved from guilt than the other; for every one who uplifts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be uplifted."

Nothing of this did they understand. The words were a mystery to them, nor could they see what He meant.

He was anxious to see what sort of man Jesus was; but he could not because of the crowd, for he was short in stature.

And if any one asks you, 'Why are you untying the colt?' simply say, 'The Master needs it.'"

And while they were untying the colt the owners called out, "Why are you untying the colt?"

Then they brought it to Jesus, and after throwing their outer garments on the colt they placed Jesus on it.

But they could not find any way of doing it, for the people all hung upon His lips.

There was nothing here that they could lay hold of before the people, and marvelling at His answer they said no more.

For from what they could well spare they have all of them contributed to the offerings, but she in her need has thrown in all she had to live on."

And then will they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with great power and glory.

Thereupon they began to discuss with one another which of them it could possibly be who was about to do this.

But the whole story seemed to them an idle tale; they could not believe the women.

But, while they still could not believe it for joy and were full of astonishment, He asked them, "Have you any food here?"

Abraham your forefather exulted in the hope of seeing my day: and he saw it, and was glad."

Had that man not come from God, he could have done nothing."

"Lazarus is dead; and for your sakes I am glad I was not there, in order that you may believe. But let us go to him."

"Fear not, Daughter of Zion! See, thy King is coming riding on an ass's colt."

In most solemn truth I tell you that you will weep aloud and lament, but the world will be glad. You will mourn, but your grief will be turned into gladness.

So you also now have sorrow; but I shall see you again, and your hearts will be glad, and your gladness no one will take away from you.

Now because it was cold the servants and the police had lighted a charcoal fire, and were standing and warming themselves; and Peter too remained with them, standing and warming himself.

So she ran, as fast as she could, to find Simon Peter and the other disciple--the one who was dear to Jesus--and to tell them, "They have taken the Master out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have put Him."

"Throw the net in on the right hand side," He said, "and you will find fish." So they threw the net in, and now they could scarcely drag it along for the quantity of fish.

But there are also many other things which Jesus did--so vast a number indeed that if they were all described in detail, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would have to be written.

When He had said this, and while they were looking at Him, He was carried up, and a cloud closing beneath Him hid Him from their sight.

For this reason my heart is glad and my tongue exults. My body also shall rest in hope.

"I have no silver or gold," Peter said, "but what I have, I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ, the Nazarene-- walk!"

But the officers went and could not find them in the prison. So they came back and brought word,

But there came a famine throughout the whole of Egypt and Canaan--and great distress--so that our forefathers could find no food.

But no sooner had they come up out of the water than the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again. With a glad heart he resumed his journey;

Then he rose from the ground, but when he had opened his eyes, he could not see, and they led him by the arm and brought him to Damascus.

Instantly there dropped from his eyes what seemed to be scales, and he could see once more. Upon this he rose and received baptism;

So Peter went out, following him, yet could not believe that what the angel was doing was real, but supposed that he saw a vision.

When morning came, there was no little commotion among the soldiers, as to what could possibly have become of Peter.

And when Herod had had him searched for and could not find him, after sharply questioning the guards he ordered them away to execution. He then went down from Judaea to Caesarea and remained there.

and in Him every believer is absolved from all offences, from which you could not be absolved under the Law of Moses.

that they might seek God, if perhaps they could grope for Him and find Him. Yes, though He is not far from any one of us.

Since then we are God's offspring, we ought not to imagine that His nature resembles gold or silver or marble, or anything sculptured by the art and inventive faculty of man.

No one's silver or gold or clothing have I coveted.

"And as I could not see because the light had been so dazzling, those who were with me had to lead me by the arm, and so I came to Damascus.

But when Paul appealed to have his case kept for the Emperor's decision, I ordered him to be kept in prison until I could send him up to Caesar."

I could not discover that he had done anything for which he deserved to die; but as he has himself appealed to the Emperor, I have decided to send him to Rome.

and as the harbour was inconvenient for wintering in, the majority were in favour of putting out to sea, to try whether they could get to Phoenix--a harbour on the coast of Crete facing north-east and south-east--to winter there.

But their Captain, bent on securing Paul's safety, kept them from their purpose and gave orders that those who could swim should first jump overboard and get to land;