If God so clothes even the grass of the field, which is living to-day and to-morrow will be thrown into the oven, will not he much more clothe you, O men of little faith?

And the man who does not take his cross and follow in my steps is not worthy of me.

Jesus ordered the people to take their seats on the grass; and, taking the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to Heaven, and said the blessing, and, after he had broken the loaves, gave them to his disciples; and they gave them to the crowds.

Immediately afterwards Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and cross over in advance of him, while he dismissed the crowds.

Then Jesus said to his disciples: "If any man wishes to walk in my steps, let him renounce self, and take up his cross, and follow me.

So go to the cross-roads, and invite everyone you find to the banquet.'

As they were on their way out, they came upon a man from Cyrene of the name of Simon; and they compelled him to go with them to carry the cross.

"You who 'destroy the Temple and build one in three days,' save yourself! If you are God's Son, come down from the cross!"

"He saved others, but he cannot save himself! He is the 'King of Israel'! Let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him.

Jesus directed them to make all the people take their seats on the green grass, in parties;

Immediately afterwards Jesus made his disciples get into the boat, and cross over in advance, in the direction of Bethsaida, while he himself was dismissing the crowd.

Calling the people and his disciples to him, Jesus said: "If any man wishes to walk in my steps, let him renounce self, take up his cross, and follow me.

And they led Jesus out to crucify him; and they compelled a passer-by, Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to go with them to carry his cross.

'come down from the cross and save yourself!"

"He saved others, but he cannot save himself! Let the Christ, the 'King of Israel,' come down from the cross now, that we may see it and believe." Even the men who had been crucified with Jesus reviled him.

And to all present he said: "If any man wishes to walk in my steps, let him renounce self, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

If, even in the field, God so clothes the grass which is living to-day and to-morrow will be thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O men of little faith!

Whoever does not carry his own cross, and walk in my steps, can be no disciple of mine.

And not only that, but between you and us there lies a great chasm, so that those who wish to pass from here to you cannot, nor can they cross from there to us.'

And, as they were leading Jesus away, they laid hold of Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and they put the cross on his shoulders, for him to carry it behind Jesus.

And, getting into a boat, began to cross to Capernaum. By this time darkness had set in, and Jesus had not yet come back to them;

And he went out, carrying his cross himself, to the place which is named from a scull, or, in Hebrew, Golgotha.

Pilate also had these words written and put up over the cross--'JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.'

Meanwhile near the cross of Jesus were standing his mother and his mother's sister, as well as Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary of Magdala.

He, I say, in accordance with God's definite plan and with his previous knowledge, was betrayed, and you, by the hands of lawless men, nailed him to a cross and put him to death.

The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, whom you put to death by hanging him on a cross.

We are ourselves, too, witnesses to all that he did in Judea and in Jerusalem; yet they put him to death by hanging him on a cross!

And, after carrying out everything written about him, they took Jesus down from the cross, and laid him in a tomb.

So, immediately after Paul had seen the vision, we looked for an opportunity to cross over to Macedonia, concluding that God had summoned us to tell the Good News to the people there.

When he wanted to cross to Greece, the Brethren furthered his plans, and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On his arrival he proved of great assistance to those who had, through the loving-kindness of God, become believers in Christ,

My mission from Christ was not to baptize, but to tell the Good News; not, however, in the language of philosophy, lest the cross of the Christ should be robbed of its meaning.

The Message of the Cross is indeed mere folly to those who are in the path to Ruin, but to us who are in the path of Salvation it is the very power of God.

And those parts which we deem less honorable we surround with special honor; and our ungraceful parts receive a special grace which our graceful parts do not require.

Foolish Galatians! Who has been fascinating you--you before whose very eyes Jesus Christ was depicted upon the cross?

If I, Brothers, am still proclaiming circumcision, why am I still persecuted? It seems that the Cross has ceased to be an obstacle!

Those who wish to appear to advantage in regard to outward observances are the very people who are trying to compel you to be circumcised; and they do it only to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Jesus, the Christ.

But, for my part, may I never boast of anything except the cross of Jesus Christ, our Master, through whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

And when, upon the cross, he had destroyed their mutual enmity, he sought by means of his cross to reconcile them both to God, united in one Body.

He appeared among us as a man, and still further humbled himself by submitting even to death--to death on a cross!

For there are many--of whom I have often told you, and now tell you even with tears--who are living in enmity to the cross of the Christ.

And through him to reconcile all things to himself (making peace by the shedding of Christ's blood offered upon the cross)-- whether on earth or in Heaven.

He canceled the bond which stood against us--the bond that consisted of ordinances--and which was directly hostile to us! He has taken it out of our way by nailing it to the cross!

He rid himself of all the Powers of Evil, and held them up to open contempt, when he celebrated his triumph over them on the cross!

Faith enabled the people to cross the Red Sea, as if it had been dry land, while the Egyptians, when they attempted to do so, were drowned.

our eyes fixed upon Jesus, the Leader and perfect Example of our faith, who, for the joy that lay before him, endured the cross, heedless of its shame, and now 'has taken his seat at the right hand' of the throne of God.

For the rich man will pass away 'like the flower of the grass.'

As the sun rises, and the hot wind blows, 'the grass withers, its flower fades,' and all its beauty is gone. So is it with the rich man. In the midst of his pursuits he will come to an untimely end.

For-- 'All earthly life is but as grass, And all its splendor as the flower of grass. The grass fades, Its flower falls,

And he 'himself carried our sins' in his own body to the cross, so that we might die to our sins, and live for righteousness. 'His bruising was your healing.'

The first blew; and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it fell upon the earth. A third part of the earth was burnt up, and a third of the trees, and every blade of grass.

They were told not to harm the grass, or any plant, or any tree, but only those who have not 'the seal of God upon their foreheads.'