Then Joseph being awak'd out of sleep, did as the angel of the Lord directed, and took his wife home,

"And thou Bethlehem in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor that shall rule my people Israel."

and he sent them to Bethlehem, go, said he, make an exact enquiry about the young child, and when ye have found him, let me know it, that I too may come and pay my adorations to him.

in obedience to the king, they departed, and immediately the star which they saw in the east, moved on before them, till it came to the place where the infant was, and then stood still.

where he stay'd till the death of Herod: so that what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt have I called my son," was then fulfill'd.

At that time appeared John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea,

for it is of John the prophet Esaias spoke, when he said, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths clear."

and don't pretend to say within your selves, We have Abraham for our father: for I tell you, that God is able out of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham:

and with the fan in his hand, he will throughly cleanse his floor, and gather the wheat into his grainery, but the chaff will he burn with unquenchable fire."

and Jesus answer'd, Let it be so for the present, for it becometh us to do whatever is right. then John consented.

and when Jesus was baptized, he came out of the water: and immediately the heavens seem'd to be parted asunder before him, and he saw the Spirit

of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: at the same time a voice was heard from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

there having fasted forty days and forty nights, he at length grew hungry.

but Jesus answered him, It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every thing that God shall prescribe."

if you are the Son of God, throw your self down: for it is written, "he will charge his angels to take care of you, and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest you bruise your foot against a stone."

Jesus replied, it is likewise written, "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God."

Then said Jesus to him, get thee hence Satan: for it it written, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve ."

Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt become insipid, how shall it recover its savour? it is no longer fit for any thing, but to be cast out and trod under foot.

and when men light a lamp, they do not put it under a bushel: but on the stand, to give light to all the family.

Ye have heard that it has been said to the antients, "Thou shalt not kill: and whosoever shall kill, shall be punish'd by the tribunal."

Ye have heard that it was said, "Thou shalt not commit adultery,"

If your right eye insnare you, it is better to pull it out, and to suffer the loss of that single part, than that thy whole body should be cast into Gehenna.

and if thy right hand insnare thee, it is better to saw it off, and to suffer the loss of that single part, than that thy whole body should be thrown into Gehenna.

It hath been said, whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a bill of divorce.

Again, ye have heard that it hath been said to the antients, "Thou shalt not for swear thy self, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths."

but I say unto you, swear not at all; neither by heaven, for it is God's throne:

nor by the earth, for it is his footstool: nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.

neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

Ye have heard that it hath been said, "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth."

You have heard that it hath been said, "you shall love your neighbour, and hate your enemy:"

but if you love only them who love you, what reward can ye have? do not the heathens themselves do as much?

and if ye salute your brethren only, what mighty matter is that? do not even the heathens do the same?

therefore, when you give alms, do not make a proclamation of it as the hypocrites do, in their publick assemblies by sound of trumpet, that they may have the applause of men. for I assure you, they have their reward.

but when you give alms, "let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth:"

And when you pray, be not as the hypocrites are: for they chuse to stand praying in publick places, and at the corners of the streets, to be observ'd by men. I assure you, they have their reward.

don't therefore imitate them: for your father knows what you want, before you ask him.

thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

that your fasting may not be observed by men, but by your father, who is with you in your retirement, and your father who observes what you do in private, shall give you a reward.

I therefore direct you, not to be sollicitous, with regard to life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor with regard to the body, what clothes ye shall wear: Is not life it self a greater gift than food; and the body a greater gift than rayment?

consider the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor lay up any stores; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much greater value than they?

who by all his sollicitude can add one moment to his age?

and yet I tell you, even Solomon with all his magnificence, was not arrayed like one of these.

therefore make no such sollicitous enquiries, as what shall we eat? or what shall we drink? or how shall we be clothed?

but first seek the kingdom of God, and that righteousness which leads to it, and all these things shall be superadded. be not

with what assurance can you say, brother, let me take that mote out of your eye; when there is such an apparent beam in your own eye?

thou hypocrite, first get rid of the beam in your own eye; and then see how to remove the mote out of thy brother's eye.

Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and ye shall find: knock, and the door shall be opened.

for every one that asks, does receive: he that seeks, does find: and he that knocks at the door, is admitted.

Enter ye in at the strait gate; the gate that leadeth to destruction is broad, and the way is open, and they who pass through are numerous.

but the gate which leads to life is narrow, and the way is difficult, and few there be that find it.

many will cry out to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? have we not cast out devils in thy name? and in thy name have we not wrought many miracles?

the rain descended, the floods came, the winds blew, and beat upon that house: but it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock.

the rain descends, the flood rushes on, the winds blow, and beat upon the house: down it falls, and wide are its ruins.

At length Jesus finished his discourse, and the people were fill'd with astonishment at his doctrine.

and there came a leper who threw himself at his feet, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

and Jesus held out his hand and touched him, saying, I will, be thou clean. and immediately he was cured of his leprosy.

and Jesus said to him, take care not to tell any man, but go thy way, shew thy self to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, that it may be a testimony against them.

saying, Lord, my servant lies sick at home grievously afflicted with the palsy,

for I am a man under authority, having soldiers under my command: I bid this man, go, and he's gone: another, come, and he's here: and to my servant, do this, and it is done.

when Jesus heard it, he was surpriz'd, and said to his followers, I profess I have not met with such an instance of faith, no not in Israel.

and I declare unto you, that many shall come from the east and from the west, and shall sit at table with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the heavenly kingdom.

and Jesus said to the centurion, go thy way, what you believed could be done, is effected for you. and his servant was healed in that very hour.

in the evening they brought him several demoniacs: and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all that were sick:

whereby was fulfilled what Esaias the prophet said, "Himself took our infirmities, and bare, our diseases."

and on a sudden so great a storm arose at sea, that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

but the crew were all amaz'd; what is this man, said they, that even the winds and the sea obey him?

When he was arrived on the other side, in the country of the Gergesenes, two demoniacs met him starting out of the tombs with such fury, it was not safe for any body to pass that way.

and they roar'd out, Jesus, thou son of God, what injury have we done you? are you come here to torment us before the time?

and there was a considerable herd of swine feeding, at some distance from them.

So the devils entreated him, saying, if you force us out, suffer us to retire into the herd of swine.

and Jesus bad them go, accordingly they came out, and went into the herd of swine: and immediately the herd of swine ran furiously down a precipice into the sea, where they were all drown'd.

and they that kept them fled away into the town, and told the whole story of what had happen'd to the devils and their demoniacs.

whereupon the city went in a body to meet Jesus, and when they saw him they desir'd him to withdraw out of their country.

for is it not as easy to say, thy sins are forgiven? as to say, arise, and walk?

only it was fit you should know that the son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins: arise, then, said he, to the paralytic, take up thy bed, and march home.

at this the multitude were amazed, and glorified God, for having communicated such power to men.

As Jesus left that place, he saw one Matthew by name, sitting at the customhouse: and said to him, follow me. and he rose and followed him.

and while Jesus was at table in Matthew's house, several publicans and loose people happen'd to come in, who sat down with him and his disciples.

new cloth is never patch'd upon an old garment: for the patch will draw the garment, and rend it still worse.

but when the company were turn'd out, he went in, and grasping her hand, the maid rose up.

As Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying out, son of David, have mercy on us.

then he touched their eyes, saying, according to your faith, be it unto you.

and they had their sight: but Jesus gave them a strict charge, saying, take care not to let any man know it:

At their going out, a demoniac was brought in, who was dumb.

and when the devil was cast out, the dumb man came to his speech; at which the people were amazed, saying, nothing like this was ever seen in Israel.

but the Pharisees said, he casteth out devils by the authority of the prince of the devils.

Jesus having called his twelve disciples, he gave them power to cast out unclean spirits, and to heal diseases and disorders of every kind.

heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: what ye have received gratis, give gratis.

whatever city or town ye enter into, find out some house of repute, and there lodge till ye leave that place.

if the family be worthy, your benediction shall have its effect; but if it be not worthy, it shall only redound to your own advantage.

if they should not receive you, nor mind your instructions: when ye depart out of that house, or city, shake off the pagan dust from your feet.

but when they take you. into custody, be not sollicitous, how or what ye shall speak, for at the very instant you shall be inspir'd what to say.

for it is not properly you that speak, but the spirit of your father that speaketh by you.

what I tell you in private, declare it in publick: and what is whisper'd in the ear, proclaim from the battlements of the house.

are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? yet not one of them shall lose its life independently of your father,

he that would preserve his life, shall lose it: and he that exposeth his life for my sake, shall save it.

Jesus answered them, go and relate to John, what you hear and what you see:

and happy is he who does not stumble at my appearance.

As they departed, Jesus said to the people, speaking of John, what did ye go to see in the desert? a reed shaken with the wind?

what did ye go to see? a man dress'd in rich apparel? why, they that are so array'd belong to the court: