John wore clothing made of camels' hair, with a belt of leather round his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.

Everyone, therefore, that listens to this teaching of mine and acts upon it may be compared to a prudent man, who built his house upon the rock.

And every one that listens to this teaching of mine and does not act upon it may be compared to a foolish man, who built his house on the sand.

Yes, and I say to you, Your name is 'Peter--a Rock, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the Powers of the Place of Death shall not prevail over it.

Listen to another parable. A man, who was an employer, once planted a vineyard, put a fence round it, dug a winepress in it, built a tower, and then let it out to tenants and went abroad.

Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You build the tombs of the Prophets, and decorate the monuments of religious men,

in order that upon your heads may fall every drop of innocent 'blood split on earth,' from the blood of innocent Abel down to that of Zechariah, Barachiah's son, whom you murdered between the Temple and the altar.

For this is my Covenant blood, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

"This man said 'I am able to destroy the Temple of God, and to build it in three days.'"

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."

And that is why that field is called the 'Field of Blood' to this very day.

And all the people answered: "His blood be on our heads and on our children's!"

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

But the rest said: "Wait and let us see if Elijah is coming to save him." [However another man took a spear, and pierced his side; and water and blood flowed from it.]

John was clad in clothing of camels' hair, with a belt of leather round his waist, and lived on locusts and wild honey;

Immediately on leaving the Synagogue, the Pharisees and the Herodians united in laying a plot against Jesus, to put him to death.

The ground bears the crop of itself--first the blade, then the ear, and then the full grain in the ear;

And Jesus began to speak to them in parables: "A man once planted a vineyard, put a fence round it, dug a wine-press, built a tower, and then let it out to tenants and went abroad.

"This is my Covenant-blood," he said, "which is poured out on behalf of many.

"We ourselves heard him say 'I will destroy this Temple made with hands, and in three days build another made without hands.'"

The passers-by railed at him, shaking their heads, as they said: "Ah! you who 'destroy the Temple and build one in three days,

But, finding no way of getting him in owing to the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him through the tiles, with his pallet, into the middle of the people and in front of Jesus.

But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"-- he spoke to the paralyzed man-- "To you I say, Get up, and take up your pallet, and go to your home."

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.

But those who have listened and not acted upon what they have heard may be compared to a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation. The river swept down upon it, and the house immediately collapsed; and great was the crash that followed."

"For he is devoted to our nation, and himself built our Synagogue for us."

But the Master said to him: "You Pharisees do, it is true, clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside you yourselves are filled with greed and wickedness.

Alas for you! You build the monuments of the Prophets whom your ancestors killed.

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.

Some of whom they will persecute and kill, in order that the 'blood' of all the prophets 'that has been spilt' since the creation of the world may be exacted from this generation--

From the blood of Abel down to the blood of Zechariah, who was slain between the altar and the House of God." Yes, I tell you, it will be exacted from this generation.

This is what I will do,' he said; 'I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and store all my grain and my goods in them;

Just at that time some people had come to tell Jesus about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.

Why, which of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and reckon the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it?--

And say 'Here is a man who began to build and was not able to finish!'

And in the same way with the cup, after supper, saying: "This cup is the New Covenant made by my blood which is being poured out on your behalf.]

And, as his anguish became intense, he prayed still more earnestly, while his sweat was like great drops of blood falling on the ground.]

And, on his way, he came to a Samaritan town called Shechem, near the plot of land that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

"In truth I tell you," answered Jesus, "unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, you have not Life within you.

He who takes my flesh for his food, and drinks my blood, has Immortal Life; and I will raise him up at the Last Day.

For my flesh is true food, and my blood true drink.

He who takes my flesh for his food, and drinks my blood, remains united to me, and I to him.

One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and blood and water immediately flowed from it.

This became known to every one living in Jerusalem, so that the field came to be called, in their language, 'Akeldama,' which means the 'Field of Blood.')

And I will show wonders in the heavens above, and signs on the earth below--Blood and fire and mist of smoke;

The sun shall become darkness, and the moon blood-red, Before the Day of the Lord comes--that great and awful day.

But it was Solomon who built a House for God.

'The heavens are a throne for me, and the earth a stool for my feet. What manner of House will you build me, says the Lord, or what place is there where I may rest?

After some time the Jews laid a plot to kill Saul,

But we should write to them to abstain from food that has been polluted by being sacrificed to idols, from impurity, from eating the flesh of strangled animals, and from blood.

That you abstain from food offered to idols, from blood, from eating the flesh of strangled animals, and from impurity. If you guard yourselves against such things, it will be well with you. Farewell.'

However, as they set themselves against him and became abusive, Paul shook his clothes in protest and said to them: "Your blood be on your own heads. My conscience is clear. From this time forward I shall go to the Gentiles."

He was about to sail to Syria, when he learned that a plot had been laid against him by the Jews; so he decided to return by way of Macedonia.

And now I commend you to the Lord and to the Message of his Love--a Message which has the power to build up your characters, and to give you your place among all those who have become Christ's People.

As to the Gentiles who have become believers in Christ, we have sent our decision that they should avoid food offered to idols, and blood, and the flesh of strangled animals, and impurity."

And, when the blood of your martyr, Stephen, was being shed, I was myself standing by, approving of his death, and took charge of the clothes of those who were murdering him.

There were more than forty in the plot;

However, the son of Paul's sister, hearing of the plot, went to the Fort, and on being admitted, told Paul about it.

Having, however, information of a plot against the man, which was about to be put into execution, I am sending him to you at once, and I have also directed his accusers to prosecute him before you.'

'Swift are their feet to shed blood.

For God set him before the world, to be, by the shedding of his blood, a means of reconciliation through faith. And this God did to prove his righteousness, and because, in his forbearance, he had passed over the sins that men had previously committed;

Much more, then, now that we have been pronounced righteous by virtue of the shedding of his blood, shall we be saved through him from the Wrath of God.

Whatever is used by those who build upon this foundation, whether gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw,

If any man's work, which he has built upon that foundation, still remains, he will gain a reward.

In the Cup of Blessing which we bless, is not there a sharing in the blood of the Christ? And in the Bread which we break, is not there a sharing in the Body of the Christ?

Everything is allowable! Yes, but everything is not profitable. Everything is allowable! Yes, but everything does not build up character.

And in the same way with the cup, after supper, saying "This cup is the new Covenant made by my blood. Do this, whenever you drink it, in memory of me."

Therefore, whoever eats the bread, or drinks the Lord's cup, in an irreverent spirit, will have to answer for an offence against the Lord's body and blood.

But he who preaches is speaking to his fellow men words that will build up faith, and give them comfort and encouragement.

Now I want you all to speak in 'tongues,' but much more I wish that you should preach. A Preacher is of more account than he who speaks in 'tongues,' unless he interprets his words, so that the faith of the Church may be built up.

And so with you; since your are striving for spiritual gifts, be eager to excel in such as will build up the faith of the Church.

This I say, Brothers-Flesh and blood can have no share in the Kingdom of God, nor can the perishable share the imperishable.

Now, I, Paul, make a personal appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of the Christ--I who, "in your presence, am humble in my bearing towards you, but, when absent, am bold in my language to you"--

Have you all this time been fancying that it is to you that we are making our defense? No, it is in the sight of God, and in union with Christ, that we are speaking. And all this, dear friends, is to build up your characters;

For in him, and through the shedding of his blood, we have found redemption in the pardon of our offenses.

But now, through your union with Christ Jesus, you who once were 'far off' have, by the shedding of the blood of the Christ, been brought 'near.'

You have been built up upon the foundation laid by the Apostles and Prophets, Christ Jesus himself being 'the corner- stone.'

And, through union in him, you also are being built up together, to be a dwelling-place for God through the Spirit.

For from him the whole Body, closely joined and knit together by the contact of every part with the source of its life, derives its power to grow, in proportion to the vigor of each individual part; and so is being built up in a spirit of love.

For ours is no struggle against enemies of flesh and blood, but against all the various Powers of Evil that hold sway in the Darkness around us, against the Spirits of Wickedness on high.

Stand your ground, then, 'with truth for your belt,' and 'with righteousness for your breast-plate,'

The latter do it from love for me, knowing that I have been appointed to plead the cause of the Good News.

And yet, even if, when your faith is offered as a sacrifice to God, my life-blood must be poured out in addition, still I shall rejoice and share the joy of you all;

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.

Indeed, you know that, like a father with his own children, we used to encourage and comfort every one of you, and solemnly plead with you;

But let us, who belong to the Day, control ourselves, and put on faith and love as a breast plate, and the hope of Salvation as a helmet.

Therefore encourage one another, and try to build up one another's characters, as indeed you are doing.

Do not reprimand an older man, but plead with him as if he were your father. Treat the young men as brothers,

As for me, my life blood is already being poured out; the time of my departure is close at hand.

Yet the claims of love make me prefer to plead with you--yes, even me, Paul, though I am an ambassador for Christ Jesus and, now a prisoner for him as well.

I plead with you for this Child of mine, Onesimus, to whom, in my parson, I have become a Father.

but into the inner only the High Priest goes, and that but once a year, and never without taking the blood of a victim, which he offers on his own behalf, and on behalf of the errors of the People.

Nor was it with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, that he entered, once and for all, into the Sanctuary, and obtained our eternal deliverance.

For, if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of the ashes of a heifer, purify those who have been defiled (as far as ceremonial purification goes),

how much more will the blood of the Christ, who, through his eternal Spirit, offered himself up to God, as a victim without blemish, purify our consciences from a lifeless formality, and fit us for the service of the Living God!

This explains why even the first Covenant was not ratified without the shedding of blood.

For, when every command had been announced to all the people by Moses in accordance with the Law, he took the blood of the calves and of the goats, with water, scarlet wool, and a bunch of hyssop, and sprinkled even the Book of the Law, as well as all the people,

saying, as he did so-- "This is the blood that renders valid the Covenant which God has commanded to be made with you."

And in the same way he also sprinkled with the blood the Tabernacle and all the things that were used in public worship.

Indeed, under the Law, almost everything is purified with blood; and, unless blood is shed, no forgiveness is to be obtained.