Already the axe is lying at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that fails to bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

But, when one of you prays, let him go into his own room, shut the door, and pray to his Father who dwells in secret; and his Father, who sees what is secret, will recompense him.

Ask, and your prayer shall be granted; search, and you shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened to you.

For he that asks receives, he that searches finds, and to him that knocks the door shall be opened.

So, too, every sound tree bears good fruit, while a worthless tree bears bad fruit.

A sound tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a worthless tree bear good fruit.

Every tree that fails to bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

"Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida! For, if the miracles which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

Yet, I tell you, the doom of Tyre and Sidon will be more bearable in the 'Day of Judgment' than yours.

You must assume either that both tree and fruit are good, or that both tree and fruit are worthless; since it is by it's fruits that a tree is known.

This seed is smaller than all other seeds, but, when it has grown up, it is larger than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that 'the wild birds come and roost in its branches.'"

On going away from that place, Jesus retired to the country round Tyre and Sidon.

On leaving that place, Jesus went to the shore of the Sea of Galilee; and then went up the hill, and sat down., you will do what not only what has been done to the fig tree, but, even if you should say to this hill 'Be lifted up and hurled into the sea!' it would be done.

Some men, it is true, have from birth been disabled for marriage, while others have been disabled by their fellow men, and others again have disabled themselves for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let him accept it who can."

And, noticing a solitary fig tree by the road-side, he went up to it, but found nothing on it but leaves. So he said to it: "Never again shall fruit be gathered off you." And suddenly the fruit tree withered up.

When the disciples saw this, they exclaimed in astonishment: "How suddenly the fig tree withered up!"

"I tell you," replied Jesus, "if you have faith, without ever a doubt, you will do what not only what has been done to the fig tree, but, even if you should say to this hill 'Be lifted up and hurled into the sea!' it would be done.

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.

When the time for the vintage drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to receive his share of the produce.

By doing this you are furnishing evidence against yourselves that you are true children of the men who murdered the Prophets.

Leaving the Temple Courts, Jesus was walking away, when his disciples came up to draw his attention to the Temple buildings.

Learn the lesson taught by the fig tree. As soon as its branches are full of sap, and it is bursting into leaf, you know that summer is near.

But while they were on their way to buy it, the bridegroom came; and the bridesmaids who were ready went in with him to the banquet, and the door was shut.

Afterwards the other bridesmaids came. 'Sir, Sir,' they said, 'open the door to us!'

True, the Son of Man must go, as Scripture says of him, yet alas for that man by whom the Son of Man is being betrayed! For that man 'it would be better never to have been born!'"

Watch and pray, that you may not fall into temptation. True, the spirit is eager, but human nature is weak."

Suddenly one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and striking the High Priest's servant, cut off his ear.

"Sheathe your sword," Jesus said, "for all who draw the sword will be put to the sword.

"It is true," Jesus answered; "Moreover I tell you all that hereafter you shall 'see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the Almighty, and coming on the clouds of the heavens.'"

Then the High Priest tore his robes. "This is blasphemy!" he exclaimed. "Why do we want any more witnesses? You have just heard his blasphemy!

Meanwhile Jesus was brought before the Roman Governor. "Are you the King of the Jews?" asked the Governor. "It is true," answered Jesus.

And the whole city was gathered round the door.

And so many people collected together, that after a while there was no room for them even round the door; and he began to tell them his Message.

And a great number, hearing of all that he was doing, came to him from Judea, from Jerusalem, from Edom, from beyond the Jordan, and from the country round Tyre and Sidon.

On leaving that place, Jesus went to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And he went into a house, and did not wish anyone to know it, but could not escape notice.

On returning from the district of Tyre, Jesus went, by way of Sidon, to the Sea of Galilee, across the district of the Ten Towns.

If your eye proves a snare to you, tear it out. It would be better for you to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye, than to have both eyes and be thrown into the Pit,

"Moses," they said, "permitted a man to 'draw up in writing a notice of separation and divorce his wife.'"

The two disciples went, and, finding a foal tethered outside a door in the street, they untied it.

And, noticing a fig-tree at a distance in leaf, he went to it to see if by any chance he could find something on it; but, on coming up to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.

So, addressing the tree, he exclaimed: "May no man ever again eat of your fruit!" And his disciples heard what he said.

As they passed by early in the morning, they noticed that the fig-tree was withered up from the very roots.

Then Peter recollected what had occurred. "Look, Rabbi," he exclaimed, "the fig-tree which you doomed is withered up!"

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.

He had still one son, who was very dear to him; and him he sent to them last of all. 'They will respect my son,' he said.

"Wisely answered, Teacher!" exclaimed the Teacher of the Law. "It is true, as you say, that 'there is one God,' and that 'there is no other besides him';

Learn the lesson taught by the fig-tree. As soon as its branches are full of sap, and it is bursting into leaf, you know that summer is near.

True, the Son of Man must go, as Scripture says of him, yet alas for that man by whom the Son of Man is being betrayed! For that man 'it would be better never to have been born!'"

Watch and pray," he said to them all, "that you may not fall into temptation. True, the spirit is eager, but human nature is weak."

One of those who were standing by drew his sword, and struck at the High Priest's servant, and cut off his ear.

At this the High Priest tore his vestments. "Why do we want any more witnesses?" he exclaimed.

"Are you the King of the Jews?" asked Pilate. "It is true," replied Jesus.

[To his Excellency, Theophilus. Many attempts have been already made to draw up an account of those events which have reached their conclusion among us,

Already, indeed, the axe is lying at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that fails to bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."

Jacob, Isaac, Abraham, Terah, Nahor,

Then, as an illustration, Jesus said to them: "No man ever tears a piece from a new garment and puts it upon an old one; for, if he does, he will not only tear the new garment, but the piece from the new one will not match the old.

Afterwards Jesus came down the hill with them and took his stand on a level place. With him were a large crowd of his disciples, and great numbers of people from the whole of Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast district of Tyre and Sidon,

There is no such thing as a good tree bearing worthless fruit, or, on the other hand, a worthless tree bearing good fruit.

For every tree is known by its own fruit. People do not gather figs off thorn bushes, nor pick a bunch of grapes off a bramble.

By the seed which fell upon the rock are meant those who, as soon as they hear the Message, welcome it joyfully; but they have no root, and believe it only for a time, and, when the time of temptation comes, they draw back.

Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida! For, if the Miracles which have been done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have sat in sackcloth and ashes and repented long ago.

Yet the doom of Tyre and Sidon will be more bearable at the Judgment than yours.

And suppose that the other should answer from inside 'Do not trouble me; the door is already fastened, and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything';

And so I say to you--Ask, and your prayer shall be granted: search, and you shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened to you.

For he that asks receives, he that searches finds, and to him that knocks the door shall be opened.

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 Students of the Law! You have taken away the key of the door of Knowledge. You have not gone in yourselves and you have hindered those who try to go in."

And then he added: "Take care to keep yourselves free from every form of covetousness; for even in the height of his prosperity a man's true Life does not depend on what he has."

And be like men who are waiting for their Master's return from his wedding, so that, when he comes and knocks, they may open the door for him at once.

Or those eighteen men at Siloam on whom the tower fell, killing them all, do you suppose that they were worse offenders than any other inhabitants of Jerusalem?

And Jesus told them this parable-- "A man, who had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, came to look for fruit on it, but could not find any.

So he said to his gardener 'Three years now I have come to look for fruit on this fig tree, without finding any! Cut it down. Why should it rob the soil?'

It is like a mustard-seed which a man took and put in his garden. The seed grew and became a tree, and 'the wild birds roosted in its branches.'"

"Strive to go in by the small door. Many, I tell you, will seek to go in, but they will not be able,

When once the master of the house has got up and shut the door, while you begin to say, as you stand outside and knock, 'Sir, open the door for us.' His answer will be--'I do not know where you come from.'

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?--

So, if you have proved untrustworthy with the 'dishonest money,' who will trust you with the true?

But the Master said: "If your faith were only like a mustard- seed, you could say to this mulberry tree 'Be up-rooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.

So he ran on ahead and climbed into a mulberry tree, to see Jesus, for he knew that he must pass that way.

When he drew near, on seeing the city, he wept over it, and said:

'What shall I do?' said the owner of the vineyard. 'I will send my son, who is very dear to me. Perhaps they will respect him.'

Then he taught them a lesson thus-- "Look at the fig tree and all the other trees.

True, the Son of Man is passing, by the way ordained for him, yet alas for that man by whom he is being betrayed!"

"Are you, then, the Son of God?" they all asked. "It is true," answered Jesus, "I am."

"Are you the King of the Jews?" Pilate asked him. "It is true," replied Jesus.

If what you see is done while the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"

While they were still unable to believe it all for very joy, and were wondering if it were true, Jesus said to them: "Have you anything here to eat?"

That was the True Light which enlightens every man coming into the world.

When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said: "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit!"

"How do you know me?" asked Nathanael. "Even before Philip called you," replied Jesus, "when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."

"Do you believe in me," asked Jesus, "because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You shall see greater things than those!

They who did accept his statement attested the fact that God is true.

A woman of Samaria came to draw water; and Jesus said to her- - "Give me some to drink,"

"Give me this water, Sir," said the woman, "so that I may not be thirsty, nor have to come all the way here to draw water."

But a time is coming, indeed it is already here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father spiritually and truly; for such are the worshipers that the Father desires.

"In truth I tell you," replied Jesus, "Moses did not give you the Bread from Heaven, but my Father does give you the true Bread from Heaven;

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

After this many of his disciples drew back, and did not go about with him any longer.

In truth I tell you, whoever does not go into the sheepfold through the door, but climbs up at some other place, that man is a thief and a robber;

But the man who goes in through the door is shepherd to the sheep.