CH. III.

IN those days comes John the Baptist preaching in 2 the wilderness of Judaea, saying, Repent; for the kingdom 3 of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of through Isaiah the prophet, saying, A voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths 4 straight. But John himself had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food 5 was locusts and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judaea, and all the region about the Jordan, 6 and were baptised by him in the river Jordan, confessing 7 their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to the baptism, he said to them, Brood of vipers, who taught you to flee from the wrath to come? 8,9 Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance, and presume not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for father; for I say to you that God is able out of these 10 stones to raise up children unto Abraham. But already the axe is laid to the root of the trees; every tree, therefore, which brings not forth good fruit, is cut out and 11 cast into the fire. I baptise you in water unto repentance; but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to bear; he will baptise you in 12 the Holy Spirit and fire. Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor, and gather his wheat together into the barn; but the chaff he will consume with fire unquenchable.

13

Then comes Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan unto 14 John, to be baptised by him. But he would have hindered him, saying, I have need to be baptised by thee, and comest 15 thou to me? But Jesus answered and said to him, Suffer

it now, for so it becomes us to fulfil every duty. Then he 16 suffers him. And when Jesus was baptised he went up straightway from the water; and lo, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a 17 dove, coming upon him. And lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilder- CH. IV. ness, to be tempted by the devil. And having fasted forty 2 days and forty nights, he was afterwards hungry. And 3 the tempter came up and said to him, If thou art God's son, command that these stones become loaves. But he 4 answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds through the mouth of God. Then the devil takes him with him into the holy 5 city, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and says 6 to him, If thou art God's son, cast thyself down; for it is written, He will give his angels charge concerning thee; and on their hands they will bear thee up, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said to him, again it is written, 7 Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again the devil 8 takes him with him to an exceeding high mountain, and shews him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them; and said unto him, All these will I give thee, if thou 9 wilt fall down and worship me. Then says Jesus unto 10 him, Begone, Satan; for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. devil leaves him, and behold, angels came up ministering unto him.

Then the 11

and were

Now when he heard that John was delivered up, he 12 withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazara, he came and 13 dwelt in Capernaum which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zebulon and Naphtali: that it might be fulfilled 14 which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way 15 of the sea beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; the 16 people that sat in darkness saw a great light; and to them that sat in the region and shadow of death a light sprang up. From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, Repent; 17 for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

And as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw two 18 brethren, Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishers. And 19 he says unto them, Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men. And immediately they left their nets and 20

21 followed him. And proceeding thence he saw two other brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; 22 and he called them. And they left the ship immediately, and their father, and followed him.

23

And he went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every infirmity among the 24 people. And his fame went forth into all Syria; and they brought to him all who were sick, seized with different diseases and pains, and demoniacs, and those lunatic, and 25 those paralytic; and he healed them. And great multitudes followed him, from Galilee and Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judaea, and from beyond the Jordan. CH. V. AND when he saw the multitudes, he went up to the mountain; and after he sat down his disciples came to 2 him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying, 3 Blessed the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of 4 heaven. Blessed the meek; for they will inherit the earth. 5 Blessed they that mourn; for they will be comforted. 6 Blessed they that hunger and thirst after righteousness; 7 for they will be satisfied. Blessed the merciful; for they 8 will find mercy. Blessed the pure in heart; for they will 9 see God. Blessed the peacemakers; for they will be called 10 sons of God. Blessed they who have been persecuted for

righteousness' sake; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye when they shall reproach you and persecute

and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice and exult, for your reward is great in heaven; for so did they persecute the prophets that were before you. 13 Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have become insipid, wherewith shall it be salted? It is good for nothing farther than to be cast out and trodden down by 14 men. Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a 15 mountain cannot be hid. Neither do men light a lamp

and put it under the bushel, but on the lamp-stand, and it 16 shines upon all that are in the house. Even so let your

light shine before men, that they may see your good works

and glorify your father who is in heaven. Think not that 17 I came to destroy the law or the prophets; I came not to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, till the 18 heaven and the earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall not pass from the law, till all take place. Whosoever there- 19 fore shall break one of these commandments, even the least, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, that unless your righteousness shall 20 exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, ye will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Ye heard that it was said to the 21 men of old, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill, will be liable to the judgment. But I say unto you, that every 22 one who is angry with his brother, will be liable to the judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Simpleton, will be liable to the council; and whosoever shall say, Fool, will be liable to hell fire. Therefore if thou bring 23 thy gift to the altar, and there remember that thy brother has somewhat against thee, leave there thy gift before 24 the altar, and go, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Be well disposed toward 25 thine adversary quickly, whilst thou art with him in the. way; lest the adversary deliver thee up to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt not come out thence 26 till thou hast paid the last farthing. Ye heard that it 27 was said, Thou shalt not commit adultery. But I say unto 28 you, that whosoever looks at a woman to lust after her, has committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if 29 thy right eye causes thee to offend, pluck it out and cast it from thee; for it is profitable to thee that one of thy members perish, and not that thy whole body be cast into hell. And if thy right hand causes thee to offend, cut it 30 off and cast it from thee; for it is profitable to thee that one of thy members perish, and not that thy whole body go away into hell. And it was said, Whosoever shall put 31 away his wife, let him give her a bill of divorce. But I say 32

unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife except for fornication, causes her to be the occasion of adultery; and whosoever shall marry her when put away, commits 33 adultery. Again, ye heard that it was said to the men of

old, Thou shalt not swear falsely, but shalt perform unto the 34 Lord thine oaths. But I say unto thee, swear not at all; 35 neither by the heaven, for it is God's throne; neither by

the earth, for it is his footstool; neither in relation to 36 Jerusalem, for it is a city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one 37 hair white or black. But let your speech be, yea, yea;

nay, nay; and what exceeds these is from the evil one. 38 Ye heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth 39 for a tooth. But I say unto you, that ye resist not

the evil man; but whosoever smites thee on the right 40 cheek turn to him the other also. And to him who

desires to contend with thee and take thy coat, leave him 41 the cloak also; and whosoever shall press thee one mile, 42 go with him two. To him that asks thee, give; and from him that desires to borrow of thee, turn not away. 43 Ye heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour and 44 hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, love your enemies. 45 and pray for them who persecute you; that ye may

become sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun to rise on evil and good, and sends 46 rain on righteous and unrighteous. For if ye love them. that love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the 47 publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye that exceeds? Do not even the Gentiles the 48 same? Be ye therefore perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

CHI. VI.

BUT take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men to be seen by them; otherwise ye have no reward with 2 your father who is in heaven. When therefore thou doest alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be glorified by men; verily I say unto you, they have their full 3 reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand