third watch, and find things so, blessed will be 39 those servants. For this ye know, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken 40 through. Be ye then always ready; for the Son of man cometh at an hour, when ye think

41

not.

Then Peter said unto him, Lord, dost thou address this comparison to us, or to all men? 42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give the portion of 43 food in due season; Blessed is that servant,

whom his lord, when he cometh, shall find 44 thus employed. Verily, I say unto you, that 45 he will make him ruler over all he hath. But if that servant should say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and should begin to beat the men-servants and maidens, and to eat 46 and to drink, and be drunken; the Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will discard him, and appoint him 47 his portion with unbelievers. And that servant, who knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, 48 shall be beaten much. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten but little. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him will much be required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

49 I am come to send fire on the earth, and 50 what will I, if it be already kindled ?* But I

have a baptism to be baptized with,† and how 51 am I distressed till it be accomplished! Sup

pose ye that I am come to give peace on the earth? I tell you, nay; but rather division.‡ 52 For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two 53 against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and the daughterin-law against her mother-in-law.

54

And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, immediately ye 55 say, There will be rain; and so it is. And

when the south wind blows, ye say, There will 56 be heat and it cometh to pass. Ye hypo

crites, ye can discern the face of the sky, and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern 57 this time? Yea, and of yourselves even why judge ye not what is right?

58

When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, while in the way, endeavor to be delivered from him; lest he carry thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the

* Christ here speaks prophetically.

He here alludes to his sufferings.

This is to be considered as prophetic. Our Lord knew what would be the opposition to his religion, and how his disciples would be persecuted.

§ They saw enough in the miracles of Christ, to convince them that he was the Messiah, who was to come.

59 officer, and the officer cast thec into prison. I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.

CHAP. XIII.

1 AT that time there were some present who told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate 2 had mingled with their sacrifices.* And Jesus answering, said unto them, Do ye suppose that these were sinners above all the Galileans, 3 because they suffered such things? I tell you, nay but, except ye repent, ye shall all 4 likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, do ye think that they were sinners above all that 5 dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

6

He spake also this parable: A certain man had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard: and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7 Then he said unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none; cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? 8 And he answering, said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, 9 and dung it. And it may bear fruit, but if not, after that thou shalt cut it down.

*It is supposed these Galileans had openly and forcibly opposed the authority of the Roman governor. The enemies of Christ pretended he also was opposed to the laws of

Cæsar.

10

And he was teaching in one of the syna 11 gogues on the sabbath. was a woman who had a eighteen years, and was

12 could not even look up.

And behold, there spirit of infirmity* bowed together and And when Jesus

saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine in13 firmity. And he laid his hands on her and immediately she stood up right, and glorified 14 God. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work in them therefore come and 15 be healed, and not on the sabbath-day. The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox, or ass from the stall, and 16 lead it away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath-day? 17 And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: but the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.

18

Then he said, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? 19 It is like a grain of mustard-seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden, and it grew,

* This undoubtedly was mere disease; but it appears the Jews had an opinion that sickness was inflicted by Satan; or that evil spirits possessed those who were subjeet to uncommon disorders.

and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the 20 air lodged in the branches of it. And again

he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom 21 of God? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the 22 whole was leavened. And he went through

the cities and villages teaching, and journeying 23 towards Jerusalem. Then one said unto him,

Lord, are there few who are saved? And he 24 said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait

say,

gate: I assure you, that many will seek to 25 enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; then he will answer and say unto you, I know you not whence you are: 26 And ye will be ready to say, We have eaten and drunken in thy presence, and thou hast 27 taught in our streets. But he will I tell I know you not whence ye are; depart 28 from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, 29 and yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east and the west, and from the north and south, and shall sit down in the 30 kingdom of God. And behold, there are last who shall be first, and there are first who shall be last.

31

you,

The same day there caine some of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and de32 part hence: for Herod will kill thee. And