He had been dwelling upon this, when an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. "Joseph, son of David," the angel said, "do not be afraid to take Mary for your wife, for her child has been conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit.

When, however, John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to receive his baptism, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who has prompted you to seek refuge from the coming judgment?

The people who were dwelling in darkness Have seen a great Light, And, for those who were dwelling in the shadow-land of Death, A Light has risen!'

Therefore, when presenting your gift at the altar, if even there you remember that your brother has some grievance against you,

I, however, say to you that any one who looks at a woman with an impure intention has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Take care not to perform your religious duties in public in order to be seen by others; if you do, your Father who is in Heaven has no reward for you.

Therefore do not be anxious about to-morrow, for to-morrow will bring its own anxieties. Every day has trouble enough of its own.

"Foxes have holes," answered Jesus, "and wild birds their roosting-places, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."

But, that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"--then he said to the paralyzed man-- "Get up, take up your bed, and return to your home."

While Jesus was saying this, a President of a Synagogue came up and bowed to the ground before him. "My daughter," he said, "Has just died; but come and place your hand on her, and she will be restored to life."

Turning and seeing her, Jesus said: "Courage, Daughter! your faith has delivered you." And the woman was delivered from her malady from that very hour.

And, as soon as the demon had been driven out, the dumb man spoke. The people were astonished at this, and exclaimed: "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!"

It is enough for a scholar to be treated like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Baal-zebub, how much more the members of his household!

He who has found his life will lose it, while he who, for my sake, has lost his life shall find it.

I tell you, no one born of a woman has yet appeared who is greater than John the Baptist; and yet the lowliest in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.

From the time of John the Baptist to this very hour, the Kingdom of Heaven has been taken by force, and men using force have been seizing it.

Let him who has ears hear.

For, when John came, neither eating nor drinking, men said 'He has a demon in him';

And now that the Son of Man has come, eating and drinking, they are saying 'Here is a glutton and a wine-drinker, a friend of tax-gatherers and outcasts!' And yet Wisdom is vindicated by her actions."

At that same time Jesus uttered the words: "I thank thee, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that, though thou has hidden these things from the wise and learned, thou hast revealed them to the child-like!

Yes, Father, I thank thee that this has seemed good to thee.

Everything has been committed to me by my Father; nor does any one fully know the Son, except the Father, or fully know the Father, except the Son and those to whom the Son may choose to reveal him.

A bruised reed he will not break, And a smoldering wick he will not quench, Till he has brought the judgment to a victorious issue,

Let him who has ears hear."

"To you," answered Jesus, "the knowledge of the hidden truths of the Kingdom of Heaven has been imparted, but not to those.

For the mind of this nation has grown dense, And their ears are dull of hearing, Their eyes also have they closed; Lest some day they should perceive with their eyes, And with their ears they should hear, And in their mind they should understand, and should turn--And I should heal them.'

When any one hears the Message of the Kingdom without understanding it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what has been sown in his mind. This is the man meant by the seed which was sown along the path.

But, as he has no root, he stands for only a short time; and, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the Message, he falls away at once.

'An enemy has done this,' was his answer. 'Do you wish us, then,' they asked,' to go and gather them together?'

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.'"

Then shall the righteous shine, like the sun, in the Kingdom of their Father. Let him who has ears hear.

Then he added: "So every Teacher of the Law, who has received instruction about the Kingdom of Heaven, is like a householder who produces from his stores things both new and old."

"Every plant," Jesus replied, "that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up.

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.

"Blessed are you, Simon, Son of Jonah," Jesus replied. "For no human being has revealed this to you, but my Father who is in Heaven.

As they were going down the mountain side, Jesus gave them this warning-- "Do not speak of this vision to any one, until the Son of Man has risen from the dead."

"How is it," his disciples asked, "that our Teachers of the Law say that Elijah has to come first?"

And I tell you that Elijah has already come, and people have not recognized him, but have treated him just as they pleased. In the same way, too, the Son of Man is destined to undergo suffering at men's hands."

Presently some Pharisees came up to him, and, to test him, said: "Has a man the right to divorce his wife for every cause?"

So that they are no longer two, but one. What God himself, then, has yoked together man must not separate."

Every one who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or land, on account of my Name, will receive many times as much, and will 'gain Immortal Life.'

'Because no one has hired us,' they answered. 'You also may go into my vineyard,' he said.

"You shall indeed drink my cup," he said, "but as to a seat at my right and at my left--that is not mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."

And said to him: "Do you hear what these boys are saying?" "Yes," answered Jesus; "but did you never read the words--'Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast called forth perfect praise'?"

"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.

Then Jesus added: "Have you never read in the Scriptures?-- 'The very stone which the builders despised--Has now itself become the corner-stone; This corner-stone has come from the Lord, And is marvelous in our eyes.'

Fools that you are and blind! Which is the more important? The gold? Or the Temple which has given sacredness to the gold?

for that will be 'a time of great distress, the like of which has not occurred from the beginning of the world down to the present time'--no, nor ever will again.

Who, then is that trustworthy, careful servant, who has been placed by his master over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?

'Therefore,' he continued, 'take away from him the six hundred pounds, and give it to the one who has the six thousand.

For, to him who has, more will be given, and he shall have abundance; but, as for him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away from him.

When the Son of Man has come in his glory and all the angels with him, then he 'will take his seat on his throne of glory';

Then he will say to those on his left 'Go from my presence, accursed, into the 'aeonian fire which has been prepared for the Devil and his angels.'

"Why are you troubling the woman?" Jesus said, when he noticed it. "For this is a beautiful deed that she has done to me.

In pouring this perfume on my body, she has done it for my burying.

I tell you, wherever, in the whole world, this Good News is proclaimed, what this woman has done will be told in memory of her."

and Peter remembered the words which Jesus had said-- 'Before a cock has crowed, you will disown me three times'; and he went outside, and wept bitterly.

"I did wrong in betraying a good man to his death," he said. "What has that to do with us?" they replied. "You must see to that yourself."

"Why, what harm has he done?" he asked. But they kept shouting furiously: "Let him be crucified!"

He has trusted in God; if God wants him, let him deliver him now; for he said 'I am God's Son.'"

And about three Jesus called out loudly: "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabacthani"--that is to say, 'O my God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?'

So order the tomb to be made secure till the third day. Otherwise his disciples may come and steal him, and then say to the people 'He has risen from the dead,' when the latest imposture will be worse than the first."

He is not here; for he has risen, as he said he would. Come, and see the place where he was lying;

And then go quickly and say to him disciples 'He has risen from the dead, and is going before you into Galilee; there you will see him.' Remember, I have told you."

So the soldiers took the money, and did as they were instructed. And this story has been current among the Jews from that day to this.

Then Jesus came up, and spoke to them thus: "All authority in heaven and on the earth has been given to me.

"The time has come, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe the Good News."

But that you may know that the Son of Man has power to forgive sins on earth"--here he said to the paralyzed man--

And the Teachers of the Law, who had come down from Jerusalem, said: "He has Baal-zebub in him, and he drives the demons out by the help of Baal-zebub, their chief."

So, if Satan is in revolt against himself and is divided, he cannot last--his end has come!

No man who has got into a strong man's house can carry off his goods, without first securing him; and not till then will he plunder his house.

but whoever slanders the Holy Spirit remains unforgiven to the end; he has to answer for an enduring sin."

And Jesus said: "Let any one who has ears to hear with hear."

And he said: "To you the hidden truth of the Kingdom of God has been imparted; but to those who are outside it all teaching takes the form of parables, that--

The People meant by the seed that falls along the path are these--where the Message is sown, but, as soon as they have heard it, Satan immediately comes and carries away the Message that has been sown in them.

Jesus also said: "This is what the Kingdom of God is like-- like a man who has scattered seed on the ground,

But, as soon as the crop is ready, immediately he 'puts in the sickle because harvest has come'."

But Jesus refused. "Go back to your home, to your own people," he said, "and tell them of all that the Lord has done for you, and how he took pity on you."

"Daughter," he said, "your faith has delivered you. Go, and peace be with you; be free from your complaint."

When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the Synagogue; and the people, as they listened, were deeply impressed. "Where did he get this?" they said, "and what is this wisdom that has been given him? and these miracles which he is doing?

"For saying that," he answered, "you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter."

And a profound impression was made upon the people. "He has done everything well!" they exclaimed. "He makes even the deaf hear and the dumb speak!"

"How is it," they asked Jesus, "that our Teachers of the Law say that Elijah has to come first?"

But I tell you that Elijah has come, and people have treated him just as they pleased, as Scripture says of him."

"Teacher," answered a man in the crowd, "I brought my son to see you, as he has a dumb spirit in him;

"How long has he been like this?" Jesus asked the boy's father.

"From his childhood," he answered; "and it has often thrown him into fire and into water to put an end to his life; but, if you can possibly do anything, take pity on us, and help us!"

Why say 'possibly'?" Jesus replied. "Everything is possible for one who has faith."

for he was instructing his disciples, and telling them-- "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of his fellow men, and they will put him to death, but, when he has been put to death, he will rise again after three days."

Presently some Pharisees came up and, to test him, asked: "Has a husband the right to divorce his wife?"

What God himself, then, has yoked together man must not separate."

"I tell you," said Jesus, "there is no one who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or mother, or father, or children, or land, on my account and on account of the Good News,

But as to a seat at my right or at my left--that is not mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared."

"You may go," Jesus said; "your faith has delivered you." Immediately he recovered his sight, and began to follow Jesus along the road.

"Go to the village facing you," he said; "and, as soon as you get there, you will find a foal tethered, which no one has ever ridden; untie it, and bring it.

Have you never read this passage of Scripture?--'The very stone which the builders despised has now itself become the corner- stone;

This corner-stone has come from the Lord, and is marvelous in our eyes.'"

On this, calling his disciples to him, Jesus said: "I tell you that this poor widow has put in more than all the others who were putting money into the chests;

For those days will be a time of distress, the like of which has not occurred from the beginning of God's creation until now-- and never will again.

Some of those who were present said to one another indignantly: "Why has the perfume been wasted like this?