29 out, and entreated him. And he answered and said to

his father, Lo, these many years I have served thee, nor have I at any time transgressed thy commandment : and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might be joyful 30 with my friends: but when this thy son came, who hath

devoured thy substance with harlots, thou hast killed for 31 him the fatted calf.' And his father said unto him, 'Son, thou art always with me, and all that I have is thine. 32 But it was right that we should be joyful and glad for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and [was] lost, and is found."

·

CH. XVI. AND Jesus said also to his disciples, "There was a certain rich man that had a steward; who was accused to 2 him that he wasted his substance. And he called the steward, and said to him, 'How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship: for thou 3 canst be no longer steward.' Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my master taketh away from me my stewardship: I cannot dig, to beg I 4 am ashamed. I am resolved what to do; that, when I am put out of the stewardship, I may be received into 5 their houses.' So he called to him every one of his master's debtors, and said to the first, 'How much owest 6 thou to my master?' And he said, 'An hundred vessels of oil.' And the steward said to him, 'Receive back thy 7 bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.' Then he said to another, And how much owest thou?' And he said, 'An hundred measures of wheat.' And the steward saith to him, Receive back thy bill, and write eighty." 8 And his master commended* the unjust steward, because he had done prudently for the sons of this world are more prudent in their generation than the sons of light. 9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of de

*He commended the prudence of the expedient; though he could not but condemn its dishonesty. N.

10

ceitful wealth; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.

"He that is faithful in a very little, is faithful in much also; and he that is unjust in a very little, is unjust in 11 much also. If therefore ye have not been faithful in un12 just wealth, who will intrust you with true wealth? And if ye have not been faithful in that which will be another's, who will give you that which is your own?

13

14

"No servant† can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and wealth."

And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all 15 these things; and they scoffed at him. And he said unto them, "Ye are they who justify yourselves before men ; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is high in esteem among men, is abomination in the sight of God. "The law and the prophets were until John: from that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every one 17 presseth into it. But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than that one tittle of the law should fail.

16

18

19

"Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband, committeth adultery. "Now there was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and feasted sumptuously every 20 day and there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, 21 that was laid at his porch, full of sores; and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table moreover, the dogs also came and licked his sores. 22 And it came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom t. The rich man

To recline there at a heavenly banquet. See John xiii. 25. The circumstances mentioned in ver. 23, 24, are ornaments of the parable, which are not to be understood literally. N.

23 also died, and was buried. And in the unseen state, he

lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and beholdeth Abra

24 ham at a distance, and Lazarus in his bosom and he cried out, and said, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am pained in 25 this flame.' But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy life-time didst receive thy good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things but now he is 26 comforted, and thou art pained. And, besides all this, between us and you a great gulf is fixed: so that they who would go hence to you, are not able; nor can they 27 pass to us, who would come thence.' Then he said, I

beseech thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send 28 him to my father's house; for I have five brethren; that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this 29 place of torment.' Abraham saith unto him; ' They have 30 Moses and the prophets; let them hear these.' And he

said, ( Nay, father Abraham: but if one go to them 31 from the dead, they will repent.' Then Abraham said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded, even if one rise again from the dead.""

CH. XVII. Jesus said also to his disciples, "It is impossible

that causes of offending should not come : but alas for him 2 through whom they come ! It were better for him that an upper millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of 3 these little ones to offend. Take heed to yourselves.

"Now if thy brother trespass [against thee,] rebuke 4 him and, if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass

against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again, saying, 'I repent;' thou shalt forgive him." 5 And the apostles said to the Lord," Increase our faith." 6 And the Lord said, "If ye had faith as a grain of mus

tard-seed, ye might say to this sycamine-tree, Be thou

rooted up, and be thou planted in the sea ;" and it should 7 obey you. But which of you, having a servant plowing, or feeding cattle, will immediately say to him when he is come from the field, Go, and place thyself at meat?' 8 and will not rather say unto him, Make ready whereon I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou thyself shalt eat 9 and drink?' Doth he thank that servant, because he did the things which were commanded him? I suppose not. 10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: for we have done what we ought to have done."" 11 And it came to pass, as he journeyed to Jerusalem, that 12 he went through Samaria and Galilee. And as he enter

ed into a certain town, there met him ten men that were 13 lepers, who stood afar off: and they lifted up their voices, 14 saying, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us." And, when

he saw them, he said unto them, "Go, show yourselves to the priest." And it came to pass that, as they were 15 going, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he

saw that he was cured, turned back, glorifying God with 16 a loud voice; and fell on his face at the feet of Jesus*, 17 giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus

answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? but 18 where are the nine? Not any are found that have return19 ed to give glory to God, except this stranger." Then Jesus said unto him, "Arise, depart: thy faith hath restored thee."

20 Now having been asked by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God was to come, Jesus answered them and said, "The kingdom of God cometh not with outward ⚫ 21 showf. Nor will men say, Lo, he is here! or, Lo, he is i there for, lo, the kingdom of God is among you." Then he said to the disciples, "The days will come

22

* at Jesar's feet, N.

↑ Or, so as to be observed. Symonds.

when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the son of 23 man, and will not behold it. And men will say to you, 'Lo, he is here!' or, 'Lo, he is there :' go not after them, 24 nor follow them. For as the lightning which lighteneth

out of the one part under heaven, shineth to the other part under heaven; so will the Son of man be in his day. 25 But first he must suffer many things, and be rejected by 26 this generation. And as it was in the days of Noah, so 27 will it be also in the days of the Son of man. They ate,

they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage; until the day when Noah entered into the ark, 28 and the flood came, and destroyed them all. In like manner as it was also in the day's of Lot: they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built : 29 but on the day when Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all: 30 thus it will be, in the day when the Son of man is re31 vealed. In that day, whoever shall be on the house-top,

and his goods in the house, let him not come down to take them away; and, in like manner, let not him that 32 is in the field turn back. Remember Lot's wife. Who33 ever shall seek to save his life, shall lose it; and whoever 34 shall lose his life, shall preserve it. I say unto you, In

that night two men will be on one bed; one will be 35 taken, and the other will be left. Two women will be

grinding together; one will be taken, and the other left*." S7 And they answered and say unto him, " Where, Master?" And he said unto them, "Where the body is, thither the eagles will be gathered together."

CH. XVIII. And he spake a parable also unto them to this end,

that they ought to pray always, and not to be weary: 2 saying, "In a certain city there was a judge, who fear3 ed not God, nor regarded man: and there was a widow in that city; who came to him, saying, 'Judge my cause

* v. 36. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. R. T.