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among the governors of Judah for out of thee shall come 7 a governor who shall rule my people Israel." Then Herod, when he had privately called the Magians, learnt from them 8 exactly what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, "Go, and search exactly for the young child; and, when ye have found him, inform me, that I 9 also may come and do him obeisance." So when they had heard the king, they departed; and, behold, the star, which they had seen in the east, went before them, till it came and 10 stood over the place where the young child was. And when 11 they saw the star, they rejoiced with very great joy. And

when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and did him obeisance: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented to 12 him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And hav

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ing been warned of God in a dream, that they should not return to Herod, they withdrew into their own country by another way.

And when they had withdrawn, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, and take with thee the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and remain there till I command thee: for Herod 14 will seek the young child, to destroy him." Then he arose, and took with him the young child and his mother by night, 15 and withdrew into Egypt; and remained there till the death of Herod: so that it was fulfilled which the Lord spake by the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called my son."

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Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the Magians, was greaily enraged; and scnt and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all its borders, from two years old and under, according to the time which 17 he had learnt exactly from the Magians. Then was fulfilled 18 that which was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, voice was heard in Ramah, [wailing, and] weeping, and great lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children, and refusing to be comforted, because they were not."

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But, when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord 20 appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise,

and take with thee the young child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel: for they are dead who sought the 21 young child's life." Then he arose, and took with him the

young child and his mother, and came to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus reigned over Judea, instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: but, having been warned of God in a dream, he withdrew into 23 the parts of Galilee; and came and dwelt in a city called

Nazareth: so that it was fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."]

CH. III. Now in those days cometh John the Baptist*, preach2 ing in the desert of Judea, and saying, "Repent ye: for 3 the kingdom of heaven draweth near." For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, who saith, The voice of one crying in the desert, 'Prepare ye the way of 4 the Lord, make his paths straight.'" Now this John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins and his food was locusts and wild honey.

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Then went out unto him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and 6 all the country about Jordan; and were baptized by him 7 in Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many

of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said unto them, "O offspring of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the anger which is about to come? 8 Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance: and 9 think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our father' for I say unto you, that from these stones 10 God is able to raise up children unto Abraham. And now the axe also is laid to the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is cut

*The gospel of the Ebionites, or Hebrews, which did not contain the account of the miraculous conception of Jesus, began in this manner : "It came to pass in the days of Herod the king of Judea, that John came baptizing with the baptism of repentance in the river Jordan." See Epiphanius, and Jer. Jones, ibid.

† generation, N.

11 down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water to repentance: but he who cometh after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry : he will baptize you with the holy spirit, and with fire: 12 whose winnowing-shovel is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor, and will gather the wheat into the granary; but he will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire."

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THEN cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John 14 to be baptized by him. But John forbad him, saying, "I

have need to be baptized by thee, and comest thou to 15 me?" And Jesus answered, and said unto him, "Suffer

it now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.” 16 Then John suffereth him. Now when Jesus had been baptized, he went up immediately out of the water; and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him. And, lo, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

CH. IV. THEN Was Jesus led up by the spirit into the desert*, 2 to be tempted by the devil. And when he had fasted forty 3 days and forty nights, he afterward hungered. And the tempter came to him, and said, "If thou be the Son of 4 God, command that these stones be made bread." But he answered and said, "It is written, Man liveth not by bread alone, but by every word which goeth forth out 5 of the mouth of God.'" Then the devil taketh Jesus

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* Jesus was led up by the spirit into the desert.-This form of expression denotes that the historian is about to describe a visionary scene, and not a real event. See Rev. i. 10. Acts xi. 5. Our Lord was intrusted with the power of working miracles at pleasure, John iii. 34, 35; and by the visionary scene presented to his mind upon this occasion, he was instructed that he was not to exert his miraculous powers for his own personal advantage or aggrandizement, but solely in subservience to the great design of his mission and ministry. See Farmer on Christ's Temptation. Some have thought that the account of the temptation is a figurative description of the train of thoughts which passed through the mind of Jesus. See Cappe's Dissertations. The introduction of the devil into this scenical representation no more proves the real existence of such a being, than the introduction of the lamb, or the red dragon, in the apocalyptic vision is a proof of the real existence of those symbolical figures.

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with him to the holy city, and setteth him on a wing of 6 the temple, and saith unto him, "If thou be the Son of

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God, cast thyself down for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee and on their hands they shall bear thee up, lest thou strike thy foot against 7 a stone."" Jesus said unto him, "It is also written, Thou 8 shalt not tempt the Lord thy God."" Again the devil taketh Jesus with him to a very high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory 9 of them; and saith unto him, All these things I will 10 give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me." Then saith Jesus unto him, "Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, 11 and him only thou shalt serve."" Then the devil leaveth him: and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

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Now when [Jesus] had heard that John was delivered 13 up to prison, he withdrew into Galilee. And, having left Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is on the side of the lake, in the borders of Zebulon and 14 Naphtali so that it was fulfilled which was spoken by 15 the prophet Isaiah, saying, "The land of Zebulon, and the land of Naphtali, toward the way of the lake by the 16 side of Jordan, in Galilee of the gentiles; the people who

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sat in darkness have seen a great light; and to those who sat in the region and shadow of death light hath sprung up."

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From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven draweth near.' 18 Now as he walked by the lake of Galilee, he saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, 19 casting a net into the lake: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, "Come after me, and I will make 20 you fishers of men." And immediately they left their 21 nets, and followed him. And he went on thence, and saw two other brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father,

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22 mending their nets and he called them. And immediately they left the ship and their father, and followed him.

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And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the glad tidings of his kingdom, and curing every disease, and every malady, among 24 the people. And his fame went through all Syria: and they brought unto him all their sick who were seized with various diseases and torments, and those who had demonst, and those who were lunatic, and those who 25 had the palsy; and he cured them. And great multitudes followed him from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judea, and from beyond Jordan.

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CH. V. AND when he saw the multitudes, he went up a mountain and he sat down, and his disciples came near unto 2 him. And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, 3 Happy are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the king4 dom of heaven. Happy are those who mourn for they 5 shall be comforted. Happy are the meek: for they shall 6 inherit the land. Happy are those that hunger and thirst 7 after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Happy are

the compassionate: for they shall obtain compassion. 8 Happy are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Hap9 py are the peace-makers: for they shall be called the 10 sons of God. Happy are those that are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

* preparing, N.

+ Insane and epileptic persons were supposed to be possessed by demons, or the ghosts of wicked men, who were thought to have the power of entering into the bodies of living men, and of tormenting them at pleasure. And the cure of these diseases is described as the casting out of the demons. The account which the gospel reveals of the state of the dead is so inconsistent with this hypothesis, that it was soon exploded among Christians. But, that lunatics and epileptics were possessed by devils, or fallen angels, though it is an opinion which prevailed early, is no where asserted, nor even hinted at, in the New Testament, and is totally destitute of foundation both in reason and revelation. See Farmer's Essay on the Demoniacs of the New Testament.

for their righteousness, N.

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