Weymouth New Testament in Modern Speech, Luke

Produced by Martin Ward

Weymouth New Testament in Modern Speech, Luke

Third Edition 1913

R. F. Weymouth

Book 42 Luke

001:001 Seeing that many have attempted to draw up a narrative
of the facts which are received with full assurance among us

001:002 on the authority of those who were from the beginning eye-witnesses
and were devoted to the service of the divine Message,

001:003 it has seemed right to me also, after careful investigation of the facts from their commencement, to write for you, most noble Theophilus, a connected account,

001:004 that you may fully know the truth of the things which you have been taught by word of mouth.

001:005 There was in the time of Herod, the king of Judaea, a priest of the name of Zechariah, belonging to the class of Abijah. He had a wife who was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

001:006 They were both of them upright before God, blamelessly obeying
all the Lord's precepts and ordinances.

001:007 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren;
and both of them were far advanced in life.

001:008 Now while he was doing priestly duty before God in the prescribed
course of his class,

001:009 it fell to his lot—according to the custom of the priesthood—
to go into the Sanctuary of the Lord and burn the incense;

001:010 and the whole multitude of the people were outside praying,
at the hour of incense.

001:011 Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing
on the right side of the altar of incense;

001:012 and Zechariah on seeing him was agitated and terrified.

001:013 But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your petition has been heard: and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call his name John.

001:014 Gladness and exultant joy shall be yours, and many will rejoice over his birth.

001:015 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; no wine or fermented drink shall he ever drink; but he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the very hour of his birth.

001:016 Many of the descendants of Israel will he turn to the Lord their God;

001:017 and he will be His forerunner in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn fathers' hearts to the children, and cause the rebellious to walk in the wisdom of the upright, to make a people perfectly ready for the lord."

001:018 "By what proof," asked Zechariah, "shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is far advanced in years."

001:019 "I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God,"
answered the angel, "and I have been sent to talk with you
and tell you this good news.

001:020 And now you will be dumb and unable to speak until the day
when this has taken place; because you did not believe my words—
words which will be fulfilled at their appointed time."

001:021 Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, and were surprised that he stayed so long in the Sanctuary.

001:022 When, however, he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they knew that he must have seen a vision in the Sanctuary; but he kept making signs to them and continued dumb.

001:023 When his days of service were at an end, he went to his home;

001:024 and in course of time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and kept
herself secluded five months.

001:025 "Thus has the Lord dealt with me," she said, "now that He has
graciously taken away my reproach among men."

001:026 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,

001:027 to a maiden betrothed to a man of the name of Joseph,
a descendant of David. The maiden's name was Mary.

001:028 So Gabriel went into the house and said to her, "Joy be to you,
favoured one! the Lord is with you."

001:029 She was greatly agitated at his words, and wondered what such
a greeting meant.

001:030 But the angel said, "Do not be frightened, Mary, for you
have found favour with God.

001:031 You will conceive in your womb and bear a son; and you are
to call His name JESUS.

001:032 He will be great and He will be called `Son of the Most High.'
And the Lord God will give Him the throne of His forefather David;

001:033 and He will be King over the House of Jacob for the Ages,
and of His Kingdom there will be no end."

001:034 "How can this be," Mary replied, "seeing that I have no husband?"

001:035 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for this reason your holy offspring will be called `the Son of God.'

001:036 And see, your relative Elizabeth—she also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.

001:037 For no promise from God will be impossible of fulfilment."

001:038 "I am the Lord's maidservant," Mary replied; "may it be with me
in accordance with your words!" And then the angel left her.

001:039 Not long after this, Mary rose up and went in haste into the hill
country to a town in Judah.

001:040 Here she came to the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth;

001:041 and as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the babe leapt
within her. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,

001:042 and uttered a loud cry of joy. "Blest among women are you,"
she said, "and the offspring of your body is blest!

001:043 But why is this honour done me, that the mother of my Lord
should come to me?

001:044 For, the moment your greeting reached my ears, the babe within
me leapt for joy.

001:045 And blessed is she who has believed, for the word spoken
to her from the Lord shall be fulfilled."

001:046 Then Mary said: "My soul extols the Lord,

001:047 And my spirit triumphs in God my Saviour;

001:048 Because He has not turned from His maidservant in her lowly position;
For from this time forward all generations will account me happy,

001:049 Because the mighty One has done great things for me—
Holy is His name!—

001:050 And His compassion is, generation after generation, Upon those
who fear Him.

001:051 He has manifested His supreme strength. He has scattered
those who were haughty in the thoughts of their hearts.

001:052 He has cast monarchs down from their thrones, And exalted men
of low estate.

001:053 The hungry He has satisfied with choice gifts, But the rich
He has sent empty-handed away.

001:054 His servant Israel He has helped, Remembering His compassion—

001:055 In fulfillment of His promises to our forefathers—For Abraham
and his posterity for ever."

001:056 So Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months,
and then returned home.

001:057 Now when Elizabeth's full time was come, she gave birth to a son;

001:058 and her neighbours and relatives heard how the Lord had had
great compassion on her; and they rejoiced with her.

001:059 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child,
and were going to call him Zechariah, after his father.

001:060 His mother, however, said, "No, he is to be called John."

001:061 "There is not one of your family," they said, "who has that name."

001:062 They asked his father by signs what he wished him to be called.

001:063 So he asked for a writing-tablet, and wrote, "His name is John."
And they all wondered.

001:064 Instantly his mouth and his tongue were set free, and he began
to speak and bless God.

001:065 And all who lived round about them were filled with awe,
and throughout the hill country of Judaea reports of all
these things were spread abroad.

001:066 All who heard the story treasured it in their memories.
"What then will this child be?" they said. For the lord's
hand was indeed with him.

001:067 And Zechariah his father was filled with the Holy Spirit,
and spoke in a rapture of praise.

001:068 "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel," he said, "Because He has
not forgotten His people but has effected redemption for them,

001:069 And has raised up a mighty Deliverer for us In the house
of David His servant—

001:070 As He has spoken from all time by the lips of His holy Prophets—

001:071 To deliver us from our foes and from the power of all who hate us.

001:072 He dealt pitifully with our forefathers, And remembered His holy covenant,

001:073 The oath which He swore to Abraham our forefather,

001:074 To grant us to be rescued from the power of our foes And so render worship to Him free from fear,

001:075 In piety and uprightness before Him all our days.

001:076 And you moreover, O child, shall be called Prophet of the Most High; For you shall go on in front before the Lord to prepare the way for Him,

001:077 To give to His People a knowledge of salvation In the forgiveness
of their sins,

001:078 Through the tender compassion of our God, Through which
the daybreak from on high will come to us,

001:079 Dawning on those who now dwell in the darkness and shadow of death—
To direct our feet into the path of peace."

001:080 And the child grew and became strong in character, and lived in the Desert till the time came for him to appear publicly to Israel.

002:001 Just at this time an edict was issued by Caesar Augustus
for the registration of the whole Empire.

002:002 It was the first registration made during the governorship
of Quirinius in Syria;

002:003 and all went to be registered—every one to the town to
which he belonged.

002:004 So Joseph went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judaea, to David's town of Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,

002:005 to have himself registered together with Mary, who was betrothed to him and was with child.

002:006 But while they were there, her full time came,

002:007 and she gave birth to her first-born son, and wrapped Him round, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

002:008 Now there were shepherds in the same part of the country,
keeping watch over their sheep by night in the open fields,

002:009 when suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory
of the Lord shone round them; and they were filled with terror.

002:010 But the angel said to them, "Put away all fear; for I am
bringing you good news of great joy—joy for all the People.

002:011 For a Saviour who is the Anointed Lord is born to you to-day,
in the town of David.

002:012 And this is the token for you: you will find a babe wrapped
in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."

002:013 And immediately there was with the angel a multitude of the army
of Heaven praising God and saying,

002:014 "Glory be to God in the highest Heavens, And on earth peace
among men who please Him!"

002:015 Then, as soon as the angels had left them and returned to Heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go over as far as Bethlehem and see this that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us."

002:016 So they made haste and came and found Mary and Joseph,
with the babe lying in the manger.

002:017 And when they saw the child, they told what had been said
to them about Him;

002:018 and all who listened were astonished at what the shepherds told them.

002:019 But Mary treasured up all these things, often dwelling on them in her mind.

002:020 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all
that they had heard and seen in accordance with the announcement
made to them.

002:021 When eight days had passed and the time for circumcising Him
had come, He was called JESUS, the name given Him by the angel
before His conception in the womb.

002:022 And when the days for their purification appointed by the Law
of Moses had passed, they took Him up to Jerusalem to present
Him to the Lord—

002:023 as it is written in the Law of the Lord: "Every first-born
male shall be called holy to the Lord."

002:024 And they also offered a sacrifice as commanded in the Law
of the Lord, "a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons."

002:025 Now there was a man in Jerusalem of the name of Symeon, an upright and God-fearing man, who was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

002:026 To him it had been revealed by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death until he had seen the Lord's Anointed One.

002:027 Led by the Spirit he came to the Temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do with regard to Him according to the custom of the Law,

002:028 he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

002:029 "Now, O Sovereign Lord, Thou dost send Thy servant away in peace, in fulfilment of Thy word,

002:030 Because mine eyes have seen Thy salvation,

002:031 Which Thou hast made ready in the sight of all nations—

002:032 A light to shine upon the Gentiles, And the glory of
Thy people Israel."

002:033 And while the child's father and mother were wondering at
the words of Symeon concerning Him,

002:034 Symeon blessed them and said to Mary the mother, "This child is appointed for the falling and the uprising of many in Israel and for a token to be spoken against;

002:035 and a sword will pierce through your own soul also; that the reasonings in many hearts may be revealed."

002:036 There was also Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel,
belonging to the tribe of Asher. She was of a very great age,
having had after her maidenhood seven years of married life,

002:037 and then being a widow of eighty-four years. She was never
absent from the Temple, but worshipped, by day and by night,
with fasting and prayer.

002:038 And coming up just at that moment, she gave thanks to God,
and spoke about the child to all who were expecting
the deliverance of Jerusalem.

002:039 Then, as soon as they had accomplished all that the Law required,
they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.

002:040 And the child grew and became strong and full of wisdom,
and the favour of God rested upon Him.

002:041 Now His parents used to go up year by year to Jerusalem at
the Feast of the Passover.

002:042 And when He was twelve years old they went up as was customary
at the time of the Feast, and,

002:043 after staying the full number of days, when they started
back home the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem.
His parents did not discover this,

002:044 but supposing Him to be in the travelling company, they proceeded
a day's journey. Then they searched up and down for Him
among their relatives and acquaintances;

002:045 but being unable to find Him they returned to Jerusalem,
making anxious inquiry for Him.

002:046 On the third day they found Him in the Temple sitting among
the Rabbis, both listening to them and asking them questions,

002:047 while all who heard Him were astonished at His intelligence
and at the answers He gave.

002:048 When they saw Him, they were smitten with amazement, and His
mother said to Him, "My child, why have you behaved thus to us?
Your father and I have been searching for you in anguish."

002:049 "Why is it that you have been searching for me?" He replied;
"did you not know that it is my duty to be engaged upon
my Father's business?"

002:050 But they did not understand the significance of these words.

002:051 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was always obedient to them; but His mother carefully treasured up all these incidents in her memory.

002:052 And as Jesus grew older He gained in both wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

003:001 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being Governor of Judaea, Herod Tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip Tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias Tetrarch of Abilene,

003:002 during the High-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, a message
from God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the Desert.

003:003 John went into all the district about the Jordan proclaiming
a baptism of the penitent for the forgiveness of sins;

003:004 as it is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah, "The voice of
one crying aloud! `In the Desert prepare ye a road for the Lord:
make His highway straight.

003:005 Every ravine shall be filled up, and every mountain and hill
levelled down, the crooked places shall be turned into
straight roads, and the rugged ways into smooth;

003:006 and then shall all mankind see God's salvation.'"

003:007 Accordingly John used to say to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, "O vipers' brood, who has warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

003:008 Live lives which shall prove your change of heart; and do not begin to say to yourselves, `We have Abraham as our forefather,' for I tell you that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones.

003:009 And even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees, so that every tree which fails to yield good fruit will quickly be hewn down and thrown into the fire."

003:010 The crowds repeatedly asked him, "What then are we to do?"

003:011 "Let the man who has two coats," he answered, "give one to the man who has none; and let the man who has food share it with others."

003:012 There came also a party of tax-gatherers to be baptized, and they asked him, "Rabbi, what are we to do?"

003:013 "Do not exact more than the legal amount," he replied.

003:014 The soldiers also once and again inquired of him, "And we, what are we to do?" His answer was, "Neither intimidate any one nor lay false charges; and be content with your pay."

003:015 And while the people were in suspense and all were debating in their minds whether John might possibly be the Anointed One,

003:016 he answered the question by saying to them all, "As for me, I am baptizing you with water, but One mightier than I is coming, whose very sandal-strap I am not worthy to unfasten: He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and with fire.

003:017 His winnowing-shovel is in His hand to clear out His threshing-floor, and to gather the wheat into His storehouse; but the chaff He will burn up in fire unquenchable."

003:018 With many exhortations besides these he declared the Good News to the people.

003:019 But Herod the Tetrarch, being repeatedly rebuked by him about Herodias his brother's wife, and about all the wicked deeds that he had done,

003:020 now added this to crown all the rest, that he threw
John into prison.

003:021 Now when all the people had been baptized, and Jesus also had
been baptized and was praying, the sky opened,

003:022 and the Holy Spirit came down in bodily shape, like a dove,
upon Him, and a voice came from Heaven, which said, "Thou art
My Son, dearly loved: in Thee is My delight."

003:023 And He—Jesus—when He began His ministry, was about thirty
years old. He was the son (it was supposed) of Joseph,
son of Heli,

003:024 son of Matthat, son of Levi, son of Melchi, son of Jannai,
son of Joseph,

003:025 son of Mattathias, son of Amos, son of Nahum, son of Esli,
son of Naggai,

003:026 son of Mahath, son of Mattathias, son of Semein, son of Josech,
son of Joda,

003:027 son of Johanan, son of Resa, son of Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel,
son of Neri,

003:028 son of Melchi, son of Addi, son of Cosam, son of Elmadam,
son of Er,

003:029 son of Joshua, son of Eliezar, son of Jorim, son of Maththat,
son of Levi,

003:030 son of Symeon, son of Judah, son of Joseph, son of Jonam,
son of Eliakim, son of

003:031 Melea, son of Menna, son of Mattatha, son of Nathan,
son of David,

003:032 son of Jesse, son of Obed, son of Boaz, son of Salmon,
son of Nahshon,

003:033 son of Amminadab, son of Admin, son of Arni, son of Hezron,
son of Perez, son of Judah,

003:034 son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham, son of Terah,
son of Nahor,

003:035 son of Serug, son of Reu, son of Peleg, son of Eber,
son of Shelah,

003:036 son of Cainan, son of Arpachshad, son of Shem, son of Noah,
son of Lamech,

003:037 son of Methuselah, son of Enoch, son of Jared, son of Mahalalel,
son of Kenan,

003:038 son of Enosh, son of Seth, son of Adam, son of God.

004:001 Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan,
and was led about by the Spirit in the Desert for forty days,

004:002 tempted all the while by the Devil. During those days He
ate nothing, and at the close of them He suffered from hunger.

004:003 Then the Devil said to Him, "If you are God's Son, tell this
stone to become bread."

004:004 "It is written," replied Jesus, "`It is not on bread alone
that a man shall live.'"

004:005 The Devil next led Him up and caused Him to see at a glance
all the kingdoms of the world.

004:006 And the Devil said to Him, "To you will I give all this authority and this splendour; for it has been handed over to me, and on whomsoever I will I bestow it.

004:007 If therefore you do homage to me, it shall all be yours.'

004:008 Jesus answered him, "It is written, `To the Lord thy God thou shalt do homage, and to Him alone shalt thou render worship.'"

004:009 Then he brought Him to Jerusalem and caused Him to stand on the roof of the Temple, and said to Him, "If you are God's Son, throw yourself down from here; for it is written,

004:010 `He will give orders to His angels concerning thee,
to guard thee safely;'

004:011 and `On their hands they shall bear thee up, Lest at any moment
thou shouldst strike thy foot against a stone.'"

004:012 The reply of Jesus was, "It is said, `Thou shalt not put
the Lord they God to the proof.'"

004:013 So the Devil, having fully tried every kind of temptation on Him,
left Him for a time.

004:014 Then Jesus returned in the Spirit's power to Galilee;
and His fame spread through all the adjacent districts.

004:015 And He proceeded to teach in their synagogues, winning
praise from all.

004:016 He came to Nazareth also, where He had been brought up; and, as was His custom, He went to the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read.

004:017 And there was handed to Him the book of the Prophet Isaiah, and, opening the book, He found the place where it was written,

004:018 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to proclaim Good News to the poor; He has sent me to announce release to the prisoners of war and recovery of sight to the blind: to send away free those whom tyranny has crushed,

004:019 to proclaim the year of acceptance with the Lord."

004:020 And rolling up the book, He returned it to the attendant, and sat down—to speak. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him.

004:021 Then He proceeded to say to them, "To-day is this Scripture fulfilled in your hearing."

004:022 And they all spoke well of Him, wondering at the sweet words of
kindness which fell from His lips, while they asked one another,
"Is not this Joseph's son?"

004:023 "Doubtless," said He, "you will quote to me the proverb,
`Physician, cure yourself: all that we hear that you have
done at Capernaum, do here also in your native place.'"

004:024 "I tell you in solemn truth," He added, "that no Prophet is welcomed among his own people.

004:025 But I tell you in truth that there was many a widow in Israel in the time of Elijah, when there was no rain for three years and six months and there came a severe famine over all the land;

004:026 and yet to not one of them was Elijah sent: he was only sent to a widow at Zarephath in the Sidonian country.

004:027 And there was also many a leper in Israel in the time of the Prophet Elisha, and yet not one of them was cleansed, but Naaman the Syrian was."

004:028 Then all in the synagogue, while listening to these words, were filled with fury.

004:029 They rose, hurried Him outside the town, and brought Him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, to throw Him down the cliff;

004:030 but He passed through the midst of them and went His way.

004:031 So He came down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, where He
frequently taught the people on the Sabbath days.

004:032 And they were greatly impressed by His teaching, because He
spoke with the language of authority.

004:033 But in the synagogue there was a man possessed by the spirit
of a foul demon. In a loud voice he cried out,

004:034 "Ha! Jesus the Nazarene, what have you to do with us?
I know who you are—God's Holy One!"

004:035 But Jesus rebuked the demon. "Silence!" He exclaimed; "come out of him." Upon this, the demon hurled the man into the midst of them, and came out of him without doing him any harm.

004:036 All were astonished and awe-struck; and they asked one another, "What sort of language is this? For with authority and real power He gives orders to the foul spirits and they come out."

004:037 And the talk about Him spread into every part of the neighbouring country.

004:038 Now when He rose and left the synagogue He went to Simon's house. Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from an acute attack of fever; and they consulted Him about her.

004:039 Then standing over her He rebuked the fever, and it left her; and she at once rose and waited on them.

004:040 At sunset all who had friends suffering from any illness brought
them to Him, and He laid His hands on them all, one by one,
and cured them.

004:041 Demons also came out of many, loudly calling out, "You are
the Son of God." But He rebuked them and forbad them to speak,
because they knew Him to be the Christ.

004:042 Next morning, at daybreak, He left the town and went away to a solitary place; but the people flocked out to find Him, and, coming to the place where He was, they endeavoured to detain Him that He might not leave them.

004:043 But He said to them, "I have to tell the Good News of the Kingdom of God to the other towns also, because for this purpose I was sent."

004:044 And for some time He preached in the synagogues in Galilee.

005:001 On one occasion the crowd was pressing on Him and listening to
God's Message, while He was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.

005:002 He, however, saw two fishing-boats drawn up on the beach
(for the men had gone away from them and were washing the nets),

005:003 and going on board one of them, which was Simon's He asked him to push out a little from land. Then He sat down and taught the crowd of people from the boat.

005:004 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, "Push out into deep water, and let down your nets for a haul."

005:005 "Rabbi," replied Peter, "all night long we have worked hard and caught nothing; but at your command I will let down the nets."

005:006 This they did, and enclosed a vast number of fish; and their nets began to break.

005:007 So they signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them; they came, and they filled both the boats so that they almost sank.

005:008 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell down at the knees of Jesus,
and exclaimed, "Master, leave my boat, for I am a sinful man."

005:009 (For he was astonished and terrified—he and all his companions—
at the haul of fish which they had taken;

005:010 and so were Simon's partners James and John, the sons of Zabdi.) But Jesus replied to Simon, "Fear not: from this time you shall be a catcher of men."

005:011 Then, after bringing their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.

005:012 On another occasion, when He was in one of the towns, there was a man there covered with leprosy, who, seeing Jesus, threw himself at His feet and implored Him, saying, "Sir, if only you are willing, you are able to make me clean."

005:013 Reaching out His hand and touching him, Jesus said, "I am willing; be cleansed!" And instantly the leprosy left him.

005:014 He ordered him to tell no one. "But go," He said, "show yourself
to the Priest, and make the offering for your purification
which Moses appointed, as evidence for them."

005:015 But all the more the report about Him spread abroad,
and great multitudes crowded to hear Him and to be cured
of their diseases;

005:016 but Jesus Himself constantly withdrew into the Desert and there prayed.

005:017 One day He was teaching, and there were Pharisees and teachers of the Law sitting there who had come from every village in Galilee and Judaea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present for Him to cure people.

005:018 And a party of men came carrying a palsied man on a bed, and they endeavoured to bring him in and lay him before Jesus.

005:019 But when they could find no way of doing so because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiling— bed and all—into the midst, in front of Jesus.

005:020 He saw their faith and said to him, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."

005:021 Then the Scribes and Pharisees began to cavil, asking, "Who is this, uttering blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?"

005:022 Well aware of their reasonings, Jesus answered their questions by asking in turn, "What is this that you are debating in your hearts?

005:023 Which is easier?—to say, `Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, `Rise and walk'?

005:024 But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on
earth to forgive sins"—Turning to the paralytic He said,
"I bid you, Rise, take up your bed, and go home."

005:025 Instantly he stood up in their presence, took up the mattress
on which he had been lying, and went away to his home,
giving glory to God.

005:026 Amazement seized them all. "Glory to God!" was the abiding feeling.
Yet fear flashed through their minds and they said, "We have
seen strange things to-day."

005:027 After this He went out and noticed a tax-gatherer, Levi by name, sitting at the Toll office; and He said to him, "Follow me."

005:028 He rose, left everything, and followed Him.

005:029 Levi also gave a great entertainment at his house in honour
of Jesus, and there was a large party of tax-gatherers
and others at table with them.

005:030 This led the Pharisees and Scribes of their party to expostulate
with His disciples and ask, "Why are you eating and drinking
with these tax-gatherers and notorious sinners?"

005:031 But Jesus replied to them, "It is not men in good health who require a physician, but the sick.

005:032 I have not come to call the righteous to repentance, but sinners."

005:033 Again they said to Him, "John's disciples fast often and pray,
as do also those of the pharisees; but yours eat and drink."

005:034 "Can you compel the bridal party to fast," replied Jesus,
"so long as they have the bridegroom among them?

005:035 But a time for this will come, when the Bridegroom has been
taken away from them: then, at that time, they will fast."

005:036 He also spoke in figurative language to them. "No one," He said, "tears a piece from a new garment to mend an old one. Otherwise he would not only spoil the new, but the patch from the new would not match the old.

005:037 Nor does any one pour new wine into old wine-skins. Otherwise the new wine would burst the skins, the wine itself would be spilt, and the skins be destroyed.

005:038 But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins.

005:039 Nor does any one after drinking old wine wish for new; for he says, `The old is better.'"

006:001 Now on the second-first Sabbath while He was passing through the wheatfields, His disciples were plucking the ears and rubbing them with their hands to eat the grain.

006:002 And some of the Pharisees asked, "Why are you doing what the Law
forbids on the Sabbath?"

006:003 "Have you never read so much as this," answered Jesus—"what David
did when he and his followers were hungry;

006:004 how he entered the house of God and took and ate the Presented Loaves and gave some to his followers—loaves which none but the Priests are allowed to eat?"

006:005 "The Son of Man," He added, "is Lord of the Sabbath also."

006:006 On another Sabbath He had gone to the synagogue and was
teaching there; and in the congregation was a man whose
right arm was withered.

006:007 The Scribes and the Pharisees were on the watch to see whether
He would cure him on the Sabbath that they might be able
to bring an accusation against Him.

006:008 He knew their thoughts, and said to the man with the
withered arm, "Rise, and stand there in the middle."
And he rose and stood there.

006:009 Then Jesus said to them, "I put it to you all whether we
are allowed to do good on the Sabbath, or to do evil;
to save a life, or to destroy it."

006:010 And looking round upon them all He said to the man, "Stretch out
your arm." He did so, and the arm was restored.

006:011 But they were filled with madness, and began to discuss
with one another what they should do to Jesus.

006:012 About that time He went out on one occasion into the hill
country to pray; and He remained all night in prayer to God.

006:013 When it was day, He called His disciples; and He selected
from among them twelve, whom He also named Apostles.

006:014 These were Simon, to whom also He had given the name of Peter,
and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew;

006:015 Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon
called the Zealot;

006:016 James's relative Judas, and Judas Iscariot who proved to
be a traitor.

006:017 With these He came down till He reached a level place, where there was a great crowd of His disciples, and a multitude of people from every part of Judaea, from Jerusalem, and from the sea-side district of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and to be cured of their diseases;

006:018 and those who were tormented by foul spirits were cured.

006:019 The whole crowd were eager to touch Him, because power went
forth from him and cured every one.

006:020 Then fixing His eyes upon His disciples, Jesus said to them,
"Blessed are you poor, because the Kingdom of God is yours.

006:021 "Blessed are you who hunger now, because your hunger shall
be satisfied. "Blessed are you who now weep aloud,
because you shall laugh.

006:022 "Blessed are you when men shall hate you and exclude you
from their society and insult you, and spurn your very names
as evil things, for the Son of Man's sake.

006:023 "Be glad at such a time, and dance for joy; for your reward
is great in Heaven; for that is just the way their forefathers
behaved to the Prophets!

006:024 "But alas for you rich men, because you already have your consolation!

006:025 "Alas for you who now have plenty to eat, because you will be hungry!
"Alas for you who laugh now, because you will mourn
and weep aloud!

006:026 "Alas for you when men shall all have spoken well of you;
for that is just the way their forefathers behaved to
the false Prophets!

006:027 "But to you who are listening to me I say, Love your enemies; seek the welfare of those who hate you;

006:028 bless those who curse you; pray for those who revile you.

006:029 To him who gives you a blow on one side of the face offer the other side also; and to him who is robbing you of your outer garment refuse not the under one also.

006:030 To every one who asks, give; and from him who takes away
your property, do not demand it back.

006:031 And behave to your fellow men just as you would have them
behave to you.

006:032 "If you love those who love you, what credit is it to you?
Why, even bad men love those who love them.

006:033 And if you are kind to those who are kind to you, what credit
is it to you? Even bad men act thus.

006:034 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is it to you? Even bad men lend to their fellows so as to receive back an equal amount.

006:035 Nevertheless love your enemies, be beneficent; and lend without hoping for any repayment. Then your recompense shall be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

006:036 Be compassionate just as your Father is compassionate.

006:037 "Judge not, and you shall not be judged; condemn not, and you shall not be condemned; pardon, and you shall be pardoned;

006:038 give, and gifts shall be bestowed on you. Full measure, pressed, shaken down, and running over, shall they pour into your laps; for with the same measure that you use they shall measure to you in return."

006:039 He also spoke to them in figurative language. "Can a blind man lead a blind man?" He asked; "would not both fall into the ditch?

006:040 There is no disciple who is superior to his teacher; but every
one whose instruction is complete will be like his teacher.

006:041 "And why look at the splinter in your brother's eye instead
of giving careful attention to the beam in your own?

006:042 How can you say to your brother, `Brother, let me take that splinter out of your eye,' when all the while you yourself do not see the beam in your own eye? Vain pretender! take the beam out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly to take the splinter out of your brother's eye.