unto him, All these things have I kept from my childhood up: what lack I yet? Je21 sus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heav22 en: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.*

23

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, that a rich man shall hardly 24 enter into the kingdom of heaven.† And again I say unto you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 25 When his disciples heard it, they were excee. dingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? 26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

27

Then Peter answered, and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed 28 thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye who have followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve

* In some situations great sacrifices are necessary in the full discharge of our duty.

†The parallel passage in Luke says, how hardly shall they who trust in riches enter into the kingdom of heaven?

This expression is designed to shew, that it is very dif ficult for the rich to practise the self-denying duties of the gospel; and is to be understood with some limitation, as the following: Can the Ethiopian change his skin, &e.

thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And every one who hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundred-fold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

1

CHAP. XX.

BUT many that are first shall be last, 2 and the last shall be first. For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. 3 And when he had agreed with the labor

ers for a penny a day, he sent them into 4 his vineyard. And he went out about the

third hour, and saw others standing idle in the 5 market place, and said unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, I will give you. And they went their way. 6 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth 7 hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye 3 here all the day idle? They say unto him, Be

* Ye who have followed me here in this present world, at the renovation of all things hereaf er, when the Son, &c. ye also shall sit, &c.

↑ Those who accept the invitations of the gospel, late in life, if not before called to a knowledge of it, will be graciously rewarded as well as those who always professed it.

cause no man hath hired us.

He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and what9 soever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the laborers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto 10 the first. And when they came who were hir

ed about the eleventh hour, they received every 11 man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. 12 And when they had received it, they murmur13 ed against the good man of the house, saying,

These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, who have 14 borne the burthen and heat of the day.

But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I 'do thee no wrong; didst not thou agree with 15 me for a penny? Take thine own and go thy

way I will give unto this last, even as unto 16 thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I

will with mine own? is thine eye evil because 17 I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last for many are called, but few chosen.

18

And Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto 19 them, Behold we go up to Jerusalem and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes, and they shall 20 condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him and the third day he shall rise again.

21

Then the mother of Zebedee's children,

came to him, with her sons, worshipping him, 22 and desiring a certain thing of him. And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand; and the other 23 on the left, in thy kingdom. But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup of which I shall drink, and to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized? They say 24 unto him, We are able. And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized but to sit on my right hand, and on ' my left, is not mine to give; except to them 25 for whom it is prepared by my Father. And when the ten heard it, they were moved with 26 indignation against the two brethren. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great, exer27 cise authority upon them. Let it not be so among you; but whosoever will be great 28 among you, let him be your minister: And

whosoever will be chief among you, let him 29 be your servant : Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

30 And as they departed from Jericho, a great 31 multitude followed him. And behold, two blind men sitting by the way-side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of

32 David.* And the multitude rebuked them, that they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, 33 O Lord, thou son of David. And Jesus stood

still, and called them, and said, What will ye 34 that I should do unto you? They say unto 35 him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. And Jesus being moved with compassion touched their eyes; eyes; and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

1

CHAP. XXI.

AND when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethpage, unto the mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and immediately ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her loose them and 3 bring them unto me. And if any one say any thing to you, ye shall say, the Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send 4 them. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet,† 5 saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting 6 upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus command7 ed them, and brought the ass, and the colt,

*Son of David was one of the titles applied to the Messiah by the Jews. † See Zachariah ix. 9.