that they trod one upon another, he said unto his disciples, Above all things beware of the leaven 2 of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; 3 neither hidden, that shall not be known. And whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness, shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets, shall be proclaim4 ed upon the house-tops. And I say unto you, my friends, be not afraid of them who kill the body, and after that have no more that they 5 can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear Fear him who, after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto 6 you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings? yet not one of them is for7 gotten before God; and even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore ye are of more value than many 8 sparrows. Also I say unto you, whosoever shall confess me before men, him the Son of man will also confess before the angels of God. 9 But he that denieth me before men, shall be 10 denied before the angels of God. And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it may be forgiven him; but he who blasphemeth the Holy Spirit shall not be for11 given. And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates and rulers, take no thought how, or what thing ye shall 12 answer, or what ye shall say: For the Holy Spirit shall teach you in the same hour what 13 ye ought to say. And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother,

14 that he divide the inheritance with me.

And

he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge, 15 or arbiter for you? Then he said unto them,

Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of 16 the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth 17 plentifully and he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, since I have no room 18 where to bestow my fruits? And he said, I will do this; I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow 19 all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, 20 and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou

fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee; then whose shall those things be which 21 thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself here, and is not rich towards God.

22

And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no anxious thought for your life, what ye shall eat, neither for the body 23 what ye shall put on. The life is more than 24 meat, and the body than raiment. Consider the ravens for they neither sow nor reap; they have not store house, nor barn; but God fecdeth them: How much more are ye bet25 ter than the birds? And which of you by being anxious can add to his stature one cubit? 26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why are ye anxious for the rest?

27 Consider the lilies how they grow: They neither toil nor spin; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon, in all his glory, was not arrayed 28 like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to-day in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? 29. And seek not chiefly what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be of anxious mind. 30 For all these things do the nations of the world. seek after:* and your father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

31

But rather scek ye the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you. 32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's 33 good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Seil what ye have, and give alms: provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens which faileth not, where no thief 34 approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For

where your treasure is, there will your heart 35 be also. Let your loins be girded about, and 36 your lights burning; and ye yourselves like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding; that, when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him im37 mediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the master, when he cometh, shall find watching; verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, 38 and will come and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the

* The world generally seeketh for such things.

third watch, and find things so, blessed will be 39 those servants. For this ye know, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken 40 through. Be ye then always ready; for the Son of man cometh at an hour, when ye think

41

not.

Then Peter said unto him, Lord, dost thou address this comparison to us, or to all men ? 42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give the portion of 43 food in due season; Blessed is that servant,

whom his lord, when he cometh, shall find 44 thus employed. Verily, I say unto you, that 45 he will make him ruler over all he hath. But

if that servant should say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and should begin to beat the men-servants and maidens, and to eat 46 and to drink, and be drunken; the Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will discard him, and appoint him 47 his portion with unbelievers. And that servant, who knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, 48 shall be beaten much. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten, but little. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him will much be required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

49 I am come to send fire on the earth, and 50 what will I, if it be already kindled ?* But I

have a baptism to be baptized with,† and how 51 am I distressed till it be accomplished! Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on the earth? I tell you, nay; but rather division.‡ 52 For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two 53 against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and the daughterin-law against her mother-in-law.

54

And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, immediately ye 5.5 There will be rain; and so it is. And say, when the south wind blows, ye say, There will 56 be heat and it cometh to pass. Ye hypo

crites, ye can discern the face of the sky, and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern 57 this time? Yea, and of yourselves even why judge ye not what is right ?

58

When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, while in the way, endeavor to be delivered from him; lest he carry thee tò the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the

* Christ here speaks prophetically.

He here alludes to his sufferings.

This is to be considered as prophetic. Our Lord knew what would be the opposition to his religion, and how his disciples would be persecuted.

§ They saw enough in the miracles of Christ, to convince them that he was the Messiah, who was to come.