The New Testament Page 8

  Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. Truly I tell you that many prophets and good men have longed to see what you see, and not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and not heard it. Hear, then, the parable of the sower. To every man who hears the word of the Kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and seizes what has been so^n in his heart. This is the seed sown by the way. The seed sown on the stony ground is the man who hears the word and immediately accepts it with joy; but he has no root in himself, and he is a man of the moment, and when there comes affliction and persecution, because of the word, he does not stand fast. The seed sown among thorns is the man who hears the word, and concern for the world and the beguilement of riches stifle the word, and he bears no fruit. And the seed sown on the good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it, who bears fruit and makes it, one a hundredfold, one sixtyfold, and one thirtyfold.

  He set before them another parable, saying: The King­dom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. And while the people were asleep, his enemy came and sowed darnel in with the grain, and went away. When the plants grew and produced a crop, the darnel was seen. Then the slaves of the master came to him and said: Mas­ter, did you not sow good grain in your field? Where does the darnel come from? He said to them: A man who is my enemy did it. His slaves said: Do you wish us to go out and gather it? But he said: No, for fear that when you gather the darnel you may pull up the grain with it. Let them both grow until harvest time, and in the time of harvest I shall say to the harvesters: First gather the dar­nel, and bind it in sheaves for burning, but store the grain in my granary.

  He set before them another parable, saying: The King­dom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard, which a man took and sowed in his field; which is the smallest of all seeds, but when it grows, it is the largest of the greens and grows into a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.

  He told them another parable: The Kingdom of Heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and buried in three measures of dough, so that it all rose.

  All this Jesus told the multitudes in parables, and he did not talk to them except in parables; so as to fulfill the word spoken by the prophet, saying: I will open my mouth in parables, and pour out what has been hidden since the creation. Then he sent away the multitudes and went to the house. And his disciples came to him and said: Make plain to us the parable of the darnel in the field. He answered them and said: The sower of the good seed is the son of man; the field is the world; the good seed is the sons of the Kingdom; the d^el is the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed it is the devil; the h^est time is the end of the world, and the harvesters are angels. Then as the d^el is gathered and burned in the fire, so it is at the end of the world. The son of man will send out his angels, and they will gather from his Kingdom all that misleads, and the people who do what is not lawful, and cast them in the furnace of fire; and there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous men will shine forth like the sun in the Kingdom of their father. He who has ears, let ^rn hear. The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid, and for joy of it he goes and sells all he has and buys that field. Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a trader looking for fine pearls; he found one of great val­ue, and went and sold all he had and bought it. Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea and netting every kind of fish; and when it is fuU they draw it out and sit on the beach and gather the good ones in baskets, but the bad they throw away. So will it be at the end of the world. The angels wiU go out and separate the bad from the midst of the righteous, and cast them in the ^raace of fire; and there wiU be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Do you understand all this? They said to him: Yes. And he said to them: Therefore every scribe who is learned in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is master of a house, who issues from his storehouse what is new and what is old.

  Then it happened that when Jesus was through with these parables, he went away from there, and went to his own country and taught them in their synagogue, sc that they were astonished, and said: Where has this man found this wisdom and these powers? Is not this the son of the carpenter? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? From where does this man derive all these powers? And they made it difficult for him. Jesus said to them: No prophet is rejected except in his own country and his own house. And he did not show his powers much there because of their lack of faith.

  •1 At this time Herod the tetrarch heard the rumors about Jesus, and said to his children: This is John the Baptist. He has risen from the dead, and therefore powers are at work in him. For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison, because of Herodias, the wife of Philip his brother. For John said to him: It is not lawful for you to have her. And Herod wished to kill him, but he was afraid of the people, because they held him as a prophet. But when it was Herod's birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod, and he agreed with an oath to give her whatever she asked. And she, guided by her mother, said: Give me, here on a platter, the head of John the Baptist. The king was grieved, but be­cause of his oath, and the guests at dinner, he ordered that it should be granted, and sent word and had John be­headed in the prison. Then the head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she took it to her mother. Then John's disciples came and took away his body and buried it, and went and told the news to Jesus.

  When Jesus heard, he withdrew from there on a ship to a deserted place, privately; and the multitudes heard and followed him on foot from the cities. When he came ashore, he saw a great crowd, and was sorry for them, and healed those among them who were afflicted. Then when it was evening his disciples came to him, saying: This is a lonely place and the time is late; then send the people away so that they can go back to their villages and buy food. But Jesus said to them: There is no need for them to go. Give them something to eat yourselves. They said to him: We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish. He said: Bring them here to me. Then he told the people to take their places on the grass, and took the five loaves and the two fish, and looked up into the sky and gave a blessing, and broke the loaves and gave them to his disci­ples, and the disciples gave them to the people. And they all ate and were fed, and they picked up what was left over from the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. Those who ate were perhaps five thousand men, not counting women and children.

  Then he made the disciples board the ship and precede him to the other side while he dismissed the multitude. And when he had dismissed the multitude, he went up on the mountain, by himself, to pray. When it was evening he was alone there. The ship was now many furlongs out from the land, battered by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came toward them, walking on the sea. The disciples saw him walking on the sea and were shaken, saying it was a phantom, and from this fear they cried out. But at once Jesus talked to them, saying: Take heart, it is I; do not fear. Peter answered him and said: Lord, if it is you, bid me go to you on the water. He said: Come. Peter stepped down from the ship and walked on the water and went toward Jesus. But when he saw the storm he was frightened, and began to sink, and cried out, saying: Lord, save me. At once Jesus reached out his hand and took hold of him, and said: You have little faith. Why did you hesi­tate? And when they went aboard the ship, the wind fell. They who were on the ship worshipped him and said: Truly you are the son of God.

  Then they crossed over and went to the country of Gennesaret, and the people of that region recognized him and sent word to all the country about, and brought to him all those who were afflicted, and begged of him that they might touch just the border of his mantle. And those who touched it were healed.

  411 Then Pharisees and scribes came to
Jesus from Jerusalem, saying: Why do your disciples go against the tradition of our elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread. And he answered them and said: Why do you also go against the commandment of God because of your own tradition? For God said: Give due right to your father and mother; and: Let him who speaks rudely to his father or mother be put to death. But you say: If one says to his father or mother: Whatever profit you might have had from me is a gift to God; then such a one will not have to give due right to his father or mother. And you have made void the word of God, because of your tradition. Hypocrites, Isaiah prophesied well concerning you, saying: This people honors me with the lips, but their heart is far away from me; they worship me vainly, teaching doctrines which are the precepts of men.

  Then summoning the multitude he said to them: Hear and understand. It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man but what comes out of the mouth; that defiles a man. Then his disciples came to him and said: Do you know that the Pharisees who heard this word ob­jected to it? He answered and said: Every plant which was not planted by my father in heaven shall be uprooted. Let them go. They are blind guides of blind men; when blind man guides blind man, both will fall into the pit. Peter answered him and said: Explain the parable to us. He said: Are even you still unable to understand? Do you not see that everything that goes into the mouth passes to the belly and is voided into the privy, but what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and that defiles a man. For from the heart come vile thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies. These are what defile a man. To eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.

  Then Jesus left there and went away to the regions of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from those parts came out and cried to him, saying: Pity me, son of David. My daughter is sadly vexed with a demon. But he said not a word in answer. Then his disciples came up to him and pressed him, saying: Send her away, for she follows us crying. He answered and said: I was not sent forth except after the lost sheep of the house of Israel. But she came and bowed before him, saying: Lord, help me.

  He answered and said: It is not well to take the bread of the children and throw it to the dogs. But she said: Yes, Lord, for even the dogs eat from the crumbs that fall from the table of their masters. Then Jesus answered and said to her: Woman, your faith is great. Let it be as you wish. And her daughter was healed from that hour.

  Then Jesus went from there and came beside the Sea of Galilee, and going up on the mountain he sat there. And there came to him great multitudes, having with them their lame, crippled, blind, deaf and dumb, and many others; and they flung them at his feet; and he healed them, so that the multitude were astonished when they saw deaf-mutes speaking, cripples made sound, and lame men walking about, and blind men seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel. But Jesus summoned his disci­ples to him and said: I have pity for the multitude, be­cause it is now three days they have stayed with me, and they have nothing to eat; and I do not wish to send them away hungry, for fear they give out on the way. The disci­ples said: How shall we come by enough bread in the desert to feed such a multitude? And Jesus said to them: How many loaves do you have? They said: Seven, and a few little fish. Then he gave the word to the people to take their places on the ground, and took the loaves and the fish, and gave thanks, and broke them up and gave them to his disciples, and his disciples gave them to the people. And all ate and were fed, and they picked up what was left over from the broken pieces, seven baskets full. Those who ate were four thousand men, not counting women and children. Then he sent away the people and went aboard the ship, and came to the regions of Maga­dan.

  411 Then Pharisees and Sadducees came to him and made trial of him and asked him to show them a sign from the sky. He answered them and said: When it is sunset, you say: Fair weather, for the sky is red. And when it is dawn: Stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening. Do you know how to judge the face of the sky, and can you not judge the signs of the times? A corrupt and adulterous generation asks for a sign, and no sign shall be given to it, unless it be the sign of Jonah. Then he left them and went away.

  When the disciples crossed to the other side they forgot to take bread. And Jesus said to them: Be watchful and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Then they talked among themselves, saying: We did not bring bread. Jesus perceived it and said: Why do you talk among yourselves, you men of little faith, about having no bread. Do you not yet see, do you not remember the five loaves of the five thousand and all the baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves of the four thousand and all the baskets you gathered. How can you not see that I was not talking to you about bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Then they understood that he had not told them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

  When Jesus came to the regions of Caesarea Philippi, he questioned his disciples, saying: Who do men say the son of man is? They said: Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the prophets. He said to them: And you, who do you say I am? And Simon Peter said: You are the Christ, the son of the living God. Jesus answered him and said: Blessed are you, Simon Bariona; for it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, the Rock, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall have no power against it. I shall give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and what you close upon earth shall be closed in heaven, and what you open on earth shall be open in heaven.

  Then he warned his disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

  From that time, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer much from the elders and the high priests and the scribes, and be killed, and rise up on the third day. But Peter laid his hand upon him and tried to warn him, and said: Lord, be of good cheer; this shall not happen to you. He turned to Peter and said: Go behind me, Satan; you would put me off my way, because you do not think the thoughts of God but the thoughts of men. Then Jesus said to his disciples: If anyone wishes to go after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For he who wishes to save his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake shall find it. For what will it advantage a man if he gains the whole world but must pay with his life? Or what will a man give that is worth as much as his life? The son of man is to come in the glory of his father among his angels, and then he will give to each according to what each has done. Truly I tell you that there are some of those who stand here who will not taste of death until they see the son of man coming in his Kingdom.

  4l Then after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John the brother of James, and led them up on a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face blazed like the sun, and his clothing became white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah were seen talking with him. But Peter spoke forth and said to Jesus: Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will make three shelters here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah. While he was still speaking, behold, a shining cloud covered them, and behold, a voice from the cloud saying: This is my son whom I love, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him. When the disciples heard, they threw themselves upon their faces and were greatly afraid. And Jesus came to them and laid his hands upon them and said: Rise up and do not fear. And lifting their eyes they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.

  Then as they were coming down from the mountain Jesus enjoined them and said: Do not speak of the vision until the son of man is raised from the dead. And his disciples asked him and said: Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first. He answered and said: Elijah will come and will set all right again. But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not know him, and did with him what they wished
; thus also is the son of man to suffer at their hands. Then the disciples under­stood that he spoke to them about John the Baptist.

  Then as they c^e to the multitude there came a man who knelt to him and said: Lord, have pity on my son, for he is epileptic and in evil case; for often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they were not able to heal him. Jesus an­swered and said: 0 generation without faith and perverse, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I endure you? Bring him here to me. And Jesus scolded him, and the demon went out of him, and the boy was healed from that hour. Then his disciples came to Jesus privately and said: Why were we not able to cast it out? He said to them: Because of your little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as large as a grain of mustard, you will say to this mountain: Move from here to there; and it will move, and nothing will be impossible to you.

  Now as they gathered in Galilee, Jesus said to them: The son of man is to be given over into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise. And they were greatly saddened.

  Then when they came to Capernaum, those who took up the two-drachma tax came up to Peter and said: Does not your teacher pay the two drachmas? He said: Yes. And as he was going into the house, Jesus intercepted him and said: What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take their taxes and their assessment? From their sons or from strangers? When he said: From strangers, Jesus said to him: Thus their sons go free. But so that we may cause them no trouble, go to the sea and let down your hook, and take the first fish that comes up, and open its mouth and you will find a stater. Take it and give it to them, for you and me.