23

Woe unto you, scribes and pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and I anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 24, 25 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and 26 of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

27

Woe unto you, scribes and pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead 28 men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous 29 unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Woe unto you, scribes and pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, 30 and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the 31 prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children 32 of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. 33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? 34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your 35 synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and 36 the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this gener37 ation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them

which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, 38 even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, 39 your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. 24 AND Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to show him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, 2 See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

3

And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy 4 coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, 5 Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, 6 I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but 7 the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers 8, 9 places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my 10 name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and 11 shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive 12, 13 many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But 14 he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

15

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel 16 the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) then 17 let them which be in Judæa flee into the mountains: let him which is on the 18 housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: neither let him which 19 is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with 20 child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not 21 in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: for then shall be great tribulation, such

as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but 23 for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say unto 24 you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch

1 Gr. ärber, dill.

25 that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told 26 you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; 27 go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also 28 the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

29

Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the 30 powers of the heavens shall be shaken: and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the

32

other.

Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth 33 forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: so likewise ye, when ye shall see all 34 these things, know that 2 it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This 35 generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but 37 my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the 38 Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating

and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered 39 into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall 40 also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one 41 shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

42, 43

Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken 44 up. Therefore be ye also ready for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of 45 man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made 46 ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that ser47 vant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, 48 That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But and if that evil servant shall 49 say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to smite his fellow50 servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware 51 of, and shall 3 cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

25 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and 2,3 five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil.with 4,5 them: but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bride6 groom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry 7 made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those 8 virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us 9 of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and 10 buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they 11 that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. After12 ward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he an13 swered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

14

For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called 15 his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several 16 ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five 17 talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And 18 likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had 19 received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After

1 Or, with a trumpet, and a great voice. 2 Or, he. 3 Or, cut him off. 4 Or, going out.

20 a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five 21 talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many 22 things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained 23 two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler 24 over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not 25 strawed: and I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou 26 hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have 27 not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, 28 and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take 29 therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from 30 him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of

31

teeth.

When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, 32 then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory and before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth 33 his sheep from the goats: and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

34

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me 36 drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was 37 sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the

righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed 38 thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took 39 thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, 40 and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

41

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, 42 into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was an hungered, 43 and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and 44 ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and 45 did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to 46 me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

26

AND it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the 2 Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.

3

Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of 4 the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and 5 consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him. But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.

6,7

NOW when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, there came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and 8 poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. But when his disciples saw it, they had 9 indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might 10 have been sold for much, and given to the poor. When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work 11 upon me. For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. 12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.

13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

14

THEN one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, 15 and said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? 16 And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

17

NOW the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover? 18 And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples. 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.

20, 21 Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve. And as they did 22 eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, 23 is it I? And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the 24 dish, the same shall betray me. The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good 25 for that man if he had not been born. Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.

26

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and 'blessed it, and brake it, and 27 gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the 28 cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is

my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

30

AND when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. 31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be 32 scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee: 33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of 34 thee, yet will I never be offended. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, 35 That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

36

THEN cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith 37 unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very 38 heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto 39 death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass 40 from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the

disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What! could ye not 41 watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: 42 the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. He went away again the second

time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, 43 except I drink it, thy will be done. And he came and found them asleep again: 44 for their eyes were heavy. And he left them, and went away again, and prayed 45 the third time, saying the same words. Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, 46 and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.

47

And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the 48 people. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I 49 shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and 50 said, Hail, Master! and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. 51 And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear.

1 Many Greek copies have, gave thanks.

C

2 Or, psalm,

55

57

52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they 53 that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions 54 of angels? But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in 56 the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. But all this was done, that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled. AND they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high 58 priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, 59 to see the end. Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, 60 sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; but found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two 61 false witnesses, and said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, 62 and to build it in three days. And the high priest arose, and said unto him, 63 Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. 64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in 65 the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye 66 have heard his blasphemy. What think ye? They answered and said, He is 67 guilty of death. Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others 68 smote him with the palms of their hands, saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?

69

Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, 70 Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before them all, saying, 71 know not what thou sayest. And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with 72 Jesus of Nazareth. And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. 73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely 74 thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly. WHEN the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: and when they had bound him, 2 they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

75 crew.

27

3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests 4 and elders, saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. 5 And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces 6 of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them 7 into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and 8 bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field 9 was called, The field of blood, unto this day. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; 10 and gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me.

11 And Jesus stood before the governor and the governor asked him, saying, 12 Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest. And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. 13 Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness 14 against thee? And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.

15

Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, 16 whom they would. And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. 17 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will

1 Or, rods.

2 Or, whom they bought of the children of Israel.