But he said, Nay, father Abraham; but if one go to them from the dead, they will repent. 31. But he said to him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, (Heb. ii. 3.) neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.

CHAP. XVII.

CHRIST TEACHETH TO AVOID OFFENCES.

2.

THEN he said to the disciples, it is impossible that offences should not come (in this present evil world,) but wo to him thro' whom they come. It were better for him to have a milstone hanged about his neck, and to be cast into the sea, than to offend (or cause to stumble) one of the meanest or weakest of the saints.

3. Take heed to yourselves; If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. 4. And tho' he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and as often turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

5. Then the apostles said to the Lord, Increase our faith. 6. And he said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard-seed, ye might say to this syca mine-tree, Be thou rooted up, and be thou planted in the sea; and it would obey you. (Difficulties seemingly as great, shall be surmounted by you).

7. But which of you, having a servant plowing, or feeding cattle, will say to him, immediately when he comes from the field, Go and sit down to meat. 8. And not rather say to him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself to serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? 9. Doth he thank the servant because he did the things commanded him? I suppose

not.

10. So likewise when ye have done all things commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done but what we ought to do, (and can

not profit God by our goodness, or add to his happiness.)

11. Now as he went to Jerusalem, he passed thro' Samaria and Galilee.

12. And entering into a certain village, there met him ten leprous men, who stood at a distance; 13. And cried out, Jesus, Master, have mercy

on us.

14. And seeing them, he said to them, Go shew yourselves to the priests. And, as they went, they were cleansed. 15. And one of them, seeing he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God. 16. And fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks; and he was a Samaritan.

17. Then Jesus said, ten were cleansed; but where are the nine? 18. None is found returning to give glory to God, but this stranger. 19. Then he said to him, Depart; thy faith hath made thee whole.

20. Now being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God should come, he answered, The kingdom of God cometh not with outward pomp and shew, 21. Neither shall they say, Behold it is here, or behold it is there; for lo, the kingdom of God is within you, (in righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit; and it is among you now, but not confined to any particular place, here or there.)

22. Then he said to the disciples, The days will come when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man (such as ye now see in peace and plenty of means of grace,) and ye shall not see it.

23. When they shall say to you, See here; or, see there; go not, nor follow them. 24. For as the lightning shineth out of one part under heaven to another part there; so shall the Son of man be in his day (of spreading the gospel light through the world.) 25. But first he must suffer many things,

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and be rejected by this generation. 26. And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it also be in the days of the Son of man. 27. They ate, they drank, they married, until the day that Noe entered into the ark; and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28. Likewise also, in the days of Lot; they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded: 29. But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30. Thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed (in the establishment of Christianity by the destruction of the Jewish state.) 31. In that day, let not him who is on the house top come down to take his goods out of the house; nor let him that is in the field return back, (but flee for his life.) 32. Remember Lot's wife. 33. Whoever shall seek to save his life, (by adhering to the Jews, or forsaking the gospel) shall lose it (and happiness;) but whoever shall lose his life (for the gospel's sake,) shall preserve it (to life eternal.)

34. I tell you, In that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one (that is a Christian shall be saved from the destruction of Jerusalem, and in the day of judgment, and the other shall be left to perish). 35. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

36. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken and the other left.

37. Then they replied, Where, Lord? And he said to them, Wherever the body is, there will the eagles be gathered, (perdition will seize the wicked wherever they are).

CHAP. XVIII.

OF THE IMPORTUNATE WIDOW.

He said also in a parable to them, to this end, that they ought always to pray, and not to be slothful; 2. Saying, There was in a certain city a judge

who feared not God, nor regarded man: 3. And there was a certain widow in that city, who came to him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 4. But he would not for a while: but afterward he said in himself, Tho' I fear not God, nor regard man; 5. Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will judge her cause, lest by her continual coming, she weary me.

6. Then the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. 7. And shall not God avenge his own elect, who cry day and night unto him, and will he be slow with their cause? 8. I tell you, he will avenge them speedily. Yet when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? (Truth and faithfulness among men, and the power of godliness.)

9. He spake also this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10. A Pharisee went up into the temple to pray, with a publican. 11. The Pharisee stood by himself, and prayed thus: God, I thank thee that I am not as other men, oppressors, unjust, whoremongers, or even as this publican. 12. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all [ possess. 13. But the publican standing afar off, would not even look up to heaven, but smote on his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14. I tell you, This man went to his house justified rather than the other; for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

15. Some then brought to him infants to touch. But his disciples seeing it, rebuked them. 16. But Jesus called them to him, saying, Suffer little children to come to me, and forbid them not; for of such like is the kingdom of God. 17. Verily I tell you, Whoever will not receive the kingdom of God (in a humble, lowly manner) as a little child, shall not at all enter therein.

18. Then a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shallqIedo to inherit eternal life? d 9 But Jesus said to him, Why callest thou me good none is good.but one, that is God. 20. Thou knowest the commands, Do no whoredom, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. 21. Then he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.

28. Now, Jesus hearing these things, said to him, Yet lackest thou one thing; sell all thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. 23. But hearing this he was very sorrowful; for he was very rich. 24. And Jesus seeing it, said, How hardly shall. they who have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 25. For it is extremely difficult, and scarcely possible for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven. 26. Now they who heard it, said, Who then can be saved? 27. But he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God..

28. Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee.

29. Then he said to them, Verily I tell you, every man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake. 30. Shall receive much (more joy and comfort) in the present time, and in the world to come everlasting happiness.

31. Then he said to the twelve, Lo, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. 32. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully treated, and spitted on. 33. Nay, they shall scourge him, and put him to death; and the third day he shall rise again. 34. But they understood none of these things; for this saying was hid from them.

35. Now as he came nigh to Jericho, a certain