Page images
PDF
EPUB

had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, "Lazarus is “dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I

66

[ocr errors]

a

was not there, to the intent ye may believe: "nevertheless let us go unto him." Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow-disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. (Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, Place. about fifteen furlongs off:) and many Bethany. of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, “ Thy "brother shall rise again." Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he "that believeth in me, though he were dead,

.66

b

yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and "believeth in me shall never die. Believest "thou this?" She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

Thomas in Hebrew, as Didymus in Greek, signifies a

twin.

b

I am the author of the resurrection and the life, temporal and eternal.

And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him. Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily, and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there. Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, and said, "Where have ye laid him?" they said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! and some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? Jesus therefore again groaning in himself, cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, "Take "ye away the stone." Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, " Said I not "unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, "thou shouldest see the glory of God ?”* Then they took away the stone from the place where

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]

the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, "Father, I thank thee that "thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou

hearest me always: but because of the people "which stand by I said it, that they may believe "that thou hast sent me." And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth." And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, "Loose him, "and let him go."

[ocr errors]

Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done. Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place' and nation. And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; and not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for

a

a The temple.

to put him to death. Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, Place. and there continued with his dis- The city of Ephraim. ciples.

103. Jesus enters Judea. The Pharisees question him about a divorce.

Place.

AND it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he Judea. departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judea beyond Jordan; and great multitudes followed him; and, as he was wont, he taught them again; and he healed them there.

The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them, "Have

66

ye not read, That he which made them at "the beginning, made them male and female, "and said, For this cause shall a man leave "father and mother, and shall cleave to his "wife and they twain shall be one flesh? "wherefore they are no more twain, but one "flesh. What therefore God hath joined to"gether, let not man put asunder." They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, " Moses, because

* Gen. i. 27. ii. 24.

b

Deut. xxiv. 1.

a

“of the hardness of your hearts, suffered you "to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, "Whosoever shall put away his wife, except "it be for fornication, and shall marry another, "committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her "which is put away doth commit adultery." His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to But he said unto them, "All men "cannot receive this saying, save they to whom "it is given. For there are some eunuchs, "which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. "He that is able to receive it, let him receive "" it.".

marry.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

3

104. Jesus lays his hands on young children,

and blesses them.

THEN were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, "Suffer little children, and "forbid them not, to come unto me: for of "such is the kingdom of heaven. Verily I "say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive "the kingdom of God as a little child, he "shall not enter therein." And he took them

4

[ocr errors]

At the beginning, by God's ordinance, it was not.
In purity and simplicity.

« PreviousContinue »