of thy members should perish, and who despitefully use you, and pernot that thy whole body should be secute you; that ye may be the cast into Gehenna. And if thy right children of your Father who is in hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast heaven: for he maketh his sun to it from thee: for it is profitable for rise on the evil and on the good, and thee that one of thy members should sendeth rain on the just and on the perish, and not that thy whole body unjust. For if ye love them who should be cast into Gehenna. love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? If ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Ye therefore, be SELECTION V. Continuation of the teachings of Jesus. AGAIN, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old ye perfect, even as your Father who time, Thou shalt not forswear thy- is in heaven is perfect. self, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: but I say to you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black: but let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. 2 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: but I say to you, Resist not evil whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also: If any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also: Whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain: Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not away. 3 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy: but I say to you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them 4 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them : otherwise ye have no reward of your Father who is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men: truly I say to you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth; that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. 5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men: truly I say to you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret; and thy Father who seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 6 And when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 4 Lay not up for yourselves earth they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking: be not ye like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need ly treasures, which moth and rust of, before ye ask him. do corrupt, and which thieves 7 After this manner therefore pray break through and steal: but lay up ye: Father, Hallowed be thy name. for yourselves heavenly treasures, Thy kingdom come. Thy will be which neither moth nor rust do cordone on the earth, as it is in the rupt, and which thieves do not break heavens. Give us day by day our through and steal. For where your needful bread. Forgive us our debts, treasure is, there will your heart be as we forgive our debtors. Lead us also. not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 5 I say to you, Take no anxious. thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father Continuation of the teachings of Jesus.feedeth them. Are you not much 8 If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. SELECTION VI MOREOVER when ye fast, be better than they? Which of you by not, as the hypocites, of a sad taking anxious thought can add one countenance: for they disfigure their cubit to his stature? faces, that they may appear unto 6 And why take ye anxious men to fast: truly I say to you, thought for raiment? Consider the They have their reward. But thou, lilies of the field, how they grow; when thou fastest, anoint thine they toil not, neither do they spin: head, and wash thy face; that thou And yet I say to you, That even appear not to men to fast, but to thy Solomon in all his glory was not arFather who is in secret: and thy rayed like one of these. Wherefore, Father, who seeth in secret, shall if God so clothe the grass of the reward thee openly. field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 2 The light of the body is the eye: if thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light: but if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! 3 No man can serve two masters: either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the 7 Therefore take no anxious thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the Gentiles seek: your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these. But seek ye first his kingdom and gifts to your children, how much his righteousness; and all these more shall your Father who is in things shall be added unto you. heaven give good things to them that ask him? 8 Take therefore no anxious thought for the morrow: the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 6 All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you; do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. 7 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be who go in thereat: But strait is the gate, and narrow the way, which leadeth to life, and few there be that find it. 8 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves: ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good 2 Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a beam is in thine own eye? Hypo- a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil crite, first cast out the beam out of fruit: a good tree cannot bring forth thine own eye; then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. 3 Give not that which is holy to the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. 4 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you: For every one that continueth to ask, receiveth; and he that continueth to seek, findeth; and to him that continueth to knock, it shall be opened. 5 What man is there of you, who if his son ask bread, will give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will give him a serpent? If ye then, being imperfect, know how to give good evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. By their fruits ye shall know them. 9 Not every one that saith to me, Master, Master, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of the Father who is in heaven. 10 Many will say to me in that day, Master, Master, have we not prophesied in thy name? in thy name cast out demons? and in thy name done many wonderful works? But I will answer them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. II Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built James the son of Alphæus, and Simon called Zelotes, Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, who also was the traitor. God. his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was 3 And he lifted up his eyes on his founded upon a rock. And every disciples, and said, Blessed be ye one that heareth these sayings of poor: for yours is the kingdom of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. 12 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his teachings, for he taught as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 13 And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about. 4 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. 5 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the son of man's sake. 6 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. 7 But woe to you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. 14 And when the morning came, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, 8 Woe to you that are full! for and came to him, and urged him, ye shall hunger. Woe to you that that he should not depart from laugh now! for ye shall mourn and them; but he said to them, I must weep. preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent. SELECTION VIII. Continuation of the teachings of Jesus. that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. 9 Woe to you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers of the false prophets. Io I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to them who hate you, bless them who curse you, and pray for them who despitefully use you. II As ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. 2 And when it was day, he called to him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named 12 For if ye love them who love apostles; Simon, (whom he also you, what thank have ye? sinners named Peter,) and Andrew his broth- also love those that love them. If er, James and John, Philip and ye do good to them who do good Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, to you, what thank have ye? sin ners also do even the same. If ye city and village, preaching and shewlend to them of whom ye hope to re- ing the glad tidings of the kingdom ceive, what thank have ye? sinners of God: and the twelve were with also lend to sinners, to receive as him. much again. But love ye your 2 And great multitudes were enemies, and do good, and lend, gathered together unto him, so that hoping for nothing again; and your he went into a ship, and sat; and the reward shall be great, and ye shall whole multitude stood on the shore. be the children of the Highest: for 3 And he spake many things to he is kind unto the unthankful and them in parables, saying, Behold a to the evil. sower went forth to sow; and when 13 Be ye therefore merciful, as he sowed, some seeds fell by the way your Father also is merciful. side, and the fowls came and de14 Judge not, and ye shall not be voured them up: some fell upon judged: condemn not, and ye shall stony places, where they had not not be condemned: forgive, and ye much earth; and forthwith they shall be forgiven: give, and it shall sprung up, because they had no be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall the thorns sprung up and choked be measured to you again. deepness of earth: but when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. Some fell among thorns; and them. But other fell into good 15 And he spake a parable to ground, and brought forth fruit, some them, Can the blind lead the blind? an hundred fold, some sixtyfold, some shall they not both fall into the ditch? thirtyfold. 16 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. 17 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good, and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil; for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. 4 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. 5 And the disciples came, and said to him, Why speakest thou to them in parables? He answered, Because to you it is given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given: therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they 18 Why call ye me, Master, Master, and do not the things which I understand. In them is fulfilled the say? SELECTION IX. Continuation of the teachings of Jesus. AND it came to pass afterward, prophecy of Esaias, which saith, Hearing ye hear, but do not understand; and seeing ye see, but do not perceive: for this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull that he went throughout every of hearing, and their eyes they have |