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LUKE III- -JOHN PREACHETH

51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

Chapter 3

1 The preaching and baptism of John: 15 his testimony of Christ. 20 Herod imprisoneth John. 21 Christ baptized, receiveth testimony from heaven. 23 The age, and genealogy of Christ from Joseph upwards.

OW in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,

2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;

4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.1

5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;2

6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

10 And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? 11 He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.

12 Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?

13 And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.

14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.

'Isaiah 40, 3-5. 2Isaiah 2, 14; 62, 10.

The Centurion's High Faith

BY PAUL VERONESE, THE VENETIAN MASTER, DIED 1588.

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"The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou should come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.”—Matthew, 8, 8.

EXT came what seems to have been the first

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official churchly recognition and acknowledgment of Jesus' miraculous powers. Having finished the "Sermon on the Mount," He returned to Capernaum, and there was met by a body of the "elders" of the Jewish church. They came at the request of one of their Roman rulers, a "centurion," or captain of the army, who had sent to them desiring that they would have Jesus cure a well-loved servant of his. The elders were very anxious that Jesus should do this; for the centurion had been very kind and generous in his government of the Jews.

As Jesus advanced with the elders toward the centurion's house they were met by that officer himself with his famous speech. He declared that even as he commanded his servants and they obeyed at a distance, so Jesus, being Lord of health, need only will the command from where He stood, and the sickness would leave the servant. "When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel." So Jesus declared the servant cured, and pointed out that many of these Romans, ay, and men from every region upon earth should come to believe and to sit by the Father in heaven, while many of the Jews themselves

should be rejected.