sins of men are pardonable, and blasphemies, wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: But 29 he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, hath never forgiveness, but is in dan30 ger of eternal damnation:* Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

31

Then his brethren and his mother came, and standing without, sent unto him, call32 ing him. And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother 33 and thy brethren without seek for thee. And

he answered them saying, Who is my mother, 34 or my brethren? And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold 35 my mother and my brethren. For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

CHAP. IV.

AND he began again to teach by the seaside and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was

The sin against the Holy Spirit appears to have consisted in attributing the miraculous works of the Spirit to the agency of Satan, and in a perverse and wifful opposition to the proofs afforded in favor of Christ as the Son of God, by the works, which he was enabled to do by the power of God: For with such a disposition, and such an obstinate temper, there was no way to convince them; and without belief and acknowledgment of Christ, there woul be no forgiveness-The 30th gives the reason.

2 by the sea on the land. And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them 3 in his doctrine, Hearken; behold, there went 4 out a sower to sow And it came to pass as

he sowed, some fell by the way-side, and the 5 fowls of the air came and devoured it. And

some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, 6 because it had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because 7 it had no root, it withered away. And some

fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and 8 choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up, and increased, and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an 9 hundred fold. And he said unto them, He 10 that hath ears to hear, let him hear. And

when he was alone, they that were about him, with the twelve, asked of him the parable.* 11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without all these things 12 are done in parables; that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be 13 forgiven them. And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? how then will ye know all parables?

An explanation of the parable.

+ That is, those who did not receive him.

14

The sower soweth the word. And these are they by the way-side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word 16 that was sown in their hearts. And these are they likewise that are sown on stony ground: who when they have heard the word, imme17 diately receive it with gladness: But have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time afterward when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they 18 are offended. And these are they who are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, 19 and the cares of this world, and the deceitful

ness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh 20 unfruitful. And these are they who are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirty-fold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

21

And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and 22 not to be set on a candlestick? For there is nothing hidden, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it 23 should come abroad. If any man have ears to 24-hear, let him hear. And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you and unto you that hear,* shall more be given. 25 For he that hath, to him shall be given; and

That is, are attentive,

he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.*

26

And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground, 27 and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he know28 eth not how. For the earth bringeth forth

fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, 29 after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

30

And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison 31 shall we compare it? It is like a grain of mustard-seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the 32 earth. But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it. 33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it. 34 But without a parable spake he not unto them:

and when they were alone, he expounded all 35 things to his disciples. And the same day,

when the even was come, he saith unto them, 36 Let us pass over unto the other side. And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. 37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now

To him who improves shall be given.

38 full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that 39 we perish? And he arose and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great 40 calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What man can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

CHAP. V.

1

AND they came over unto the other side of the lake, into the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a 3 man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwellings among the tombs, and no man 4 could bind him, no not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: 5 neither could any man tame him. And always night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself 6 with stones. But when he saw Jesus afar off, 7 he ran and worshipped him, and cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me 8 not. (For he had said unto him, Come out of the