were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I 9 am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the 10 draught of fishes which they had taken: And so was also James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from hence11 forth thou shalt catch men. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

12

.

And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold, a man full of leprosy; who seeing Jesus, fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst 13 make me clean. And he put forth his hand,

and touched him, saying, Be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from 14 him. And he charged him to tell no man

but go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses 15 commanded, for a testimony unto them. But so much the more there went a fame abroad of him and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.

:

16

Then he withdrew himself into the wilder 17 ness, and prayed. And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, who were come out of every town of Galilee,

and Judea and Jerusalem; and the Lord had power to heal them.

:

And behold men brought, in a bed a man who was paralytic and they attempted to bring him in, and to lay him before Jesus. 19 And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in, because of the multitude, they went upon the house-top, and let him down through the tiling with his couch, 20 into the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said unto them, Man, thy 21 sins are forgiven thee. And the scribes and

the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this who speaketh blasphemies? Who can 22 forgive sins, but God only? But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he said unto them, 23 What reason ye in your hearts? Whether is

it easier to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; 24 or to say, Rise up and walk; But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins? He said unto the sick of the palsy, I say unto thee, Arise, and take 25 up thy couch, and go into thine house. And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his 26 own house, glorifying God. And they were all amazed; and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen wonder. ful things to-day.

27

18

And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican named Levi, sitting at the custom house and he said unto him, Follow

* The houses were low, and the roof nearly flat.

28 me. And leaving all, he arose and followed 29 him. And Levi made him a great feast in his own house and there was a great company of publicans, and of others who sat down 30 with them. But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? 31 And Jesus answering, said unto them, They who are whole need not a physician; but 32 they who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.* 33

And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast often, and make prayers, but thine eat and drink? 34 And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bride-chamber fast, while the 35 bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

And he also addressed to them this similitude: No man putteth a piece of new garment upon an old if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. 37 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles, else the new wine will burst the bottles, and 38 be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But

36

The Savior was full of compassion to sinners, and promised them pardon on repentance: Yet his doctrines are most pure and holy. He discovers no favor towards those who continue in sin.

†The bottles were large leather bags, and new wine by fermentation would be likely to burst them.

new wine must be put into new bottles; and 39 both are preserved. No man also having drunken old wine, immediately desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.

1

CHAP. VI.

AND it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first,* that he went through the corn-fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their 2 hands. And some of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to 3 do on the sabbath-days? And Jesus answering them, said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was 4 hungry, and they who were with him? How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shew-bread, and gave also to them that were with him; which is not lawful to 5 eat, but for the priests alone? And he said

unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also 6 of the sabbath. And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue, and taught: and there was a man 7 whose right hand was withered: And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath-day; that they

Learned men are not agreed in construing this expression. It probably has reference to some arrangement or appellation of the sabbath among the Jews relative to some of their festivals. It might be the second sabbath after the first day of the passover.

But

8 might find an accusation against him.* he knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood 9 forth. Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbathdays to do good, or to do evil? to save life, 10 or to destoy it? And looking round about

upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand 11 was restored whole as the other. And they

were filled with madness,† and consulted one 12 with another what they might do to Jesus. And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.‡

13

And when it was day, he called unto him. his disciples and of them he chose twelve, 14 whom also he named Apostles : Simon (whom he also named Peter) and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bar15 tholomew; Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alpheus, and Simon called Zelotes; 16 and Judas the brother of James; and Judas Iscariot, who also was the traitor.

*The Pharisees were very superstitious. They condemned Jesus for performing miracles of mercy upon the afflicted, on the sabbath. They must have been confounded and ashamed when he inquired of them if they did not labor on that day for the comfort of the brutes ?

†They could not answer his qu es, and yet they were determined to oppose him.

If Jesus found the advantage of prayer, how much more important should it be considered for man, who is so liable to err, and so much exposed to temptation ?