many prophets and kings have desired* to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

25 And behold, a certain lawyer† stood up,

and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall 26 I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him,

What is written in the law? how readest thou? 27 And he answering, said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. 28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered 29 right this do, and thou shalt live. But he,

willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And 30 who is my neighbor? And Jesus answering, said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, 31 and departed, leaving him half dead. And it was so that a priest went down that way; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other 32 side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed 33 by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil, and wine, and set him on his

The pious among the Jews had long been expecting the coming of Christ.

+ That is, a teacher, and expounder of the law of Moses given to the Jews, to regulate both their religious and social conduct.

own beast, and brought him to an inn, and 35 took care of him. And on the morrow, when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatever thou spendest more, 36 when I come again I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves? 37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then Jesus said unto him, Go thou and do likewise.

38

Now it came to pass, as they went on, that he entered into a certain village; and a woman named Martha, received him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat 40 at Jesus' feet, and heard his doctrine. But Martha was occupied in much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? 41 bid her therefore that she help me. And

Jesus answered, and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art anxious, and troubled about 42 many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

1

CHAP. XI.

AND it came pass, that as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray 2 as John also taught his disciples. And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father

who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as 3 in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day 4 our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but 5 deliver us from evil. And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, 6 Friend, lend me three loaves: For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I 7 have nothing to set before him: And he from within shall answer, and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. 8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him 9 as many as he needeth. And I say unto you, ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto 10 you. For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that 11 knocketh, it shall be opened. If a son shall

ask bread of any of you who is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will 12 he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall 13 ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

14

And he was casting out a demon, and it was dumb. And it came to pass when the

demon was gone out, the dumb spake; and 15 the people wondered. But some of them said, He casteth out demons through Beelze16 bub, the chief of demons. And others, tempt

ing him, sought of him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself, is brought to desolation; and a house opposed to 18 a house, is ruined. If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? For ye say that I cast out demons through 19 Beelzebub. Now if I by Beelzebub cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? 20 therefore shall they be your judges. But if I with the finger of God cast out demons, no doubt the kingdom of God is come unto you. 21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, 22 his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein 23 he trusted, and divideth his spoils. He that is

not with me, is against me: and he that gath24 ereth not with me, scattereth. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house 25 whence I came out. And when he cometh, 26 he findeth it swept and furnished. Then he goeth and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

*See Mat. xii. 29.

† See note to Mat. xii. 13, 44. See also 2 Pet. xi. 20.

27

28

29

And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the breast which thou hast sucked.

But he said, Yea, rather blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it.

And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation:* they seek a sign; and no sign shall be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. 30 For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this genera31 tion. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment against the men of this genera tion, and condemn them; for she came from the utmost parts of the earth, to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than 32 Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh shall ́ rise up in the judgment against this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

33

No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they who 34 come in may see the light. The lamp of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is sound, thy whole body is enlightened; but when thine eye is evil, thy body is full of

They were most perverse and depraved. Though Jesus performed the most stupendous miracles, they still wanted to see a sign from heaven; and his mighty works they ascribed to the power of Satan.