come to this house, as he also is a son of Abra10 ham. For the Son of man is come to seek and 11 to save that which was lost. And while they

were listening to him, he added, and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of 12 God would immediately appear. Then he

said, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and 13 to return.* And he called his ten servants,

and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto 14 them, Occupy till I come. But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over 15 us. And it was so, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, he commanded the servants to be called unto him to whom he had given the money, that he might know 16 what every one had gained. Then the first

came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten 17 pounds. And he said unto him, This is well, thou good servant and because thou hast been faithful in a very little, thou shalt have 18 authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained 19 five pounds. And he said likewise to him, 20 Be thou also over five cities. And another came, saying, Lord, behold, thy pound which 21 I have kept laid up in a napkin: For I feared thee because thou art a severe man : thou takest up that thou didst not lay down,

Implying that they must yet have a season of trial and discipline; and that their happiness depended on the improvement of their privileges."

22 and reapest that thou didst not sow.

And he

saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth I will judge thee, thou wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: 23 Why then did you not put my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have requir24 ed mine own with interest ?* And he said

unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. 25 (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten 26 pounds.) For I say unto you, that unto every one who hath, shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be 27 taken away. But those mine enemies, who would not that I should reign over them, bring hither and slay before me.

28

in

And when he had thus spoken, he went on 29 before, journeying up to Jerusalem. And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethpage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount 30 of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying, Go ye into the village over against you; which, as you enter it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, 31 and bring him hither. And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? ye shall say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him. 32 And they who were sent, went their way, and 33 found even as he had said unto them. And

* We are here taught the necessity of active and useful virtue. It is not enough for the Christian, that he be free of gross vices. He must be diligent in doing good and promoting the happiness of his fellow men.

as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt? 34 And they said, The Lord hath need of him. 35 And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they 36 set Jesus thereon. And as he went, they 37 spread their clothes in the way. And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice, for all the mighty works 38 that they had seen, saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord, Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.* 39 And some of the Pharisees from among the

multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy 40 disciples. And he answered and said unto them, I tell you, that if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry

out.

41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, O that thou hadst known, at this day, the things of 42 thy peace! but now they are hidden from 43 thine eyes. For the days will come upon

thee, when thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thec round, and keep 44 thee in on every side, and will lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee: and they will not leave in thee one stone upon another because thou didst not know the 45 time of thy visitation. And he went into the

In the highest strains; or among the highest angels.

temple, and began to cast out them that sold 46 therein, and them that bought, saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer bet ye have made it a den of thieves 47 And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests, and the scribes, and the rulers of 48 the people, sought to destroy him; and could not find how they might do it: for all the people were very attentive to hear him.

CHAP. XX.

1

AND on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with 2 the elders, came to him, and addressed him, saying, Tell us, by what authority thou dost these things? or who he is that gave thee this 3 authority? And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and 4 answer me: The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of man? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not 6 believe him? But if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us for they are persuaded 7 that John was a prophet. And they answered, 8 that they could not tell whence it was.

And

Jesus said unto them, Neither do I tell you by 9 what authority I do these things. Then he spake to the people this parable: A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a

10 long time. And at the season, he sent a ser vant to the husbandmen, that they should give him the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. 11 Then he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and treated him shamefully, and sent 12 him away empty. Then he sent the third: and 13 they wounded him also, and cast him out. Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: perhaps they 14 will reverence him when they see him. But

when the husbandmen saw him, they said to one another, This is the heir: come, let us 15 kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. So

they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What now will the lord of the vineyard 16 do unto them? He will come and destroy these husbandmen, and will give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, 17 Let it not be so. And he looked on them and said, What is this then that is written? The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? 18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

19

And at that time the chief priests and scribes attempted to seize him; (but they feared the people) for they perceived that he had spoken 20 this parable against them. And they watched him, and sent forth spies who should appear to be good men, that they might avail themselves of his discourse, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.