But this know ye, that if the householder did know at what hour the thief would come, he would surely watch, and would not suffer his house to be broken open. Be ye then also ready; for at what hour ye think not the Son of man will come.

And Peter said to him, Lord, dost thou speak this parable to us, or likewise to all? And the Lord said, Who (thinkest thou) is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord setteth over his family, to give them their measure of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom when his lord shall come he shall find so doing. Verily I say to you, he will set him over all that he possesseth. But if that servant shall say in his heart, My lord is long in coming, and shall begin to strike the menservants and maid-servants, and to eat and to drink and be drunk; the lord of that servant will come in the day that he expecteth not, and at the hour that he knoweth not, and shall cut him off, and shall appoint him his portion with unbelievers. And that servant who knew the will of his lord, and prepared not himself, and did not according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes; but he that knew not, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. And unto whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required; and to whom they have committed much, of him they will demand the more.

I am come to cast fire on the earth; and what will I but that it be kindled? And I have a baptism wherewith I am to be baptised; and how am I straitened until it be accomplished! Think ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you no, but division; for there shall be from henceforth five in one house divided; three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against his father, the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother, the

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mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

And he said also to the multitudes, When ye see a cloud rising from the west, immediately ye say, A shower is coming; and so it happeneth. And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass. Ye hypocrites, ye know how to discern the face of the heaven and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time? And why even of yourselves do ye not judge that which is just?

SECT. LXXVII. JESUS URGES THE NECESSITY OF PENANCE. THE PARABLE OF THE BARREN FIG-TREE.

And there were present at that very time some that told him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

And he answered and said to them, Think ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the men of Galilee, because they suffered such things? No, I say to you; but unless ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen upon whom the tower fell in Siloe and slew them; think ye that they also were debtors above all the men that dwelt in Jerusalem? No, I say to you; but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

He spake also this parable, A certain man had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit on it, and found none. And he said to the dresser of the vineyard, Behold, for these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and I find none. Cut it down therefore; why cumbereth it the ground? But he answering said to him, Lord, let it alone this year also, until I dig about it and dung it. And if happily it bear fruit, well; but if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

SECT. LXXVIII. THE SEVENTY-TWO RETURN. JESUS DISCOURSES TO THEM.

And the seventy-two returned with joy, saying, Lord, the devils also are subject to us in thy name.

And he said to them, I saw Satan like lightning falling from heaven. Behold, I have given you power to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you. But yet rejoice not in this, that spirits are subject unto you; but rejoice in this, that your names are written in heaven.

In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Ghost, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to little ones; yea, Father; for so it hath seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered to me by my Father; and no one knoweth who the Son is but the Father, and who the Father is but the Son, and to whom the Son will reveal him.

And turning to his disciples he said, Blessed are the eyes that see the things which ye see. For I say to you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see the things that ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear the things that ye hear, and have not heard them.

SECT. LXXIX. JESUS HEALS THE INFIRM WOMAN ON THE SABBATH, AND CONTINUES HIS JOURNEY, DISCOURSING BY THE WAY.

And he was teaching in their synagogue on the Sabbath. And behold there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and she was bowed together, neither could she look upwards at all. And when Jesus saw her, he called her unto him and said to her, Woman, thou art delivered from thy infirmity.

And he laid his hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.

And the ruler of the synagogue (being angry that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath) answered and said to the multitude, Six days there are wherein ye ought to work. In them, therefore, come and be healed, and not on the Sabbath-day.

And the Lord answering him said, Ye hypocrites; doth not everyone of you on the Sabbath-day loose his ox or his ass from the manger and lead him to water? And ought not this daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, to be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath-day? And when he said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed; and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.

And he went through the cities and towns teaching and making his journey to Jerusalem. And a certain man said to him, Lord, are they few that are saved? But he said to them, Strive to enter in by the narrow gate; for many, I say to you, shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able. But when the master of the house shall be gone in, and shall shut to the door, ye shall begin to stand without and knock at the door, saying, Lord, open to us. And he shall answer and shall say to you, I know you not whence ye are. Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. And he shall say to you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east and the west, and the north and the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. And behold, there are last that shall be first, and there are first that shall be last.

SECT. LXXX. THE PHARISEES BRING A MESSAGE FROM HEROD. OUR LORD'S ANSWER.

The same day there came some of the Pharisees, saying to him, Depart, and get thee hence, Perea.

for Herod hath a mind to kill thee.

And he said to them, Go and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and do cures to-day and tomorrow, and the third day I am consummated. Nevertheless I must walk to-day and to-morrow and the day following, because it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent to thee, how often would I have gathered thy children as the bird doth her brood under her wings, and thou wouldst not! Behold, your house shall be left to you desolate. And I say to you, that ye shall not see me till the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

SECT. LXXXI. JESUS LEAVES PEREA AND IS RECEIVED AT BETHANY INTO THE HOUSE OF MARTHA.

Bethany.

And he went through the cities and towns teaching, and making his journey to Jerusalem. Now it came to pass as they went, that he entered into a certain town, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet, and heard his word. But Martha was busy about much serving; and she stood and said, Lord, hast thou no care that my sister hath left me alone to serve? speak to her therefore, that she help me.

And the Lord answered and said to her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and art troubled about many

*This was Herod Antipas, who was governor not only of Galilee, but also of Perea, where Jesus at that time was.