CHA P. XII.

AND he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and (a) digged a place for the wine-fat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and 2 went into a far country. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a fervant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him 4 away empty. And again, he fent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and fent him away shamefully 5 handled. And again, he fent another; and him they killed: and many others, beating some, and 6 killing fome. Having yet therefore one fon, his well-beloved, he sent him also last unto them, say7 ing, They will reverence my fon. But those hufbandmen faid amongst themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be 8 ours. And they took him, and killed him, and caft 9 him out of the vineyard. What shall therefore the Lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto 10 others. And have ye not read this scripture, The stone which the builders rejected is become the head II of the corner: This was the Lord's doing, and it 12 is marvellous in our eyes? And they fought to lay hold on him, but feared the people, for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them and they left him, and went their way.

3

And they send unto him certain of the (6) Pharifees, and of the Herodians (c), to catch him in his

(a) See Matt. xxi. 33.

Note.

(b) See Matt. xxii. 16, 20, Note.

(c) See Chap. viii. 15.

14 words.

14 words. And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the perfon of men, but teacheft the way of God in truth: Is 15 it lawful to give tribute to Cefar, or not? Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he knowing their hypocrify, faid unto them, Why tempt ye me? 16 bring me a penny, that I may fee it. And they brought it: and he faith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, 17 Cefar's. And Jesus answering faid unto them, Render to Cefar the things that are Cefar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him.

18

Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no refurrection; and they asked him, saying, 19 Master, Moses wrote unto us, if a man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and 20 raise up feed unto his brother. Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying 21 left no feed. And the second took her, and died,

neither left he any feed: and the third likewife. 22 And the feven had her, and left no seed: last of all 23 the woman died also. In the refurrection therefore,

when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? 24 for the seven had her to wife. And Jesus answering faid unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of 25 God? For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage: but are 26 as the angels which are in heaven. And as touching the dead that they rife: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the 27 God of Ifaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not

the

ت

28

the God of the dead, but the God of the (d) living : ye therefore do greatly err.

And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first 29 commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Ifrael, 30 the Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy. 31 strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: there is none other command32 ment greater than these. And the scribe faid unto him, Well, Master, thou haft faid the truth: for there is one God, and there is none other but he. 33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the foul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt-offerings and facrifices. 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered difcreetly, he faid unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of (e) God. And no man after that durft afk him any question.

35

And Jesus answered and faid, while he taught in the temple, How fay the scribes that Christ is the 36 fon of David? For David himself faid by the holy Ghost, The LORD faid to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies 37 thy foot-stool. David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his fon (f)? And the common people heard him gladly.

38

And he faid unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the fcribes, which love to go in long clothing, and

(d) See Matt. xxii. 32. Note.

(f) See Matt. xxii. 45. Note.

(e) Thou art not far from becoming a Christian.

39 love falutations in the market-places, And the chief feats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at 40 feafts: Which devour widow's houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.

4.1

And Jesus fat over against the (g) treasury, and beheld how the people caft money into the treafury : 42 and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two 43 mites, which make a farthing (b). And he called unto him his disciples, and faith unto them, Verily I fay unto you, that this poor widow hath caft more in, than (i) all they which have cast into the treasury. 44 For all they did caft in of their abundance: but the of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living (k).

I

AND as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples faith unto him, Master, see what manner2 of stones, and what buildings are here. And Jesus anfwering said unto him, Seeft thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon 3 another, that shall not be thrown down. And as he fat upon the mount of Olives, over against the temple, Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, 4 asked him privately, Tell us when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things 5 shall be fulfilled? And Jesus answering them, began

(g) The cheft in which were kept all contributions for the use of the temple. (h) The fourth part of the Roman penny, not quite two-pence English money.

(i) Our offerings to God, and our alms and charity to the poor, are not rated by the largeness of the gift, but by the circumftances, and good intention, of the giver.

(4) All that she had to live upon.

:

6 to say, Take heed left any man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Chrift: 7 and shall deceive many. And when ye shall hear of wars, and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for fuch things must needs be; but the end shall not 8 be yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of forrows.

But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten, and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my fake, for a testimony against them (a). To And the gospel must first be published among all II nations. But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye (6) premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the holy Ghost. 12 Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put 13 to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's fake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

14

But when ye shall fee the abomination of (c) desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth, understand) (d) then let them that be in Judea flee to the mountains: And let him that is on the house-top, not go down into the house, neither enter therein, 16 (e) to take any thing out of his house. And let

15

(a) For a testimony to them of the truth of your doctrine.

(b) See Matt. x. 19.

(c) When the Roman army shall have taken the city, and the enfigns and statues of the Emperors shall be carried into the temple,

or the holy place. Matt. xxiv. 15.

(d) See Matt. xxiv. 15.

(e) See Matt. xxiv. 17