with his mother, and go into the land of Israel; for they are 21 dead who sought his life. Accordingly he arose, took the 22 child, with his mother, and went to the land of Israel; but hearing that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod in the throne of Judea, he was afraid to return thither; and being 23 warned in a dream, retired into the district of Galilee, and resided in a city named Nazareth, thereby verifying the declaration of the Prophet [concerning Jesus], that he should be called a Nazarene. SECTION II. THE BAPTISM. Lu. 3, 1. ch. 10, 7. III. IN those days appeared John the Baptist, who cried in the Mar. 1. 2 2 wilderness of Judea, saying, Reform, for the reign of heaven Jo. 1,6 3 approacheth. For this is he of whom the Prophet Isaiah ch.4; 17: speaketh in these words, "The voice of one proclaiming in the Isa. 40, 3. wilderness, Prepare a way for the Lord,* make for him a 4 straight passage." Now John wore raiment of camel's hair, with a leathern girdle about his waist; and his food was locusts 5 and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the 6 country along the Jordan, resorted to him, and were baptized by him in Jordan, confessing their sins. 7 But he seeing many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to him to receive baptism, said to them, Offspring of vipers, who hath 8 prompted you to flee from the impending vengeance? Pro9 duce then the proper fruit of reformation; and presume not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our father; Jo. 8, 39. for I assure you that of these stones God can raise children 10 to Abraham. And even now the axe lieth at the root of the Lu. 3, 16 Acts 1, 5. trees: every tree, therefore, which produceth not good fruit, ch. 7. 19. 11 is felled, and turned into fuel. I indeed baptize you in water, Mar. 1, s. that ye may reform; but he who cometh after me is mightier Jo. 1, 26 than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry. He will bap12 tize you in the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing shovel is in his hand; and he will thoroughly cleanse his grain: he will gather his wheat into the granary, and consume the chaff in unquenchable fire. 13 Lu. 3, 21. THEN came Jesus from Galilee to Jordan to be baptized Mar. 1, 9 14 by John. But John excused himself, saying, It is I who need 15 to be baptized by thee; and thou comest to me! Jesus an swering said unto him, Permit this at present; for thus ought 16 we to ratify every institution. Then John acquiesced. Jesus being baptized, no sooner arose out of the water, than heaven was opened to him; and the Spirit of God appeared, descend- Jo. 1. 37. ing like a dove, and lighting upon him; while a voice from Luke 9, 35. 17 heaven proclaimed, This is my beloved Son in whom I de- 2 Pet. 1, 17 light. * In the Hebrew of Isaiah, Jehovah. ch. 17, 5. Lu. 4, 1' Mar. 1, 12. IV. THEN was Jesus conducted by the Spirit into the wilder2 ness, to be tempted by the devil.* And after fasting forty 3 days and forty nights, he was hungry. Whereupon the tempter, accosting him, said, If thou be a Son of God, command 4 that these stones become loaves. Jesus answering said, It is written, "Man liveth not by bread only, but by every thing 5 which God is pleased to appoint." Then the devil conveyed Deut. 8, 3. Ps. 91, 11. Deut. 6, 16. him into the holy city, and having placed him upon the battle6 ments of the temple, said to him, If thou be a Son of God, throw thyself down; for it is written, " He will give his angels† the charge of thee: they shall uphold thee in their arms, lest 7 thou dash thy foot against a stone." Jesus again answered, It is written, "Thou shalt not put the Lord thy God to the 8 proof." Again the devil took him up a very high mountain, whence he showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their 9 glory, and said to him, All these will I give thee, if thou wilt Deut. 6, 13. 10 prostrate thyself and worship me. Jesus answered, Satan,§ begone; for it is written, "Thou shalt worship the Lord 11 thy God, and shalt serve him only." Then the devil leaving him, angels came and ministered to him. 10, 20. 1 Sam. 7, 3. Mar. 1, 14 12 Lu. 4, 14. Isa. 9, 1 ch. 3, 2. Mar. 1. 16. ch. 9, 35. Mar. 1, 39. Lu. 4. 15, 44. NOW Jesus hearing that John was imprisoned, retired into 13 Galilee; and having left Nazareth, resided at Capernaum, a 14 seaport in the confines of Zebulun and Naphtali; thereby ve15 rifying the words of Isaiah the Prophet, "The canton of Ze bulun and the canton of Naphtali, situate on the Jordan near 16 the sea, Galilee of the nations; the people who abode in darkness saw a great light, and on those who inhabited a region of 17 the shades of death, light hath arisen." From that time Jesus began to proclaim, saying, Reform, for the reign of heaven approacheth. 18 Then walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon named Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a drag 19 into the sea, for they were fishers. And he said to them, Come 20 with me, and I will make you fishers of men. Immediately 21 they left the nets, and followed him. Passing on he saw other two brothers, James son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the bark with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he 22 called them. They immediately, leaving the bark and their father, followed him. 23 Then Jesus went over all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the glad tidings of the reign, and curMar. 1, 34. 24 ing every sort of disease and malady among the people. And his fame spread through all Syria, and they brought to him all their sick, seized and tormented with various distempers, demo25 niacs, and lunatics, and paralytics, and he healed them. And vast multitudes followed him from Galilee, from Decapolis,¶ from Jerusalem, from Judea, and from the banks of the Jordan. *Traducer. + Messengers. Jehovah. § Adversary. Jehovah. A district of ten cities. Mar. 3, 7- SECTION III. THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. V. JESUS, seeing so great a confluence, repaired to a moun2 tain, and having sat down, his disciples came to him. Then breaking silence, he taught them, saying, 3 HAPPY the poor who repine not; for the kingdom of Lu. 6, 20 4 heaven is theirs! Happy they who mourn; for they shall re- Isa. 61, 3. 5 ceive consolation! Happy the meek; for they shall inherit Ps. 37, 11. 6 the land! Happy they who hunger and thirst for righteous- Isa. 65, 13. 7 ness; for they shall be satisfied! Happy the merciful; for Ps. 24, 3. 8 they shall obtain mercy! Happy the clean in heart; for they 1 Pet. 3, 14. 9 shall see God! Happy the peacemakers; for they shall be 10 called sons of God! Happy they who suffer persecution on account of righteousness; for the kingdom of heaven is theirs! 11 Happy shall ye be, when men shall revile and persecute you, 1 Pet. 4, 14. and, on my account, accuse you falsely of every evil thing! 12 Rejoice and exult; for great is your reward in heaven; for thus the Prophets were persecuted who were before you. 13 Lu. 14, 34. YE are the salt of the earth. If the salt become insipid, Mar. 9, 49 how shall its saltness be restored? It is thenceforth fit only 14 to be cast out and trodden by men. Ye are the light of the Lu. 8, 16. world. A city situate on a mountain must be conspicuous. Mar. 4, 21. 15 A lamp is lighted to be put, not under a corn-measure, but -11, 33. 16 on a stand, that it may shine to all the family. Thus let 1 Pet. 2, 12. your light shine before men, that they, seeing your good actions, may glorify your Father who is in heaven. 17 Think not that I am come to subvert the Law or the Pro18 phets. I am come not to subvert, but to ratify. For verily Lu 16, 17. I say unto you, Heaven and earth shall sooner perish, than one iota or one tittle of the law shall perish without attaining its 19 end. Whosoever therefore shall violate, or teach others to Ja. 2, 10. violate, were it the least of these commandments, shall be in no esteem in the reign of heaven; but whosoever shall practise and teach them, shall be highly esteemed in the reign of 20 heaven. For I warn you, that unless your righteousness excel the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall never enter the kingdom of heaven. 21 YE have heard that it was said to the ancients, "Thou Ex. 20, 13. shalt not commit murder: for whosoever committeth murder Deut. 5, 17. 22 shall be obnoxious to the judges." But I say unto you, 'Whosoever is angry with his brother unjustly, shall be obnoxious to the judges; whoever shall call him fool, shall be obnoxious to the council; but whosoever shall call him mis23 creant, shall be obnoxious to hell-fire.' Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there recollect that thy brother hath ground to complain of thee; leave there thy gift before 24 the altar: first go and procure reconciliation with thy brother, 25 then come, and offer thy gift. Compound betimes with thy Lu. 12, 58 creditor, while ye are on the road together; lest the creditor consign thee to the judge; and the judge consign thee to the 26 officer, and thou be thrown into prison. Verily I say unto thee, thou wilt not be released until thou hast discharged the last farthing. Ex. 20, 14. 27 ch. 18, 8. Mar. 9, 43. Ye have heard that it was said, "Thou shalt not commit But I say unto you, Whosoever looketh on another man's wife, in order to cherish impure desire, hath 29 already committed adultery with her in his heart.' There fore, if thy right eye insnare thee, pluck it out, and throw it away it is better for thee to lose one of thy members, than 30 that thy whole body be cast into hell. And if thy right hand insnare thee, cut it off, and throw it away: it is better for thee to lose one of thy members, than that thy whole body be cast into hell. Deut. 24, 1. 31 ch. 19, 7. Lu. 16, 18. 1 Cor. 7, 10. Ex. 20, 7. Deut. 5, 11. Ja. 5, 12. It hath been said, "Whosoever would dismiss his wife, 32 let him give her a writ of divorce." But I say unto you, "Whosoever shall dismiss his wife, except for whoredom, is the occasion of her becoming an adulteress; and whosoever marrieth her that is dismissed, committeth adultery.' 33 Again, ye have heard that it was said to the ancients, "Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform thy oaths 34 to the Lord." But I say unto you, 'Swear not at all; 35 neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; neither shalt thou swear by Jerusalem, 36 for it is the city of the great king; nor by thy head, because 37 thou canst not make one hair white or black.' But let your yes be yes, your no, no; for whatever exceedeth these, proceedeth from evil. Ex. 21, 24. 38 Deut. 19, 21. Ye have heard that it was said, "Eye for eye, and tooth Lev. 24, 20. 39 for tooth." But I say unto you, Resist not the injurious. But if any one strike thee on the right cheek, turn to him 1 Cor. 6, 7. 40 also the left. Whoever will sue thee for thy coat, let him 41 have thy mantle likewise. And if a man constrain thee to go Deut. 15, 7. 42 one mile with him, go two. Give to him that asketh thee; and him that would borrow from thee, put not away. Lev. 19, 18. 43 Ye have heard that it was said, "Thou shalt love thy Rom. 12, 20 44 neighbour, and hate thine enemy." But I say unto you, Love your enemies; bless them who curse you; do good to them who hate you; and pray for them who arraign and prosecute 45 you; that ye may be children of your Father in heaven, who maketh his sun arise on bad and good, and sendeth rain 46 on just and unjust. For if ye love them only who love you, 47 what reward can ye expect? Do not even the publicans so? And if ye show courtesy to your friends only, wherein do ye 48 excel? Do not even the Pagans as much? Be ye therefore perfect, as your Father who is in heaven is perfect. Eph. 5, 1. VI. TAKE heed that ye perform not your religious duties before men, in order to be observed by them; otherwise ye will obtain no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 2 When, therefore, thou givest alms, do not proclaim it by sound of trumpet, as the hypocrites do, in the assemblies and in the streets, that they may be extolled by men. Verily I 3 say unto you, they have received their reward. But thou, when thou givest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy 4 right hand doth, that thine alms may be in secret; and thy Father, to whom nothing is secret, will himself recompense thee. 5 And when thou prayest, be not like the hypocrites, who affect to pray standing in the assemblies, and at the corners of the streets, that men may observe them. Verily I say unto 6 you, they have received their reward. But thou, when thou wouldst pray, retire to thy closet; and, having shut the door, pray to thy Father; and thy Father, to whom, though he is 7 unseen himself, nothing is secret, will recompense thee. And Eccles. 5, 2. in prayer talk not at random, as the Pagans, who think that Ecclus.7, 14. 8 using many words will procure them acceptance. Imitate them not; for your Father knoweth what things ye want, 9 before ye ask him. Thus, therefore, pray ye: "Our Father, Lu. 11, 2 10 who art in heaven, thy name be hallowed; thy reign come; 11 thy will be done upon the earth, as it is in heaven; give us to-day our daily bread; forgive us our debts as we forgive 12 our debtors; and abandon us not to temptation, but preserve 13 us from evil. [For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and 14 the glory, for ever. Amen.]" For, if ye forgive others their Ecclus. 28,1. 15 trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but ch. 18, 35. if ye forgive not others their trespasses, neither will your J. 2, 13 Father forgive your trespasses. 16 Moreover, when ye fast, look not dismal, as the hypocrites, who disfigure their faces, that men may observe that they fast. 17 Verily I say unto you, they have received their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face; 18 that thy fasting may not appear to men, but to thy Father; and thy Father, to whom, though he is unseen himself, nothing is secret, will recompense thee. 19 Mar. 1, 25 19. AMASS not for yourselves treasure upon the earth, where Lu. 12, 33. moths or rust may consume it, or thieves breaking in may 1 Tim. 6.10. 20 steal it. But provide for yourselves treasure in heaven, where are neither moths nor rust to consume it, nor thieves 21 to break in and steal it. For where your treasure is, your Lu. 11, 34 22 heart will also be. The lamp of the body is the eye. If, therefore, thine eye be sound, thy whole body will be en23 lightened: but if thine eye be distempered, thy whole body will be dark. And if even the light which is in thee be darkness, how great will the darkness be! 24 A man cannot serve two masters; for either he will hate Lu. 16, 13. one, and love the other; or at least will attend one, and |