Imagini ale paginilor
PDF
ePub

6

shew great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you; Behold, he is in the desert;' go not forth; 'Behold, he is in the secret chambers;' believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

"Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heav ens shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet; and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

"Now learn a parable of the fig-tree; when his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh. So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words

shall not pass away.

"But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For

as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not, until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one, shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken and the other left."

"And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life; and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."

L.xxi.

xxiv.43

"But know this, that if the good man of the Matt. house had known in what watch the thief-4 would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready; for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh. For the Son of man is as a man Mk., taking a far journey, who left his house, and. gave authority to his servants, and to every

xiii. 34.

xxiv.

[ocr errors]

man his work, and commanded the porter to Matt. watch. Who then is a faithful and wise ser45-51. vant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, that he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart; My lord delayeth his coming;' and shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and shall eat and drink with the drunken; the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of; and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites; there shall be weeping and Mk. gnashing of teeth. Watch ye therefore; for 35-37. ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at cockcrowing, or in the morning; lest coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you, I say unto all; Watch."

xiii.

Matt. XXV. 1 -46.

CHAPTER XXXI.

Parable of the Ten Virgins - The Talents Coming of the Son of Man - Judas offers to betray Jesus.

"THEN shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And

five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered, and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made; Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.' Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise; Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out.' But the wise answered, saying; Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you; but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.' And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage; and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying; 'Lord, Lord, open to us.' But he answered and said; Verily I say unto you, I know you not.' Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of man cometh.

"For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods; and unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

gained other two. But he that had received one, went and digged in the earth and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents, came and brought other five talents, saying; Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents; behold, I have gained besides them five talents more.' His Lord said unto him; 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.' He also that had received two talents came and said; 'Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents; behold, I have gained two other talents besides them.' His lord said unto him; Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.' Then he which had received the one talent came and said; Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed; and I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth; lo, there thou hast that is thine.' His lord answered and said unto him; Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed? Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers; and then at my coming I should have received mine

« ÎnapoiContinuă »