Walks and Words of Jesus Part 22

Were there not ten cleansed? but where _are_ the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to G.o.d, save this stranger.

And he said unto him,

Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

And it came to pa.s.s, _that_ when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judea, by the farther side of Jordan: and great mult.i.tudes followed him; and he healed them there; and as he was wont, he taught them again. And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of G.o.d should come, he answered them and said,

The kingdom of G.o.d cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of G.o.d is within you.

And he said unto the disciples,

The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see _it_. And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after _them_, nor follow _them_. For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one _part_ under heaven, s.h.i.+neth unto the other _part_ under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed _them_ all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away; and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.

Remember Lot's wife.

Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. I tell you, in that night there shall be two _men_ in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two _women_ shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Two _men_ shall be in the field: the one shall be taken, and the other left.

And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them,

Wheresoever the body _is_, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

CHAPTER XLIX.

IMPORTUNATE WIDOW--MARRIAGE--CHILDREN BROUGHT TO JESUS.

And he spake a parable unto them _to this end_, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; saying,

There was in a city a judge, which feared not G.o.d, neither regarded man: and there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not G.o.d, nor regard man: yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

And the Lord said,

Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not G.o.d avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily.

Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth.

And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, G.o.d, I thank thee, that I am not as other men _are_, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give t.i.thes of all that I possess.

And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as _his_ eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, G.o.d be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified _rather_ than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them,

What did Moses command you?

And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put _her_ away. And Jesus answered and said unto them,

For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. Have ye not read, that from the beginning of the creation G.o.d made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore G.o.d hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? he saith unto them,

Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except _it be_ for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same _matter_. And he saith unto them,

Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband and be married to another, she committeth adultery.

His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with _his_ wife, it is not good to marry. But he said unto them,

All _men_ cannot receive this saying, save _they_ to whom it is given. For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from _their_ mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive _it_, let him receive _it_.

Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put _his_ hands on them and pray: but when _his_ disciples saw _it_, they rebuked those that brought _them_. But when Jesus saw _it_, he was much displeased, and said unto them,

Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of G.o.d. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of G.o.d as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

And he took them up in his arms, put _his_ hands upon them, and blessed them, and departed thence.

CHAPTER L.

YOUNG RULER--WARNING TO THE RICH--PARABLE OF LABOURERS.

And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And Jesus said unto him,

Why callest thou me good? _there is_ none good but one, _that is_, G.o.d: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said,

Thou knowest the commandments. Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honor thy father and mother, and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

The young man saith unto him, Master, all these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him,

One thing thou lackest: if thou wilt be perfect, go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he looked round about, and saith unto his disciples,

Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven!

And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them.