the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith; I will return into my house from whence I came out. And when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept and garnished. Then goeth he and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him; Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him; Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said; Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea-side; and great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying; Behold, a sower went forth to sow. And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side; and the fowls came and devoured them. Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth; and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth; and when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them. But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundred-fold, some sixty-fold, some thirty-fold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

And the disciples came, and said unto him; Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered

and said unto them; Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance; but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables, because they seeing, see not, and hearing, they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith; By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive. For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

But

Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart; this is he which received seed by the way side. he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while; for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word, and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word; and he becometh unfruitful. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundred-fold, some sixty, some thirty.

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying; The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field. But while men slept, his enemy came, and sowed tares among the wheat; and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him; Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them; An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him; Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said; Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest; and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers; Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying; The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustardseed, which a man took and sowed in his field. Which indeed is the least of all seeds; but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables, and without a parable spake he not unto them; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying; I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house, and his disciples came unto him, saying; Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them; He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the word; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but

the tares are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that sowed them, is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned, in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears

to hear, let him hear.

Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field, the which when a man hath found he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant-man, seeking goodly pearls; who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind; which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world; the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Jesus saith unto them; have ye understood all these things? They say unto him; Yea, Lord. Then said he unto them; Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven, is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old. And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.

And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said; Whence hath this man this

Is not this the

wisdom, and these mighty works? carpenter's son ? is not his mother called Mary ? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them; A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. And he did not many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

At that time Herod the Tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, and said unto his servants; This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him. For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife. For John said unto him; It it is not lawful for thee to have her. And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. But when Herod's birth-day was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod; whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. And she, being before instructed of her mother, said; Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger. And the king was sorry; nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her. And he sent and beheaded John in the prison. And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel; and she brought it to her mother. And his disciples came and took up the body, and buried it; and went and told Jesus.

D.

§4. When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence [32] by a ship into a desert place apart. And when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude; and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying; This