called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

And the scribes and chief priests heard it. And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him, and could not find what they might do: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine (and were very attentive to hear him.) And when even was come, he went out of the city.

And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. And Jesus answering saith unto them,

Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any; that your Father also, which is in heaven, may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

CHAPTER LV.

PHARISEES QUESTION HIS AUTHORITY—PARABLE OF THE HOUSEHOLDER AND HIS VINEYARD.

A

ND they come again to Jerusalem: and it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes, and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority to do these things? And Jesus answered and said unto them,

I will also ask of you one question, which if ye tell me, I in likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? answer

me.

And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him? But if we shall say, Of men: all the people will stone us: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed. And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them,

Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.

But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and

said, Son, go work to-day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father?

They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them,

Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

Hear another parable:

There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country, for a long time. And at the season when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. And the husbandmen

caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.

And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. And again he sent a third: and him they killed, and cast him out. And many others; beating some, and killing some. Having yet therefore one son, his well beloved, then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: he sent him also last unto them, saying, It may be they will reverence him, when they see him. But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. When the Lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their season.

And when they heard it, they said, God forbid. And he beheld them, and said unto them,

Did ye never read in the Scriptures,

The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore I say unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. But when they sought the same hour to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them; and they left him, and went their way.

CHAPTER LVI.

THE MARRIAGE FEAST-TRIBUTE TO CESAR-JEWISH INFIDELITY.

Aby parables, and said,

ND Jesus answered and spake unto them again

The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.