13 to return (e). And he called his ten fervants, and delivered them ten pounds, and faid unto them, 14 Occupy till I come (f). But his citizens hated

him, and sent a meffage after him, faying, We will 15 not have this man to reign over us (g). And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these fervants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gain16 ed by trading. Then came the firft, faying, Lord, 17 thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he faid unto him, Well, thou good fervant: because thou haft been faithful in a very little, have thou autho18 rity over ten cities. And the fecond came, faying, 19 Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he

faid likewife to him, Be thou alfo over five cities. 20 And another came, faying, Lord, Behold, here is

thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: 21 For I feared thee, because thou art an auftere man:

thou takeft up that thou laidft not down, and reapest 22 that thou didst not fow. And he faith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked fervant (h). Thou knewest that I was an auftere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reap23 ing that I did not fow: Wherefore then gaveft not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I 24 might have required mine own with ufury (i)? And he faid unto them that ftood by, Take from him

(e) This alludes to the cuftom of tributary Kings going to Rome to be confirmed by the Emperor in their kingdoms, and afterwards returning to take the government upon them.

(f) See Matt. XXV. 14, 24.

(g) This is a defcription of the behaviour of the Jews in rejecting our bleffed Saviour.

(h) Your own affertion will condemn you; for if that was your opinion, you ought to have been the more careful to fatisfy me. "See Matt. xxv. 24. Note.

(2) With intereft.

the

the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. 25 (And they faid unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) 26 For I fay unto you (k), That unto every one which hath, fhall be given: and from him that hath not, even that he hath fhall be taken away from him. But those mine enemies which would not that I fhould reign over them, bring hither, and flay them before me.

27

28

And when he had thus fpoken, he went before, af29 cending up to Jerufalem (/). And it came to pafs, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he fent two of his 30 difciples, Saying, Go ye into the village over againft you; in the which, at your entering, ye fhall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man fat: loose him, 31 and bring him hither (m). And if any man afk you, Why do ye loofe him; thus fhall ye fay unto 32 him, Because the Lord hath need of him. And

they that were fent, went their way, and found even 33 as he had faid unto them. And as they were loofing

the colt, the owners thereof faid unto them, Why 34 loofe ye the colt? And they faid, The Lord hath 35 need of him. And they brought him to Jefus: and

they caft their garments upon the colt, and they fet 36 Jefus thereon. And as he went, they spread their 37 clothes in the way. And when he was come nigh, even now at the defcent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the difciples began to rejoice, and praise God with a loud voice, for all the mighty 38 works that they had feen, Saying, Bleffed be the king that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace 39 in heaven, and glory in the highest (n). And fome

(k) See Matt. xxv. 29.

(1) He went before his difciples.

(m) See Matt. xxi. 4.

(n) Peace, that is, forgivenefs, is fecured for us through Chrift in heaven. Glory, therefore, be to God moft high. See Matt. xxi. 9.

of

of the Pharifees from among the multitude, faid 40 unto him, Master, rebuke thy difciples. And he answered, and faid unto them, I tell you, that if thefe fhould hold their peace, the ftones () would immediately cry out.

41

And when he was come near, he beheld the city, 42 and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadft known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. 43 For the days fhall come upon thee, that thine enemies fhall caft a trench about thee, and compass 44 thee round, and keep thee in on every fide, And fhall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they fhall not leave in thee one stone upon another: because thou knewest not the time of thy vifitation (p).

45

And he went into the temple, and began to cast out 46 them that fold therein, and them that bought, Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of pray47 er, but ye have made it a den of thieves. And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the fcribes, and the chief of the people fought to destroy 48 him, And could not find what they might do (q): for all the people were very attentive to hear him.

I

CHA P. XX.

AND it came to pafs, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gofpel, the chief priests and the scribes came

(o) The people must have been, as it were, infenfible as fones, not to have given glory to God on fo important and joyful an occafion.

(p) Because thou wouldst not attend to the gracious defign of God at this time, when he hath vifited and redeemed his people by fending the expected Meffiah. Chap. i. 68.

(4) They could not refolve what method to take, for fear of the people.

2 upon him, with the elders, And fpake unto him, faying, Tell us, By what authority doeft thou the fe things? or who is he that gave thee this authority? 3 And he answered and faid unto them, I will alfo ask 4 you one thing; and answer me: The baptifin of 5 John, was it from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, faying, If we shall fay, From heaven; he will fay, Why then believed 6 ye him not (a)? But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be perfuaded that John 7 was a prophet. And they answered, that they could 8 not tell whence it was. And Jefus faid unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

9

Then began he to fpeak to the people this parable (b). A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far counI try for a long time. And at the feafon, he fent a servant to the husbandmen, that they fhould give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husband11 men beat him, and fent him away empty. And

again he fent another fervant; and they beat him alfo, and entreated him fhamefully, and fent him 12 away empty. And again he fent the third; and 13 they wounded him, and caft him out. Then faid

the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will fend my beloved fon: it may be they will reverence 14 him when they fee him. But when the husbandmen faw him, they reafoned among themfelves, faying, This is the heir, come, let us kill him, that the in15 heritance be ours. may So they caft him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore fhall the 16 lord of the vineyard do unto them? He fhall come and deftroy thefe hufbandmen, and fhall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they faid,

(a) When he teftified concerning me, that I am the Christ. (b) See Matt. xxi. 33.

17 God forbid. And he beheld them, and faid, What is this then that is written, The ftone which the builders rejected, the fame is become the head of 18 the corner. Whofoever fhall fall upon that stone, fhall be broken; but on whomfoever it fhall fall, it will grind him to powder (c).

19

And the chief priests and the fcribes the fame hour fought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people (d) for they perceived that he had spoken this 20 parable against them. And they watched him, and fent forth fpies, which fhould feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words; that fo they might deliver him unto the power and autho21 rity of the governor. And they afked him, faying, Master, we know that thou fayeit and teacheft rightly, neither accepteft thou the person of any, but 22 teacheft the way of God truly. Is it lawful for us 23 to give tribute unto Cefar, or no (e)? But he per

ceived their craftinefs, and faid unto them, Why 24 tempt ye me? Shew me a penny: whofe image

and fuperfcription hath it? They answered and faid, 25 Cefar's (f). And he faid unto them, Render therefore unto Cefar the things which be Cefar's, and un26 to God the things which be God's. And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his anfwer, and held their peace.

27 Then came to him certain of the Sadducees (which deny that there is any refurrection) and they asked 28 him, Saying, Mafter, Mofes wrote unto us, If any man's brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother. fhould take his 29 wife, and raife up feed unto his brother. There

(c) See Matt. xxi. 44.

(d) But they were afraid the people might rife in his defence. Chap. xix. 48.

(e) See Matt. xxii. 17.

(ƒ) See Matt. xxii. 19, 20.

were