twelve, that they might attend him, and that he might commission them to proclaim the reign; empowering them to cure dis15 eases, and to expel demons. These were Simon, whom he sur16 named Peter, and James son of Zebedee, and John the brother 17 of James. These he surnamed Boanerges, that is, sons of thun18 der; and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, and 19 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him. 20 Then they went into a house, whither the people again crowded so fast, that Jesus and his disciples could not so much 21 as eat. His kinsmen hearing this, went out to lay hold on Matt. 9: 34. 22 him, for they said: He is beside himself. But the Scribes who came from Jerusalem said: He is confederate with Beelzebub, 23 and expelleth demons by the prince of the demons. Jesus & 12: 24. Lu. 11; 15. having called them, said to thein by similitude: How can Sa24 tan expel Satan? If a kingdom be torn by factions, that king25 dom cannot subsist: And if a family be torn by factions, that 26 family cannot subsist. Thus, if Satan fight against himself, 27 and be divided, he cannot subsist, but is near his end. No one who entereth the strong one's house can plunder his goods, unless he first overpower the strong one; then, indeed, he may Matt. 12. 31. 28 plunder his house. Verily I say unto you, that though all other sins in the sons of men are pardonable, and whatever de29 tractions they shall utter; whosoever shall detract from the Ho Lu. 12; 10. 1 Jo. 5:16. Lu. 8: 19. ly Spirit shall never be pardoned, but is liable to eternal pun30 ishment. He said this, because they affirmed that he was leagued with an unclean spirit. Matt. 12: 46. 31 Meanwhile came his mother and brothers, who, standing 32 without, sent for him. And the crowd who sat round him said to him: Lo, thy mother and thy brothers are without, and 33 seek thee. He answered them, saying: Who is my mother 34 or my brothers? And looking about on those who sat around 35 him, he said: Behold my mother and my brothers; for whosoever doth the will of God, is my brother, my sister, and mother. Matt. 13: 1. IV. Again, he was teaching by the sea-side, when so great a multitude gathered about him, that he was obliged to go aboard Matt. 13; 4. Lu. 8; 4. a bark and sit there, while all the people remained on shore. 2 Then he taught them many things by parables. 3 In teaching, he said to them: Attend, behold the sower 4 went out to sow. And as he sowed, part of the seed fell by the way-side, and the birds came and picked it up; part fell upon 5 rocky ground, where it had little mould. This sprang the soon6 er, because there was no depth of soil. But after the sun had beaten upon it, it was scorched, and having no root, it withered 7 away. Part fell amidst thorns; and the thorns grew up and 8 stifled it, so that it yielded nothing. Part fell into good ground, and sprang up, and became so fruitful, that some grains produced 9 thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred. He added, Whoever hath ears to hear, let him hear. 10 Matt. 13: 10. When he was in private, those who were about him with the L.8:9. 11 twelve asked him the meaning of the parable. He said to them: It is your privilege to know the secrets of the reign of God, 12 but to those without every thing is veiled in parables; that Isa. 6: 9. they may not perceive what they look at, or understand what they hear; lest they should be reclaimed, and obtain forgive13 ness of their sins. He said also to them: Do ye not understand this parable? How then will ye understand all my parables. 14. Lu. 8: 11. The sower is he who disperseth the word. The way-side Matt. 13: 18. on which some of the grain fell, denoteth those who have no sooner heard the word, than Satan cometh and taketh away 16 that which was sown in their hearts. The rocky ground de-. noteth those who, hearing the word, receive it at first with plea17 sure; yet not having it rooted in their minds, retain it but a while; for when trouble or persecution cometh because of the 18 word, they instantly relapse. The ground overrun with thorns, 19 denoteth those hearers in whom worldly cares, and delusive riches, and the inordinate desires of other things, stifle the word 20 and render it unfruitful. The good soil on which some grains yielded thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred, denoteth those who hear the word and retain it, and produce the fruits thereof. Lu. 8: 16. Matt. 10: 26. 21 He said further: Is a lamp brought to be put under a corn- Matt. 5: 15. 22 measure, or under a bed; and not to be set on a stand? For & 11:33. there is no secret that is not to be discovered; nor hath aught 23 been concealed which was not to be divulged. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. 24 He said moreover: Consider what ye hear: with the mea- Lu. 8: 18. sure wherewith ye give, ye shall receive; and to you who are 25 attentive, more shall be added. For to him who hath, more shall be given; but from him who hath not, even that which he Matt. 13: 12. hath shall be taken. 26 He said also: The kingdom of God is like seed which a man 27 sowed in his field. While he slept by night and waked by day, 28 the seed shot up, and grew without his minding it. For the earth produceth of itself first the blade, then the ear, afterwards 29 the full corn. But as soon as the grain was ripe, he applied the sickle, because it was time to reap it. Matt. 7: 2. & 25: 29. Lu. 19: 26. 30 He said also: whereunto shall we compare the kingdom of Matt. 13: 31. 31 God, or by what similitude shall we represent it? It is like a grain of mustard-seed, which when it is sown in the earth, is the But after it is sown, it 32 smallest of all the seeds that are there. Matt. 8: 23. Matt. 8: 28. 33 springeth up, and becometh greater than any herb, and shooteth out branches so large, that under their shade the birds of the air may find shelter. And in many such similitudes he conveyed instruction to the 34 people, as he found them disposed to hear; and without a similitude he told them nothing: but he solved all to his disciples in private. 35 That day, in the evening, he said to them: Let us pass to 36 the other side. And they leaving the people, but having him 37 in the bark, set sail, in company with other small barks. Then there arose a great storm of wind, which drove the billows into 38 the bark, which was now full. Jesus being in the stern, asleep on a pillow, they awaken him, saying: Rabbi, carest thou not 39 that we perish? And he arose and commanded the wind, saying to the sea: Peace! be still! Immediately the wind ceased, 40 and a great calm ensued. And he said to them: Why are ye 41 so timorous? How is it that ye have no faith? And they were exceedingly terrified, and said one to another: Who is this V. whom even the wind and the sea obey? They then crossed the sea, and came into the country of the Gadarenes. 2 He was no sooner gone ashore, than there met him a man coming from the monuments, possessed of an unclean spirit, 3 who made his abode in the tombs; and no man could confine 4 him, not even with chains. For he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and had wrenched off the chains, and broken 5 the fetters, so that nobody was able to tame him. He was continually, night and day, in the mountains and in the tombs, 6 howling, and cutting himself with flints. But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran, and prostrating himself before him, cried 7 out: What hast thou to do with me, Jesus, Son of the most 8 high God, I conjure thee by God not to torment me. (For Jesus had said unto him: Come out of the man, thou unclean 9 spirit.) Jesus asked him, What is thy name? He answered, 10 My name is legion,* for we are many. And he earnestly en11 treated him not to drive them out of the country. Now there 12 was a great herd of swine feeding on the mountain. And all the fiends besought him, saying: Suffer us to go to the swine, 13 that we may enter into them. Jesus immediately permitted them. Then the unclean spirits being gone out, entered into the swine; and the herd, in number about two thousand, 14 rushed down a precipice into the sea, and were choked. And the swine-herds fled, and told it in the city and villages. And 15 the people flocked out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, and saw him who had been possessed by the * About 6000. legion sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind, they were 16 afraid. And those who had seen the whole, having related to them what had happened to the demoniac, and to the swine; 17. they entreated him to leave their territories. As he entered the bark, the man who had been possessed begged permission 19 to attend him. Jesus, however, did not permit him, but said: Go home to thy relations, and tell them what great things the 20 Lord in pity hath done for thee. Accordingly he departed, publishing in Decapolis* what great things Jesus had done for him. And all were amazed. Lu. 8: 41. 21 Jesus having repassed in the bark, a great crowd gathered Matt. 9: 18. 22 round him while he was on the shore. Then came one of the directors of the synagogue, named Jairus, who seeing him, threw himself at his feet, and entreated him earnestly, saying: 23 My little daughter is in extreme danger; I pray thee come and lay thy hands upon her to recover her, and she will be well. 24 And Jesus went with him, followed by a great multitude, who thronged him. 25 Lu. 8:34. And a woman who had been twelve years distressed with an Matt. 9: 1926 issue of blood, who had suffered much from several physicians, and had spent her all without receiving any relief, but rather 27 growing worse, having heard of Jesus, came in the crowd be28 hind, and touched his mantle; for she had said, 'If I but 29 touch his clothes, I shall recover.' Instantly the source of her distemper was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was 30 delivered from that scourge. Jesus immediately, conscious of the virtue which had issued from him, turned towards the 31 crowd, saying: Who touched my clothes? His disciples an swered, Thou seest how the multitude throng thee; yet thou say32 est,' Who touched me?' But he looked round him to see her 33 who had done it. Then the woman knowing the change wrought upon her, came trembling with fear, threw herself pros34 trate before him, and confessed the whole truth. But he said Lu. 7: 50, to her, Daughter, thy faith hath cured thee; go in peace, released from this scourge. 35 Ere he had done speaking, messengers came from the house Lu. 8: 49. of the director of the synagogue, who said: Thy daughter is dead, why shouldst thou trouble the teacher any further? 36 Jesus hearing this message delivered, said immediately to the 37 director: Fear not; only believe. And he allowed nobody to follow him except Peter and James, and John the brother of 38 James. Being arrived at the director's house, and seeing the 39 tumult, and the people weeping and wailing immoderately, he Matt. 9: 23. said to them, as he entered, Why do ye weep, and make a A district of ten cities. 1 40 bustle? the child is not dead, but asleep. And they derided him. But having made them all go out, he took with him the child's father and mother, and those who came with him; and 41 he entered the chamber, where she was lying, and, taking her by the hand, said to her: Talitha cumi, (which signifieth, 42 Damsel, arise,') I command thee. Immediately the damsel arose and walked, for she was twelve years old; and they were 43 confounded with astonishment. But he strictly enjoined them not to mention it to any body, and ordered that something should be given her to eat. Matt. 13: 54. VI. Lu. 4: 16. Jo. 6: 42. Jo. 4; 44. Matt. 10; 1. Acts 13: 51. SECTION III.-THE FIRST MISSION OF THE APOSTLES. JESUS leaving that place, went to his own country, ac2 companied by his disciples. And on the Sabbath he taught in their synagogues, and many who heard him said with astonishment: Whence hath this man these abilities? what wisdom is this which he hath gotten? and how are so great miracles per3 formed by him? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joses, and Judas and Simon? Are not his sisters also here with us? And they were scandalized 4 at him. But Jesus said to them: A prophet is nowhere dis regarded, except in his own country, and amongst his own re5 lations, and in his own house. And he could do no miracle there, except curing a few sick, by laying his hands on them. 6 And he wondered at their unbelief. 7 And he went through the neighboring villages teaching. And having called to him the twelve, he sent them out two by 8 two, and gave them power over the unclean spirits; and order ed them to take nothing for their journey but a single staff, no 9 bag, no bread, and in their girdle no money; to be shod with 10 sandals, and not to put on two coats. He said also: Whatever house ye enter in any place, continue in that house until ye 11 leave the place. But wheresoever they will not receive you, nor hear you, shake off the dust under your feet at your departure, as a protestation against them. Verily I say unto you, the condition of Sodom and Gomorra shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment than the condition of that city. 12 And being departed, they publicly warned men to reform; and 13 expelled many demons, and cured many sick persons, anointing them with oil. Matt. 14: 1. 14 And king Herod heard of him, (for his name was become famous), and said: John the baptizer is raised from the dead, 15 and therefore miracles are performed by him. Others said: It is Elijah. Others: It is a prophet like those of ancient |