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Lk. xii. 1-7.

13-21.

CHAPTER XXIV.

Certain Instructions and Parables of Jesus — The barren Fig-tree-Cure of the infirm Woman on the Sabbathday - Jesus' answer to Pharisees who told him Herod would kill him.

In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trod one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples; "First of all, beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore, whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness, shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets, shall be proclaimed upon the house tops. And I say unto you, my friends; Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that, have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear; fear him, which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings? and not one of them is forgotten before God. But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore; ye are of more value than many sparrows."

Lk. xii. And one of the company said unto him; "Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with m"

And he said unto him; "Man, who made me a judge, or a divider over you?"

And he said unto them; "Take heed, and beware of covetousness; for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth."

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And he spake a parable unto them, saying; "The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying; What shall I do? because I have no room where to bestow my fruits.' And he said; This will I do; I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods; and I will say to my soul; Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, But God said

eat, drink, and be merry.'

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unto him; Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee; then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?' So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

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"Let your loins be girded about, and your Lk.xii. lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching; verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the

third watch, and find them so; blessed are those servants. And this know, that if the good man of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also; for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not."

Then Peter said unto him; "Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?" And the Lord said; "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. But and if that servant say in his heart; 'My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the men-servants, and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; the lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware; and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes; but he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required; and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more."

"I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on the earth? I tell you, nay, but rather division. For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother-inlaw against her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."

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And he said also to the people; "When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say; There cometh a shower;' and so it And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say; There will be heat;' and it cometh to pass. Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky, and of the earth; but how is it, that ye do not discern this time? Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?"

There were present at that season some that L. xiii. told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate 1-17. had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them; "Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, nay; but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them,

in the kingdom of God. And behold, there are last which shall be first; and there are first which shall be last."

The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him; "Get thee out, and depart hence; for Herod will kill thee."

And he said unto them; "Go ye and tell that fox; Behold, I cast out devils and I do cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. Nevertheless, I must walk to-day and to-morrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killeth the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings! and ye would not. Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. And verily I say unto you, ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say; 'Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.''

CHAPTER XXV.

Jesus again foretells his death-Ambition of James and John --Jesus at the house of Zaccheus - Parable of the ten pounds -Cure of the blind man near Jericho.

Mk. x. And they were in the way, going up to Je32-45. rusalem; and Jesus went before them; and they were amazed, and as they followed, they

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