gians, was highly incensed, and despatched emissaries, who slew, by his order, all the male children in Bethlehem, and in all its territory, from those entering the second year, down to the time whereof he had procured exact information from the Magians. 18. Then was the word of Jeremiah the prophet verified; 'A cry Jer. 31: 15. was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and weeping, and bitter complaint, Rachel bewailing her children, and refusing to be comforted because they are not.' 19 When Herod was dead, a messenger of the Lord, appearing 20 in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, said: Arise take the child, with his mother, and go into the land of Israel; for they are dead 21 who sought his life. Accordingly he arose, took the child with 22 his mother, and went to the land of Israel; but hearing that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod in the throne of Judea, he was afraid to return thither; and being warned in a dream, 23 retired into the district of Galilee, and resided in a city named Nazareth, thereby verifying the declaration of the prophet [concerning Jesus], that he should be called a Nazarene. III. SECTION II.-THE BAPTISM. Jo. 1: 6. ch. 4. 17. ch. 10: 7. Isa. 40: 3. IN those days appeared John the Baptist, who cried in Mar. 1: 2. 2 the wilderness of Judea, saying: Reform, for the reign of heav- u. 31. 3 en approacheth. For this is he of whom the prophet Isaiah speaketh in these words: The voice of one proclaiming in the wilderness, Prepare a way for the Lord,* make for him a 4 straight passage." Now John wore raiment of camel's hair with a leathern girdle about his waist; and his food was locusts 5 and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the 6 country along the Jordan, resorted to him, and were baptized by him in Jordan confessing their sins. 7 But he seeing many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to him to receive baptism, said to them; Offspring of vipers, who hath 8 prompted you to flee from the impending vengeance? Produce 9 then the proper fruit of reformation; and presume not to say within yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father; for I as- Jo. 8: 39. sure you that of these stones God can raise children to Abra10 ham. And even now the axe lieth at the root of the trees: ev- V ery tree, therefore which produceth not good fruit is felled, and ch. 7: 19. 11 turned into fuel. I indeed baptize you in water, that ye may Mar. 1: 8. reform; but he who cometh after me is mightier than I, whose Lu. 3:16. shoes I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you in the Ho- Acts 1:5. 12 ly Spirit and fire. His winnowing shovel is in his hand; and * In the Hebrew of Isaiah, Jehovah. Jo. 1: 26.. Mar. 1: 9. 13 he will thoroughly cleanse his grain: he will gather his wheat into the granary, and consume the chaff in unquenchable fire. THEN came Jesus from Galilee to Jordan to be baptized 14 by John. But John excused himself, saying; It is I who need 15 to be baptized by thee; and thou comest to me! Jesus answering said unto him; Permit this at present; for thus ought we 16 to ratify every institution. Then John acquiesced. Jesus being baptized, no sooner arose out of the water, than Heaven was opened to him; and the Spirit of God appeared, descending like a dove and lighting upon him; while a voice from hea2 Pet. 1. 17. 17 ven proclaimed: This is my beloved Son in whom I delight. IV. Jo. 1: 37. ch. 17. 5. Lu. 9:35. Mar. 1. 12. Deut. 8: 3. Ps. 91: 11. Deut. 6: 16. THEN was Jesus conducted by the Spirit into the wilder2 ness, to be tempted by the devil.* And after fasting forty days 3 and forty nights, he was hungry. Whereupon the tempter, accosting him, said: If thou be a Son of God, command that these 4 stones become loaves. Jesus answering said: It is written, "Man liveth not by bread only, but by every thing which God 5 is pleased to appoint." Then the devil conveyed him into the holy city, and having placed him upon the battlements of the 6 temple, said to him: If thou be a Son of God, throw thyself down; for it is written, "He will give his angels† the charge of thee: they shall uphold thee in their arms, lest thou dash thy 7 foot against a stone." Jesus again answered: It is written, 8 "Thou shalt not put the Lord thy God to the proof." Again the devil took him up a very high mountain, whence he showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their glory, and said to 9 him: All these will I give thee, if thou wilt prostrate thyself Deut. 6: 13. 10 and worship me. Jesus answered: Satan, begone; for it is written, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and shalt 11 serve him only." Then the devil leaving him, angels came and ministered to him. 10: 20. 1 Sam. 7:3. Mar. 1: 14. Isa. 9. 1. ch. 3: 2. ch. 10: 7. Mar. 1. 16. Lu. 5: 1. Jo. 1: 35. 12 NOW Jesus hearing that John was imprisoned, retired in13 to Galilee; and having left Nazareth, resided at Capernaum, a 14 seaport in the confines of Zebulun, and Naphtali; thereby veri15 fying the words of Isaiah the prophet, "The canton of Zebu lun and the canton of Naphtali, situate on the Jordan near the 16 sea, Galilee of the nations; the people who abode in darkness saw a great light, and on those who inhabited a region of the 17 shades of death, light hath arisen." From that time Jesus began to proclaim, saying: Reform, for the reign of heaven approacheth. 18 Then walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon named Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a drag in19 to the sea, for they were fishers. And he said to them: Come * Traducer. Messengers. Jehovah. § Adversary. || Jehovah. 20 with me, and I will make you fishers of men. Immediately 21 they left the nets, and followed him. Passing on he saw other two brothers, James son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the bark with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he 22 called them. They immediately, leaving the bark and their father, followed him. Mar. 1: 39. 23 Then Jesus went over all Galilee, teaching in their syna- ch. 9: 35. gogues, and proclaiming the grand tidings of the reign, and cur- Lu. 4: 15, 44. 24 ing every sort of disease and malady among the people. And Mar. 1: 34. his fame spread through all Syria, and they brought to him all their sick, seized and tormented with various distempers, demo- Mar. 3: 7. 25 niacs, and lunatics, and paralytics and he healed them. And Lu. & 17. vast multitudes followed him from Galilee, from Decapolis,* from Jerusalem, from Judea, and from the banks of the Jordan. 6: V. SECTION III.-THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. JESUS, seeing so great a conference, repaired to a moun2 tain and having sat down, his disciples came to him. Then, breaking silence, he taught them, saying: 3 HAPPY the poor who repine not; for the kingdom of heaven Lu. 6. 20. 4 is theirs! Happy they who mourn; for they shall receive con- Isa. 61. 3. 5 solation! Happy the meek; for they shall inherit the land ! Ps. 37: 11. 6 Happy they who hunger and thirst for righteousness; for they Isa. 65: 13. 7 shall be satisfied! Happy the merciful; for they shall obtain P. 24: 3. 8 mercy! Happy the clean in heart; for they shall see God! 1 Pet. 3. 14. 9 Happy the peace makers; for they shall be called the sons of 10 God! Happy they who suffer persecution on account of righte11 ousness; for the kingdom of heaven is theirs! Happy shall ye 1 Pet. 4: 14be, when men shall revile and persecute you, and, on my ac 12 count accuse you falsely of every evil thing! Rejoice and exult; for great is your reward in heaven; for thus the prophets were persecuted who were before you. 13 Lu. 14: 34. Mar. 4: 21. YE are the salt of the earth. If the salt become insipid, Mar. 9: 49. how shall its saltness be restored? it is thenceforth fit only to 14 be cast out and trodden by men. Ye are the light of the world. 15 A city situate on a mountain must be conspicuous. A lamp is lighted to be put, not under a corn-measure, but on a stand, that it may shine to all the family. Thus let your light shine before 1 men, that they, seeing your good actions, may glorify your Father who is in heaven. 17 Lu. 8: 16. 11: 33. Think not that I am come to subvert the Law or the Pro18 phets. I am come not to subvert, but to ratify. For verily I Lu. 16: 17. A district of ten cities. Ja. 2: 10. say unto you, Heaven and earth shall sooner perish, than one iota or one title of the law shall perish without attaining its end. 19 Whosoever therefore shall violate or teach others to violate, were it the least of these commandments, shall be in no esteem in the reign of heaven; but whosoever shall practise and teach them, 20 shall be highly esteemed in the reign of heaven. For I warn you that unless your righteousness excel the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall never enter the kingdom of heaven. Ex. 20. 13. 21 Deut. 5: 17. Lu. 12: 58. Ex. 20. 14. ch. 18. 8. Mar. 9. 43. YE have heard that it was said to the ancients, "Thou shalt not commit murder; for whosoever committeth murder shall 22 be obnoxious to the judges." But I say unto you, ' Whosoever is angry with his brother unjustly, shall be obnoxious to the judges; whoever shall call him fool, shall be obnoxious to the council; but whosoever shall call him miscreant, shall be ob23 noxious to hell-fire.' Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there recollect that thy brother hath ground to com24 plain of thee; leave there thy gift before the altar first go and procure reconciliation with thy brother, then come and offer thy 25 gift. Compound betimes with thy creditor, while ye are on the road together; lest the creditor consign thee to the judge; and the judge consign thee to the officer, and thou be thrown into 26 prison. Verily I say unto thee, thou wilt not be released until thou hast discharged the last farthing. 27 Ye have heard that it was said, "Thou shalt not commit Deut. 5. 18. 28 adultery." But I say unto you, "Whosoever looketh on another man's wife, in order to cherish impure desire, hath al29 ready committed adultery with her in his heart.' Therefore, if thy right eye insnare thee, pluck it out, and throw it away: it is better for thee to lose one of thy members than that 30 thy whole body be cast into hell. And if thy right hand insnare thee, cut it off, and throw it away; it is better for thee to lose one of thy members, than that thy whole body be cast into hell. It hath been said, "Whosoever would dismiss his wife, let 32 him give her a writ of divorce." But I say unto you, 'Whosoever shall dismiss his wife, except for whoredom, is the occasion of her becoming an adulteress; and whosoever marrieth her that is dismissed, committeth adultery. Deut. 24. 1. 31 ch. 19: 7. Lu. 16: 18. 1 Cor. 7: 10. Ex. 20. 7. Deut. 5: 11. 33 Again ye have heard that it was said to the ancients, "Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform thy oaths to the 34 Lord." But I say unto you, 'Swear not at all; neither by 35 heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; neither shalt thou swear by Jerusalem, for it is the 36 city of the great king; nor by thy head, because thou canst not 37 make one hair white or black.' But let your yes be yes, your no, no; for whatever exceedeth these, proceedeth from evil. 38 Ye have heard that it was said, "Eye for eye, and tooth for Ex. 21. 24, 39 tooth." But I say unto you, Resist not the injurious. But if Lev. 24. 20. any one strike thee on the right cheek turn to him also the left. Deut. 19. 21 40 Whoever will sue thee for thy coat, let him have thy mantle 1 Cor. 6. 7. 41 likewise. And if a man constrain thee to go one mile with him, Deut. 15: 7. Give to him that asketh thee; and him that would Lu. 6: 27. borrow from thee, put not away. 43 Ye have heard that it was said, "Thou shalt love thy neigh- Lev. 19: 18. 44 bor, and hate thine enemy." But I say unto you, Love your Ro. 12: 20. enemies; bless them who curse you; do good to them who hate you; and pray for them who arraign and prosecute you; 45 that ye may be children of your Father in heaven, who maketh his sun arise on bad and good, and sendeth rain on just and un46 just. For if ye love them only who love you, what reward can 47 ye expect? Do not even the publicans so? And if ye show courtesy to your friends only, wherein do ye excel? Do not 48 even the Pagans as much? Be ye therefore perfect, as your Eph. 5: 1. Father who is in heaven is perfect. VI. TAKE heed that ye perform not your religious duties before men, in order to be observed by them; otherwise ye will obtain no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 2 When, therefore, thou givest alms, do not proclaim it by sound of trumpet, as the hypocrites do, in the assemblies and in the streets, that they may be extolled by men. Verily I say 3 unto you, they have received their reward. But thou, when thou givest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right 4 hand doth, that thine alms may be in secret; and thy Father, to whom nothing is secret, will himself recompense thee. 5 And when thou prayest, be not like the hypocrites, who affect to pray standing in the assemblies, and at the corners of the streets, that men may observe them. Verily I say unto you, 6 they have received their reward. But thou, when thou wouldst pray, retire to thy closet; and, having shut the door, pray to thy Father; and thy Father, to whom, though he is unseen 7 himself, nothing is secret, will recompense thee. And in prayer Eccles. 5.-2. talk not at random, as the Pagans, who think that using many Ecelus. 7.14. 8 words will procure them acceptance. Imitate them not; for your Father knoweth what things ye want, before ye ask him. 9 Thus, therefore, pray ye: "Our Father, who art in heaven, Lu. 11. 2. 10 thy name be hallowed; thy reign come; thy will be done upon 11 the earth, as it is in heaven; give us to-day our daily bread; 12 forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors; and abandon us 13 not to temptation, but preserve us from evil. [For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.]" 14 For, if ye forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father Ecclus. 28. 1. |