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out of sleep."

Then said his disciples, "Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well." Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, "Lazarus is dead; and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless, let us go unto him." Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow-disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."

Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. (Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off.) And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him but Mary sat still in the house. Then said Martha unto Jesus, "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know that, even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee." Jesus saith unto her, "Thy brother shall rise again." Martha saith unto him, "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said unto her, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth, and believeth in me, shall never die. Believest thou this?" She saith unto him, "Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world." And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, "The Master is come, and calleth for thee." As soon as she heard that, she arose

THE RAISING OF LAZARUS.

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quickly, and came unto him. Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, "She goeth unto the grave to weep there." Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, and said, "Where have ye laid him?" They say unto him, "Lord, come and see." Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, "Behold how he loved him!" And some of them said, "Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?" Jesus therefore, again groaning in himself, cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, "Take ye away the stone." Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, "Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, "Said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?" Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, "Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me and I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by, I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me." And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" And he

that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave clothes and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, "Loose him, and let him go."

Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

The Story of the Raising of the Son of the Widow of Nain.

(From the 7th Chapter of ST. LUKE's Gospel.)

JESUS went into a city called Nain: and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow : and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, "Weep not." And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, "Young man; I say unto thee, Arise!" And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak: and he delivered him to his mother. And there came a fear on all and they glorified God, saying, "That a great prophet is risen up among us ;" and, "That God hath visited his people." And this rumor of him went forth throughout all Judea, and throughout all the region round about.

The Story of the First Martyr.

(From the 6th and 7th Chapters of the ACTS.)

STEPHEN, being full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. Then there arose certain of the Synagogue disputing with Stephen, and they were not able to resist the wisdom and spirit by which he spake. Then they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council and set up false witnesses, which said, "This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law." And all that sat in the council looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. Then said the high priest, "Are these things so?" And Stephen, answering him, showed them out of the Scriptures how that from the beginning their fathers did always persecute the prophets; and he said, "As your fathers did, so do ye. They have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One! of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers! Ye! who have received the law by the disposition of angels and have not kept it."

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