Part 23

But he that hears and does not do the things I say is like a man that is without a foundation for he built a house upon the earth against which the stream beat vehemently. Immediately it fell and the ruin of that house was great.

7 Jesus then went into Capernaum. A centurion whose servant was dear to him, was sick and ready to die. When the centurion heard of Jesus, he sent the elders of the Jews to Him, beseeching that Jesus come and heal his servant. Those who came to Jesus on the centurion's behalf said he was a worthy man who loved the nation and had built a synagogue.

Jesus went with them and, when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to say, Lord, do not trouble thyself. I am not worthy that thou should enter under my roof. Neither did I think myself worthy to come to thee. Only say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man set under authority. And I have soldiers under me. I say to one, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes. And to my servant I say, Do this, and he does it.

When Jesus heard this, He marvelled. He turned around and said to the people that followed Him, I have not found such great faith anywhere in Israel. When those who came to Jesus on behalf of the centurion returned to the house they found the servant healed.

The next day Jesus went to a city called Nain. His disciples and many people were with Him. When He got near the gate of the city, a dead man was being carried out. He had been the only son of a widow and many people of the city were with her. When the Lord saw her, He had compassion and said to her, Weep not. Then Jesus went over and touched the bier. Those who bore him stood still. Then Jesus said, Young man, I say to thee, Arise.

The young man that was dead sat up and began to speak and Jesus delivered him to his mother. And there came a fear on all and they glorified God, saying, A great prophet is risen up among us. God has visited His people. This story of Him went forth throughout all Judaea, and all the surrounding region.

When the disciples of John told him of these things, John sent two of them to Jesus to ask, Art thou He that should come or do we look for another? At the same time Jesus cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and to many that were blind He gave sight. Then Jesus said to John's disciples, Go and tell John the things ye have seen and heard; how the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and to the poor the gospel is preached. Blessed is he, who shall not be offended in me.

Jesus then told the people about John. He said, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? What went ye out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, those who are gorgeously apparelled and live delicately are in kings' courts.

But what went ye out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and much more than a prophet. This is he, of whom it is written: Behold, I send my messenger, who shall prepare thy way before thee. And, I say to you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist, only he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. All the people that heard Him, even the publicans, who received the baptism of John, justified God. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God and were not baptized by him.

The Lord said, Those of this generation are like children sitting in the marketplace, and, calling one to another, saying, We have piped to you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept. For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He has a devil. The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! But wisdom is justified of all her children.

One of the Pharisees invited Him to eat with him. Jesus went into the Pharisee's house and sat down. When a woman in the city, who was a sinner, heard that Jesus ate at the Pharisee's house, she came with an alabaster box of ointment and stood behind Him at His feet. She was weeping, and began to wash His feet with tears, and wipe them with her hair. She kissed His feet and anointed them with the ointment.

When the Pharisee who invited Him saw it, he said to himself, If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is that touches Him. She is a sinner. Then Jesus turned and said, Simon, I have something to say to thee. And he said, Master, say on.

Jesus began, There was a creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred coins, and the other fifty. When they had nothing to pay, he freely forgave them both. Tell me, therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose it would be he whom he forgave most. Jesus said, Thou has rightly judged.

Jesus turned to the woman, and said to Simon, See this woman? When I entered your house, you gave me no water for my feet. But she has washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head. When I entered your house, you gave me no kiss. But this woman, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil. But this woman has anointed my feet with ointment.

So I say to thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven for she loved much; but to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little. Jesus said to her, Thy sins are forgiven. Those who sat at supper with Him began to wonder, Who is this that forgives sins also? Then Jesus said to the woman, Thy faith has saved thee; go in peace.

8 Afterward, He went throughout every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God, and the twelve were with Him. A woman, Mary called Magdalene, who had been healed of evil spirits and out of whom went seven devils; and Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward, Chuza; and Susanna; and many others provided for and ministered to Him.

When people from many towns were gathered together, He told them a parable. A sower went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell by the wayside. It was trodden down and the fowls of the air devoured it. Some of the seed fell upon rock. As soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. Some of the seed fell among thorns. The thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. Other seed fell on good ground. It sprang up and bore fruit a hundredfold. Then He finished by saying, He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

His disciples asked Him, What might this parable mean? He said, To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God. But, to others, it is given in parables that looking, they might not see, and hearing, they might not understand.

Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are they that hear; then the devil comes and takes the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. Those on the rock are they, who, when they hear, receive the word with joy. They have no root. For a while they believe but in time of temptation they fall away.

The seed which fell among thorns are they, who, when they have heard, they go forth. But they are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life; and they bring no fruit to perfection. The seed on the good ground are they, who with an honest and good heart, have heard the word. They keep it and bring forth fruit with patience.

No man, when he has lighted a candle, covers it with a vessel, or puts it under a bed. Instead he sets it on a candlestick so those who enter in may see the light. Nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest and nothing is hidden that shall not be known and come to light. Take heed how ye hear: for whoever has understanding, to him more shall be given; and whoever has not, from him shall be taken even that which he seems to have.

Then His mother and His brothers came but could not get near Him through the press of the multitude. Someone said to Him, Thy mother and thy brethren stand outside desiring to see thee. Jesus said to all those gathered, My mother and my brethren are those who hear the word of God, and do it.

Now it came to pass. Jesus went into a ship with His disciples. He said, Let us go over to the other side of the lake. They launched forth. As they sailed Jesus fell asleep. There came a windstorm on the lake. The ship filled up with water, and they were in jeopardy. They came and woke Him and said, Master, master, we perish. Jesus arose and rebuked the wind and the raging water. The storm ceased and there was a calm. He said to them, Where is your faith? They wondered, What kind of man is this! He even commands the winds and water and they obey Him.

They arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. Outside the city, a man who had devils for a long time approached Him. He wore no clothes and had no house but lived in the tombs. Oftentimes he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; but he broke the bands, and was driven by the devil into the wilderness.

When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before Him. Jesus commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. With a loud voice the man said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not. Then Jesus asked him, What is thy name? He said it was Legion, because many devils were entered into him. They besought Jesus not to command them to go out into the nearby deep water.

There was a herd of swine feeding on the mountain. The devils besought Jesus to let them enter into the swine. Jesus allowed them. When the devils went out of the man and entered the swine the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake and were choked.

When those who fed them saw what was done, they fled into the city and told what happened. Many went out to see what was done. They came to Jesus and found the man out of whom the devils departed. He was sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind. The people were afraid. Those who saw it explained how the man possessed with the devils was healed. Then the whole multitude of the country around the Gadarenes besought Jesus to leave.

Jesus went back to the boat. The man who had been possessed by the devils asked to go with Him. But Jesus sent him away. He said, Return to thine own house and show the great things God has done for thee. The man went his way and told the whole city the great things Jesus had done.