Part 1156

18:25. And as he had not wherewith to pay it, his lord commanded that he should be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

18:26. But that servant falling down, besought him, saying: Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

18:27. And the lord of that servant being moved with pity, let him go and forgave him the debt.

18:28. But when that servant was gone out, he found one of his fellow-servants that owed him an hundred pence: and laying hold of him, he throttled him, saying: Pay what thou owest.

Pence.... The Roman penny was the eighth part of an ounce, that is, about sevenpence half-penny English.

18:29. And his fellow-servant falling down, besought him, saying: Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

18:30. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he paid the debt.

18:31. Now his fellow servants seeing what was done, were very much grieved, and they came, and told their lord all that was done.

18:32. Then his lord called him: and said to him: Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all the debt, because thou besoughtest me:

18:33. Shouldst not thou then have had compassion also on thy fellow servant, even as I had compassion on thee?

18:34. And his lord being angry, delivered him to the torturers until he paid all the debt.

18:35. So also shall my heavenly Father do to you, if you forgive not every one his brother from your hearts.

Matthew Chapter 19

Christ declares matrimony to be indissoluble: he recommends the making one’s self an eunuch for the kingdom of heaven; and parting with all things for him. He shews the danger of riches, and the reward of leaving all to follow him.

19:1. And it came to pass when Jesus had ended these words, he departed from Galilee and came into the coasts of Judea, beyond Jordan.

19:2. And great multitudes followed him: and he healed them there.

19:3. And there came to him the Pharisees tempting him, saying: Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

19:4. Who answering, said to them: Have ye not read, that he who made man from the beginning, made them male and female? And he said:

19:5. For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be in one flesh.

19:6. Therefore now they are not two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.

19:7. They say to him: Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorce, and to put away?

19:8. He saith to them: Because Moses by reason of the hardness of your heart permitted you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

19:9. And I say to you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and he that shall marry her that is put away, committeth adultery.

Except it be, etc.... In the case of fornication, that is, of adultery, the wife may be put away: but even then the husband cannot marry another as long as the wife is living.

19:10. His disciples say unto him: If the case of a man with his wife be so, it is not expedient to marry.

19:11. Who said to them: All men take not this word, but they to whom it is given.

All men take not this word.... That is, all receive not the gift of living singly and chastely, unless they pray for the grace of God to enable them to live so, and for some it may be necessary to that end to fast as well as pray: and to those it is given from above.

19:12. For there are eunuchs, who were born so from their mother’s womb: and there are eunuchs, who were made so by men: and there are eunuchs, who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven. He that can take, let him take it.