Part 10

After a long time, the lord returned from his journey and reckoned with his servants. He who received five talents came and brought another five talents. He said, Lord, thou delivered five talents to me. Behold, I have gained five more talents besides them. His lord said, Well done. Thou has been faithful over a few things so I will make thee ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of thy lord!

He who received two talents came and said, Lord, thou delivered to me two talents. Behold, I have gained two more talents beside them. His lord said, Well done. Thou has been faithful over a few things. I will make thee ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of thy lord!

Then the servant who received the one talent came and said, Lord, I know that thou art a hard man who reaps where he has not sown and gathers where he has not toiled. I was afraid, so I hid thy talent in the earth. Here, now thou has what is thine.

His lord cried, Thou wicked and slothful servant. Thou knew that I reap where I sow not and gather where I do not toil. Thou ought to have, at least, put my money out to the exchangers so, upon my return, I should have received my own money with interest. Take the talent and give it to the one who has ten talents.

To the one who uses his talent wisely, more shall be given, and he shall have abundance. But to the one who does not, any talent he has shall be taken away. The unprofitable servant shall be cast into outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

When the Son of man comes with His holy angels, He shall sit upon the throne of His glory. Before Him shall be gathered all nations. He shall separate them one from another as a shepherd divides his sheep from his goats. He shall set the sheep on His right hand, and the goats on the left.

Then the King shall say to those on His right, Come, ye blessed of my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. For I was hungry and ye gave me food. I was thirsty and ye gave me drink. I was a stranger and ye took me in. I was naked and ye clothed me. I was sick and ye visited me. I was in prison and ye came to me.

Then the righteous shall ask Him, Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee? Or thirsty and gave thee drink? When did we see thee a stranger and take thee in? Or naked and clothe thee? When did we see thee sick, or in prison and come to thee? The King shall answer, Verily, I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of my brethren, ye have done it to me.

Then He shall say to those on the left, Depart from me into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. I was hungry and ye gave me no food. I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink. I was a stranger and ye did not take me in. I was naked and ye did not clothe me. I was sick and in prison and ye did not visit me.

Then they shall also ask Him, Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and not minister unto thee? He shall answer them, Inasmuch as ye did not do these things to one of the least of my brethren, ye did not do it to me. These shall go to everlasting punishment. And the righteous shall have life eternal.

26 It came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings He said to His disciples, In two days is the feast of the passover. The Son of man will be betrayed and crucified.

At the same time the chief priests, scribes, and elders of the people held a meeting in the palace of the high priest, Caiaphas. They discussed how they might take Jesus by stealth and kill Him. But they said, It cannot happen on the feast day lest there be an uproar among the people.

Jesus was now in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper. There He was approached by a woman carrying an alabaster box containing very precious ointment. She, then, annointed His head as He sat at dinner.

When His disciples saw it they were indignant and said, To what purpose is this waste? This ointment could have been sold for much and the money given to the poor. When Jesus overheard them He said, Why bother this woman? She has wrought a good work upon me. The poor ye have always with you; but me ye have not always. In annointing me, she prepared me for my burial. Anywhere in the world this gospel is preached it shall also be told what this woman has done.

Then, one of the twelve, Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests. He asked, What will ye give me if I will deliver Jesus unto you? They agreed on thirty pieces of silver and, from that time, Judas looked for an opportunity to betray Him.

On the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus and asked, Where shall we prepare for thee to eat the passover? Jesus told them to go into the city to a certain man and tell him that the Master says His time is at hand. Tell this man that He will keep the passover there with His disciples. Then the disciples did as Jesus had appointed and they prepared the passover.

When it was evening, Jesus sat down with the twelve. While they ate He said, Verily I say unto you, one of you shall betray me. The disciples heard this with great sorrow and, all at the same time uttered, Lord, is it me? Jesus only said, He that dips his hand in the dish with me shall betray me.

It is written: Woe unto the one by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It had been better for him if he had not been born. Then Judas, who betrayed Him, asked, Master, is it me? Jesus turned to him and quietly said, Thou has said right.

While they ate, Jesus took up the bread and blessed it. He then broke it and gave it to the disciples saying, Take this and eat for this is my body. Then He took the cup and gave thanks. He passed it to them saying, Drink ye all from this for this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins. I say unto you, I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it with you in my Father's kingdom. Following the meal, they sang hymns and went out into the mount of Olives.

Jesus said to the disciples, Ye shall all be offended this night because of me for it is written: I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But, after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

Peter said to Him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, I will never be offended. Jesus answered Peter, This night, before the cock crows, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter replied, Though I should die with thee, I will not deny thee. Then all the disciples said the same.

Jesus took them into a place called Gethsemane and said, Sit here while I go yonder to pray. He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him. He said to these three, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful and heavy unto death. Stay here and watch with me.

He went off a little farther and fell on His face. Jesus prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, be it not as I will, but as Thou wilt.

Then He went to the three disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, Could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray so ye do not give in to this temptation again because, while the spirit may be willing, the flesh is weak.

He went away a second time and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me unless I drink it, then Thy will be done. Returning to the three, He, again, found that they had been asleep for their eyes were heavy. He left them and went to pray a third time, saying the same words.

When Jesus went back to all the disciples He said, Behold, the hour is at hand. The Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. The one who betrays me is at hand.

While He spoke, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came with a great multitude. They were armed with swords and staves from the chief priests and elders of the people. Judas had agreed on a sign saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is He. Hold Him fast. Judas approached Jesus, greeted Him; then kissed Him. Jesus said to him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then they came and took hold of Jesus.

Behold, one who was with Jesus drew his sword, and, striking out at one of the high priest's servants, smote off his ear. Jesus said to him, Put thy sword back into its place. All who take to the sword shall perish by the sword. Think thou that I cannot pray to my Father and He shall give me more than twelve legions of angels? But, then, how shall the scriptures be fulfilled that this is the way it must be?