Part 21

011:044 Alas for you! for you are like the tombs which lie hidden, and the people who walk over them are not aware of their existence."

011:045 Hereupon one of the expounders of the Law exclaimed, "Rabbi, in saying such things you reproach us also."

011:046 "Alas too for you expounders of the Law!" replied Jesus, "for you load men with cumbrous burdens which you yourselves will not touch with one of your fingers.

011:047 Alas for you! for you repair the tombs of the Prophets, whom your forefathers killed.

011:048 It follows that you bear testimony to the actions of your forefathers and that you fully approve thereof. They slew, you build.

011:049 "For this reason also the Wisdom of God has said, `I will send Prophets and Apostles to them, of whom they will kill some and persecute others,'

011:050 so that the blood of all the Prophets, that is being shed from the creation of the world onwards, may be required from the present generation.

011:051 Yes, I tell you that, from the blood of Abel down to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the House, it shall all be required from the present generation.

011:052 "Alas for you expounders of the Law! for you have taken away the key of knowledge: you yourselves have not entered, and those who wanted to enter you have hindered."

011:053 After He had left the house, the Scribes and Pharisees commenced a vehement attempt to entangle Him and make Him give off-hand answers on numerous points,

011:054 lying in wait to catch some unguarded expression from His lips.

012:001 Meanwhile the people had come streaming towards Him by tens of thousands, so that they were trampling one another under foot. And now He proceeded to say to His disciples first, "Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, that is to say, beware of hypocrisy.

012:002 There is nothing that is covered up which will not be uncovered, nor hidden which will not become known.

012:003 Whatever therefore you have said in the dark, will be heard in the light; and what you have whispered within closed doors will be proclaimed from the house-tops.

012:004 "But to you who are my friends I say, "`Be not afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do nothing further.

012:005 I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who after killing has power to throw into Gehenna: yes, I say to you, fear him.

012:006 Are not five sparrows sold for a penny? and yet not one of them is a thing forgotten in God's sight.

012:007 But the very hairs on your heads are all counted. Away with fear: you are more precious than a multitude of sparrows.'

012:008 "And I tell you that every man who shall have acknowledged me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God.

012:009 But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.

012:010 "Moreover every one who shall speak against the Son of Man, may obtain forgiveness; but he who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will never obtain forgiveness.

012:011 And when they are bringing you before synagogues and magistrates and governors, do not anxiously ponder the manner or matter of your defence, nor what you are to say;

012:012 for the Holy Spirit shall teach you at that very moment what you must say."

012:013 Just then a man in the crowd appealed to Him. "Rabbi," he said, "tell my brother to give me a share of the inheritance."

012:014 "Man," He replied, "who has constituted me a judge or arbitrator over you?"

012:015 And to the people He said, "Take care, be on your guard against all covetousness, for no one's life consists in the superabundance of his possessions."

012:016 And He spoke a parable to them. "A certain rich man's lands," He said, "yielded abundant crops,

012:017 and he debated within himself, saying, "`What am I to do? for I have no place in which to store my crops.'