1. 17

Me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. And straightway they left the nets and followed Him. And going on a little further He saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending the nets, and straightway He called them. And they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and went after Him.

And they go into Capernaum. And straightway on the sabbath day He entered into the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as having authority and not as the scribes. And straightway there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, saying, What wilt Thou have of us, Thou Jesus of Nazareth? art Thou come to destroy us? I know Thee who Thou art, the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Be still and come out of him. And the unclean spirit, tearing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What is this? a new teaching: with authority He commandeth even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him. And the report of Him went out straightway everywhere into all the region of Galilee round about. And straight

way when they were come out of the synagogue they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and straightway they tell Him of her. And He came and took her by the hand and raised her up; and the fever left her, and she ministered unto them. And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto Him all that were sick and them that were demoniacs and all the city was

I. 33

gathered together at the door. And He healed many that were sick with divers diseases, and cast out many demons, and He suffered not the demons to speak, because they knew Him to be Christ. And in the morning, a great while before day, He rose up and went out and departed into a desert place, and there was praying. And Simon and they that were with Him followed after Him, and they found Him and say unto Him, All are seeking Thee. And He saith unto them, Let us go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also, for to this end came I forth. And He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons.

And there cometh to Him a leper beseeching Him and kneeling down to Him and saying unto Him, If Thou art willing, Thou canst make me clean. And being moved with compassion He stretched forth His hand and touched him and saith unto him, I am willing, be thou made clean. And straightway the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean. And He sternly charged him and straightway drave him out, and saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man, but go shew thyself to the priest and offer for thy cleansing the things which Moses commanded, that they may have evidence that a leper hath been cleansed. But he went out and began to publish it much and to spread abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was without in desert places and they came to Him from every quarter.

PART 2.

THE SON OF GOD IN CONFLICT-OPPOSITION RAPIDLY GROWING INTO DEADLY ENMITY.

Conflict with Unbelief in Forgiveness. His Power over the Past, in Remission-Conflict with Unbelief in the Redemption of the Sinful: His Power over the Present and Future, in New Life for Men-Conflicts with Narrow and Inhuman Traditionalism: His Power over the Sabbath in Cases of Necessity and Mercy— Pharisees and Herodians Lay aside their Enmity to Conspire His Destruction. 2. 1-3. 6.

AND when He entered again into Capernaum after some days it was noised that He was in the house and many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, no, not even about the door, and He spake the word unto them. And they come, bringing unto Him a man sick of the palsy, borne by four. And when they could not bring him unto Him for the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was, and when they had broken it up they let down the bed whereon the sick of the palsy lay. And Jesus seeing their faith saith unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins are forgiven. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak? he blasphemeth who can forgive sins but God alone? And straightway Jesus, perceiving in His spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, saith unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is easier, to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins are forgiven, or to say, Arise and take up thy bed and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of Man hath authority to forgive sins on earth--He saith to the sick of the palsy, I say unto thee, Arise, take up thy bed and go unto thy house. And he arose and straightway took up

2. 12

the bed and went forth before them all; insomuch that they are all amazed and glorify God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.

And He went forth again by the sea-side; and all the multitude resorted unto Him, and He taught them. And as He passed by He saw Levi the son of Alphæus sitting at the place of toll, and He saith unto him, Follow Me. And he arose and followed Him. And it came to pass that He was sitting at meat in Levi's house, and many tax-gatherers and sinners sat down. with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many and they followed Him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that He was eating with the sinners and tax-gatherers, said unto His disciples, Doth He eat with tax-gatherers and sinners? And when Jesus heard it, He saith unto them, They that are strong, have no need of a physician, but they that are sick I came not to call the righteous' but sinners. And John's disciples and the Pharisees were keeping a fast. And they come and say unto Him, Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the sons of the bride-chamber fast while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast but days will come when the bridegroom shall have been taken away from them, and then will they fast in that day. No man seweth a patch of undressed cloth on an old garment: else that which should fill it up teareth from it, the new from the old, and a worse rent is made. And no man putteth new wine into old wine-skins: else the wine will burst the skins, and the wine perisheth and the skins; but new wine into fresh wine-skins.

2.23

And it came to pass that He was going on the sabbath day through the fields of standing grain, and His disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of grain. And the Pharisees said unto Him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful? And He said unto them, Did ye never read what David did when he had need and was an hungred, he and they that were with him? How he entered into the house of God, when Abiathar was high-priest, and did eat the shewbread, which it is not lawful to eat save for the priests, and gave also to them that were with him? And He said unto them, The sabbath was made for man and not man for the sabbath so that the Son of Man is Lord even of the sabbath. And He entered again into the synagogue, and there was a man there who had his hand withered and they watched Him whether He would heal him on the sabbath day, that they might accuse Him. And He saith unto the man that had his hand withered, Stand forth. And He saith unto them, Is it lawful on the sabbath day to do good or to do harm, to save a life or to kill? But they held their peace. And when He had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved at the hardening of their heart, He saith unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand: and he stretched it forth, and his hand was restored. And the Pharisees went out and straightway with the Herodians took counsel against Him, how they might destroy Him.