CH. IV. Now Jesus returned from Jordan, full of the holy

spirit, and was led by the spirit into the desert forty days, 2 being tempted by the devil. And in those days he ate nothing and, when they were ended, he [afterward] 3 hungered. And the devil said unto him, "If thou be the son of God, command that this stone become bread." 4 And Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” 5 And [the devil] brought him to a high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the earth in a moment of 6 time. And the devil said unto him, "All this power I will give thee, and the glory of them: for it is delivered 7 unto me, and to whomsoever I will I give it. If there8 fore thou wilt worship me, it shall all be thine." And Je

sus answered him, and said, "It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only thou shalt 9 serve.'" And the devil brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a wing of the temple, and said unto him, “If thou be a son of God, cast thyself down from this place : 10 for it is written, He shall give his ángels charge over 11 thee to preserve thee: and on their hands they shall bear 12 thee up, lest thou strike thy foot against a stone." And

Jesus answered, and said unto him, "It is commanded, 13 Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God."" And when the devil had ended all his temptation, he departed from him for a time.

14

And Jesus returned, with the power of the spirit, into Galilee; and there went out a fame of him through all 15 the country round about. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

16

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up and, as his custom was, he entered into the syna

* A visionary scene; supernaturally presented to the mind of Christ, to instruct him in the proper use of his miraculous powers. See note on Matt, iv. i.

+"Get thee behind me, Satan, for," R. T.

the son, N.

17 gogue on the sabbath; and stood up to read.

And the

book of the prophet Isaiah was delivered to him.

And,

when he had opened the book, he found the place where 18 it was written, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me, inasmuch as he hath anointed me to preach glad tidings to the poor; he hath sent me to proclaim deliverance to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at 19 liberty those that are bruised, to proclaim the acceptable 20 year of the Lord." And he closed the book, and gave it again to the attendant †, and sat down. And the eyes of all those that were in the synagogue were fastened on 21 him. Then he began to say unto them, "To-day this 22 part of scripture is fulfilled in your ears." And all gave him their testimony, and wondered at the graceful words which proceeded out of his mouth, and said, "Is not this 23 the son of Joseph ?" And he said unto them, "Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself:' whatsoever things we have heard done in Ca24 pernaum, do here also in thine own country." He said also, "Verily I say unto you, No prophet is acceptable 25 in his own country. But I tell you in truth, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah; when the heaven was shut up for three years and six months, when 26 there was a great famine throughout all the land; but to

none of them was Elijah sent, except to Sarepta, a city of 27 Sidon, to a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elishah; and none of 28 them was cleansed, except Naaman the Syrian." And

all in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were 29 filled with wrath; and rose up, and drove him out of the

city, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. 30 But he passed through the midst of them, and departed.

* to heal the broken-hearted, N. and R. T. But these words are wanting in the Vat. Camb. and other MSS; and are left out of GriesbachTM text.

↑ officer, N.

31

And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee ; 32 and taught them on the sabbath. And they were amazed 33 at his doctrine for his word was with authority.

And

in the synagogue was a man that had a spirit of an un34 clean demon *; and he cried out with a loud voice, say

ing, "Ah! what have we to do with thee †, thou Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to destroy us? I know who 35 thou art; the Holy One of God." Then Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him.”. And when the demon had thrown him in the midst, he came 36 out of the man, and hurt him not. And all were struck with astonishment, and spake among themselves, saying, "What word is this? for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out." 37 And a report of him went abroad into every place of the country round about.

38 And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. Now the mother of Simon's wife was seized with a great fever; and they besought him for her. 39 And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her and forthwith she arose and ministered to them. 40 Now when the sun was setting, all those that had any sick with various diseases, brought them to him and he

:

:

put his hands on every one of them, and cured them. 41 And demons also came out of many, crying out, and say

42

ing, "Thou art the Son of God f." But he rebuked them, and suffered them not to say that || they knew that he was the Christ.

And when it was day, he went out, and departed into a desert place; and the multitudes sought him, and came

He was raving mad, and fancied himself possessed by a demon; which was the current opinion of the age. He believed, as many then did, that Jesus was the Messiah, or a great prophet; and addresses him as such: and Jesus replies to him in the popular language, in conformity to the ideas and feelings of the maniac. See Farmer on Demon. c. ii, sec. 1.,

+ Or, What hast thea to do with us.

Suffered them not to speak: for etc. N.

the Christ, the Son of God. R. T. See Farm. ibid. p. 249.

to him, and would have detained him, that he might not 43 depart from them. But he said unto them, "I must

preach the glad tidings of the kingdom of God to other 44 cities also: for therefore I am sent." And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.

CH. V. Now it came to pass that, when the multitude press

ed on him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake 2 of Gennesaret, and saw two ships standing by the lake : but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were wash3 ing their nets. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and besought him that he would launch out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught 4 the multitudes out of the ship. And when he had ceased speaking, he said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep, 5 And let down your nets for a draught." And Simon answered and said unto him, "Master, we have laboured during all the night, and have taken nothing nevertheless, at thy 6 word I will let down the net." And when they had done this, they enclosed a great number of fishes: and their net 7 almost brake. And they beckoned to their partners who were in the other ship, that they might come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that 8 they almost sank. And when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus's knees, saying, "Depart from me, Lord, 9 for I am a sinner." For astonishment seized him, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which 10 they had taken and in like manner it seized James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Fear not; henceforth 11 thou shalt catch men." And when they had brought their ships to land, they left all, and followed him.

12

:

And it came to pass when he was near to a certain city, behold, a man full of leprosy who when he saw

*in, N. but a leper might not reside within a city. Matt. viii. 2. This person met Jesus immediately after his descent from the mount.

Jesus, fell on his face, and entreated him, saying, “Sir, 13 if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean." And Jesus stretched forth his hand, and touched him, saying, “I will Be thou made clean." And immediately the le14 prosy departed from him. And Je us commanded him

to tell no man: "but go, show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing as Moses commanded; for a testi15 mony unto them." But a fame went abroad so much the more of him and great multitudes came together to hear 16 him, and to be cured by him of their infirmities. But he withdrew into desert places, and prayed.

17

:

And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come from every town of Galilee, and from Judea, and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was hresent to heal those who had diseases*. 18 And, behold, men brought on a bed one that was sick of the palsy and they sought how to bring him in, and 19 to place him before Jesus. And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in, because of the multitude, they went up to the roof, and let him down through the tiling, with his couch, into the midst 20 before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said, 21

Man, thy sins are forgiven thee." Then the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this that speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but 22 God alone?" But when Jesus perceived their reasonings,

he answered and said unto them, "Why reason ye in 23 your hearts? Which is easier? to say, 'Thy sins are for24 given thee :" or to say, 'Arise and walk?' But that

ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said to the sick of the palsy,) 'I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go to thine

To cure the people, N. See Symonds's Obs, p. 24.

+ See Campbell: they went up to the house-top, and let him down through the tiles, N.