220

The Temple purged.

grow on thee henceforward for ever. And his disciples heard it. And presently the fig tree withered away.

And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money changers, and the seats of them that sold doves; and would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. And he taught daily in the temple. And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: and could not find what they might do: for they feared him, because all the people were very attentive to hear him, and were astonished at his doctrine. And when even was come, he went out of the city.

And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and

Christ's Discourse in the Temple. 221

shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses *.

Christ's Discourse with the Chief Priests, Scribes, and Elders in the Temple.

AND they come again to Jerusalem: and it came to pass, that as he was walking and taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders of the people, and spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? and who is he that gave thee this authority to do these things? And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, whence was it? was it

Matt. xxi. 12, 13. 18-22. Mark xi. 12-26. Luke xix. 45-48.

222

Parable of the Two Sons.

from heaven, or of men? answer me. And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him? But if we shall say, Of men, we fear the people; and all the people will stone us: for all hold John as a prophet. And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell whence it was. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

And he began to speak unto them by parables. Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vine

Parable of the wicked Husbandmen. 223

yard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time. And at the season when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and they beat him also, and wounded him in the head, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out, and killed him. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. Then the lord of the vineyard, having yet one son, his wellbeloved, said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him. He therefore sent him also last unto them. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance, and it shall be ours. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will come and

224 Parable of the Marriage Feast.

miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus saith, He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid. And he beheld them, and said, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and the scribes and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them, and the same hour sought to lay hands on him; but they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have