THE LIFE OF CHRIST.

45

SECTION V.

From the Cure of the Paralytic, to the choosing of the Twelve Apostles.`

AND again he entered into Capernaum after some days and it was noised that he was in the house. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.

And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judæa, and Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

And behold, they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, lying on a bed, which was borne of four and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him. And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in, because of the multitude, and could not come nigh for

the press; they went upon the house-top, and they uncovered the roof where he was; and when they had broken it up, they let him down through the tiling, with his couch, into the midst before Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee: And behold, there were certain of the scribes sitting there, reasoning in their hearts; and the Pharisees began to reason, saying within themselves, This man blasphemeth: Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone? And immediately, when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, knowing their thoughts, he, answering, said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? And wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? for whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins: (Then saith he to the sick of the palsy) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. And immediately he rose up before them, and took up the bed whereon he lay, and went forth before them all, and departed to his own house, glorifying God, insomuch that, when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and were all amazed, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to-day; we never saw it on this fashion.

And they glorified God.

And after these things he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them. And as he passed by from

THE INFIRM MAN HEALED AT BETHESDA. 47

thence, he saw a man, a publican, named Levi, or Matthew, the son of Alphæus, sitting at the receipt of custom and he said unto him, Follow me. And he left all, rose up, and followed him.

After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is at Jerusalem, by the sheep-market, a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda *, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first, after the troubling of the water, stepped in, was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked and the same day was the sabbath. The Jews, therefore, said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath-day; it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?

he that was healed wist † not who it was

* Bethesda means House of Mercy.

+ Wist not means knew not.

And

for Jesus

had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. The man departed, and told the Jews

:

that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.

And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

Then answered Jesus and said unto them,

Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what He seeth the Father do : for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so

the Son quickeneth whom he will.

For the Father judgeth no man,

But hath committed all judgment unto the Son : That all men should honour the Son,

even as they honour the Father.

He that honoureth not the Son,

Honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

Verily, verily, I say unto you,

He that heareth my word,

And believeth on Him that sent me,

Hath everlasting life,

and shall not come into condemnation ;

HE ASSERTS THE DIGNITY OF HIS OFFICE. 49

But is passed from death unto life.
Verily, verily, I say unto you,

The hour is coming, and now is,
When the dead shall hear

the voice of the Son of God:

And they that hear shall live.

For as the Father hath life in himself;

so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also,

Because he is the Son of man.

Marvel not at this:

For the hour is coming, in the which

all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

And shall come forth;

They that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; And they that have done evil,

unto the resurrection of damnation.

I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.

There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.

But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that