And Jesus called the scribes unto him, and said unto them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan? And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and rob his goods, except he first bind the strong man? And then he will rob his house.

"He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathers not with me scatters abroad. Therefore I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven unto men. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

"O generation of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.

"But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned."

Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, "Master, we would see a sign from you."

But Jesus answered and said unto them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah: For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

"The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and, look, a greater than Jonah is here.

"The queen of Sheba shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the remotest parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, look, a greater than Solomon is here.

"When the evil spirit is gone out of a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return into my house from where I came out’; and when he is come, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then goes the evil spirit, and takes with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and live there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation."

And it came to pass, as Jesus spoke these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts which you have nursed."

But he said, "No rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it." There came then his brothers and his mother, and, standing outside, sent unto him, calling him. And the people sat about him, and they said unto him, "Look, your mother and your brothers…seek for you."

And Jesus answered them, saying, "Who is my mother, or my brothers?" And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, "Look my mother and my brothers! For whoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother."

No man, when he has lighted a candle, puts it in a secret place, neither under a basket, but on a candlestick, that they, which come in, may see the light. The light of the body is the eye: therefore your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light; but when your eye is evil, your body also is full of darkness. Take care therefore that the light, which is in you be not darkness. If your whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle…gives you light.

And as he spoke, a certain Pharisee requested Jesus to dine with him: and he went in, and reclined at the table. And when the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that Jesus had not first washed before dinner. And the Lord said unto him, "Now do you Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your soul is full of robbery and wickedness.

"You fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also? But rather give for charity of such things as you have; and look all things are clean unto you. But woe unto you, Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought you to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

"Woe unto you, Pharisees! For you love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them."

Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, "Master, thus saying you reproach us also."

And Jesus said, "Woe unto you also, you lawyers! For you load men with burdens grievous to be borne, and you yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. Woe unto you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. Truly you bear witness that you allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs. Therefore also said the wisdom of God, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall kill and persecute: That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zachariah, which perished between the altar and the temple’: truly I say unto you, it shall be required of this generation.

"Woe unto you, lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge: you entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in you hindered."

And as Jesus said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things: Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.

In the meantime, when there were gathered together an innumerable crowd of people, so much that they trampled one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, "Beware you of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatever you have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which you have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.

"And I say unto you my friends, be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear: Fear him, which after he has killed has power to cast into hell; yes, I say unto you, fear him.

"Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: you are of more value than many sparrows.

"Also I say unto you, whoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denies me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. And whoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemes against the Holy Spirit it shall not be forgiven.

And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take you no thought how or what thing you shall answer, or what you shall say: For the Holy Spirit shall teach you in the same hour what you ought to say.

And one of the company said unto him, "Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me."

And Jesus said unto him, "Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? …Take note, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consists not in the abundance of the things, which he possesses.

And Jesus spoke a parable unto the crowd, saying, "The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, because I have no room where to gather my fruits?’

"And the rich man said, ‘this will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I gather all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have much goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.’ But God said unto him, ‘you fool, this night your soul shall be required of you: then whose shall those things be, which you have provided?’ So is he that lay up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

And Jesus said unto his disciples, "Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what you shall eat; neither for the body, what you shall put on. The life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.

"Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them: how much more are you better than the birds? And which of you with taking thought can add to his life one hour? If you then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take you thought for the rest?

"Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothed the grass, which is today in the field, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith? And seek not you what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, neither be you of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knows that you have need of these things. But rather seek you the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

"Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have, and give charity; provide yourselves bags, which become not old, a treasure in the heavens that fail not, where no thief approaches, neither moth corrupts. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

"Let your body be dressed about, and your lights burning; and you yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he comes and knocks, they may open unto him immediately.

"Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he comes shall find watching: truly I say unto you, that he shall dress himself, and make them to recline at the table, and will come out and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

"And this know, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be you therefore ready also: for the Son of man comes at an hour when you think not."

REFERENCES

Mark 3:23-24; Matthew 12:29-45; Luke 11:27-28; Mark 3:31-35; Luke 11:33-54; Luke 12:1-40.

CHAPTER 69