31. Then they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we say, From heaven, he will say, Why then did ye not believe him? 32. But if we say, Of men; they feared the people; for all men accounted John a prophet indeed. 33. So they said, We cannot tell. Then Jesus said to them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

CHAP. XII.

THE PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD.

He spoke again unto them by parables. A cer tain man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a place for a wine-fat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went in, to a far country. 2. And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, to receive its fruit, 3. But they took him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. 4. Again he sent to them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. 5. And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing others. 6. Having yet one son, well-beloved, he sent him also last to them, saying, They will reverence my son. 7. But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. 8. So they siezed him, killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard, 9. What therefore shall the Lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the husbandmen, and give the vineyard to others. 10. Have ye not read this scripture? The stone which the builders rejected, is become the head of the corner: (See Matt. xxi. 33.) 11. This is the Lord's doing, and it is wonderful in our eyes.

12. They sought to sieze him, but feared the people; for they knew that he spoke the parable against them. And they left him, and departed.

13. Then they sent to him some Pharisees and Herodians, to catch him in his words.

14. Who being come, said to him, Master, we know thou art true, and carest for no man, for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God truly; Is it lawful to give tribute to Cæsar, or not? 15. Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, Why tempt ye me? Bring me a penny to see it. 16. So they brought it; then he said to them, Whose is this image and inscription? They said, Cæsar's. 17. Then Jesus said to them, Render to Cæsar, the things that are Cæsar's, and to God the things that are God's; then they wondered at him.

18. Then came to him the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection; and asked him, saying, 19. Master, Moses wrote to us, If a man die, and leave his wife behind him, leaving no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed to him. 20. Now, there were seven brethren; and the first took a wife, and dying, left no seed. 21. And the second took her, and died without any seed: and the third likewise. 22. All the seven had her, and left no seed. Last of all the woman died also. 23. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife shall she be? for the seven had her to wife.

24. Then Jesus said, Ye err, not knowing the scriptures, neither the power of God? 25. For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels in hea ven. 26. But concerning the dead that they rise; have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake to him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? 27. He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Ye, therefore, greatly err. (See Matth. xxii. 23.)

28. Now one of the scribes came, and hearing them reasoning together, and perceiving that he answered them well, asked him, Which is the first command of all?

29. Then Jesus answered him, the first command of all is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first command. 31. And the second is like to it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other command greater than these.

32. Then the scribe said to him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth; for there is only one God; 33. And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all holocausts and sacrifices.

34. Now Jesus seeing he answered wisely, said to him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.

35. Now while Jesus taught in the temple, he said, How say the scribes that Christ is David's son. 36. For David himself said by the Holy Spirit, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou. at my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. 37. David, therefore, himself calleth him Lord: (as being the Son of God or the Messiah;) and how is he is son, (as being the Son of man.) And the multitude of the people heard him gladly.

38. Now he said to them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, who love to walk in long robes, and love salutations in the market places, 39. And the chief seats in the synagogue, and the chief places at feasts; 40. Who devour widows livings, (for which they are trustees), and for a shew of piety, make long prayers; therefore, they shall receive the greater damnation. :

41. Now Jesus sat opposite to the treasury, and

beheld how the people cast money into it; and many that were rich cast in much.

42. But a certain poor widow came, and cast in two mites, which make a farthing.

43. Then he called his disciples, and said to them, Verily I tell you, this poor widow hath cast in more than all the rest: 44. For they all cast in out of their abundance; but she in her want cast in all that she had, even all her substance.

CHAP. XIII. (See Matth. xxiv.)

THE TEMPLE'S DESTRUCTION FORETOld.

Now going out of the temple, one of his disciples saith to him, Master, see what kind of stones and buildings are here! 2. But Jesus answered, Thou seest these great buildings; there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down..

3. But as he sat on the mount of Olives, opposite to the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew, asked him privately, 4. Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when they shall be all finished.

5. Then Jesus replied, Beware, lest any man deceive you: 6. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 7. But when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be not troubled; for such things must be; but the end shall not be yet. 8. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be earthquakes in many places, and famines, and tumults; these are the beginnings of sorrows.

9. ¶ But take heed to yourselves; for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten; and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony a gainst them. 10. But the gospel must first be published among all nations. all nations. 11. But when they take

you, and deliver you up, take no thought before. hand what ye shall speak, nor premeditate; but whatever shall be given you in that hour, speak ye; for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Spirit.

12. Then one brother shall betray another to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise against their parents, and cause them be put to death. 13. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake; but he that endures to the end shall be saved.

14. But when ye see the desolating abomination, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, let him that readeth consider, then let them that be in Judea flee to the mountains; 15. And let not him that is on the house-top go down into the house, to take any thing out of it. 16. And let not him that is in the field turn back to take up his mantle.

17. But woe to the pregnant, and those that give suck in those days! 18. And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. 19. For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation, which God made until this time, neither shall be. 20. And except the Lord shortened those days, no flesh should be saved; but for the sake of his chosen, he will shorten them.

21. Then, if any say to you, Lo, Christ is here, or, lo, he is there; believe him not: 22. For false christs, and false prophets shall arise, and shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. 23. But take ye heed; lo, I have foretold you all things.

24. ¶ But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light; 25. And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers of heaven shall be shaken; 26. And then they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds, with great power and glory. 27. And then shall be send his angels, and gather together his e