Day 311

they were present at that season some who told him about the Galileans whose blood pilot had mingled with their sacrifices and Jesus answered and said to them do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered such things I tell you no but unless you repent you all likewise perish or those 18 on whom the tower of Siloam fell and killed them do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem I tell you no but unless you repent you all likewise perish he also spoke this parable a certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard and he came seeking fruit on it and found none then he said to the keeper of his vineyard look for three years I've come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none cut it down why does it use up the ground but he answered and said to him sir let it alone this year also until I dig around it and fertilize it and if it bears fruit well but if not after that you can cut down now he was teaching in one of the synagogue on the Sabbath and behold there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity 18 years and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up but when Jesus saw her he called her to him and said to her woman you are loosed from your infirmity and he laid his hands on her and immediately she was made straight and glorified God but the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath and he said to the crowd there are six days on which men ought to work therefore come and be healed on them and not on the Sabbath day the Lord then answered and said hypocrite does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it away to water it so ought not this woman being a daughter of Abraham whom Satan has bound think of it for 18 years be loosed from his bond on the Sabbath and when he said these things all his adversaries were put to shame and all the multitude rejoice for all the glorious things that were done by him then he said what is the kingdom of God like and what shall I compare it it is like a mustard seed which a man took and put in his garden and it grew and became a large tree and the birds of the air nested in its branches and again he said to what shall I like in the kingdom of God it is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened and he went through the cities and villages teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem then one said to him Lord are there few who are saved and he said to them strive to enter through the narrow gate for many I say to you will seek to enter and will not be able when once the master the house has risen up and shut the door and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door saying Lord Lord open for us and he will answer and say to you I do not know you where are you from then you'll begin to say we ate and drank in your presence and you talk in our streets but he will say I tell you I do not know you where are you from depart from me all you workers of iniquity there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and yourselves thrust out they will come from the east and from the west from the north and the south and sit down in the kingdom of God and indeed there are last who will be first and there are first who will be last on that very day some Pharisees came saying to him get out and depart from here for Herod wants to kill you and he said to them go tell that fox behold I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow and the third day I shall be perfected nevertheless I must journey today tomorrow and the day following for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem oh Jerusalem Jerusalem the one who killed the prophets and stones those who were sent to her how often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings but you were not willing see your house is left to you desolate and assuredly I say to you you shall not see me until the time comes when you say blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord now it happened as he went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath that they watched him closely and behold there was a certain man before him who had dropsy and Jesus answering spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees saying is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath but they kept silent and he took him and healed him and let him go then he answered them saying which of you having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day and they could not answer him regarding these things so he told a parable to those who were invited when he noted how they chose the best places saying to them when you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast do not sit down in the best place lest one more honorable than you be invited by him and he who invited you and him come and say to you give place to this man and then you began with shame to take the lowest place but when you are invited go and sit down in the lowest place so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you friend go up higher then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you for whoever exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted then he also said to him who invited him when you give a dinner or supper do not ask your friends your brothers your relatives nor rich neighbors lest they also invite you back and you'll be repaid but when you give a feast invite the poor the maimed the lame the blind and you'll be blessed because they cannot repay you for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just now when one of those who sat at the table with him heard these things he said to him blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God then he said to him a certain man gave a great supper and invited many and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited come for all things are now ready but they all with one accord began to make excuses the first said to him i bought a piece of ground and i must go and see it i ask you to have me excused and another said i bought five yoke of oxen and i'm going to test them i ask you to have me excused still another said i've married a wife and therefore i cannot come so that servant came and reported these things to his master then the master of the house being angry said to his servant go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind and the servant said master it is done as you commanded and still there is room then the master said to the servant go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in that my house may be filled for i say to you that none of those men who are invited shall taste my supper now great multitudes went with him and he turned and said to them if anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother wife and children brothers and sisters yes in his own life also he cannot be my disciple and whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple for which of you intending to build a tower does not sit down first and count the cost whether he has enough to finish it lest after he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish it all who see it begin to mock him saying this man began to build and was not able to finish or what king going to make war against another king does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with 10,000 to meet him who comes against him with 20,000 or else while the other is still a great way off he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace so likewise whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be my disciple salt is good but if the salt has lost its flavor how shall it be seasoned it is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill but men throw it out he who has ears to hear let him hear then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to him to hear him and the Pharisees and scribes complained saying this man receives sinners and eats with them so he spoke this parable to them saying what man of you having a hundred sheep if he loses one of them does not leave the 99 in the wilderness and go after the one which is lost until he finds it and when he has found it he lays it on his shoulders rejoicing and when he comes home he calls together his friends and neighbors saying to them rejoice with me for I found my sheep which was lost I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 just persons who need no repentance or what woman having ten silver coins if she loses one does not light a lamp sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it and when she has found it she calls her friends and neighbors together saying rejoice with me for I found the peace which I lost likewise I say to you there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents they said a certain man had two sons and the younger of them said to his father father give me the portion of goods that falls to me so he divided it in his livelihood and not many days after the younger son gathered all together journey to a far country and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living but when he had spent all there arose a severe famine in that land and he began to be unwont then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country and he sent him into his fields to feed swine and he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate and no one gave him anything but when he came to himself he said how many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare and I perish with hunger I will arise and go to my father and will say to him father I have sinned against heaven and before you and I am no longer worthy to be called your son make me like one of your hired servants and he arose and came to his father but when he was still a great way off his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him and the son said to him father I have sinned against heaven and in your sight and I no longer worthy to be called your son but the father said to his servants bring out the best robe and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet and bring the fatted calf here and kill it and let us eat and be married for this my son was dead and is alive again he was lost and is found and they began to be married now his old son was in the field and as he came and drew near to the house he heard music and dancing so he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant and he said to him your brother has come and because he has received him safe and sound your father has killed the fatted calf but he was angry and would not go in therefore his father came out and pleaded with him so he answered and said to his father lo these many years I have been serving you I never transgressed your commandment at any time and yet you never gave me a young goat that I might make merry with my friends but as soon as this son of yours came who has devoured your livelihood with harlots you killed the fatted calf for him and he said to him son you are always with me and all that I have is yours it was right that we should make merry and be glad for your brother was dead and is alive again and was lost and is found he also said to his disciples it was a certain rich man who had a steward and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods so he called him and said to him what is this I hear about you give an account of your stewardship for you can no longer be steward then the steward said within himself what shall I do for my master is taking the stewardship away from me I cannot dig I am ashamed to beg I have resolved what to do that when I am put out of the stewardship they may receive me into their houses so he called every one of his masters debtors to him and said to the first how much do you owe my master and he said a hundred measures of oil so he said to him take your bill and sit down quickly and write fifty then he said to another and how much do you owe so he said a hundred measures of wheat and he said him take your bill and write eighty so the master committed the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly but the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light and I say to you make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon that when you fail they may receive you into an everlasting home he who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon who will commit to your trust the true riches and if you have not been faithful in what is another man's who will give you what is your own no servant can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other you cannot serve god and mammon now the pharisees who were lovers of money also heard all these things and they derided him and he said to them you are those who justify yourselves before men but god knows your hearts for what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of god the law and the prophets were until john since that time the kingdom of god has been preached and everyone is pressing into it and it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away and for one tittle of the law of fail whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery there was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day but there was a certain beggar named lazarus full of sores who was laid at his gate desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table moreover the dogs came and licked his sores so it was that the beggar died and he was carried by the angels to abraham's bosom the rich man also died and was buried and being in torments in hades he lifted up his eyes and saw abraham afar off and lazarus in his bosom then he cried and said father abraham have mercy on me and send lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for i am tormented in this flame but abraham said son remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and likewise lazarus evil things but now he is comforted and you are tormented and besides all this between us and you there is a great goal fixed so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot nor can those from there pass to us then he said i beg you therefore father that you would send him to my father's house for i have five brothers that he may testify to them lest they also come to this place of torment abraham said to him they have moses and the prophets let them hear them and he said no father abraham but if one goes to them from the dead they will repent but he said to him if they do not hear moses and the prophets neither will they be persuaded the one rise from the dead