The Jefferson Bible

The Life and Morals of Jesus

CHAPTER 4.

HEN he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.
    2 And he went round about the villages, teaching.

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
    4 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
    5 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
    6 Now one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat.
    7 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster vial of ointment,
    8 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
    9 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
    10 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.
    11 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
    12 And when they had nothing to pay, he graciously forgave them both. Which of them, therefore, will love him most?
    13 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
    14 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
    15 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
    16 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
    17 There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him.
    18 And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.
    19 And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, and my brethren?
    20 And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
    21 For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.
    22 In the mean time, when there were gathered together a multitude of many thousands of people, insomuch that they trod one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
    23 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.
    24 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have whispered in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.
    25 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.
    26 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
    27 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And yet not one of them is forgotten before God.
    28 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
    29 And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.
    30 But he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?
    31 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of all manner of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
    32 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
    33 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
    34 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
    35 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
    36 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
    37 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
    38 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Be not concerned for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for your body, what ye shall put on.
    39 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
    40 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and yet God feedeth them: of how much more value are ye than the fowls!
    41 And which of you with being concerned can add to his stature one cubit?
    42 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why are ye concerned for the rest?
    43 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
    44 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
    45And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of a concerned mind.
    46 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
    47 But rather seek ye his kingdom; and these things shall be added unto you also.
    48 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
    49 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth destroyeth.
    50 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
    51 Let your loins be girded about, and your lamps burning;
    52 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding feast; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.
    53 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.
    54 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
    55 And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would not have suffered his house to be broken into.
    56 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.
    57 Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or also unto all?
    58 And the Lord said, Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?
    59 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
    60 Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.
    61 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidservants, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;
    62 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder.
    63 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
    64 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
    65 And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.
    66 And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.
    67 Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this present time?
    68 And why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?
    69 While thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.
    70 I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.