Part 2 (1/2)

Have ye still hardened hearts? Having eyes, see ye not? And having ears, hear ye not? And do ye not remember when I broke the five loaves among five thousand and how many baskets full of fragments ye took up?

And do ye not remember the seven loaves among four thousand and how many baskets full of fragments ye took up? After they recalled the numbers and told Him, Jesus said, Then how can it be that ye do not understand?

At Bethsaida some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and besought Him to touch the man. He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. When He had spit on the man's eyes and put His hands upon him, Jesus asked the man if he saw anything. The man looked up and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that Jesus put His hands again upon his eyes then made him look up. Now he was restored and saw every man clearly. Jesus sent him away to his house saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.

Jesus and His disciples went out into the towns of Caesarea Philippi.

Along the way He asked His disciples, Who do men say that I am? They answered, Some say John the Baptist, but some say Elias, and others say one of the prophets. Then Jesus said to them, But who do you say that I am? Peter answered, Thou art the Christ. Jesus charged them to tell no man of Him. Then He began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things; that He must be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and scribes; and that He must be killed and, after three days, rise again.

Jesus said all this very openly to His disciples. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But Jesus turned around, looked at His disciples, and rebuked Peter saying, Get behind me, Satan. Thou savor not the things of G.o.d, but the things of men.

Now, along with His disciples, He called the people to Him also and said, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it. Whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Whosoever, therefore, shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; the Son of man shall be ashamed of him also when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels. Verily I say to you, There are some who stand here who shall not taste of death until they have seen the kingdom of G.o.d come into power.

9 After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John up into a high mountain and there He was transfigured before them. His raiment became s.h.i.+ning and, exceeding the white of snow, such as nothing on earth could be more white. And there appeared Elias and Moses. They were talking with Jesus. Peter said, Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias.

Peter did not know what else to say because they were afraid. But, quickly, a cloud overshadowed them and a voice came out of the cloud saying, This is my beloved Son. Hear Him.

Then, suddenly, when they looked around, they saw only Jesus. Coming down from the mountain Jesus instructed them to tell no man what things they had seen until the Son of man had risen from the dead.

Among themselves they questioned eachother about what the rising from the dead could mean. Then they asked Him if it was not so what the scribes said that Elias must come first?

Jesus answered them, Verily, Elias comes first and restores all things. And it is also written that the Son of man must suffer many things and be set at nought. However, I say to you, Elias is indeed come and they have done to him exactly what was written.

As He approached the disciples, He saw a great mult.i.tude gathered about them. And He saw that there were scribes questioning them. Then, when they beheld Him, all the people were greatly amazed and immediately ran to salute Him.

Jesus asked the scribes, Why question them? And one of the mult.i.tude answered, Master, I have brought my son who has a dumb spirit.

Wherever he takes him he tears him. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and wastes away. I spoke to thy disciples and they could not cast him out. Jesus stepped forward and cried, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? Bring him to me.

As soon as Jesus looked at him, the spirit immediately tore forth. The boy fell on the ground wallowing in foam. Jesus asked the father when this came upon the son. The man answered, As a child. Often it has cast him into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if thou can do anything, have compa.s.sion on us and help us.

Jesus said to the man, If thou can believe, all things are possible to him that believes. Immediately, with tears flowing, the father of the child cried out, Lord, I believe. Help thou my unbelief.

Then Jesus rebuked the foul spirit and said, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him. Enter into him no more. The spirit cried, lashed out, and then came out of him. The boy lay so still that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, lifted him up and he arose. After Jesus went inside, His disciples asked Him privately, Why could we not cast him out? He said to them, This kind can only come forth by prayer and fasting.

Then they departed and pa.s.sed through Galilee without notice for He taught His disciples and said, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men. They shall kill Him. After He is killed, He shall arise on the third day.

They did not understand these words but were afraid to ask Him. Once they got safely inside the house at Capernaum, Jesus asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves along the way?

They were silent because, on the way back, they had disputed who among themselves should be the greatest. Jesus then sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all and servant of all. Then He took a child and set him in the midst of them. As He took the child in His arms, He said to them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receives me. And whosoever shall receive me, receives not me, but Him that sent me.

Then John said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, but he does not follow us so we forbad him because he does not follow us.

But Jesus said, Forbid him not. There is no man who shall do a miracle in my name that can lightly speak evil of me. He that is not against us is on our part. Whosoever shall give to drink a cup of water in my name, because ye belong to Christ, shall not lose his reward. And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

If thy hand offend thee, cut it off. It is better for thee to enter into life maimed than to have two hands and go into h.e.l.l where the worm does not die and the fire is never quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off. It is better for thee to enter halt into life than to have two feet to be cast into h.e.l.l where the worm does not die and the fire is never quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out. It is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of G.o.d with one eye than to have two eyes to be cast into h.e.l.l fire. For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is good. But if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.

10 From there Jesus went into the coasts of Judaea by way of the far side of Jordan. He was met by a large crowd who wanted to hear Him speak and He taught them again.

The Pharisees came to Him, and, testing Him, asked, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? In return, Jesus asked, What did Moses command you?