The first New Testament printed in English · Chapter 37The gospell of Saynct Mathew (4)
This chapter is not translated yet. You are reading the original.
And when the ten heard this, they disdained at the two brethren. But Iesus called them unto him, and said: Ye know, that the lords of the gentiles have domination over them. And they that are great, exercise power over them. It shall not be so among you: But whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister, and whosoever will be chief, let him be your servant. Even as the son of man came, not to be ministered unto, but to minister: and to give his life for the redemption of many.
And as they departed from Hiericho, much people followed him. And behold, two blind men sitting by the wayside, when they heard, that Iesus passed by, cried saying: Master the son of David have mercy on us. And the people rebuffed them, because they should hold their peace: But they cried the more, saying: have mercy on us master which art the son of David. Then Iesus stood still, and called them, and said: what will ye that I should do to you? They said unto him: Master, that our eyes may be opened. Iesus pitied them, and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight: And they followed him.
The .xxj. Chapter.
When they drew nigh unto Ierusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto mount Olivet, then sent Iesus two of his disciples, saying to them: Go into the town that lieth over against you, and anon ye shall find an ass bound, and her colt with her, loose them and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, say ye that your master hath need of them, and straight way he will let them go. All this was done, to fulfil that which was spoken by the prophet, saying: Tell ye the daughter of Sion: behold thy king cometh unto thee meek, sitting upon an ass and a colt, the foal of an ass used to the yoke. The disciples went, and did as Iesus commanded them, and brought the ass and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and set him thereon. Many of the people spread their garments in the way. Other cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. Moreover the people that went before, and they also that came after, cried saying: Hosianna to the son of David. Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the lord, Hosianna in the highest.
And when he was come into Ierusalem, all the city was moved, saying: who is this? And the people said: this is Iesus the prophet of Nazareth a city of Galilee. And Iesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that bought and sold in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves. And said to them: it is written, mine house shall be called the house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves. And the blind and the halt came to him in the temple, and he healed them.
When the chief priests and scribes saw, the marvels that he did, and the children crying in the temple and saying, Hosianna to the son of David, they disdained, and said unto him: hearest thou what these say? Iesus said unto them: have ye never read, of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast ordained praise? And he left them, and went out of the city unto Bethany, and passed the time there.
In the morning as he returned into the city again, he hungered, and spied a fig tree in the way, and came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said to it, never fruit grow on thee hence forwards. And anon the fig tree withered away. And when his disciples saw that, they marvelled saying: How soon is the fig tree withered away? Iesus answered, and said unto them: Verily I say unto you, if ye shall have faith, and shall not doubt, ye shall not only do that which I have done to the fig tree: but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, take thyself away, and cast thyself into the sea, it shall be done. And whatsoever thing ye shall ask in your prayers if ye believe, ye shall receive it.
And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the seniors of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said: by what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this power? Iesus answered, and said unto them: I also will ask of you a certain question, which if ye assoil me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. Whence was the baptism of Ihon? from heaven, or of men? And they thought in themselves, saying: if we shall say, from heaven, he will say unto us: why did ye not then believe him? But and if we shall say of men, then fear we the people. For all men held Ihon as a prophet. And they answered Iesus, and said: we cannot tell. He likewise said unto them: neither tell I you by what authority I do these things. What say ye to this? A certain man had ij sons, and came to the elder saying: go and work today in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward repented and went. Then came he to the second, and said likewise, and he answered and said: I will sir: yet went he not. Whether of these ij fulfilled their father's will? And they said unto him: the first. Iesus said unto them: verily I say unto you, that the publicans and the harlots shall come into the kingdom of God before you. For Ihon came unto you, in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not. But the publicans and the whores believed him. But ye (though ye saw it) yet were not moved with repentance, that ye might afterward have believed him.
Hearken another similitude. There was a certain householder, which set a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and made a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a strange country. And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, to receive the fruits of it, and the husbandmen caught his servants, and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants more than the first, and they served them likewise. But last of all, he sent unto them his own son, saying: they will fear my son. When the husbandmen saw his son, they said among themselves: This is the heir, come on let us kill him, and let us take his inheritance to ourselves. And they caught him and thrust him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord of the vineyard cometh: what will he do with those husbandmen? They said unto him: he will evil destroy those evil persons, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall deliver him his fruit at times convenient.
Iesus said unto them: did ye never read in the scriptures? The same stone which the builders refused, is set in the principal part of the corner: this was the lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. Therefore say I unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and shall be given to the Gentiles which shall bring forth the fruits of it. And whosoever shall fall on this stone, shall be alto broken. And whosoever this stone shall fall upon, he shall grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and pharisees heard these similitudes they perceived that he spake of them. And they went about to lay hands on him, but they feared the people, because they counted him as a prophet.
The .xxij. Chapter.
And Iesus answered and spake unto them again, in similitudes, saying:
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain King, which married his son, and sent forth his servants, to call them that were bid to the wedding, and they would not come. Again he sent forth other servants, saying: tell them which are bidden: Lo I have prepared my dinner, mine oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready, come unto the marriage. They made light of it, and went their ways: one to his firm place, another about his merchandise, the remnant took his servants and intreated them ungoodly, and slew them. When the king heard that, he was wroth, and sent forth his warriors and destroyed those murderers, and burnt up their city.
Then said he to his servants: The wedding was prepared: but they which were bidden thereto, were not worthy. Go ye therefore out into the highways, and as many as ye find, bid them to the marriage. The servants went out into the ways, and gathered together as many as they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding was furnished with guests. The king came in, to visit the guests, and spied there a man which had not on a wedding garment, and said unto him: friend, how camest thou in hither, and * hast not on a wedding garment? and he was even speechless. Then said the king to his ministers: take and bind him hand and foot, and cast him into utter darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called and few be chosen.
Then went the pharisees and took counsel, how they might tangle him in his words. And sent unto him their disciples with Herod's servants, saying: Master, we know that thou art true, and that thou teachest the way of God truly, neither carest for any man, for thou considerest not men's estate. Tell us therefore: how thinkest thou? is it lawful to give tribute unto Cesar, or not? Iesus perceived their wickedness, and said: Why tempt ye me ye hypocrites? let me see the tribute money. And they took him a penny. And he said unto them: whose is this image and superscription? They said unto him: Cesar's. Then said he unto them: Give therefore to Cesar, that which is Cesar's: and give unto God, that which is God's. When they heard that they marvelled, and left him and went their way.
The same day the sadducees came to him (which say that there is no resurrection) and they asked him saying: Master, Moses bade, if a man die having no children, that the brother marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. There were with us seven brethren, the first married and died without issue, and left his wife unto his brother. Likewise the second and the third, unto the seventh: Last of all the woman died also. Now in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the vij? for all had her. Iesus answered and said unto them: ye are deceived, and know not what the scripture meaneth, nor yet the virtue of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are married: but are as the angels of God in heaven.
As touching the resurrection of the dead: have ye not read what is said unto you of God, which sayeth: I am Abraham's God, and Isaac's God, and the God of Iacob? God is not the God of the dead: but of the living. And when the people heard that, they were astonied at his doctrine.
When the pharisees had heard, how that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they drew to gether, and one of them which was a doctor of law asked him a question tempting him and saying: Master which is the great commandment in the law? Iesus said unto him: thou shalt love thy lord God with all thine heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and that great commandment. And there is another like unto this. Thou shalt love thine neighbor as thyself. In these two commandments, hang all the law and the prophets.
While the pharisees were gathered together Iesus asked them saying: what think ye of Christ? whose son is he? they said unto him: the son of David. He said unto them: how then doth David in spirit call him lord, saying? The lord said to my lord, sit on my right hand: till I make thine enemies thy footstool. If David call him lord: how is he then his son? And none of them could answer him again one word. Neither durst any from that day forth, ask him any more questions.
The .xxiij. Chapter.
Then spake Iesus to the people, and to his disciples, saying: The scribes and the pharisees sit in Moses' seat, whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do: but after their works do not: for they say, and do not. Yea and they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders: but they themselves will not heave them with one finger. All their works they do, for to be seen of men. They set abroad their phylacteries, and make large borders on their garments, and love to sit uppermost at feasts, and to have the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets and to be called of men Rabbi.
But ye shall not suffer yourselves to be called Rabbi, for one is your master, that is to wit Christ, and all ye are brethren. And call ye no man your father upon the earth, for one is your father, and he is in heaven. Be not called masters, for one is your master, and he is Christ. He that is greatest among you, shall be your servant. But whosoever exalteth himself, shall be brought low. And he that submiteth himself, shall be exalted.
Woe be unto you scribes and pharisees dissemblers, for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven before men: ye yourselves go not in, neither suffer ye them that come to enter in.
Woe be unto you scribes and pharisees, for ye devour widows' houses, and that under a colour of praying long prayers, wherefore ye shall receive greater damnation.
Woe be unto you scribes and pharisees hypocrites, for ye compass sea and land, to bring one into your belief: and when ye have brought him ye make him two fold more the child of hell, than ye yourselves are.
Woe be unto you blind guides, for ye say: whosoever swear by the temple, it is nothing: but whosoever swear by the gold of the temple, he is debtor. Ye fools and blind? whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold. And whosoever sweareth by the altar it is nothing: but whosoever sweareth by the offering that lieth on the altar is debtor. Ye fools and blind: whether is greater the offering, or the altar which sanctifieth the offering? whosoever therefore sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all that thereon is. And whosoever sweareth by the temple sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that sweareth by heaven, sweareth by the seat of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
Woe be to you scribes and pharisees dissemblers, for ye tithe mint, annise, and cummin, and leave the weightier matters of the law undone: judgement, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to have left the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel.
Woe be to you scribes and pharisees hypocrites, for ye make clean the outer side of the cup, and of the platter: but within they are full of bribery and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first, that which is within the cup and the platter, that the outside may also be clean.
Woe be to you scribes, and pharisees hypocrites, for ye are like unto painted tombs which appear beautiful outwards: but are within full of dead men's bones and of all filthiness. So are ye, for outward ye appear righteous unto men, when within ye are full of dissimulation and iniquity.
Woe be unto you scribes and pharisees hypocrites, for ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchers of just men, and say: If we had been in our fathers' time, we would not have been partners with them in the blood of the prophets. So are ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them, which killed the prophets. Fulfil ye likewise the measure of your fathers: ye {yee} serpents and generation of vipers, how shall ye scape the damnation of hell?
Wherefore behold I send unto you, prophets wise men and scribes, and of them some shall ye kill and crucify, and some shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city, that all righteous blood may fall upon you, which was shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel, unto the blood of Zacharias the son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar: Verily I say unto you, all these things shall light upon this generation. Hierusalem Hierusalem which killest prophets, and stonest them which are sent to thee: how often would I have gathered thy children together, as the hen gathereth her chickens under her wings? but ye would not? behold your habitation shall be left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, ye shall not see me henceforth, till that ye say: blessed is he that cometh in the name of the lord.
The .xxiiij. Chapter.
And Iesus went out and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him, for to shew him the building of the temple. Iesus said unto them: see ye not all these things? Verily I say unto you: There shall not be here left one stone upon another, that shall not be destroyed.
And as he sat upon the mount Olivet, his disciples came unto him secretly saying: Tell us, when this shall be? and what sign shall be of thy coming, and of the end of the world? and Iesus answered, and said unto them: take heed that no man deceive you, for many shall come in my name saying: I am Christ: and shall deceive many.
Ye shall hear of wars, and of the noise of wars, but see that ye be not troubled, for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and realm against realm: and there shall be pestilence, and hunger, and earthquakes in all quarters. All these are the beginning of sorrows.
Then shall they put you to trouble, and shall kill you, and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake: and then shall many fall, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one the other, and many false prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many: and because iniquity shall have the upper hand, the love of many shall abate. But he that endureth to the end shall be safe. And this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come.
When ye then shall see the abomination and desolation (spoken of by Daniel the prophet) stand in the holy place: whosoever readeth it, let him understand it. Then let them which be in Iury fly into the mountains. And let him which is on the housetop, not come down to take anything out of his house. Neither let him which is in the field, return back to fetch his clothes. Woe be in those days to them that are with child, and to them that give suck. But pray that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day. For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not from the beginning of the world to this time, nor shall be. Yea and except those days should be shortened, should no flesh be saved: But for the chosens' sake those days shall be shortened.
Then if any man shall say unto you: lo, here is Christ, or there is Christ: believe it not: for there shall arise false christs, and false prophets and shall give great signs and wonders. So greatly that if it were possible, even the chosen should be brought into error. Take heed I have told you before. If they shall say unto you: lo, he is in the desert, go not forth: lo, he is in the secret places, believe not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth unto the west: so shall the coming of the son of man be. For wheresoever a dead body is, even thither will the eagles resort.
Immediately after the tribulations of those days, shall the sun be darkeneth: and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall move. And then shall appear the sign of the son of man in heaven. And then shall all the kindreds of the earth mourn, and they shall see the son of man come in the clouds of heaven with power and great majesty: And he shall send his angels with the great voice of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his chosen from the four winds, and from the one end of the world to the other.
Learn a similitude of the fig tree: when his branches are yet tender, and his leaves sprung, ye know that summer is nigh. So likewise when ye see all these things, be ye sure that it is near even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall perish: but my words shall abide. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no not the angels of heaven, but my father only.
As the time of Noe was, so likewise shall the coming of the son of man be. For as in the days before the flood: they did eat and drink, marry, and were married, even unto the day that Noe entered in to the ship, and knew of nothing till the flood came and took them all away. So shall also the coming of the son of man be. Then two shall be in the fields, the one shall be received, and the other shall be refused, two shall be grinding at the mill: the one shall be received, and the other shall be refused.
Wake therefore, because ye know not what hour your master will come. Of this be sure, that if the good man of the house knew what hour the thief would come: he would surely watch, and not suffer his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready, for what hour ye think least on, in the same shall the son of man come. Who is a faithful servant and wise, whom his master hath made ruler over his household, for to give them meat in season convenient? happy is that servant whom his master (when he cometh) shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, my master will defer his coming, and begin to smite his fellows: yea and to eat and to drink with the drunken: that servants master will come in a day when he looketh not for him: and in an hour that he is not ware of, and will divide him, and give him his reward with hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The .xxv. Chapter.
Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened unto x virgins, which took their lamps, and went to meet the bridegroom: five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The foolish took their lamps, but took none oil with them. But the wise took oil with them in their vessels with their lamps also. While the bridegroom tarried, all slumbered and slept. And even at midnight, there was a cry made: behold, the bridegroom cometh, go and meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and prepared their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise: give us of your oil, for our lamps go out? But the wise answered, saying: not so, lest there be not enough for us and you, but go rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. In conclusion while they went to buy, the bridegroom came: and they that were ready, went in with him to the wedding, and the gate was shut up. Afterwards came also the other virgins, saying: master master, open to us. But he answered, and said: verily I say unto you: I know you not: look that ye watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor yet the hour, when the son of man shall come.
Likewise as a certain man ready to take his journey to a strange country, called his servants to him, and delivered to them his goods. And unto one he gave v. talents, to another ij. and to another one: to every man after his ability, and straight way departed. Then he that had received the five talents, went and bestowed them, and won other five. Likewise he that received ij gained other ij. But he that received one, went and digged a pit in the earth and hid his master's money. After a long season the lord of those servants came, and reckoned with them. Then came he that had received five talents, and brought other five saying: master, thou deliveredst unto me five talents, lo I have gained with them five more. His master said unto him: well good servant and faithful, Thou hast been faithful in little, I will make thee ruler over much: enter in into thy master's joy. Also he that received ij talents came, and said: master, thou deliveredest unto me ij talents: lo I have won ij other talents with them. His master said unto him, well good servant and faithful thou hast been faithful in little, I will make thee ruler over much, go in into thy master's joy.
He which had received the one talent came also, and said: master, I considered that thou wast an hard man, which reapest where thou sowedst not, and gatherest where thou strawedst not, and was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, thou hast thine own. His master answered, and said unto him: evil servant and slothful, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I strawed not: thou oughtest therefore to have had my money to the changers, and then at my coming should I have received my money with vantage. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath x. talents. For unto every man that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance. And from him that hath not, shall be taken away, even that he hath. And cast that unprofitable servant into utter darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
When the son of man shall come in his majesty, and all his holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the seat of his majesty, and before him shall be gathered all nations. And he shall sever them one from another, as a shepherd putteth asunder the sheep from the goats. And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on the left hand. Then shall the King say to them on his right hand: Come ye blessed children of my father, inherit ye the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat. I thirsted, and ye gave me drink. I was harborless, and ye lodged me. I was naked and ye clothed me: I was sick and ye visited me. I was in prison and ye came unto me.
Then shall the just answer him saying: master, when, saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or a thirst, and gave thee drink? when saw we thee harborless, and lodged thee? or naked and clothed thee? or when saw we thee sick, or in prison and came unto thee? And the king shall answer and say unto them: verily I say unto you: in as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren: ye have done it to me.
Then shall the king say unto them that shall be on the left hand: depart from me ye cursed, into everlasting fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat. I thirsted, and ye gave me no drink. I was harborless, and ye lodged me not. I was naked, and ye clothed me not. I was sick and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Then shall they also answer him saying: master, when saw we thee an hungered, or a thirst, or harborless, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and have not ministered unto thee? then shall he answer them, and say: Verily I say unto you, in as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go into everlasting pain: And the righteous into life eternal.
The .xxvj. Chapter.