CHAP. And they came up, and laid hold of the affair continueth among CHAP XXVIII. on his feet and did him obeisance. bribed to spread a 10 Then saith Jesus unto them, "Fear not. Go tell my brethren to depart for Galilee, and there they shall see me." 11 As they were going, behold! Soldiers are some of the guard came into the city, and told the chief priests all false report, that had happened. And after they had assembled with the elders, and consulted, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, 13" Tell the people, His disciples came by night and stole him away 14 while we were asleep.' And if this affair be brought to a hearing before the governor, we will satisfy him, and keep you from trouble." 15 So they took the money and did as they were taught; and this account the Jews until this day. Afterward the eleven disciples 16 went into Galilee, to the moun- Jesus is tain which Jesus had appointed. apostles n seen by his And when they saw him they did Galilee, obeisance unto him; but some doubted. directions And Jesus went to them, and 18 said, "All power necessary for where he the establishment of my kingdom gives them is given me in heaven and on how to act. earth. Go ye therefore, and make 19 disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to ob- 20 serve all the commandments which I have given you; and behold! I am with you continually to the end of the age. Amen. CHAP. I. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO SAINT MARK'. T HE beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God. 2 As it is written in the prophets: * If they had been asleep they could not have told what had been done; but it was death for Roman soldiers to sleep on guard. • Being unwilling to believe without sufficient evidence, which this interview no doubt afforded them, before it was over. 3 Into the profession of that religion which had its origin with God, was made known to the world by Jesus Christ, and confirmed by the spiritual and miraculous endowments of its first teachers. * So long as the gifts of the spirit continued among Christians. 5 Mark, whose name this gospel bears, was the familiar companion of the Apostle Peter, and called by him his son, that is a person whom he converted to Christianity. He was probably the same person who is called John, surnamed Mark; to whose mother's house Peter retired, when released by an angel out of prison, Acts xii. 12, and who accompanied the apostles, Paul and Barnabas, in their travels. This gospel was written, A. D. 64, for the use of the Christians at Rome; and is, for the most part, a compendious account of what we read in the gospel of Matthew. Some few particulars are occasionally added, and especial care taken to explain such terms as persons living out of Judea were not likely to be acquainted with. To account for the fact of the first three gospels having many passages that are similar, and many that are the same, we may reasonably suppose, that the writers occasionally represented the manner in which some circumstances and doctrines had been truly delivered by eye-witnesses, and ear-witnesses, and which had been recorded by them, or by their hearers, before any complete gospel had been written. Some authentic materials common to these writers thus existing, they were sometimes led to use the same expressions, and to place unconnected transactions in the same order. G 1. ance of John the CHAP. crying in the desert, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make the 4 paths straight for him." AccordAppear ingly John came baptizing in the desert, and proclaiming a baptism Baptist. of repentance for remission of sins. 5 And people from all the country of Judea, and from Jerusalem, went out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, upon con6 fession of their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a leathern girdle about his loins, and he ate locusts and wild 7 honey. And he proclaimed, saying, "One is coming after me mightier than I, the string of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop 8 down and untie. I indeed baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with a holy spirit." 9 In those days came Jesus of Jesus is Nazareth in Galilee, and was bapbaptized; tized by John in Jordan; and as he 10 went up out of the water, John saw the heavens open, and the spirit as a dove descending upon 11 him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, "Thou art my beloved son in whom I am well pleased." 12 17 of Galilee, he saw Simon, and An- CHAP drew his brother, casting a net into the lake; for they were fishers; chooses and Jesus said unto them, "Come disciples; with me, and I will make you fishers of men." And immedi- 18 ately they left their nets and followed him. Going thence a little 19 farther, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the vessel, preparing their nets; and as soon as he called them, 20 they left their father Zebedee in the vessel with the hired servants, and went after him. And they 21 came into Capernaum: and he constantly went on the Sabbathday into the synagogue and taught. And the people were astonished at 22 his doctrine; for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. And there was in their syna-23 gogue a man with an unclean cures a de spirit; and he cried out saying, moniae; "Ah! what hast thou to do with 24 2 us, thou Jesus of Nazareth ? Art thou come to destroy us? I 3 know who thou art, the holy one of God." And Jesus rebuked him, 25 saying, "Hold thy tongue, and And immediately the spirit lead-come out of him." And the 26 tempted; eth him out into the desert, and he continued there in the desert amongst the wild beasts forty days, tried by Satan, and after his trial angels ministered unto him. I Resembling the motion of a dove. Perhaps a bright flame, of the nature of that which was considered as a symbol of the divine presence, assumed this appear ance.. He means himself, and the demon with unclean spirit, after convulsing him, and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. And 27 all were astonished, so that they reasoned amongst themselves, saying, "What is this; what new doctrine is this? for with authority he commandeth even the unclean spirits, and they obey him." And his fame immediately spread 28 into all the country about Galilee. As soon as they left the syna-29 which he fancied himself to be possessed. 3 Demoniacs, or insane persons, were not ashamed or afraid to confess their knowledge of Christ, as most others were. I. 45 II. CHAP. gogue, they went with James and commanded, for a testimony unto CHAP. Peter's sick per sons; 31 he came near, and took her by the hand, and raised her up, and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them. 32 Now when evening was come, and other and the sun was set, they brought unto him all their sick, and their demoniacs. And great part of the 33 city was gathered together at the door; and he cured many that were 34 sick of various diseases, and cast out many demons, and suffered them not to speak, for they knew him. votion and 35 And rising up very early in the unites de- morning, while it was dark, he active be- went into a lonely place, and was mevolence praying there, when Simon, and the ogether; rest who had followed him, found 37 him; and they say unto him, "All 38 men seek thee." And he saith unto them, "Let us go into the neighbouring towns, that I may preach there also; because for this 39 purpose I am come forth." And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out demons. 40 And a leper cometh to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying to him, " If thou wilt, thou canst make me 41 clean." And Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out his hand and touched him, and saith, "I 42 will, be thou clean." And as soon as he had spoken, the leprosy departed from the man, and he was 43 made clean. And Jesus, after strictly charging him, sent him 44 away, and saith unto him, "See thou say nothing to any man, but go, show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing what Moses meals a eper; The house was built round a court, and had stairs by which persons might ascend from the outside to the roof, and also a stair began to talk much about it, and to publish it, so that Jesus could no more go openly into the city, but continued without in lonely places, and persons came to him from all parts. II. After some days Jesus returned CHAP. to Capernaum, and it was heard that he was in a house there, And 2 many were soon gathered together, so that even the space about the door could not contain them, and he was preaching the word unto them. And a man with a palsy was 3 brought unto him, carried by four cures a persons. And as they could not paralytic. come near because of the mul. + titude, they made an opening through the flat roof, by forcing open the trap door, and let down the couch on which the sick of the palsy lay'. When Jesus saw 5 their faith, he saith to the sick of the palsy, "Son, thy sins are forgiven thee." forgave Now some of the scribes were 6 sitting there, and reasoning thus Declares in their hearts, "Why doth he that he speak thus wickedly? who can sins only forgive sins but God only?" And in the Jesus, knowing at once in his own curing mind that they were thus reasoning diseases. with themselves, said unto then:, 66 sense of Why reason ye so in your hearts? Which is easier, to say 9 to the sick man, 'Thy sins are forgiven thee,' or to say, 'Arise, take up thy couch and walk?" But that ye 10 may know that the son of man hath authority on earth to forgive sins (he saith to the sick man) I say unto thee, 'Arise, take up thy 11 couch and go home." And he 12 arose immediately, and taking up his couch, went out before them case on the inside, down which the paralytic was carried to Jesus sitting in the court. ! 13 Jesus went out again by the side Calls Levi, of the lake, and all the multitude came to him, and he taught them. 14 And as he passed on, he saw Levi, the son of Alpheus, sitting at the place where custom was paid, and saith unto him, "Come with me;" and he arose and went with him. and eats 15 And many taxgatherers and heathens were eating in the house, at with him. the same table with Jesus and his disciples; for many of them had 16 accompanied him. And when the 1 scribes and Pharisees saw him eating with these taxgatheres and heathens, they said unto his disciples, "How is it that he eateth and drinketh with taxgatherers and 17 heathens?" Jesus hearing this, saith unto them, "They who are well need not a physician, but they who are sick; I am not come to call righteous men but sinners to to repentance." 18 Now the disciples of John and Why Jesus the Pharisees used to fast, and they did not en- come unto Jesus and say, Why join fasting. do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, and thy disciples III. rent is made. And no one putteth CHAP. blamed for And as he was going through the 23 corn-fields on the Sabbath, the dis- Disciples ciples plucked the ears of corn on placking the way. And the Pharisees said ears of cor unto him, "See, why are they doing on the sab what is not lawful on the Sab- bath. bath?" And he said unto them, 25 "Have ye never read what David 1 Sam. xx and his companions did when hunger pressed him; how he went into 26 the house of God, and ate the show-bread, which the priests only are allowed to eat, and gave also to his companions?" And he said unto 27 them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. So that the son of man is 28 master also of the Sabbath." III. Again, he entered into the syna- CHAP gogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And the Phari- A man wit sees watched him whether he would a withered hand cure cure the man on the Sabbath-day, on the that they might accuse him. And Sabbath. he saith to the man with the wither-3 ed hand, "Come forward into the 4 19 fast not?' And Jesus said unto middle." Then he saith to them, 4 The scribes were men well versed in the law, and who expounded it to the people; but in a poor insipid manner. ill on the sabbath? to save life or to destroy it?" But they kept silence. Then, after looking round 5 upon them, being angry, and at the same time sorry for the blindness of their heart, he saith unto the man, "Stretch out thy hand," and he stretched it out, and his hand was restored to its soundness like the other. Then the Pharisees went out, 6 * A Jewish sect, proud, formal, and hypocritical. 3 If Jesus is intended by the phrase, son of man, the passage means that he had power to regulate the Sabbath; if man in general is designed, it means that the rules of the Sabbath are not binding in urgent cases. + This shows, that neglecting to do a kind office, when opportunity offers, is doing ill. III. II. CHAP, and immediately consulted with again, so that they could not so CHAP. the Herodians against him, how much as eat bread. And when his Jesus re- they might destroy him. But Je-own family heard of it they went 21 tires those who wished to destroy him. Chooses twelve apostles. sus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a great multitude followed him from Galilee, and from Judea, and from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and from the side of 8 Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, hearing what great things he did, came un9 to him. And he told his disciples to bring a small vessel to him because of the multitude, that they 10 might not press upon him. For he had cured many, so that as many as had diseases were pushing 11 forward to touch him. And the persons possessed with demons fell down before him, and cried out, saying, "Thou art the son of 12 God." But he strictly charged them not to make him known. 13 Then Jesus goeth up a mountair, and calleth to him whom he would, and they went unto him. And he appointed twelve to be with him, 15 and to go out to preach, and to have power to cure diseases, and to cast out demons. out to secure him from injury; for some had told them that he was gone out, tribute his And the scribes who had come 22 down from Jerusalem, said, " He Scribes athath Beelzebub, and he casteth out miracles to demons by the prince of the de- an evil mons." And calling them to him, spirit. he said unto them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan ? 24 If a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a family be divided against 25 itself, that family cannot continue stedfast. So if Satan rise up against 26 himself and be divided, he cannot continue stedfast, but must have an end. No man can enter into a 27 strong man's house, and plunder his goods, unless he first bind the strong man, and then he may plunder his goods. Verily I say unto 28 you, all sins may be forgiven the sons of men, and all the wicked speeches which they may utter. But whosoever shall speak evil 29 against the holy spirit hath no forgiveness, but is in danger of punishment for the 2 age to come. Jesus spoke thus because they said, 30 " He hath an unclean spirit." most dear Accordingly his brethren and 31 mother come, and standing with-Jesus shows out send in to call him; for the who were multitude was sitting round him; to him. and some said unto him, " Behold 32 thy mother and thy brethren without are enquiring for thee." And 33 he answered them, "Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?" And looking on every 34 side, on those who were sitting round him, he saith, " Behold my mother and my brethren! For 35 whosoever shall do the will of God, Jerusalem, when the Christians escaped, and the impenitent Jews were involved in ruin. |