Part 233 (1/2)

Nathanael saith unto him, ”Whence knowest thou me?” Jesus answered and said unto him, ”Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.”

Nathanael answered him, ”Rabbi, thou art the Son of G.o.d; thou art King of Israel.”

Jesus answered and said unto him, ”Because I said unto thee, I saw thee underneath the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of G.o.d ascending and descending upon the Son of man.”

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IV

THE FIRST MIRACLE.

_How the Lord Jesus Went to a Wedding_.

The third day after Jesus had started for Galilee with his new friends, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: and Jesus also was bidden, with his disciples, to the marriage.

And when the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said unto him, ”They have no wine.”

And Jesus said unto her, ”Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.”

His mother said unto the servants, ”Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.”

Now there were six waterpots of stone set there after the Jews' custom of purifying, containing two or three firkins apiece.

Jesus said unto them, ”Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And he said unto them, ”Draw out now, and bear unto the ruler of the feast.”

And they bore it. And when the ruler of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and knew not whence it was (but the servants which had drawn the water knew), the ruler of the feast called the bridegroom, and said unto him, ”Every man setteth on first the good wine; and when men have drunk freely, then that which is worse: thou hast kept the good wine until now.”

This beginning of his signs did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

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V

AT THE Pa.s.sOVER.

_How the Lord Jesus Went Again to Jerusalem, What He Did, and the Friends He Made There_.

And the Pa.s.sover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And he found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: and he made a scourge of cords, and cast all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the changers' money and overthrew their tables; and to them that sold the doves he said, ”Take these things hence; make not my Father's house a house of merchandise.”

Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Pa.s.sover, during the feast, many believed on his name, beholding his signs which he did.

Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: the same came unto him by night, and said to him, ”Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from G.o.d: for no man can do these signs that thou doest, except G.o.d be with him.”

Jesus answered and said unto him, ”Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of G.o.d.”

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Nicodemus said unto him, ”How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born?”

Jesus answered, ”Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of G.o.d. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, 'Ye must be born anew.' The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit.”