Part 10 (1/2)

19 And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in, because of the mult.i.tude, they went upon the house-top, and let him down through the tiling with _his_ couch, into the midst before Jesus.

20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but G.o.d alone?

22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he, answering, said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?

23 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?

24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go unto thine house.

25 And immediately he arose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying G.o.d.

26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified G.o.d, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to-day.

-- 35. The call of Matthew. _Capernaum_.

Matthew. Mark.

CH. IX. 9. CH. II. 13, 14.

9 And as Jesus pa.s.sed forth 13 And he went forth again by from thence, he saw a man the sea-side; and all the named Matthew, sitting at the mult.i.tude resorted unto him, receipt of custom: and he and he taught them.

saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

14 And as he pa.s.sed by, he saw Levi(131) the _son_ of Alpheus, sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

Luke.

CH. V. 27, 28.

27 And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me.

28 And he left all, rose up, and followed him.

Part IV. Our Lord's Second Pa.s.sover, And The Subsequent Transactions Until The Third.

TIME. _One year_.

-- 36. The pool of Bethesda; the healing of the infirm man; and our Lord's subsequent discourse. _Jerusalem_.

John.

CH. V. 1-47.

After this there was a feast of the Jews: and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

2 Now there is at Jerusalem, by the sheep _market_, a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue, Bethesda,(132) having five porches.

3 In these lay a great mult.i.tude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in, was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time _in that case_, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath-day; it is not lawful for thee to carry _thy_ bed.

11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.

12 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?

13 And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a mult.i.tude being in _that_ place.

14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole; sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

15 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus which had made him whole.

16 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done things things on the sabbath-day.