Study Desk

For each of you by his words shall be justified, or by his words shall be condemned."

"Wicked and faithless generation!" He replied, "they clamour for a sign, but none shall be given to them except the sign of the Prophet Jonah.

For just as Jonah was three days in the sea-monster's belly, so will the Son of Man be three days in the heart of the earth.

But a portion falls upon good ground, and gives a return, some a hundred for one, some sixty, some thirty.

For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but whoever has not, from him even what he has shall be taken away.

I speak to them in figurative language for this reason, that while looking they do not see, and while hearing they neither hear nor understand.

For this people's mind is stupefied, their hearing has become dull, and their eyes they have closed; to prevent their ever seeing with their eyes, or hearing with their ears, or understanding with their minds, and turning back, so that I might heal them.'

"But as for you, blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.

For I solemnly tell you that many Prophets and holy men have longed to see the sights you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the words you hear, and have not heard them.

It has struck no root, however, within him. He continues for a time, but when suffering comes, or persecution, because of the Message, he at once stumbles and falls.

But he who has received the seed on good ground is he who hears and understands. Such hearers give a return, and yield one a hundred for one, another sixty, another thirty.")

"`No,' he replied, `for fear that while collecting the darnel you should at the same time root up the wheat with it.

Another parable He spoke to them. "The Kingdom of the Heavens," He said, "is like yeast which a woman takes and buries in a bushel of flour, for it to work there till the whole mass has risen."

"Therefore," He said, "remember that every Scribe well trained for the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a householder who brings out of his storehouse new things and old."

For Herod had arrested John, and had put him in chains, and imprisoned him, for the sake of Herodias his brother Philip's wife,

because John had persistently said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."

So Jesus went out and saw an immense multitude, and felt compassion for them, and cured those of them who were out of health.

"Why do you, too," He retorted, "transgress God's commands for the sake of your tradition?

For God said, `Honour thy father and thy mother'; and `Let him who reviles father or mother be certainly put to death';

he shall be absolved from honouring his father'; and so you have abrogated God's Word for the sake of your tradition.