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¹ Jesus departed from thence, and went towards the confines of Judea, thro' the country beyond Jordan: where the people resorting to him again, he renewed his instructions to them as usual. ² then the Pharisees came and propos'd to him this insnaring question, is it lawful for a man to repudiate his wife? ³ to which he answered, what direction did Moses give you? ⁴ Moses, said they, allowed a bill of divorce, and so to dismiss her. ⁵ but Jesus answered them, it was out of regard to your untractable temper, that Moses gave you this permission. ⁶ for in the beginning of the world God formed them male and female. ⁷ "wherefore, 'tis said, a man shall leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh." ⁸ consequently they are no longer two, but one person. ⁹ let no man therefore separate what God has designed to be one. ¹⁰ When they were in the house, the disciples asked him again concerning this matter, and he said to them, ¹¹ whoever repudiates his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her: ¹² and if a woman quits her husband and is married to another, she committeth adultery.

¹³ Then they brought young children to him, that he might lay his hands upon them: but his disciples rebuked those that presented them. ¹⁴ which Jesus observing was much displeas'd with them, and said, suffer little children to come unto me, do not hinder them: for of such is the kingdom of God. ¹⁵ I declare unto you, he that shall pretend to be admitted into the kingdom of God, and has not the temper of a little child, shall not enter therein. ¹⁶ then he embraced them, and laying his hand upon them, he gave them his blessing.

¹⁷ When he was set out upon his journey, there met him one, who kneeling down before him, said, good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life? ¹⁸ Jesus said to him, why do you call me good? there is but one, who is good, that is God. ¹⁹ you know the commandments, "do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness, defraud not, honour your father, and mother." ²⁰ to which he answered, master, said he, all these precepts have I observed from my youth. ²¹ then Jesus looking upon him with a favourable eye, said, there is one thing still to be done; go, sell all your estate, and give it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; then come, take up the cross, and follow me. ²² but he was troubled at this answer, and went away very sorrowful, for he had a great estate. ²³ then Jesus looking round about, said to his disciples, how difficult a thing is it for those who have riches to enter into the gospel kingdom! ²⁴ at this expression the disciples were much surpriz'd. but Jesus reassum'd the discourse, and said, how difficult a thing is it for those, who place their trust in riches, to enter into the divine kingdom? ²⁵ it is easier for a cable to pass thro' the eye of a needle, than for such a rich man to enter into the divine kingdom. ²⁶ at this they were more amazed than before, and said to one another, how then can such a man be saved? ²⁷ but Jesus casting his eye upon them, said, what is impossible to men, is not so to God; for to God all things are possible. ²⁸ Then Peter thus address'd himself to Jesus, you see we have left every thing to follow you. ²⁹ Jesus answered him, I declare unto you, there is not a man who has forsaken his house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, out of love to me and to the gospel, ³⁰ but shall receive at present in this age, what will be a hundred times better to him, than houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, tho' with persecution: and in the age to come eternal life. ³¹ but they that are first shall be last, and the last shall be first.

³² When they were on the road to Jerusalem, Jesus led the way, and they followed behind full of apprehension and fear. then Jesus calling the twelve apostles to him again, acquainted them with what should befal him. ³³ now, said he, we are going to Jerusalem, where the son of man will be delivered up to the chief priests, and to the Scribes, who will condemn him to die, and deliver him to the Gentiles. ³⁴ they will treat him with ignominy, subject him to the lash, spit upon him, and at last put him to death. but on the third day he will rise again. ³⁵ Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him, and said, we desire you would grant us what we request. ³⁶ what, said he, would you have me do for you? ³⁷ they replied, when you are in your glory, grant that we may sit, the one on your right hand, and the other on your left. ³⁸ but Jesus said to them, you know not what you ask. can you drink the cup, that I must drink, and be baptized with the baptism with which I must be baptized? ³⁹ and they said, we can. but Jesus replied, you shall indeed drink of the cup, that I must drink of, and be baptized with the baptism, with which I must be baptized; but to sit on my right hand, ⁴⁰ or on my left, is not in my power to grant, except to those for whom it was designed. ⁴¹ but the other ten, when they heard this, were fill'd with indignation against James and John. ⁴² So that Jesus called them to him, and said, you know that the rulers of the Gentiles domineer over them, and their great ones treat them in an imperious manner; ⁴³ but it shall not be so among young you: on the contrary, whoever would be great among you, he must be your servant; ⁴⁴ and whoever would be the chief, he must be the slave of all the rest. ⁴⁵ for the son of man himself is not come to receive the services of men, but to do them service, and to lay down his life a ransom for many.

⁴⁶ At length they came to Jericho, and as he was leaving Jericho, accompanied by his disciples, and a great number of people, a blind man called Bartimeus sat begging in the high-way. ⁴⁷ when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he cried out, and said, Jesus, son of David, have pity on me. ⁴⁸ but many of the company rebuk'd him, in order to silence him. at which he cry'd out with more earnestness, son of David have pity on me. ⁴⁹ Jesus therefore stood still, and ordered him to be called; so they called to the blind man, and said, take courage, rise, he calls you. ⁵⁰ upon which he threw off his loose coat, and went to Jesus; ⁵¹ who thereupon spoke to him, and said, what would you have me do for you? the blind man replied, Lord, I desire to have my sight. ⁵² and Jesus said to him, go your way, your faith has cur'd you, and immediately he had sight, and followed Jesus in the road.