Section XXV.

Section XXV.

[1] ¹⁷⁴⁷And in that day this thought presented itself to his disciples, and they said, which [2] haply should be the greatest among them.^{1748  1749}And when they came to Capernaum, and entered into the house, Jesus said unto them, What were ye considering in the [3] way among yourselves?  ¹⁷⁵⁰And they were silent because they had considered that matter.

[4] ¹⁷⁵¹And when Simon went forth without, those that received two dirhams for the tribute came to Cephas, and said unto him, Doth your master not give his two [5] dirhams?  He said unto them, Yea.  ¹⁷⁵²And when Cephas entered the house, Jesus anticipated him, and said unto him, What thinkest thou, Simon? the kings of the earth, from whom do they receive custom and tribute? from their sons, or from [6] [Arabic, p. 97] strangers?  ¹⁷⁵³Simon said unto him, From strangers.  Jesus said unto him, Children then are free.  Simon said unto him, Yea.  Jesus said unto him, [7] Give thou also unto them, like the stranger.  ¹⁷⁵⁴But, lest it trouble them, go thou to the sea, and cast a hook; and the first fish that cometh up, open its mouth, and thou shalt find a stater:  take therefore that, and give for me and thee.

[8] ¹⁷⁵⁵And in that hour came the disciples to Jesus, and said unto him, Who, thinkest [9] thou, is greater in the kingdom of heaven?  ¹⁷⁵⁶And Jesus knew the thought of their heart, and called a¹⁷⁵⁷ child, and set him in the midst, and took him in his arms, and [10] said unto them, ¹⁷⁵⁸Verily I say unto you, If ye do not return, and become as children, [11] ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.  ¹⁷⁵⁹Every one that shall receive in my name such as this child hath received me:  ¹⁷⁶⁰and whosoever receiveth me receiveth [12] not me, but him that sent me.  ¹⁷⁶¹And he who is little in your company,¹⁷⁶² the same [13] shall be great.  ¹⁷⁶³But whosoever shall injure one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a great millstone¹⁷⁶⁴ should be hanged about his neck, and he should be drowned in the depths of the sea.

[14] ¹⁷⁶⁵John answered and said, Our Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; [15] and we prevented him, because he followed not thee with us.  ¹⁷⁶⁶Jesus said unto them, Prevent him not; for no man doeth powers in my name, and can hasten to speak evil [16, 17] of me.  ¹⁷⁶⁷Every one who is not in opposition to you is with you.  ¹⁷⁶⁸Woe unto the world [Arabic, p. 98] because of trials!¹⁷⁶⁹ but woe unto that man by whose hand the trials come!  [18] ¹⁷⁷⁰If thy hand or thy foot injure thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee; for it is better for thee to enter into life being halt or maimed, and not that thou shouldest have two hands or two feet, and fall into the hell of fire that burneth¹⁷⁷¹ for ever; [19, 20] ¹⁷⁷²where their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched.  ¹⁷⁷³And if thine eye seduce¹⁷⁷⁴ [21] thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee; ¹⁷⁷⁵for it is better for thee to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than that thou shouldest have two eyes, and fall into the [22, 23] fire of Gehenna; ¹⁷⁷⁶where their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched.  ¹⁷⁷⁷Every [24] one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.  ¹⁷⁷⁸How good [25] is salt! but if the salt also be tasteless, wherewith shall it be salted?  ¹⁷⁷⁹It is fit neither for the land nor for dung, but they cast it out.  He that hath ears to hear, let him [26] hear.  ¹⁷⁸⁰Have ye salt in yourselves, and be in peace one with another.

[27] ¹⁷⁸¹And he arose from thence, and came to the borders of Judæa beyond Jordan:  and there went unto him thither great multitudes, and he healed them; and he taught [28] them also, according to his custom.  ¹⁷⁸²And the Pharisees came unto him, tempting [29] him, and asking him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife?  ¹⁷⁸³He said, What [30] did Moses command you?  ¹⁷⁸⁴They said, Moses made it allowable for us, saying, Whosoever [31] will, let him write a writing of divorcement, and put away his wife.  ¹⁷⁸⁵Jesus answered and said unto them, ¹⁷⁸⁶Have ye not read, He that made them from the beginning [32] made them male and female, and said, ¹⁷⁸⁷For this reason shall the man leave his father [Arabic, p. 99] and his mother, and cleave to his wife; and they both shall be one body?  [33] ¹⁷⁸⁸So then they are not twain, but one body; the thing, then, which God hath [34] joined together, let no man put asunder.  ¹⁷⁸⁹And those Pharisees said unto him, Why did Moses consent¹⁷⁹⁰ that a man should give a writing of divorcement and put her away?  [35] ¹⁷⁹¹Jesus said unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts gave you leave [36] to divorce your wives; but in the beginning it was not so.  ¹⁷⁹²I say unto you, Whosoever putteth away¹⁷⁹³ his wife without fornication, and marrieth another, hath exposed [37] her to adultery.  ¹⁷⁹⁴And his disciples, when he entered the house, asked him again [38] about that.  ¹⁷⁹⁵And he said unto them, Every one who putteth away his wife, and [39] marrieth another, hath exposed her to adultery.  ¹⁷⁹⁶And any woman that leaveth her husband, and becometh another’s, hath committed adultery.  ¹⁷⁹⁷And whosoever marrieth [40] her that is divorced hath committed adultery.  ¹⁷⁹⁸And his disciples said unto him, If there be between the man and the woman such a case¹⁷⁹⁹ as this, it is not good for [41] a man to marry.  ¹⁸⁰⁰He said unto them, Not every man can endure this saying, except [42] him to whom it is given.  ¹⁸⁰¹There are eunuchs which from their mother’s womb¹⁸⁰² were born so; and there are eunuchs which through men became eunuchs; and there are eunuchs which made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.  He that is able to be content, let him be content.

[43] ¹⁸⁰³Then they brought to him children, that he should lay his hand upon them, and [44] pray:  and his disciples were rebuking those that were bringing them.  ¹⁸⁰⁴And Jesus saw, and it was distressing to him; and he said unto them, Suffer the children to [Arabic, p. 100] come unto me, and prevent them not; for those that are like these have [45] the kingdom of God.  ¹⁸⁰⁵Verily I say unto you, Whosoever receiveth not the [46] kingdom of God as this child, shall not enter it.  ¹⁸⁰⁶And he took them in his arms, and laid his hand upon them, and blessed them.