Matthew 17:19-21:46 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and said, "Why could we not cast it out?"

Moffatt⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹⁹ Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" ²⁰ He said to them, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you truly, if you had faith the size of a grain of mustard-seed, you could say to this hill, 'Move from here to there,' and remove it would; nothing would be impossible for you." ²¹ — - ²² When his adherents mustered in Galilee Jesus told them, "The Son of man is to be betrayed into the hands of men; ²³ they will kill him, but on the third day he will be raised." They were greatly distressed at this. ²⁴ When they reached Capharnahum, the collectors of the temple-tax came and asked Peter, "Does your teacher not pay the temple-tax?" ²⁵ He said, "Yes." But when he went indoors Jesus spoke first; "Tell me, Simon," he said, "from whom do earthly kings collect customs or taxes? Is it from their own people or from aliens?" ²⁶ "From aliens," he said. Then Jesus said to him, "So their own people are exempt. ²⁷ However, not to give any offence to them, go to the sea, throw a hook in, and take the first fish you bring up. Open its mouth and you will find a five-shilling piece; take that and give it to them for me and for yourself." ¹⁸ ¹ At that hour the disciples came and asked Jesus, "Who is greatest in the Realm of heaven?" ² So he called a child, set it among them, ³ and said, "I tell you truly, unless you turn and become like children, you will never get into the Realm of heaven at all. ⁴ Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the Realm of heaven; ⁵ and whoever receives a little child like this for my sake, receives me. ⁶ But whoever is a hindrance to one of these little ones who believe in me, better for him to have a great mill-stone hung round his neck and be sunk in the deep sea. ⁷ Woe to the world for hindrances! Hindrances have to come, but — woe to the man by whom the hindrance does come! ⁸ If your hand or your foot is a hindrance to you, cut it off and throw it away; better be maimed or crippled and get into Life, than keep both feet or hands and be thrown into the everlasting fire. ⁹ If your eye is a hindrance to you, tear it out and throw it away; better get into Life with one eye than keep your two eyes and be thrown into the fire of Gehenna. ¹⁰ See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you, their angels in heaven always look on the face of my Father in heaven. ¹¹ — - ¹² Tell me, if a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays, will he not leave the ninety-nine sheep on the hills and go in search of the one that has strayed? ¹³ And if he happens to find it, I tell you he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. ¹⁴ So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that a single one of these little ones should be lost. ¹⁵ If your brother sins [against you], go and reprove him, as between you and him alone. If he listens to you, then you have won your brother over; ¹⁶ but if he will not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that every case may be decided on the evidence of two or of three witnesses. ¹⁷ If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church; and if he refuses to listen to the church, treat him as a pagan or a taxgatherer. ¹⁸ I tell you truly, Whatever you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. ¹⁹ I tell you another thing: if two of you agree on earth about anything you pray for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three have gathered in my name, I am there among them." ²¹ Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often is my brother to sin against me and be forgiven? Up to seven times?" ²² Jesus said to him, "Seven times? I say, seventy times seven! ²³ That is why the Realm of heaven may be compared to a king who resolved to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ When he began the settlement, a debtor was brought in who owed him three million pounds; ²⁵ as he was unable to pay, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all he had, in payment of the sum. ²⁶ So the servant fell down and prayed him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you it all.' ²⁷ And out of pity for that servant his master released him and discharged his debt. ²⁸ But as that servant went away, he met one of his fellow-servants who owed him twenty pounds, and seizing him by the throat he said, 'Pay your debt!' ²⁹ So his fellow-servant fell down and implored him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' ³⁰ But he refused; he went and had him thrown into prison, till he should pay the debt. ³¹ Now when his fellow-servants saw what had happened they were greatly distressed, and they went and explained to their master all that had happened. ³² Then his master summoned him and said, 'You scoundrel of a servant! I discharged all that debt for you, because you implored me. ³³ Ought you not to have had mercy on your fellow-servant, as I had on you?' ³⁴ And in hot anger his master handed him over to the torturers, till he should pay him all the debt. ³⁵ My heavenly Father will do the same to you unless you each forgive your brother from the heart." ¹⁹ ¹ When Jesus finished saying this he moved from Galilee and went to the territory of Judaea that lies across the Jordan. ² Large crowds followed him and he healed them there. ³ Then the Pharisees came up to tempt him. They asked, "Is it right to divorce one's wife for any reason?" ⁴ He replied, "Have you never read that He who created them male and female from the beginning ⁵ said, Hence a man shall leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife, and the pair shall be one flesh? ⁶ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What God has joined, then, man must not separate." ⁷ They said to him, "Then why did Moses lay it down that we were to divorce by giving a separation-notice?" ⁸ He said to them, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives, on account of the hardness of your hearts, but it was not so from the beginning. ⁹ I tell you, whoever divorces his wife except for unchastity and marries another woman, commits adultery; and he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery." ¹⁰ The disciples said to him, "If that is a man's position with his wife, there is no good in marrying." ¹¹ He said to them, "True, but this truth is not practicable for everyone, it is only for those who have the gift. ¹² There are eunuchs who have been eunuchs from their birth, there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the Realm of heaven. Let anyone practice it for whom it is practicable." ¹³ Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray over them. The disciples checked the people, ¹⁴ but Jesus said to them, "Let the children alone, do not stop them from coming to me: the Realm of heaven belongs to such as these." ¹⁵ Then he laid his hands on them and went upon his way. ¹⁶ Up came a man and said to him, "Teacher, what good deed must I do to gain life eternal?" ¹⁷ He said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? One alone is good. But if you want to get into Life, keep the commands." ¹⁸ "Which?" he said. Jesus answered, "The commands, you shall not kill, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, ¹⁹ honour your father and mother, and you must love your neighbour as yourself." ²⁰ The young man said, "I have observed all these. What more is wanting?" ²¹ Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go and sell your property, give the money to the poor and you shall have treasure in heaven; then come and follow me." ²² When the young man heard that, he went sadly away, for he had great possessions. ²³ And Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you truly, it will be difficult for a rich man to get into the Realm of heaven. ²⁴ I tell you again, it is easier for a camel to get through a needle's eye than for a rich man to get into the Realm of God." ²⁵ When the disciples heard this they were utterly astounded; they said, "Who then can possibly be saved?" ²⁶ Jesus looked at them and said, "This is impossible for men, but anything is possible for God." ²⁷ Then Peter replied, "Well, we have left our all and followed you. Now what are we to get?" ²⁸ Jesus said to them, "I tell you truly, in the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me shall also sit on twelve thrones to govern the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹ Everyone who has left brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands or houses for my name's sake will get a hundred times as much and inherit life eternal. ³⁰ Many who are first shall be last, and many who are last shall be first. ²⁰ ¹ For the Realm of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard; ² and after agreeing with the labourers to pay them a shilling a day he sent them into his vineyard. ³ Then, on going out at nine o'clock he noticed some other labourers standing in the marketplace doing nothing; ⁴ to them he said, 'You go into the vineyard too, and I will give you whatever wage is fair.' So they went in. ⁵ Going out again at twelve o'clock and at three o'clock, he did the same thing. ⁶ And when he went out at five o'clock he came upon some others who were standing; he said to them, 'Why have you stood doing nothing all the day?' ⁷ 'Because nobody hired us,' they said. He told them, 'You go into the vineyard too.' ⁸ Now when evening came the master of the vineyard said to his bailiff, 'Summon the labourers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last and going on to the first.' ⁹ When those who had been hired about five o'clock came, they got a shilling each. ¹⁰ So when the first labourers came up, they supposed they would get more; but they too got each their shilling. ¹¹ And on getting it they grumbled at the householder. ¹² 'These last,' they said, 'have only worked a single hour, and yet you have ranked them equal to us who have borne the brunt of the day's work and the heat!' ¹³ Then he replied to one of them, 'My man, I am not wronging you. Did you not agree with me for a shilling? ¹⁴ Take what belongs to you and be off. I choose to give this last man the same as you. ¹⁵ Can I not do as I please with what belongs to me? Have you a grudge because I am generous?' ¹⁶ So shall the last be first and the first last." ¹⁷ Now as Jesus was about to go up to Jerusalem he took the twelve aside by themselves and said to them as they were on the road, ¹⁸ "We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man will be betrayed to the high priests and scribes; they will sentence him to death ¹⁹ and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified; then on the third day he will be raised." ²⁰ Then the mother of the sons of Zebedaeus came up to him with her sons, praying him for a favour. ²¹ He said to her, "What do you want?" She said, "Give orders that my two sons are to sit at your right hand and at your left in your Realm." ²² Jesus replied, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?" They said to him, "We can." ²³ "You shall drink my cup," said Jesus, "but it is not for me to grant seats at my right hand and at my left; these belong to the men for whom they have been destined by my Father." ²⁴ When the ten heard of this, they were angry at the two brothers, ²⁵ but Jesus called them and said, "You know the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men overbear them: ²⁶ not so with you. Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave; ²⁸ just as the Son of man has not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." ²⁹ As they were leaving Jericho a crowd followed him, ³⁰ and when two blind men who were sitting beside the road heard Jesus was passing, they shouted, "O Lord, Son of David, have pity on us!" ³¹ The crowd checked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, "O Lord, Son of David, have pity on us!" ³² So Jesus stopped and called them. He said, "What do you want me to do for you?" ³³ "Lord," they said, "we want our eyes opened." ³⁴ Then Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and they regained their sight at once and followed him. ²¹ ¹ When they came near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage at the Hill of Olives, then Jesus despatched two disciples, ² saying to them, "Go to the village in front of you and you will at once find an ass tethered with a colt alongside of her; untether them and bring them to me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, you will say that the Lord needs them; then he will at once let them go." ⁴ This took place for the fulfilment of what had been spoken by the prophet, ⁵ Tell the daughter of Sion, 'Here is your king coming to you, He is gentle and mounted on an ass, And on a colt the foal of a beast of burden.' ⁶ So the disciples went and did as Jesus told them; ⁷ they brought the ass and the colt and put their clothes on them. Jesus seated himself on them, ⁸ and the greater part of the crowd spread their clothes on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and strewed them on the road. ⁹ And the crowds who went in front of him and who followed behind shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed be he who comes in the Lord's name! Hosanna in high heaven!" ¹⁰ When he entered Jerusalem the whole city was in excitement over him. "Who is this?" they said, ¹¹ and the crowds replied, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazaret in Galilee!" ¹² Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all who were buying and selling inside the temple; he upset the tables of the money-changers and the stalls of those who sold doves, ¹³ and told them, "It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you make it a den of robbers." ¹⁴ Blind and lame people came up to him in the temple and he healed them. ¹⁵ But when the high priests and scribes saw his wonderful deeds and saw the children who shouted in the temple, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant; ¹⁶ they said to him, "Do you hear what they are saying?" "Yes," said Jesus, "have you never read Thou hast brought praise to perfection from the mouth of babes and sucklings?" ¹⁷ Then he left them and went outside the city to Bethany, where he spent the night. ¹⁸ In the morning as he came back to the city he felt hungry, ¹⁹ and noticing a fig tree by the roadside he went up to it, but found nothing on it except leaves. He said to it, "May no fruit ever come from you after this!" And instantly the fig tree withered up. ²⁰ When the disciples saw this they marvelled. "How did the fig tree wither up in an instant?" they said. ²¹ Jesus answered, "I tell you truly, if you have faith, if you have no doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree but even if you say to this hill, 'Take and throw yourself into the sea,' it will be done. ²² All that ever you ask in prayer you shall have, if you believe." ²³ When he entered the temple, the high priests and elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, "What authority have you for acting in this way? Who gave you this authority?" ²⁴ Jesus replied, "Well, I will ask you a question, and if you answer me, then I will tell you what authority I have for acting as I do. ²⁵ Where did the baptism of John come from? From heaven or from men?" Now they argued to themselves, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Then why did you not believe him?' ²⁶ And if we say, 'From men,' we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet." ²⁷ So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." He said to them, "No more will I tell you what authority I have for acting as I do. ²⁸ Tell me what you think. A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work in the vineyard to-day'; ²⁹ he replied, 'I will go, sir,' but he did not go. ³⁰ The man went to the second and said the same to him; he replied, 'I will not,' but afterwards he changed his mind and did go. ³¹ Which of the two did the will of the father?" They said, "The last." Jesus said to them, "I tell you truly, the taxgatherers and harlots are going into the Realm of God before you. ³² For John showed you the way to be good and you would not believe him; the taxgatherers and harlots believed him, and even though you saw that, you would not change your mind afterwards and believe him. ³³ Listen to another parable. There was a householder who planted a vineyard, put a fence round it, dug a wine-vat inside it, and built a watchtower: then he leased it to vinedressers and went abroad. ³⁴ When the fruit-season was near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers to collect his fruit; ³⁵ but the vinedressers took his servants and flogged one, killed another, and stoned a third. ³⁶ Once more he sent some other servants, more than he had sent at first, and they did the same to them. ³⁷ Afterwards he sent them his son; 'They will respect my son,' he said. ³⁸ But when the vinedressers saw his son they said to themselves, 'Here is the heir; come on, let us kill him and seize his inheritance!' ³⁹ So they took and threw him outside the vineyard and killed him. ⁴⁰ Now, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to these vinedressers?" ⁴¹ They replied, "He will utterly destroy the wretches and lease the vineyard to other vinedressers who will give him the fruits in their season." ⁴² Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the scriptures, The stone that the builders rejected is the chief stone now of the corner: this is the doing of the Lord, and a wonder to our eyes? ⁴³ I tell you therefore that the Realm of God will be taken from you and given to a nation that bears the fruits of the Realm. ⁴⁴ [Everyone who falls on this stone will be shattered, and whoever it falls upon will be crushed.]" ⁴⁵ When the high priests and Pharisees heard these parables they knew he was speaking about them; ⁴⁶ they tried to get hold of him, but they were afraid of the crowds, as the crowds held him to be a prophet.