 Στορί number 15 of Herbat's Story of the Bible. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Herbat's Story of the Bible by Jesse Lehmann Herbat. Στορί 15. Στορίs, Jesus told by the sea. Matthew 13, verses 1 to 53. Mark 4, verses 1 to 34. Luke 8, verses 4 to 18. After Jesus had jured through the southern parts of Galilee, teaching and healing the sick, he came again to Capernaum. And one day went out of the city to a place where the beach rose up gently from the water. There he sat in Simon Peter's boat, as he had sat before, and spoke to a great crowd of people who stood on the beach. At this time Jesus began teaching the people by parables. That is by story, which showed the truths of the Gospel. Everybody liked to hear a story, and the story would often lead people to think and to find out the truth for themselves. The first of these parables or stories that Jesus gave was called the parable of the sower. Listen to me, said Jesus. A sower went out to sow his seed, and as he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, where the ground was hard, where some of the seed was rotten down, and other seeds were picked up by the birds. Some of the seed fell where the soil was thin, because rocks were under it. These seeds grew up quickly, but when the sun became hot, they were scorched and dried up, because they did not have enough soil and moisture for their roots. Other seeds fell among briars and thorns, and the thorns kept them from growing. And some seeds fell into good ground and brought forth fruit, 60 times as many as were sown, 60 times, and even 100 times. Whoever has ears to hear this, let him hear. When Jesus was alone with his disciples, they said to him, Why do you speak to the people in parables? What does this parable about the man sowing his seed mean? And Jesus said to them, To you it is given to know the deep things of the kingdom of God, because you seek to find them out. But to many these things are spoken in parables, for they hear the story, but do not try to find out what it means. They have eyes, but they do not see, and they have ears, but they do not hear, they do not wish to understand with the heart, and turn to the Lord, and have their sins forgiven them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. Listen now to the meaning of the parable of the sower. The sower is the one who speaks the word of God, and the seed is the word which he speaks. The seed by the roadside are those who hear, but the evil one comes, and snatches away the truth, so that they forget it. The seed on the rock are those who hear the word with joy, but have no root in themselves. Their goodness lasts only for a little time. That which is sown among the thorns are they who hear, but the cares of the world, and seeking after riches, and the enjoyment of this life crowd out the gospel from their lives, so that it does them but little good. But that which is sown on the good ground are they who take the word into an honest and good heart, and keep it, and bring forth fruit in their lives. Another parable or story given by Jesus to the people was the parable of the tears. The kingdom of God is as a man sowing good seed in his field, but while people were asleep his enemy came, and sowed tears or weeds among the wheat, and then went away. When the shoots of grain began to have heads of wheat, then the tears were seen among them. The servants of the farmer came to him and said, Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How did the tears come and do it? He said to them, an enemy has done this. Shall we go and pick out the tears from among the wheat? Asked the servants. No, answered the farmer, for while you are pulling up the tears you will root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, take out the tears first, and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather wheat into my barns. Another parable was that of the master seed. He said, the kingdom of heaven is like a grain of master seed, which a man took and sowed in his field. This is the smallest of all seeds, but it grows up to be a large bush, almost a tree, so that the birds of the air light upon its branches and rest under its shadow. Another parable was the leaven of east. The kingdom of heaven is like a little leaven or east that a woman mixed with dough when she was making bread. It worked through all the dough and changed it into good, light bread. These parables Jesus told to the people as he sat in the boat and the people stood on the shore, but he did not tell them what the parables meant, for she wished them to think out the meaning for themselves. After giving the parables, he sent the people away and came back to the house in the city. There his disciples said to him, tell us the meaning of the parable of the tears growing in the field. Jesus said to them, the one who sows the good seed is the son of man. The field is the word. The good seed are those who belong to the kingdom of God, but the tears, the weeds, are the children of the evil one. The enemy that saw them is Satan, the devil, and the reapers are the angels. Just as the tears are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of the world. The son of man shall send out his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all that do evil and cause harm, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. But the people of God, in that day, shall shine as the son in the kingdom of their father. And in the house Jesus gave to his disciples some more parables for them to think upon. He said, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure which a man found hidden in a field. He was glad when he saw it, but hit it again. And then went home and sold all that he had and bought that field with the treasure in it. The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant who was seeking precious pearls. This man found one pair of great price. He went and sold all that he had and bought the pearl. Once more, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea and took in fish of all kinds. When it was full, they drew the net to the shore, then they sat down and picked out the good fish from among the bad. The good fish they put away for safe keeping, but the bad fish they threw away. So shall it be at the end of the world. The angels shall come and shall place the wicked apart from the good and shall cast them into a furnace of fire. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This is the end of Story 15. Story 16 of Hurlbert's Story of the Bible. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Hurlbert's Story of the Bible by Jesse Lyman Hurlbert. Part 6. Peace be still. Matthew 8-18-34 Mark 4-35-5-21 Luke 8-22-40 When the evening came, after teaching all day by the sea and in the house, Jesus saw that the crowds of people were still pressing around him and there was no time for him to rest. Jesus said, let us go over to the other side of the lake. So they took Jesus into the boat and began to row across the sea of Galilee. Other little boats were with them for many wished to go with Jesus. While they were rowing, Jesus fell asleep, resting on a cushion of the boat. Suddenly a storm rose and drove great waves of water into the boat so that it was in danger of sinking. But Jesus slept on. The disciples awoke him saying, Master, master, we are lost. Help us or we shall perish. Jesus awaked and rose up and looked out upon the sea. He said to the waves, peace be still. And at once the wind seized, the waves were quiet and there was a great calm. Jesus said to his disciples, why are you afraid? How is it that you have so little faith in me? They all wandered at Jesus' power and said to each other, who is this man whom even the winds and the sea obey? They came to the land on the eastern side of the lake which was sometimes called the country of the Gadarenes from the people who lived in the large city of Gardara which was not far away and sometimes de Capolis. As they were landing, a man came running down to meet them. He was one of those poor men in whose body evil spirits were living. He would not stay in any house or stay in the graveyard among the dead nor did he wear any clothes. They had often chained him but he had broken loose from his chains and no one was able to bind him. When this man saw Jesus afar off he ran towards him and fell down on his face before him. Jesus saw what was the trouble with this man and he spoke to the evil spirit in him. Come out of this man vile spirit of evil. The spirit within the man cried with a loud voice What have I to do with thee Jesus thou son of the Most High God? I call upon thee in the name of the Lord Do not make me to suffer. Jesus saw that this man was troubled more even than most men who had evil spirits in them. He said to the evil one What is your name? And the spirit said My name is Legion because there are many of us. A Legion was a name given to an army and in this man was a whole army of evil spirits. There was on the mountainside a great drove of hogs feeding. The Jews were not allowed to keep hogs nor to eat their flesh and the evil spirit said to Jesus If we must leave this man will you let us go into the drove of hogs? Jesus gave them leave and the evil spirits went out of the man and went into the hogs. The whole drove two thousand in Namba became at once wild. They rushed down a steep place on the mountain and into the sea where they were all drowned. The man who kept the hogs ran into the city nearby and told all the people how the man had been made well and what had come to the drove of hogs how they had been drowned. They saw the man who had been filled with evil spirits now sitting at the feet of Jesus no longer naked but closed and in his right mind. But they did not think of what Jesus had done to this man they thought only of the hogs that they had lost and they begged Jesus to go away from their land. Jesus turned away from these people and went again to the boat on the shore and then the man who had been set free from the evil spirits pleaded with Jesus that he might go with him but Jesus would not take him into the boat and tell them how the Lord has had mercy on you and has done great things for you. The man went home and told all the people in the land of Decapolis the great things that Jesus had done for him and Jesus went on board the boat and crossed over the lake and came again to his own city of Capernaum. End of Story 16 Recording by Ezwa in Belgium in July 2008 Story number 17 of Hurlbut's Story of the Bible This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Hurlbut's Story of the Bible by Jesse Lyman Hurlbut Part 6 The Little Girl Who Was Raised to Life Matthew 9, 18-38, 10-1-42 Mark 5, 22-43 Luke 8, 41-56, 9-1-5 When Jesus and his disciples landed at Capernaum after their sail across the lake they found a crowd of people on the shore waiting for them and a man came forward from the throng and fell down at the feet of Jesus He was one of the chief men in the synagogue and his name was Jerryus He said, Oh Master, come to my house at once My little daughter is dying but if you will come and lay your hands upon her she will live And Jesus went with Jerryus and his disciples followed him and also many people who thronged around Jesus In the crowd was a poor woman who had been ill for very many years from a sore out of which her blood ran so that she was very weak Many doctors had tried to help her but they could not and she had spent all her money so that she was now very poor This woman had heard of Jesus and she tried to come to him but she could not reach him in the throng of people She said to herself If I can only touch his garment I know that the touch will make me well and as Jesus passed by she reached out her hand and touched the hem of his robe At that instant she felt in her body that she was cured Jesus himself felt her touch and turning around said After said unto him Master, the crowd throngs around you and pressed upon you How can you ask who touched me? But Jesus said Someone has touched me for I feel that power has gone out from me And he looked around to see who it was Then the woman came forward fearing and trembling over what she had done She fell down before Jesus and told how she had touched him and had been made well But Jesus said to her Your faith has made you well Rise up and go in peace And from that hour the woman was free from her disease All this time while Jesus was waiting Jairus, the father of the dying child stood beside Jesus in great trouble for he feared that his child would die before Jesus could come to his house And at that moment someone came to him and said It is too late, your daughter is dead You need not trouble the master anymore But Jesus said to him So they came to the house where Jairus lived and they could hear the people weeping and crying aloud Jesus said to them Why do you make such a noise? The little girl is not dead but only asleep Jesus meant by this that we need not be filled with sorrow when our friends die for death is only asleep for a time until God shall awake them But they did not understand this and they would not be comforted for they knew that the child was dead Jesus would not allow any of the crowd of people to go into the room where the dead child was He took with him three of his disciples Peter, James and John and the father and the mother of the child and shut out all the rest of the people On the couch was lying the dead body of a girl 12 years old Taking the hand of the child into his own he said to her Little girl, rise up And the life of the little girl came again She opened her eyes and sat up Jesus told them to give her something to eat and he said to them Do not tell anyone how the little girl was brought to life Already the crowds following him were so great that he could not teach the people in the city and if it became known that he could raise the dead to life the throng and the press of the multitudes would be greater His great work was to teach and to bring life to the souls of men rather than to heal or to raise the dead And he went out once more among the villages of Galilee teaching in the synagogues and healing the sick people who were brought to him He pitied the people because there was no one to give them the gospel and they were like sheep wandering and lost without a shepherd He said to his disciples The harvest truly is great but the workers to gather the harvest are few Pray to the Lord of the harvest that he may send out reapers into these harvest fields And after this Jesus sent out his twelve disciples to different places to preach his name to the people He sent them forth in pairs two of them together so that they could help each other And he gave them power to heal the sick and to cast out evil spirits from men He said to them Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel and as you go preach saying the kingdom of heaven is at hand Heal the sick cleanse the lepers raise the dead cast out the evil spirits freely you have received Do not take any money with you but at every place ask for some good man and stay at his house And if any people will not listen to your words when you go out of that house or out of that city shake off the dust from your sandals as a sign and God will judge that house or that city He that hears you hears me and he that hears me hears him who sent me And if anyone will give to drink to one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of the disciple He shall not lose his reward The twelve disciples went out in pairs as Jesus had commanded them and preached in all the cities of Galilee that men should cease from their sins and turn to God End of Story 17 Story 18 of Hurlbot's story of the Bible This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Hurlbot's Story of the Bible by Jesse Lyman Hurlbot A dancing girl and what was given her Matthew 11 2-19 14-1-12 Mark 6-14-29 Luke 7-18-35 You remember that just before Jesus went from Jerusalem to Galilee as we read in Story 117 John the Baptist was put in prison by the king Herod Antipas Jesus stayed in Galilee for a year and nearly all that time John the Baptist was alone in his prison near the Dead Sea His followers who were now very few came to see him and told him of the works that Jesus was doing These were wonderful but they were not what John had expected Jesus to do and in his prison with no one to explain what Jesus was saying and doing John began to doubt a little whether Jesus were the savior who had been promised so long John too John's followers were inclined to feel jealous because their master was now left alone and all the people were seeking Jesus John sent two of his followers to Jesus to ask him this question Are you really the savior who is to come or are we to look for some other as the promised Christ But when these men came with this message from John the Baptist they found Jesus in the midst of a great company of suffering people They saw him making the sick well by his touch giving sight to the blind and casting out the evil spirits and they listened to the words of Jesus as he taught the people When his work for the time was done Jesus turned to the men who had come from John and said to them Go and tell John what you have seen and heard how the blind see the lame walk the lepers are made clean the deaf hear the dead are raised to life and the poor have good news preached to them and blessed is that man who believes in me without doubting After these men had gone to bear the words of Jesus to John Jesus spoke to the people about John the Baptist He said What was it that you went out into the wilderness to see Was it a reed shaken by the wind Was it a man dressed in rich robes Those who are clad in splendid garments and sit at feasts are in the houses of kings Who was the man whom you went out to see Was he a prophet of God I tell you that he was a prophet and more than a prophet for he was the one who came to make men ready for the coming of the king and I say to you that among those who are born on the earth there has never arisen a greater man than John the Baptist Yet he who is the least in the kingdom of God is greater than John for he can see with his own eyes what John can only hear of from others the works of the gospel All the common people who heard this were glad for they believed that John was a prophet and they had been baptized by him but the Pharisees and the rulers were not pleased because they had refused to listen to John the Baptist or to be baptized by him Not long after this the end came to the noble life of John the Baptist A great feast was held on King Herod's birthday and all the princes and nobles of his kingdom were in the palace eating and drinking together While they were making Mary the young daughter of the woman Herodias who lived with Herod as his wife came into the supper room and danced before the guests Herod was so greatly pleased with her dancing that he said to her Ask whatever you please and I will give it to you He swore a solemn oath that he would give her whatever she might ask even to the half of his kingdom The girl went to her mother and said to her Tell me what shall I ask Her mother told her what to ask and she came back with haste to the king and said I will ask that you give me here upon a plate the head of John the Baptist The king was very sorry that he had made the promise but he was ashamed to break his word in the presence of his princes He sent a man to the prison with orders that the head of John the Baptist should be cut off and brought It was done and the young girl took it upon a plate and gave it to her mother Herodias So as Herod's father 30 years before had caused all the little children of Bethlehem to be killed as we read in story 112 this king Herod, the son caused John the Baptist two men and a great prophet to be put to death The followers of John the Baptist went to the prison and took away his body and buried it and then they went and told Jesus of all that had been done After this they were among the followers of Jesus Herod the king heard of what Jesus was doing the sick healed the blind made to see and the dead raised to life Everybody by this time was talking of Jesus and wondering who he was Some said this is the prophet Elijah who came to earth Others said if he is not Elijah he is surely one of the prophets of the old time who has come to life But Herod said I know who this is it is John the Baptist whom I killed he has come back to life and by him all these great works are wrought and Herod was in great alarm for he was afraid of the man whom he had slain End of story 18 Story 19 of Herobot's story of the Bible by Jesse Lyman Herobot Part 6 The feast beside the sea and what followed it Matthew 14 13 to 36 Mark 6 30 to 56 Luke 9 10 to 17 John 6 1 to 71 When the twelve disciples were in the public domain they were in the public domain When the twelve disciples came back to Jesus after preaching in His name among the villages of Galilee they told Him of all that they had done and of what they had said to the people The multitude seeking after Jesus were now greater than ever before for it was again near the time of the Passover and very many on their way to Jerusalem turned aside to see and to hear the great teacher So many people were coming and going that they could scarcely find time even to eat Jesus said to the twelve Come with me apart into a quiet place away from the crowds and let us rest for a time They went into the boat and rode across the lake to an open place where no one lived not far from the city of Bethsaida But they could not be alone for the people saw them going and watched them from the shore and went on foot around the northern end of the lake and found them When Jesus saw how eager the crowds were to hear Him, He took pity on them and taught them and healed such among them as were sick As it began to grow toward evening the disciples said to Jesus This is a lonely place and there is nothing here for such a crowd of people to eat Send them away before it is too late and tell them to go to the towns and get food But Jesus said to them They need not go away You can give them food to eat They said to Him, shall we go into the town and buy two hundred chillings worth of bread so that each one of them may have a little Jesus turned to Philip one of his disciples and said to him, Philip where shall we find bread that all these may eat Jesus said this to try Philip's faith for he himself knew what he would do Philip looked at the great crowd full five thousand men besides women and children and he said two hundred chillings worth of bread would not be enough to give everyone Just then another of the disciples Andrew, the brother of Peter said to Jesus There is a boy here who has five loaves of barley bread and two little fishes but what use would they be among so many people Jesus said to the disciples Go out among the people and divide them into companies of fifty and a hundred and tell them to sit down in order So the people all sat down and upon the green grass arranged in rows and squares They looked like beds of flowers Then Jesus took into his hands the five loaves and the two fishes which the boy had brought He looked up to the heaven and blessed the food and broke the loaves and the dried fishes and gave the pieces to the disciples They went among the companies of people and gave to everyone bread and fish as much as each needed So they all ate and had enough Then Jesus said Gather up the pieces of food that are left so that nothing may be lost Each of the disciples carried a basket among the people and when they came to Jesus all the twelve baskets were filled with pieces that were left over of the five loaves and the two fishes When the people saw that here was one who could give them food they were ready at once to make Jesus their king and to break away from the rule of the Romans Jesus was a king but he would not be such a king as they wished His kingdom was to be in the hearts of men who loved him Not a kingdom set up by the swords of soldiers He found that his disciples were ready to help the people to make him a king even against his own will So Jesus first compelled his disciples to go on board the boat though they were not willing to do so and to row across the lake to Capernaum Then he sent away the great crowd of people who were still eager that he should be their king and when all had gone away and while he was left alone he went up into the mountain to pray While he was praying in the night a great storm arose upon the lake and from the mountain Jesus could see his disciples working hard with their oars against the waves although they could not see him A little after midnight when the storm was the highest Jesus went to his disciples walking upon the water just as though the sea was dry land The man in the boat saw a strange figure coming near them upon the sea and cried out with fear He thought that it must be a spirit but Jesus called out to them Be of good cheer, it is I be not afraid and then they knew that it was their lord Peter spoke to Jesus and said Lord if it be thou let me come to thee walking upon the water and Jesus said to Peter come Then Simon Peter leapt overboard from the ship and he too walked on the water to go to Jesus but when he saw how great was the storm he began to be afraid and forgetting to trust in the word of Jesus he began to sink He cried out Lord save me and Jesus reached out his hand and caught hold of him and lifted him up saying Oh man of little faith why did you doubt my word When Jesus came on board the boat with Peter at once the wind ceased and the sea was calm the disciples wondered greatly as they saw the power of Jesus they fell down before him their son of God when they came to the shore and the daylight arose they saw that they were at the land of Guinnessourette a plain a little to the south of Capernaum they went ashore and as soon as the people saw Jesus and knew who he was they brought their sick to him and begged that they might only touch the border of his garment and as many as touched him were made well soon after this Jesus came again to Capernaum and went into the synagogue some of whom had eaten of the five loaves a few days before these people wished Jesus to feed them in the same way again but Jesus said to them seek not for food that passes away but for the food that gives everlasting life such as the son of man can give you they said to him what sign can you show that God has sent you Moses gave our fathers bread from heaven the manna in the desert what can you do then Jesus said to them it was not Moses but God who gave your fathers bread and God gives you now the true bread from heaven in his son who came down from heaven to give life to the world as soon as the people found that Jesus would not work wonders to please them they turned away from him and left him although a few days before they would have made him a king when Jesus saw that the great crowds of people were with him no longer Jesus said to his twelve disciples will you also go away and leave me then Simon Peter answered him Lord to whom else can we go for thou only hasst the words that will give us everlasting life end of story 19 story number 20 of Hurlbeth's story of the Bible this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Hurlbeth's story of the Bible by Jesse Lyman Hurlbeth part six the answer to a mother's prayer Matthew 15 21 to 39 Mark 7 24 to 8 26 after the feeding of the 5000 and the talk which followed it in the synagogue of Capernaum Jesus no longer sought to preach to the people and crowds as he had preached before he had spoken his last words to the people of Galilee and now he sought to be alone with his disciples that he might teach them many things which they needed Jesus knew that in a few months less than a year he would leave his disciples to carry on the work of preaching his gospel to the world before that time should come Jesus wished to teach and train his disciples so he tried to be apart from the people and alone with these twelve men with this purpose in his mind Jesus led his disciples away from Capernaum across Galilee westward to the land of Tyre and Sidon near the great sea on the border of this land he came to a village and in it went with his disciples to a house Jesus did not wish the people of the place to know that he was there but he could not be hid a woman of that place who was not of the Jewish race but belonged to the old Canaanite people heard of Jesus' coming she sought out Jesus and fell down before him and begged him to come to her house in whom was an evil spirit at first Jesus would not answer her for he had not come to that place to do works of healing but she kept on crying and calling upon Jesus to help her daughter until the disciples said master send this woman away for she is a trouble to us crying out after us they thought that a Gentile woman one who did not belong to the race of Israel was not worthy of the Lord's care but Jesus wished to teach his disciples that he did care for this woman though she was a Gentile and a stranger to show them how strong was her faith he said to her I am not sent to the Gentiles but only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel but the woman would not be discouraged she kept on saying lord help me Jesus said to her again it is not fitting to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs then the woman said it is true lord yet the little dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs and Jesus said to her oh woman your faith is great it shall be done even as you ask go your way the evil spirit is sent out of your daughter the woman believed the words that Jesus spoke she went to her home and there found her daughter resting upon the bed freed from the evil spirit so many people sought to see Jesus in that place that he left that land with his disciples and went around Galilee and came again to the country called the Capolis on the east side of the sea of Galilee you remember that Jesus had visited this country before when he cast the army of evil spirits out of a man into the hogs as we read in story 125 at that time the people almost drove Jesus away from their land but now they were glad to see him and brought their sick to him to be healed perhaps they had heard from the man out of whom the evil spirits had gone how kind and good and helpful Jesus was they led to Jesus a man who was deaf and could not speak plainly he was what we would call tongue tied they asked Jesus to cure him but Jesus would not do his work as a sight for men to look upon he took the man away from the crowd and when he was alone with him he put his fingers into the man's ears and touched his tongue then he looked up to heaven and gave a sigh and said to the man be opened then the man's ears were opened Jesus told the man and those with him not to let others know what he had done but they could not keep from telling the good news to everybody they were full of wonder for they had not before seen the works of Jesus and they said he has done all things well he makes even the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak and in the land of Decapolis as before in Galilee great crowds of people came to see and hear Jesus they followed him without thinking that they would need any food to eat and Jesus said to his disciples I feel a pity for this people for they have now been with me three days and they have nothing to eat if I send them home hungry they will faint by the way for many of them came from far the disciples answered him how can we find bread for such a great crowd of people here in a desert place so far from the villages how many loaves of bread have you asked Jesus they said we have seven loaves of small fishes then he told all the people to sit down on the ground when they were seated Jesus took the seven loaves and the fishes and gave thanks to God and broke them and gave them to his disciples and they gave them to the people then as before he caused them to gather up the food that was left and they filled seven large baskets with the pieces at this time four thousand men were fed besides women and children and at once after the meal he sent the people to their homes and with his disciples went on board a boat and sailed across the lake to a place on the western shore there he stayed only a short time and then sailed northward to Bethsaida at the head of the lake at Bethsaida they brought to him a blind man and asked him to touch his eyes but Jesus would not heal the man while the crowd was looking on he led the man by his hand out of the village alone then he spat on the man's eyes and touched them with his hands can you see anything? the man looked up and said I see men but they look like trees walking then again Jesus laid his hands upon the man's eyes he looked once more and now could see all things clearly Jesus sent him to his home and said to him do not even go into the village nor tell it to anyone in the village for Jesus wished not to have crowds of people coming to him but to be alone with his disciples for he had many things to teach them from Bethsaida on the sea of Galilee Jesus led his disciples still further north to Caesarea Philippi at the foot of the great Mount Hermon the name of this place means Philips Caesarea and it was so called because it was under the rule of King Herod Philip a brother of King Herod Antipas who ruled in Galilee and there was another Caesarea on the shores of the great sea south of Mount Carmel at Caesarea Philippi as Caesarea Philippi Jesus asked his disciples this question who do men say that I the son of man am the son of man was the name by which Jesus often spoke of himself they answered him some men say that you are John the Baptist risen from the dead some say that you are the prophet Elijah or the prophet Jeremiah come to earth again then said Jesus but who do you say that I am Simon Peter answered for them all who are the anointed one the Christ the son of the living God Jesus said to Peter Simon this has come to you not from men but from my father who is in heaven you are Peter the rock and on this rock I will build my church and all the powers of earth shall not overcome it for the church of Christ is made of those who believe what Peter said that Jesus is the Christ the savior of the world and who obey Jesus as their Lord and King after this Jesus began to tell his disciples what things were to come upon him before many months he said we are going up to Jerusalem and there the people were refused to own the son of man and he shall suffer many wrongs from the rulers and chief priests and shall be killed and on the third day he shall be raised to life but the disciples could not believe that such sad things would come to pass with Jesus they thought that he would reign as a king and that high places in his kingdom would be given to themselves Peter took Jesus apart from the rest and said to him master do not speak of such things you will not suffer and die you shall be a king but Jesus saw that under Peter's words was the evil one tempting him and he said to Peter go from me Satan evil one you would be a stumbling block to me to make me fall you are seeking not that which is of God but that which is of men for Jesus knew that while all men were a king ruling over a kingdom on the earth it was God's will for him to die upon the cross to save the world from sin then Jesus called the people to come near with his disciples and he said to them all if any man will come after me let him give up his own will and take up his cross and follow me for whoever has a will to save his life here shall lose it hereafter and whoever is willing to give up his life for my sake shall find it again in the life everlasting again will it be to a man to have the whole world and to lose his own soul for the son of man will come in his glory with all the holy angels and then he will give to every man according to his acts and if a man is ashamed to own the Lord now the Lord will not own him in that day one night about a week after saying those words Jesus called three of his disciples Peter James and John and with them climbed up the side of Mount Hermon the high place on the mountain the three disciples lay down to sleep but Jesus sought his father in prayer while Jesus was praying a great change came over him his face began to shine as bright as the sun and his garments became wider than snow the three disciples awoke and saw their Lord with all this glory beaming from him and they saw two men talking with Jesus these were Moses and Elijah who had come down from heaven to meet Jesus and they spoke with him after the death that he was to die in Jerusalem as these men were passing from the side of the disciples Peter spoke scarcely knowing what he was saying master it is good for us to be here let us make here three tabernacles one for thee and one for Moses and one for Elijah while Peter was speaking a bright and glorious cloud came over them all and the three disciples felt a great fear as they found themselves in the cloud and no longer able to see their master out of the cloud came the voice of God saying these words this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him as the disciples heard this voice they fell upon their faces on the ground in great fear and Jesus came and touched them saying rise up and do not be afraid then they looked up and low the bright cloud had passed away the two men were no more in sight and Jesus was standing alone they walked together down the mountain and Jesus said to them very earnestly do not tell to any man which you have seen until the son of man is risen from the dead they wondered what this rising from the dead could mean for even yet they could not believe that Jesus would die but they said nothing to anyone not even to the other disciples of what they had seen upon the mountain when Jesus and the three disciples came down the mountain they found many people around the other nine disciples as the people saw Jesus they were filled with wonder for some of the glory still remained upon his face and they bound before him one man came to Jesus and said master look upon my son my only child and have mercy upon him for he is terribly troubled by an evil spirit at times he cannot speak and then he will cry out suddenly the spirit almost tears him in pieces and makes him fall into the fire and into the water he foams at the mouth they spoke to your disciples but they could not cast out the evil spirit and Jesus said oh ye people without faith and wandering from God how long must I be with you how long must I bear with you bring your child to me while they were bringing the boy to Jesus the evil spirit in him threw him down and seemed to tear him apart and he lay suffering and rolling on the ground Jesus said to the boy's father how long is it since this came to him the father said ever since he was a little child but if you can do anything have mercy on us and help him if I can, said Jesus do you not know that all things are possible to the one that believes in me at once the father of the child cried out lord I believe help my lack of faith then Jesus spoke to the evil spirit in the boy dumb and deaf spirit come out of this child and never again enter into him but Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up and the boy stood up well set free from the evil spirit and Jesus gave him to his father and all who saw it wondered at the mighty power of the Lord when Jesus was in the house his disciples asked him why could not we cast out the evil spirit and Jesus said to them because you were wanting in faith but this kind of evil spirits can be sent out only through prayer and fasting while all were wondering at the great things which Jesus did he said again to his disciples let what I say to you sink down into your hearts the time is coming when the son of man shall be given to the hands of men and they shall kill him and after he is killed on the third day he shall rise again but they could not understand what he meant by these words and they were afraid to ask him end of story 21 story 22 of Hurlbot's story of the Bible this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Hurlbot's story of the Bible by Jesse Lyman Hurlbot part 6 The Little Child in the Arms of Jesus Matthew 17 24 to 18 35 Mark 9 46 to 50 from Caesarea Philippi in the far north Jesus went with his disciples through Galilee but not as at other times with a great multitude following him at this time Jesus wished no one to know of his coming for he had already preached to this people and now he sought to be alone with his disciples they came to Capernaum and while they were there the officer to whom the Jews paid the tax of half a shekel or about 30 cents for each man said to Peter does not your master pay the half shekel Peter said yes but when Peter came into the house Jesus said to Peter Simon do the kings of the earth take taxes of their own children or of strangers Peter said to him of strangers not of their own children and Jesus said then the children of the king should be free from the tax but that we may not cause trouble do you go to the lake and cast in a hook and pull up the first fish that comes and when you have opened his mouth you shall find in it a piece of money take that and pay it to them for you and for me while Jesus was in the house he said to his disciples what was it that you were talking about among yourselves while you were on the way they looked at one another and said nothing for on the way they had been disputing as to who of them should have the highest places in their Lord's kingdom then Jesus said to them if any one among you wishes to be first let him be willing to be the last of all and to be a servant of all and Jesus took a little child in his arms and held him up before all his disciples and said to them unless you turn from your ways and become like little children in spirit you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven whosoever shall be gentle and lowly and willing to be taught like this little child he shall be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven and whosoever shall receive one such little child for my sake who believes me take care not to despise one of these little ones for I say unto you that in heaven their angels do always look upon the face of my Father who is in heaven for the Son of Man is come to save that which was lost and it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish and Peter said to Jesus Lord how many times should I forgive a brother when he ascend against me till seven times Jesus said to Peter to say that you should forgive him seven times only but seventy times seven then Jesus gave to his disciples the parable or story of the unkind servant there was once a king who had an account made with his servants of how much money they owed him one servant was brought before the king and he owed the king a great sum of money ten millions of dollars the man had nothing with which to pay his debt and the king commanded that the man and his wife and his children should be sold by the slaves for the debt then the servant fell down before the king and said be patient with me give me time and I will pay all that I owe then the king felt a pity for his servant set him free and let him go without any payment giving him all that he owed but that servant went out and found another servant who owed him a small sum only ten dollars he came to this man and he took hold of him by the throat and said pay what you owe me the man fell down before him and said have patience with me and I will pay you he would not wait for the man to earn the money but through the man into prison to stay there until he should pay the debt when his fellow servants heard of what he had done they were sorry for the poor debtor in prison and came and told the king all that had been done then the king sent for the servant and said to him you wicked servant I forgave you all your debt when you asked me to give you time and you should have had mercy on your fellow servant as I had mercy on you and the king was angry against the unkind servant and sent him to prison and ordered that he should be made to suffer until he should pay all his debt so also shall my heavenly father do to you if from your hearts you do not forgive your brothers who have sinned against you End of Story 22 Story number 23 of Hurlbot's story of the Bible this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Hurlbot's story of the Bible by Jesse Lyman Hurlbot Part 6 at the Feast of the Tabernacles Matthew 8 19-22 Luke 9 57-62 10 38-42 17 11-19 John 7 2-52 In the fall of every year there was held at Jerusalem the Feast of the Tabernacles it was kept to remind the people of the time when the Israelites came out of Egypt and lived for 40 years in the wilderness more than a thousand years before the days when Jesus was on the earth at this feast the people from all parts of the land came up to Jerusalem and worshiped in the temple and as the Israelites had lived intense in the wilderness the people during the feast did not sleep indoors but made arbors and huts from green boughs on the roofs of the houses on the hills around the city and slept in them at night Jesus and his disciples went from Galilee to Jerusalem to attend this feast just as Jesus was leaving a man who had heard Jesus said to him master I will follow thee wherever thou goest and Jesus said to him the foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests but the son of man has not a place where he can lay his head there was another man to whom Jesus had said follow me this man said Lord let me go and bury my father who is very old and must die very soon and then I will follow thee Jesus said to him let the dead bury their own dead but do you go and preach the kingdom of God and another said Lord I will follow thee but let me first go home and say goodbye to those who are in my house Jesus said to him no man who has put his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God but when he went to Jerusalem Jesus went through the country of Samaria where the people hated the Jews in one place the Samaritans would not let Jesus and his disciples come into their village because they saw that they were Jews going up to Jerusalem the disciples were very angry at such treatment of their master and James and John said to him Lord shall we call down fire from heaven to destroy this village as Elijah the prophet did once your spirit is not the spirit of my kingdom the son of man has not come to destroy men's lives but to save them and they went to another village to find a resting place at one town they met outside the gate ten men with the dreadful disease of leprosy of which we read in the story of Naaman story 86 these men had heard of Jesus and his power to heal and when they saw him they cried out aloud Jesus master have mercy on us go to them go and show yourselves to the priests if ever a leper became well he went to the priest and offered a sacrifice and then was allowed to go to his home these men obeyed the word of Jesus believing that he would cure them and as soon as they started to go to the priest they found that they were already well all but one of the men went on their way but one turned and came back to Jesus and fell at his feet giving praise to God and this man was not a Jew but a Samaritan Jesus said as he saw him were there not ten cleansed but where are the nine were there none who came back to give glory to God except the stranger then he said to the man rise up and go your way your faith has saved you Jesus came to Jerusalem not on the first day of the feast but in the middle for the feast was held for a week he stood in the temple and taught the people and all wondered at his words on the last and greatest day of the feast was bringing water and pouring it out in the temple Jesus cried aloud if any man thirsts let him come to me and drink he that believes on me out of him shall flow rivers of living water while Jesus was teaching in Jerusalem he often went out of the city to the village of Bethany on the Mount of Olives there he stayed with the family of Martha her sister Mary and their brother Lazarus these were friends of Jesus and he loved to be with them one day while Jesus was at the house Mary sat at the feet of Jesus listening to his words but Martha was busy with work and full of cares Martha came to Jesus and said master do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work tell her to come to help me but Jesus said to her Martha you are anxious and troubled about many things only one thing is needful for Mary has chosen the good part which shall not be taken away from her this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Herbert's Story of the Bible by Jesse Lyman Herbert Part 6 The man with clay on his face John Chapter 9 Verses 1-41 One Sabbath day as Jesus and Martha went to the church one Sabbath day as Jesus and his disciples were walking in Jerusalem they met a blind man begging this man in all his life had never seen for he had been born blind the disciples said to Jesus as they were passing him master whose fault was it that this man was born blind was it because he has sinned or did his parents sin for the Jews thought that when any evil came it was caused by someone's sin but Jesus said this man was born blind not because of his parents sin nor because of his own but so that God might show his power in him we must do God's work while it is day for the night is coming when no man can work as long as I am in the world I am the light of the world when Jesus had said this he spat on the ground and mixed up the spittle with earth making a little lump of clay this clay Jesus spread on the eyes of the blind man and then he said to him go and wash in the pool of Siloam the pool of Siloam was a large system or reservoir but because of this of Jerusalem outside the wall where the valley of Gihon and the valley of the Kedrum come together to go to this pool the blind man with two great blotches of mud on his face must walk through the streets of the city out of the gate and into the valley he went and felt his way down the steps into the pool of Siloam there he washed then at once his lifelong blindest passed away and he could see when the man came back to the part of the city where he lived his neighbors could scarcely believe that he was the same man they said is not this the man who used to sit on the street begging this must be the same man said some but others said no it is someone who looks like him but the man said I am the very same man who was blind why how did this come to pass they asked him how were your eyes opened the man called Jesus he answered mixed clay and put it on my eyes and said to me go to the pool of Siloam and wash and I went and washed and then I could see where is this man they asked him I do not know said the man some of the Pharisees the man who made a show of always obeying the law asked the man how he had been made to see he said to them as he had said before a man put clay on my eyes and I washed and my sight came to me some of the Pharisees said the man who did this was God because he does not keep the Sabbath he makes clay and put it on men's eyes working on a Sabbath day he is a sinner others said how can a man who is a sinner do such wonderful works and thus the people were divided in what they thought of Jesus they asked the man who had been blind what do you think of this man who has opened your eyes he is a prophet of God said the man but the leading Jews would not believe that this man had gained his sight until they had sent for his father and his mother the Jews asked them is this your son who you say was born blind how is it that he can now see his parents were afraid to tell all they knew for the Jews had agreed that any man should say that Jesus with the Christ, the Saviour he should be turned out of the synagogue and not be allowed to worship anymore with the people so his parents said to the Jews we know that this is our son and we know that he was born blind but how he was made to see we do not know or who has opened his eyes we do not know he is of age ask him and let him speak for himself then again the rulers of the Jews called the man who had been blind and they said to him give God the praise for your sight we know that this man who made clay on the Sabbath day is a sinner whether that man is a sinner or not I do not know answered the man but one thing I do know that once I was blind and now I see they said to him again what did this man do to you how did he open your eyes I have told you already and you would not listen said the man why do you wish to hear it again do you intend to believe in him and be his followers this made them very angry and they said to the man you are his follower but we are followers of Moses we know that God spoke to Moses but as for this fellow we do not even know from what place he comes the man said why that is a very wonderful thing you who are teachers of the people do not know who this man is or from what place he comes and yet he has had power to open my eyes we know that God does not hear sinners but God hears only those who worship him and do his will never before has anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind if this man were not from God he could not do such works as these the rulers of the Jews these Pharisees then said to the man you were born in sin and you try to teach us and they turned him out of the synagogue let him worship with them Jesus heard of this and when Jesus found him he said to him do you believe on the Son of God the man said and who is he Lord that I may believe on him you have seen him said Jesus and it is he who now talks with you the man said Lord I believe and he fell down before Jesus and worshiped him End of Story 24 Recording by Ezra in Belgium in July 2008 Story number 25 of Hurlbut's Story of the Bible This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Megan Kunkel Hurlbut's Story of the Bible The story of the Good Shepherd and the Good Samaritan John chapter 10 verses 1 to 41 and Luke chapter 10 verses 1 to 37 After the cure of the man born blind Jesus gave to the people in Jerusalem the parable or story of the Good Shepherd Verily Verily that is in truth in truth I say to you if anyone does not go into the sheepfold by the door but climbs up some other way it is a sign that he is a thief and a robber but the one who comes in by the door is a shepherd of the sheep the porter opens the door to him and the sheep know him and listen to his call for he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out to the pasture field and when he has let out his sheep he goes in front of them and the sheep follow him but they do not know the stranger's voice the people do not understand what all this meant and as Jesus explained it to them he said Verily Verily I say to you I am the door that leads to the sheepfold if anyone comes to the sheep in any other way then through me and in my name he is a thief and a robber but those who are the true sheep will not hear such I am the door if any man goes into the fold through me he shall be saved they shall go in and go out and find pasture the thief comes to the fold that he may steal and rob the sheep and kill them but I come to the fold that they might have life and they have all that they need I am the good shepherd the good shepherd will give up his own life to save his sheep and I will give up my life that my sheep may be saved I am the good shepherd and just as a true shepherd knows all the sheep in his flock so I know my own and I own know me even as I know the father and the father knows me and I laid out my life for the sheep and other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must lead and they shall hear my voice and they shall be one flock and one shepherd the Jews could not understand these words of Jesus but they became very angry with him because he spoke of God as his father they took up stones to throw them at him and tried to seize him intending to kill him but Jesus escaped from their hands and went away to the land beyond Jordan at the place called Bethabera or Bethany beyond Jordan the same place where he had been baptized by John the Baptist one of the two years before as we read in story 114 from this place Jesus wished to go out through the land on the east of the Jordan a land which was called Peraea a word that means beyond but before going out himself through this land Jesus sent out 70 chosen men from among his followers to go to all the villages and to make the people ready for his own coming afterward he gave to these 70 the same commands that he had given to the 12 disciples when he sent them through Galilee of which we read in story 126 and sent them out in pairs two men to travel and to preach together he said I send you forth as lambs among wolves carry no purse no bag for food no shoes except those that you are wearing do not stop to talk with people by the way but go through the towns and the villages healing the sick and preaching to the people the kingdom of God is coming he that hears you hears me and he that refuses you refuses me and he that will not hear me will not hear him that sent me and after a time the 70 men came again to Jesus saying Lord even the evil spirits obey our words in thy name and Jesus said to them I saw Satan the king of the evil spirits falling down like lightning from heaven I have given you power to tread upon serpents and scorpions and nothing shall harm you still do not rejoice because the evil spirits obey you but rejoice that your names are written in heaven and at that time one of the scribes men who wrote copies of the books of the Old Testament and studied them and taught them came to Jesus and asked him a question to see what answer he would give he said master what shall I do to have everlasting life Jesus said to the scribe what is written in the law you are our reader of God's law tell me what it says then the man gave this answer thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy strength and with all thy mind and thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself Jesus said to the man you have answered right do this and you shall have everlasting life but the man was not satisfied he asked another question and who is my neighbor to answer this question Jesus gave the parable or story of the good Samaritan he said a certain man was going down the lonely road from Jerusalem to Jericho and he fell among robbers who stripped him of all that he had and beat him and then went away beating him almost dead it happened that a certain priest was going down that road and when he saw the man lying there he passed by on the other side and the Levite also when he came to the place and saw the man he too went by on the other side but a certain Samaritan as he was going down came where this man was and as soon as he saw him he felt a pity for him he came to the man and dressed his wounds pouring oil and wine into them then he lifted him up and said him on his own beast of burden and walked beside him to an inn there he took care of him all night and the next morning he took out from his purse two shillings and gave them to the keeper of the inn and said take care of him and if you need to spend more than this do so and when I come again I will pay it to you which one of these three do you think showed himself a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers the scribe said had mercy on him then Jesus said to him go and do thou likewise by this parable Jesus showed that our neighbor is the one who needs the help that we can give him whoever he may be end of story number 25 story 26 of Hurlbut's story of the Bible this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer visit LibriVox.org Hurlbut's story of the Bible part 6 Lazarus raised to life John 11 verses 1 to 55 while Jesus was at Bethabera beyond Jordan and ready to begin preaching in the land of Peria he was suddenly called back to the village of Bethany on the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem you remember that Martha and Mary and Lazarus the friends of Jesus were living in this place the word came to Jesus that Lazarus was very ill but Jesus did not hurry away from Bethabera to go to Bethany he stayed two days and then he said to his disciples let us go again into Judea near Jerusalem the disciples said to Jesus master when we were in Judea last the people tried to stone you and to kill you and now you would go there again Jesus said our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep but I go that I may wake him out of his sleep the disciples said master if he has fallen asleep he may be well for they thought that Jesus was speaking of taking rest in sleep but Jesus meant that Lazarus was dead then Jesus said to them Lazarus is dead and I am glad that I was not there to keep him alive for now you will be led to believe in me all the more fully but let us go now to him then one of the disciples named Thomas said to the others let us also go and die with our master so Jesus left Bethabera with his disciples and came to Bethany and then he found Lazarus had been buried four days many of the Jews had come to comfort Martha and Mary in the loss of their brother they told Martha that Jesus was coming and she went to meet him but Mary sat still in the house as soon as Martha saw Jesus she said to him very sadly Lord if you had been here my brother need not have died and even now I know that God will give you whatever you may ask Jesus said to her your brother shall rise again I know that he shall rise said Martha when the last day comes and all the dead are raised Jesus said to her I am the resurrection the raising from the dead and I am the life whoever believes on me even though he may die he shall live and whoever lives and believes on me shall never die do you believe this she said to him yes Lord I believe that Thou art the Christ the Son of God the one who comes into the world then Martha went to her home and said to her sister Mary but quietly so that no other person hurt her the master is here and he asks for you at once Mary rose up to go to Jesus her friends thought that she was going to her brother's tomb and they went with her Jesus was still at the place where Martha had met him near the village when Mary came to him she fell down at his feet and said as her sister had said Lord if you had been here my brother need not have died when Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews weeping with her he also was touched and groaned in his spirit and was filled with sorrow he said where have you laid him the place where Lazarus was buried a cave with a stone laid upon the door Jesus wept as he stood near it and the Jews said see how he loved Lazarus but some of them said if this man could open the eyes of the blind why is it that he could not keep this man whom he loved from dying Jesus standing before the cave and still groaning within said take away this stone Martha said Lord by this time his body has begun to decay for he has been dead four days Jesus said to her did I not say to you that if you would believe you should see the glory of God they took away the stone as Jesus had commanded then Jesus lifted up his eyes towards heaven and said father I thank thee that thou didst hear me I know that thou dost hear me always but because of those who are standing here I spoke so that they may believe then with a loud voice Jesus called out Lazarus come forth and the man who had been four days dead came out of the tomb his body and hands and feet were wrapped round and round with grave bands and over his face was bound a napkin Jesus said to those standing near loose him and let him go when they saw the wonderful power of Jesus in raising Lazarus to life many of the people believed in Jesus but others went away and told the Pharisees and rulers what Jesus had done they called a meeting of all the rulers the great council of the Jews and they said what shall we do for this man is doing many works of wonder if we let him alone everyone will believe on him and we'll try to make him the king and then the Romans will make war upon us and destroy our nation and our people but the High Priest Caiaphas said it is better for us that one man should die for the people than that our whole nation should be destroyed let us put this man to death and to this they agreed and from that day all the rulers found plans to have Jesus slain but Jesus knew their purpose for he knew all things his time to die had not yet come and he went away with his disciples to a city near the wilderness and not far from Bethabera where he had been before and from this place he went forth to preach in the land of Peria into which he had sent the 70 disciples as we read in the last story end of story 26 story number 27 of Herbert's story of the Bible this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Herbert's story of the Bible by Jesse Lehmann Herbert part 6 some parables in Peria Luke chapter 12 verses 1 to chapter 15 verse 32 Jesus went with his disciples through the land of Peria on the east of the Jordan the only part of the Israelite country that he had not already visited the people had heard of Jesus from the 70 disciples whom he had sent through the land as we read in story 134 and in every place great multitudes of people came to see him and to hear him at one time one man called out of the grout and said to Jesus master speak to my brother and tell him to give me my share left us Jesus said man who made me a judge over you to settle your disputes let both of you and all of you take care and keep from being covetous seeking what is not yours then Jesus gave to the people the parable the story of the rich fool he said there was a rich farmer whose fields brought great harvests until the rich man said to himself what shall I do for I have no place where I can store up the fruits of my fields this is what I will do I will pull down my barns and will build larger ones and there I will store all my grain and my goods and I will say to my soul soul you have goods laid up enough to last for many years take your ease eat drink and be merry God said to the rich man thou foolish one this night thou shall die and thy soul shall be taken away from thee and the things which thou hast laid up who shall they be Jesus said such is the man who lays up treasure for himself and is not reached toward God on one Sabbath day Jesus was teaching in a synagogue and a woman came in who for 18 years had been banned forward and could not stand up straight when Jesus saw her he called her and said to her woman set free from your trouble of body he laid his hands upon her and he stood up straight and praised God for his mercy but the chief man in the synagogue was not pleased to see Jesus healing on the Sabbath he spoke to the people and said there are six days when men ought to work in them you shall come and be healed and not on the Sabbath day but Jesus said to him and to the others does not each one of you on the Sabbath day lose his ox or his ears from the stall and lead him away to give him water and should not this woman a daughter of Abraham who has been bound for 18 years be set free from her bones on the Sabbath day the enemies of Jesus could say nothing while all the people were glad at the glorious works which he did at one place Jesus was invited to a dinner he said to the one who had invited him when you make dinner or supper do not invite your friends or you reach neighbors for they will invite you in return but when you make a feast invite the pool the helpless the lame and the blind for they cannot invite you again but God will give you a reward in his own time and they are aware with Jesus great multitudes of people and he turn and said to them if any man comes after me he must love me more than he loves his own father and his mother and wife and children yes and his own life also or else he cannot be my disciple for who of you wishing to build a tower does not first sit down and count the cost whether you will be able to finish for if after he has laid the foundation and then leave it at finished everyone who passes by will laugh at him and say this man began to build and was not able to finish or what king going out to meet another king in war not sit down first and find whether he is able with ten thousand men to meet the one who comes against him with twenty thousand and if he finds that he cannot meet him while he is yet a great way off he sends his messengers their peace even so everyone of you must give up all that he has if he will be my disciple while Jesus was teaching many of the publicans those who took up the taxes from the people came to hear him and many others who were called sinners by the Pharisees and the scribes the enemies of Jesus said this man likes to save sinners come to see him and hits with them then Jesus spoke a parable called the lost ship to show why he was willing to talk with sinners he said what man of you lost ship if one of them is lost does not leave his ninety and nine ship in the field and go after the one that is lost until he finds it and when he has found it he lays it up on his shoulders glad to see his lost ship again and when he comes home he calls together his friends and neighbors and say to them be glad with me for I have found my ship that was lost even so said Jesus there is joy in heaven over one sinner who has turned to God more than over ninety and nine good men who do not need to turn from their sins Jesus gave to the people also the parable of the lost piece of money he said if any woman has ten pieces of silver and loses one piece will she not light a lamp and sweep her house carefully until she finds it and when she has found it she calls together her friends and her neighbors saying be glad with me for I have found the piece of silver that I had lost even so there is joy among the angels of God over one sinner that turns from his sins then Jesus told another parable that one called the parable of the prodigal son the prodigal is one who spends everything that he has as did the young man in this parable Jesus said there was one a man who had two sons the younger of his sons said to his father father give to me the share that will come to me alone then the father divided all that he had between his two sons and not many days after the younger son took his share and went away into a far country and there he wasted all in wild and wicked living and when he had spent all there arose a mighty famine of food in that country and he began to be in wound he went to work for one of the men in that land and this man sent him into the fields to feed his hawks the young man was so hungry that he would have filled himself with the hawks that were fed to the hawks and no one gave anything to him at last the young man began to think of his father's house and he said to himself how many hired servants of my father's have bred enough and to spare while I'm dying here with hunger I will arise I will go to my father I will say to him father I have seen against heaven and in your sight I'm no longer worthy to be called your son let me be one of your hired servants he rose up to go back to his father's house but while he was yet afar off his father saw him and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him and the son set on to him father I have seen against heaven and in your sight I'm no more worthy to be called your son but before he could say any more his father called to the servants and said bring out quickly the best robe and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet and bring the calf fated calf and killed it and let us eat for this my son was dead and is alive again he was lost and is found now his elder son was in the field and as he came and drew night to the house he heard music and dancing and he called to him one of the servants and asked what these things might be the servants said to him your brother has come and your father has killed the fated calf and is having a feast because he's at home safe and sound but the elder brother was angry would not go in and his father came out and urged him but he answered his father and said I have served you for these many years and I have never disobeyed your commands and yet you never gave me even a kid that I might make merry with my friends but when this your son has come who has wasted your living with wicked people you kill for him the fated calf and the father said to him my son you are always with me and all that I have is yours but it was fitting that we should make merry and be glad for this your brother was dead and is alive again he was lost and is found by these parables Jesus showed that he came not to speak those who thought themselves so good that they did not need him but those were the sinful and the needy and of story number 27 was the rich man and he was dressed in garments of purple and fine linen living everyday in splendor and at the gate leading to his house was laid a beggar named Lazarus covered with sores and seeking for his food the crumbs that fell off of the rich man's table even the dogs of the streets came and looked his sores after a time the beggar died and his soul was carried the rich man also died and his body was buried and in the world of the dead he lifted up his eyes being in misery and far away he saw Abraham and Lazarus resting in his bosom and he cried out and said Father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am suffering in this flame but Abraham said son remember that you had your good things in your lifetime and that Lazarus had his evil things but now here he is comforted and you were in sufferings and besides all this between us and you there is a great golf fixed so that no one may cross over from us to you and none can come from your place to us and he said I pray you Father Abraham if Lazarus cannot come to me command that he be sent to my father's house for I have five brothers and let him speak to them so that they will not come to this place of dormant but Abraham said they have Moses and the prophets let them hear them and he said oh Father Abraham if one should go to them from the dead they will turn to God and Abraham said if they will not hear Moses and the prophets they will not believe even though one should rise from the dead and this was true for as the people would not listen to the words of Moses and the prophets about Christ they would not believe even after Jesus himself arose from the dead there was another parable of Jesus called the unjust steward a certain rich man had a steward a man who took the care of all his possessions he heard that his steward was wasting his property and he sent for him and said what is this that I hear about you you shall soon give up your place and be my steward no longer then the steward said to himself hmm in a few days I shall lose my place and what shall I do I cannot work in the fields and I am ashamed to go begging from door to door but I have thought of a plan that will give me friends so that when I am put out of my place some people will take me into their houses because of what I have done for them and this was his plan he sent for the men who were in debt to his master and said to the first one how much do you owe to my master the man said I owe him a thousand gallons of oil then he then said the steward you need only pay 500 gallons then to another he said how much do you owe the man answered I owe 1500 bushels of wheat and the steward said to him you need pay only 1200 bushels when his master heard of this which his steward had done he said that is a sharp shrewd man who takes care of himself and jesus said be as earnest and as thoughtful for the eternal life as men are for this present life jesus did not prove the actions of this unjust steward but he told his disciples to learn some good lessons even from his wrong deeds jesus spoke another parable to show that people should pray always and not be discouraged it was the parable of the unjust judge and the widow jesus said there was in a city a judge who did not fear god nor seek to do right nor did he care for man and there was a poor widow in that city who had suffered wrong she came to him over and over again crying out do justice for me against my enemy who has done me wrong and for a time the judge because he did not care for the right would do nothing but as the widow kept on crying at last he said to himself even though i do not fear god nor care for man yet because this widow troubles me and will not be still i will give her justice or else she will wear me out by her continual crying and the lord said hear what the unjust judge says and will not adjust adjust god do right for his own who cry to him by night and day even though he may seem to wait long i tell you that he will answer their prayer and will answer it soon and jesus spoke another parable to some who thought that they were righteous and holy and said others at naught this was the parable of the Pharisee and the publican two men went up into the temple to pray the one of Pharisee the other republican the Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself god i thank thee that i am not as other men are i do not rob i do not deal unjustly i am free from wickedness i am not even like this publican i fast twice in each week i give to god one tenth of all that i have but the publican standing afar off would not lift up so much as his eyes but beat his breast saying god be merciful to me a sinner i say unto you said jesus this man went down to his house having his sins forgiven rather than the other for every man that lifted up himself shall be brought low and he that is humble shall be lifted up at this time the mothers brought to jesus their children that he might lay their hands on them and bless them the disciples were not pleased at this and told them to take their children away but jesus called them to him and said suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid not forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of god whoever shall not receive the kingdom of god is a little child and he put his hands on them and blessed them and a certain young man a roller came running to jesus and said good master what shall i do that i may have everlasting life why do you call me good said jesus no one is good except one that is god you know the commandments keep them what commandments the young man do not kill do not commit adultery do not steal do not bear false witness honor thy father and mother the young man said all these i have kept from my youth up what do i need more than these one thing more you need to do said jesus go sell all that you have and give to the poor then come and follow me but when he heard this he turned and went away very sad for he was very rich and when jesus saw this he said how hard it is for those that are rich to enter into the kingdom of god it is easier for camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of god at this the disciples were filled with wonder they said if that be so then who can be saved and jesus said the things that are impossible with men are possible with god and peter said lord we have left our homes and all that we have and have followed thee and jesus answered him verily i say to you there is no man who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of god who shall not have given to him many more times in his life and in the world to come life everlasting then jesus again told his 12 disciples of what was soon to come to pass even in a few weeks he said we are going up to jerusalem there all the things written by the prophets about the son of man shall come true he shall be made a prisoner and shall be mocked and treated shamefully and shall be spit upon and beaten and shall be killed and then the third day he shall rise again but they could not understand these things and they did not believe that their master was to die kind of story 28 recording by rizana toronto at hume california story 29 of hurlbut's story of the bible this is a liber vox recording all liber vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libervox.org hurlbut's story of the bible by jesse lyman hurlbut part six jesus at jericho Ματιου 20, verses 20 to 34, Mark 10, 35 to 52, Luke 18, 35 to 19, verse 28. Τζιζις was passing through the land of Peria on his way to Jerusalem. His disciples were with him, and a great multitude of people, for again the feast of the Passover was near, and the people from all parts of the land were going up to Jerusalem to take part in the feast. And although Jesus had said over and over again that he was to die in Jerusalem, still many believed that in Jerusalem he would make himself a king, and would reign over all the land. One day James and John, two of the disciples of Jesus, who were brothers, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with their mother. She knelt before Jesus, and her two sons knelt beside her. Jesus said to her, What is it that you would ask of me? She said to him, Lord, grant to me that my two sons may be allowed to sit beside thy throne, one on the right hand and the other on thy left in thy kingdom. You do not know what you are asking, answered Jesus. Are you able to drink of a cup that I am about to drink? By the cup he meant the suffering that he was soon to endure. But this they did not understand, and they said to him, We are able. He said to them, My cup indeed you shall drink, but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give, but it shall be given to those for whom God has made it ready. When the other disciples heard that James and John had tried to get the promise of the highest places in the Lord's kingdom, they were very angry against these two brothers. But Jesus called them to him, and he said, You know that the rulers of nations lord it over them, and their great ones are those who bear rule. But not so shall it be among you, for whoever among you would be great let him serve the rest, for the son of man himself did not come to be served, but to serve others, and to give up his life that he might save many. Jesus with his disciples and a great multitude drew nigh to Jericho, which was at the foot of the mountains near the head of the Dead Sea. Just outside the city, at the gate, was sitting a blind man begging. His name was Bartimus, which means the son of Timaeus. This man heard the noise of a crowd, and he asked what it meant. They said to him, Jesus of Nazareth is passing by. As soon as he heard this he began to cry aloud, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. Many people told him not to make so great a noise, but he cried all the louder, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. Jesus heard his cry and stood still and said, Call the man to me. Then they came to the blind man and said, Be of good cheer, rise up, he calls you. The blind man sprung up from the ground and threw away his garment, and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, What do you wish me to do to you? Lord, that I might have my sight given to me, answered blind Bartimus. Then Jesus touched his eyes and said, Go your way, your faith has made you well. Then immediately sight came to his eyes, and he followed Jesus, while all the people who saw it gave thanks to God. There was another man in Jericho who had heard of Jesus and greatly longed to see him. This was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief man among the publicans, the man who gathered the taxes from the people, and whom all the people hated greatly. Zacchaeus was a rich man, for many of the publicans made great gains. Wishing to see Jesus and being little in size, Zacchaeus ran on before the crowd, and climbed up into a sycamore tree, by the road, so that he might see Jesus as he passed by. When Jesus came to the tree he stopped and looked up, and called Zacchaeus by name, saying, Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stop in your house. At this Zacchaeus was glad, he came down at once, and took Jesus into his house. But at this many of the people found fault. They said he has gone in to lodge with a man who is a sinner. As he was a publican they counted him as a sinner. But Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have wrongly taken anything from any man I give him four times as much. And Jesus said, today salvation has come into this house, for this man also is a son of Abraham, for the son of man came to seek and to save that which is lost. Zacchaeus was now drawing nigh to Jerusalem, and all the people were expecting the kingdom of God to begin at once with Jesus as its king. On this account Jesus gave to the people the parable of the pounds, saying, a certain nobleman went into a far country expecting there to be made a king, and thence to return to his own land. Before going away he called ten servants of his and gave to each one a pound of money, and said to them, take care of this and trade with it until I come back. But the people of his own land hated this nobleman and sent messengers to the place where he had gone to say, we are not willing that this man should be king over us. But in the face of this message from the people the nobleman received the crown in the kingdom and then went back to his own land. When he had come home he called his servants to whom he had given the pounds so that he might know how much each had gained by trading. The first servant came before him and said, Lord, your pound has made ten pounds more. The king said to him, well done, my good servant, because you have been found faithful in a very little, you shall bear rule over ten cities. And the second came saying, your pound, Lord, has made five pounds, and his Lord said to him, you shall be over five cities. And another came saying, Lord, here is your pound, which I have kept wrapped up in a napkin, for I feared you because you are a harsh master. You take up what you did not lay down, and you reap what you did not sow. He said to the servant, out of your own mouth I will judge you, you unfaithful servant. If you knew that I was a harsh master, taking up what I did not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow, then why did you not put my money into the bank so that when I came I should have had my own money and its gains? And he said to those who were standing by, take away from him the pound and give it to him that has the ten pounds. They said to him, Lord, he hath ten pounds already, but the king said, unto everyone who cares for what he has more shall be given, but the one who cares not for it what he has shall be taken away from him. And the king added, those my enemies, who would not have me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them before me.