 CHAPTERS 17 THROUGH TWENTY OF THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUC. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUC, FROM THE NEW TESTIMENT IN MODERN SPEECH, TRANSLATED BY RICHARD FRANCIS CHAPTERS 17 THROUGH TWENTY CHAPTERS 17 Jesus, sent to his disciples, It is inevitable that causes of stumbling should come, But alas for him through whom they come, It would be well for him if, with a millstone round his neck, He were lying at the bottom of the sea, Rather than that he should cause even one of these little ones to fall. Be on your guard, if your brother acts wrongly, Reprove him, and if he is sorry, forgive him. And if seven times in a day he acts wrongly towards you, And seven times turns again to you and says, I am sorry, you must forgive him. And the apostles said to the Lord, Give us faith! If your faith, replied the Lord, Is like a mustard seed, You might command this black mulberry tree, Tear up your roots and plant yourself in the sea, And instantly it would obey you. But which of you who has a servant plowing or tending sheep Will say to him when he comes in from the farm, Come at once and take your place at table, And will not rather say to him, Get my dinner ready, make yourself tidy, And wait upon me till I have finished my dinner, And then you shall have yours? Does he thank the servant for obeying his orders? So you also when you have obeyed all the orders given you must say, There is no merit in our service. What we have done is only what we were in duty bound to do. As they pursued their journey to Jerusalem, He passed through Samaria and Galilee, And as he entered a certain village, Ten men met him who were lepers and stood at a distance. In loud voices they cried out, Jesus! Rabbi! Take pity on us! Perceiving this he said to them, Go and show yourselves to the priests. And while on their way to do this they were made clean. One of them, seeing that he was cured, came back, Adoring and praising God in a loud voice, And he threw himself at the feet of Jesus, thanking him. He was a Samaritan. Were not all ten made clean? Jesus asked. But where are the nine? Have none been found to come back and give glory to God except this foreigner? And he said to him, Rise and go, your faith has cured you. Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered, The kingdom of God does not so come that you can stealthily watch for it. Nor will they say, See here or see there, For the kingdom of God is within you. Then turning to his disciples he said, There will come a time when you will wish you could see a single one of the days of the Son of Man, But will not see one. And they will say to you, See there, see here. Do not start off and go in pursuit. For just as the lightning when it flashes shines from one part of the horizon to the opposite part, So will the Son of Man be on his day. But first he must endure much suffering, And be rejected by the present generation. And as it was in the time of Noah, So will it also be in the time of the Son of Man. Men were eating and drinking, taking wives and giving wives, Up to the very day on which Noah entered the ark, And the deluge came and destroyed them all. The same was true in the time of Lot. They were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But on the day that Lot left Sodom, God rained fire and brimstone from the sky and destroyed them all. Exactly so will it be on the day that the veil is lifted from the Son of Man. On that day, if a man is on the roof and his property indoors, Let him not go down to fetch it, And in the same way, he who is in the field, Let him not turn back. Remember Lot's wife. Any man who makes it his object to keep his own life safe will lose it. But whoever loses his life will preserve it. On that night I tell you there will be two men in one bed, One will be taken away and the other left behind. There will be two women turning the mill together, One will be taken away and the other left behind. Where, Master? They inquired. Where the dead body is, he replied. There also will the vultures flock together. Chapter 18 He also taught them by a parable that they must always pray and never lose heart. In a certain town, he said, There was a judge who had no fear of God and no respect for man. And in the same town was a widow who repeatedly came and entreated him saying, Give me justice and stop my oppressor. For a time he would not, but afterwards he said to himself, Though I have neither reverence for God nor respect for man, Yet because she annoys me, I will give her justice to prevent her from constantly coming to pester me. And the Lord said, Hear those words of the unjust judge, Will not God avenge the wrongs of his own people who cry aloud to him day and night, Although he seems slow in taking action on their behalf? Yes, he will soon avenge their wrongs, Yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth? And to some who relied on themselves as being righteous men And looked down upon all others, He addressed this parable. Two men went up to the temple to pray, he said, One being a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer. The Pharisee, standing erect, prayed as follows by himself, Oh God, I thank thee that I am not like other people. I am not a thief nor a cheat nor an adulterer, nor do I even resemble this tax-gatherer. I fast twice a week, I pay the tithe on all my gains. But the tax-gatherer standing far back would not so much as lift his eyes to heaven, But kept beating his breast and saying, Oh God, be reconciled to me, sinner that I am. I tell you that this man went home more thoroughly absolved from guilt than the other, For everyone who uplifts himself will be humbled, But he who humbles himself will be uplifted. On one occasion people also brought with them their infants for him to touch them, But the disciples noticing this proceeded to find fault with them. Jesus, however, called the infants to him. Let the little children come to me, he said, Do not hinder them, for it is to those who are child-like that the kingdom of God belongs. I tell you in solemn truth that whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will certainly not enter it. The question was put to him by a ruler. Good rabbi, what shall I do to inherit the life of the ages? Why do you call me good? Replied Jesus, there is no one good but one, namely God. You know the commandments, do not commit adultery, Do not murder, do not steal, do not lie in giving evidence, Honor thy father and thy mother. All of those, he replied, I have kept from my youth. On receiving this answer Jesus said to him, There is still one thing wanting in you, Sell everything you possess and give the money to the poor, And you shall have wealth in heaven, And then come, follow me. But on hearing these words he was deeply sorrowful, For he was exceedingly rich. Jesus saw his sorrow and said, With how hard a struggle do the possessors of riches ever enter the kingdom of God. Why, it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye Than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. Who then can be saved? exclaimed the hearers. Things impossible with man, he replied, are possible with God. Then Peter said, See we have given up our homes and have followed you. I solemnly tell you, reply Jesus, That there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children For the sake of God's kingdom, Who shall not certainly receive many times as much in this life And in the age that is coming the life of the ages. Then he drew the twelve to him and said, See we are going up to Jerusalem And everything written in the prophets which refers to the son of man will be fulfilled. For he will be given up to the Gentiles and be mocked, outraged and spit upon. They will scourge him and put him to death, And on the third day he will rise to life again. Nothing of this did they understand. The words were a mystery to them. Nor could they see what he meant. As Jesus came near to Jericho, There was a blind man sitting by the wayside begging. He heard a crowd of people going past and inquired what it all meant. Jesus the Nazarene is passing by, they told him. Then at the top of his voice he cried out, Jesus, son of David, take pity on me! Those in front reproved him and tried to silence him, But he continued shouting louder than ever, Son of David, take pity on me! At length Jesus stopped and desired them to bring the man to him. And when he had come close to him he asked him, What shall I do for you? Sir, he replied, Let me recover my sight. Recover your sight, said Jesus. Your faith has cured you. No sooner were the words spoken than the man regained his sight and followed Jesus, giving glory to God, and all the people seeing it gave praise to God. Chapter 19 So he entered Jericho and was passing through the town. There was a man there called Zacchaeus, who was the local surveyor of taxes, and was wealthy. He was anxious to see what sort of man Jesus was, but he could not because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. So he ran on in front and climbed up a mulberry tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. As soon as Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for I must stay at your house today. So he came down in haste and welcomed him joyfully. When they all saw this, they began to complain with indignation. He has gone in to be the guest of a notorious sinner, they said. Zacchaeus, however, stood up and addressing the Lord said, Here and now, Master, I give half my property to the poor, and if I have unjustly exacted money from any man, I pledge myself to repay to him four times the amount. Turning towards him, Jesus replied, Today salvation has come to this house, seeing that he too is a son of Abraham, for the son of man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. As they were listening to his words, he went on to teach them by a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and they supposed that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately. So he said to them, A man of noble family travelled to a distant country to obtain the rank of king and to return, and he called ten of his servants and gave each of them a pound, instructing them to trade with the money during his absence. Now his countrymen hated him, and sent a deputation after him to say, We are not willing that he should become our king. And upon his return, after he had obtained the sovereignty, he ordered those servants to whom he had given the money to be summoned before him, that he might learn their success in trading. So the first came and said, Sir, your pound has produced ten pounds more. Well done, good servant, he replied, because you have been faithful in a very small matter. Be an authority over ten pounds. The second came and said, Your pound, sir, has produced five pounds. So he said to this one also, and you, be the governor of five pounds. The next came. Sir, he said, here is your pound, which I have kept wrapped up in a cloth. For I was afraid of you because you are a severe man. You take up what you did not lay down, and you reap what you did not sow. By your own words, he replied, I will judge you, you bad servant. You knew me to be a severe man, taking up what I did not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow. Why then did you not put my money into a bank, that when I came I might have received it back with interest? And he said to those who stood by, take the pound from him and give it to him who has the ten pounds. They said to him, Sir, he already has ten pounds. I tell you that to everyone who has anything, more shall be given, and from him who has not anything, even what he has shall be taken away. But as for those enemies of mine who are unwilling that I should become their king, bring them here and cut them to pieces in my presence. After thus speaking he journeyed onward, proceeding up to Jerusalem. And when he was come near Beth Phage and Bethany in the mount called the Olive Yard, he sent two of the disciples on in front, saying to them, Go into the village facing you. On entering it you will find an asses full tied up which no one has ever yet written. Untie it and bring it here. And if anyone asks you, why are you untieing the cult? Simply say, the master needs it. So those who were sent went and found things as he had told them. And while they were untieing the cult, the owners called out, Why are you untieing the cult? And they replied, The master needs it. Then they brought it to Jesus, and after throwing their outer garments on the cult, they placed Jesus on it. So he rode on while they carpeted the road with their garments. And when he was now getting near Jerusalem and descending the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began in their joy to praise God in loud voices for all the mighty deeds they had witnessed. Blessed is the king, they cried, Who comes in the name of the Lord in heaven, peace and glory in the highest realms. Thereupon some of the Pharisees in the crowd appealed to him, saying, Rabbi, reprove your disciples. I tell you, he replied, that if they became silent the very stones would cry out. When he came into full view of the city, he wept aloud over it and exclaimed, Oh, that at this time thou hath known, Yes, even thou, what makes peace possible, But now it is hid from thine eyes. For the time is coming upon thee when thy foes will throw up around the earthworks and a wall, investing thee and hemming thee in on every side. And they will dash thee to the ground and thy children within thee, and will not leave one stone upon another within thee, because thou hast not recognized the time of thy visitation. Then Jesus entered the temple and proceeded to drive out the dealers. It is written, he said, and my house shall be the house of prayer, but you have made it a robber's cave. And day after day he taught in the temple, while the high priests and the scribes were devising some means of destroying him, as were also the leading men of the people, but they could not find any way of doing it, for the people all hung upon his lips. Chapter 20 On one of those days, while he was teaching the people in the temple and proclaiming the good news, the high priests came upon him and the scribes together with the elders, and they asked him, Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things? And who is it that gave you this authority? I also will put a question to you, he said, Was John's baptism of heavenly or of human origin? So they debated the matter with one another. If we say heavenly, they argued, he will say, Why did you not believe him? And if we say human, the people will all stone us, for they are thoroughly convinced that John was a prophet. And they answered that they did not know the origin of it. Nor will I tell you, said Jesus, by what authority I do these things. Then he proceeded to speak a parable to the people. There was a man, he said, who planted a vineyard, led it out to vine-dressers, and went abroad for a considerable time. At vintage time he sent a servant to the vine-dressers for them to give him a share of the crop. But the vine-dressers beat him cruelly and sent him away empty-handed. Then he sent a second servant, and him too they beat and ill-treated and sent away empty-handed. Then again he sent a third, and this one also they wounded and drove away. Then the owner of the vineyard said, What am I to do? I will send my son, my dearly loved son, they will probably respect him. But when the vine-dresser saw him they discussed the matter with one another and said, This is the heir, let us kill him that the inheritance may be ours. So they turned him out of the vineyard and murdered him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and put these vine-dressers to death and give the vineyard to others. God forbid! exclaimed the hearers. He looked at them and said, What then does that mean which is written? The stone which the builders rejected has been made the cornerstone. Everyone who falls on that stone will be severely hurt, but on whosoever it falls he will be utterly crushed. At this the scribes and the high priests wanted to lay hands on him then and there. Only they were afraid of the people, for they saw that in this parable he had referred to them. So after impatiently watching their opportunity they sent spies who were to act the part of good and honest men that they might fasten on some expression of his so as to hand him over to the ruling power and the governor's authority. So they put a question to him. Rabbi, they said, We know that you say and teach what is right and that you make no distinctions between one man and another, but teach God's way truly. Is it allowable to pay a tax to Caesar or not? But he saw through their navery and replied, Show me a shilling. Whose likeness and inscription does it bear? Caesar's, they said. Pay therefore, he replied, What is Caesar's to Caesar and what is God's to God? There was nothing here that they could lay hold of before the people and marveling at his answer they said no more. Next some of the Sadducees came forward who denied that there is a resurrection and they asked him, Rabbi, Moses made it a law for us that if a man's brother should die leaving a wife but no children the man shall marry the widow and raise up a family for his brother. Now there were seven brothers the first of them took a wife and died childless, the second and the third also took her, and all seven having done the same left no children when they died. Finally the woman also died. The woman then at the resurrection whose wife shall she be for they all seven married her? The men of this age replied Jesus, Mary and the women are given in marriage but as for those who shall have been deemed worthy to find a place in that other age and in the resurrection from among the dead, the men do not marry and the women are not given in marriage for indeed they cannot die again they are like angels and are sons of God through being sons of the resurrection but that the dead rise to life even Moses clearly implies in the passage about the bush where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. He is not a God of dead but of living men for to him are all living. Then some of the scribes replied, Rabbi you have spoken well from that time however no one ventured to challenge him with a single question but he asked them how is it they say that the Christ is a son of David? Why David himself says in the book of Psalms the Lord said to my Lord sit at my right hand until I have made thy foes a footstool under thy feet David himself therefore calls him Lord and how can he be his son? Then in the hearing of all the people he said to the disciples beware of the scribes who like to walk about in long robes and love to be bowed to in places of public resort and to occupy the best seats in the frogs or at a dinner party who swallow up the property of widows and mask their wickedness by making long prayers they will be punished far more severely than others. The end of chapters 17 through 20 of the Gospel according to Luke from the New Testament in modern speech translated by Richard Francis Weymouth recording by Mark Penfold chapters 21 through 24 of the Gospel according to Luke this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more info or to volunteer visit LibriVox.org recording by Mark Penfold the Gospel according to Luke from the New Testament in modern speech translated by Richard Francis Weymouth chapters 21 through 24 chapter 21 looking up he saw the people throwing their gifts into the treasury the rich people he also saw a poor widow dropping into farthings and he said in truth I tell you that this widow so poor has thrown in more than any of them for from what they could well spare they have all of them contributed to the offerings but she in her need all she had to live on when some were remarking about the temple how it was embellished with beautiful stones and dedicated gifts he said as to these things which you now admire the time is coming when there will not be one stone left here upon another which will not be pulled down Rabbi when will this be they asked him and what will be the token given when these things are about to take place see to it he replied that you are not misled for many will come assuming my name and professing I am he or saying the time is close at hand do not go and follow them but when you hear of wars and term oils be not afraid for these things must happen first but the end does not come immediately then he said to them nation will rise in arms against nation and kingdom against kingdom and there will be great earthquakes and in places famines and pestilence and there will be terrible sights and wonderful tokens from heaven but before all these things happen they will lay hands on you and persecute you they will deliver you up to synagogues and to prison and you will be brought before kings and governors for my sake in the end all of this will be evidence of your fidelity make up your minds however not to prepare a defense beforehand for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to withstand or reply to you will be betrayed even by parents brothers relatives friends and some of you they will put to death you will be the objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name and yet not a hair of your heads shall perish by your patient endurance you will purchase your lives but when you see Jerusalem with armies and camping round her on every side then be certain that her overthrow is close at hand then let those who shall be in Judea escape to the hills let those who are in the city leave it and those who are in the country not enter in for those are the days of vengeance and of fulfilling all that is written alas for the women who at that time are with child or who have infants for there will be great distress in the land and anger towards this people they will fall by the sword or be carried off into slavery among all the Gentiles and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles till the appointed times of the Gentiles have expired there will be signs in sun moon and stars and on earth anguish among the nations in their bewilderment at the roaring of the sea and its billows while men's hearts are fainting for fear and for anxious expectation of what is coming on the world for the forces which control the heavens will be disordered and disturbed and then will they see the son of man coming in a cloud with great power and glory but when all this is beginning to take place grieve no longer lift up your heads because your deliverance is drawing near and he spoke a parable to them see he said the fig tree and all the trees as soon as they have shot out their leaves you know at a glance that summer is now near so also when you see these things happening you may be sure that the kingdom of God is near I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place earth and sky will pass away but it is certain that my words will not pass away but take heed to yourselves lest your souls be weighed down with self indulgence and drunkenness or the anxieties of this life and that day come upon you suddenly like a falling trap for it will come on all dwellers on the face of the whole earth but beware of slumbering and every moment pray that you may be fully strengthened to escape from all these coming evils and to take your stand in the presence of the son of man his habit at this time was to teach in the temple by day but to go out and spend the night on the mount called the olive-yard and all the people came to him in the temple early in the morning to listen to him CHAPTER XXII meanwhile the festival of the unleavened bread called the Passover was approaching and the high priests and the scribes were contriving how to destroy him but they feared the people Satan however entered into Judas the man called Iscariot who was one of the twelve he went and conferred with the high priests and commanders as to how he should deliver him up to them this gave them great pleasure and they agreed to pay him he accepted their offer and then looked out for an opportunity to betray him when the people were not there when the day of the unleavened bread came the day for the Passover lamb to be sacrificed Jesus said Peter and John with instructions go he said and prepare the Passover for us that we may eat it where shall we prepare it they asked you will know sooner have entered the city he replied then you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water follow him into the house to which he goes and say to the master of the house and the rabbi asks you where is the room where I can eat the Passover with my disciples and he will show you a large furnished room upstairs there make your preparations so they went and found all as he had told them and they got the Passover ready when the time was come and he had taken his place at table and the apostles with him he said to them earnestly have I longed to eat this before I suffer for I tell you that I certainly shall not eat one again till its full meaning has been brought out in the kingdom of God then having received the cup and given thanks he said take this and share it among yourselves for I tell you that from this time I will never drink the produce of the vine till the kingdom of God has come then taking a Passover biscuit and broke it and gave it to them saying this is my body which is being given on your behalf this do in remembrance of me he gave them the cup in like manner when the meal was over this cup he said is the new covenant ratified by my blood which is to be poured out on your behalf yet the hand of him who is betraying me is at the table with me for indeed the son of man goes on his way his predestined way yet alas for that man who is betraying him thereupon they began to discuss with one another which of them it could possibly be who was about to do this there arose also a dispute among them which of them should be regarded as greatest but he said to them the kings of the Gentiles are their masters and those who exercise authority over them are called benefactors with you it is not so but let the greatest among you be as the younger and the leader be like him who serves for which is the greater he who sits at table or he who waits on him is it not he who sits at table but my position among you is that of one who waits on others you however have remained with me amid my trials and I covenant to give you as my father has covenant to give me a kingdom so that you shall eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones as judges over the twelve tribes of Israel Simon, Simon, I tell you that Satan has obtained permission to have all of you to sift as wheat is sifted but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail and you when at last you have come back to your true self must strengthen your brethren master replied Peter with you I am ready to go both to prison and to death I tell you Peter said Jesus that the crow will not crow today till you have three times denied that you know me then he asked them when I sent you out without purse or bag or shoes was there anything you needed no nothing they replied but now said he let the one who has a purse take it and he who has a bag must do the same and let him who has no sword sell his outer garment and buy one for I tell you that those words of scripture must yet find their fulfillment in me and he was reckoned among the lawless for indeed that saying about me has its accomplishment master here are two swords they exclaimed that is enough he replied on going out he proceeded as usual to the mount of olives and his disciples followed him but when he arrived at the place he said to them pray that you may not come into temptation but he himself withdrew from them about a stone throw and knelt down and prayed repeatedly saying father if it be thy will take this cup away from me yet not my will but thine be done and there appeared to him an angel from heaven strengthening him while he an agony of distress having come upon him prayed all the more with intense earnestness and his sweat became like clots of blood dropping on the ground when he rose from his prayer and came to his disciples he found them sleeping for sorrow why are you sleeping he said stand up and pray that you may not come into temptation while he was still speaking there came a crowd with Judas already mentioned as one of the twelve at their head he went up to Jesus to kiss him Judas said Jesus are you betraying the son of man with a kiss those who were about him seeing what was likely to happen asked him master shall we strike with a sword and one of them struck a blow at the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear permit me thus far said Jesus and he touched the ear and healed it then Jesus said to the high priests and commanders of the temple and elders who had come to arrest him as if to fight with a robber with swords and cudgels while day after day I was with you in the temple you did not lay hands upon me but to you belongs this hour and the power of darkness and they arrested him and led him away and brought him to the high priest's house while Peter followed a good way behind and when they had lighted a fire in the middle of the court and had seated themselves in a group round it sitting among them when a maid servant saw him sitting by the fire and looking fixedly at him she said this man also was with him but he denied it and declared woman I do not know him shortly afterwards a man saw him and said you too are one of them no man I am not said Peter after an interval of about an hour someone else stoutly maintained certainly this fellow also was with him for in fact he is a Galilean ah man I do not know what you mean replied Peter no sooner had he spoken than a cock crowed the master turned and looked on Peter and Peter recollected the master's words how he had said to him this very day before the cock crows you will disown me three times and he went out and wept aloud bitterly meanwhile the men who held Jesus in custody repeatedly beat him in cruel sport or blindfolded him and then challenged him prove to us they said that you are a prophet by telling us who it was that struck you and they said many other insulting things to him as soon as it was day the whole body of the elders both high priests and scribes assembled then he was brought into their sanhedrin and they asked him are you the Christ tell us if I tell you he replied you will certainly not believe and if I ask you questions you will certainly not answer but from this time forward the son of man will be seated at the right hand of God's omnipotence there upon they cried out with one voice you then are the son of God it is as you say he answered I am he what need have we have further evidence they said for we ourselves have heard it from his own lips chapter 23 then the whole assembly rose and brought him to pilot and began to accuse him we have found this man they said an agitator among our nation forbidding the payment of tribute to Caesar and claiming to be himself an anointed king then Pilate asked him you then are the king of the Jews it is as you say he replied Pilate said to the high priests and to the crowd I can find no crime in this man but they violently insisted he stirs up the people they said throughout all Judea with his teaching even from Galilee where he first came even from Galilee where he first started to this city on hearing this Pilate inquired is this man a Galilean and learning that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction he sent him to Herod for he too was in Jerusalem at that time to Herod the sight of Jesus was a great gratification for a long time he had been wanting to see him because he had heard so much about him to see some miracle performed by him so he put a number of questions to him but Jesus gave him no reply meanwhile the high priests and the scribes were standing there and vehemently accusing him then laughing to score in the claims of Jesus Herod and his soldiers with him made sport of him dressed him in a gorgeous costume and sent him back to Pilate and on that very day Herod and Pilate became friends again they had been for some time at enmity then calling together the high priests and the rulers and the people Pilate said you have brought this man to me on a charge of corrupting the loyalty of the people but you see I have examined him in your presence and have discovered in the man no ground for the accusations which you bring against him no nor does Herod for he has sent him back to us and you see there is nothing he has done that deserves death therefore give him a light punishment and release him then the whole multitude burst out into a shout away with this man they said and release Barabbas to us Barabbas who had been lodged in jail for some time in connection with a riot which had occurred in the city and for murder but Pilate once more addressed them wishing to set Jesus free they however persistently shouted crucify him a third time he appealed to them why what crime has the man committed I have discovered in him nothing that deserves death I will therefore give him a light punishment and release him but they urgently insisted demanding with frantic outcries that he should be crucified and their clamor prevailed so Pilate gave judgment yielding to their demand the man who was lying in prison charged with riot and murder and for whom they clamored he set free but Jesus he gave up to be dealt with as they desired as soon as they led him away they laid hold on one Simon a Cyrenian who was coming in from the country and on his shoulders they put the cross for him to carry it behind Jesus a vast crowd of the people also followed him and of women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him towards them and said daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me but weep for yourselves and for your children for a time is coming when they will say blessed are the women who never bore children and the breasts which have never given nourishment then will they begin to say to the mountains fall on us and to the hills cover us for if they are doing these things in the case of the green tree what will be done in that of the dry they brought also two others criminals to put them to death with him when they reached the place called the skull there they nailed him to the cross and the criminals also one at his right hand and one at his left Jesus prayed father forgive them for they know not what they are doing and they divided his garments among them drawing lots for them and the people stood looking on the rulers too repeatedly uttered their bitter taunts this fellow they said saved others let him save himself if he is God's anointed the chosen one and the soldiers also made sport of him coming and offering him sour wine and saying are you the king of the Jews save yourself then there was more over a writing this is the king of the Jews now one of the criminals who had been crucified insulted him saying are you not the Christ save yourself and us but the other answering reproved him do you also not fear God he said when you are actually suffering the same punishment and we indeed are suffering justly for we are receiving due requital we have done but he has done nothing amiss and he said Jesus remember me when you come in your kingdom I tell you in solemn truth replied Jesus that this very day you shall be with me in paradise it was now about noon and a darkness came over the whole country till three o'clock in the afternoon the sun was darkened and the curtain of the sanctuary was torn down the middle and Jesus cried out in a loud voice and said father to thy hands I entrust my spirit and after uttering these words he yielded up his spirit the captain seeing what had happened gave glory to God saying beyond question this man was innocent and all the crowds that had come together to this site after seeing all that had occurred returned to the city beating their breasts but all his acquaintances and the women who had been his followers after leaving Galilee continued standing at a distance and looking on there was a member of the council of the name of Joseph Aramecia and was awaiting the coming of the kingdom of God he had not concurred in the design or action of the council and now he went to pilot and asked for the body of Jesus then, taking it down he wrapped it in a linen sheet and laid it in a tomb in the rock where no one else had yet been put it was the preparation day and the Sabbath was near at hand the women those who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed close behind and saw the tomb and how his body was placed then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes on the Sabbath they rested in obedience to the commandment Chapter 24 and on the first day of the week at early dawn they came to the tomb bringing the spices they had prepared but they found the stone rolled back from the tomb they found that the body of the Lord Jesus was not there at this they were in great perplexity when suddenly there stood by them two men whose raiment flashed like lightning the women were terrified but as they stood with their faces bowed to the ground the men said to them why do you search among the dead for him who is living? he is not here he has come back to life remember how he spoke to you while he was still in Galilee he told you that the son of man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise again then they remembered his words and returning from the tomb they reported all this to the eleven and to all the rest the women were Mary of Magdala, Joanna and Mary the mother of James and they and the rest of the women related all this to the apostles but the whole story seemed to them an idle tale they could not believe the women Peter however rose and ran to the tomb stooping and looking in he saw nothing but the linen cloths so he went away to his own home wondering at what had happened on that same day two of the disciples were walking to Emmaus a village seven or eight miles from Jerusalem and were conversing about all these recent events and in the midst of their conversation and discussion Jesus himself came and joined them though they were prevented from recognizing him what is the subject he asked them on which you are talking so earnestly as you walk and they stood still looking full of sorrow then one of them named Cleopas answered are you a stranger lodging alone in Jerusalem that you have known nothing of the things that have lately happened in the city what things he asked the things about Jesus the Nazarene they said who was a prophet powerful in work and word before God and all the people and how our high priests and rulers delivered him up to be sentenced to death and crucified him but we were hoping that it was he who was about to ransom Israel yes and moreover it was the day before yesterday that these things happened and besides some of the women of our company have amazed us they went to the tomb at daybreak when our party was not there they came and declared to us that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive thereupon some of our party went to the tomb and found things just as the women had said but Jesus himself they did not see oh dole-witted men he replied with minds so slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken was there not a necessity for the Christ thus to suffer and then enter into heaven and beginning with Moses and all the prophets he explained to them the passages in Scripture which refer to himself when they had come near the village to which they were going he appeared to be going further but they pressed him to remain with them because said they it is getting towards evening and the day is nearly over so he went in to stay with them but as soon as he had sat down with them and had taken the bread and had blessed and broken it and was handing it to them their eyes were opened and they recognized him but he vanished from them were not our hearts they said to another burning with in us while he talked to us on the way and explained the Scriptures to us so they rose and without an hour's delay returned to Jerusalem and found the 11 and the rest met together who said to them yes it is true the master has come back to life he has been seen by Simon then they related what had happened on the way and how he had been recognized by them in the breaking of the bread while they were thus talking he himself stood in their midst and said peace be to you startled and in the utmost alarm they thought they were looking at his spirit but he said to them why such alarm and why are there such questionings in your minds see my hands and my feet it is my very self feel me and see for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see I have and then he showed them his hands and his feet but while they still could not believe it for joy and were full of astonishment he asked them have you any food here and they gave him a piece of roasted fish and he took it and ate it in their presence and he said to them this is what I told you while I was still with you that everything must be fulfilled that is written in the law of Moses and in the prophets and the Psalms concerning me then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures and he said thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise again from among the dead and that proclamation would be made in his name of repentance and forgiveness of sins to all the nations beginning in Jerusalem you are witnesses as to these things and remember that I am about to send out my father's promised gift to rest upon you but as for you wait patiently in the city until you are clothed with power from on high and he brought them out to within view of Bethany and then lifted his hands and blessed them and while he was blessing them he parted from them and was carried up into heaven they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy afterwards they were continually in attendance at the temple blessing God amen the end of the gospel according to Luke a new testament in modern speech translated by Richard Francis Weymouth recording by Mark Penfold