The Bible Story Part 238

"Everyone therefore who heareth these words of mine, And doeth them, Shall be likened unto a wise man, Which built his house upon the rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, And the winds blew, and beat upon that house: And it fell not, for it was founded upon the rock.

"And everyone who heareth these words of mine, And doeth them not, {118} Shall be likened unto a foolish man, Which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, And the wind blew, and smote upon that house; And it fell, and great was the fall thereof."

And it came to pa.s.s, when Jesus ended these words, the mult.i.tudes were astonished at his teaching: for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

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RUINS OF THE SYNAGOGUE AT CAPERNAUM.

From a photograph of the Palestine Exploration Fund, and used by special permission.

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II

THE ROMAN SOLDIER'S FAITH

_How the Lord Jesus Healed the Captain's Servant_.

And when he was come down from the mountain, great mult.i.tudes followed him, and he entered into Capernaum.

And a certain Roman captain's servant, who was dear to him, was sick and at the point of death. And when he heard concerning Jesus, he sent unto him elders of the Jews, asking him that he would come and save his servant.

And they, when they came to Jesus, besought him earnestly, saying, "He is worthy that thou shouldest do this for him: for he loveth our nation, and himself built us our synagogue."

And Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the Roman captain sent friends to him, saying unto him, "Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say the word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man set under authority, having under myself soldiers: and I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goeth; and to another, 'Come,' and he cometh; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he doeth it."

And when Jesus heard these things, he marveled at {122} him, and turned and said unto the mult.i.tude that followed him, "I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel."

And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole.

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Map of Palestine showing Christ's Journey to Jerusalem.

by E. R. Hooker [End ill.u.s.tration]

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III

DAYS OF SERVICE

_How the Lord Jesus Healed Many People_.

_A Sabbath Day at Capernaum_.

On the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at his teaching: for he taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes.

And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, saying, "What have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of G.o.d."

And Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Hold thy peace, and come out of him."

And the unclean spirit, tearing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him.

And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? a new teaching! with authority he commandeth even the unclean spirits, and they obey him."

And the news went out straightway everywhere into all the region of Galilee round about.

And when they were come out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James {126} and John. Now Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever; and they told him of her: and he came and took her by the hand, and raised her up; and the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.

And at even, when the sun set, they brought unto him all that were sick, and them that were possessed with demons. And all the city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many that were sick with divers diseases, and cast out many demons; and he suffered not the demons to speak, because they knew him.

And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose up and went out, and departed into a desert place, and there prayed. And Simon and they that were with him followed after him; and they found him, and said unto him, "All are seeking thee."

And he saith unto them, "Let us go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also; for to this end came I forth."

And he went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons.

_Healing a Leper_.

And there came to him a leper, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, "If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean."

And being moved with compa.s.sion, he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, and said unto him, "I will; be thou made clean."

And straightway the leprosy departed from him, and {127} he was made clean. And he strictly charged him, and sent him out, and saith unto him, "See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them."

But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to spread abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.

_The Man Let Down Through the Roof_.

And when he entered again into Capernaum after some days, it was noised that he was in the house. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, no, not even about the door: and he spoke the word unto them. And they came, bringing unto him a man sick of the palsy, borne by four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the crowd, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken through it, they let down the bed whereon the sick of the palsy lay.

And Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy, "Son, thy sins are forgiven."

But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, "Why doth this man thus speak? he blasphemeth: who can forgive sins but one, even G.o.d?"

And straightway Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, said unto them, "Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Which is easier, {128} to say to the sick of the palsy, 'Thy sins are forgiven'; or to say, 'Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk'?

But that ye may know that the Son of man hath authority on earth to forgive sins (he saith to the sick of the palsy), I say unto thee, Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thy house."

And he arose, and straightway took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified G.o.d, saying, "We never saw it in this fashion."