Walks and Words of Jesus Part 29

Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake. Jesus answered him,

Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily I say unto thee, The c.o.c.k shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.

And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them,

The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.

But ye _shall_ not _be_ so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether _is_ greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? _is_ not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

CHAPTER LXIV.

JESUS COMFORTS HIS DISCIPLES--TEACHES LOVE TO EACH OTHER.

And the Lord said,

Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired _to have_ you, that he may sift _you_ as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. And he said,

I tell thee, Peter, the c.o.c.k shall not crow this day, before thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

And he said unto them,

When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye anything?

And they said, Nothing. Then said he unto them,

But now, he that hath a purse, let him take _it_, and likewise _his_ scrip; and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me. And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.

And they said, Lord, behold, here _are_ two swords. And he said unto them,

It is enough.

After the same manner also _he took_ the cup, when he had supped, and when he had given thanks, he gave _it_ to them, saying,

Drink ye all of it.

And they all drank of it. And he said unto them

This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for many for the remission of sins: this do ye, as oft as ye drink _it_, in remembrance of me. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in G.o.d, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if _it were_ not _so_, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, _there_ ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way. Jesus saith unto him,

I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.

Jesus saith unto him,

Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou _then_, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you, I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I _am_ in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very work's sake.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater _works_ than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do _it_. If ye love me keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; _Even_ the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I _am_ in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him,

If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. These things have I spoken unto you, being _yet_ present with you.

But the Comforter, _which is_ the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come _again_ unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it come to pa.s.s, that, when it is come to pa.s.s, ye might believe.

Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.

CHAPTER LXV.

JESUS THE TRUE VINE--HATRED OF THE WORLD.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every _branch_ that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye _are_ the branches; he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing.

If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast _them_ into the fire, and they are burned.

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and _that_ your joy might be full.

This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth; but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and _that_ your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another.

If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before _it hated_ you.

If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.

If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also.

If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But _this cometh to pa.s.s_, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law. They hated me without a cause.

But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, _even_ the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: and ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.