THE NARROWNESS
OF THE WAY.
AFTER remaining for some time in the vicinity of the place where John baptized, our Lord began to travel through the country east of the Jordan, and oppolite Judea.
Making his way slowly toward Jerusalem, he stopped, and taught the people frequently, especially in the cities and villages.
As he journeyed, great multitudes followed him, and he healed many of their diseases.
And one said unto him, "Lord, are there few that be saved?
And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate ; for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: then shall ye begin to say,
We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.
The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, “Get thee out, and depart hence; for Herod will kill thee.
And he said unto them, Go ye and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.
Nevertheless I must walk today and tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem."
And it came to pass, as he want into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath-day, that they watched him.
And, behold, there was a certain man before him, which had the dropsy.
And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath-day?
And they held their peace.
And he took him, and healed him, and let him go; and answered them saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straight way pull him out on the Sabbath-day?
And they could not answer him again to these things.
"And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honorable man than thou be bid- den of him; and he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.
But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room;
that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher; then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.
For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
"Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbors; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee.
But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind; and thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense
thee; for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just."