The Gospels

by Sarah Ruden

  34 Because of this, look, I keep sending you prophets and men of understanding and scholars. Some of them you’ll kill and hang on stakes, and others you’ll flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town*225 35 So it’s coming down on you, all the righteous blood poured out on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom you murdered between the shrine and the altar.*226 36 Amēn I tell you, all these things will come down on this generation.

  37 “Oh, Ierousalēm, Ierousalēm, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I’ve wanted to gather your offspring together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you all didn’t want that! 38 Look, your house is left desolate for you. 39 I do in fact tell you that you’ll never see me again until you say,

  “ ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the lord.’ ”*227

  Chapter 24

  1 When Jesus had left the temple precinct and was walking away, his students came up to point out the temple’s buildings to him. 2 He responded by saying to them “Don’t you see all these things? Amēn I tell you, not a stone will be left on another here: they will all be torn down.”*228

  3 While Iēsous was sitting on the mountain with the olive trees, the students came to him privately, saying “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of your presence to come, and the era come to fruition?”

  4 Jesus answered by telling them, “See to it that you’re not led astray. 5 Many people will come in my name, saying, ‘I’m the anointed one,’ and they’ll lead many astray. 6 You’re going to hear of wars and rumors of wars; see to it that you don’t panic. These things do have to happen, but it won’t be the end yet. 7 One nation will rise up against another, and one kingdom against another. There’ll be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these things are the beginning of birth pains.

  9 “At that time they’ll hand you over to be ground down and killed, and you’ll be hated by all nations because of my name. 10 And at that time, many people will fall away and hand over and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will rise up and lead many people astray. 12 Because lawlessness will be rife, many people’s love will grow cold. 13 Whoever endures to the end will be rescued. 14 And this good news of the kingdom will be heralded throughout the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will arrive.

  15 “So when you see ‘the annihilating abomination,’ spoken of by the prophet Daniēl, set up in a holy place (the reader needs to realize what this means),*229 16 then those in Ioudaia had better run to the hills. 17 And nobody on a housetop had better come down to get things from his house. 18 And no one in the field had better come back to get his cloak. 19 Pity the ones with children in their wombs and the ones nursing in those days.

  20 “Pray that you won’t have to run for it in the winter or on the sabbaton.*230 21 At that time, you see, there’ll be a great shattering, such as there never was from the beginning of the universe until this moment, and never will be again. 22 And if those days weren’t cut short, no mortal life would be rescued. But for the sake of the chosen ones, those days will be cut short.

  23 “At that time, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here’s the anointed one!’ or ‘Here he is!’ don’t believe it. 24 False anointed ones and false prophets will arise and present great ‘signs’ and ‘marvels’ that would lead even the chosen ones astray, if that were possible. 25 See, I’ve told you ahead of time. 26 So if they tell you, ‘Look, he’s in the wilderness,’ don’t go out there; or if it’s ‘Look, he’s in the storerooms,’ don’t believe it.*231 27 Just as the lightning comes from the place the sun rises and flashes clear to where it sets, so it’s going to be when the son of mankind is with you again. 28 Wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will gather.*232

  29 “But right after that shattering in those days,

  “ ‘The sun will be shadowed over,

  And the moon won’t give off her luster;

  And the stars will fall from the sky,

  And the powers of the skies will be shaken.’*233

  30 “And then the sign of the human being’s son will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will beat their breasts, and they’ll see*234 the son of mankind coming on the sky’s clouds, with power and great glory. 31 And he’ll send out his messengers with a loud trumpet call, and they’ll gather his chosen ones from the sources of the four winds, and from one end of the sky to the other.*235

  32 “But from the fig tree, learn the analogy: As soon as its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 It’s the same for you too: when you see all these things, you’ll know that he’s near, right at the gates. 34 Amēn I tell you, this generation won’t by any means pass away until all these things have happened. 35 The sky and the earth will pass away, but the things I tell you will never pass away.

  36 “About that day and hour no one knows, not even the messengers of the skies, and not the son: no one except the Father, him alone.

  37 As in the days of Nōe, you see, that’s what it will be like when the son of mankind is with you again. 38 Just as in [those] days before the flood, you see, people were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, up to the day Nōe entered the ark, 39 and they didn’t know, until the flood came and did away with all of them: that’s what it will [also] be like when the son of mankind is with you again. 40 At that time, two men will be in the field: one will be taken along and one left behind. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken along and one left behind.

  42 “So stay on the alert, because you don’t know on what day your master is coming. 43 But this you do need to know: if the head of the house had known in which watch*236 the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and not have let his house be broken into. 44 For this reason, you, too, be ready, because the son of mankind will come at a time you don’t expect.*237

  45 “So who’s the trusty and shrewd slave, the one the master’s put in charge of his household, so that he could give the others their food at the right time? 46 That slave’s a happy one if his master finds him doing that when he comes back. 47 Amēn I tell you, he’ll put him in charge of all his property. 48 But if it’s a bad slave, and he says in his heart, ‘My master’s taking his time,’ 49 and he starts beating his fellow slaves, and eats and drinks with drunks, 50 that slave’s master will come on a day he doesn’t anticipate and at an hour he doesn’t have in mind. 51 Then he’ll cut him practically in two and put him where the play-actors go: there’ll be crying and grinding of teeth in pain there.”*238

  Chapter 25

  1 “Next, the kingdom of the skies can be compared to ten unmarried girls, who took their lamps and went out to meet a bridegroom. 2 Now, five of them were silly, and five were sensible. 3 The silly ones, though they took their lamps, didn’t take any olive oil along with them. 4 But the sensible ones took olive oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 While the bridegroom took his time, they all nodded off and soon were sleeping. 6 But in the middle of the night, a shout arose: “Look, the bridegroom! Come out to meet [him]!” 7 Then all those girls woke up and put their lamps in order. 8 But the silly ones said to the sensible ones, ‘Give us some of your olive oil, because our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the sensible ones answered by saying, ‘There couldn’t possibly be enough for us and you both. Find your way instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 But while they were going away to buy it, the bridegroom came, and the girls who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. 11 But later the rest of the girls came too, saying, ‘Sir, sir, open up for us.’ 12 But he said in answer, ‘Amēn I tell you, I don’t know you.’*239 13 Stay on the alert, then, because you don’t know the day or the hour.

  14 “That’s just the way it was when a man about to go abroad called his own slaves and ha
nded over to them everything that belonged to him. 15 And he gave five talents to one,*240 and two to another, and one to another, each according to his abilities, and went abroad. Right away, 16 the one who’d gotten the five talents went and put them to work and made a further five talents in profit. 17 In the same way, the one with two made a profit of a further two. 18 But the one who’d gotten a single talent went away and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s silver.

  19 “After a long time, the master of those slaves came back and reckoned up the accounts with them. 20 And the one who’d gotten five talents approached, bringing a further five talents and saying, ‘Master, you handed five talents over to me: look, I made a further five talents in profit.’ 21 His master said to him: ‘Well done, you excellent and trustworthy slave! You’ve been trustworthy in a few things, so I’ll put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 [But] then the one with two talents approached and said, ‘Master, you handed two talents over to me: look, I made a further two talents in profit.’ 23 His master said to him: ‘Well done, you excellent and trustworthy slave! You’ve been trustworthy in a few things, so I’ll put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 But then the one who’d gotten a single talent approached and said, ‘Master, I knew you’re a hard man, harvesting where you didn’t sow and gathering in where you didn’t scatter anything out, 25 so because I was afraid I went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, you’ve got what’s yours.’ 26 But his master responded by saying to him, ‘You worthless, work-shy slave! You knew that I harvest where I didn’t sow, and gather in where I didn’t scatter anything out. 27 So you needed to put my silver on the bankers’ tables, and when I returned I could have gotten back what’s mine along with its “offspring.” 28 So you all, take the talent from him and give it to the one has ten talents. 29 To everyone who has something, you see, more will be given, and he’ll have more than enough, but if someone doesn’t have something, even what he does have will be taken away from him. 30 Now throw out the useless slave into the darkness—far out. In that place there’ll be crying and teeth ground in pain.’

  31 “But when the son of mankind comes in his glory, and all the messengers along with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32 And all the nations will be gathered before him, and he’ll separate them from each other the way a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33 and he’ll make the sheep stand at his right, and the goats at the side ‘with the blessed name.’ 34 Then the king will say to those on his right: ‘Come, you who are blessed by my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you since the foundations of the universe were laid. 35 I was starving, you see, and you gave me something to eat, I was parched, and you gave me something to drink, I was a foreigner and you took me in. 36 I was naked and you put clothes on me, ailing and you looked in on me, in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the upright people will respond to him by saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you starving and fed you, or parched and gave you something to drink? 38 When did we see you, a foreigner, and take you in, or naked and put clothes on you? 39 When did we see you ailing or in prison and came to you?’ 40 Then in answer the king will say to them, ‘Amēn I tell you, as far as you did it for a single one of my brothers here, who are of no importance at all, you did for to me.’ 41 Then he’ll say to those on the side ‘with the blessed name,’ ‘Take the road away from me, you cursed people, into the fire that lasts for all time and has been prepared for the slanderer and his messengers. 42 I was starving, you see, but you didn’t give me anything to eat, I was parched and you didn’t give me anything to drink, 43 I was a foreigner and you didn’t take me in, naked and you didn’t put clothes on me, ailing and in prison and you didn’t look in on me.’ 44 Then they also will answer by saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you starving or parched or a foreigner or naked or ailing or in prison, and didn’t attend to you?’ 45 Then he’ll answer them by saying, ‘Amēn I tell you, as far as you didn’t do it for a single one of these people here, who are of no importance at all, you didn’t do it for me either.’ 46 And they’ll go to punishment for all time, but the upright will go to life for all time.”

  Chapter 26

  1 Then it happened that, when Iēsous had finished saying all these things, he told his students, 2 “You know that the pascha takes place in two days, and the son of mankind is going to be handed over to be hung on the stakes.”

  3 Then the high priests and the elders of the people gathered at the court of the chief priest, who was called Kaïafas.*241 4 And they were plotting together to seize Iēsous by stealth and kill him. 5 But they said, “Not at the festival, in case there’s an uproar among the people.”*242

  6 And when Iēsous was in Bēthania at the house of Simōn the leper,*243 7 a woman approached him with an alabaster jar of extremely costly perfume*244 and poured its contents over his head as he was reclining at the table. 8 And when the students saw, they complained, saying, “What was the point of this waste? 9 This could have been sold for a lot of money, to give to the destitute.” 10 But Iēsous, aware of their reaction, said, “Why do you make trouble for the woman? The service she’s done me is in fact a good one. 11 You’ll have the destitute among you forever, but you’re not going to have me forever. 12 She actually put this perfume on my body to prepare me for burial. 13 Amen, I tell you, wherever in the whole world this good news is proclaimed, what she did will be spoken of, so that she’ll be remembered.”

  14 At this point the one called Ioudas Iskariōtēs, one of the twelve, made his way to the high priests 15 and said, “What are you willing to pay me, if I hand him over to you myself?” And they counted out thirty silver coins and paid him.*245 16 And from then on, he sought to hand him over at the right moment.

  17 And on the first day of the festival of bread made without yeast, the students approached Iēsous and said to him, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the pascha?” 18 And he said, “Get moving and go to the city, to such and such a person,*246 and tell him, ‘The teacher says, “My time is near; I’m going to observe the pascha at your place with my students.” ’ ” 19 And they did as Iēsous directed, then prepared the pascha.

  20 And when it was evening, he reclined at the table with the twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, “Amēn I tell you that one of you will hand me over.” 22 Then they grew very distressed, and began saying to him one by one, “It can’t be me, can it, master?” 23 But he answered by saying, “It’s the one who, along with me, has dipped his hand into the bowl—he’ll hand me over. 24 The son of mankind is going on his way—just as it’s written about him. But he has it coming, that specimen of mankind by whom the son of mankind is handed over. It would be better for that specimen of mankind if he hadn’t been born.”*247 25 Responding, Ioudas—the one handing him over—said, “It’s not me, is it, rabbí?” He told him, “You’re the one who said it.”

  26 Then while they were eating, Iēsous took a loaf of bread and blessed it, broke it in pieces, and gave it to his students, saying, “Take it and eat it: this is my body.” 27 And taking the cup, he gave thanks for it and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the dispensation, the blood poured out for the sake of many people for pardon from their offenses. 29 I tell you, from now on I won’t ever drink any of this, which the grapevine yields, until the day I drink it new in my father’s kingdom with you.” 30 Then, once they’d sung a song of praise, they went out onto the mountain with the olive trees.

  31 And Iēsous said to them, “You’ll all fall away tonight because of me, as it’s been written,

  “ ‘I’ll strike the shepherd down,

  And the sheep of the flock will be scattered in all directions.’*248

  32 “But after my awakening, I’ll go ahead of you into Galilaia.”

  33 But Petros responded to him by saying, “Even if all the others fall away because of you, I�
��ll never fall away.” 34 Iēsous said to him, “Amēn I’m telling you: during this actual night, before the rooster crows, you’ll deny three times that you know me.” 35 Petros said to him, “Even if I have to die with you, I absolutely won’t deny you.” And all the other students said the same.

  36 Then Iēsous came with them to the place called Gethsēmani,*249 and he said to his students, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 And he took with him Petros and the two sons of Zebedaios,*250 and pain and anguish began to come over him. 38 Then he said to them, “The life within me is in terrible pain, to the point of death. Stay here and keep awake with me.” 39 And going ahead a little, he fell facedown, saying in prayer, “My father, if it’s possible, let this cup pass by me—but even so, it has to be what you want, not what I want.” 40 Then he came to the students and found them sleeping, and he said to Petros, “What’s this? Didn’t you have the strength to stay awake with me for a single hour? 41 Stay awake and pray, so that you don’t come to be tested. The life-breath is eager, but the mere body is feeble.” 42 Then again, a second time, he went away and prayed, saying, “My father, if this can’t pass by me unless I drink it, then what you want must happen.” 43 Then he came back again and found them sleeping, since their eyes were weighed down. 44 Then he left them again and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. 45 Then he came to his students and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking it easy? Look, the time has come, and the son of mankind is going to be handed over to wrongdoers. 46 Get up, let’s go! Look, the one handing me over is almost here.”

  47 And while he was still speaking, look, Ioudas came, one of the twelve, and along with him was a large mob, armed with swords and clubs, who were from the high priests and the elders of the people.*251 48 The man handing him over had told them a signal to act on, saying, “Whoever I kiss, it’s him: get hold of him.” 49 So right away he approached Iēsous and said, “Joy, rabbí!” and gave him a demonstrative kiss. 50 But Iēsous said to him, “Do what you came for, pal.”*252 Then they came up to Iēsous, laid hands on him, and took hold of him. 51 But look, one of the people with Iēsous stretched out his hand and drew his sword, with which he struck the chief priest’s slave and took off his ear.*253 52 Then Iēsous said to him, “Put your sword back where it belongs. All those who take up the sword are destroyed by the sword. 53 Or do you think I can’t call on my father to put more than twelve legions of messengers at my disposal right now?*254 54 But if I did that, how would the writings be fulfilled that say it has to happen this way?”*255 55 At that time Iēsous said to the mobs, “You’ve come out to seize me with swords and clubs, as if I were a bandit? Day after day I was sitting in the temple precinct teaching, and you didn’t take hold of me. 56 All of this has happened so that the prophets’ writings could be fulfilled.”*256 Then all the students left him and ran off.