St. Luke was a native of Antioch, the capital of Syria. He was by profession a physician; and some ancient writers say, that he was very skillful in painting. He was converted by St. Paul and became his disciple and companion in his travels, and fellow-labourer in the ministry of the Gospel. He wrote in Greek, about twenty-four years after our Lord's Ascension.
Chapters:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Christ heals the centurion's servant. He raises the widow's son to life, answers the messengers sent by John and absolves the penitent sinner.
1 And when he had finished all his words in the hearing of the people, he entered into Capharnaum.
2 And the servant of a certain centurion, who was dear to him, being sick, was ready to die.
3 And when he had heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the ancients of the Jews, desiring him to come and heal his servant.
4 And when they came to Jesus, they besought him earnestly, saying to him: He is worthy that thou shouldest do this for him.
5 For he loveth our nation; and he hath built us a synagogue.
6 And Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent his friends to him, saying: Lord, trouble not thyself; for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof.
7 For which cause neither did I think myself worthy to come to thee; but say the word, and my servant shall be healed.
8 For I also am a man subject to authority, having under me soldiers: and I say to one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doth it.
9 Which Jesus hearing, marvelled: and turning about to the multitude that followed him, he said: Amen I say to you, I have not found so great faith, not even in Israel.
10 And they who were sent, being returned to the house, found the servant whole who had been sick.
11 And it came to pass afterwards, that he went into a city that is called Naim; and there went with him his disciples, and a great multitude.
12 And when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold a dead man was carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow: and a great multitude of the city was with her.
13 Whom when the Lord had seen, being moved with mercy towards her, he said to her: Weep not.
14 And he came near and touched the bier. And they that carried it, stood still. And he said: Young man, I say to thee, arise.
15 And he that was dead, sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother.
16 And there came a fear on them all: and they glorified God, saying: A great prophet is risen up among us: and, God hath visited his people.
17 And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judea, and throughout all the country round about.
18 And John's disciples told him of all these things.
19 And John called to him two of his disciples, and sent them to Jesus, saying: Art thou he that art to come; or look we for another?
20 And when the men were come unto him, they said: John the Baptist hath sent us to thee, saying: Art thou he that art to come; or look we for another?
21 (And in that same hour, he cured many of their diseases, and hurts, and evil spirits: and to many that were blind he gave sight.)
22 And answering, he said to them: Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen: the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are made clean, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, to the poor the gospel is preached:
23 And blessed is he whosoever shall not be scandalized in me.
24 And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak to the multitudes concerning John. What went ye out into the desert to see? a reed shaken with the wind?
25 But what went you out to see? a man clothed in soft garments? Behold they that are in costly apparel and live delicately, are in the houses of kings.
26 But what went you out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say to you, and more than a prophet.
27 This is he of whom it is written: Behold I send my angel before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.
28 For I say to you: Amongst those that are born of women, there is not a greater prophet that John the Baptist. But he that is the lesser in the kingdom of God, is greater than he.
29 And all the people hearing, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with John's baptism.
30 But the Pharisees and the lawyers despised the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized by him.
31 And the Lord said: Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?
32 They are like to children sitting in the marketplace, and speaking one to another, and saying: We have piped to you, and you have not danced: we have mourned, and you have not wept.
33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and you say: He hath a devil.
34 The Son of man is come eating and drinking: and you say: Behold a man that is a glutton and a drinker of wine, a friend of publicans and sinners.
35 And wisdom is justified by all her children.
36 And one of the Pharisees desired him to eat with him. And he went into the house of the Pharisee, and sat down to meat.
37 And behold a woman that was in the city, a sinner, when she knew that he sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment;
38 And standing behind at his feet, she began to wash his feet, with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
39 And the Pharisee, who had invited him, seeing it, spoke within himself, saying: This man, if he were a prophet, would know surely who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, that she is a sinner.
40 And Jesus answering, said to him: Simon, I have somewhat to say to thee. But he said: Master, say it.
41 A certain creditor had two debtors, the one who owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
42 And whereas they had not wherewith to pay, he forgave them both. Which therefore of the two loveth him most?
43 Simon answering, said: I suppose that he to whom he forgave most. And he said to him: Thou hast judged rightly.
44 And turning to the woman, he said unto Simon: Dost thou see this woman? I entered into thy house, thou gavest me no water for my feet; but she with tears hath washed my feet, and with her hairs hath wiped them.
45 Thou gavest me no kiss; but she, since she came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint; but she with ointment hath anointed my feet.
47 Wherefore I say to thee: Many sins are forgiven her, because she hath loved much. But to whom less is forgiven, he loveth less.
48 And he said to her: Thy sins are forgiven thee.
49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves: Who is this that forgiveth sins also?
50 And he said to the woman: Thy faith hath made thee safe, go in peace.
The parable of the seed. Christ stills the storm at sea, casts out the legion, heals the issue of blood and raises the daughter of Jairus to life.
1 And it came to pass afterwards, that he travelled through the cities and towns, preaching and evangelizing the kingdom of God; and the twelve with him:
2 And certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities; Mary who is called Magdalen, out of whom seven devils were gone forth,
3 And Joanna the wife of Chusa, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who ministered unto him of their substance.
4 And when a very great multitude was gathered together, and hastened out of the cities unto him, he spoke by a similitude.
5 The sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
6 And other some fell upon a rock: and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it had no moisture.
7 And other some fell among thorns, and the thorns growing up with it, choked it.
8 And other some fell upon good ground; and being sprung up, yielded fruit a hundredfold. Saying these things, he cried out: He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
9 And his disciples asked him what this parable might be.
10 To whom he said: To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to the rest in parables, that seeing they may not see, and hearing may not understand.
11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
12 And they by the way side are they that hear; then the devil cometh, and taketh the word out of their heart, lest believing they should be saved.
13 Now they upon the rock, are they who when they hear, receive the word with joy: and these have no roots; for they believe for a while, and in time of temptation, they fall away.
14 And that which fell among thorns, are they who have heard, and going their way, are choked with the cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and yield no fruit.
15 But that on the good ground, are they who in a good and perfect heart, hearing the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit in patience.
16 Now no man lighting a candle covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it upon a candlestick, that they who come in may see the light.
17 For there is not any thing secret that shall not be made manifest, nor hidden, that shall not be known and come abroad.
18 Take heed therefore how you hear. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given: and whosoever hath not, that also which he thinketh he hath, shall be taken away from him.
19 And his mother and brethren came unto him; and they could not come at him for the crowd.
20 And it was told him: Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee.
21 Who answering, said to them: My mother and my brethren are they who hear the word of God, and do it.
22 And it came to pass on a certain day that he went into a little ship with his disciples, and he said to them: Let us go over to the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.
23 And when they were sailing, he slept; and there came down a storm of wind upon the lake, and they were filled, and were in danger.
24 And they came and awaked him, saying: Master, we perish. But he arising, rebuked the wind and the rage of the water; and it ceased, and there was a calm.
25 And he said to them: Where is your faith? Who being afraid, wondered, saying one to another: Who is this, (think you), that he commandeth both the winds and the sea, and they obey him?
26 And they sailed to the country of the Gerasens, which is over against Galilee.
27 And when he was come forth to the land, there met him a certain man who had a devil now a very long time, and he wore no clothes, neither did he abide in a house, but in the sepulchres.
28 And when he saw Jesus, he fell down before him; and crying out with a loud voice, he said: What have I to do with thee, Jesus, Son of the most high God? I beseech thee, do not torment me.
29 For he commanded the unclean spirit to go out of the man. For many times it seized him, and he was bound with chains, and kept in fetters; and breaking the bonds, he was driven by the devil into the deserts.
30 And Jesus asked him, saying: What is thy name? But he said: Legion; because many devils were entered into him.
31 And they besought him that he would not command them to go into the abyss.
32 And there was there a herd of many swine feeding on the mountain; and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them.
33 The devils therefore went out of the man, and entered into the swine; and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were stifled.
34 Which when they that fed them saw done, they fled away, and told it in the city and in the villages.
35 And they went out to see what was done; and they came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at his feet, clothed, and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
36 And they also that had seen, told them how he had been healed from the legion.
37 And all the multitude of the country of the Gerasens besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear. And he, going up into the ship, returned back again.
38 Now the man, out of whom the devils were departed, besought him that he might be with him. But Jesus sent him away, saying:
39 Return to thy house, and tell how great things God hath done to thee. And he went through the whole city, publishing how great things Jesus had done to him.
40 And it came to pass, that when Jesus was returned, the multitude received him: for they were all waiting for him.
41 And behold there came a man whose name was Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at the feet of Jesus, beseeching him that he would come into his house:
42 For he had an only daughter, almost twelve years old, and she was dying. And it happened as he went, that he was thronged by the multitudes.
43 And there was a certain woman having an issue of blood twelve years, who had bestowed all her substance on physicians, and could not be healed by any.
44 She came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment; and immediately the issue of her blood stopped.
45 And Jesus said: Who is it that touched me? And all denying, Peter and they that were with him said: Master, the multitudes throng and press thee, and dost thou say, Who touched me?
46 And Jesus said: Somebody hath touched me; for I know that virtue is gone out from me.
47 And the woman seeing that she was not hid, came trembling, and fell down before his feet, and declared before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was immediately healed.
48 But he said to her: Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go thy way in peace.
49 As he was yet speaking, there cometh one to the ruler of the synagogue, saying to him: Thy daughter is dead, trouble him not.
50 And Jesus hearing this word, answered the father of the maid: Fear not; believe only, and she shall be safe.
51 And when he was come to the house, he suffered not any man to go in with him, but Peter and James and John, and the father and mother of the maiden.
52 And all wept and mourned for her. But he said: Weep not; the maid is not dead, but sleepeth.
53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
54 But he taking her by the hand, cried out, saying: Maid, arise.
55 And her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And he bid them give her to eat.
56 And her parents were astonished, whom he charged to tell no man what was done.
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