The .xvij. Chapter.
And after vj days Iesus took Peter and Iames and Ihon his brother, and brought them up into an high mountain out of the way, and was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his clothes were as white as the light. And behold there appeared unto them Moses and Helyas talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said to Iesus: master here is good being for us. If thou wilt, let us make here iij tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Helyas. While he yet spake, behold a bright cloud shadowed them. And lo a voice out of the cloud said: This is my dear son, in whom I delight, hear him. And when the disciples heard that, they fell on their faces, and were sore afraid. And Iesus came and touched them, and said: arise and be not afraid. Then lift they up their eyes, and saw no man, but Iesus only.
And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them saying, see that ye shew this vision to no man, til the son of man be risen again from death. And his disciples asked of him, saying: Why then say the scribes, that Helias must first come? Iesus answered, and said unto them: Helias shall first come, and restore all things. And I say unto you, that Helias is come already: And they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they lusted. In likewise shall also the son of man suffer of them. Then his disciples perceived that he spake unto them of Ihon baptist.
And when they were come to the people, there came to him a certain man, and kneeled down to him saying: Master have mercy on my son, for he is frantic, and is sore vexed. And ofttimes falleth into the fire, and oft into the water, and I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not heal him. Iesus answered and said: O generation faithless and crooked: how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. And Iesus rebuked the devil, and he came out. And the child was healed even that same hour.
Then came his disciples secretly and said: Why could not we cast him out? Iesus said unto them, because of your unbelief. For I say verily unto you, if ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye should say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place, and he should remove: Neither should any thing be unpossible for you to do. But this kind, goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
While they passed the time in Galilee, Iesus said unto them: the son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men, and they shall kill him, and the third day he shall rise again. And they sorrowed greatly.
When they were come to Capernaum: They that were wont to gather poll money, came to Peter and said: Doth your master pay tribute? He said: yea. And when he was come into the house, Iesus spake first to him, saying: What thinkest thou Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take tribute, or poll money? of their children, or of strangers? Peter said unto him, of strangers. Then said Iesus unto him again. Then are the children free. Nevertheless, lest we should offend them, go to the sea and cast in thine angle, and take the fish that first cometh up: and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of twelve {or twenty} pence, that take and pay for me and thee.
The .xviij. Chapter.
The same time the disciples came to Iesus saying: who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? Iesus called a child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said: Verily I say unto you, except ye turn, and become as children, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven: whosoever therefore: shall submit himself: as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whosoever receiveth such a child in my name, receiveth me. But whosoever offend one of these little ones, which believe in me: it were better for him, that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe be unto the world because of evil occasions. It is necessary that evil occasions be given, nevertheless woe be to that man, by whom evil occasion cometh. Wherefore if thy hand, or thy foot, give thee an occasion of evil: cut him off, and cast him from thee. It is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than thou shouldest having two hands, or two feet, be cast into everlasting fire. And if also thine eye offend thee, pluck him out and cast him from thee. It is better for thee, to enter into life with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hellfire.
See that ye despise not one of these little ones. For I say unto you, that in heaven their angels behold the face of my father, which is in heaven. Yea and the son of man is come to save that which is lost. How think ye? If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them should go astray, will he not leave ninety and nine in the mountains, and go and seek that one which is gone astray? If it happen that he find him, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, then of the ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your father in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.