Then Peter said unto him: Master tellest thou this similitude unto us, or to all men? And the lord said: who is a faithful steward, and a discreet, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their duetie of meat, at due season. Happy is that servant, whom his master when he cometh shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you: that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. But and if the evil servant shall say in his heart: My master will defer his coming, and shall begin to smite the servants, and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken: the lord of that servant will come in a day, when he thinketh not, and at an hour when he is not ware, and will divide him, and will give him his reward, with the unbelievers.
The servant that knew his master's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and hath committed things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whom much is given: of him shall be much required. And to whom men much commit, the more of him will they ask.
I am come to send fire on earth: and what is my desire but that it were al ready kindled? Notwithstanding I must be baptised with a baptism. And how am I pained till it be ended? Suppose ye that I am come to send peace on earth? I tell you, nay: but rather debate. For henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father. The mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother. The motherinlaw against the daughterinlaw, and the daughter in law against the motherinlaw. Then said he to the people: when ye see a cloud rise out of the west straightway ye say: we shall have a shower, and so it is. And when ye se the south wind blow, ye say: we shall have heat, and it cometh to pass. Hypocrites, ye can skill of the fashion of the earth, and of the sky: but what is the cause, that ye cannot skill of this time? Yea and why judge ye not of yourselves, that which is rightwise?
While thou goest with thine adversary to the ruler: as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him, least he bring thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the jailer, and the jailer cast thee into prison. I tell thee thou departest not thence, till thou have made good the utmost farthing.
The .xiij. Chapter.
There were present at the same season, that shewed him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate mingled with their own sacrifice. And Iesus answered, and said unto them: Suppose ye that these Galileans, were greater sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered such punishment? I tell you nay: but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or think ye that those xviij. upon whom the tower in Siloe fell and slew them, were sinners above all men that dwell in Ierusalem? I tell you nay: But except ye repent, ye all shall likewise perish.
He put forth this similitude, A certain man had a fig tree in his vineyard, and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he to the dresser of his vineyard: Behold this three year have I come and sought fruit in this fig tree, and find none, cut it down: why cumbereth it the ground? And he answered and said unto him: lord let it alone this year also, till I dig round about it, and dung it, to see whether it will bear fruit: if not, then after that, cut it down.
He taught in one of their synagogues on the saboth days. And behold there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity xviij. years: and was bowed together, and could not well lift up herself. When Iesus saw her, he called her to him, and said to her: woman, thou art delivered from thy disease. And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. The ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation (because that Iesus had healed on the saboth day) And said unto the people: There are six days in the week, in which men ought to work, in them come and be healed, and not on the saboth day.
Then answered him the lord and said: Hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the saboth day, loose his ox, or his ass, from the stall, and lead him to the water? And ought not this daughter of Abraham, be loosed from this bond on the saboth day, whom Sathan hath bounde lo, xviij. years?
And when he thus said, all his adversaries were ashamed, and all the people rejoiced on all the excellent deeds, that were done by him.