Read the Gospels in 40 Days
15 And publicans and sinful men were approaching to him [were nighing to him], to hear him.
2 And the Pharisees and scribes grumbled [grutched], saying, For this [man] receiveth sinful men, and eateth with them.
3 And he spake to them this parable, and said [saying],
4 What man of you that hath an hundred sheep, and if he hath lost one of them, whether he leaveth not ninety and nine in desert [and if he shall lose one of them, whether he leave not ninety and nine in desert], and goeth to it that perished, till he find it?
5 And when he hath found it, he joyeth, and layeth it on his shoulders; [And when he hath found it, he joying putteth on his shoulders;]
6 and he cometh home, and calleth together his friends and neighbours, and saith to them, Be ye glad with me, for I have found my sheep, that had perished.[a]
7 And I say to you, so joy shall be in heaven on one sinful man doing penance, more than on ninety and nine just, that have no need to penance [than of ninety and nine just, that have no need of penance].
8 Or what woman having ten bezants, and if she hath lost one bezant, whether she tendeth not a lantern, and turneth upside-down the house[b], and seeketh diligently, till [that] she find it?
9 And when she hath found, she calleth together friends and neighbours, and saith, Be ye glad with me, for I have found the bezant that I had lost [saying, Glad ye with me, for I have found the drachma, which I had lost].
10 So I say to you, joy shall be before the angels of God on [upon] one sinful man doing penance.
11 And he said, A man had two sons [Some man had two sons];
12 and the younger of them said to the father, Father, give me the portion of chattel, that falleth to me. And he parted to them the chattel.[c]
13 And not after many days, when all things were gathered together, the younger son went forth in pilgrimage into a far country; and there he wasted his goods in living lecherously [and there he wasted his substance, or goods, in living lecherously].
14 And after that he had ended all things, a strong hunger was made in that country, and he began to have need.
15 And he went, and drew him(self) to one of the citizens of that country [And he went, and cleaved to one of the citizens of that country]. And he sent him into his town, to feed swine.
16 And he coveted to fill his womb of the pods that the hogs ate, and no man gave to him.
17 And he turned again to himself, and said, How many hired men in my father's house have plenty of loaves; and I perish here through hunger [forsooth I perish here in hunger].
18 I shall rise up, and go to my father, and I shall say to him, Father, I have sinned into heaven [Father, I have sinned against heaven], and before thee;
19 and now I am not worthy to be called thy son, make me as one of thine hired men.
20 And he rose up, and came to his father. And when he was yet afar, his father saw him, and was stirred by mercy. And he ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21 And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned into heaven [Father, I have sinned against heaven], and before thee; and now I am not worthy to be called thy son.
22 And the father said to his servants, Swiftly bring ye forth the first stole, and clothe ye him [and clothe him], and give ye a ring in his hand, and shoes on his feet;
23 and bring ye a fat calf, and slay ye, and eat we, and make we feast.
24 For this my son was dead, and hath lived again; he perished, and is found. And all men began to eat [And all began for to eat gladly].
25 But his elder son was in the field; and when he came, and approached to the house [and nighed to the house], he heard a symphony and a crowd.
26 And he called one of the servants, and asked, what these things were.
27 And he said to him, Thy brother is come, and thy father slew a fat calf[d], for he received him safe.
28 And he was wroth, and would not come in. Therefore his father went out, and began to pray him.
29 And he answered to his father, and said, Lo! so many years I serve thee, and I never brake thy commandment; and thou never gave to me a kid, that I with my friends should have eaten.[e]
30 But after that this thy son, that hath devoured his substance with whores, came, thou hast slain to him a fat calf.[f]
31 And he said to him, Son, thou art evermore with me [Son, thou art ever with me], and all my things be thine.
32 But it behooved to make feast, and to have joy; for this thy brother was dead, and lived again [and liveth again]; he perished, and is found.
16 He said also to his disciples, There was a rich man, that had a bailiff [There was some rich man, that had a farmer, or bailee]; and this was denounced to him, as he had wasted his goods.
2 And he called him, and said to him, What hear I this thing of thee? yield reckoning of thy bailiffship, for thou might not now be bailiff[g].
3 And the bailiff said within himself, What shall I do, for my lord taketh away from me the bailiffship? delve may I not, I shame to beg. [Forsooth the farmer said within himself, What shall I do, for my lord taketh away from me the farm? I may not delve, I am ashamed to beg.]
4 I know what I shall do, that when I am removed from the bailiffship [that when I shall be removed from the farm], they receive me into their houses.
5 Therefore when all the debtors of his lord were called together [And so all the debtors of his lord called together], he said to the first, How much owest thou to my lord?
6 And he said, An hundred barrows of oil. And he said to him, Take thy caution [Take thy caution, or obligation], and sit soon, and write fifty.
7 Afterward he said to another, And how much owest thou? Which answered, An hundred cors of wheat [Which said, An hundred measures of wheat]. And he said to him, Take thy letters, and write fourscore.
8 And the lord praised the bailiff of wickedness [And the lord praised the farmer of wickedness], for he had done prudently; for the sons of this world be more prudent in their generation than the sons of light.
9 And I say to you, make ye to you friends of the riches of wickedness [make to you friends of the riches of wickedness], that when ye shall fail, they receive you into everlasting tabernacles.
10 He that is true in the least thing, is true also in the more [He that is faithful in the least thing, is faithful also in the more]; and he that is wicked in a little thing, is wicked also in the more.
11 Therefore if ye were not true in the wicked thing of riches [Therefore if ye were not true in the wicked riches], who shall betake to you that that is very?
12 And if ye were not true in other men's thing, who shall give to you that that is yours?
13 No servant may serve to two lords; for either he shall hate the one, and love the other; either he shall draw to the one, and despise the other. Ye be not able to serve to God and to riches.[h]
14 But the Pharisees, that were covetous, heard all these things, and they scorned him.
15 And he said to them, Ye it be, that justify you before men; but God hath known your hearts [soothly God knoweth your hearts], for that that is high to men, is abomination before God.
16 The law and the prophets till to John; from that time the realm of God is evangelized [from that time the realm of God is preached], and each man doeth violence into it.
17 Forsooth it is lighter heaven and earth [for] to pass, than that one tittle fall from the law [than one tittle fall of the law].
18 Every man that forsaketh his wife, and weddeth another, doeth lechery [doeth adultery]; and he that weddeth the wife forsaken of the husband, doeth adultery.
19 There was a rich man [Some man was rich], and was clothed in purple, and white silk, and ate every day shiningly.
20 And there was a beggar [And there was some beggar], Lazarus by name, that lay at his gate full of boils,
21 and coveted to be fulfilled of the crumbs[i], that fell down from the rich man's board, and no man gave to him; but [and] hounds came, and licked his boils.
22 And it was done, that the beggar died, and was borne of angels into Abraham's bosom. And the rich man was dead also, and was buried in hell.
23 And he raised up his eyes, when he was in torments, and saw Abraham afar, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried, and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he dip the end of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25 And Abraham said to him, Son, have mind, for thou hast received good things in thy life, and Lazarus also evil things; but he is now comforted, and thou art tormented.
26 And in all these things a great dark place is stablished betwixt us and you; that they that will from hence pass to you, be not able[j], neither from thence pass over hither.
27 And he said, Then I pray thee, father, that thou send him into the house of my father.
28 For I have five brethren, that he witness to them, lest also they come into this place of torments.
29 And Abraham said to him [And Abraham saith to him], They have Moses and the prophets; hear they them.
30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham, but if any of dead men [shall] go to them, they shall do penance.
31 And he said to him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither if any of dead men [shall] rise again, they shall believe to him.
2001 by Terence P. Noble