The Annunciation of Luke the Evangelist – Chapter 21
1 And Jesus looked upon the rich, who cast their oblations into the treasury.
2 And he saw also a certain poor widow, who cast in two mites.
3 And he said:
Truly I say to you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than any one.
4 For all they, from what was superfluous to them, have cast into the receptacle of oblations to God; but she, from her penury, hath cast in all that she possessed.
5 And when some spoke of the temple, as adorned with goodly stones and oblations, Jesus said to them:
6 [As for] these things, on which ye gaze, the days will come, in which there will not be left a stone upon a stone, that is not cast down.
7 And they questioned him, and said:
Teacher, when will these things be? And what is the sign that they are near to take place?
8 And he said to them:
See, that ye be not deceived; for many will come in my name, and will say:
I am Messiah and the time is near. But go ye not after them.
9 And when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not afraid; for these things are previously to take place, but the end is not yet come.
10 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom;
11 and great earthquakes will occur in several places, and famines, and pestilences; and there will be terrors, and trepidations, and great signs from heaven will be seen, and there will be great tempests.
12 But before all these things, they will lay hands upon you, and will persecute you, and will deliver you up to councils and to prison, and will arraign you before kings and governors, on account of my name.
13 But it will be to you for a testimony.
14 And settle it in your hearts, that ye will not previously seek instruction for making a defence.
15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your enemies will be unable to withstand.
16 And your parents, and your brothers, and your relatives, and your friends, will deliver you up, and cause some of you to die.
17 And ye will be hated by every one, on account of my name.
18 But a hair of your head shall not perish.
19 And by your patience, will ye preserve your souls.
20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem with an army encompassing it, then know ye, that its destruction draweth nigh.
21 Then let them who shall be in Judaea, flee to the mountain [district]; and let them, who are in the midst of it, flee away; and those in the fields, not enter it.
22 For these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written.
23 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that nurse children, in those days; for then will be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be carried captive to every place. And Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles shall be completed.
25 And there will be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and distress of nations on the earth; and clasping of hands, from astonishment at the noise of the sea;
26 and dismay that driveth out the souls of men, from fear of that which is to come on the earth; and the powers of heaven will be moved.
27 And then will they see the Son of man coming in the clouds, with much power, and with great glory.
28 And when these things shall begin to be, take courage, and lift up your heads, for your deliverance draweth nigh.
29 And he uttered a similitude to them. Look at the fig-tree, and all the trees.
30 When they bud forth, ye at once understand from them that summer approacheth.
31 So also, when ye shall see all these things take place, know ye that the kingdom of God is near.
32 Verily I say to you, That this generation will not pass away, until all these things occur.
33 Heaven and earth will pass away; but my word will not pass away.
34 Take heed to yourselves, that your hearts be, at no time, stupefied by gluttony and ebriety and worldly care; and so that day come upon you unawares.
35 For, like a hunter’s snare, it will spring upon all them that dwell upon the face of the whole land.
36 Be ye therefore vigilant, at all times, and prayerful; that ye may be worthy to escape the things that are to take place, and may stand before the Son of man .
37 And, in the daytime he taught in the temple, and at night he went out and lodged in the mount, called the Place of Olives.
38 And all the people came early to him in the temple, to hear his discourse.
Susanna 1 KJVA
1 There dwelt a man in Babylon, called Joacim:
2 And he took a wife, whose name was Susanna, the daughter of Chelcias, a very fair woman, and one that feared the Lord.
3 Her parents also were righteous, and taught their daughter according to the law of Moses.
4 Now Joacim was a great rich man, and had a fair garden joining unto his house: and to him resorted the Jews; because he was more honourable than all others.
5 The same year were appointed two of the ancients of the people to be judges, such as the Lord spake of, that wickedness came from Babylon from ancient judges, who seemed to govern the people.
6 These kept much at Joacim’s house: and all that had any suits in law came unto them.
7 Now when the people departed away at noon, Susanna went into her husband’s garden to walk.
8 And the two elders saw her going in every day, and walking; so that their lust was inflamed toward her.
9 And they perverted their own mind, and turned away their eyes, that they might not look unto heaven, nor remember just judgments.
10 And albeit they both were wounded with her love, yet durst not one shew another his grief.
11 For they were ashamed to declare their lust, that they desired to have to do with her.
12 Yet they watched diligently from day to day to see her.
13 And the one said to the other, Let us now go home: for it is dinner time.
14 So when they were gone out, they parted the one from the other, and turning back again they came to the same place; and after that they had asked one another the cause, they acknowledged their lust: then appointed they a time both together, when they might find her alone.
15 And it fell out, as they watched a fit time, she went in as before with two maids only, and she was desirous to wash herself in the garden: for it was hot.
16 And there was no body there save the two elders, that had hid themselves, and watched her.
17 Then she said to her maids, Bring me oil and washing balls, and shut the garden doors, that I may wash me.
18 And they did as she bade them, and shut the garden doors, and went out themselves at privy doors to fetch the things that she had commanded them: but they saw not the elders, because they were hid.
19 Now when the maids were gone forth, the two elders rose up, and ran unto her, saying,
20 Behold, the garden doors are shut, that no man can see us, and we are in love with thee; therefore consent unto us, and lie with us.
21 If thou wilt not, we will bear witness against thee, that a young man was with thee: and therefore thou didst send away thy maids from thee.
22 Then Susanna sighed, and said, I am straitened on every side: for if I do this thing, it is death unto me: and if I do it not I cannot escape your hands.
23 It is better for me to fall into your hands, and not do it, than to sin in the sight of the Lord.
24 With that Susanna cried with a loud voice: and the two elders cried out against her.
25 Then ran the one, and opened the garden door.
26 So when the servants of the house heard the cry in the garden, they rushed in at the privy door, to see what was done unto her.
27 But when the elders had declared their matter, the servants were greatly ashamed: for there was never such a report made of Susanna.
28 And it came to pass the next day, when the people were assembled to her husband Joacim, the two elders came also full of mischievous imagination against Susanna to put her to death;
29 And said before the people, Send for Susanna, the daughter of Chelcias, Joacim’s wife. And so they sent.
30 So she came with her father and mother, her children, and all her kindred.
31 Now Susanna was a very delicate woman, and beauteous to behold.
32 And these wicked men commanded to uncover her face, (for she was covered) that they might be filled with her beauty.
33 Therefore her friends and all that saw her wept.
34 Then the two elders stood up in the midst of the people, and laid their hands upon her head.
35 And she weeping looked up toward heaven: for her heart trusted in the Lord.
36 And the elders said, As we walked in the garden alone, this woman came in with two maids, and shut the garden doors, and sent the maids away.
37 Then a young man, who there was hid, came unto her, and lay with her.
38 Then we that stood in a corner of the garden, seeing this wickedness, ran unto them.
39 And when we saw them together, the man we could not hold: for he was stronger than we, and opened the door, and leaped out.
40 But having taken this woman, we asked who the young man was, but she would not tell us: these things do we testify.
41 Then the assembly believed them as those that were the elders and judges of the people: so they condemned her to death.
42 Then Susanna cried out with a loud voice, and said, O everlasting God, that knowest the secrets, and knowest all things before they be:
43 Thou knowest that they have borne false witness against me, and, behold, I must die; whereas I never did such things as these men have maliciously invented against me.
44 And the Lord heard her voice.
45 Therefore when she was led to be put to death, the Lord raised up the holy spirit of a young youth whose name was Daniel:
46 Who cried with a loud voice, I am clear from the blood of this woman.
47 Then all the people turned them toward him, and said, What mean these words that thou hast spoken?
48 So he standing in the midst of them said, Are ye such fools, ye sons of Israel, that without examination or knowledge of the truth ye have condemned a daughter of Israel?
49 Return again to the place of judgment: for they have borne false witness against her.
50 Wherefore all the people turned again in haste, and the elders said unto him, Come, sit down among us, and shew it us, seeing God hath given thee the honour of an elder.
51 Then said Daniel unto them, Put these two aside one far from another, and I will examine them.
52 So when they were put asunder one from another, he called one of them, and said unto him, O thou that art waxen old in wickedness, now thy sins which thou hast committed aforetime are come to light.
53 For thou hast pronounced false judgment and hast condemned the innocent and hast let the guilty go free; albeit the Lord saith, The innocent and righteous shalt thou not slay. 54 Now then, if thou hast seen her, tell me, Under what tree sawest thou them companying together? Who answered, Under a mastick tree.
55 And Daniel said, Very well; thou hast lied against thine own head; for even now the angel of God hath received the sentence of God to cut thee in two.
56 So he put him aside, and commanded to bring the other, and said unto him, O thou seed of Chanaan, and not of Juda, beauty hath deceived thee, and lust hath perverted thine heart.
57 Thus have ye dealt with the daughters of Israel, and they for fear companied with you: but the daughter of Juda would not abide your wickedness.
58 Now therefore tell me, Under what tree didst thou take them companying together? Who answered, Under an holm tree.
59 Then said Daniel unto him, Well; thou hast also lied against thine own head: for the angel of God waiteth with the sword to cut thee in two, that he may destroy you.
60 With that all the assembly cried out with a loud voice, and praised God, who saveth them that trust in him.
61 And they arose against the two elders, for Daniel had convicted them of false witness by their own mouth:
62 And according to the law of Moses they did unto them in such sort as they maliciously intended to do to their neighbour: and they put them to death. Thus the innocent blood was saved the same day.
63 Therefore Chelcias and his wife praised God for their daughter Susanna, with Joacim her husband, and all the kindred, because there was no dishonesty found in her.
64 From that day forth was Daniel had in great reputation in the sight of the people.
Susanna 1 KJVA
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