Geneva Study Bible Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! Then said he unto the disciples, {1} It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!
(1) The Church is of necessity subject to offences, but the Lord will not suffer them unpunished, if any of the least be offended. It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. {2} Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
(2) Our reprehensions must be just and proceed from love and charity. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. {3} And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
(3) God will never be utterly lacking to the godly (although he may not be as thorough with them as they wish) even in those difficulties which cannot be overcome by man's reason. And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you. And the Lord said, If ye had faith as {a} a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.
(a) If you had no more faith, but the quantity of the grain of mustard seed. But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? {4} But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?
(4) Seeing that God may rightfully claim for himself both us and all that is ours, he cannot be indebted to us for anything, although we labour mightily until we die. And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?
Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.
So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. {5} So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.
(5) No matter how perfectly we may keep the law, it deserves no reward. And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. {6} And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
(6) Christ does good even to those who will be unthankful, but the benefits of God to salvation only profit those who are thankful. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: {7} And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with {b} observation:
(7) The kingdom of God is not discerned by many although it is most present before their eyes, because they foolishly persuade themselves that it is to come with outward pomp. (b) With any outward pomp and show of majesty to be known by: for there were still many plain and evident tokens by which men might have understood that Christ was the Messiah, whose kingdom had been so long looked for: but he speaks in this place of those signs which the Pharisees dreamed of, who looked for an earthly Messianic kingdom. Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is {c} within you.
(c) You look around for the Messiah as though he were absent, but he is amongst you in the midst of you. And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it. {8} And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see {d} one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.
(8) We often neglect those things when they are present which we afterward desire when they are gone, but in vain. (d) The time will come when you will seek for the Son of Man with great sorrow of heart, and will not find him. And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them. {9} And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.
(9) Christ forewarns us that false Christs will come, and that his glory will suddenly be spread far and wide through the world after the shame of the cross is put out and extinguished. For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.
But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.
And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. {10} And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
(10) The world will be taken by surprise with the sudden judgment of God, and therefore the faithful ought to continually watch. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. {11} In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.
(11) We must pay careful attention that neither distrust nor the enticements of this world, nor any consideration of friendship hinder us in the least way. Remember Lot's wife. Remember Lot's wife.
Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall {e} preserve it.
(e) That is, will save it, as Matthew expounds it: for the life that is spoken of here is everlasting salvation. I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together. {12} And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together. (12) The only way to continue is to cleave to Christ. The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599] Bible Hub |
    |