THE BEGINNINGS OF FAITH

THE FIRST DISCIPLES BY THE JORDAN.

Again on the morrow John was standing, and two of his disciples; and he looked upon Jesus as he walked and saith, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. And Jesus turned, and beheld them following, and saith unto them, "What seek ye?"

And they said unto him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, being interpreted, Teacher), "where abidest thou?"

He saith unto them, "Come, and ye shall see."

They came therefore and saw where he abode; and they abode with him that day: it was about the tenth hour.

One of the two that heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He findeth first his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is, being interpreted, Christ). He brought him unto Jesus.

Jesus looked upon him, and said, "Thou art Simon the son of John: thou shalt be called Cephas" (which is by interpretation, Peter).

On the morrow he was minded to go forth into Galilee, and he findeth Philip: and Jesus saith unto him, "Follow me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, "We have found him, of whom Moses in the law and the prophets, wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

And Nathanael said unto him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?”

Philip saith unto him, “Come and see.”

Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!"

Nathanael saith unto him, "Whence knowest thou

me?"

Jesus answered and said unto him, "Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee."

Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art King of Israel."

Jesus answered and said unto him, "Because I said unto thee, 'I saw thee underneath the fig tree,' believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these."

And he saith unto him, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Sọn of man."

THE FIRST MIRACLE.

And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: and Jesus also was bidden, and his disciples, to the marriage.

And when the wine failed, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, "They have no wine."

And Jesus saith unto her, "Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.”

His mother saith unto the servants, "Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it."

Now there were six waterpots of stone set there after the Jews' manner of purifying, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, "Fill the waterpots with water."

And they filled them up to the brim.

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And he saith unto them, "Draw out now, and bear unto the ruler of the feast."

And they bare it. And when the ruler of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and knew not whence it was (but the servants that had drawn the water knew), the ruler of the feast calleth the bridegroom, and saith unto him, "Every man setteth on first the good wine; and when men have drunk freely, then that which is worse: thou hast kept the good wine until now."

This beginning of his signs did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples; and there they abode not many days.

JESUS IN JERUSALEM

CLEANSING HIS FATHER'S HOUSE.

And the passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And he found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: and he made a scourge of cords, and cast all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the changers' money, and overthrew their tables; and to them that sold the doves he said, "Take these things hence; make not my Father's house a house of merchandise."

His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for thy house shall eat me up."

The Jews therefore answered and said unto him, "What sign showest, thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?"

Jesus answered and said unto them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

The Jews therefore said, "Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou raise it up in three days?"

When

But he spake of the temple of his body. therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he spake thus; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

THE VISIT OF NICODEMUS.

Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, during the feast, many believed on his name, beholding his signs which he did. But Jesus did not trust himself unto them, for that he knew all men, and

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because he needed not that any one should bear witness concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man.

Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, ruler of the Jews; the same came unto him by night, and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that thou doest, except God be with him."

Jesus answered and said unto him, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

Nicodemus saith unto him, "How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born?"

Jesus answered, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh: and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I caid unto thee, 'Ye must be born anew.' The wind bloweth where it will, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit."

Nicodemus answered and said unto him, "How can these things be?"

Jesus answered and said unto him, "Art thou the teacher of Israel, and understandest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee. We speak that which we know, and bear witness of that which we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you heavenly things? And no one hath ascended into heaven but he that descended out of heaven, even the Son of man, who is in heaven. And