Orthodox Study
Various Church Fathers

Section XV.

The Diatessaron of Tatian. — translated by ANF/NPNF editors

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Section XV.

¶2

[1] Jesus answered and said unto him, Simon, I have something to say unto thee.  And [2] he said unto him, Say on, my Master.  Jesus said unto him, There were two debtors [Arabic, p. 58] to one creditor; and one of them owed five hundred pence, and the other [3] owed fifty pence.  And because they had not wherewith to pay, he forgave [4] them both.  Which of them ought to love him more?  Simon answered and said, I suppose, he to whom he forgave most.  Jesus said unto him, Thou hast judged rightly.  [5] And he turned to that woman, and said to Simon, Dost thou see this woman?  I entered into thy dwelling, and thou gavest me not water to wash my feet:  but this [6] woman hath bathed my feet with her tears, and dried them with her hair.  And thou kissedst me not:  but this woman, since she entered, hath not ceased to kiss my [7] feet.  And thou anointedst not my head with oil:  but this woman hath anointed [8] my feet with sweet ointment.  And for this, I say unto thee, Her many sins are forgiven her, because she loved much; for he to whom little is forgiven loveth little.  [9, 10] And he said unto that woman, Thy sins are forgiven thee.  And those that were invited [11] began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?  And Jesus said to that woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

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[12] And many believed in him when they saw the signs which he was doing.  [13, 14] But Jesus did not trust himself to them, for he knew every man, and he needed not any man to testify to him concerning every man; for he knew what was in man.

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[15] And after that, Jesus set apart from his disciples other seventy, and sent them two and two before his face to every region and city whither he was purposing to [16] go.  And he said unto them, The harvest is abundant, and the labourers are few:  [17] entreat now the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth labourers into his harvest.  Go [18] [Arabic, p. 59] ye:  and lo, I am sending you as lambs among wolves.  Take not with you [19] purses, nor a wallet, nor shoes; neither salute any man in the way.  And [20] whatsoever house ye enter, first salute that house:  and if there be there a son of peace, [21] let your peace rest upon him; but if there be not, your peace shall return to you.  And be ye in that house eating and drinking what they have:  for the labourer is worthy of [22] his hire.  And remove not from house to house.  And into whatsoever city ye enter, [23] and they receive you, eat what is presented to you:  and heal the sick that are [24] therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come near unto you.  But whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go out into the market, and say, [25] Even the dust that clave to our feet from your city, we shake off against you; but [26] know this, that the kingdom of God is come near unto you.  I say unto you, that for Sodom there shall be quiet in the day of judgement, but there shall not be for [27] that city.  Then began Jesus to rebuke the cities in which there had been many [28] mighty works, and they repented not.  And he said, Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! if there had been in Tyre and Sidon the signs which were in [29] thee, it may be that they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes.  Howbeit I say unto you, that for Tyre and Sidon there shall be rest in the day of judgement, [30] more than for you.  And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt sink down unto Hades; for if there had been in Sodom the wonders which were [31] in thee, it would have remained until this day.  And now I say unto thee, that for the land of Sodom there shall be quiet in the day of judgement, more than for thee.

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[32] [Arabic, p. 60] And he said again unto his apostles, Whosoever heareth you heareth me; and whosoever heareth me heareth him that sent me:  and whosoever wrongeth you wrongeth me; and whosoever wrongeth me wrongeth him that sent me.

¶6

[33] And those seventy returned with great joy, and said unto him, Our Lord, even [34] the devils also are subject unto us in thy name.  He said unto them, I beheld [35] Satan fallen like lightning from heaven.  Behold, I am giving you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and the whole race of the enemy; and nothing shall [36] hurt you.  Only ye must not rejoice that the devils are subject unto you; but be glad that your names are written in heaven.

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[37] And in that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, I acknowledge thee, my Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these things from the wise and understanding, and didst reveal them unto children:  yea, my Father; so [38] was thy will.  And he turned to his disciples, and said unto them, Everything hath been delivered to me of my Father:  and no man knoweth who the Son is, save the Father; and who the Father is, save the Son, and to whomsoever the Son willeth [39] to reveal him.  Come unto me, all of you, ye that are wearied and bearers of burdens, [40] and I will give you rest.  Bear my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I [41] am gentle and lowly in my heart:  and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is pleasant, and my burden is light.

¶8

[42] And while great multitudes were going with him, he turned, and said unto them, [43] Whosoever cometh unto me, and hateth not his father, and his mother, and his brethren, and his sisters, and his wife, and his children, and himself also, cannot [44] [Arabic, p. 61] be a disciple to me.  And whosoever doth not take his cross, and follow [45] me, cannot be a disciple to me.  Which of you desireth to build a tower, and doth not sit down first and reckon his expenses and whether he hath enough to [46] complete it? lest when he hath laid the foundations, and is not able to finish, all that [47] behold him laugh at him, and say, This man began to build, and was not able to [48] finish.  Or what king goeth to the battle to fight with another king, and doth not consider first whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh to him [49] with twenty thousand?  And if he is not able, he sendeth unto him while he is afar [50] off, and seeketh peace.  So shall every man of you consider, that desireth to be a disciple to me; for if he renounceth not all that he hath, he cannot be a disciple to me.

Translated by ANF/NPNF editors. Edition ccel.anf09.division.iv.en.

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