Saturday, December 8, 2007

That which is just and right

From :
The Geneva Bible
New Testament ,
The Holy Gospel Of Jesus Christ,
According To Luke Chapter 11

1 He teacheth his Apostles to pray.
14 The dumb devil driven out.
27 A woman of the company
lifted up her voice.
29 The Jews require signs.
37 He being feasted of the Pharisee,
reproveth the outward shew of holiness.

1 And so it was,
that as he was praying in a certain place,
when he ceased,
one of his disciples said unto him,
Lord, teach us to pray,
as John also taught his disciples.

2 (*) And he said unto them,
When ye pray, say, (1)
Our Father which art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come;
Let thy will be done,
even in earth, as it is in heaven;

(*) Matthew 6:9 .

(1) A form of true prayer.

3 Our daily bread give us (a) (*)
for the day;

(a) That is,
as much as is needed for us this day,
whereby we are not debarred
to have an honest care
for the maintenance of our lives,
but that carping care,
which killeth a number of men,
is cut off and restrained.

(*) Or every day,
or as much as is sufficient for this day.

4 And (*) forgive us our sins,
for even we forgive every man
that is indebted to us;
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

(*) Or, pardon.

5 ¶ (2) Moreover he said unto them, (*)
Which of you shall have a friend,
and shall go to him at midnight,
and say unto him,
Friend, lend me three loaves?

(2) We must pray with faith.

(*) By this similitude he teacheth us
that we ought not to be discouraged,
if we obtain not incontinently
that which we demand.

6 For a friend of mine is come (*)
out of the way to me,
and I have nothing to set before him;

(*) Or, in passing by the way.

7 And he within should answer,
and say, Trouble me not;
the door is now shut,
and my children are with me in bed;
I cannot rise and give them to thee.

8 I say unto you,
Though he would not arise
and give him,
because he is his friend,
yet doubtless because of his (b) (*)
importunity, he would rise
and give him as many as he needed.

(b) Word for word, impudency;
but that impudency
which is spoken of here,
is not to be found fault withal,
but is very commendable before God,
for he liketh well of such importunity.

(*) Or, impudency.

9 (*) And I say unto you,
Ask, and it shall be given you;
seek, and ye shall find;
knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

(*) Matthew 7:7; Matthew 21:22;
Mark 11:24; John 14:13; John 16:23;
James 1:5 .

10 (*) For everyone that asketh,
receiveth; and he that seeketh,
findeth; and to him that knocketh,
it shall be opened.

(*) Matthew 7:8 .

11 (*) If a son shall ask bread
of any of you that is a father,
will he give him a stone?
Or if he ask a fish,
will he for a fish
give him a serpent?

(*) Matthew 7:9 .

12 Or if he ask an egg,
will he give him a scorpion?

13 If ye then which are evil,
can give good gifts
unto your children,
how much more
shall your heavenly Father give (*)
the holy Ghost
to them that desire him?

(*) The chiefest thing
that we can desire of God,
is his holy Spirit.

14 ¶ (*) Then he cast out a devil
which was dumb;
and when the devil was gone out,
the dumb spake,
and the people wondered.

(*) Matthew 9:32; Matthew 12:22 .

15 (3) But some of them said, (*)
He casteth out devils
through Beelzebub
the chief of the devils.

(3) An example of horrible blindness,
and such as cannot be healed,
when as upon an evil conscience,
and pretended malice,
the power of God is blasphemed.

(*) Matthew 9:34; Matthew 12:24;
Mark 3:22 .

16 And others tempted him,
seeking of him a sign from heaven.

17 (4) But he knew their thoughts,
and said unto them, (*)
Every kingdom divided against itself,
shall be desolate, and a house divided
against a house, falleth.

(4) The true way to know the true Christ,
from the false, is this,
that the true Christ hath no accord
or agreement with Satan;
And it remaineth that after we know him,
we acknowledge him.

(*) Matthew 12:25; Mark 3:24 .

18 So if Satan
also be divided against himself,
how shall his kingdom stand,
because ye say
that I cast out devils (c)
through Beelzebub?

(c) By the name
and power of Beelzebub.

19 If I through Beelzebub
cast out devils,
by whom do your (*)
children cast them out?
Therefore shall they be your judges.

(*) That is to say, your conjurers.

20 But if I by the (d) (*)
finger of God cast out devils,
doubtless the kingdom
of God is come unto you.

(d) That is, by the power of God;
so it is said,
Exodus 8:19 .

(*) The finger of God is taken
for the virtue and power of God.
And the virtue of the Father
and the Son is the holy Ghost;
for so Matthew doeth interpret this place.

21 When a strong man armed
keepeth his (e) (*) palace,
the things that he possesseth,
are in () peace.

(e) The word signifieth properly
an open and void room
before a house,
and so by translation
is taken for noble men's houses.

(*) The word signifieth, an entry
or porch before a house.

() Or, safety.

22 But when a stronger than he
cometh upon him, and overcometh him;
he taketh from him all his armor
wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.

23 (5) He that is not (*) with me,
is against me;
and he that gathereth not with me,
scattereth.

(5) Against indifferent men,
and such as love to have a mean,
which seek means to reconcile Christ
and Satan together.

(*) They that do not
wholly apply themselves
to destroy the kingdom of Satan,
cannot be counted to be on Christ's side
but are his adversaries;
how much more is he against him
that maketh open war with him
as Satan doeth?

24 (*) (6) When the unclean spirit
is gone out of a man,
he walketh through dry places,
seeking () rest,
and when he findeth none,
he saith, I will return unto my house
whence I came out.

(*) Matthew 12:43 .

(6) He that doeth not continue,
is in worse case,
than he that never begun.

() To the intent that he might work
according to his malicious nature.

25 And when he cometh,
he findeth it swept
and (*) garnished.

(*) More apt to receive him
than it was afore.

26 Then () goeth he,
and taketh to him ()
seven other spirits
worse than himself,
and they enter in,
and dwell there; (*)
so the last state of that man
is worse than the first.

() If by infidelity we turn back from God,
Satan hath greater power over us
than he had before.

() He meaneth an infinite number.

(*) Hebrews 6:4; 2 Peter 2:20 .

27 ¶ (7) And it came to pass
as he said these things,
a certain woman of the company
lifted up her voice,
and said unto him,
Blessed is the womb that bare thee,
and the paps which thou hast sucked.

(7) Christ
seeketh not praise in himself,
but in our salvation.

28 But he said, (*)
Yea, rather blessed are they
that hear the word of God, and keep it.

(*) Christ gave her a privy taunt
for that she omitted the chief praise
which was due unto him;
that was, that they are blessed indeed
to whom he communicateth himself
by his word.

29 ¶ (*) (8) And when the people
were gathered thick together,
he began to say,
This is a wicked generation;
they seek a sign,
and there shall no sign be given them,
but the sign of () Jonah the Prophet.

(*) Matthew 12:38-39 .

(8) They that are fond desirers
of miracles, instead of miracles
shall receive punishment.

() Jonah 1:12 .

30 For as Jonah
was a sign to the Ninivites,
so shall also the Son of man be
to this generation.

31 (*) The Queen of the South
shall rise in judgment, with the men
of this generation,
and shall condemn them,
for she came
from the utmost parts of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon,
and behold,
a greater than Solomon is here.

(*) 1 Kings 10:1; 2 Chronicles 9:1 .

32 The men of Nineveh
shall rise in judgment
with this generation,
and shall condemn it,
for they (*) repented
at the preaching of Jonah;
and behold,
a greater than Jonah is here.

(*) Jonah 3:5 .

33 ¶ (*) (9) No man
when he hath lighted a candle,
putteth it in a privy place,
neither under a bushel,
but on a candlestick,
that they which come in,
may see the light.

(*) Luke 8:16; Matthew 5:15;
Mark 4:21 .

(9) Our minds are therefore lightened
with the knowledge of God,
that we should give light unto others,
and therefore our chiefest labor
ought to be to pray for that light.

34 (*) () The light of the body
is the () eye; therefore
when thine eye is () single,
then is thy whole body light;
but if thine eye be evil,
then thy body is dark.

(*) Matthew 6:22 .

() Or, candle.

() Because it should guide
and lead the body.

() Without spot or vice.

35 Take heed therefore,
that the light which is in thee,
be not darkness.

36 If therefore
thy whole body shall be light,
having no part dark,
then shall all be light,
even as when
a candle doth light thee
with the brightness.

37 ¶ (10) And as he spake,
a certain Pharisee besought him
to dine with him; and he went in,
and sat down at table.

(10) The service of God
consisteth not in outward cleanliness,
and devised rites or ceremonies,
but in the spiritual righteousness
of the heart, and charity.

38 And when the Pharisee saw it,
he marveled
that he had not first washed
before dinner.

39 (*) And the Lord said to him,
Indeed ye Pharisees make clean
the outside of the cup,
and of the platter,
but the inward part
is full of ravening and wickedness.

(*) Matthew 23:25 .

40 Ye fools, did not he
that made that which is without,
make that which is within also?

41 Therefore, (*) give alms (f) of ()
those things which you have,
and behold, all things
shall be clean unto you.

(*) Christ here requireth two things:
first that we come truly
by our meat and drink; and next
that we distribute part to the poor,
for charity is the perfection of the Law.

(f) That is,
according to your abilities
as who would say,
instead of your extortions,
which hindered you,
that you could not eat cleanly,
use charity, and accordingly
as your ability shall serve you,
be good to the poor, and so shall that,
that is within the platter, be sanctified
though the platter be unwashed.

() Or, of that which you have.

42 (11) But woe be to you, Pharisees!
For ye (g) tithe the mint and the rue,
and (h) all manner herbs,
and pass over (i) (*) judgment
and the love of God;
these ought ye to have done,
and () not to have left the other undone.

(11) It is the property of hypocrites,
to stand stoutly for little trifles,
and let pass greater matters.

(g) You decide by God's Law
that the tenth part is due to be paid.

(h) Of all kind of herbs some,
as Augustine expoundeth it in his
Enchiridion to Laurence, chapter 99,
where he sheweth in like sort
how that place of Paul,
1 Timothy 2:4;
God will have all men to be saved,
is to be expounded
after the same manner.

(i) That is to say, that which is right
and reason to do; for this word, Judgment,
containeth the commandments
of the second table, and the other words,
The love of God, contain the first,
Luke 20:26 .

(*) Or, that which is just and right.

() He would not break
the very least commandment
before all things were accomplished,
but taught them to stick to the chiefest
and not prefer the inferior ceremonies
which must quickly be abolished.

43 (*) (12) Woe be to you, Pharisees!
For ye love the uppermost seats
in the Synagogues,
and greetings in the markets.

(*) Matthew 23:6; Mark 12:38-39 .

(12) Hypocrisy and ambition
are commonly joined together.

44 (13) Woe be to you, Scribes
and Pharisees, hypocrites! (*)
For ye are as graves
which () appear not,
and the men that walk over them,
perceive not.

(13) Hypocrites deceive men
with an outward shew.

(*) Matthew 23:27 .

() Whose stink and infection
appear not suddenly.

45 ¶ (14) Then answered
one of the Lawyers,
and said unto him,
Master, thus saying
thou puttest us to rebuke also.

(14) Hypocrites are very severe
against other men, but think all things
lawful to themselves.

46 And he said,
Woe be to you also, ye Lawyers! (*)
For ye lade men with burdens
grievous to be borne,
and ye yourselves touch not
the burdens with one of your fingers.

(*) Matthew 23:4; Acts 15:10 .

47 (15) Woe be to you! (*)
For ye () build the sepulchers
of the Prophets,
and your fathers killed them.

(15) Hypocrites honor those saints
when they are dead,
whom they most cruelly persecute,
when they were alive.

(*) Matthew 23:29 .

() Whereby you keep in remembrance
the execrable deeds of your fathers.

48 (*) Truly (k) ye bear witness,
and allow the deeds of your fathers;
for they killed them,
and ye () build their sepulchers.

(*) You shew yourselves
as great hypocrites as were your fathers,
making men believe and honor God
when you dishonor him.

(k) When you persecute God's servants,
like mad men, even as your fathers did,
though you color it with a pretence
of godliness, yet notwithstanding,
in that you beautify the sepulchers
of the Prophets, what do you else,
but glory in your father's cruelty,
and set up monuments (as it were)
in glory and triumph of it?

() They were more curious to build
their graves than to follow
their doctrine.

49 Therefore said the wisdom of God,
I will send them Prophets and Apostles,
and of them they shall slay,
and (l) (*) persecute,

(l) They shall so vex them
and trouble them,
that at length they shall banish them.

(*) Or, cruelly expel them.

50 That the blood of all the Prophets, (m)
shed from the foundation of the world,
may be required of this generation,

(m) That you may be called
to an account for it, yea,
and be punished,
for the shedding of that blood
of the Prophet.

51 From the blood of (*) Abel
unto the blood of () Zechariah,
which was slain between the altar
and the Temple; verily I say unto you,
it shall be required of () this generation.

(*) Genesis 4:8 .

() 2 Chronicles 24:21 .

() Because they were culpable
of the same fault
that their ancestors were.

52 (16) Woe be to you, Lawyers!
For ye have (n) (*)
taken away the key of knowledge;
ye entered not in yourselves,
and them that came in, ye forbade.

(16) They have of long time
chiefly hindered the people,
from entering into the knowledge of God,
which ought to be the door keepers
of the Church.

(n) You have hidden and taken away,
so that it cannot be found anywhere.

(*) They hid and took away
the pure doctrine and true understanding
of the Scriptures.

53 (17) And as he said these things
unto them, the Scribes and Pharisees
began to urge him sore, and to (o)
provoke him to speak of many things,

(17) The more the world is reprehended,
the worse it is, and yet
we must not betray the truth.

(o) They proposed
many questions to him,
to draw something out of his mouth,
which they might traitorously carp at.

54 Laying wait for him,
and seeking to catch something
of his mouth,
whereby they might accuse him.
http://www.genevabible.org/files/Geneva_Bible/New_Testament/Luke_F.pdf

Geneva Bible With Footnotes
http://www.genevabible.org/Geneva.html
Calvin
http://www.reformed.org/books/institutes/entire.html