Section XXXIX.
(1) [2653] And Jesus six days before the passover [2654] came to Bethany, where was Lazarus, (2) whom Jesus raised from among the dead. [2655] And they made [2656] a feast for him there: (3) and Martha was serving; while Lazarus was one of them that sat with him. [2657] And (4) at the time of Jesus' being at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, [2658] great multitudes of the Jews heard that Jesus was there: and they came, not because of Jesus alone, but [Arabic, p. 147] that they might look also on Lazarus, whom he raised from among the dead. (5, 6) [2659] And the chief priests considered how they might kill Lazarus also; [2660] because (7) many of the Jews were going on his account, and believing in Jesus. [2661] And Mary took a case of the ointment of fine nard, of great price, [2662] and opened it, and poured (8) it out on the head of Jesus as he was reclining; [2663] and she anointed his feet, and wiped them with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. (9, 10) [2664] But Judas Iscariot, one of the disciples, he that was to betray him, said, [2665] Why was (11) not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given unto the poor? [2666] This he said, not because of his care for the poor, but because he was a thief, and the chest (12) was with him, and what was put [2667] into it he used to bear. [2668] And that displeased the rest of the disciples also within themselves, and they said, Why went this ointment (13) to waste? [2669] It was possible that it should be sold for much, and the poor be given (14) it. [2670] And they were angry with [2671] Mary. [2672] And Jesus perceived it, and said unto them, [2673] Leave her; why molest ye her? a good work hath she accomplished on me: [2674] for the (15) day of my burial kept she it. [2675] At all times the poor are with you, and when ye (16) wish ye can do them a kindness: [2676] but I am not at all times with you. [2677] And for this cause, when she poured [2678] this ointment on my body, it is as if she did it for my burial, (17) and anointed my body beforehand. [2679] And verily I say unto you, In every place where this my gospel shall be proclaimed in all the world, what she did shall be told for a memorial of her.
(18, 19) [Arabic, p. 148] [2680] And when Jesus said that, he went out leisurely to go to Jerusalem. [2681] And when he arrived at Bethphage and at Bethany, beside the mount which is (20) called the mount of Olives, [2682] Jesus sent two of his disciples, and he said unto them, Go (21) into this village that is opposite you: [2683] and when ye enter it, ye shall find an ass tied, and (22) a colt with him, [2684] which no man ever yet mounted: loose him, and bring them [2685] unto me. [2686] And if any man say unto you, Why loose ye them? say unto him thus, We (23) seek them for our Lord; and straightway send them hither. [2687] All this was, that what was said in the prophet might be fulfilled, which said,
(24) [2688] Say ye unto the daughter of Zion,
Behold, thy King cometh unto thee,
Meek, and riding upon an ass,
And upon a colt the foal of an ass.
(25) [2689] And the disciples did not know this at that time: but after that Jesus was glorified, his disciples remembered that these things were written of him, and that this (26) they had done unto him. [2690] And when the two disciples went, they found as he had (27) said unto them, and they did as Jesus charged them. [2691] And when they loosed them, (28) their owners said unto them, Why loose ye them? [2692] They said unto them, We seek (29) them for our Lord. [2693] And they let them go. And they brought the ass and the colt, (30) and they placed on the colt their garments; and Jesus mounted it. [2694] And most of the multitudes spread their garments on the ground before him: and others cut branches (31) from the trees, and threw them in the way. [2695] And when he neared his [2696] descent from [Arabic, p. 149] the mount of Olives, all the disciples began to rejoice and to praise God with (32) a loud voice for all the powers which they had seen; [2697] and they said, Praise in the highest; Praise to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name (33) of the Lord; [2698] and blessed [2699] is the kingdom that cometh, that of [2700] our father David: [2701] Peace in heaven, and praise in the highest.
(34) [2702] And a great multitude, that which came to the feast, when they heard that Jesus (35) was coming to Jerusalem, took young palm branches, [2703] [2704] and went forth to meet him, and cried and said, Praise: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, the (36) King of Israel. [2705] Certain therefore of the Pharisees from among the multitudes (37) said unto him, Our Master, rebuke thy disciples. [2706] He said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If these were silent, the stones would cry out.
(38, 39) [2707] And when he drew near, and saw the city, he wept over it, and said, [2708] Would that thou hadst known the things that are [2709] for thy peace, in this thy day! now that is (40) hidden from thine eyes. [2710] There shall come unto thee days when thine enemies (41) shall encompass thee, and straiten thee from every quarter, [2711] and shall get possession of [2712] thee, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee a stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
(42) [2713] And when he entered into Jerusalem, the whole city was agitated, and they said, (43) Who is this? [2714] And the multitudes said, This is Jesus, the prophet that is from Nazareth (44) of Galilee. [2715] And the multitude which was with him bare witness that he called (45) Lazarus from the grave, and raised him from among the dead. [2716] And for this cause great multitudes went out to meet him, because they heard the sign which he did.