St. Luke was a native of Antioch, the capital of Syria. He was by profession a physician; and some ancient writers say, that he was very skillful in painting. He was converted by St. Paul and became his disciple and companion in his travels, and fellow-labourer in the ministry of the Gospel. He wrote in Greek, about twenty-four years after our Lord's Ascension.
Chapters:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
The parable of the unjust steward and of the rich man and Lazarus.
1 And he said also to his disciples: There was a certain rich man who had a steward: and the same was accused unto him, that he had wasted his goods.
2 And he called him, and said to him: How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship: for now thou canst be steward no longer.
3 And the steward said within himself: What shall I do, because my lord taketh away from me the stewardship? To dig I am not able; to beg I am ashamed.
4 I know what I will do, that when I shall be removed from the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.
5 Therefore calling together every one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first: How much dost thou owe my lord?
6 But he said: An hundred barrels of oil. And he said to him: Take thy bill and sit down quickly, and write fifty.
7 Then he said to another: And how much dost thou owe? Who said: An hundred quarters of wheat. He said to him: Take thy bill, and write eighty.
8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, forasmuch as he had done wisely: for the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light.
9 And I say to you: Make unto you friends of the mammon of iniquity; that when you shall fail, they may receive you into everlasting dwellings.
10 He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in that which is greater: and he that is unjust in that which is little, is unjust also in that which is greater.
11 If then you have not been faithful in the unjust mammon; who will trust you with that which is the true?
12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's; who will give you that which is your own?
13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
14 Now the Pharisees, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
15 And he said to them: You are they who justify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your hearts; for that which is high to men, is an abomination before God.
16 The law and the prophets were until John; from that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every one useth violence towards it.
17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fall.
18 Every one that putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth her that is put away from her husband, commmitteth adultery.
19 There was a certain rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen; and feasted sumptuously every day.
20 And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, who lay at his gate, full of sores,
21 Desiring to be filled with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table, and no one did give him; moreover the dogs came, and licked his sores.
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. And the rich man also died: and he was buried in hell.
23 And lifting up his eyes when he was in torments, he saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom:
24 And he cried, and said: Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, to cool my tongue: for I am tormented in this flame.
25 And Abraham said to him: Son, remember that thou didst receive good things in thy lifetime, and likewise Lazareth evil things, but now he is comforted; and thou art tormented.
26 And besides all this, between us and you, there is fixed a great chaos: so that they who would pass from hence to you, cannot, nor from thence come hither.
27 And he said: Then, father, I beseech thee, that thou wouldst send him to my father's house, for I have five brethren,
28 That he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torments.
29 And Abraham said to him: They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
30 But he said: No, father Abraham: but if one went to them from the dead, they will do penance.
31 And he said to him: If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they
believe, if one rise again from the dead.
Lessons of avoiding scandal and of the efficacy of faith. The ten lepers. The manner of the coming of Christ.
1 And he said to his disciples: It is impossible that scandals should not come: but woe to him through whom they come.
2 It were better for him, that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should scandalize one of these little ones.
3 Take heed to yourselves. If thy brother sin against thee, reprove him: and if he do penance, forgive him.
4 And if he sin against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day be converted unto thee, saying, I repent; forgive him.
5 And the apostles said to the Lord: Increase our faith.
6 And the Lord said: If you had faith like to a grain of mustard seed, you might say to this mulberry tree, Be thou rooted up, and be thou transplanted into the sea: and it would obey you.
7 But which of you having a servant ploughing, or feeding cattle, will say to him, when he is come from the field: Immediately go, sit down to meat:
8 And will not rather say to him: Make ready my supper, and gird thyself, and serve me, whilst I eat and drink, and afterwards thou shalt eat and drink?
9 Doth he thank that servant, for doing the things which he commanded him?
10 I think not. So you also, when you shall have done all these things that are commanded you, say: We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which we ought to do.
11 And it came to pass, as he was going to Jerusalem, he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
12 And as he entered into a certain town, there met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off;
13 And lifted up their voice, saying: Jesus, master, have mercy on us.
14 Whom when he saw, he said: Go, shew yourselves to the priests. And it came to pass, as they went, they were made clean.
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was made clean, went back, with a loud voice glorifying God.
16 And he fell on his face before his feet, giving thanks: and this was a Samaritan.
17 And Jesus answering, said, Were not ten made clean? and where are the nine?
18 There is no one found to return and give glory to God, but this stranger.
19 And he said to him: Arise, go thy way; for thy faith hath made thee whole.
20 And being asked by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come? he answered them, and said: The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
21 Neither shall they say: Behold here, or behold there. For lo, the kingdom of God is within you.
22 And he said to his disciples: The days will come, when you shall desire to see one day of the Son of man; and you shall not see it.
23 And they will say to you: See here, and see there. Go ye not after, nor follow them:
24 For as the lightening that lighteneth from under heaven, shineth unto the parts that are under heaven, so shall the Son of man be in his day.
25 But first he must suffer many things, and be rejected by this generation.
26 And as it came to pass in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
27 They did eat and drink, they married wives, and were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark: and the flood came and destroyed them all.
28 Likewise as it came to pass, in the days of Lot: they did eat and drink, they bought and sold, they planted and built.
29 And in the day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man shall be revealed.
31 In that hour, he that shall be on the housetop, and his goods in the house, let him not go down to take them away: and he that shall be in the field, in like manner, let him not return back.
32 Remember Lot's wife.
33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life, shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose it, shall preserve it.
34 I say to you: in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
35 Two women shall be grinding together: the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left: two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be keft.
36 They answering, say to him: Where, Lord?
37 Who said to them: Wheresoever the body shall be, thither will the eagles also
be gathered together.
We must pray always. The Pharisee and the publican. The danger of riches. The blind man is restored to sight
1 And he spoke also a parable to them, that we ought always to pray, and not to faint,
2 Saying: There was a judge in a certain city, who feared not God, nor regarded man.
3 And there was a certain widow in that city, and she came to him, saying: Avenge me of my adversary.
4 And he would not for a long time. But afterwards he said within himself: Although I fear not God, nor regard man,
5 Yet because this widow is troublesome to me, I will avenge her, lest continually coming she weary me.
6 And the Lord said: Hear what the unjust judge saith.
7 And will not God revenge his elect who cry to him day and night: and will he have patience in their regard?
8 I say to you, that he will quickly revenge them. But yet the Son of man, when he cometh, shall he find, think you, faith on earth?
9 And to some who trusted in themselves as just, and despised others, he spoke also this parable:
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray: the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11 The Pharisee standing, prayed thus with himself: O God, I give thee thanks that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, as also is this publican.
12 I fast twice in a week: I give tithes of all that I possess.
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not so much as lift up his eyes towards heaven; but struck his breast, saying: O god, be merciful to me a sinner.
14 I say to you, this man went down into his house justified rather that the other: because every one that exalteth himself, shall be humbled: and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted.
15 And they brought unto him also infants, that he might touch them. Which when the disciples saw, they rebuked them.
16 But Jesus, calling them together, said: Suffer children to come to me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
17 Amen, I say to you: Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a child, shall not enter into it.
18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying: Good master, what shall I do to possess everlasting life?
19 And Jesus said to him: Why dost thou call me good? None is good but God alone.
20 Thou knowest the commandments: Thou shalt not kill: Thou shalt not commit adultery: Thou shalt not steal: Thou shalt not bear false witness: Honour thy father and mother.
21 Who said: All these things have I kept from my youth.
22 Which when Jesus had heard, he said to him: Yet one thing is wanting to thee: sell all whatever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
23 He having heard these things, became sorrowful; for he was very rich.
24 And Jesus seeing him become sorrowful, said: How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God.
25 For it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
26 And they that heard it, said: Who then can be saved?
27 He said to them: The things that are impossible with men, are possible with God.
28 Then Peter said: Behold, we have left all things, and have followed thee.
29 Who said to them: Amen, I say to you, there is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake,
30 Who shall not receive much more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.
31 Then Jesus took unto him the twelve, and said to them: Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things shall be accomplished which were written by the prophets concerning the Son of man.
32 For he shall be delivered to the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and scourged, and spit upon:
33 And after they have scourged him, they will put him to death; and the third day he shall rise again.
34 And they understood none of these things, and this word was hid from them, and they understood not the things that were said.
35 Now it came to pass, when he drew nigh to Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the way side, begging.
36 And when he heard the multitude passing by, he asked what this meant.
37 And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.
38 And he cried out, saying: Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me.
39 And they that went before, rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried out much more: Son of David, have mercy on me.
40 And Jesus standing, commanded him to be brought unto him. And when he was come near, he asked him,
41 Saying: What wilt thou that I do to thee? But he said: Lord, that I may see.
42 And Jesus said to him: Receive thy sight: thy faith hath made thee whole.
43 And immediately he saw, and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people,
when they saw it, gave praise to God.
Zacheus entertains Christ. The parable of the pounds. Christ rides upon an ass and weeps over Jerusalem.
1 And entering in, he walked through Jericho.
2 And behold, there was a man named Zacheus, who was the chief of the publicans, and he was rich.
3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was, and he could not for the crowd, because he was low of stature.
4 And running before, he climbed up into a sycamore tree, that he might see him; for he was to pass that way.
5 And when Jesus was come to the place, looking up, he saw him, and said to him: Zacheus, make haste and come down; for this day I must abide in thy house.
6 And he made haste and came down; and received him with joy.
7 And when all saw it, they murmured, saying, that he was gone to be a guest with a man that was a sinner.
8 But Zacheus standing, said to the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have wronged any man of any thing, I restore him fourfold.
9 Jesus said to him: This day is salvation come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
11 As they were hearing these things, he added and spoke a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately be manifested.
12 He said therefore: A certain nobleman went into a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
13 And calling his ten servants, he gave them ten pounds, and said to them: Trade till I come.
14 But his citizens hated him: and they sent an embassage after him, saying: We will not have this man to reign over us.
15 And it came to pass, that he returned, having received the kingdom: and he commanded his servants to be called, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
16 And the first came, saying: Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.
17 And he said to him: Well done, thou good servant, because thou hast been faithful in a little, thou shalt have power over ten cities.
18 And the second came, saying: Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.
19 And he said to him: Be thou also over five cities.
20 And another came, saying: Lord, behold here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin;
21 For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up what thou didst not lay down, and thou reapest that which thou didst not sow.
22 He saith to him: Out of thy own mouth I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up what I laid not down, and reaping that which I did not sow:
23 And why then didst thou not give my money into the bank, that at my coming, I might have exacted it with usury?
24 And he said to them that stood by: Take the pound away from him, and give it to him that hath ten pounds.
25 And they said to him: Lord, he hath ten pounds.
26 But I say to you, that to every one that hath shall be given, and he shall abound: and from him that hath not, even that which he hath, shall be taken from him.
27 But as for those my enemies, who would not have me reign over them, bring them hither, and kill them before me.
28 And having said these things, he went before, going up to Jerusalem.
29 And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethania, unto the mount called Olivet, he sent two of his disciples,
30 Saying: Go into the town which is over against you, at your entering into which you shall find the colt of an ass tied, on which no man ever hath sitten: loose him, and bring him hither.
31 And if any man shall ask you: Why do you loose him? you shall say thus unto him: Because the Lord hath need of his service.
32 And they that were sent, went their way, and found the colt standing, as he had said unto them.
33 And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said to them: Why loose you the colt?
34 But they said: Because the Lord hath need of him.
35 And they brought him to Jesus. And casting their garments on the colt, they set Jesus thereon.
36 And as he went, they spread their clothes underneath in the way.
37 And when he was now coming near the descent of mount Olivet, the whole multitude of his disciples began with joy to praise God with a loud voice, for all the mighty works they had seen,
38 Saying: Blessed be the king who cometh in the name of the Lord, peace in heaven, and glory on high!
39 And some of the Pharisees, from amongst the multitude, said to him: Master, rebuke thy disciples.
40 To whom he said: I say to you, that if these shall hold their peace, the stones will cry out.
41 And when he drew near, seeing the city, he wept over it, saying:
42 If thou also hadst known, and that in this thy day, the things that are to thy peace; but now they are hidden from thy eyes.
43 For the days shall come upon thee, and thy enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and straiten thee on every side,
44 And beat thee flat to the ground, and thy children who are in thee: and they shall not leave in thee a stone upon a stone: because thou hast not known the time of thy visitation.
45 And entering into the temple, he began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought.
46 Saying to them: It is written: My house is the house of prayer. But you have made it a den of thieves.
47 And he was teaching daily in the temple. And the chief priests and the scribes and the rulers of the people sought to destroy him:
48 And they found not what to do to him: for all the people were very attentive
to hear him.
The parable of the husbandmen. Of paying tribute to Caesar and of the resurrection of the dead.
1 And it came to pass, that on one of the days, as he was teaching the people in the temple, and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes, with the ancients, met together,
2 And spoke to him, saying: Tell us, by what authority dost thou these things? or, Who is he that hath given thee this authority?
3 And Jesus answering, said to them: I will also ask you one thing. Answer me:
4 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?
5 But they thought within themselves, saying: If we shall say, From heaven: he will say: Why then did you not believe him?
6 But if we say, Of men, the whole people will stone us: for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.
7 And they answered, that they knew not whence it was.
8 And Jesus said to them: Neither do I tell thee by what authority I do these things.
9 And he began to speak to the people this parable: A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it out to husbandmen: and he was abroad for a long time.
10 And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard. Who, beating him, sent him away empty.
11 And again he sent another servant. But they beat him also, and treating him reproachfully, sent him away empty.
12 And again he sent the third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out.
13 Then the lord of the vineyard said: What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be, when they see him, they will reverence him.
14 Whom when the husbandmen saw, they thought within themselves, saying: This is the heir, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.
15 So casting him out of the vineyard, they killed him. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do to them?
16 He will come, and will destroy these husbandmen, and will give the vineyard to others. Which they hearing, said to him: God forbid.
17 But he looking on them, said: What is this then that is written, The stone, which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?
18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone, shall be bruised: and upon whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
19 And the chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on him the same hour: but they feared the people, for they knew that he spoke this parable to them.
20 And being upon the watch, they sent spies, who should feign themselves just, that they might take hold of him in his words, that they might deliver him up to the authority and power of the governor.
21 And they asked him, saying: Master, we know that thou speakest and teachest rightly: and thou dost not respect any person, but teachest the way of God in truth.
22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or no?
23 But he considering their guile, said to them: Why tempt you me?
24 Shew me a penny. Whose image and inscription hath it? They answering, said to him, Caesar's.
25 And he said to them: Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's: and to God the things that are God's.
26 And they could not reprehend his word before the people: and wondering at his answer, they held their peace.
27 And there came to him some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is any resurrection, and they asked him,
28 Saying: Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man's brother die, having a wife, and he leave no children, that his brother should take her to wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
29 There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children.
30 And the next took her to wife, and he also died childless.
31 And the third took her. And in like manner all the seven, and they left no children, and died.
32 Last of all the woman died also.
33 In the resurrection therefore, whose wife of them shall she be? For all the seven had her to wife.
34 And Jesus said to them: The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:
35 But they that shall be accounted worthy of that world, and of the resurrection from the dead, shall neither be married, nor take wives.
36 Neither can they die any more: for they are equal to the angels, and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.
37 Now that the dead rise again, Moses also shewed, at the bush, when he called the Lord, The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob;
38 For he is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all live to him.
39 And some of the scribes answering, said to him: Master, thou hast said well.
40 And after that they durst not ask him any more questions.
41 But he said to them: How say they that Christ is the son of David?
42 And David himself saith in the book of Psalms: The Lord said to my Lord, sit thou on my right hand,
43 Till I make thy enemies thy footstool.
44 David then calleth him Lord: and how is he his son?
45 And in the hearing of all the people, he said to his disciples:
46 Beware of the scribes, who desire to walk in long robes, and love salutations in the marketplace, and the first chairs in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts:
47 Who devour the houses of widows, feigning long prayer. These shall receive greater damnation.
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