Tatian: Diatessaron — Arabic Witness

Section XVI.

[1] ^{Edition note 1}Then answered certain of the scribes and Pharisees, that they might tempt him, [2] and said, Teacher, we desire to see a sign from thee. ^{Edition note 2}He answered and said, This evil and adulterous generation^{Edition note 3} seeketh a sign; and it shall not be given a sign, [3] except the sign of Jonah the prophet. ^{Edition note 4}And as Jonah was a sign to the inhabitants [4] of Nineveh, so shall the Son of man also be to this generation. ^{Edition note 5}And as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish three days and three nights, so shall the Son of man [5] be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. ^{Edition note 6}The queen of the south shall rise in the judgement with the people of this generation, and condemn^{Edition note 7} them: for she came from the ends of the earth that she might hear the wisdom of Solomon; [6] [Arabic, p. 62] and behold, here is a better than Solomon. ^{Edition note 8}The men of Nineveh shall stand in the judgement with this generation, and condemn it: for they repented at [7] the preaching of Jonah; and behold, here is a greater than Jonah. ^{Edition note 9}The unclean spirit, when he goeth out of the man, departeth, and goeth about through places wherein are no waters, that he may find rest for himself; and when he findeth it not, he [8] saith, I will return to my house whence I came out. ^{Edition note 10}And if he come and find it [9] adorned and set in order, ^{Edition note 11}then he goeth, and associateth with himself seven other spirits worse than himself; and they enter and dwell in it: and the end of that man [10] shall be worse than his beginning. ^{Edition note 12}Thus shall it be unto this evil generation.

[11] ^{Edition note 13}And while he was saying that, a woman from the multitude lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the breasts that nursed [12] thee. ^{Edition note 14}But he said unto her, Blessed is he that heareth the word of God, and keepeth it.

[13] ^{Edition note 15}And while he was speaking unto the multitude, there came unto him his mother [14] and his brethren, and sought to speak with him; ^{Edition note 16}and they were not able, because of [15] the multitude; and they stood without and sent, calling him unto them. ^{Edition note 17}A man said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren are standing without, and seek to [16] speak with thee. ^{Edition note 18}But he answered unto him that spake unto him, Who is my [17] mother? and who are my brethren? ^{Edition note 19}And he beckoned with his hand, stretching it out towards his disciples, and said, Behold, my mother! and behold, my brethren! [18] ^{Edition note 20}And every man that shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven is my brother, and my sister, and my mother.

[19] ^{Edition note 21}And after that, Jesus was going about in the cities and in the villages, and proclaiming [Arabic, p. 63] and preaching the kingdom of God, and his^{Edition note 22} twelve with him, [20] ^{Edition note 23}and the women which had been healed of diseases and of evil spirits, Mary [21] that was called Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven devils, ^{Edition note 24}and Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, who were ministering to them of their substance.

[22] ^{Edition note 25}And after that, Jesus went out of the house, and sat on the sea shore. ^{Edition note 26}And there [23] gathered unto him great multitudes. And when the press of the people was great upon him, he went up and sat in the boat; and all the multitude was standing on the [24] shore of the sea. ^{Edition note 27}And he spake to them much in parables, and said, The sower [25] went forth to sow: and when he sowed, ^{Edition note 28}some fell on the beaten highway; and it was [26] trodden upon, and the birds ate it. ^{Edition note 29}And other fell on the rocks: and some, where there was not much earth; and straightway it sprang up, because it had no depth in [27] the earth: ^{Edition note 30}and when the sun rose, it withered; and because it had no root, it dried [28] up. ^{Edition note 31}And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it; [29] and it yielded no fruit. ^{Edition note 32}And other fell into excellent and good^{Edition note 33} ground; and it came up, and grew, and brought forth fruit, some thirty, and some sixty, and some [30] a hundred. ^{Edition note 34}And when he said that, he cried, He that hath ears that hear, let him [31] hear. ^{Edition note 35}And when they were alone, his disciples came, and asked him, and said unto [32] him, What is this parable?

and why spakest thou unto them in parables? ^{Edition note 36}He [Arabic, p. 64] answered and said unto them, Unto you is given the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God; but it is not given unto them that are [33] without. ^{Edition note 37}He that hath shall be given unto, and there shall be added; and he that [34] hath not, that which he hath shall be taken from him also. ^{Edition note 38}For this cause therefore I speak unto them in parables; because they see, and see not; and hear, and hear [35] not, nor understand. ^{Edition note 39}And in them is being fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, who said,

Hearing they shall hear, and shall not understand;

And seeing they shall see, and shall not perceive:

[36] ^{Edition note 40}The heart of this people is waxed gross,

And their hearing with their ears is become heavy,

And they have closed their eyes;

Lest they should see with their eyes,

And hear with their ears,

And understand with their hearts,

And should return,

And I should heal them.

[37, 38] ^{Edition note 41}But ye, blessed are your eyes, which see; and your ears, which hear. ^{Edition note 42}Blessed [39] are the eyes which see what ye see. ^{Edition note 43}Verily I say unto you, Many of the prophets and the righteous longed to see what ye see, and saw not; and to hear what ye [40] hear, and heard not. ^{Edition note 44}When ye know not this parable, how shall ye know all parables? [41, 42] ^{Edition note 45}Hear ye the parable of the sower. ^{Edition note 46}The sower which sowed, sowed the word [43] of God. ^{Edition note 47}Every one who heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, the evil one cometh and snatcheth away the word that hath been sown in his [44] heart: and this is that which was sown on the middle of the highway. ^{Edition note 48}But that which was sown on the rocks is he that heareth the word, and straightway receiveth [45, 46] [Arabic, p. 65] it with joy; ^{Edition note 49}only, it hath no root in his soul, but his belief in it is for a time; ^{Edition note 50}and whenever there is distress or persecution because of a^{Edition note 51} word, he [47] stumbleth^{Edition note 52} quickly. ^{Edition note 53}And that which was sown among the thorns is he that heareth the word; ^{Edition note 54}and the care of this world, and the error of riches, and the rest of the [48] other lusts enter, and choke the word, and it becometh without fruit. ^{Edition note 55}And that which was sown in good ground is he that heareth my word in a pure and good heart, and understandeth it, and holdeth to it, and bringeth forth fruit with patience, ^{Edition note 56}and produceth either a hundredfold or sixtyfold or thirty.

[49] ^{Edition note 57}And he said, So is the kingdom of God, like a man who casteth seed into the [50] earth, and sleepeth and riseth by night and day, ^{Edition note 58}and the seed groweth and cometh [51] up, whence^{Edition note 59} he knoweth not. ^{Edition note 60}And the earth bringeth it to the fruit; and first it [52] will be blade, and after it ear, and at last perfect wheat in the ear: ^{Edition note 61}and whenever the fruit ripeneth,^{Edition note 62} he bringeth immediately the sickle, for the harvest hath come.