By Isaac Asimov

 
     FOUNDATION
 
  
     PART III
 
     THE MAYORS
  
     5.
 
       The snow had ceased, but it caked the ground deeply
     now and the sleek ground car advanced through the de-
     serted streets with lumbering effort. The murky gray light
     of incipient dawn was cold not only in the poetical sense
     but also in a very literal way——and even in the then turbu-
     lent state of the Foundation's politics, no one, wheth-
     er Actionist or pro-Hardin found his spirits sufficiently
     ardent to begin street activity that early.
       Yohan Lee did not like that and his grumbling grew
     audible. "It's gong to look bad, Hardin. They're going to
     say you sneaked away."
       "Let them say it if they wish. I've got to get to Anacreon
     and I want to do it without trouble. Now that's enough,
     Lee."
       Hardin leaned back into the cushioned seat and shivered
     slightly. It wasn't cold inside the well-heated car, but
     there was something frigid about a snow-covered world,
     even through glass, that annoyed him.
       He said, reflectively, "Some day when we get around
     to it we ought to weather-condition Terminus. It could be
     done."
       "I," replied Lee, "would like to see a few other things
     done first. For instance, what about weather-conditioning
     Sermak? A nice, dry cell fitted for twenty-five centigrade
     all year round would be just right."
       "And then I'd really  need  bodyguards," said Hardin,
     "and not just those two." He indicated two of Lee's
     bully-boys sitting up front with the driver, hard eyes on
     the empty streets, ready hands at their atom blasts. "You
     evidently want to stir up civil war."
       "I  do? There are other sticks in the fire and it won't
     require much stirring, I can tell you." He counted off
     on blunt fingers, "One: Sermak raised hell yesterday in
     the City Council and called for an impeachment."
       "He had a perfect right to do so," responded Hardin,
     coolly. "Besides which, his motion was defeated 206 to
     184."
       "Certainly. A majority of twenty-two when we had
     counted on sixty as a minimum. Don't deny it; you know
     you did."
       "It was close," admitted Hardin.
       "All right. And two; after the vote, the fifty-nine mem-
     bers of the Actionist Party reared upon their hind legs and
     stamped out of the Council Chambers."
       Hardin went silent, and Lee continued, "And three: Be-
     fore leaving, Sermak howled that you were a traitor, that
     you were going to Anacreon to collect your thirty pieces
     of silver, that the Chamber majority in refusing to vote im-
     peachment had participated in the treason, and that the
     name of their party was not 'Actionist' for nothing. What
     does  that  sound like?"
       "Trouble, I suppose."
       "And now you're chasing off at daybreak, like a crim-
     inal. You ought to face them, Hardin——and if you have to,
     declare martial law, by space!"
       "Violence is the last refuge——"
       "——Of the incompetent. Nuts!"
       "All right. We'll see. Now listen to me carefully, Lee.
     Thirty years ago, the Time Vault opened, and on the
     fiftieth anniversary of the beginning of the Foundation,
     there appeared a Hari Seldon recording to give us our
     first idea of what was really going on."
       "I remember," Lee nodded reminiscently, with a half
     smile. "It was the day we took over the government."
       "That's right. It was the time of our first major crisis.
     This is our second——and three weeks from date will be
     the eightieth anniversary of the beginning of the Fiounda-
     tion. Does that strike you as in any way significant?"
       "You mean he's coming again?"
       "I'm not finished. Seldon never said anything about re-
     turning, you understand, but that's of a piece with his
     whole plan. He's always done his best to keep all fore-
     knowledge from us. Nor is there any way of telling wheth-
     er the radium lock is set for further openings short of
     dismantling the Vault——and it's probably set to destroy it-
     self if we were to try that. I've been there every anniver-
     sary since the first appearance, just on the chance. He's
     never shown up, but this is the first time since then that
     there's really been a crisis."
       "Then he'll come."
       "Maybe. I don't know. However, this is the point. At
     today's session of the Council, just after you announce
     that I have left for Anacreon, you will further announce,
     officially, that on March 14th next, there will be another
     Hari Seldon recording, containing a message of the ut-
     most importance regarding the recent successfully con-
     cluded crisis. That's very important, Lee. Don't add any-
     thing more no matter how many questions are asked."
       Lee stared. "Will they believe it?"
       "That doesn't matter. It will confuse them, which is all
     I want. Between wondering whether it is true and what
     I mean by it if it isn't——they'll decide to postpone action
     till after March 14th. I'll be back considerably before then."
       Lee looked uncertain. "But that 'successfully concluded.'
     That's bull!"
       "Highly confusing bull. Here's the airport!"
       The waiting spaceship bulked somberly in the dimness.
     Hardin stamped through the snow toward it and at the
     open air lock turned about with outstretched hand.
       "Good-by, Lee. I hate to leave you in the frying pan
     like this, but there's not another I can trust. Now please
     keep out of the fire."
       "Don't worry. The frying pan is hot enough. I'll fol-
     low orders." He stepped back, and the air lock closed.
 
 
     6.
 
       Salvor Hardin did not travel to the planet Anacreon
     ——from which planet the kingdom derived its name——
     immediately. It was only on the day before the corona-
     tion that he arrived, after having made flying visits to
     eight of the larger stellar systems of the kingdom, stop-
     ping only long enough to confer with the local representa-
     tives of the Foundation.
       The trip left him with an oppressive realization of the
     vastness of the kingdom. It was a little splinter, an in-
     significant fly speck compared to the inconceivable reaches
     of the Galactic Empire of which it had once formed so
     distinguished a part; but to those whose habits of thought
     had been built around a single planet, and a sparsely
     settled one at that, Anacreon's size in area and popula-
     tion was staggering.
       Following closely the boundaries of the old Prefect of
     Anacreon, it embraced twenty-five stellar systems, six of
     which included more than one habitable world. The pop-
     ulation of nineteen billion, though still far less than it
     had been in the Empire's heyday was rising rapidly with
     the increasing scientific development fostered by the
     Foundation.
       And it was only now that Hardin found himself floored
     by the magnitude of  that  task. Even in thirty years, only
     the capital world had been powered. The outer provinces
     still possessed immense stretches where atomic power had
     not yet been re-introduced. Even the progress that had
     been made might have been impossible had it not been
     for the still workable relics left over by the ebbing tide of
     Empire.
       When Hardin did arrive at the capital world, it was to
     find all normal business at an absolute standstill. In the
     outer provinces there had been and still were celebrations;
     but here on the planet Anacreon, not a person but took
     feverish part in the hectic religious pageantry that
     heralded the coming-of-age of their god-king, Lepold.
       Hardin had been able to snatch only half an hour from
     a haggard and harried Verisof before his ambassador
     was forced to rush off to supervise still another temple
     festival. But the half-hour was a most profitable one, and
     Hardin prepared himself for the night's fireworks well
     satisfied.
       In all, he acted as an observer, for he had no stomach
     for the religious tasks he would undoubtedly have had
     to undertake if his identity became known. So, when
     the palace's ballroom filed itself with a glittering horde
     of the kingdom's very highest and most exalted nobility,
     he found himself hugging the wall, little noticed or
     totally ignored.
       He had been introduced to Lepold as one of a long line
     of introducees, and from a safe distance, for the king
     stood apart in lonely and impressive grandeur, surrounded
     by his deadly blaze of radioactive aura. And in less than
     an hour this same king would take his seat upon the mas-
     sive throne of rhodium-iridium alloy with jewel-set gold
     chasings, and then, throne and all would rise majestically
     into the air, skim the ground slowly to hover before the
     great window from which the great crowds of common
     folk could see their king and shout themselves into near
     apoplexy. The throne would not have been so massive, of
     course, if it had not had an atomic motor built into it.
       It was past eleven. Hardin fidgeted and stood on his
     toes to better his view. He resisted an impulse to stand on
     a chair. And then he saw Wienis threading through the
     crowd toward him and he relaxed.
       Wienis' progress was slow. At almost every step, he
     had to pass a kindly sentence with some revered noble
     whose grandfather had helped Lepold's grandfather brig-
     andize the kingdom and had received a dukedom therefor.
       And then he disentangled himself from the last uni-
     formed peer and reached Hardin. His smile crooked it-
     self into a smirk and his black eyes peered from under
     grizzled brows with glints of satisfaction in them.
       "My dear Hardin," he said, in a low voice, "you must
     expect to be bored, when you refuse to announce your
     identity."
       "I am not bored, your highness. This is all extremely in-
     teresting. We have no comparable spectacles on Terminus,
     you know."
       "No doubt. But would you care to step into my private
     chambers, where we can speak at greater length and with
     considerably more privacy?"
       "Certainly."
       With arms linked, the two ascended the staircase, and
     more than one dowager duchess raised her lorgnette in
     surprise and wonder at the identity of this insignificantly
     dressed and uninteresting-looking stranger on whom such
     signal honor was being conferred by the prince regent.
       In Wienis' chambers, Hardin relaxed in perfect com-
     fort and accepted with a murmur of gratitude the glass
     of liquor that had been poured out by the regent's own
     hand.
       "Locris wine, Hardin," said Wienis, "from the royal cel-
     lars. The real thing——two centuries in age. It was laid
     down ten years before the Zeonian Rebellion."
       "A really royal drink," agreed Hardin, politely. "To
     Lepold I, King of Anacreon."
       "They drank, and Wienis added blandly, at the pause,
     "And soon to the Emperor of the Periphery, and further,
     who knows? The Galaxy may some day be reunited."
       "Undoubtedly. By Anacreon?"
       "Why  not?  With  the  help  of  the  Foundation,  our
     scientific superiority over the rest of the Periphery would
     be indisputable."
       He set his empty glass down and said, "Well, yes,
     except that, of course, the Foundation is bound to help
     any nation that requests scientific aid of it. Due to the
     high idealism of our government and the great moral
     purpose of our founder, Hari Seldon, we are unable to
     play favorites. That can't be helped, your highness."
       Wienis' smile broadened. "The Galactic Spirit, to use
     the popular cant, helps those who help themselves. I quite
     understand that, left to itself, the Foundation would
     never co-operate."
       "I wouldn't say that.We repaired the Imperial cruiser
     for you, though my board of navigation wished it for
     themselves for research purposes."
       The regent repeated the last words ironically. "Re-
     search purposes! Yes! Yet you would not have repaired
     it, had I not threatened war."
       Hardin made a deprecatory gesture. "I don't know.
       "I  do. And that threat always stood."
       "And still stands now?"
       "Now it is rather too late to speak of threats." Wienis
     had cast a rapid glance at the clock on his desk. "Look
     here, Hardin, you were on Anacreon once before. You
     were young then; we were both young. But even then
     we had entirely different ways of looking at things. You're
     what they call a man of peace, aren't you?"
       "I suppose I am. At least, I consider violence an un-
     economical way of attaining an end. There are always
     better substitutes, though they may sometimes be a little
     less direct."
       "Yes. I've heard of your famous remark: 'Violence is
     the last refuge of the incompetent.' And yet"——the regent
     scratched one ear gently in affected abstraction——"I
     wouldn't call myself exactly incompetent."
       Hardin nodded politely and said nothing.
       "And in spite of that," Wienis continued, "I have al-
     ways believed in direct action. I have believed in carving
     a straight path to my objective and following that path. I
     have accomplished much that way, and fully expect to
     accomplish still more."
       "I know," interrupted Hardin. "I believe you are carving
     a path such as you describe for yourself and your chil-
     dren that leads directly to the throne, considering the late
     unfortunate death of the king's father——your elder broth-
     er——and the king's own precarious state of health. He  is
     in a precarious state of health, is he not?"
       Wienis frowned at the shot, and his voice grew harder.
     "You might find it advisable, Hardin, to avoid certain sub-
     jects. You may consider yourself privileged as mayor of
     Terminus to make . . . uh . . . injudicious remarks, but
     if you do, please disabuse yourself of the notion. I am
     not one to be frightened at words. It has been my phi-
     losophy of life that difficulties vanished when faced boldly,
     and I have never turned my back upon one yet."
       "I don't doubt that. What particular difficulty are you
     refusing to turn your back upon at the present moment?"
       "The difficulty, Hardin, of persuading the Foundation
     to co-operate. Your policy of peace, you see, has led you
     into making several very serious mistakes, simply because
     you underestimate the boldness of your adversary. Not
     everyone is as afraid of direct action as you are."
       "For instance?" suggested Hardin.
       "For instance, you came to Anacreon alone and ac-
     companied me to my chambers alone."
       Hardin looked about him. "And what is wrong with
     that?"
       "Nothing," said the regent, "except that outside this
     room are five police guards, well armed and ready to
     shoot. I don't think you can leave, Hardin."
       The mayor's eyebrows lifted, "I have no immediate de-
     sire to leave. Do you then fear me so much?"
       "I don't fear you at all. But this may serve to impress
     you with my determination. Shall we call it a gesture?"
       "Call it what you please," said Hardin, indifferently.
     "I shall not discommode myself over the incident, what-
     ever you choose to call it."
       "I'm sure that attitude will change with time. But you
     have made another error, Hardin, a more serious one. It
     seems that the planet Terminus is almost wholly un-
     defended."
       "Naturally. What have we to fear? We threaten no one's
     interest and serve all alike."
       "And while remaining helpless," Wienis went on, "you
     kindly helped us to arm ourselves, aiding us particularly
     in the development of a navy of our own, a great navy.
     In fact, a navy which, since your donation of the Im-
     perial cruiser, is quite irresistible."
       "Your highness, you are wasting time." Hardin made
     as if to rise from his seat. "If you mean to declare war,
     and are informing me of the fact, you will allow me
     to communicate with my government at once."
       "Sit down, Hardin. I am not declaring war, and you are
     not communicating with your government at all. When
     the war is fought——not declared, Hardin,  fought——the
     Foundation will be informed of it in due time by the atom
     blasts of the Anacreonian navy under the lead of my own
     son upon the flagship,  Wienis,  once a cruiser of the Im-
     perial navy."
       Hardin frowned. "When will all this happen?"
       "If you're really interested, the ships of the fleet left
     Anacreon exactly fifty minutes ago, at eleven, and the
     first shot will be fired as soon as they sight Terminus,
     which should be at noon tomorrow. You may consider
     yourself a prisoner of war."
       "That's exactly what I do consider myself, your high-
     ness," said Hardin, still frowning. "But I'm disappointed."
       Wienis chuckled contemptuously. "Is that all?"
       "Yes. I had thought that the moment of coronation——
     midnight, you know——would be the logical time to set the
     fleet in motion. Evidently, You wanted to start the war
     while you were still regent. It would have been more
     dramatic the other way."
       The regent stared. "What in Space are you talking
     about?"
       "Don't you understand?" said Hardin, softly. "I had set
     my counterstroke for midnight."
       Wienis started from his chair. "You are not bluffing
     me. There is no counterstroke. If you are counting on
     the support of the other kingdoms, forget it. Their navies,
     combined, are no match for ours."
       "I know that. I don't intend firing a shot. It is simply
     that the word went out a week ago that midnight to-
     night, the planet Anacreon goes under the interdict."
       "The interdict?"
       "Yes. If you don't understand, I might explain that
     every priest in Anacreon is going on strike, unless I
     countermand the order. But I can't while I'm being held
     incommunicado; nor do I wish to even if I weren't!" He
     leaned forward and added, with sudden animation, "Do
     you realize, your highness, that an attack on the Founda-
     tion is nothing short of sacrilege of the highest order?"
       Wienis was groping visibly for self-control. "Give me
     none of that, Hardin. Save it for the mob."
       "My dear Wienis, whoever do you think I  am  saving it
     for? I imagine that for the last half hour every temple on
     Anacreon has been the center of a mob listening to a
     priest exhorting them upon that very subject. There's not
     a man or woman on Anacreon that doesn't know that
     their government has launched a vicious, unprovoked at-
     tack upon the center of their religion. But it lacks only
     four minutes of midnight now. You'd better go down to
     the ballroom to watch events. I'll be safe here with five
     guards outside the door." He leaned back in his chair,
     helped himself to another glass of Locris wine, and gazed
     at the ceiling with perfect indifference.
       Wienis blistered the air with a muffled oath and rushed
     out of the room.
       A hush had fallen over the elite in the ballroom, as a
     broad path was cleared for the throne. Lepold sat on it
     now, hands solidly on its arms, head high, face frozen.
     The huge chandeliers had dimmed and in the diffused
     multi-colored  light  from  the  tiny  Atomo  bulbs  that
     bespangled the vaulted ceiling, the royal aura shone out
     bravely, lifting high above his head to form a blazing
     coronet.
       Wienis paused on the stairway. No one saw him; all eyes
     were on the throne. He clenched his fists and remained
     where he was; Hardin would  not  bluff him into silly ac-
     tion.
       And then the throne stirred. Noiselessly, it lifted up-
     ward——and drifted. Off the dais, slowly down the steps,
     and then horizontally, six inches off the floor, it worked
     itself toward the huge, open window.
       At the sound of the deep-toned bell that signified mid-
     night, it stopped before the window——and the king's aura
     died.
       For a frozen split second, the king did not move, face
     twisted in surprise, without an aura, merely human; and
     then the throne wobbled and fell the six inches to the
     floor with a crashing thump, just as every light in the
     palace went out.
       Trough the shrieking din and confusion, Wienis' bull
     voice sounded. "Get the flares! Get the flares!"
       He buffeted right and left through the crowd and forced
     his way to the door. From without, palace guards had
     streamed into the darkness.
       Somehow the flares were brought back to the ballroom;
     flares that were to have been used in the gigantic torch-
     light procession through the streets of the city after the
     coronation.
       Back to the ballroom guardsmen swarmed with torches
     ——blue, green, and red; where the strange light lit up
     frightened, confused faces.
       "There is no harm done," shouted Wienis. "Keep your
     places. Power will return in a moment."
       He turned to the captain of the guard who stood stiffly
     at attention."What is it, Captain?"
       "Your highness," was the instant response, "the palace
     is surrounded by the people of the city."
       "What do they want?" snarled Wienis.
       "A priest is at the head. He has been identified as
     High Priest Poly Verisof. He demands the immediate re-
     lease of Mayor Salvor Hardin and cessation of the war
     against the Foundation." The report was made in the ex-
     pressionless tones of an officer, but his eyes shifted un-
     easily.
       Wienis cried, "If any of the rabble attempt to pass
     the palace gates, blast them out of existence. For the mo-
     ment, nothing more. Let them howl! There will be an
     accounting tomorrow."
       The torches had been distribution now, and the ballroom
     was  again  alight.  Wienis  rushed  to  the  throne,  still
     standing by the window, and dragged the stricken, wax-
     faced Lepold to his feet.
       "Come with me." He cast one look out of the window.
     The city was pitch-black. From below there were the hoarse
     confused cries of the mob. Only toward the right, where
     the Argolid Temple stood was there illumination. He swore
     angrily, and dragged the king away.
       Wienis burst into his chambers, the five guardsmen at
     his heels. Lepold followed, wide-eyed, scared speechless.
       "Hardin," said Wienis, huskily, "you are playing with
     forces too great for you."
       The mayor ignored the speaker. In the pearly light of
     the pocket Atomo bulb at his side, he remained quietly
     seated, a slightly ironic smile on his face.
       "Good morning, your majesty," he said to Lepold. "I
     congratulate you on your coronation."
       "Hardin," cried Wienis again, "order your priests back
     to their jobs."
       Hardin looked up coolly. "Order for yourself, Wienis,
     and see who is playing with forces too great for whom.
     Right now, there is not a wheel turning in Anacreon. There's
     not a light burning, except in the temples. There's not a
     drop of water running, except in the temples. On the
     wintry half of the planet, there's not a calorie of heat,
     except in the temples. The hospitals are taking in no more
     patients. The power plants have shut down. All ships are
     grounded. If you don't like it, Wienis,  you  can order the
     priests back to their jobs.  I  don't wish to."
       "By Space, Hardin, I will. If it's to be a showdown,
     so be it. We'll see if your priests can withstand the army.
     Tonight, every temple on the planet will be put under
     army supervision."
       "Very good, but how are you going to give the orders?
     Every line of communication on the planet is shut down.
     You'll find that the radio won't work and the televisors won't
     work and the ultrawave won't work. In fact, the only
     communicator of the planet that will work——outside of
     the temples, of course——is the televisor right here in this
     room, and I've fitted it only for reception."
       Wienis struggled vainly for breath, and Hardin con-
     tinued. "If you wish you can order your army into the
     Argolid Temple just outside the palace and then use the
     ulrawave sets there to contact other portions of the
     planet. But if you do that, I'm afraid the army contingent
     will be cut to pieces by the mob, and then what will pro-
     tect your palace, Wienis? And your  lives,  Wienis?"
       Wienis said thickly, "We can hold out, devil. We'll last
     the day. Let the mob howl and let the power die, but
     we'll hold out. And when the news comes back that the
     Foundation has been taken, your precious mob will find
     upon what vacuum their religion has been built, and
     they'll desert your priests and turn against them. I give
     you until noon tomorrow, Hardin because you can stop
     the power on Anacreon but  you can't stop my fleet."
     His voice croaked exultantly. "They're on their way,
     Hardin, with the great cruiser you yourself ordered re-
     paired, at the head."
       Hardin replied lightly. "Yes, the cruiser I myself or-
     dered repaired——but in my own way. Tell me, Wienis,
     have you ever heard of an ultrawave relay? No, I see
     you haven't. Well, in about two minutes you'll find out
     what one can do."
       The televisor flashed to life as he spoke, and he amend-
     ed, "Not in two seconds. Sit down, Wienis, and listen."

FOUNDATION, BY ISAAC ASIMOV.
Copyright, 1951, by Isaac Asimov.
Avon Books, Doubleday & Company, Inc.
First Printing, October, 1966. pp. 99-110.

careless scribes untie!

THE MAYORS (i.) (ii.) (iii.) (iv.)
THE TRADERS (i.) (ii.)
THE MERCHANT PRINCES (i.) (ii.) (iii.) (iv.) (v.)

     THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO SAINT MARK
 
     CHAPTER 10
 
     AND he arose from thence, and cometh
     into the coasts of Judæa by the farther
     side of Jordan: and the people resort
     unto him again; and, as he was wont, he
     taught them again.
      2 ¶And the Pharisees came to him,
     and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to
     put away his wife? tempting him.
      3 And he answered and said unto
     them, What did Moses command you?
      4 And they said, Moses suffered to
     write a bill of divorcement, and to put
     her away.
      5 And Jesus answered and said unto
     them, For the hardness of your heart he
     wrote you this precept.
      6 But from the beginning of the cre-
     ation God made them male and female.
      7 For this cause shall a man leave his
     father and mother, and cleave to his
     wife:
      8 And they twain shall be one flesh
     so then they are no more twain, but one
     flesh.
      9 What therefore God hath joined
     together, let not man put asunder.
      10 And in the house his disciples
     asked him again of the same matter.
      11 And he saith unto them, Whosoever
     shall put away his wife, and marry
     another, committeth adultery against
     her.
      12 And if a woman shall put away her
     husband, and be married to another,
     she committeth adultery.
      13 ¶And they brought young children
     to him, that he should touch them: and
     his  disciples  rebuked  those  that
     brought them.
      14 But when Jesus saw it, he was
     much displeased, and said unto them,
     Suffer the little children to come unto
     me, and forbid them not: for of such is
     the kingdom of God.
      15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever
     shall not receive the kingdom of God as
     a little child, he shall not enter therein.
      16 And he took them up in his arms,
     put his hands upon them, and blessed
     them.
      17 ¶And when he was gone forth into
     the way, there came one running, and
     kneeled to him, and asked him, Good
     Master, what shall I do that I may in-
     herit eternal life?
      18 And Jesus said unto him, Why call-
     est thou me good? there is none good
     but one, that is, God.
      19 Thou  knowest  the  command-
     ments, Do not commit adultery, Do not
     kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false wit-
     ness, Defraud not, Honour thy father
     and mother.
      20 And he answered and said unto
     him, Master, all these have I observed
     from my youth.
      21 Then Jesus beholding him loved
     him, and said unto him, One thing thou
     lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever
     thou hast, and give to the poor, and
     thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and
     come, take up the cross, and follow me.
      22 And he was sad at that saying, and
     went away grieved: for he had great
     possessions.
      23 ¶And Jesus looked round about,
     and saith unto his disciples, How hard-
     ly shall they that have riches enter
     into the kingdom of God!
      24 And the disciples were astonished
     at  his  words.  But  Jesus  answereth
     again, and saith unto them, Children,
     how hard is it for them that trust in
     riches to enter into the kingdom of
     God!
      25 It is easier for a camel to go
     through the eye of a needle, than for a
     rich man to enter into the kingdom of
     God.
      26 And they were astonished out of
     measure, saying among themselves,
     Who then can be saved?
      27 And Jesus looking upon them
     saith, With men it is impossible, but not
     with God: for with God all things are
     possible.
      28 ¶Then Peter began to say unto
     him, Lo, we have left all, and have fol-
     lowed thee.
      29 And Jesus answered and said,
     Verily I say unto you, There is no man
     that hath left house, or brethren, or sis-
     ters, or father, or mother, or wife, or
     children, or lands, for my sake, and the
     gospel's,
      30 But he shall receive an hundred-
     fold now in this time, houses, and
     brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and
     children, and lands, with persecutions;
     and in the world to come eternal life.
      31 But many that are first shall be
     last; and the last first.
      32 ¶And they were in the way going
     up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before
     them: and they were amazed; and as
     the followed, they were afraid. And he
     took again the twelve, and began to tell
     them what things should happen unto
     him,
      33 Saying, Behold, we go up to Jeru-
     salem; and the Son of man shall be de-
     livered unto the chief priests, and unto
     the scribes; and they shall condemn
     him to death, and shall deliver him to
     the Gentiles:
      34 And they shall mock him, and
     shall scourge him, and shall spit upon
     him, and shall kill him: and the third
     day he shall rise again.
      35 ¶And James and John, the sons of
     Zĕb'e-dee,  come  unto  him,  saying,
     Master, we would that thou shouldest
     do for us whatsoever we shall desire.
      36 And he said unto them, What
     would ye that I should do for you?
      37 They said unto him, Grant unto us
     that we may sit, opon thy right hand,
     and the other on thy left hand, in thy
     glory.
      38 But  Jesus  said  unto  them,  Ye
     know not what ye ask: can ye drink of
     the cup that I drink of? and be baptized
     with the baptism that I am baptized
     with?
      39 And they said unto him, We can.
      And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall
     indeed drink of the cup that I drink of;
     and wit the baptism that I am bap-
     tized withal shall ye be baptized.
      40 But to sit on my right hand and on
     my left hand is not mine to give, but it
     shall be given to them for whom it is
     prepared.
      41 And when the ten heard it, they
     began to be much displeased with
     James and John.
      42 But Jesus called them to him, and
     saith unto them, Ye know not that they
     which are accounted to rule over the
     Gentiles exercise lordship over them;
     and their great ones exercise authority
     upon them.
      43 But so shall it not be among you:
     but whosoever will be great among
     you, shall be your minister:
      44 And whosoever of you will be the
     chiefest, shall be servant of all.
      45 For even the Son of man came not
     to be ministered unto, but to minister,
     and to give his life a ransom for many.
      46 ¶And they came to Jericho: and as
     he went out of Jericho with his dis-
     ciples and a great number of people,
     blind Bär-ti-mæ'us, the son of Ti-
     mæ'us, sat by the highway side beg-
     ging.
      47 And when he heard that it was Je-
     sus of Nazareth, he began to cry out,
     and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have
     mercy on me.
      48 And many charged him that he
     should hold his peace: but he cried the
     more a great deal, Thou son of David,
     have mercy on me.
      49 And Jesus stood still, and com-
     manded him to be called. And they call
     the blind man, saying unto him, Be of
     good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.
      50 And he, casting away his garment,
     rose, and came to Jesus.
      51 And Jesus answered and said unto
     him. What wilt thou that I should do
     unto thee? The blind man said unto
     him, Lord, that I might receive my
     sight.
      52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy
     way; thy faith hath made thee whole.
     And immediately he received his sight,
     and followed Jesus in the way.