And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that {Jesus} sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,

But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear. {pulled...: Heb. they gave a backsliding shoulder} {stopped: Heb. made heavy}

And all the people that heard {him}, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.

The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?

For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known {it}, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not {he}. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of {his} feet I am not worthy to loose.

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.

And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it {shall be} for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err {therein}. {but...: or, for he shall be with them}

But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.

In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where {is} the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk {therein}.

And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put {him} to an open shame.

Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.

Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to {our} father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. {worthy of: or, meet for}

The law and the prophets {were} until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.

Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, {principles...: or, word of the beginning of}

And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known {it}, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:

Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: {meet...: or, answerable to amendment of life}

And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;

In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.

If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?