An exclamatory text derived from the Synoptic and Canonical Gospels

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Matthew!

If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethsaida! And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!

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Mark!

And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 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! And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews!

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Luke!

And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! But woe unto you that are rich! Woe unto you that are full! Woe unto you that laugh now! Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! But woe unto you, Pharisees! Woe unto you, Pharisees! Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! Woe unto you! Woe unto you, lawyers! But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! Neither shall they say, Lo here! Or, lo there! And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!

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John!

And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! And said, Hail, King of the Jews! And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man! And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother!