lustration]

9. Refusing a Crown

Up until this time, Jesus had done all the preaching, and the
disciples had listened. Jesus had healed the sick, and the disciples
had watched. Now, however, Jesus told the disciples that it was time
for them to work also. He called the twelve together, and said:

"I am going to send you out in my place. You are to divide up into
pairs. Each pair will go and preach in the towns and villages. You
will tell the people what you have heard me say--that God has come to
the earth to rule over men's hearts. When you see people who are sick
or out of their minds, you are to make them well, just as you have
seen me do."

[Illustration]

He told them plainly what they were to do.

"Don't take any money with you," Jesus said, "and don't ask for money
from anybody. Don't take many clothes, either; you are to travel
quickly, and attend to your work, without worrying about money or
clothes. You will be taken care of."

"When you go into a city or a village, find some family that will
welcome a preacher; and stay in that home until you go to the next
place. If nobody will listen to you, go somewhere else. But before you
go, warn the people in the place which you are leaving that they have
sinned by not paying attention to God's message."

So the disciples went out and preached as Jesus told them. They healed
the sick, as Jesus did.

[Illustration]

The trip was a great success. After many days the disciples began to
come back home, with many stories about their experiences. When they
were all with Jesus again, they sat down and told him everything they
had said and done.

Jesus listened to their stories, and then he said:

"It is time for you to take a rest. Come with me to some lonely place
where nobody will disturb us for a while."

They got into their boat, and sailed up to a quiet place they knew of,
near the town of Bethsaida. But they got no chance to rest after all,
for the people at Capernaum saw them leaving.

"There go Jesus and his disciples!" somebody said. "They're heading
for Bethsaida!"

A crowd of people began to walk around the shore of the lake. As they
went, others joined them from the towns and countryside round about.
Jesus was the most popular man in Galilee just then. Wherever he went,
he might be sure that a crowd would follow him.

The people walked and ran, and by hurrying they reached the quiet spot
near Bethsaida as soon as Jesus did. When he s