God's Kingdom and His Anointed Oneaccording to Matthaiah |
ONE
1:1 A scroll of the lineage of Anointed Jesus, son of David, son of Abraham.
Abraham fathered Isaak; Isaak fathered Jacob; Jacob fathered Judah and his brothers; Judah fathered Phares and Zarah (from Tamar); Phares fathered Hezron; Hezron fathered Aram; Aram fathered Aminadab; Aminadab fathered Na-ashon; Na-ashon fathered Salmon; Salmon fathered Boaz (from Rahab); Boaz fathered Yobed (from Ruth); Yobed fathered Yeshai; Yeshai fathered David the king.
Now David fathered Solomon (from the wife of Uriah); Solomon fathered Rheoboam; Rheoboam fathered Abijah; Abijah fathered Asaf; Asaf fathered Yosafat; Yosafat fathered Yoram; Yoram fathered Uzziah; Uzziah fathered Yoatham; Yoatham fathered Ahaz; Ahaz fathered Hezekiah; Hezekiah fathered Amos; Amos fathered Yosiah; Yosiah fathered Yeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the Babylonian captivity.
Now after the Babylonian captivity, Yeconiah fathered Salathiel; Salathiel fathered Zerubabel; Zerubabel fathered Abijud; Abijud fathered Eliakim; Eliakim fathered Azor; Azor fathered Zadok; Zadok fathered Achim; Achim fathered Elijud; Elijud fathered Eleazar; Eleazar fathered Matthan; Matthan fathered Yakob; Yakob fathered Yosef, Miriam's husband, from whom was born Jesus who is called Anointed.
Therefore, all the generations from Abraham until David were fourteen generations, and from David until the Babylonian captivity there were fourteen generations, and from the Babylonian captivity until the Anointed One there were fourteen generations.
18 Now the birth of Anointed Jesus was this way: While his mother Miriam was engaged to Yosef, before they came together, she was found to have a baby in her belly out of holy breath. Now Yosef her husband, being just and not wanting to make her a public spectacle, planned to privately let her go. But while he was reflecting on these things, look! Yahweh's messenger appeared to him by a dream, saying, "Yosef, son of David, do not be afraid to take aside Miriam to be your wife. For that which is being born in her is out of holy breath. Now she will give birth to a son, and you will call his name Jesus ((Yeshua)), for he will save his people from their sins."
Now this whole thing happened so that the declaration from Yahweh through the prophet would be fulfilled, which said, "Look, the virgin will have a baby in her belly, and she will give birth to a son, and his name will be called Imma-nu-El," that is, "God is with us."
Now Yosef got up from sleeping and did as Yahweh's messenger had put it to him, and he took aside his wife, and he did not know her sexually until she gave birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
TWO
2:1 Now after Jesus was born in Beth-Lehem of Judea during the days of Herod the king, look, magians from the East happened by Jerusalem, saying, "Where is the newborn King of the Jews? For we saw his star while in the East, and we have come to bow down to him."
But when he heard, King Herod alarmed, and all Jerusalem was alarmed with him. And he gathered all of the high priests and scribes of the people and asked from them where the Anointed One would be born. Now they said to him, "In Beth-Lehem of Judea. For it was so written through the prophet:
""And you, Beth-Lehem," land of Judah, "by no means are you last among the governors of Judah. For out of you will come a governor who will feed my people Israel.""
Then Herod called the magians privately, and by them he obtained the time of the star's appearing. And he sent them into Beth-Lehem and said, "Go and obtain information accurately about the young child. Now as soon as you have found him, relate it to me, so that I too may come and bow down to him."
Now after hearing the king, they went. And look! The star that they had seen while in the East was in front of them until it came and stood on top of the place where the young child was. Now when they noticed the star, they rejoiced with an exceedingly great joy. And they came into the house and saw the young child with Miriam his mother, and they dropped down and bowed to him. And after opening their treasuries, they offered him gifts: gold, and incense, and myrrh.
And since they had been divinely warned by a dream not to find their way back to Herod, they went off into their country by another road.
Now after they withdrew, look: Yahweh's messenger appeared to Yosef by a dream and said, "Get up, and take along the young child and its mother, and flee into Egypt, and be there until I tell you. For Herod is about to seek the young child, to destroy it." Now he got up, took along the young child and its mother by night and withdrew into Egypt. And he was there until Herod's completion, so that the declaration by the Lord to the prophet would be fulfilled, saying, "Out of Egypt I called my son."
Then when Herod noticed that he had been mocked by the magians, he was enraged greatly. And, sending people forth, he killed all those boys who were in Beth-Lehem and all its borders, from two years old and down, according to the time that he had obtained from the magians. Then the declaration that was through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled, saying, "A voice was heard in Ramah, crying and much mourning. Rachel is crying for her children, and she does not want to be comforted, because they are not."
Now when Herod was completed, look: Yahweh's messenger appeared to Yosef in Egypt by a dream, saying, "Get up and take along the young child and its mother, and go into Israel. For the ones who were seeking the young child's life have been completed." Now he got up, took along the young child and its mother, and entered into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus reigned in Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go back there. But since he was divinely warned by a dream, he withdrew into Galilaian parts.
And when he came into a city called Nazareth, he dwelt there, so that the declaration through the prophet might be fulfilled, that "He will be called a Nazarene."
THREE
3:1 Now during those days, John the Baptizer happened along, heralding in the desert of Judea, saying, "Change your minds, for the kingdom of the heavens is near." For this is the one declared about through Isaiah the prophet, saying, "A voice crying out in the desert, "Make ready Yahweh's way. Make his paths straight.""
Now he, John, had his coat of camel's hair and a belt of leather around his waist. Now his food was locusts and wild honey.
Then Jerusalem went out to him, and all Judea, and all the country surrounding the Jordan, and he they were baptized in the Jordan River by him, fully acknowledging their sins.
But when he noticed many of the Perushim and Zadokites coming to his baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who pointed out to you to flee from the coming anger? Therefore, make fruit worthy of the mental change, and do not think to say among yourselves, 'We have Abraham as a father.' For I am telling you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones! But the axe is already lying toward the roots of the trees. Therefore, each tree that does not make nice fruit will be chopped down and cast into fire.
"I indeed am baptizing in water into mental change. But the one who is coming after me is stronger than me, whose sandals I am not strong enough to carry. He will baptize you with holy breath and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clean out his threshing floor. And he will gather the wheat into the storehouse, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
13 Then Jesus happened by from Galilaiah to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. Now John prevented him, saying, "I have a need to be baptized by you, and you are coming to me!" But Jesus answered, saying to him, "Allow it for now. For it is appropriate for us to fulfill every right deed this way." Then he allowed him.
Now when Jesus had been baptized, he came up immediately away from the water, and look! The heavens were opened to him, and God's Spirit was there, coming down like a dove and coming upon him. And look, a voice from the heavens, saying, "This is my son, the beloved, in whom I delight."
FOUR
4:1 Then Jesus was led into the desert by the spirit to be tested by the Accuser. And after fasting for forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tester came to him, saying, "If you are God's son, say that these rocks should become loaves of bread." But he answered, saying, "It was written, "Humanity does not live by bread alone, but by every declaration that goes out through God's mouth.""
Then the Accuser took him aside into the holy city, and he stood him on the wing of the Temple and said to him, "If you are a son of God, cast yourself down, for it was written that, "He will give a precept to his messengers concerning you, and they will bear you on their hands, lest you should strike your foot on a stone."" Jesus said to him, "It was written again, "You will not test out Yahweh your God.""
Again the Accuser took him aside into a very high mountain, and he showed him all of the kingdoms of creation and their glory. And he said to him, "I will give you all of these if you drop down and bow to me." Then Jesus said to him, "Go away, Enemy, for it was written, "You will bow down to Yahweh your God, and you will give religious service to him alone.""
Then the Accuser went away from him, and look, messengers came to him and served him.
12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been delivered up, he withdrew into Galilaiah. And after leaving Nazareth, he came to Kafar-Nahum and dwelt, at the lake, within the borders of Zebulun and Naftali, so that what was declared through Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled, saying, "Land of Zebulun and land of Naftali...way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilaiah of the nations: those people who are sitting in darkness saw a great light, and a light rose for those who are sitting in the country and death's shadow."
17 From then, Jesus began to herald and to say, "Change your minds, for the kingdom of the heavens is near."
18 Now as he walked by the Sea of Galilaiah, he saw two brothers, Simon (the one called Peter) and Andreas his brother, casting a dragnet into the sea. For they were fishers. And he said to them, "Come, behind me, and I will make you fishers of human beings." Now they let the nets go immediately and followed him. And he went forward from there and noticed two others who were brothers, Jacob the son of Zebediah and Johannes his brother, in the ship with Zebediah their father, repairing their nets. And he called them. Now they let the ship go immediately, and their father, and they followed him.
23 And he went around in the whole of Galilaiah teaching in their gatherings and heralding the good message of the kingdom and curing every disease and every illness among the people.
And his hearing went out into the whole of Syria. And they brought to him all those who had something bad: those who were held by various diseases and torments; and those affected by spirit beings; and those affected by the moon; and paralytics. And he cured them.
FIVE
25 And many people, crowds, followed him from Galilaiah and Dekapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan. Now when he noticed the crowds, he went up to the mountain, and after he set himself down, his students came to him. And, opening his mouth, he taught them, saying:
13 "You are the salt of the ground. But if the salt becomes foolish, in what will it be salted? It can no longer prevail in anything except to be cast out and trampled on by people.
14 "You are the light of creation. It is impossible to hide a city that is located on a hill. Nor do they light a lamp and place it under a measure of grain, but on the lampstand. And it lights all those who are in the house.
"Let your light shine in this way in the presence of people, so that they might notice your good deeds and might glorify that Father of yours in the heavens.
17 "Do not think that I came to let the Torah or the Prophets go. I have not come to let them go, but to fulfill them.
"For indeed I am telling you: until the sky and the land pass away, not one yod or diacritical mark will by any means pass from the Torah, until all has happened. Therefore, whoever lets one of the least of these precepts go and teaches people this way shall be called least in the Kingdom of the Heavens. But whoever does and teaches the Torah, he will be called great in the Kingdom of the Heavens.
"For I am telling you that unless your ethics are more abundant than those of the scribes and Perushim, you will by no means enter the Kingdom of the Heavens.
21 "You have heard that it was said to the ancients, "Do not murder," and that whoever murders will be liable to the judges.
"But I am telling you that each one who is angry with his brother will be liable to the tribunal.
"Now whoever says to his brother, 'You S.O.B.!' will be liable to the Sanhedrin. But whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to the fire of Gehenna.
"Therefore, if you are bringing your gift to the altar and remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
"Be willing quickly to have good will toward the one who speaks against you, while you are with him in the road. Otherwise the one speaking against you may deliver you up to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into jail.
"Indeed, I am telling you: you will by no means be let out from there until you have paid the last quadrans.
27 "You have heard that it was said, "You will not commit adultery." But I am telling you that each one who looks at a woman in order to strongly desire her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
"Now if your right eye should make you stumble, pluck it out and cast it from you. For it makes sense for you that one of your members should be destroyed, and not that your whole body should be cast into Gehenna. And if your right hand should make you stumble, cut it off and cast it from you. For it makes sense for you that one of your members should be destroyed, and not that your whole body should depart into Gehenna.
31 "Now it was said that "whoever lets his wife go away, he should give her a certificate of separation."
"But I am telling you that whoever lets his wife go away (except on a matter of prostitution) makes her commit adultery. And whoever marries the one who was let go is committing adultery.
33 "Again you have heard that it was said to the ancients, "You will not make oaths falsely", but "you will perform your oaths to the Lord."
"But I am telling you: don't swear at all, neither by the sky (because it is a throne of God), nor by the earth (because it is a footstool for his feet), nor by Jerusalem (because it is the great King's city), nor should you swear by your head (because you are not able to make one hair white or black). But let your statement be, 'Yes yes; no no.' But that which is beyond these is from the evil one.
38 "You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye" and "a tooth for a tooth."
"But I am telling you: do not withstand the evil person. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him also. And to the one who wants to sue you and take your tunic, give him your cloak also. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go two with him. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not reject the one who wants to borrow money from you.
43 "You have heard that it was said, '"You will love your neighbor," and hate your enemy.'
"But I am telling you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father in the heavens--because his sun rises on evil and good people, and it rains on just and unjust people.
"For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don't even the tribute-takers do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing? Don't even the gentiles do this?
"Therefore, you will be complete just as your Father, who is in the heavens, is complete. Be careful not to do what right things you do in the presence of people, in order to be shown to them. Now if you do otherwise, you have no reward with your Father, who is in the heavens.
6:2 "Therefore, when you are doing charitable deeds, don't blow a trumpet in your presence like the hypocrites do (in the gatherings and in the streets) so that they may receive glory from people.
"Indeed I am telling you, they are obtaining their reward. But you, when you are doing your charitable deeds, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your charitable deeds may be secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will repay you.
6 "And when you pray, don't be like the hypocrites, because they are affectionate toward standing up to pray in the gatherings and in the corners of the open places, so that they may appear to people.
"Indeed I am telling you, they have their full reward. But you, when you are praying, enter into your private place and pray to your Father in secret after locking your door. And your father, who sees in the secret place, will repay you.
"But those who pray should not babble like the gentiles. For they imagine that they will be heard because of their verbosity. Therefore, don't be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 "So, pray like this:
"Our Father, who is in the heavens,
your name has been made holy.
Let your kingdom come. Let what you want also be done on earth, as in heaven.
Give us the bread we need today and forgive us our debts as we also we have forgiven our debtors.
And don't carry us into trial, but rescue us from the evil one.
"For if you forgive people of their faults, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive people, neither will your Father forgive your faults.
16 "Now when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, dejected ones. For they distort their faces so that they may appear to people to be fasting. Indeed I am telling you that they are obtaining their reward. But you, anoint your head when fasting, and wash your face, so that you will not appear to people to be fasting, but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
19 "Do not store up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust make things disappear and where thieves dig through and steal.
"But store up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where neither moth nor rust makes things disappear and where thieves do not dig through and steal. For wherever your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
"The eye is the lamp of the body. Therefore if your eye is sound, your whole body will be lit. But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be dark. Therefore, if the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 "No one is able to be enslaved to two lords. For either he will hate one and love the other, or he will hold on to one and ignore the other. You are unable to serve God and Mammon. For this reason I am telling you: do not be anxious about your life--what you may eat, or what you may drink, nor what you may clothe your body with. Isn't life more than food and the body more than clothing?
"Look closely at the birds in the sky, because they neither sow, nor reap, nor gather into granaries. And your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you worth much more than they are?
"Now which of you by being anxious is able to add one moment to his lifespan? And why are you anxious about clothing? Learn from the lilies of the field. How do they grow? They neither labor nor spin. But I am telling you that not even Solomon in all his glory was dressed like one of these!
"Now, since God clothes the grass of the field this way, though it exists today and is cast into a furnace tomorrow, how much rather will he give you, oh you who scarcely trust?!
"Therefore, don't be anxious, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we be dressed in?'. These are all things that the gentile is hunting. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all of these things. But you seek first his kingdom and what is right, and all of these things will be added to you. So do not be anxious about the next day, for the next day will be anxious about itself. One day's trouble is enough.
SEVEN
7:1 "Do not judge, so that you might not be judged. For you will be judged with the kind of judgment you pass, and it will be measured to you with the measure you employ.
"Now why do you see the splinter in your brother's eye, but you don't perceive the beam in your own eye? Or how will you say to your brother, 'Let me pull the splinter out of your eye,' and look, there is a beam in your eye? You hypocrite! Pull the beam out of your eye first, and then you will see your way through to pull the splinter out of your brother's eye.
6 "Don't give the holy things to dogs. Nor should you cast your pearls in front of pigs. Otherwise, they trample them with their feet, and they will turn and rend you.
7 "Ask, and it will be given to you.
Seek, and you will find.
Knock, and it will be opened for you.
For each one who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and it is opened for the one who knocks.
"Or what person is there among you who will give his son a stone if he asks for bread? And if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? So, if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in the heavens give good things to those who ask him?
"Therefore, everything whatsoever that you want people to do for you, you are to do also for them. For this is the Torah and the Prophets.
13 "Enter through the small gate, because the gate is wide and the road is broad that lead to destruction. And there are many who are entering through it. How small the gate is, and how afflicted the road is that lead into life. And there are few who are finding it.
15 "Be careful about false prophets, who are coming to you in a sheep's clothing, but inside they are ravenous wolves. 'You will recognize them by their fruits.' What? Do they collect grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? In this way, every good tree bears nice fruit, but the corrupt tree bears evil fruit. A good tree is not able to bear evil fruit, nor can a corrupt tree bear nice fruit. Each tree which does not bear nice fruit is chopped down and cast into fire. Consequently, you will recognize them by their fruits.
"Not everyone who says to me, 'O Lord, Lord,' will enter into the kingdom of the heavens--only the one who does what my Father in the heavens wants. Many will say to me in that day, 'O Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name? And didn't we cast out spirit beings in your name? And didn't we do many wonders in your name?' And then I will acknowledge to them that, 'I never knew you. "Get those people away from me who are working lawlessness!"'
24 "Therefore, each one who hears these sayings from me and does them will be compared to a thoughtful man who constructed his house on the rock. And the rain came down, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house. And it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
"And each one who hears these sayings from me and does not do them will be compared to a foolish man who constructed his house on the sand. And the rain came down, and the floods came, and the winds blew and dashed against that house. And it fell, and its fall was a great one."
And it happened that when Jesus had finished these sayings, the crowds were astounded at his teaching. For he was teaching them as though he had authority, and not like their scribes did.
EIGHT
8:1 Now after he came down from the mountain, many crowds followed him. And look, a leper came toward him and bowed down, saying, "Sir, if you want it, you are able to cleanse me." And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I want it. Be cleansed." And his leprosy was cleansed immediately, and Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses arranged for a witness to them."
5 Now after entering into Kafar-Nahum, a centurion came to him, calling him aside, and saying, "Sir, my servant boy is laid paralyzed in the house, severely tormented." And he said to him, "I will come and cure him." And the centurion answered, saying, "Sir, I am not considerable enough, that you should enter under my roof. On the contrary, only say a word, and my servant boy will be healed. For I too am a person under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it."
But when Jesus heard, he wondered, and he said to those who were following, "Indeed I am telling you: I have found such trust from no one in Israel! But I am telling you that many will come from east and west and will recline with Abraham and Isaak and Jacob in the kingdom of the heavens, but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; weeping and gnashing of teeth will be there."
And Jesus said to the centurion, "Go, it has happened for you, as you trusted." And his servant boy was healed during that hour.
14 And when Jesus came into Peter's house, he saw his mother-in-law, lying down and burning with a fever. And he touched her hand, and the fever went away from her, and she got up and served him.
Now when evening happened, they brought many people to him who were possessed by spirit beings. And he cast out the spirits with a word, and he cured all those who had a bad thing. And so the declaration through Isaiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying, "He took our weaknesses and bore our diseases."
18 Now when Jesus noticed a crowd around him, he gave word to come away to the other side. And one of the scribes came toward him, saying, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you should go out." And Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man does not have a place where he might bow his head."
Now another of his students said to him, "Lord, permit me to go away first and bury my father." But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and allow the dead to bury their dead."
23 And he went into the ship, and his students followed him. And look, a great earthquake happened in the sea, and so the ship was covered by the waves. But he was asleep.
And they went to him and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us. We are being destroyed!" And he said to them, "How timid are you who scarcely trust!" Then he got up and censured the winds and the sea, and a great calm happened. Now the people wondered, saying, "What sort of person is this, that even the winds and the sea listen to him?!"
28 And when he came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two who were possessed by spirit beings met him. They came out from the tombs. They were very harsh, and so one was unable to come by through that road. And look, they called out, saying, "What is there between us and you, oh son of God? Are you coming here to torment us before a season?"
Now at a large distance there was a herd of many pigs, feeding. Now the divinities called him aside, saying, "If you cast us out, send us forth into the herd of pigs." And he said to them, "Go on." Now they exited and went into the pigs, and look: all the herd rushed down the cliff into the sea, and they died in the waters.
But the swine herders fled, and when they had gone away into the city, they related all things, even the things about the ones who were possessed by spirit beings. And look, all the city came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they advised him so that he would depart from their shore. And stepping into a ship, he went across, and he came into his own city.
NINE
9:1 And look, they carried a paralytic to him, lying on a bed. And when Jesus noticed their trust, he said to the paralyzed person, "Take courage, child. Your sins are forgiven."
And look, some of the scribes said among themselves, "This one is speaking evil." And when Jesus noticed their reflections, he said, "Why are you reflecting in your hearts on evil things? For what is easier? To say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk?' But so that you would know that the Son of Man has authority on the earth to forgive sins...." Then he said to the paralyzed person, "Rise, take up your mat, and go into your house." And he got up and went away into his house. But when the crowds notice, they were afraid, and they glorified the God who had given such authority to human beings.
9 And as Jesus passed through, he noticed a person called Matthaiah sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him.
10 And as he was reclining in the house, it happened that, look: many tribute takers and sinners came and reclined together with Jesus and his students. And when the Perushim noticed, they said to his students, "Why does your teacher dine with tribute takers and sinners?" But he heard them, and said, "The healthy have no need of a healer; rather, the ones who have a malady. But you go and learn what this is: "I want mercy and not sacrifice." For I have not come to call just people but sinners."
14 Then John's students came to him, saying, "Why is it that we and the Perushim fast a lot, but your students do not fast?" And Jesus said to them, "The sons of wedding hall are unable to mourn, as long as the groom is with them. But days will come when he will be taken from them, and then they will fast.
"Now no one puts a patch of unbleached cloth on an old cloak. For its filler takes away from the cloak, and a worse division occurs. Neither do they cast new wine into old wineskins. But if indeed they do, the wineskins burst, and the wine is spilled out, and the wineskins are destroyed. On the contrary, they cast new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."
18 While he was speaking these things to them, look, a certain ruler came and bowed down to him, saying, "My daughter is finished now. But come, and place your hand on her, and she will live." And Jesus and his students got up and followed him.
20 And look, a woman who had a hemorrhage for twelve years came to him from behind and touched the tuft of his cloak. For she had said within herself, "If only I should touch his cloak, I will be saved." But, turning and seeing her, Jesus said, "Take courage, daughter. Your trust has saved you." And from that hour the woman was safe.
23 And when Jesus came into the ruler's house and noticed the flautists and the crowd being disrupted, he said, "Withdraw. For the girl is not dead, but she is sleeping." And they laughed at him. But when they had cast out the crowd, he entered and held on to her hand, and the girl was raised. And the report of this thing went out into that whole land.
27 And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind people followed him, and they called out, saying, "Be merciful to us, son of David!" Now when he had come into the house, the blind people came to him, and Jesus said to them, "Do you trust that I am powerful enough to do this?" They said to him, "Yes, lord." Then he touched their eyes, saying, "Let it happen to you according to your trust," and their eyes were opened. And Jesus agitated them, saying, "See that you make this known to no one." But after they exited, they sounded out about him in the whole of that land.
32 Now as they were exiting, look: a mute man who was possessed by a spirit being was brought to him. And after the spirit being had been cast out, the mute man spoke, and the people wondered, saying, "It has never appeared this way in Israel!" But the Perushim said, "He is casting out the spirit beings by the ruler of the spirit beings!"
And Jesus went around all the cities and villages, teaching in their gatherings and heralding the good message of the kingdom and curing every disease and every malady.
TEN
36 Now when he noticed the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were troubled and scattered "like sheep who have no shepherd." Then he said to his students, "Indeed, the harvest is much, but the workers are scarce. Therefore, make a supplication to the lord of the harvest, so that he would cast out workers into his harvest." And he called his Twelve students to himself, and he gave them authority over unclean spirits, so as to cast them out and to cure every disease and every malady.
10:2 Now the names of the Twelve envoys are these: first Simon who is called Peter and Andreas his brother; and Jacob the son of Zebediah and Johannes his brother; Filippos and Bar-Talmai; Thomas and Matthaiah the tribute taker; Jacob the son of Alfeus; and Thaddeus; Simon the Jealous; and Judah Iscariot (the one who also delivered him up).
Jesus sent out these twelve, charging them, saying, "You should not go out into a road of gentiles, and you should not enter into a city of Samaritans. But go instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Now after you go, herald, saying that, "The kingdom of the heavens has neared." Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out spirit beings. You have received freely; give freely.
"Do not gain possession of gold, nor silver, nor copper for your belts. Do not gain possession of a bag for the way, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff. For the worker is worthy of his food. Now in whatever city or town you may enter, inquire as to who in it is worthy, and stay there until you exit. Now when you go into the household, greet them. And if the household should indeed be worthy, let your peace come upon them. But if it should not be worthy, let your peace turn back to you. And who ever will not receive you nor hear your words: exit from that household or the city and shake the dust from your feet. Indeed I am telling you: it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.
"Look, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore, become mindful like the serpents and harmless like the doves.
"But watch out for the people. They will deliver you over to Sanhedrins, and they will whip you in their gatherings. And you will be led to governors (but also kings) on account of me, as witnesses to them and to the nations. But when they deliver you up, do not be anxious about how or what you should speak, for what you should speak will be give to you in that hour. For it is not you that will speak, but the spirit of your Father that speaks within you.
"Then brother will deliver up brother for death, and father will deliver up child. And children will rise up at their parents, and they will cause them to die. And you will stand as hated by all people on account of my name, but the one who endures to the end, this one will be saved.
"Now when they persecute you in this city, flee into the other. For indeed I am telling you: you should by no means complete the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes.
"A student is not over his teacher, nor is a slave over his lord. There is enough for the student so that he should become like his teacher is, and the slave like his lord. If they have called the ruler of the house Ba'al Zebul, how much rather will they call those of his household?
"Therefore, do not be afraid of them. For nothing is covered that will not be revealed, and nothing is secret that will not be made known. What I am telling you in the darkness, say in the light. And what you hear in your ear, herald on the rooftops.
"And you should not be afraid of those who kill the body, but who are unable to kill the soul. But you should fear rather the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Aren't two sparrows sold for an assarius? And not one of them falls onto the ground without your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all counted. Therefore, do not be afraid: you are worth many sparrows.
"Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge me in the presence of people, I too will acknowledge him in the presence of my Father, the one who is in the heavens. But whoever will deny me in the presence of people, I too will deny him in the presence of my Father, the one who is in the heavens.
"Don't think that I have come to cast peace on the land. I have not come to cast peace but a sword. For I have come to divide "a person against his father and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's household are his enemies."
"The one who has more affection for father or mother than for me is not worthy of me. And the one who has more affection for son or daughter than for me is not worthy of me. And the one who does not take his cross and follow behind me is not worthy of me. The one who finds his life will lose it, and the one who loses his life on account of me will find it.
"The one who accepts you is accepting me, and the one who accepts me is accepting the one who sent me forth. The one who accepts a prophet in a prophet's name receives a prophet's reward. And the one who accepts a just person in a just person's name receives a just persons reward. And whoever, in the name of a student, should give one of these little ones only a cup of cold water to drink: Indeed I am telling you, he will by no means lose his reward."
ELEVEN
11:1 And when Jesus had completed arranging for his students, it happened that he departed from there, to teach and to herald in their cities. Now when John, in prison, heard the deeds of the Anointed One, he sent a message by his students, saying to Jesus, "Are you the one who is coming, or should we expect another?"
And Jesus answered, saying to him, "Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen: "Blind people see again," and lame people walk, lepers are cleansed, and "deaf people hear," and "dead people are raised," and the good message is announced to poor people. And blessed is whoever does not stumble over me."
Now as they were going, Jesus began to tell the crowds about John. "What did you come out into the desert to observe? A reed being shaken by the wind? But what did you come out to see? A person clothed in soft things? Look, the ones who wear soft things are in the houses of the kings. But what did you come out to see? A prophet? I am telling you yes, and more abundant than a prophet. This is the one about whom it was written,
""Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of your presence, who will prepare your way in your presence."
"Indeed I am telling you: No greater person has risen up among those born of a woman than John the Baptizer. But the littlest one in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he.
"From the days of John the Baptizer until the present the kingdom of the heavens has been invaded, and invaders have been seizing it. For all the prophets and the Torah prophesied until John. And if you want to accept it, he is Elijah who is about to come. The one who has ears should hear.
16 "Now to what will I liken this generation? It is like the boys who sit in the marketplaces and sound out to others, saying, "We have played the flute for you, and you have not danced. We have mourned for you, and you have not lamented. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and you say "He has a spirit being." The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, "Look, a gluttonous person and a wine drinker, a friend of tribute takers and sinners," and, "Wisdom is judged by her deeds."
20 Then he began to censure the cities in which the majority of his powers had been done, because they did not change their minds. "Woe to you, Chorazin, woe to you, Bethsaida, because if those powers that have happened among you had happened in Ture and Sidon, they would have changed their minds long ago in sackcloth and ashes! However, I am telling you, it will be more tolerable for Ture and Sidon during the day of judgment than for you.
"And you, Kafar-Nahum, you will not be elevated as far as heaven; you will be brought down as far as Hades. Because if those powers that have happened among you had happened in Sodom, they would have remained until today. However, I am telling you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom during the day of judgment than for you."
25 During that season, Jesus answered, saying, "I fully acknowledge you, Father, O Lord of Heaven and Earth, because you have hidden these things from wise people and those with understanding, and you have revealed them to babies. Yes Father, because this way it became a delight in your presence.
"All things have been given over to me by my Father. And no one except the Father takes recognition of the son, neither does anyone take recognition of the Father except the son, and the one to whom the son plans to reveal him.
28 "Come to me, all those who are laboring and who are burdened, and I will cause you to rest. Take my yoke on you, and learn from me, because I am meek and humble-hearted, and "You will find rest for your souls." For my yoke is gentle, and my burden is lightweight."
TWELVE
12:1 During that season, Jesus went through the cornfields on the Sabbath. Now his students were hungry and began to pluck and eat ears of corn. But when the Perushim noticed, they said to him, "Look, your students are doing what it is illegal to do during a Sabbath." But he said to them, "Haven't you known what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry? How he entered into God's house and ate the loaves of design, which were not legal for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, except the priests alone? Or haven't you known in the Torah that the priests in the temple during the sabbaths profane the Sabbath and are blameless? But I am telling you that someone greater than the temple is here. Now if you had known what is, "I want mercy and not sacrifice," you wouldn't have condemned the blameless. For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath."
9 And after he departed from there, he went into their gathering. And look! A person who had a withered hand was there. And they asked Jesus, so that they might accuse him, saying, "Is it legal to cure during sabbaths?"
Now he said to them, "What person among you, who has one sheep, would not take hold of it and lift it up if it should fall into a pit during a Sabbath? Therefore, how much more does this make sense for a person rather than a sheep? And so, it is legal to do well during sabbaths."
Then he said to the person, "Stretch out your hand," and he stretched it out, and it was restored well like the other one. But when the Perushim went out, they held a council against him, as to how they might destroy him.
15 But Jesus, knowing this, withdrew from there. And crowds, many, followed him, and he cured all of them. And he censured them, so that they would not make him apparent, so that what was declared through Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled, saying, "Look at my servant boy, whom I have chosen: my beloved one, for whom my soul delights. I will put my breath on him, and he will announce justice to the nations. He will neither strive nor cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the open squares. He will not break a bruised reed, and he will not quench a smoldering wick, until he casts out judgment to the point of victory. And the nations will hope for his name."
22 Then a blind and mute person who was affected by spirit beings was taken to him, and he cured him. And so, the mute person was able to speak and to see. And all the crowds were astonished and said, "Isn't this the Son of David?" But when the Perushim heard, they said, "This one is not casting out spirit beings except with Ba'al Zebul, the ruler of the spirit beings."
But since he knew their reflections, he said to them, "Every kingdom that is parted against itself is made desolate, and every city or household that is parted against itself will not stand. And if the Enemy is casting out the Enemy, he is parted against himself. Therefore, how will his kingdom stand? And if I am casting out the spirit beings with Ba'al Zebul, with whom do your sons cast them out? On account of this, they will be your judges. But if in God's breath I am casting out the spirit beings, God's kingdom has appeared to you after all.
"Or how is anyone able to enter into the strong man's house and plunder his goods, if he does not first bind the strong man? And then he fully plunders his house.
"The one who is not with me is against me, and the one who does not gather with me is scattering. On account of this I am telling you: every sin and evil speaking will be forgiven people, but speaking evil of the breath will not be forgiven. And whoever should speak a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever should speak against the holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, neither in this age nor in the one that is about to come. Either make the tree nice and its fruit nice, or make the tree corrupt and its fruit corrupt. For 'one knows the tree by the fruit.'
"You brood of vipers! How are you able to speak good things, when you are evil? For the mouth is speaking out of the abundance of the heart. The good person casts forth good things out of the good treasure, and the evil person casts forth evil things out of the evil treasure. Now I am telling you that during the day of judgment people will give back (concerning its message) every idle declaration that they speak. For you will be justified out of your statements, and out of your statements you will be condemned."
38 Then some of the scribes and Perushim asked him, saying, "Teacher, we want to see signs from you." But he answered, saying to them, "An evil and adulterous generation hunts for a sign, and a sign will not be given to it except for the sign of Yonah the prophet. For just as "Yonah was in the abdomen of the great fish for three days and three nights," in the same way the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
"Ninevite men will stand up during the judgment with this generation, and they will condemn it, because they changed their minds at Yonah's heralding, and look: greater than Yonah is here. The southern queen will rise up in judgment with this generation, and she will condemn it, because she came from the outlying areas of the land to hear Solomon's wisdom, and look: someone greater than Solomon is here.
43 "Now when the unclean spirit has come out from a person, it goes through waterless places, seeking and not finding a resting place. Then it says, "I will turn back to my house from which I came out." And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept clean, and adorned. Then it got and takes along with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person has become worse than the first. It will be that way with this evil generation."
46 While he was still speaking to the crowds, look, his mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to him. Now someone said to him, "Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with you." But he answered, saying to him, telling him, "Who is my mother? And who are my brothers?" And he stretched out his hand to his students and said, "Look at my mother and my brothers. For whoever should do what my Father in the heavens wants, this one is my brother, and sister, and mother."
THIRTEEN
13:1 During those days, Jesus exited the house and sat down by the sea. And many crowds came with him, and so he went down into a ship to sit down, and all the crowd stood at the shore.
And he spoke many things to them with analogies, saying, "Look: the sower of the seed went out to sow, and in sowing it, some seeds indeed fell by the road, and the birds came and devoured them. But others fell on rocky land, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they rose up (on account of not having any deep soil). Now when the sun rose, the plant was scorched, and it dried out on account of not having a root. But others fell on the acanthus plants, and the acanthus plants rose up and choked them.
"But others fell on the nice ground and yielded fruit: one indeed yielded a hundred; now another yielded sixty; now another yielded thirty. The one who has ears, let him hear."
10 And the students came to him, saying, "Why do you speak to them with analogies?" Now he answered, saying to them, "To you it is given to know the secrets of the kingdom of the heavens, but it has not been given to them. For more will be given to whomever has, and he will have abundantly. But to the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. On account of this, I speak to them with analogies: that 'seeing, they do not see, and hearing, they do not hear,' nor do they understand. And Isaiah's prophecy is completely fulfilled in them, which says, "Hearing, you will hear, and you will by no means have understood; and seeing, you will see, and you will by no means have noticed. For the hearts of this people have become fat, and they hear heavily with their ears, and they shut their eyes. Otherwise, when noticing with their eyes, and hearing with their ears, and understanding with their hearts, they would also turn back, and I would heal them."
"But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. For indeed I am telling you that many prophets and just people strongly desired to see what you see, and they did not see. And they strongly desired to hear what you hear, and they did not hear.
18 "You, therefore, hear the analogy of the sower: Each one who hears the message of the kingdom and who does not understand, the evil one comes and takes away what was sown in his heart. This is what was sown by the road.
"Now what was sown on the rocky land, this is the one who hears the message and immediately receives it with joy. But he has no root within himself, but he is seasonal. Now when affliction or persecution happens on account of the message, he immediately stumbles.
"Now what was sown into the acanthus, this is the one who hears the message and in whom the cares of the age and the deceptiveness of wealth choke off the message, and he becomes fruitless.
"But what was sown on the nice ground, this is the one who hears the message and understands. He indeed bears fruit and makes: 'one indeed a hundred; now another, sixty; now another, thirty.'"
24 He put another analogy to them, saying, "The kingdom of the heavens is like a person sowing nice seed in his field. But while the people were sleeping, his enemies came and sowed darnel onto the midst of the wheat, and they went away. Now when the blade shot up and made fruit, the darnel plants appeared then also.
"Now the slaves of the ruler of the house came to him, saying, 'Lord, didn't you sow nice seed in your field? Then why does it have darnel plants?' Now he said to them, 'An enemy person has done this.'
"Now the slaves said to him, 'Then do you want us to go out and collect them?' But he sounded, 'No, lest as you collect the darnel plants, you should uproot the wheat together with them. Allow both to grow together until the harvest. And during the season of the harvest, I will say to the harvesters, "Collect first the darnel plants, and bind them into bundles for their burning, but gather the wheat into my granary."'"
31 He put another analogy to them, saying, "The kingdom of the heavens is like a grain of mustard, which someone took and planted in his field. Indeed it is the littlest of all the seeds, but when it has grown, it is the greatest of the herbs, and it becomes a tree, and so "the birds of the sky come and make nests in its branches.""
33 He spoke another analogy to them: "The kingdom of the heavens is like yeast. When a woman took it, she concealed it in three sata of meal, until the whole of it was leavened."
Jesus spoke these things in analogies to the crowds and spoke nothing to them without an analogy, so that what was declared through the prophet would be fulfilled, saying, "I will open my mouth in analogies; I will utter things hidden from the laying down" of creation.
36 Then, leaving the crowds, he went into the house. And his students came to him, saying, "Explain to us fully the analogy of the darnel plants of the field." Now he answered, saying, "The one who sows the nice seed is the Son of Man. Now the field is creation. Now the nice seed, these are the sons of the kingdom, but the darnel plants are the sons of the evil one. Now that enemy who sowed them is the Accuser. Now the harvest is the conclusion of the age, but the harvesters are messengers. Therefore, as the darnel plants are collected and burnt up with fire, in the same way it will be during the conclusion of the age. The Son of Man will send forth his messengers, and they will collect from his kingdom all the stumbling blocks and those who are doing lawlessness. And "they will throw them into the furnace of fire." There, there will be crying and grinding of teeth. Then the just people will shine out like the sun in their Father's kingdom. The one who has ears, let him hear.
44 "The kingdom of the heavens is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a person finds it, he hides it, and (from his joy) goes up, and sells all that he has, and buys that field.
45 "Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like a person, a merchant who seeks beautiful pearls. Now after finding one pearl of much value, he went away and sold all that he had, and he bought it.
47 "Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like a dragnet which is cast into the sea and which gathers fish from every species. When it is has been filled, they draw it up on the shore and sit down and collect the good ones into vessels. But they throw the corrupt ones away. It will be this way during the conclusion of the age. The messengers will exit and will separate out the evil ones from the midst of the just ones, and "they will cast them into the lake of fire." There, there will be crying and grinding of teeth. Did you understand all of these things?"
52 They said to him, "Yes." Now he said to them, "For this reason every scribe who learns the kingdom of the heavens is like a person, a ruler of the house, who casts new and old things from his treasury."
53 And when Jesus had completed these analogies, it happened that he departed from there. And after coming into his country, he taught them in their gatherings, and so they were amazed, and they said, "Where do this one, the wisdom, and the powers come from? Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother called Miriam; and aren't his brothers Jacob, and Yosef, and Simon, and Judah; and aren't his sisters all with us? Then from where does this one get all of these things?" And they stumbled in him.
But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his country and in his household." And he did not do many powerful things there on account of their distrust.
FOURTEEN
14:1 During that season, Herod the Tetrarch heard the report of Jesus, and he said to his servant boys, "This is John the Baptizer. He has raised from the dead, and for this reason the powers are being worked out by him."
For Herod had John held and bound and put away in jail on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Filippos. For John had said to him, "It is illegal for you to have her." And Herod was wanting to kill him, but he feared the crowd, because they held him as a prophet.
But when Herod's birthday occurred, Herodias' daughter danced in the midst, and pleased Herod. From this, he agreed with an oath to give her whatever she might ask for. Now since she had been prompted earlier by her mother, "Give me," she voiced, "John the Baptizer's head, here on a platter." And the king was sorrowful on account of the oaths and those who were reclining with him, and he gave word for the head to be given. And he sent someone who beheaded John in jail, and his head was brought on a platter and was given to the little girl, and she brought it to her mother. And when his students came, they took the body and buried it. And after they left, they related it to Jesus.
13 Now when Jesus heard, he withdrew from there in a ship to a desert place by himself. And when the crowds heard, they followed him on foot from the cities. And when Jesus exited, he noticed a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and cured their sick.
Now when evening happened, the students came to him, saying, "The place is a desert, and the hour has already gone by. Release the crowds, so that they might go out into the villages and buy provisions for themselves. But Jesus said to them, "They don't have the need to go away. You give them something to eat."
But they said to him, "We don't have here but five loaves of bread and two fishes." But he said, "Carry them here to me." And he gave word to the crowds to recline on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up into the sky and blessed them. And after breaking them, he gave the loaves to the students. Now the students gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were well fed, and they took up the abundance of the fragments, twelve baskets full. Now those who ate were about five thousand men, without the women and school children.
22 And immediately he necessitated that the students go down into the ship and go ahead of him to the far side, while he was letting the crowds go away. And after letting the crowds go away, he went up into the mountain by himself to pray. Now since evening had happened, he was there alone.
Now the ship was already many stadia away from the land, being tormented by the waves, for the wind was against them. Now during the fourth guard of the night, he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the students noticed him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying that it was an apparition. And they cried out from fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take courage; it is I. Don't be afraid."
But Peter answered him, saying, "Lord, if it is you, give word for me to come to you on the waters." Now he said, "Come," and Peter went down from the ship and walked on the waters and went to Jesus. But when he saw the wind to be strong, he was afraid, and since he was beginning to sink, he called out, "Lord, save me!"
Now Jesus immediately stretched out his hand and took him. And he said to him, "You person who scarcely trusts! To what end did you doubt?" And after they went down into the ship, the wind stopped. Now the ones who were in the ship bowed down to him, saying, "Truly you are God's son!"
And after going across, they came to the land at Gennesaret. And since the men of that place recognized him, they sent out into the whole of that surrounding country, and they brought to him all those who had a malady. And they were advising him so that they might touch only the tuft of his cloak. And as many as touched it were made sound.
FIFTEEN
15:1 Then Perushim and scribes from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, "Why are your students wandering from the tradition of the older people? For they don't wash their hands when they eat bread."
But he answered, saying to them, "And why do you wander from God's precept on account of your tradition? For God said, "Honor the father and the mother," and, "The one who says a bad thing of father or mother should be completed to death." But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or to his mother, "Whatever might be owed by me is a gift," he will by no means honor his father.' And you are annulling God's statement on account of your tradition. Hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied well about you, saying,
""This people honors me with the lips, but their hearts are far away from me. Now they revere me worthlessly, teaching as teachings human precepts.""
And he called the crowd to him and said to them, "Hear and understand: It is not what enters into the mouth that makes a person common. On the contrary, what goes out of the mouth, this makes a person common."
12 Then the students came to him, saying to him, "Do you know that the Perushim stumbled when they heard the saying?" But he answered, saying, "Each plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. Drop them. They are blind guides of blind people. Now if a blind person should guide a blind person, both will fall into a pit."
15 Now Peter answered, saying to him, "Explain that analogy to us." Now he said, "Are you still without understanding too? Aren't you mindful that everything that enters into the mouth is contained in the abdomen and is cast out into a latrine? But the things that go out from the mouth are coming out from the heart, and they make the person common. For out of the heart come evil reasonings, murders, adulteries, thefts, false testimonies, evil speakings. These are the things that make a person common, but to eat with unwashed hands does not make the person common."
21 And after exiting from there, Jesus withdrew into the parts of Ture and Sidon. And look, a Canaanite woman came out from those areas and called out to him, saying, "Have mercy on me, sir, son of David! For my daughter is being badly affected by a spirit being!" Now he did not answer her a word. And his students went to him and begged him, saying, "Make her go away, because she is calling out after us."
Now he answered, saying, "I was only sent out to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." But she came and bowed down to him, saying, "Sir, help me." But he answered, saying, "It is not a nice thing to take the children's bread and to throw it to the dogs." But she said, "Yes, sir. For even the dogs dine on the crumbs that fall from their lord's table." Then Jesus answered, saying to her, "O woman, your trust is great. Let it happen for you as you want." And her daughter was healed from that hour.
29 And when Jesus departed from there, he came by the sea of Galilaiah, and after going up into the mountain, he sat down there. And many crowds came to him, having with them lame people, blind people, maimed people, and many others. And they laid them near his feet, and he cured them. And so, it was that the crowds wondered, seeing deaf people speaking, maimed people made well, lame people walking, and blind people seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.
Now Jesus called his students to him, saying, "I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been continuing with me for three days already, and they don't have anything that they can eat. And I don't want to send them away fasting, lest they should faint on the road."
And the students said to him, "Where will we get so many loaves in a desert, so as to well feed so great a crowd?" And Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" Now they said, "Seven, and a few fish." And he gave word for the crowd to recline on the ground. Taking the seven loaves and the fish, and giving thanks, he broke them and gave them to the students. Now the students gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were well fed. And the abundance of the fragments was seven large baskets full. Now those who had dined were four thousand men, without the women and school children. And after releasing the crowds, he went up into the ship and came into the coastal regions of Magdala.
SIXTEEN
16:1 And the Perushim and Zadokites came to him, testing him. They asked him to show them a sign from heaven. But he answered, saying to them, "An evil and adulterous generation is hunting a sign, and a sign will not be given to it except for the sign of Yonah." And he left them and went away.
And when the students went to the far side, they had forgotten to take loaves. But Jesus said to them, "Look, and watch out for the yeast of the Perushim and Zadokites." But they were reasoning among themselves, saying that "We have not taken any loaves." But, knowing this, Jesus said, "Oh you who scarcely trust, why are you reasoning among yourselves because you don't have any loaves? Are you not yet mindful, nor do you remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took? Or the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took? How aren't you mindful that I was not speaking to you about loaves of bread? Now watch out for the yeast of the Perushim and Zadokites." Then they understood that he did not say to watch out for yeast of bread loaves, but of the teaching of Perushim and Zadokites.
13 And after coming into the parts of Caesarea Filippi, Jesus asked his students, saying, "Who do people say the Son of Man to be?" Now they said, "Indeed they say, John the Baptizer. But others say Elijah; now others say Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say me to be?"
Now Simon Peter answered, saying, "You are the Anointed One: the son of the living God." Now Jesus answered, saying to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Yonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal to you, but my Father in the heavens. Now I am also telling you that you are 'Peter,' and on this 'rock' I will construct my assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail over it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, and whatever you might bind on the earth will be a bound thing in the heavens, and whatever you might let go on the earth will be a loosed thing in the heavens. Then he gave a statement to his students, so that they would tell no one that he was the Anointed One.
21 From then, Jesus began to show his students that it was necessary for him to go away into Jerusalem, and to suffer many things by the older people and high priests and scribes, and to be killed, and to be raised up on the third day. And Peter, receiving him, began to censure him, saying, "Let this be far from you, Lord! By no means will this be to you!" But he turned and said to Peter, "Go behind me, enemy. You are a stumbling block to me, because you are not minding God's things, but the things of human beings."
Then Jesus said to his students, "If someone wants to come after me, he should deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever should lose his life on my account will find it. For what does a person profit if he should gain the whole universe but forfeit his life? Or what will a person give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man is about to come in his Father's glory with his messengers, and then "he will give out to each one according to his practice." Indeed I am telling you that there some of those who are standing here who will by no means taste death until they should notice the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."
SEVENTEEN
17:1 And after six days, Jesus took aside Peter, and Jacob, and his brother Johannes, and he carried them up into a high mountain by themselves. And he was transformed in their presence, and his face shone like the sun, but his garments became white like light. And look, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with him. Now Peter answered, saying to Jesus, "Lord, it is a nice thing for use to be here. If you want, I will make three tents here: one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
While he was still speaking, look, a cloud of light overshadowed them. And look, a sound from the heavens, saying, , "This is my son, the beloved one, in whom I delight. Hear him." And when the students heard, they fell on their faces and were extremely afraid. And Jesus came to them, and touched them, and, said, "Get up, and don't be afraid." Now when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus alone.
9 And as they were descending the mountain Jesus gave them a precept, saying, "Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is raised from among the dead." And the students asked him, saying, "Then why do the scribes say that "It is necessary for Elijah to come first?"" But he answered, saying, "Indeed "Elijah is coming, and he will restore" all things. But I am telling you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him. But they did as much as they wanted to him. So also, the Son of Man is about to suffer by them." Then the students understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptizer.
14 And after coming to the crowd, a person came to him, falling to his knees and saying, "Sir, have mercy on my son, because he has been affected by the moon and is suffering badly. For he falls into the fire often and into the water often. And I led him to your students, and they were unable to cure him."
Now Jesus answered, saying, "Oh distrustful and misdirected generation! Until when will I be with you? Until when will I put up with you? Carry him here to me." And Jesus censured it, and the spirit being came out from him, and the boy was cured from that hour.
Then the students came to Jesus by themselves and said, "Why were we unable to cast it out?" Now Jesus said to them, "On account of your scarce trust. For indeed I am telling you, if you should have trust like a grain of mustard, you would say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would be moved. And nothing would be impossible for you."
22 Now while they were traveling together in Galilaiah, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is about to be delivered up into sinners' hands, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day." And they were exceedingly sorrowful.
Now when they came into Kafar-Nahum, those who take the didrachmas came to Peter and said, "Doesn't your teacher pay the didrachmas? "He said, "Yes." And when they had come into the household, Jesus anticipated him and said, "What do you think, Simon? The kings of the earth, from whom do they take tax or census money? From their sons, or from others?" Now when Peter said, "From the others," Jesus said to him, "Then indeed the sons are free. But so that they would not be caused to stumble, go into the sea, cast a hook, and take up the first fish that comes up, and open its mouth. You will find a stater. Take that and give it for you and me."
EIGHTEEN
18:1 During that hour, the students came to Jesus, saying, "Then who is the greatest in the kingdom of the heavens?" And he called a school child to him and stood it in their midst, and he said, "Indeed I am telling you, unless you turn and become like the children, you will by no means enter into the kingdom of the heavens. Therefore, whoever may humble himself like this child, this one is the greatest in the kingdom of the heavens. And whoever may receive one such child in my name, he is receiving me. But whoever causes one of these little ones who trust in me to stumble, it would make sense for him that an upper millstone be hung around his neck and for him to be plunged down in the deep waters of the sea.
7 "Woe to creation, due to the stumbling blocks! For it is a necessity for the stumbling blocks to come; however, woe to the person through whom the stumbling block comes!
"Now if your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and cast it from you. It is a nicer thing for you to enter into life maimed or lame than for you to be cast into the eternal fire having two hands or two feet. And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is nicer for you to enter into life one-eyed than for you to be cast into the fire of Gehenna having two eyes.
"See that you not have a bad attitude about one of these little ones. For I am telling you that through all things their messengers in the heavens see the face of my Father who is in the heavens.
12 "What do you think? If a certain person should happen to own one hundred sheep, and if one should go astray from among them, won't he leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go seek the one who went astray? In the same way, it is not what is wanted in the presence of your Father in the heavens that one of these little ones be lost. Now if your brother should sin [against you], go up and reprove him between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained back your brother. But if he doesn't hear, take him aside with you and one or two others besides, so that "at the mouth of two or three witnesses every declaration would stand." But if he should disregard them, tell the assembly. But if he should disregard the assembly also, he will be to you just like the gentile and the tribute taker.
18 "Indeed I am telling you, as many things as you should bind on the earth will be bound things in heaven, and as many things as you should let go on the earth will be loosed things in heaven.
"Again indeed, I am telling you that if two from among you should agree together on the earth, about any matter they should ask about, it will be done for them by my Father who is in the heavens. For when there are two or three who are gathered for my name, I am there in their midst."
21 Then Peter came to him, saying to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I will forgive him? Until seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I am not telling you, 'until seven times;' on the contrary, until the seventy times seven. On account of this the kingdom of the heavens is like a person, a king, who wanted to settle an account with his slaves. Now when he began to settle, they brought him one person who owed ten thousand talents. But since he did not have the ability to repay, the lord gave word for him to be sold, with his wife and children and all things, as much as he had, and for payment to be made. Therefore, the slave fell down and bowed to him, saying, 'Be longsuffering toward me, and I will repay you.'
"Now the slave's lord was compassionate and freed him, and forgave the debt. But when that slave exited, he found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii. And he took hold of him and choked him, saying, 'Repay whatever you owe!' Therefore, his fellow slave fell down and called him aside, saying, 'Be longsuffering toward me, and I will repay you.'
"But he did not want to do so. On the contrary, after going away, he threw him in jail, until he repaid what he was owing. Therefore, when his fellow slaves noticed what had happened, they were exceedingly sorrowful, and they went and fully explained to their lord all that had happened.
"Then their lord called him and said to him, 'You evil slave! I forgave you all of that debt since you called me aside. Wasn't it necessary for you also to have mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?' And his lord was angered, and he had him delivered over to the torturers, until he repaid all that he owed. In the same way also, my heavenly Father will do to you, unless each one of you forgives his brother, from your hearts."
NINETEEN
19:1 And when Jesus completed these saying, it happened that he departed from Galilaiah and went within the borders of Judea, beyond the Jordan. And many crowds followed him, and he cured them there.
And Perushim came to him to test him, and they said, "Is it legal for a person to let his wife go according to every reason?" But he answered, saying, "Haven't you read that the Creator from the beginning "made them male and female"? And he said, "On account of this a man will abandon his father and mother and will unite with his wife, and the two will be one in flesh." And so, they are not still two; on the contrary, they are one flesh. Therefore, what God joined together, no human being may separate."
They said to him, "Therefore, why did Moses give a precept to give a scroll of separation, and to let her go away?" He said to them, "For your hard-heartedness, Moses allowed you to let your wives go away. But from the beginning it did not happen this way. Now I am telling you that whoever should let his wife go away [except for sexual sin] and should marry another is committing adultery."
His students said to him, "If the case of a person with his wife is this way, it does not make sense to marry!" But he said to them, "Not all people may contain this saying, but the ones to whom it is given. For there are some who were born eunuchs this way from the mother's womb; and there are some eunuchs who were made eunuchs by people; and there are some eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs on account of the kingdom of the heavens. The one who is able to contain this, let him contain it."
13 Then they brought school children to him, so that he might place his hands on them and pray, but the students censured them. But Jesus said, "Allow the school children to come to me, and don't hinder them, for the kingdom of the heavens belongs to such people." And after placing his hands on them, he went from there.
16 And look, one person came to him and said, "Teacher, what good thing shall I do, so that I would have eternal life?" Now he said to him, "Why are you asking me about the good thing? One person is good. But if you want to enter into the life, keep the precepts."
He said to him, "Which ones?" Now Jesus said, ""You will not kill. You will not commit adultery. You will not steal. You will not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother." And "You will love your neighbor as yourself.""
The young man said to him, "I have guarded all of these things. What do I still lack?" Jesus told him, "If you want to be complete, go up and sell your goods, and give to the poor, and you will have a treasure in the heavens. Also, come follow me." But when he heard the saying, the young man went away sorrowful, for he was someone who had many possessions.
Now Jesus said to his students, "Indeed I am telling you that it is with difficulty that a wealthy person will enter into the kingdom of the heavens. Again I am telling you, it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for a wealthy person to enter into God's kingdom."
Now when his students heard, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, "After this, who is able to be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said, "For people, this is impossible, but for God all things are possible." Then Peter answered, saying to him, "Look, we left all things and followed you. So what will there be for us?" But Jesus said, "Indeed I assure you that during the regeneration when the Son of Man sits on his throne of glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And each one who has left households, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or fields on account of my name will obtain a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.
20:1 "For the kingdom of the heavens is like a person, a householder, who went out to hire workers for his vineyard. Now after agreeing with the workers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into the vineyard.
"And he went out at about the third hour and noticed others standing in the marketplace, idle. And he said to those people, 'You too, go up into the vineyard, and I will give you whatever should be just.' Now they went away.
"Now again he went out at around the sixth, and at the ninth hour, doing similarly. But when he went out at about the eleventh hour, he found others standing, and he said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle for the whole day?' They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You too, go up into the vineyard.'
"Now when evening happened, the lord of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the workers and give out to them the wage, beginning from the last ones to the first ones.' And the ones who were hired at about the eleventh hour came, and each one received a denarius. And when the first ones came, they thought that they should obtain more, and each one of them too received a denarius. But after they received it, they grumbled against the ruler of the house, saying, 'These last ones did work for one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who have borne the burden all day, and the scorching heat.'
"But he answered one of them, saying, 'Comrade, I am not doing you injustice. Didn't you agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours, and go on. But I want to give to this last one as I also gave to you. Or isn't it legal for me to do what I want with my things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?' In the same way, the last ones will be first, and the first will be last."
17 And when Jesus was going up into Jerusalem, he took aside the Twelve with himself and said to them on the road, "Look, we are ascending into Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the high priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and they will deliver him over to the gentiles for mocking and whipping and crucifixion, and he will rise on the third day."
20 Then the mother of Zebediah's sons came to him with her sons, bowing down to him and asking something from him. Now he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Say it, so that these, my two sons, might sit (one at your right and one at your left) in your kingdom." But Jesus answered, saying, "You don't know what you are asking! Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?" They said to him, "We are able." He said to them, "You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give, but to the ones for whom it has been prepared by my Father."
And when the Ten heard, they were indignant about the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the nations are lords over them, and the great exercise authority over them. It will not be this way among you. On the contrary, whoever among you wants to become great, he will be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you, he will be your slave--just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many people."
29 And as they went out from Jericho a great crowd followed him. And look, two blind people were sitting by the road, hearing that Jesus was going by. They called out, saying, "Have mercy on us, sir, son of David!" But the crowd censured them, so that they would be silent. But they called out louder, saying, "Have mercy on us, sir, son of David!" And Jesus stopped and sounded to them, saying, "What do you want me to do for you?" They said to him, "Sir, we want that our eyes be opened." Now Jesus had compassion, and he touched their eyelids, and immediately they could see again, and they followed him.
TWENTY ONE
21:1 And when they neared Jerusalem and had come into Bethfagge at the Mountain of the Olive Trees, then Jesus sent away two students, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey that has been bound, and a foal with her. Untie them and lead them to me. And if someone should say anything to you, say that the Lord has need of them. Now he will sent them out immediately."
Now this happened so that what was declared through the prophet would be fulfilled, saying, "Say to Zion's daughter, 'Look, your king is coming to you, meek, and riding on a donkey, even on the foal, a son of a beast of burden.'"
Now the students went and did just as Jesus had arranged for them. They led the donkey and the foal, and they put their cloaks on them, and they had him sit on them. Now the majority of the crowd spread out their cloaks in the road, but others cut branches from the trees and spread them out in the road. Now those crowds that went ahead of him and those who were following him called out, saying, "Hosanna to the son of David! "Praised is the one who comes in Yahweh's name! Hosanna in the highest places!""
And as he entered into Jerusalem, all the city was shaken, saying, "Who is this?" But the crowds said, "This is the prophet Jesus, the one from Nazareth of Galilaiah."
12 And Jesus entered into the temple courts and cast out all those who were selling and buying in the temple court, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling the doves. And he said to them, "It was written, "My house will be called a house of prayer," but you are making it a "den of robbers.""
14 And blind and lame people came to him in the temple court, and he cured them. But when the high priests and the scribes noticed the curings that he was doing and the school children that were crying out in the temple court and saying, "Hosanna to the son of David," they were indignant. And they said to him, "Do you hear what these people are saying?" But Jesus said to them, "Yes. Have you never read that, "from the mouths of babies and nursing children you have instated praise?""
17 And after leaving them behind, he went outside of the city into Bethany, and he spent the night there. Now in the morning he was going back up into the city, and he was hungry. And when he noticed one fig tree at the roadside, he went up to it, and he found nothing on it except leaves alone. And he said to it, "May fruit occur from you no longer, for the age." And instantly, the fig tree withered.
And when the students noticed, they wondered, saying, "How instantly the fig tree was withered!" Jesus answered, saying to them, "Indeed I am telling you, if you have trust and do not doubt, not only will you do this thing of the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and cast into the sea,' it will be done. And all things, as much as you should ask in prayer trusting, you will obtain."
23 And after he came into the temple court, teaching, the high priests and the older ones of the people came to him, saying, "By what authority are you doing these things? And who give you this authority?" Now Jesus answered, saying to them, "And I will ask you one statement, which, if you tell me, then I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John's baptism, where was it from? From heaven or from people?"
Now they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we should say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Therefore, why didn't you trust him?' But if we should say, 'From people,' we are afraid of the crowd, for all hold John as a prophet." And they answered Jesus, saying, "We don't know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
28 "But what do you think of this? A person had two children. And he came to the first one, saying, 'Child, go up today and work in the vineyard.' But he answered, saying, 'I don't want to,' but afterward he regretted this and went out.
"Now he went to the other one and said the same thing. Now he answered saying, 'I will, sir,' and he did not go out. Which of the two did what the father wanted?" They said, "The first one." Jesus said to them, "Indeed I am telling you that the tribute takers and the prostitutes are going ahead of you into God's kingdom. For John came to you in the way of right, and you didn't trust him. But the tribute takers and prostitutes trusted him. But when you noticed, neither did you regret it afterwards and trust him.
33 "Hear another analogy: There was a person, a ruler of a house, who planted a vineyard, and placed a hedge around it, and carved out a wine press in it, and he constructed a tower, and he gave it out to gardeners and traveled abroad. Now when the fruit season neared, he sent his slaves to the gardeners to take his fruits. And the gardeners took his slaves, indeed they whipped one, but one they killed, and one they stoned.
"Again he sent out other slaves, greater than the first ones, and they did the same things to them. But afterwards he sent out his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' But when the gardeners noticed the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and grab his inheritance.' And they took him, and threw him out of the vineyard, and they killed him.
"Therefore, when the lord of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those gardeners?" They said to him, "He will destroy those bad people in a bad way, and he will give out the vineyard to other gardeners, who will return the fruits to him in their seasons."
42 Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the writings: "a stone that was rejected by the builders, this one has become the cornerstone. This has been done by Yahweh, and it is a wonderment in our eyes"? On account of this I am telling you that God's kingdom will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will make its fruits. And the one who falls on this stone will be bruised, but the one on whom it may fall, it will pulverize him."
And when the high priests and the Perushim heard his analogies, they knew that he was talking about them. And though seeking to take hold of him, they were afraid of the crowds, since they held him to be a prophet.
TWENTY TWO
22:1 And Jesus answered, talking again to them with analogies, saying, "The kingdom of the heavens is like a person, a king, who made a marriage feast for his son. And he sent out his slaves to call into the marriage festivities those who had been invited, and they did not want to come. Again he sent other slaves, saying, 'Tell those who have been called, "Look, I have prepared my meal, my bulls and fattened animals have been slaughtered, and all things are ready. Come into the wedding festivities."'
"But they went away, neglecting the call, one indeed to his own field, but one to his merchandise. But the remaining ones took hold of his slaves, and reproached and killed them. Now the king was angered, and he sent his soldiers, and he destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
"Then he said to his slaves, 'Indeed, the wedding feast is ready, but the ones who were invited were unworthy. Therefore, go to the thruways of the roads and call into the festivities whomever you find.' And those slaves went out into the roads and gathered all that they found, evil people and good people, and the marriage feast was filled with people reclining.
"Now when the king entered to observe those who were reclining, he noticed a person there who was not wearing wedding clothes, and he said to him, 'Comrade, how did you enter here without having wedding clothes?' But he muzzled himself. Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind his feet and hands and throw him out into the outer darkness!' There, there will be crying and grinding of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen."
15 Then when the Perushim had gone, they took counsel, so that they might trap him in speech. And they sent out their students, with the Herodians, to him, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are true, and that you are teaching God's way in truth, and that there is no concern to you regarding anyone, for you are not looking at human faces. Therefore, tell us what you think: Is it legal to give tribute to Caesar or not?"
But Jesus knew their evil, and he said, "Why are you testing me, hypocrites?! Show me the tribute coin." Now they brought him a denarius, and he said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" They said to him, "Caesar's." Then he told them, "Therefore, give back Caesar's things to Caesar, and give back God's things to God." And when they heard, they wondered, and they left him and went away.
23 On that day, Zadokites came to him, saying that there is no resurrection, and they asked him, saying, "Teacher, Moses said, "If someone should die without having children, his brother will add his wife in marriage and raise up seed for his brother."
"Now there were seven brothers with us. And after the first one married, he was completed. And since he had had no seed, he left his wife to his brother. It was also likewise for the second, and the third, up to the seventh. Now last of all, the woman died. Therefore, during the resurrection, whose wife, of the seven, will she be? For they all had her."
But Jesus answered, saying to them, "You are going astray. You neither know the writings nor God's power. For during the resurrection they neither marry nor are they given in marriage. On the contrary, they are as messengers in heaven. But about the resurrection of the dead, haven't you read what was declared to you by God, saying, "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaak, and the God of Jacob?" He is not a god of dead people, but of living." And when the crowds heard, they were amazed at his instruction.
34 Now when the Perushim heard that he had muzzled the Zadokites, they gathered at the same place. And one of them, a lawyer, asked, testing him, "Teacher, what precept in the Torah is greatest?" Now he said to them, ""You will love Yahweh your God with the whole of your heart, and with the whole of your soul, and with the whole of your mind." This is the greatest and foremost precept. Now the second is similar: "You will love your neighbor as yourself." The whole Torah and the Prophets are hung by these two precepts."
41 Now while the Perushim were gathered, Jesus asked them, saying, "What do you think about the Anointed One? Whose son is he?" They said to him, "David's." He said to them, "Then how does David, with the breath, call him Lord? He says, "Yahweh said to my Lord, 'Sit at my right side until I place your enemies as a footstool for your feet.'" Therefore, if David calls him Lord, how is he his descendent?" And no one was able to answer him with a statement, nor did anyone dare to ask him anything from that day forward.
TWENTY THREE
23:1 Then Jesus called the crowds and his students, saying, "The scribes and the Perushim sit at Moses' seat. Therefore, do and keep all things, as many as they should tell you. But do not do according to their deeds. For they say, and they don't do. Now they bind heavy and oppressive burdens and place them on people's shoulders. But they don't want to move them with their finger. But they do all their deeds to be observed by people. For they widen their phylacteries and enlarge the tufts.
"Now they are affectionate of the foremost couch at the feasts, and the foremost seats in the gatherings, and the greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by people 'Rabbi.'
"But you will not be called Rabbi. For one person is your teacher, but all of you are brothers.
"And you will not call anyone on earth your father. For one is your Father, the heavenly one.
"Nor will you be called leaders, because one person is your leader, the Anointed One.
"But whoever elevates himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be elevated.
13 "But woe to you, scribes and Perushim! Hypocrites! Because you shut up the kingdom of the heavens in the presence of people. For neither will you enter, nor will you allow those who ARE entering to enter.
"Woe to you, scribes and Perushim! Hypocrites! Because you go around the sea and dry land to make one convert. And when he becomes one, you make him twice the sons of Gehenna as yourselves.
"Woe to you, you blind guides who say, 'Whoever should swear by the temple, it is nothing. But whoever should swear by the temple's gold, he is bound.' Fools and blind people! For which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold holy?
"And 'Whoever should swear by the altar, it is nothing. But whoever should swear by the gift that is up there, he is bound.' Blind people! For which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift holy?
"Therefore, the one who swears by the altar is swearing by it and by all the things that are on top of it. And the one who swears by the temple is swearing by it and by the one who dwelt in it. And the one who swears by heaven is swearing by God's throne and by the one who sits on top of it.
"Woe to you, scribes and Perushim! Hypocrites! Because you give a tenth from the mint, and the dill, and the cumin, but you let go the Torah's heavier things: judgment, and mercy, and trust. But it is necessary to do these things without letting the former things go. You are blind guides who filter out a gnat but swallow a camel!
"Woe to you, scribes and Perushim! Hypocrites! Because you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and lack of control. Blind Perush: first cleanse the inside of the cup, so that its outside might also become clean.
"Woe to you, scribes and Perushim! Hypocrites! Because you are analogous to whitewashed tombs, which indeed appear beautiful from outside, but inside they are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanliness. In the same way also, you indeed appear as just to people from outside, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
"Woe to you, scribes and Perushim! Hypocrites! Because you construct the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the just people, and you say, 'If we had been in the days in our ancestors, we would not have been their partners in the blood of the prophets.' And you fill the measure of your ancestors. Serpents! Broods of vipers! How will you flee from the judgment of Gehenna?!
"Look! On account of this I am sending prophets and wise people and scribes to you. You will kill and crucify some of them, and you will whip some of them in your gatherings and persecute them from city to city, so that all just blood that has been shed on the land may come upon you, from the blood of Abel the just to the blood of Zachariah, son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Indeed I am telling you, all these things will come upon this generation.
"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who were sent to you! How much I have wanted to gather your children, in the way in which a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you did not want it. Look, your house is left to you deserted. For I am telling you, by no means will you see me from this moment until you should say, "Praised is the one who comes in Yahweh's name.""
TWENTY FOUR
24:1 And after Jesus was exiting, when he was going away from the temple, his students came to him to show him the buildings of the temple. But he answered, saying to them, "Don't look at all these things. Indeed I am telling you, by no means will there be a stone left here on top of another stone that will not be thrown down." Now as he was sitting on the Mountain of Olive Trees, the students came to him by themselves, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of the presence and of the conclusion of the age?"
And Jesus answered, saying to them, "Watch out, so that no one deceive you. For many will come with my name, saying, 'I am the Anointed One," and they will deceive many people. But you are about to hear about wars and reports of wars. See to it that you are not alarmed, for it is necessary to happen. But the end is not yet.
"For nation will rise up upon nation, and kingdom upon kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes at places. But all these things are the beginning of painful things.
"Then they will deliver you over for affliction, and they will kill you, and you will be hated by all the nations on account of my name. And then many will stumble, and will deliver one another over, and will hate one another. And many false prophets will rise up, and they will deceive many people. And on account of the fullness of lawlessness, the love of the majority will be cooled, but the one who endures to the end, this one will be saved. And this good message of the kingdom will be heralded in the whole empire, for a witness to all the nations. And then the end will come.
"Therefore, when you see "the desolating detestable thing," that was declared through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place--the one who reads, let him think--then those who are in Judea should flee to the mountains, the one on the roof should not descend to take the things from his house, and the one who is in the field should not turn back to take his cloak. Woe to the ones who have babies in their bellies and those who are nursing in those days!
"But pray, so that your flight would not happen in winter or on a Sabbath. For then there will be great affliction, the likes of which has not happened from the beginning of creation until the present, neither should it by any means happen. And if those days were not cut short, no flesh would be saved. But on account of the chosen ones, those days will be cut short.
"Then if someone says to you, 'Look, here is the Anointed One,' or, 'He is here,' do not believe. For false Anointed Ones and false prophets will rise up, and they will give great signs and wonders, and so they will deceive, if possible, even the chosen ones. Look, I have told you in advance. Therefore, if they should say to you, 'Look, he is in the desert,' don't go out. If they say, 'Look, he is in the private places,' do not believe. For just as the lightning comes out from the east and is apparent as far as the west, the presence of the Son of Man will be this way. Wherever a corpse may be, the vultures will be gathered there.
"Now immediately after the affliction of those days, "The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens" will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will be in the sky, and then all the tribes of the land will lament, and they will see "the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky" with power and much glory. And he will send his messengers with great trumpets, and they will gather his chosen ones from the four winds--from the extreme points of the heavens to their other extremes.
32 "Now learn from the analogy of the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and it puts out its leaves, you know that the summer is near. In the same way also, when you notice all these things, know that he is near, at the doors. Indeed I am telling you that by no means will this generation pass away until all these things happen. The sky and the land will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away.
36 "But about that day and hour no one knows: neither the messengers of the heavens nor the son, no one except the Father alone. For just as in the days of Noah, the presence of the Son of Man will be that way. For as in those days before the flood, they were dining and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark--and they did not know it until the flood came and took everything away--the presence of the Son of Man will also be this way. Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken along, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding in the mill; one will be taken along, and one will be left.
"Therefore, watch out, because you don't know on what day your Lord is coming. But you know this: that if the ruler of the house knew on what guard the thief were coming, he would watch out and would not allow him to dig into his house. On account of this, you too should become prepared, because you don't know at what hour the Son of Man is coming.
"Consequently, who is the trustworthy and mindful slave, whom the lord has set over his household, to give them food in season? Blessed is that slave whom his lord finds doing this when he comes. Indeed I am telling you that he will set him over all his possessions. But if that bad slave should say in his heart, 'My lord is taking his time,' and if he should begin to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with those who get drunk, that slave's lord will come in during a day when he is not expecting and at an hour that he doesn't know, and he will cut him in half and will place his portion with the hypocrites. There, there will be crying and grinding of teeth.
TWENTY FIVE
25:1 "Then, the kingdom of the heavens will be like ten virgins, who, after taking lamps, went out to a meeting with the bridegroom. Now five of them were foolish, and five were mindful. For the foolish ones took their lamps but did not take oil with them. Now the mindful ones took oil in the vessels with their lamps.
"Now while the bridegroom was taking longer time, they all nodded off and fell asleep. But in the middle of the night, a cry happened: 'Look, the bridegroom! Go out to his meeting.' Then all those virgins got up and adorned their lamps. But the foolish ones said to the mindful ones, 'Give us of your oil, because our lamps are being extinguished.' But the mindful ones answered, saying, 'Lest there by no means should be enough for us and you, go to those who sell, rather, and buy from them.'
"Now while they were going away to buy, the bridegroom came, and the prepared ones came with him for the wedding festivities, and the door was shut. But afterward, the rest of the virgins came, saying, 'Lord, lord, open for us!' But he answered, saying, 'Indeed I am telling you, I don't know you.' Therefore, watch out, because you know neither the day nor the hour.
14 "For it will be just like a person traveling abroad, who called his own slaves and delivered over his possessions to them. And to one indeed he gave five talents, but to one he gave two, and to one he gave one, to each according to his own power. And he traveled abroad. The one who had received the five talents went immediately, traded with them, and gained another five. Similarly, the one with the two gains another two. But the one who had received one, retired and carved out ground, and he hid his lord's silver.
"Now after a long time, the lord of those slaves came and settled the account with them. And the one who had received five talents went to him and brought the five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you gave five talents over to me. Look, I have gained five other talents.' His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and trustworthy slave. You were trustworthy with a few things; I will place you over many. Enter into your lord's joy.'
"Now also, the one who had the two talents went to him, saying, 'Lord, you gave two talents over to me. Look, I have gained two other talents.' His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and trustworthy slave. You were trustworthy with a few things; I will place you over many. Enter into your lord's joy.'
"Now also, the one who had the one talent went to him, saying, 'Lord, knowing that you are a violent person, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you did not scatter, and being afraid, I went out and hid your talent in the ground. Look, you have what is yours.' But his lord answered, saying to him, 'You evil and slow slave! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered. Therefore, it was necessary for you to cast my silver to the bankers, and when I came I would have been paid what was mine with interest. Therefore, take the talent away from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For all will be given to and will be abundant for the one who has, but for the one who does not have even what he has will be taken away from him. And cast the useless slave into the outer darkness. There, there will be crying and grinding of teeth.'
31 "Now when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the messengers with him, then he will sit on his throne of glory, and all the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate them out from one another, just as the shepherd separates out the sheep from the goats. And he will indeed station the sheep at his right side and the goats at the left.
"Then the king will say to those at his right side, 'Come, you who are praised by my Father: inherit the kingdom that was prepared for you before the laying down of creation. For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink. I was a stranger, and you gathered me in; naked, and you wrapped something around me; weak, and you visited me. I was in jail, and you came to me.'
"Then the just ones will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you to drink? When did we see you as a stranger and gather you in? Or naked and wrap something around you? When did we see you weak or in jail and come to you?' And the king will answer, saying to them, 'Indeed I assure you, as often as you did them for one of these of the least of my brothers, you did them for me.'
41 "Then also he will say to the ones at the left side, 'Cursed ones! Go from me into the eternal fire that was prepared for the accuser and his messengers. For I was hungry, and you did not give me to eat. I was thirsty, and you did not give me to drink. I was a stranger, and you did not gather me in; naked, and you did not wrap anything around me; weak and in jail, and you did not visit me.'
"Then they will also answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or weak, or in jail, and did not serve you?' Then he will answer them, saying, 'Indeed I am telling you, as often as you did not do these things for one of these of the least, neither did you do them for me.' And these will be released into eternal severance, but the just ones will be released into eternal life."
TWENTY SIX
26:1 And when Jesus had completed all these words, it happened that he said to his students, "You know that the Passover is happening in two days, and the Son of Man is being delivered up to be crucified."
Then the high priests and the older ones of the people came together in the court of that high priest who is called Kaiaphas. And they conspired, so that they might grab hold of Jesus with deceit and kill him. But they said, "Not during the feast, so that no riot would happen among the people."
6 Now when Jesus happened in Bethany, in Simon the leper's house, a woman came to him who had an alabaster box of very valuable balsam, and she poured it over his head as he reclined. But when the students noticed, they were indignant, saying, "Why is there this loss? For she was able to have done great business with this and to have given to the poor." But Jesus, knowing, said to them, "Why are you bringing trouble for this woman? For she has worked a good deed for me. For you always have the poor with you, but me you do not always have. For in casting this balsam on my body, she has done it to embalm me. Indeed I am telling you, whenever this good message is heralded in the whole creation, what she did will also be spoken of for her remembrance."
Then one of the twelve, Judah Iscariot, went to the high priests and said, "What do you want to give me, so that I will deliver him over to you?" Now they paid him thirty silver pieces, and from then he was seeking a good season, so that he might deliver him over.
17 Now at the start of the days of Unleavened Bread, the students went to Jesus, saying, "Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?" Now he said, "Go up into the city to a specific person and say to him, 'The teacher says, 'My season is near. By you I will do the Passover with my students.' And the students did as Jesus had arranged with them, and they prepared the Passover.
20 Now when evening happened, he reclined with the Twelve, and as they were dining, he said, "Indeed I am telling you that one from among you will deliver me over." And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each one began to say to him, "Is it I, Lord?" But he answered, saying, "The one who dips his hand with me in the bowl, this one will deliver me over. Indeed, the Son of Man is going up, just as it was written about him. But woe to that person through whom the Son of Man is delivered up. It would be nice for him if that person had not been born!" Now Judah, the one who delivered him up, answered, saying, "Is it I, Rabbi?" He said to him, "You have said it."
Now as they were dining, Jesus took bread, and he blessed it, broke it, and gave it to the students, saying, "This is my body." And taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them, saying, "All of you drink from it. For this is my blood of the covenant, which is being poured out concerning many people for the forgiveness of sins. Now I am telling you, from now on I will by no means drink from this product of the vine until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom." And after singing the hymn, they went out to the Mountain of Olive Trees.
31 Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will stumble over me during this night, for it was written, "I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered." But after my rising, I will go ahead of you into Galilaiah." Now Peter answered, saying to him, "Even if everyone stumbles over you, I will never stumble!" Jesus said to him, "Indeed I am telling you that during this night, before the rooster crows ((watch trumpet sounds)), you will deny me three times." Peter said to him, "Even if it is necessary for me to be destroyed together with you, I will by no means deny you!" And all of the students said likewise.
36 Then Jesus came with them into the country that is called Gethsemane, and he said to his students, "Sit down in it, while I go away there to pray." And he took along Peter and the two sons of Zebediah, and he began to be sorrowful and in anguish. Then he said to them, ""My soul is surrounded with sorrow" to the point of death. Stay here and watch with me."
And he went ahead a short distance and fell on his face, praying and saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup bypass me. However, let it not be as I want but as you want." And he went to the students and, finding them asleep, he then said to Peter, "Weren't you strong enough to watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray, so that you would not enter into trial. Indeed, the spirit is eager, but the flesh is weak."
Again, for a second time, he went away and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is impossible for this to bypass (unless I drink it), let what you want happen." And he went again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were burdened.
And he left them, again going away. He prayed, again saying the same statement for a third time. Then he went to the students and said to them, "Have you been sitting for the rest of the time and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is being delivered up into the hands of sinners. Get up, let's go. Look, the one who is delivering me up is near."
47 And while he was still speaking, look, Judah, one of the Twelve, came, and a great crowd came with him from the high priests and older ones of the people, with swords and clubs. Now the one who delivered him over had given them a sign, saying, "Whoever I kiss is the one. Take hold of him." And immediately he went to Jesus, said, "Hello, Rabbi," and passionately kissed him. Now Jesus said to him, "Comrade, for what reason are you present?" Then they came to him, laid hands on Jesus, and took hold of him.
And look, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand, drew his sword, and struck the high priest's slave, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, "Return your sword to its place. For all of those who take the sword will be destroyed with a sword. Or don't you know that I am able to call my Father aside, and he will station around me now more than twelve legions of messengers? Then how would the writings be fulfilled that say it is necessary to happen this way?"
55 At that hour, Jesus said to the crowds, "You have come with swords and clubs to take me like a robber. By day, I sat in the temple court, teaching, and you did not take hold of me. But this whole thing has happened so that the writings of the prophets would be fulfilled." Then the students all left him, fleeing.
57 Now the ones who took hold of Jesus led him away to Kaiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the older people were gathered. But Peter followed him from a large distance up to the court of the high priest. And after entering inside, he sat with the officers to see the end result.
Now the high priests and the whole Sanhedrin was seeking false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put him to death. And they did not find any, though many false witnesses had come to them. But afterwards, two people came to them, saying, "This one said, 'I am able to knock down God's temple and to construct it in three days.'" And the high priest stood up and said to him, "Are you answering nothing to what these people are testifying against you?" But Jesus was silent. And the high priest said to him, "I bind you by oath, according to the living God, so that you would tell us if you are the Anointed One, God's son."
Jesus said to him, "You have said it. However, I am telling you, from the present you will see the "Son of Man" seated at the right side of the power and "coming on the clouds of the sky."" Then the high priest ripped his cloak, saying, "He is speaking evil! Why do we still have any need of witnesses?! Look, now, you have heard his evil speaking! What do you think?" Now they answered, saying, "He is liable to death."
Then they spit in his face and punched him, and they slapped him, saying, "Divine for us, Anointed One: who is it that is striking you?"
69 Now Peter was seated outside in the court. And one servant girl came to him, saying, "You too were with Jesus the Galilaian." But he denied it the presence of all, saying, "I don't know what you're saying."
Now he went out into the portico, and another one noticed him and said to those who were there, "This one was also with Jesus of Nazareth." And again he denied, with an oath, "I don't know the person."
Now after a little time, the ones who were standing by came up and said to Peter, "Truly, you too are among them, for also your speech makes you known." Then he began to curse and swear, "I don't know the person!" And immediately a rooster crew ((watch trumpet sounded)).
And Peter remembered Jesus' declaration, which declared that, "Before a rooster crows ((watch trumpet sounds)), you will deny me three times." And he went outside and cried bitterly.
TWENTY SEVEN
27:1 Now after morning happened, all the high priests and the older ones of the people took counsel against Jesus, so that they might put him to death. And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilatus the governor.
3 Then when Judah (the one who had delivered him up) noticed that they were condemning Jesus, he regretted it and returned the thirty silver pieces to the high priests and older ones, saying, "I have sinned, delivering up innocent blood." But they said, "What is that to us? You yourself will see to that." And, tossing the silver pieces into the temple court, he withdrew and went away, and he was choked.
Now the high priests took the silver pieces and said, "It is illegal to cast them into the korban fund, since it is the price of blood." But after taking counsel, they bought with them the potter's field, in which to bury strangers. So, that field is called "Field of Blood" until today. Then what was declared through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying, "And, I took the thirty silver pieces" from the sons of Israel, the price at which they valued the valuable one, and I gave them for the "potter's field", "just as Yahweh arranged for me."
11 Now Jesus was standing in the presence of the Governor, and the one who was governing asked him, saying, "Are you the King of the Jews?" But Jesus said, "You are saying that." And he replied nothing among his being accused by the high priests and older people. Then Pilatus said to him, "Do you hear how many things they are testifying against you?" And he did not answer him, not even one declaration, and so the Governor wondered greatly.
15 Now at the feast, the one who was governing was accustomed to release to the crowd one prisoner that they wanted. Now they had then a noteworthy prisoner called Bar-Abbas. Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilatus told them, "Which one do you want me to release to you: Bar-Abbas, or Jesus who is called Anointed?" For he knew that they had delivered him over through envy.
But while he was seated on the tribunal, his wife sent a message out to him, saying, "Let there be nothing between you and this just person. For I have been suffering much today by dreams on account of him."
Now the high priests and the older people persuaded the crowds, so that they would ask for Bar-Abbas, but to destroy Jesus. Now the one who was governing answered, saying to them, "Which one of the two do you want me to release to you?" But they