CONTENTS

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

Acts

The Epistles--in correct chronological order

The Epistle to the Galatians (47-48 AD)

The Epistle of James (47-48 AD)

The Epistles of 1st & 2ndThessalonians (51-52 AD)

The Epistle of 1st Corinthians (52-54 AD)

The Epistle of 2nd Corinthians (52-54 AD)

The Epistle to the Romans (52-57 AD)

The Epistle to the Colossians (61-63 AD)

The Epistle to the Ephesians (61-63 AD)

The Epistle to the Philippians (61-63 AD)

The Epistle to Philemon (63 AD)

The Epistle of 1st Timothy (65 AD)

The Epistle of 1st Peter (65-66 AD)

The Epistle to Titus (66 AD)

The Epistle of Jude (65-75 AD)

The Epistle of 2nd Peter (65-67 AD)

The Book of Hebrews (65-67 AD)

The Epistle of 2nd Timothy (67 AD)

The Epistles of John (90-95 AD)

Revelation (96 AD)

Matthew

MATTHEW CHAPTER1

1 This is a record of the ancestry of Jesus the Messiah, inheritor of David’s throne, and descendant of Abraham.

2 Abraham (Father of a Multitude) fathered Isaac (Laughter); and Isaac fathered Jacob (Heel-catcher or Supplanter); and Jacob fathered Judah (He Shall be Praised) and his brethren;

3 And Judah fathered Perez (A Breach) and Zara (Rising) of Thamar (Date Palm); and Perez fathered Esrom (Enclosed); and Esrom fathered Aram (High);

4 And Aram fathered Aminadab (One of the Prince‘s People); and Aminadab fathered Naasson (Enchanter); and Naasson fathered Salmon (A Garment);

5 And Salmon fathered Boaz (In Him is Strength) of Rahab (Wide); and Boaz fathered Obed (Serving) of Ruth (Female Friend); and Obed fathered Jesse (Wealthy);

6 And Jesse fathered David (Beloved) the king; and David the king fathered Solomon (Peaceful) of bat Sheba (Daughter of the Oath), who had been the wife of Urias;

7 And Solomon fathered Roboam (Enlarger of the People); and Roboam fathered Abijah (My Father is Yah); and Abijah fathered Asa (Doctor);

8 And Asa fathered Josaphat (Whom Yahweh Judges); and Josaphat fathered Joram (Whom Yahweh Has Exalted); and Joram fathered Ozias (Strength of Yahweh);

9 And Ozias fathered Joatham (Yahweh is Upright); and Joatham fathered Achaz (Possessor); and Achaz fathered Hezekiah (The Might of Yahweh);

10 And Hezekiah fathered Manasses (Forgetting); and Manasses fathered Amon (Builder); and Amon fathered Josias (Whom Yahweh Heals);

11 And Josias fathered Jechonias (Whom Yahweh Establishes) and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:

12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias fathered Salathiel (I Have Asked of God); and Salathiel fathered Zorobabel (Born in Babylon);

13 And Zorobabel fathered Abiud (My Father is Majesty); and Abiud fathered Eliakim (Raising Up by God); and Eliakim fathered Azor (Helper);

14 And Azor fathered Sadoc (Just); and Sadoc fathered Achim (The Lord Will Establish); and Achim fathered Eliud (God His Praise);

15 And Eliud fathered Eleazar (Help of God); and Eleazar fathered Matthan (Gift); and Matthan fathered Jacob (Heel-catcher or Supplanter);

16 And Jacob fathered Joseph (Let Him Add), the husband of Miriam (Rebel), of whom was born Jesus (Yahweh is Ssalvation) who is called Christ--the Anointed One.

17 So there are fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen generations from David to the forced exodus to Babylon, and fourteen generations from that to the birth of the Messiah.

18 Now the circumstances of Jesus‘ birth were these: While his mother Miriam was still engaged to Joseph--before they had formally been married--she, though a virgin, was found to be pregnant through the power of the Spirit of God.

19 Her fiancé Joseph, a just man (who was unwilling to put her through the public humiliation of the Sotah ceremony for alleged adulteresses), considered divorcing her quietly.

20 But while he was debating what to do about these things, the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a dream, and said: Joseph, descendant of David--don‘t hesitate to go through with this marriage to Miriam, for her unborn child was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit.

21 She will give birth to a son whom you will name Yeshua (--or Jesus in the Greek tongue, which means ‘God is Salvation’--) because he will save his people from their sins.

22 This all happened so that a prophecy spoken by the Lord through Isaiah could come to pass:

23 Behold, a young (virgin) girl shall become pregnant, and give birth to a son that shall be named Emmanuel, which means ‘God is in our midst’.

24 Awakening, Joseph heeded the angel’s words, and went through with the marriage.

25 But he did not sleep with Miriam at any time during the pregnancy, and finally a boy child was born whom Joseph named Yeshua (Jesus).

MATTHEW CHAPTER 2

1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the latter days of Herod the Great, some sages came to Jerusalem from the east.

2 They asked: Where is he who is born the King of the Jews? (In Babylon,) we saw his star in the sky proclaiming his birth, and have come to honor him.

3 When Herod the Great heard about this, he became nervous (for his throne), and all Jerusalem trembled with him.

4 So Herod summoned the chief priests and Torah teachers among the people, and demanded to know where the Messiah would be born.

5 They told him: Bethlehem in Judea, for the prophet Micah wrote:

6 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

7 Then Herod (--concerned about word of this child’s existence spreading--) secretly called the visiting sages, and asked when they had first seen the star.

8 (When they answered that it was around a year previously,) he then sent them to Bethlehem, saying: Search diligently for this young child, and let me know when and where you find him, that I may go honor him as well.

9 At Herod’s word they departed--and the star they had seen in the east appeared to move before them, and led them to a house (in Bethlehem) where the young child was. There, it halted.

10 At seeing the star do this, the sages greatly rejoiced.

11 They came into the house and found the infant with his mother Miriam, and fell prostrate, reverencing him. Then they opened their packs and presented the family with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

12 God warned them in a dream not to go back to Herod, so they returned to (Babylonia) by a different route.

13 After they left, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in another dream, and told him: Get up, and take the young child and his mother to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you to return, for Herod will try to find and slay him.

14 As soon as the dream was over, Joseph awakened and wasted no time in leading his family out of Bethlehem, and they left that same night, fleeing westward to Egypt.

15 They were there until Herod died a short time later, so that a prophecy of the Lord through Hosea could be fulfilled that said: Out of Egypt have I called my son.

16 After Herod realized that the sages had gotten the better of him, he was furious, and sent his men out to slay all the male children in and around Bethlehem who were around (one year old or younger, for the sages said it was around a year earlier that they had seen the star).

17 This was to fulfill a prophecy by Jeremiah:

18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

19 Herod died soon after this, and in Egypt an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in another dream,

20 Saying: Get up, and take the baby and his mother back to Israel, for the ones who wanted him dead are now dead themselves.

21 So Joseph arose, gathered up the baby and his mother, and they returned to Israel.

22 But when he heard that Herod’s son Archelaus had taken the throne of Judea (--and was already showing himself to be a despot like his father--) he was afraid to go back. On top of that, he had a dream from God not to go back as well, and so he went instead to the region of Galilee.

23 Thus, Joseph came to settle in a hamlet called Nazareth (fulfilling an ancient tradition of the prophets: He shall be called a Nazarene.)

MATTHEW CHAPTER 3

1 In the days when Jesus had grown to adulthood but still lived in Nazareth, John (--or Yochannon in the Hebrew tongue--) the Baptizer started his ministry in the Judean wilderness,

2 Saying: Repent, for the (Kingdom of the Messiah) is at hand!

3 Now John was the one prophesied  of by Isaiah when he wrote: The voice of one crying in the wilderness, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.“

4 This same John (--as had Elijah in olden times--) dressed in a garment of camel’s hair with a leather girdle about his loins, and he ate (carob beans) and wild honey.

5 Everyone in Jerusalem, Judea, and in the region of Jordan came,

6 And were baptized by him in the Jordan River, (publicly) confessing their sins.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees, (the religious leaders who controlled the synagogues,) and Sadducees, (the priests who controlled the great Temple,) come to his baptism, John railed against them, saying: You bunch of snakes! Who warned you to repent and escape God’s coming wrath?!

8 Change your attitudes and the way that you act if you‘ve come to repent!

9 Don’t think to yourselves, We’re Abraham’s descendants (so we have nothing to fear)! God can take these rocks you see (--the ones erected by Joshua when the Israelites entered the Promised Land--) and turn them into children of Abraham if He wants to!

10 Be warned that God’s ax is ready to cut down the trees that bear no good fruit, therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and cast into the fire!

11 I am indeed baptizing you with mere water for repentance, but someone is coming after me--a man whose sandals I am not even worthy to carry--who will baptize with the Holy Spirit, and fire!

12 His fan is in his hand, ready to fan the harvest to separate the wheat and gather it into his barn, but the chaff (--John said about the Pharisees and Sadducees--) he will burn with a fire that will never go out!

13 Eventually, Jesus also came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.

14 But John tried to stop him, saying: I need you to baptize me, and yet you come to me?

15 Jesus answered: Allow it, for we must do this to fulfill the plan of righteousness. So John baptized him.

16 When Jesus came up from the water, John had a vision of the heavens opening up and the Spirit of God descending and resting upon Jesus like a dove.

17 And a voice from heaven said: This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased!

MATTHEW CHAPTER 4

1 Then the Spirit of God led Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the devil.

2 He fasted a full forty days and nights, and at the end was very hungry.

3 The Tempter now came to him (in his weakness), and said: Since you‘re the Son of God, turn these rocks into bread.

4 But Jesus answered: It is written in the Scriptures that, Men shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that God speaks.

5 Next, the devil took Jesus to the holy city of Jerusalem and set him upon the highest pinnacle of the Temple.

6 He said: Since you’re the Son of God, jump down (in view of the crowds, so they’ll believe in you), for it’s written in the Scriptures: He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

7 Jesus‘ reply was: It is also written in the Scriptures, You shall not tempt the Lord your God.

8 Then the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and gave him a vision of all the world‘s kingdoms and their glory.

9 He said to Jesus: All these people and nations I will give to you if, falling down, you will do an act of worship to me.

10 Then Jesus said to him: Get away, Satan! It is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve!

11 Then the devil left, and angels came and ministered to Jesus.

12 Now when Jesus heard that Herod Antipas had cast John into a dungeon, he went back to Galilee.

13 And after leaving Nazareth, he moved to Capernaum (the city of Nahum the prophet), which is on the coast in the regions assigned to the tribes of Zebulon and Napthali,

14 So a prophecy of Isaiah would be fulfilled:

15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;

16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

17 From that point forward, Jesus took up the message of John, preaching: Repent, for the Messianic Kingdom is at hand!

18 One day, Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee and saw two brothers--Shimon, called Peter, and Andrew his brother--who were casting a net into the great lake, for they were fishermen.

19 Jesus spoke to them, and said: Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men!

20 So the two immediately left their nets, and followed him.

21 Going along the shore, he found two other brothers, James and John, who were mending their fishing nets in a boat with their father Zebedee, and Jesus called them too.

22 So they immediately left the boat and their father, and followed Jesus.

23 Jesus then went all around the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the “Good news” of the Messianic Kingdom, and healing all sorts of sickness and disease troubling the people.

24 Jesus’ reputation spread throughout all Syria, and the people flocked to him with the sick, the diseased, the insane, the paralytics, and the demon-possessed--and he healed them!

25 Because of this, massive crowds from Galilee, the “Ten Cities“ region, Jerusalem, Judea, and other lands far beyond Jordan, followed him wherever he went.

MATTHEW CHAPTER 5

1 And seeing the vast host of people, he went up upon a hill (so that his voice could be heard more clearly), and when he had sat down his disciples gathered around him.

2 Then Jesus began to speak, and taught them, saying:

3 Blessed are those who are (humble and contrite), for theirs is Kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek, for this earth shall belong to them.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.

7 Blessed are those who show mercy to others, for God will show mercy to them.

8 Blessed are those with pure hearts, for God shall reveal Himself to them.

9 Blessed are those who work to bring peace to the earth, for they shall be called the children of God.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for doing what is right, for the Kingdom of heaven awaits them.

11 Blessed are you when you‘re slandered, persecuted, and lied about because you follow me.

12 Rejoice, and be very glad--for you have a great reward waiting for you in heaven since this is how the prophets were persecuted before you!

13 You all, like salt, are those who can season this world (and direct it away from the path of evil). But if, like diluted salt, you lose that which makes you a force of seasoning (and preservation), what good are you? You are no better than the salt that is strewn in the Temple courts during wintertime that men trample upon.

14 You are all lights in this world, and like a city that is built upon a hill, you cannot hide what you are.

15 Men don‘t light a candle and hide its light under a basket! They put it in a candlestick so everyone in the house is able to see in the darkness.

16 So let the light of God in you shine before the world so people can see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

17 Don’t misunderstand my purpose, for I have not come to distort or overturn the Law of Moses (as some might be claiming). I have not come to destroy it, but to fulfill it.

18 I assure you that if it takes to the end of time itself, not so little as one point of minutiae will pass from the commandments until the whole of the Law completes its ordained purpose.

19 So whoever breaks so little as one commandment, and teaches others some rationale for doing so, will be called the lowest of the low in the Kingdom of heaven! But whoever follows the commandments of God, and teaches others to follow them as well, shall be called a great man in the Kingdom of heaven.

20 But you need to know that unless your righteousness exceeds that of (hypocrites like) the Torah teachers and Pharisees, you have no chance of entering into the Kingdom of heaven.

21 For instance, you’ve heard it said from ancient times, Thou shalt not kill, and whoever murders shall be called to account before the judges.

22 But I want you to know that if you even hold a grudge against a brother in the community, you are in danger of judgment. And if you verbally denounce a brother in the community, you may be taken to court for slander--but if you pass judgment upon another person’s salvation or right standing with God when it is not your place to do so, you are in danger of hellfire yourself!

23 Therefore, if you bring a sacrificial gift to the Temple and there recall that a brother has something against you,

24 Leave your gift offering at the altar, go make amends with your brother, and then come back to make the offering.

25 If someone sues you in real life, settle your debt before the judge intervenes, even if it‘s on the courthouse steps--because, if you‘re in the wrong, the judge may hand you over to the jailer, and he will throw you into Debtor‘s Prison!

26 I tell you truly, once the gavel comes down, you won‘t get out of prison until you find a way to pay off every cent of what you owe from behind bars. (And how could you do that, once you‘re in prison?)

27 (With this in mind,) consider the fact that from days of old, you‘ve heard it said: Thou shalt not commit adultery.

28 But I want you to know that a person who simply looks upon another, and fantasizes about them--even if it goes no further--is guilty of adultery in his heart so far as God is concerned (and a price must be paid for that sin)!

29 So if you can’t turn your right eye away from an attractive woman or man--pluck it out! It’s better to lose an eye than to have your whole body wind up in hell! (Where, like the man in Debtor’s Prison, you will stay until you’ve paid the full debt.)

30 As well, if your hand is used for your own lustful self-gratification--cut it off! Better to have no hand, than to let your hand lead you to destruction, and your whole body wind up in hellfire! (Where, like the man in Debtor’s Prison, you will stay until you’ve paid the full debt from behind bars.)

31 It’s been said that a man who wants to divorce his wife should merely write out a Bill of Divorce, and send her away.

32 But I tell you that as far as God is concerned, any man who divorces his wife for a reason other than her committing fornication, makes her, and anyone she subsequently marries, both adulterers (because God still considers her married to her first husband--and the man who divorced her to start with will be called to account for his action that caused two others to wind up in sin)!

33 Again, it’s long been taught that a person, to make his word seem more believable, should invoke God as a witness to his promise.

34 But I tell you not to make vows at all! Do not swear, invoking heaven as a witness, for that is where God’s throne is.

35 Do not swear by anything upon the earth, for it is God's footstool; nor should you swear by Jerusalem itself, for it is 'the city of the Messiah' (and thus holy).

36 Don’t even swear by your own head, because you can’t even make one hair white or black.

37 But just agree or disagree to a thing, and leave it at that--because anything else is of the Evil One.

38 You’ve heard it said that it is acceptable to take reasonable vengeance for wrongs done to you--eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.

39 But I tell you, don’t take that attitude against evil done to you. And if someone insults you, ignore it.

40 If anyone wants to sue you for your robe--hand over your cloak, too.

41 If a Roman soldier invokes his right under their law, and compels you to carry his equipment for one mile--carry it for two miles!

42 Give to anyone who asks, and don‘t refuse someone who wants to borrow from you.

43 You have heard it said: “A man should love his neighbor, but hate his enemy.”

44 But I say to love your enemies as well, and bless those who curse you. Do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who take advantage of, or persecute you.

45 In doing this, you will be children of your Father in heaven, for He has the sun rise on the evil as well as the good, and sends rain to good people as well as bad.

46 If you love only those who love you back, what reward is there in that? Even tax collectors (--the most hated people in our society--) do that!

47 And if you wish Godspeed only to those in your own circle of friends, how are you being any better than the tax collectors who do likewise?

48 By doing these things I’ve told you, you will demonstrate the attributes of your Father in heaven, and thus be perfect as He is perfect!

MATTHEW CHAPTER 6

1 Make sure that you never do a good deed publicly--to be praised by others--or your Father in heaven will not reward you!

2 When you give alms, don’t do it publicly as the hypocrites do, sounding a trumpet so that everyone in synagogues and the streets knows about it, and thinks well of you! Those who do their good deeds publicly can count on nothing more than public praise as their only reward.

3 When you do something charitable, do it as secretly as you can, and then never give it another thought.

4 If you do things in secret, the day will come when your Father, who sees things done in secret, rewards you openly, before everyone.

5 Also, when you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who pray loudly and call attention to themselves in the synagogues and the street corners so people marvel at how religious they are! I tell you truly, they have all the reward they will ever get.

6 So when you pray to your Father, go do so in a private place, and shut the door so no one knows. Then your Father, who sees everything done in secret, shall reward you openly.

7. Also, when you pray, don‘t be like the pagans who compose an hour-long monologue, thinking that will convince God to help you.

8 Don’t be like them--your Father knows what your needs are before you even ask, and is waiting to answer anyway!

9 Pray simply, like this: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

14 Remember--if you forgive men who do evil to you, God will forgive your own sins that do evil to Him!

15 But if you refuse to forgive those who wrong you, your Father will not forgive your wrongs either!

16 Also, when you undertake a fast, don‘t be like the hypocrites who go around looking weak and sickly so everyone can see how religious they are. I want you to know that‘s the only reward they‘ll get!

17 So when you fast, do it in such a way that you look perfectly normal,

18 So no one but your Father will know what you’re doing--and your Father, who sees everything done in secret, shall reward you openly.

19 Don‘t set your sights on hoarding earthly wealth and possessions that can break, wear out, or be lost to thieves.

20 But set your sights on heaven (and the eternal), and store your treasure up there, where it can never be lost, stolen, or waste away.

21 For where your treasure is, your heart will be.

22 A man with good eyesight has plenty of light to walk by. But a blind man can’t do anything but stumble around in darkness.

23 In the same way, if you have a greedy, covetous heart (--instead of a heart that wants to give--) you are trapped in the darkness of spiritual blindness, and are much worse off than a simple blind man.

24 No man can be a slave to two masters; he must choose between them, and love the one while hating the other. So you cannot serve God (who wants you to be a giver), while at the same time you give in to the greedy acquisition of wealth (Satan) tempts you with.

25 This is why I tell you not to worry about your life, wondering what you’ll eat or drink; or worry about your body, and what you will clothe it with. Isn’t life meant to be more than food, and the body more than clothing?

26 Look at the birds of the air--they don‘t buy and sell, or invest and profit. But your heavenly Father feeds them just the same. Don‘t you think you‘re more important than birds to Him?

27 Which of you, by worrying about it, can add even one hour to your life?

28 And why are you so worried about your clothing? Look at the beauty of the wild lilies growing around us--they don’t work for a living, nor do they spin cloth.

29 But even King Solomon, in all his wealth and glory, wasn‘t clothed in garments any more beautiful than the petals of these flowers (who got their clothing from God Himself).

30 So if God is concerned enough to clothe the grass in the field, which is here one day, and used as kindling the next, why do you have no faith to believe He will clothe you without your minds constantly worrying about money, you doubters?

31 Therefore, stop worrying and saying things like, “What shall we eat?” “What shall we drink?” Or, “What shall we wear?”

32 For those are the sorts of things the pagans spend all their time worrying about! Your Father in heaven already knows you need these things.

33 But make your primary emphasis that of finding your part in God’s kingdom, and following after His righteousness. Then He will see to it you have all these other things.

34 So don’t spend your time worrying about tomorrow, because tomorrow is coming whether you worry about it or not. (God will help you deal with each day’s problems as they come.)

MATTHEW CHAPTER 7

1 Don‘t act as your own judge and jury lest judgment came back upon you!

2 For God will judge you exactly the same way, and to the same degree, that you judge others!

3 And why do some of you think you can see the splinters in the eyes of others when you don’t realize there is actually a log in your own eye?!

4 How can you say to a fellow member of the community, “I’ll pull that splinter out of your eye, friend,” when there’s a log in your own?!

5 You hypocrite--worry about the log of your own faults before you concern yourself with removing the splinter of your brother’s!

6 (Don’t give holy things--like the wisdom or oracles of God--to profane people who think they know it all, lest they trample them down and turn on you like a pack of hungry pigs!)

7 (Regarding prayer:) Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you.

8 For everyone who asks shall receive, and everyone who seeks shall find; and the door will be opened to him who knocks.

9 What man of you, for instance, if his son asked him for some bread would give him a rock to eat?

10 Or if he wanted a broiled fish, would hand him a snake?

11 If you fathers, being evil in comparison to your Father in heaven, know how to bless your own children--how much more is your Father wanting to bless with good things His own children who ask things of Him?

12 Therefore, treat everyone with the same goodness and respect you’d want them to treat you with, for this is whole point of the Law and the Prophets.

13 Enter through the small, narrow gate that is often ignored in favor of the wide, easy-to-pass-through gate, for the wide gate leads to destruction, and many go through it.

14 You see, the way to eternal life is clear and unambiguous, but like the narrow gate is not necessarily convenient. So few find and enter by that gate.

15 Beware of false ministers who seem sincere, but inwardly are actually ravening wolves (and devils in disguise).

16 You’ll know them by the fruit of what they say and do. Grapes aren’t picked off thorn bushes, nor do figs sprout on weeds, do they?

17 Likewise, good trees bring forth good fruit, and rotten trees bring forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot sprout bad fruit, and a rotten tree cannot sprout good fruit.

19 And rotten trees are cut down and burned up, because their fruit is good for nothing.

20 Thus, by the fruit of what they do, you shall know the good ministers from the bad.

21 Not everyone who pays lip service to me, saying, “Lord! Lord!” will enter the Kingdom of heaven--but only the person who does the will of my Father in heaven.

22 At the Last Judgment, many who thought they were proclaiming my doctrine (but perverting it), and some who even cast out demons or worked miracles, thinking it was through my power (but actually through Satan’s), will say, “Lord! Lord! Haven’t we prophesied in your name, and cast out demons, and worked many miracles?!”

23 But I will say back to them, “Get out of my sight, you workers of iniquity (--I had no part with you)!”

24 Thus, whoever hears, understands, and obeys my teachings, is like a wise man who built a house upon solid bedrock.

25 Rains, floods, and winds could not move the house because it was built on the perfect foundation.

26 But anyone who hears my teachings and ignores them is like a fool who built his house on a sandy flood plain.

27 The rain, floods, and winds came against the house and washed it away, and not a trace of it was left!

28 At the conclusion of Jesus’ speech, the people were amazed at his teaching.

29 For he taught with the assurance of someone with absolute authority (whose word was not subject to debate), rather than the Torah teachers (who would say this rabbi taught this, while that rabbi taught that, leaving the people to try to decide whose opinion was the right one).

MATTHEW CHAPTER 8

1 When Jesus was done, he descended the mountain, and great crowds followed him.

2 Then a man whose skin was stricken with psoriasis or leprosy ran up and knelt at his feet, saying: Lord, if you want to, you can cleanse me of this defiling disease!

3 Jesus reached out and touched the man, saying: I want to--be cleansed from this ailment! And his skin disease was cleansed.

4 Then Jesus told him: Don’t tell anyone about this miracle, but go to the High Priest and offer up the Gift of Thanksgiving mandated for it in the Law of Moses. That will be a testimony to the Sadducees (about who I am, and that God does indeed do miracles--unlike what they have come to believe).

5 When Jesus entered into the city of Capernaum, a chief Roman centurion who’d heard of him urgently sought him out,

6 Saying: Lord, my slave lies gravely ill in my house, paralyzed and in anguish.

7 Jesus said: I will come and heal him.

8 But the centurion answered: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter into my house. Just command the healing be done, and my slave will be healed.

9 For I am a soldier under authority, with other soldiers under me, and when I give an order to someone, there is no question of its being carried out--I know it will be done. I say, “Go!” and one goes; or “Come!” and one comes; or “Do this!” to a servant, and he obeys.

10 Jesus couldn’t believe his ears, and exclaimed to those following along: Truly I say that I have yet to find a Jew in Israel with faith this strong!

11 And I say to you that many (Gentiles) shall come from the east and the west and rest alongside Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Messianic Kingdom.

12 But the children for whom the Kingdom was created will be cast out of God’s presence into outer darkness, where they shall weep and gnash their teeth.

13 Jesus then said to the centurion: Go your way--as you have believed, it will be done! And the (boy) was healed in the same hour!

14 Now when Jesus came into Peter‘s house, he saw the mother of Peter‘s wife in bed with a fever.

15 He touched her hand, and immediately the fever vanished. Then the woman got up and prepared food for them.

16 When the sun went down, they brought many people to the house that were plagued by demons, and he cast them out by his command, and healed all the people who were sick.

17 This fulfilled a prophecy by Isaiah: Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

18 When Jesus saw what a commotion was being made over him by the crowd, he told the disciples it was best to cross the lake.

19 As he was departing, a certain Torah teacher came up, and said: Master, I will follow you wherever you go.

20 But Jesus replied: Foxes have dens, birds of the air have nests--but the Son of Man has not so little as a tent to sleep in. (Are you really prepared for the cost of following me?)

21 Another disciple said: Lord--let bury my father first, and then I will come.

22 But Jesus told him: Follow me, and let the dead bury the dead!

23 Then Jesus entered a boat, and his disciples followed.

24 After they departed, a great storm arose in the Sea of Galilee that threatened to swamp the ship. But Jesus was asleep through it.

25 So the disciples awakened him, and cried out: Lord--don‘t you care that we‘re going to drown?! Save us!

26 Jesus replied: Why are you afraid, you doubters? Then he stood up in the boat, rebuked the wind and waves, and everything became completely calm.

27 Those aboard were dumbfounded, and said: What sort of man is this that he commands even (the forces of nature)?!

28 And when he crossed over to the region of the Gergesenes, he encountered two demon-possessed men everyone feared, who haunted the graveyards like ghouls, and no one dared travel near them.

29 The demons in them shouted out: What are you here for, Jesus, Son of God? Are you come to torment us before the final Judgment?

30 Now in the distance was a huge herd of pigs feeding.

31 So the demons implored Jesus, saying: If you cast us out, at least send us into those (unclean) pigs (instead of casting us into perdition)!

32 Jesus said: Go. So the demons left the men and possessed the herd of pigs, driving them off a cliff and into the lake where they drowned.

33 The flock‘s keepers ran away and spread word of what happened at the nearby town--how that the two demon-possessed men had been delivered, and the herd of pigs sent into the lake.

34 And the whole city (--afraid--) came out to meet Jesus. But when they saw him, they urged him to go somewhere else, and leave them alone.

MATTHEW CHAPTER 9

1 So Jesus returned to the boat and crossed back to Capernaum.

2 There, someone brought an infirmed man confined to a bed, hoping Jesus would heal him. Noting their faith, Jesus looked at the man and said: Cheer up, Son--I forgive the sins that caused this disease.

3 This statement was an affront to some of the Torah teachers who were present, and they thought to themselves, This man is a blasphemer (to put himself in the place of God, and forgive someone’s sins)!

4 Jesus knew what they were thinking, and he asked: Why are you thinking evil in your hearts?

5 Is it any easier (--or any less the province of God--) to tell someone his sins are forgiven, than it is to tell an infirmed man to get up, and walk?

6 But that you may know that I, the Son of Man (--the bar Enash prophesied of by Daniel--) have been given the authority to forgive sins while I am on earth, I say to this sick man: Arise, and carry your bed back home!

7 So the man arose, and went home!

8 When the people saw this miracle, they were amazed, and they rejoiced that God had visited them in such a manner, and given such power to man.

9 Now as Jesus passed the city gates, he saw a tax collector named (Matthew) sitting at the collection table, and he told him: Follow me! So (Matthew) left his table behind, and followed him.

10 Jesus spent the night at (Matthew‘s) house, and when dinner was served, many of the tax collectors under (Matthew‘s) control, and many non-religious friends of his as well, sat down with Jesus and his disciples.

11 But when some Pharisees saw this, they asked the disciples: Why is your rabbi eating with these turncoat tax collectors, and those other sinners?!

12 When Jesus heard that, he replied: The healthy aren‘t the ones who need a doctor--it‘s the sick!

13 Go and learn what the Scripture means when God says: I desire mercy, not sacrifice. You see, I’m not here to call righteous men to repentance; I’m here to reach the sinners!

14 Then some of John the Baptist‘s followers asked Jesus: Why do we and the Pharisees fast (and afflict our souls) regularly, but your disciples do not?

15 Jesus answered: The Groomsmen don’t mourn at a wedding when the bridegroom is present! But when the bridegroom is taken away--then they will fast (and mourn).

16 Also, no one sews a patch of brand new cloth on an old article of clothing, for the mixture of old and new cannot survive the process of washing, and will come apart.

17 Nor do men put fermenting wine in a stiff old wineskin that can crack and spill the contents out. You put new wine into a new wineskin, and this keeps both safe.

18 While Jesus was speaking, the (head of the local synagogue) rushed up and knelt down, saying: My daughter has died, but come touch her, and she will live.

19 Jesus got up and began to follow the man back to his house, along with the disciples.

20 But as he went, a woman who had suffered a uterine discharge for twelve years hurried up behind him, and touched the hem of his prayer shawl.

21 For she said to herself, If I can only touch his clothing, I will be made whole!

22 Jesus turned, and saw her. Then he said: Daughter, don’t be afraid (of what you have risked by touching me in the state you are in). Your faith has cured you! And indeed, the woman was made whole from that very hour.

23 Jesus finally made it to the synagogue leader’s house, where a loud mourning party of minstrels and others had assembled.

24 He said to the people: Stop! This girl is not dead, but only asleep. But the people laughed in derision.

25 So Jesus had the mourners expelled from the house, then he went inside and took the child by the hand, and she arose.

26 And the tale of this miracle spread throughout the region.

27 When Jesus left the house, a couple of blind men followed along behind, crying out: Son of David--have mercy on us!

28 After Jesus returned to (Matthew’s) house, the two came inside, and Jesus asked them: Do you believe I am able to restore your sight? They said: Yes, Lord!

29 He touched each man’s eyes, and said: Let it be done to you as you have believed.

30 Then they could see again, and Jesus told them: Don’t tell anyone about this miracle.

31 But the two couldn‘t contain their excitement, and after leaving they told everyone they saw what had happened.

32 (Things got so chaotic that Jesus and the disciples left town.) As they were departing, someone brought a man to be healed who had been struck dumb by a demon.

33 After Jesus cast the demon out of him, the man was able to speak, and the crowds were amazed once again. They said: Israel has never seen anything like this!

34 But the Pharisees said: He is casting out demons because Beelzebub, prince of demons, is empowering him!

35 Jesus went everywhere, teaching in the synagogues the good news that the Messianic Kingdom had come, and proving it by healing every sickness he came upon.

36 When Jesus saw the vast host of people, he was moved with compassion, because they were so desperate to see him that they were getting sick from hunger and lack of water, like sheep with no shepherd to watch after them.

37 He told the disciples: The harvest is rich, but there aren’t enough workers to harvest the crops!

38 Pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send workers to bring His harvest in!

MATTHEW CHAPTER 10

1 And when Jesus called his twelve disciples to him, he gave them authority against demonic spirits, to cast them out, and also gave them the power to heal all sickness and disease.

2 These were the names of his twelve apostles: First was Shimon, who is also called Peter. Then Andrew his brother; and James and John, the sons of Zebedee;

3 Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew the tax collector, James, son of Alphaeus, Lebbaeus (Jude), who is surnamed Thaddeus,

4 Simon the Cananean, and finally Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

5 Jesus sent these twelve out, telling them: Don’t go into any Gentile areas or Samaritan cities.

6 Go instead, he said, to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.

7 As you go, preach: The Kingdom of heaven is at hand!

8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out demons. Take no money for what you do, for freely you have received, so freely give!

9 Don‘t even take any money with you when you start out.

10 The laborer deserves his pay, so don’t take a sack, extra clothes, or extra staffs on your journey. (Your needs will be met as they arise).

11 Whatever city you enter, ask around until you find a just family of good reputation to lodge with, and stay there until you move on.

12 When you enter a house, pronounce a blessing of peace upon it.

13 And if the household is worthy, let your blessing remain. If it is not worthy, let your blessing of peace return to you.

14 And if anyone doesn’t allow you into their home or their city, or if they reject what you say, shake the dust off your shoes as you leave.

15 Believe me--God will show more mercy to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah on Judgment Day than He will to that town!

16 I am sending you out as sheep marching toward waiting wolves, so use your heads and be wise as serpents, but also be gentle as doves (not compromising your witness by bad behavior).

17 Watch out for (unbelieving) men, for they will haul you before religious tribunals, and have you beaten in their synagogues.

18 You will also be brought in front of the chief rulers of both the Jews and the Gentiles because of your commitment to me, and then you will testify of me to them.

19 But when this happens, don’t plan out your strategy for answering the charges that will be brought against you, for the words you will need to say will be provided to you at the right time.

20 They will come from the Spirit of your Father, and not from your own mind.

21 (Over me,) brother will betray brother to death, father will betray child, and children will betray their parents, and cause them to be put to death.

22 Everyone will hate you because of who and what I am, and what I stand for--but he that endures to the end will be saved.

23 When they persecute you in one city, flee to another, for you will not have time to reach every city in Israel before the Son of Man arrives!

24 A student is not greater then his teacher, nor is a slave greater than his master.

25 It is enough that the student be like his master, and the slave like his lord. If they call the Master “Beelzebub,” how much more will they denigrate those of his household in the same way?

26 But don’t fear them (--since you will be vindicated, and they condemned, in the end--for the truth behind all men’s deeds and motivations will be shown clearly for what they are).

27 What I tell you in secret, speak openly. What I whisper to you, shout from the housetops.

28 Don’t fear those who can only kill your body, but not your soul--fear only God, who can destroy body and soul in hell!

29 Aren’t a couple of sparrows sold for pocket change? But your Father knows when one of them falls from the sky, and dies.

30 God knows you so well, that He can even tell you how many hairs are on your head.

31 So don‘t worry, for you mean more to God than many sparrows.

32 If someone admits he is one of mine before men, I will admit he is one of mine to my Father in heaven.

33 But if someone denies he is one of mine to men, I will deny he is one of mine to my Father in heaven.

34 Don’t assume I’m here to bring forth the universal peace you’ve been taught the Messianic Age will see. (That will come, but for now,) I am not here to bring peace, but to wield a sword!

35 For I am come to set a son against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a wife against her husband‘s mother.

36 Because of me, a man‘s greatest enemies will live in his own house with him!

37 But he who loves his father or mother, or son or daughter more than me is unworthy of me.

38 And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me (--enduring the persecution of standing for me--) is unworthy of me.

39 He who compromises, and finds some way to save his life, shall in the end lose it. And he who gives his life up for me shall find true life.

40 Anyone who welcomes you, welcomes me; and if he welcomes me, he welcomes God who sent me.

41 He who welcomes a prophet because of what he is, receives the same reward as the prophet he honors. He who shows hospitality to a righteous man, gains the reward of God for a righteous man.

42 Any disciple who does so little as give a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, shall in no way lose his reward.

MATTHEW CHAPTER 11

1 Having commissioned his twelve disciples, Jesus departed to teach and preach in various cities.

2 Meanwhile John, who was locked up in prison, heard about the things the Messiah was doing (and his teachings against violence), and so he sent two of his disciples.

3 They said to Jesus: John asks whether you are the only Messiah, or whether another Messiah is coming after you (who will actually be the one to usher in the complete fullness of the Messianic Kingdom).

4 Jesus answered in reply: Go and tell John what you‘ve seen and heard.

5 Tell him the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them.

6 And blessed is he who does not stumble in his faith (if I don‘t do what he wants or expects me to).

7 As they left, Jesus said to the crowd about John: What did you expect when you went into the wilderness to see John? (Someone whose word would change with the shifting winds of popular opinion?)

8 Or some man dressed in wealthy attire? No--people who dress like kings live in castles.

9 But what was it that you went out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you--and much more than a prophet!

10 For John was the one Malachai foretold of when he wrote: Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

11 I tell you truly, of every child ever born to a woman, there has never been a more important one than John the Baptist. Even so, the lowest ranking person in the Messianic Kingdom is greater than he is (--and this is how much greater the covenant about to be instituted is than even the covenant under which John functions).

12 (And from the time of John’s appearance to now, Satan has done all he can to keep the Messianic Kingdom from taking root, but it has forcefully sprouted just the same.)

13 For all the prophets and the Law of Moses pointed to the day John would arrive and herald the Kingdom.

14 For if you can accept it, John was Elijah, who was expected to appear before the Messiah himself.

15 If you can understand what I am saying, good!

16 Yet to what can I liken those of this generation who have heard the Message? They are like childish brats in the marketplace, whining out to each other:

17 “You didn’t dance to our wedding march, so we played a funeral dirge, and you wouldn’t respond to that either. (What’s your problem?)”

18 For John was (a Nazirite,) living a Spartan existence, and avoiding food and wine, and they said, “He is insane!”

19 But then the Son of Man came, willing to eat and drink with them, and yet they complain, “He is a gluttonous drunkard who wants to get in good with tax collectors and sinners!” As wise people show what they are by what they say and do, so witless people do likewise!

20 Then he began to criticize the cities where he had done miraculous deeds, because they would not repent:

21 Woe to you Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented to a man in goatskin and ashes (and their cities would have been spared).

22 I say to you that the sinners of Tyre and Sidon will see less punishment than you will at the Day of Judgment!

23 And you, Capernaum--will you be exalted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to hell, because if the same things had been done in Sodom, it would be standing to this day!

24 I promise you that Sodom will get off easier than you will on the Day of Judgment!

25 At that time Jesus prayed, saying: I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you hid these truths from the intellectuals and the clever, revealing them instead to the simple.

26 Yes, Father, for it seemed good in Your sight to do so.

27 The Father has given me all power and authority, but none of you really knows who or what the Son is, but the Father does. And none of you knows who or what the Father is but the Son, and whoever else the Son chooses to reveal Him to.

28 Come to me, all you who work and are wearied--and I will give you rest.

29 Cast off your single-ox yoke, and take my double-ox yoke upon you, and learn from me--for I am gentle and humble in heart (and will do all the heavy work, that your soul may find rest).

30 Because my burden is not one where you do the work; I am the one who shoulders the burden for you, and thus my yoke is a pleasure to bear!

MATTHEW CHAPTER 12

1 Shortly thereafter, Jesus and his disciples happened to pass through a wheat field on a day that happened to be a Sabbath (for the Feast of Unleavened Bread). The disciples being hungry, they (--but not Jesus--) picked some kernels of wheat to snack on.

2 When some Pharisees saw this, they accosted Jesus, and said: Look there--your disciples are violating the Sabbath by harvesting grain!

3 But Jesus answered: Did you never read what David did, when he and his men were running from King Saul and were hungry?

4 How he entered into the tent tabernacle and ate the shewbread, which was unlawful for him and his men to eat, but was supposed to be for the priests only? (And was God mad at that?)

5 Or have you not seen how the Torah requires the priests in the Temple to work on the Sabbath, attending to their duties, but yet they are blameless for that?

6 But I say to you that someone greater than even the Temple is here before you.

7 And again, if you understood the verse--I desire mercy, not sacrifice--you would not have criticized those who have not done wrong in God‘s eyes.

8 For the Son of Man is even Lord of the Sabbath (and can authoritatively declare what is and is not permissible on that day).

9 Now after leaving, he entered into a synagogue under control of these (Shammaiite) Pharisees.

10 A man was present who had a deformed hand, and the Pharisees asked Jesus: Is it Lawful to heal non-life-threatening disease on the days of Rest? They hoped to have something to use against him if he answered yes.

11 But Jesus replied: Which among you, if he has a sheep fall into a pit on the Sabbath, won’t break the Sabbath by lifting it out (even though lifting or carrying a burden is a violation of the Sabbath laws)?

12 How much more precious is a human than a sheep? Thus, it follows that to do a good deed on the Sabbath--like healing--does not violate it.

13 Then he said to the man: Stretch out your hand! The man did, and it was restored whole, just like the other one.

14 (Enraged at this,) the Pharisees then went out and held a meeting, debating how to destroy Jesus.

15 But when word reached Jesus about it, he left the area and the multitudes went with him--and he healed them all.

16 He told them, however, not to spread word of what he was doing.

17 This was to fulfill a prophecy of Isaiah’s:

18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.

19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.

20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

22 Then a man who had been struck dumb and blind by a demon was brought to him, and Jesus healed him to the extent that he could speak and see!

23 And the people were amazed and said: Is this not the Messiah ben David?!

24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they responded: This man casts out demons only because Beelzebub, the prince of demons, is enabling him to!

25 Jesus knew their evil thoughts, and told them: Every nation divided by civil war and infighting will fall. Every city or family divided against itself will not stand.

26 If Satan is casting his own demons out, then he is at war with his own forces, so how can his kingdom possibly survive?

27 And if my power comes from Beelzebub, where does your (Pharisee Movement‘s) power come from? (In other words, when is the last time any of you cast out a demon by God‘s power? The answer is, of course, that you can‘t cast demons out at all!) So these fleeing demons are showing who really is, and is not, of God!

28 And if I therefore am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God is apparently before you right now.

29 Otherwise, how can someone go into the house of a mighty man and rob his goods unless he first overpowers and ties the man up, leaving him free to strip the place clean?

30 Anyone who is not with me is against me; and he who does not gather with me is helping to pull the harvest out of my hands.

31 Because of this (--because you are either helping or opposing me--) I say to you that God will forgive all sorts of sin and blasphemous words. But to (knowingly denounce the redeeming power of God as Satanic) will not be forgiven men!

32 And whoever curses or speaks out against the Son of Man--it will be forgiven him. But whoever curses and opposes (the power of) God’s Spirit shall not find forgiveness in this Age or the next!

33 Either make the tree of your heart good, and its fruit good; or make the tree of your heart evil and its fruit evil, for the tree is revealed by its fruit.

34 You generation of snakes! How can anyone ever hope to hear anything edifying come out of you and your Movement? The mouth speaks what is in the heart (and all you have in your hearts is venom)!

35 A good man, with a good heart, brings forth good things, just as an evil man, with an evil heart, brings forth evil things as the fruit of what lives inside of him.

36 I want you to know that at the Last Judgment, a man will give account for every offhand word he ever spoke.

37 For your words either will justify or condemn you!

38 Then some other Torah teachers and (Hillelite) Pharisees spoke up, saying: Master, we would see a sign from you (proving that you really speak for God).

39 But he answered: An evil and spiritually-defiled generation wants a sign, and the only sign it will get is that of the prophet Jonah.

40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the fish’s belly (and then came out), the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth (and will then come out).

41 The (Gentile) men of Nineveh will stand as judges over this generation of leaders (and their wickedness), for they all repented at Jonah’s preaching--and one greater than Jonah stands before you now!

42 The Queen of Sheba (--a Gentile--) shall rise up at the Last Judgment and condemn this generation, because she traveled all the way from Ethiopia to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and yet one greater than Solomon is here before you.

43 (Learn a lesson from demons!) When a demon is cast out, it wanders the deserts, hoping to find someone else to possess, but if it doesn’t,

44 He says to himself, “I’ll go back to the one I was cast out of!” So he returns and finds the man he once possessed cleansed from his presence.

45 Then the demon goes and finds seven demons even more evil than himself to come and possess the man, bringing him under their total domination, and making him worse off than he ever was before! I therefore warn you that this wicked generation shall be just as controlled by Satan (because it wants to believe a lie instead of the truth)!

46 While Jesus was talking to the people like this, his mother and brethren tried to get near to speak to him.

47 Someone told Jesus: Your mother and brethren are outside, and want to speak to you.

48 But Jesus answered: Who is my mother and brethren?

49 Then he gestured toward his disciples and said: Here is my mother and brethren!

50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, my sister, and my mother!

MATTHEW CHAPTER 13

1 The same day, Jesus left the house he was staying at, and sat down by the shore of the Sea of Galilee.

2 Hosts of people crowded around him, and he had to get in a boat and speak from a few yards out in the water.

3 Much of his teaching was in telling stories with a moral, such as this one: A farmer went out to sow some seed in a field.

4 As he cast it forth, some seeds fell outside the tilled ground, and the birds ate them up.

5 Some fell on rocky ground, and they did initially grow, but they had no deep roots because of the shallow soil.

6 When the sun got hot, they withered up because their roots were so shallow.

7 Other seeds fell into the weeds, and were choked by thorn bushes.

8 But some seeds fell into the tilled soil, grew, and eventually gave good fruit. Some had bountiful fruit; some had a lot of fruit; and some had a little fruit.

9 He who is able to understand, let him understand.

10 Later, the disciples came and asked him: Why do you talk to the people in stories (instead of just speaking plainly)?

11 He answered back: Because you are the ones who have been appointed to hear the mysteries of the Messianic Kingdom in a clear, unambiguous manner. The crowds haven‘t been given this privilege.

12 For whoever is able to understand will see his enlightenment continue to grow, while anyone who does not understand will lose what little understanding he may already have.

13 Thus, I speak to the crowds in stories (to illustrate that their stubbornness and spiritual blindness makes them unable to understand my words).

14 In these people is fulfilled what Isaiah prophesied about when he said: By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

15 For this people‘s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

16 But blessed are your eyes, for they can see, and blessed are your ears, for they can hear.

17 For truly I tell you that many prophets and righteous men of history looked for the day when the things you see and hear would arrive, but they died without seeing it.

18 So now I will tell you what this parable of the Sower meant:

19 When anyone hears the Message of the Kingdom, but does not understand it, the devil comes and takes away the seed of truth that started to grow in his heart. This represents the seeds that fell on the hard ground instead of the tilled soil.

20 The seed that fell onto rocky ground represents people who initially hear the Gospel and enthusiastically respond to it,

21 But they have no strong commitment, and when trials or persecution arise in opposition to the Message, they quickly fall away.

22 The seed that fell into the thorn bushes are those who hear the Gospel, but still make wealth and having a good life their priority, and thus they never grow any spiritual fruit in their lives because the Message is choked off by their greed.

23 The seeds that fell into the tilled soil represent people who hear and understand the Gospel, making a commitment to it. People like this always bear spiritual fruit, whether bountiful, a lot, or a little.

24 Jesus then spoke another parable: The Kingdom of heaven can be likened to a man who sowed wheat seed in a field.

25 But while the field‘s owner was asleep one night, an enemy secretly came and sowed darnel (--which looks like wheat--) in the same field.

26 When the wheat grew and bore fruit, the darnel did likewise.

27 So the field hands came to their master ,and said, “Sir, didn‘t you sow wheat in this field? Where did the darnel come from?“

28 He replied, “An enemy must have done this (trying to spoil the harvest).“ The servants then asked, “Do you want us to go pluck up the weeds?“

29 But he said, “No--lest you pull up some of the wheat along with the weeds.

30 “Let both grow together until harvest time, then I’ll give the laborers the order to pull the bad plants up and tie them into bundles to be burned up. The wheat can then be gathered and stored in the granary.”

31 Jesus spoke another parable: The Kingdom of heaven is likened to a single mustard seed that a man sowed in his field.

32 Even though a mustard seed is one of the smallest of all seeds, it is one of the largest herb plants, and when mature becomes a tree that birds may nest in.

33 This was yet another parable: The Kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman mixed into three cups of flour (until the dough grew so large it practically overflowed the bowl)!

34 All these points of spiritual truth Jesus imparted to the crowds in parables, and without using parables he did not speak.

35 This fulfilled a prophecy of David written in the Psalms: I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

36 Then Jesus dismissed the crowds and went back into the house. The disciples then came, saying: Explain to us the story about the darnel in the wheat field.

37 He answered them: The man who sowed the wheat in the field represents me, the Son of Man.

38 The field itself is the world, and the good seed the children of God’s Kingdom. The darnel are the children of Satan (masquerading as true wheat).

39 The enemy that sowed the darnel is the devil. The harvest spoken of is the end of the world, and the reapers are the angels.

40 As in real life darnel is bundled up and cast into the fire, so it will be at the end of this world.

41 The Son of Man will send forth his angels to remove everything in his Kingdom that causes men to stumble, and all those who live in unrepentant sin,

42 And they shall be cast into the furnace of hell, where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

43 After that, the righteous shall shine as bright as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. If anyone can understand--then understand!

44 The Kingdom of heaven is also like a pot of gold buried in a field that a man happened to stumble upon. Elated, he reburied the gold and sold everything he owned to buy the field and keep the treasure.

45 It‘s also like a jeweler who sought quality pearls,

46 Who--when he found a pearl of utter perfection--sold everything he had to acquire it.

47 The Kingdom of heaven is also like a net that was cast into the ocean, and gathered up a wide variety of fish.

48 When it was full, they drew the net to shore and began sorting the catch, tossing the good fish into baskets, while throwing the bad fish away.

49 It will be likewise at the end of the world: The angels shall come out and separate the bad men from the good,

50 And will cast the bad into the furnace of hell, where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

51 Jesus asked: Have you understood what I have been teaching in all this? The disciples answered: Yes, we have, Lord.

52 Jesus said: Every Torah teacher who adds my teachings to the knowledge he already has about God‘s Kingdom is like a man with a warehouse in which are stored precious commodities both old and new.

53 After Jesus had finished these parables, he left the area.

54 When he returned to Nazareth, he taught at the synagogue, and everyone was astounded, asking: Where did this man get all this ability to preach? And what about these miracles they say he does?

55 Isn‘t he the same Jesus whose father was a carpenter (or stone mason)? Isn‘t his mother named Miriam, and doesn‘t he have kinsmen here--James, Joses, Simon, and Jude?

56 Don’t his sisters live hereabouts? So how did he gain such knowledge and notoriety?

57 And they were offended (at his presumption to speak with such apparent authority). Jesus noted: A prophet is honored everywhere but in his own town amongst his own acquaintances and family.

58 So he would not do any great miracles there because they would not believe in him.

MATTHEW CHAPTER 14

1 It was about this time that Herod Antipas heard the commotion about Jesus,

2 And he said to his staff: This must be John the Baptist risen from the dead, and that’s why such miracles are coming forth from him!

3 For Herod had chained and imprisoned John earlier, because the Baptist had denounced him for marrying Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife (after the woman used Roman law to divorce her husband).

4 John pointed out: The Law of Moses does not permit a man to marry a woman who divorces her husband through Gentile law!

5 Though Herod would have silenced John for good, he was afraid of sparking a revolution, because the people revered the Baptist as a prophet.

6 But when Herod was celebrating his birthday, Salome, the daughter of his wife Herodias (and Salome’s uncle Boethus/Philip) did an erotic dance that pleased Herod,

7 Who blurted out a vow that he would give her anything she asked for.

8 Having been instructed earlier on what to say by her mother, she told Herod: Give me John the Baptizer‘s head on a platter!

9 Herod was immediately sorry for his blunder, but to keep from losing face before his court, he did as she asked, and commanded John‘s head be brought and given to her.

10 So he had John‘s head cut off down in the dungeon.

11 His head was brought to court on a platter and given to Salome, who passed it on to her mother.

12 John’s disciples came for his body and then buried it. Afterward, they came and told Jesus what had happened.

13 When Jesus heard John was dead he took a boat to an isolated spot, but the people heard about it and left the cities to walk to where he was.

14 Going forth, Jesus saw the host of desperate people, and compassionately healed their sick.

15 As the sun was going down, the disciples came to him and said: It’s getting late, and this is a wilderness. (The people may faint if they don’t get some food.) Tell them to go to the local villages and buy some.

16 But Jesus replied: That’s not necessary--you feed them!

17 They said back: With what? We have only five barley loaves and a couple of fish!

18 Jesus said: Bring them over to me.

19 Then Jesus had the crowd sit in the field, and he took up the five loaves and two fish. Looking up to heaven, he then blessed God and broke the loaves up, distributing the pieces to the disciples who, in turn, handed them out to the people.

20 There was enough for all, and everyone ate until they were full. The leftovers even filled twelve baskets!

21 The crowd numbered five thousand men, not counting women and children!

22 After this, Jesus had the disciples depart by boat while he sent the crowds away.

23 After dismissing the crowds, Jesus went up alone into the hills to pray for part of the night.

24 But a storm was arising, and the boat with the disciples was having a hard time on the Sea of Galilee, for the wind was against them.

25 Around 3 AM, Jesus came out to the boat, walking upon the water!

26 When the disciples saw this, they panicked and screamed out in fear: It’s a ghost!

27 But Jesus immediately shouted to them: Don’t worry--it’s me, so don’t be afraid!

28 Peter shouted back: Lord, if it‘s really you, bid me to come walk out on the water to you!

29 Jesus said: Come on then! So Peter swung his legs over the side of the boat and began to walk out to Jesus.

30 But when the shrieking wind caused him to become afraid, he started to sink down into the waves, and cried out: Lord, save me!

31 Instantly, Jesus came and pulled him back up, saying: O you man of little faith! Why did you stop believing, and let doubt defeat you?

32 When they got back to the ship, (the sea and) the wind calmed down.

33 Then those aboard the ship did obeisance, and said: Of a truth, you are (the Messiah and king of Israel)!

34 When they reached shore, they were again in the land of Gennesaret.

35 This time, when people thereabouts found out, everyone brought the sick and diseased.

36 And these came, wanting just to touch the tassels of his prayer shawl, and everyone who did that was completely healed and restored to vigor.

MATTHEW CHAPTER 15

1 Then some Pharisees and Torah teachers from Jerusalem (--who followed the teachings and traditions of Shammai--) came to Jesus, and said:

2 Why do your disciples violate rabbinic tradition by not performing the ceremonial hand washing before they eat bread?!

3 But Jesus shot back: Why do your rabbinic traditions violate the commandments of God?

4 For God commanded: See to the needs of your father and mother; and, Anyone who curses his father or mother must be stoned.

5 But your oral rulings on the Law say: If a man donates his money and goods to the Temple (remaining only an overseer of them),

6 He is absolved from the responsibility of using his resources to aid his parents if they need it. Thus, the commandment (--which is far more important than your traditions--) is nullified.

7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

10 Jesus then called the multitude, and said: Listen and understand!

11 (It‘s not things like eating food that isn‘t prepared according to strict rabbinic requirements, or eating without first saying this prayer or that, which really defile a person!) What defiles a person is what comes out of him, not what goes into him!

12 Then the disciples came up, and said: Don’t you realize the Pharisees were offended (by your denunciation of their authority)?

13 But Jesus answered: Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be plucked up by the roots!

14 Let those Pharisees be--they are blind leaders leading blind followers, and when the blind lead the blind, they both fall into a ditch.

15 Then Peter spoke up, saying: Tell us what you meant by what really defiles a person.

16 Jesus replied: Do you all also lack understanding?

17 Do you not comprehend by now that anything you eat passes through your body and eventually goes out into the sewer?

18 But the words that come out of a man are from what lives in his heart--and it‘s the words someone speaks that can make a man impure in God‘s eyes.

19 For it’s from the heart that evil thoughts, murder, sexual sin, thievery, lies, and blasphemous speech come--

20 And these are what really make a man impure. But to eat without saying a blessing and performing a ritual hand washing does not make a man impure.

21 Then Jesus departed into the area of Tyre and Sidon.

22 There, a Canaanite woman followed after Jesus, crying out: Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! A demon has grievously vexed my little girl!

23 Jesus ignored her, but eventually the disciples became irritated with her and said to Jesus: Tell her to get lost--she‘s driving us crazy by following along, begging us!

24 So Jesus answered the woman and said: I have been sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (and not to the Gentiles).

25 Then the woman knelt down at Jesus’ feet, and begged him: Lord, help me!

26 But Jesus answered: It is not appropriate to take the children’s food and toss it to the puppies to eat.

27 She said in response: That may be true, Lord--but even the puppies are fed a few scraps from the master’s table!

28 Then Jesus answered: O woman, you have great faith! Let your request be granted. And the woman‘s daughter was made whole from that very hour.

29 Jesus then left the area and returned to the Sea of Galilee, where he selected a mountain to sit at.

30 Great multitudes of people came to him with the lame, the blind, the mute, the maimed, and many others that they laid at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them.

31 He healed so many that the multitudes were amazed at seeing mute people speak, maimed people walking, and blind people recovering their sight. And they glorified the God of Israel.

32 Then Jesus called his disciples to him, and told them: I am worried for the people, because they have been with me for three days without food. I don’t want to send them away hungry, lest they get sick on the way home.

33 The disciples answered: Where would we get enough bread out here in the wilderness to feed so many?

34 Jesus asked: How many loaves have you? They answered: Seven, and some small fish.

35 So Jesus commanded the people to sit down.

36 Then he took the loaves and fish, blessed God, and handed them out to the disciples, who took the food to the people.

37 And everyone ate until they were full, and they had seven basketfuls left over!

38 This crowd consisted of four thousand men, not counting women and children!

39 After Jesus sent the crowds away, he got in a boat and went to (the notorious city of) Magdala, and the region around it.

MATTHEW CHAPTER 16

1 The Pharisees, now joined by some Sadducee priests from the Temple, approached Jesus, challenging him to show a sign from heaven (to prove his legitimacy).

2 He answered them: If the sky at sundown is red, you say there will be good weather the next morning.

3 If it’s red at dawn, you say the weather will be bad. You hypocrites! You can read the signs in the sky to know what is in store, but are you so utterly incapable of understanding the signs of the times you’re in?

4 A perverted and spiritually-defiled generation of leaders wants a sign. Well, the only sign you will get is the sign of the prophet Jonah! Having spoken, Jesus then got in a boat, and departed.

5 When they reached the other side of the lake, the disciples realized they had forgotten to bring bread with them.

6 Then Jesus noted: Watch out! Don’t eat bread yeasted by either the Pharisees or the Sadducees!

7 The disciples didn’t understand, and assumed Jesus was making some comment about bread baked by Pharisees or Sadducees, so they muttered among themselves: He said that because we forgot to bring bread with us.

8 When Jesus realized that, he said: O you men of little faith--why are you muttering among yourselves like I’m talking about food?

9 Do you not understand and recall how I fed five thousand people with five loaves, and how many baskets of leftovers you collected afterwards?

10 Did you forget the seven loaves that fed four thousand, and how many baskets you collected from that?

11 How then can you think I’m referring to baked bread when I warn you about the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees?

12 Then they understood that Jesus was not talking about normal bread yeast, but the spiritual yeast of the doctrines both these groups held.

13 Later, when Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked the disciples: Who are the people saying that I, the Son of Man, am?

14 They responded: Some think you’re John the Baptist; others think you must be Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the other ancient prophets returned to the earth.

15 He said to them: But what do you say?

16 Shimon Peter spoke up, saying: You are the Messiah--Son of the living God!

17 Jesus answered Peter: Blessed are you, Shimon, son of Jonah--for you did not figure this out on your own, but my Father in heaven gave you this revelation.

18 And I also say to you, that you are a building stone, and upon this cornerstone I will erect my church, and the gates of death will neither stop me from doing this, nor will they overcome the church I build!

19 And I will give to you (--not to the Pharisees or Sadducees--) the keys of authority over the Messianic Kingdom in matters of church discipline and doctrine. Whatever you permit shall be permitted, and whatever you deny shall be denied.

20 Then he charged the disciples to tell no one he was affirming that he was Jesus the Messiah.

21 From that point, Jesus now began to warn the disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer badly at the hands of the religious leaders, the priests and the Torah teachers--and that he would die, rising again on the third day.

22 Then Peter took him aside and began rebuking him, saying: God forbid, Lord--this will not happen to you!

23 But he turned his back to Peter and spoke (a saying by Abraham when Satan tried to stop him from taking Isaac to the place of sacrifice): “Get behind me, Satan!” You are an obstacle to me, because you are not thinking God’s way, but man’s!

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples: If any man wants to be my follower, let him deny his own wants and wishes, and take up the cross of following mine.

25 For whoever saves his life will lose it in the end, and whoever loses his life for my sake shall find it in the end.

26 For what is the good of gaining everything on earth, only to lose your soul in hell? Or, what price can a man put on his immortal soul?

27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father and His angels; and he will give every man what is coming to him, be it reward or punishment, based on what he has done in his life.

28 And truly I say to you that there are some here who will not die until they glimpse the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom!

MATTHEW CHAPTER 17

1 Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John apart from the other disciples to a high mountain.

2 Then Jesus was transfigured before their eyes, his face shining like the sun and his clothing like pure white light!

3 Moses and Elijah then appeared, and began speaking with him.

4 Peter cried out to Jesus: Lord, it is good for us to be here! If you want us to, let us go build three shelters--one for you, Moses, and Elijah--to stay in!

5 While he was speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice spoke out of it that said: This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear him!

6 At hearing the voice, the disciples fell face down on the ground, cringing in terror.

7 Then Jesus came over and touched them, saying: Get up, and don’t be afraid.

8 When they looked up, the vision was gone, and they saw only Jesus.

9 As they descended the mountain, Jesus commanded: Don’t tell anyone about this vision until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.

10 His disciples asked him: Why do the Torah teachers say Elijah must come back to earth (before the Messiah appears and sets up the Kingdom)?

11 Jesus answered: Elijah will indeed come and set the stage for this.

12 But I point out that he already came, but they didn’t realize it, and did to him as they wished. Likewise, the Son of Man will suffer at their hands.

13 Then the disciples realized he was speaking of John the Baptist.

14 When they returned to the waiting multitudes, a certain man came and knelt down, saying:

15 Lord, have mercy on my son. He is vexed (with epileptic fits), often falling down onto the fire or into the water.

16 I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t cure him.

17 Then Jesus answered, and said (to the disciples): O faithless and perverse generation--how long do you think I will be here with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring the boy over to me!

18 Jesus then rebuked the demon, which left, and the child was cured right then!

19 Later, the disciples came to Jesus when the crowds were gone, and asked: Why couldn’t we cast it out?

20 Jesus replied: Because you didn’t have faith. I tell you truly, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you could even say to this mountain here, “Up and go elsewhere,” and it would do as you say, for nothing is impossible to those with faith.

21 Even so, this demon is the sort that will not go easily, unless the one casting him out has been spending time in intense prayer (and fasting).

22 Now while they were staying in the region of Galilee, Jesus told them: The Son of Man will be betrayed into the hands of men.

23 They shall kill him, and on the third day he will be raised up again. Hearing this, the disciples were very grieved at these words.

24 When they reached Capernaum, representatives of the Temple, who collected the yearly head tax, came to Peter, and said: Doesn’t your rabbi pay the tax?

25 Peter said: Yes, he does. Now when he was coming into the house, Jesus stopped him, saying: What do you think, Shimon? Whom do the kings and rulers of the earth collect taxes from--their own children, or strangers?

26 Peter answered: Strangers! So Jesus said: Then the children are the ones who are free from debt!

27 But so that we don‘t offend them, go out to the lake and cast out a hook, and the first fish you catch will have a coin in its mouth. Use it to pay our tax to the Temple.

MATTHEW CHAPTER 18

1 While they were there in Galilee, the disciples asked Jesus: Who is the most important in the Kingdom of heaven?

2 In response, Jesus called a small child to him, and set him in their midst.

3 He said: I assure you that if you do not change your way of thinking, and become like little children (--who could care less about such things--) you won’t even enter the Kingdom of heaven!

4 Whoever humbles himself like this small child is truly the greatest person in the Kingdom of heaven.

5 And anyone who receives one such child as my representative is receiving me as well.

6 But whoever causes a child who believes in me to stumble would be luckier to have an (anchor) tied to his neck, and to be thrown into the sea to drown.

7 Woe to world because of its offenses. Life is full of trials and temptations, but the one who is the cause of it will pay!

8 So again: If your hand or foot causes you to stumble into sin, cut them off and throw them away, for it is better to enter into life crippled or maimed, than to be cast into eternal hellfire with all your limbs.

9 Likewise, if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away, for it is better to enter into life with one eye, than to be cast into eternal hellfire with two eyes.

10 Take heed that you don’t scorn children (--as is common in our society, including new converts who are also called “children”--) for I assure you that their guardian angels always have access to my Father in heaven (and may bring charge against you for this).

11 You see, the Son of Man came to hunt for and save those who are lost.

12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one wanders off, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine others who are fine, and head into the mountains to find the stray?

13 And if he does find it, he rejoices more over it than he does over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.

14 Even so, it is the will of your Father in heaven that not one of these children perish.

15 Moreover, if your brother commits wrong against you, speak to him alone about it. If he hears you, you are reconciled.

16 But if he rejects you, take one or two others with you (since the Torah says that two or three witnesses are accepted to establish a fact in court).

17 If he ignores them too, bring your case before the church, and if the church agrees with you and he still refuses to repent--treat him like a pagan or a tax collector!

18 Truly I say that you (have the right to make binding decisions regarding matters of the church).

19 Again, if two of you on earth agree on something, your request shall be granted by my Father in heaven.

20 For where two or three of my representatives meet, regarding an issue, my authority is there with them.

21 Then Peter came to him, and asked: If my brother wrongs me, how many times must I forgive him? Will seven times be enough?

22 Jesus answered: How about seventy times seven times?!

23 I say that because the Messianic Kingdom can be likened to a king who called some of his servants to account for taxes they owed.

24 When he started the accounting, a man was brought forth who owed him a million dollars.

25 But since the man was broke, the king ordered everything that man owned to be sold. Then he ordered the man and his family sold off as slaves.

26 Hearing this, the servant fell on his face, saying: “Lord--be merciful, and give me more time. I‘ll pay you all that I owe!”

27 The king was so moved with compassion that he unshackled him, and forgave the debt altogether.

28 But that same servant went out and found another servant who owed him ten dollars, and he grabbed the man by the throat, saying, “Pay what you owe me!”

29 His fellow servant fell at his feet, and cried out: “Have patience with me, and I’ll pay you every cent!”

30 But the man wouldn’t listen, and had his fellow servant tossed into Debtor’s Prison, where he would stay until the debt was somehow paid off.

31 Other servants were very grieved at seeing this, and they went and told the king what had happened.

32 Then the king called that man back, and said to him: “You evil servant! I had mercy on you, and forgave the whole of your debt because you begged for mercy!

33 “Shouldn’t you have had the same compassion on the man who owed you money as I had for you?!”

34 So the king angrily handed the man over to be tortured until such time as he could find some way to pay off the million dollars that he owed (from behind bars).

35 So will my heavenly Father do to you if you do not fully and sincerely forgive every brother who sins against you.

MATTHEW CHAPTER 19

1 Now after Jesus had finished these teachings, he left Galilee and headed into northern Judea beyond Jordan (where he made camp).

2 Hosts of people followed, and he healed them there.

3 Some Pharisees (who followed Hillel‘s teachings on divorce) also came and challenged him on the subject, asking: Do you agree that the Law of Moses permits an easy divorce if a man believes he has a good reason?

4 Jesus answered: Have you not read that God in the beginning made them male and female,

5 And said, Because of this, a man shall leave his parents and cleave to his wife, and they shall be one flesh?

6 Thus, they are no longer two individuals, but one flesh in God’s eyes. It is not for man, at his own whim, to thereafter break up a covenantal relationship recognized by God.

7 They answered: Well, then why did Moses allow a man to write up a Bill of Divorce, and put his wife away?

8 Jesus replied: Moses allowed you to divorce your wives because of your hard hearts--but it was not in God‘s original plan.

9 So I want you to know that a man who divorces his wife for any reason other than for adultery--and then marries someone else--stands guilty of adultery; and the divorced woman will cause anyone she subsequently marries to be guilty of adultery as well.

10 The disciples concluded after hearing this: If that‘s how things are between a married couple, it‘s better to stay single!

11 But Jesus answered: Not everyone is given the grace to be able to live a celibate lifestyle.

12 For some are born to be celibate for physical reasons, some become eunuchs or are denied wives in order to serve a master, and some make the choice of celibacy to devote themselves wholly to God and the furtherance of His Kingdom. Whoever can live in that state should do so.

13 Then some mothers brought small children to him to lay hands on and pray over, but the disciples complained, and tried to stop it.

14 But Jesus said: Let the little children come, and don’t stop them--for the Kingdom of heaven is made up of children!

15 So Jesus laid hands on them (and blessed them). Then he departed.

16 At one point, someone came up, asking: Good master, what good things must I do to be absolutely sure of having eternal life?

17 Jesus replied: Why would you call any man “good”? Only God is good. But to answer your question, if you would enter into eternal life, keep the commandments.

18 The man then asked: Which commandments do I have to keep? Jesus replied: Don‘t murder; don‘t commit adultery; don‘t steal or kidnap for ransom; don‘t lie about others;

19 Honor and take care of your parents; and love your neighbor as you do yourself.

20 The young man said in response: I’ve done all these from my youth. What am I missing?

21 Jesus replied: To be perfect, go and sell what you have, and give it to the poor, storing up treasure in heaven; then come, and follow me.

22 But when the young man heard that, he was very disturbed, and left in sorrow since he was extremely wealthy (and could not let go of what he had).

23 Then Jesus told the disciples: I tell you truly that a rich man shall enter heaven only with great difficulty.

24 I say it again--it is easier for a rope to go through an eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of heaven.

25 When the disciples heard that, they were dumbfounded (because the rich are thought by many to be favored by God), so they asked: Who can be saved then?

26 Jesus looked over, saying: With men, this is impossible--but with God, all things are possible.

27 Then Peter spoke up, and said to him: Look--we‘ve given up everything to follow you. What will be our reward?

28 Jesus answered: Truly I say that you who have followed me--when everything is re-created, and the Son of Man sits upon his throne of glory in the Messianic Kingdom--will sit on twelve thrones with me, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

29 And everyone who has left houses, brothers, sisters, parents, children or lands for the sake of following me shall receive them back a hundredfold, and inherit everlasting life.

30 But many who are great and important in this life shall be insignificant in the next; and many who are insignificant in this life shall be great and important in the next.

MATTHEW CHAPTER 20

1 For the Messianic Kingdom is like a farmer who went out early one morning to hire grape-pickers for his vineyard.

2 He found some laborers, each of whom he promised to pay a copper piece for a day‘s work; and he sent them out into the vineyard.

3 About nine in the morning, the farmer saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

4 And he told them, “You also go work in my vineyard, and I’ll pay you a fair wage.” So off they went.

5 At noon and three o’clock, he did the same thing.

6 About five PM, he found some others standing around idle, and so he asked, “Why have you been standing around all day, doing nothing?”

7 They answered, “Because no one has hired us today.” So the farmer told them, “You also head out into my vineyard, and I’ll pay you a fair wage.”

8 When the sun began to go down, the man said to his overseer, “Call in the pickers and pay them off, starting with those who have been here the least amount of time.“

9 When the ones hired at five PM came up, they were paid a copper piece.

10 But when the first group came up for payment, they expected more, yet got the same copper piece for their work.

11 Then, when they were paid the same copper piece, they complained to the farmer,

12 Saying, “Look here--these men came along in the last hour, and didn’t endure any of the heat like we did for you, yet you paid them the same wages as you did us?!”

13 But the farmer replied to one of them, “Friend, I didn‘t cheat you. Didn‘t you agree to work for a copper piece?

14 “Take your money, and go. I choose to pay the last group the same price I paid you.

15 “Aren‘t I allowed to do that with my own money? Why are you stingy with my money because you think me too generous?“

16 So the last will be first, and the first shall be last. For many are called, but few are chosen.

17 And Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples apart on the road, and spoke to them:

18 Look--we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man shall be handed over to the chief priests and the Torah teachers, and they shall condemn him to death.

19 They will hand him over to the Gentiles to mock him, whip him, and crucify him--but on the third day he will rise again!

20 Then the mother of Zebedee‘s two sons, James and John, came up and knelt before Jesus, desiring a favor.

21 He said to her: What is it that you wish? She answered: Grant that my two sons will be the most important officials of your kingdom, sitting at your right and left hands!

22 But Jesus answered back: You don‘t know what you‘re asking for! James and John--are you able to drink the cup I must drink, and endure the baptism I must endure? The two said: Yes, we can!

23 So Jesus answered: Well, you will indeed partake of my cup and my baptism. But to rule at my right and left hands is not mine to give. My Father will decide who will have that honor.

24 When the ten others heard about this, they were furious at the two brothers.

25 But Jesus calmed them down, saying: Gentile rulers are the ones who lord it over people, and they who are important exercise authority over those under them.

26 But among you, that’s not how it should be. Whoever wants to be important among you should do that by serving the others.

27 And whoever wants to be the greatest among you should do that by being the greatest servant,

28 Just as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

29 As they departed from Jericho, a great host of people followed along.

30 Now there were two men sitting by the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out: Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!

31 The crowds tried to hush them up, but they cried out all the louder: Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!

32 But Jesus halted, and called them up, asking: What do you want me to do for you?

33 They answered: Lord, we want our sight restored!

34 So Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. When he did that, immediately they could see, and they followed him.

MATTHEW CHAPTER 21

1 Now when they neared Jerusalem and reached Bethphage, which is at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples,

2 Saying: Go into that village there, and you will find an ass tied up with her foal. Untie them, and bring them to me.

3 If anyone asks what you’re doing, say, “The Lord has need of them,” and he will immediately let you take them.

4 All this