NKJV - The One Gospel: Part 1

1. The Dedications of Mark and Luke

Mark 1:1; Luke 1:1–4

The beginning of the gospel of Yeshua Christ, the Son of God.

Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.

2. IN THE BEGINNING

John 1:1–18

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.'"

And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Yeshua Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

I. Background and Birth of Yeshua

3. THE ANNUNCIATION TO ZECHARIAH

Luke 1:5–25

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.

So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."

And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time."

And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.

So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, "Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people."

4. THE ANNUNCIATION TO MARY

Luke 1:26–38

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!"

But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Yeshua. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."

Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have not known a man?"

And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible."

Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

5. MARY VISITS ELIZABETH

Luke 1:39–56

Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord."

And Mary said:

"My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy, As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever."

And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.

6. THE BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

Luke 1:57–80

Now Elizabeth's full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son. When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her.

So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias. His mother answered and said, "No; he shall be called John."

But they said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name." So they made signs to his father—what he would have him called.

And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, "His name is John." So they all marveled. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God. Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea. And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, "What kind of child will this be?" And the hand of the Lord was with him.

Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:

"Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people, And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David, As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who have been since the world began, That we should be saved from our enemies And from the hand of all who hate us, To perform the mercy promised to our fathers And to remember His holy covenant, The oath which He swore to our father Abraham: To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, To give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace."

So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.

7. THE ANNUNCIATION TO JOSEPH

Matthew 1:18b–24

After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Yeshua, for He will save His people from their sins."

So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us."

Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son.

8. THE BIRTH OF YESHUA

Luke 2:1–7

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

9. THE ANGELS' PROCLAMATION TO THE SHEPHERDS

Luke 2:8–20

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

"Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us."

And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

10. PATERNAL GENEALOGY OF YESHUA

Matthew 1:1–17

The book of the genealogy of Yeshua Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:

Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king.

David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa. Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah. Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah. Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah. Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon.

And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Yeshua who is called Christ.

So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.

11. MATERNAL GENEALOGY OF YESHUA

Luke 3:23b–38

Now Yeshua Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Janna, the son of Joseph, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Semei, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah, the son of Joannas, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er, the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim, the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattathah, the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

12. THE CIRCUMCISION AND NAMING

Matthew 1:25b; Luke 2:21

And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Yeshua, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

13. PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE

Luke 2:22–39a

Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord"), and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, "A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."

And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Yeshua, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

"Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel."

And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, "Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee.

14. THE VISIT OF THE MAGI

Matthew 2:1–12

Now after Yeshua was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.'"

Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."

When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

15. FLIGHT INTO EGYPT AND MASSACRE OF THE INNOCENTS

Matthew 2:13–18

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."

When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."

Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:

"A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more."

16. THE RETURN TO NAZARETH

Matthew 2:19–23; Luke 2:39b

Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead." Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.

But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."

II. The Youth of Yeshua

17. THE YOUNG YESHUA CONFERS WITH THE TEACHERS

Luke 2:40–50

And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. When they had finished the days, as they returned, the boy Yeshua lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it; but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day's journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him.

Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously."

And He said to them, "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?" But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.

18. YESHUA & JOHN THE BAPTIST GROW TO MANHOOD

Luke 2:51–52, Matthew 3:4; Mark 1:6; Luke 1:80

Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. And Yeshua increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

John also grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.

Now John himself was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

III. Prologue to the Ministry

20. JOHN THE BAPTIST BEGINS TO PREACH

Matthew 3:1–3, 5–6; Mark 1:2–5; Luke 3:1–6; John 1:7–8

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:

"Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You." "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight. Every valley shall be filled And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough ways smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'"

This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.

21. JOHN REBUKES THE PHARISEES AND CROWDS

Matthew 3:7–10; Luke 3:10–14

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

So the people asked him, saying, "What shall we do then?" He answered and said to them, "He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise."

Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Collect no more than what is appointed for you." Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, "And what shall we do?" So he said to them, "Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages."

22. JOHN DESCRIBES THE COMING MESSIAH

Matthew 3:11–12; Mark 1:7–8; Luke 3:15–18; John 1:19–28

Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"

He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ." And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No." Then they said to him, "Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?"

He said: "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said." Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. And they asked him, saying, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"

John answered them, saying, "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but among you stands One whom you do not know. He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry, and the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire."

These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing. And with many other exhortations he preached to the people.

23. THE BAPTISM OF YESHUA

Matthew 3:13–17; Mark 1:9–11; Luke 3:21–22

Then Yeshua came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?" But Yeshua answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then John allowed Him, and Yeshua was baptized by John in the Jordan.

When Yeshua came up immediately from the water, and while He prayed, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending in bodily form like a dove and alighting upon Him. And a voice came from heaven, "You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased." And the voice spoke also to the crowd, saying , "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

24. JOHN IDENTIFIES YESHUA AS THE LAMB OF GOD

John 1:29–34

The next day John saw Yeshua coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.' I did not know Him as the Messiah; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water."

And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God."

25. THE TEMPTATION IN THE WILDERNESS

Matthew 4:1–11; Mark 1:12–13; Luke 4:1–13

Then Yeshua, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And He was with the wild beasts. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.

Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." But Yeshua answered him, saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"

Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over You, to keep You,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear You up, lest You dash Your foot against a stone.'" And Yeshua answered and said to him, "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'"

Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and their glory. And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours." Then Yeshua said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.'"

Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time. And behold, angels came and ministered to Yeshua.

26. THE WORD COMES INTO THE WORLD

Luke 3 : 23 a; John 1 : 9 – 13

And so the true light that enlightens every man had come into the world. He was in the world, and the world had been made through him, yet the world did not recognize him. He came to his own land, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children who were born, not of blood, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.

27. YESHUA FINDS HIS FIRST DISCIPLES

John 1 : 35 – 42

When the two disciples heard John say this, they followed after Yeshua. Yeshua turned, and saw them following him, and said to them, “What are you looking for?” And they said to him, “Rabbi”—which means Teacher—“where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” It was then about the tenth hour of the day. So the disciples went and saw where Yeshua was staying; and they remained with him that day.

Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who had heard what John said and followed Yeshua. Afterwards Andrew hurried to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah"—which means the Christ. He brought Simon to Yeshua. Yeshua looked at him, and said, "So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas"—which, when translated, is Peter.

28. YESHUA CALLS PHILIP AND NATHANIEL

John 1 : 43 – 51

The next day Yeshua decided to leave for Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip in turn found Nathaniel, and said to him, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and the prophets also wrote—Yeshua of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

Yeshua saw Nathaniel coming toward him and said, “Behold, here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false!” “Where do you know me from?,” Nathaniel asked him. Yeshua answered, “I saw you when you were under the fig tree, before Philip called you.” And Nathaniel exclaimed, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"

Yeshua said, "You believe just because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than that." And he said, "I tell you truly, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God going up and coming down unto the Son of Man."

29. THE WEDDING AT CANA

John 2 : 1 – 11

On the third day there was a marriage at Cana in Galilee. The mother of Yeshua was there; and Yeshua and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, Yeshua’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” And Yeshua said to her, “ Good woman, does that need to concern us now? My hour has not yet come.” But his mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Standing nearby were six stone water jars, of the kind used for the Jewish customs of ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Yeshua said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water;” so they filled them up to the brim. Then he said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the steward of the feast;” and so they took it. The steward tasted the water, which had now become wine, and did not know where it came from, although the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then the steward called the bridegroom aside and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and afterwards, when the guests have drunk freely, the poorer wine; but you have kept the best wine until now.”

This, the first of the miraculous signs that confirmed his mission, Yeshua did at Cana in Galilee. He thereby revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

30. A FEW DAYS AT THE LAKESHORE

John 2 : 12

After this Yeshua went down to the town of Capernaum, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples.

There they stayed for a few days.

31. READING HEARTS IN JERUSALEM

John 2 : 13 , 23 – 25

But Yeshua did not entrust himself to them; because he knew all men. He needed no one to bear testimony to him about mankind, for he himself knew what was in each man.

32. YESHUA AND NICODEMUS

John 3 : 1 – 21

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Yeshua by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."

Yeshua answered him, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Yeshua answered, “I tell you truly, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound of it, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going; so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit."

Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" Yeshua answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you still do not understand these things? I tell you truly, we speak of what we actually know, and bear witness to what we have actually seen; but you people do not accept our testimony. If I have told you of earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you of heavenly things? No one has ever ascended into heaven except the one who came down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, likewise must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but so that through him the world might be saved. He who believes in the Son is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

And this is the reason for the condemnation: The light has come into the world, but men have long loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds have been evil. Every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God.

33. JOHN'S FINAL TESTIMONY

John 3 : 22 – 36

After this, Yeshua and his disciples left Jerusalem and went into the countryside of Judea; and there he spent time with them and performed baptisms. John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was ample water there. People continued to come to John and were baptized, for he had not yet been cast into prison.

Then a question arose between the disciples of John the Baptist and a certain observant Jew over a matter of ceremonial washing. So John’s disciples went to him and said, “Rabbi, the man who was with you beyond the Jordan—the one of whom you testified—now he is performing baptisms himself, and everyone is going to him.” John answered, “No one can receive anything unless it is given to him from heaven. You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent ahead of him.’ The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegoom, who stands by and listens for him, is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; and I must become less.”

He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth, and of the earth he speaks. But he who comes from heaven is above all else. He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet so few accept his testimony. But the one who does accept it affirms that God is truthful. He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who rejects the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God shall rest upon him.

34. JOHN REPROVES HEROD AND IS IMPRISONED

Matthew 14 : 3 – 5 ; Mark 6 : 17 – 20 ; Luke 3 : 19 – 20

S oon afterwards John the Baptist reproved Herod the tetrarch for marrying Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. John said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have thy brother's wife." He also rebuked Herod for all the other evil things that he had done.

F or this, Herod’s wife Herodias bore a grudge against John, and wanted to see him dead. But she could not act, for Herod was in awe of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When Herod heard John speak he was greatly troubled in his mind, and yet he enjoyed listening to him. Moreover, even when Herod wanted to put John to death, he feared the people, because they held John to be a prophet.

But to his other sins Herod now added this above all: he sent men who seized John, bound him, and shut him up in prison.

35. YESHUA HEARS OF JOHN'S ARREST

Matthew 4 : 12 ; Mark 1 : 14 a; John 4 : 1 – 3

S oon afterwards Yeshua heard that John had been arrested. And he learned that the Pharisees had become aware that he was making and baptizing more disciples than John—even though the fact was that Yeshua himself did not baptize, but only his disciples.

When the Lord learned of these things, he left Judea and set out back to Galilee.

36. THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA

John 4 : 4 – 44

T o get there he had to pass through Samaria. And so he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the piece of land that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there, and Yeshua, tired from the long journey, sat down beside the well. It was about midday.

Then a woman of Samaria came to draw water. Yeshua asked of her, “Give me something to drink.” He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the city to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.

Yeshua answered her, “If you only knew the gift that God puts before you, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would be asking him for the drink, and he would give you living water.” The woman said to him, “But Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep; where would you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this well, and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his cattle?”

Yeshua said to her, “Every one who drinks of this water will become thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I give will become a spring of water welling up within him and bringing eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may not thirst, nor have to keep coming here to draw water.”

Yeshua said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come back.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Yeshua said to her, “You are right when you say, ‘I have no husband.’ You have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband; this you said truly.”

The woman said to him, “Sir, I can see that you are a prophet. So explain to me: Our fathers worshiped on this mountain; why then do your people say that Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship?”

Yeshua said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. But a time is coming, and indeed is already here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for these are the kind of worshipers the Father desires. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming—he who is called the Christ—and when he comes, he will explain all things to us.” Yeshua said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”

Just then his disciples came back. They were surprised that he was talking with a woman, but none of them asked, “What do you want with her?” or, “Why are you talking with her?”

So the woman left her water jar, and went away into the town, and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” So they went out of the town and headed toward him.

Meanwhile his disciples were pleading with him, saying, “Rabbi, eat something.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing of.” So the disciples said to one another, “Has someone brought him food?” Yeshua said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to finish his work.

"Do you not say, ‘One must wait four months for the harvest’? But I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see how the fields are already ripe for harvest. Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I have sent you to harvest a crop that you did not work for; others have labored, and now you can reap the benefits of their labor."

Many Samaritans from that town believed in Yeshua because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. And many more came to believe because of his own words. They said to the woman, “It is no longer just because of your report that we believe, for now we have heard him ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the savior of the world.”

After the two days Yeshua departed to Galilee. But he did not return directly to his childhood home in Nazareth , for he himself had remarked that a prophet is not honored in his own town.

IV. The Galilee Ministry

Teaching and Healing

37. RETURN TO GALILEE

Luke 4 : 14 – 15 ; John 4 : 45

When Yeshua returned to Galilee filled with the power of the Spirit, the Galileans made him welcome. They had seen all the things he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover feast, for they too had been there.

Reports about him went out through all the countryside. And he began to teach in the synagogues, and was praised by everyone.

38. HEALING AN OFFICIAL'S SON

John 4 : 46 – 54

So Yeshua came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Yeshua had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.

Yeshua said to him, "Unless you people see signs and miracles you will never believe." The official pleaded, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Yeshua said to him, “Go home, your son will live.” The man believed this word that Yeshua spoke to him and started on his way.

As he was going down to Capernaum , his servants met him and reported that his son was going to live. So he asked them the time when his son had begun to recover, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” Then the father realized that this was the time when Yeshua had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and all his household became believers.

This was the second miracle that Yeshua performed, after coming from Judea to Galilee.

39. REJECTION AT NAZARETH

Luke 4 : 16 – 30

Later Yeshua went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and he went to the synagogue, according to his custom, on the sabbath. He stood up to read; and the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll, and found the place where it was written,

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

for he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor.

He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted,

to proclaim deliverance to the captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to set at liberty those who are oppressed,

and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s mercy.

And he rolled up the scroll, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.

Then he began to speak to them. “Today this scripture has been fulfilled by what you just heard me say.” And all spoke well of him, and were amazed by the gracious words that came from his lips.

B ut then they began to have doubts. “Is this not Joseph’s son?” they asked. And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Physician, heal thyself!’ And you will say, ‘What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do the same things here in your own town.’” And he continued, “I tell you truly, no prophet is accepted in his own town. For I assure you, there were many needy widows in Israel in the days of the prophet Elijah, when no rain fell for three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land; yet Elijah was sent to none of those but only to a foreign widow at Zarephath in the land of Sidon. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha; yet none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”

When they heard this, all the people in the synagogue were filled with fury. They rose up and drove Yeshua out of the city, and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might throw him down the cliff. But he passed through the midst of the crowd and went on his way.

40. STARTING THE MINISTRY IN CAPERNAUM

Matthew 4 : 13 – 17 ; Mark 1 : 14 b– 15

Leaving Nazareth, Yeshua went and made his home in the town of Capernaum, in Galilee, which was by the lake in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

In the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali—

on the road to the sea, across the Jordan,

in Galilee where so many foreigners live —

the people who lived in darkness

have seen a great light;

and for those who dwelt in the land and the shadow of death

a light has dawned.

From that time on, Yeshua began preaching the good news of God, and saying, “The time has come, and the kingdom of heaven is close at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel."

41. THE MIRACULOUS CATCH OF FISH

Luke 5 : 1 – 10 a, 11 a

Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon Peter’s , Yeshua asked him to push off a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and caught nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed such a great quantity of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, to come and help them. And the partners came and filled up both the boats, so that they began to sink.

When Simon Peter saw this he fell down at Yeshua' knees, saying, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." For he was astonished, as were all that were with him, at the number of fish they had taken. But Yeshua said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men. Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." And they brought their boats to land, forsook all, and followed Him.

42. CALLING JAMES AND JOHN

Matthew 4 : 18 – 22 ; Mark 1 : 16 – 20 ; Luke 5 : 10 b, 11 b

Continuing a little farther, Yeshua saw the two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in a boat with their father, mending their nets. And he called them, and immediately they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, left everything, and followed him.

43. HEALING IN THE CAPERNAUM SYNAGOGUE

Matthew 8 : 14 – 17 ; Mark 1 : 21 – 34 ; Luke 4 : 31 – 41

In the synagogue there was a man who was possessed by a demon, an unclean spirit; and he suddenly cried out with a loud voice, “Let us alone! What business do you have with us, Yeshua of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” But Yeshua rebuked him, saying, “Hold thy peace, and come out of him.” And when the demon had thrown the man down before them all, convulsing him and giving a loud scream, he came out of the man, without having done him any harm.

The people were all amazed, so that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching! With real authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him and depart.” And at once news about Yeshua began to spread through all the region of Galilee.

After they left the synagogue they went to the house of Simon Peter and Andrew, and James and John accompanied them. Now Simon Peter’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a high fever, and so they immediately told Yeshua about her and asked him to help her. Yeshua came and stood over her, rebuked the fever, took her by the hand, and helped her up. The fever left her, and at once she rose and served them.

That evening, after sundown, the people brought to him all who were sick with various diseases or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered about the door. Yeshua laid his hands on every one of the invalids and healed them. He cast out the spirits with a word, and demons came out of many, crying, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked the demons, and would not permit them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the prophet Isaiah, “He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases."

44. YESHUA PREACHES THROUGHOUT GALILEE

Matthew 4 : 23 – 25 ; Mark 1 : 35 – 39 ; Luke 4 : 42 – 44

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Yeshua rose and went out to a secluded place, and there he prayed.

Later Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him they said to him, “Every one is searching for you.” And the people came to Yeshua, and would have prevented him from leaving them; but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; because that is why I was sent. So let us go on to the next towns.”

Then he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every kind of disease and infirmity among the people, and casting out demons.

So his fame spread through all Syria, and the people brought him all the sick, those suffering from various diseases and pains, the demon-possessed, epileptics, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. And great crowds followed him—people from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea, and from the lands beyond the Jordan.

45. CLEANSING A LEPER

Matthew 8 : 2 – 4 ; Mark 1 : 40 – 45 ; Luke 5 : 12 – 16

While Yeshua was in one of the towns, a man full of leprosy came up; and when he saw Yeshua he fell to his knees and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

And being moved with compassion, Yeshua stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be clean.” Immediately the leprosy left the man, and he was clean.

Yeshua sent him away at once with a stern warning: “See that you say nothing to any one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and give for your cleansing the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony that you are cured."

But the man went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that the report about Yeshua went abroad all the more; and great crowds gathered from every quarter to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities.

After that, Yeshua could no longer openly enter a town. So he would withdraw to the wilderness and pray.

46. THE MAN ON THE PALLET AND A CHARGE OF BLASPHEMY

Matthew 9 : 1 – 8 ; Mark 2 : 1 – 12 ; Luke 5 : 17 – 2 6

After some days Yeshua got into a boat, crossed over the lake , and came to his own town of Capernaum. The people heard that he had come home, and so many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door. Yeshua was preaching the word to them; and the power of the Lord was with him to heal.

There were also scribes, Pharisees, and teachers of religious law sitting by, who had come from every town in Galilee, and from Judea and Jerusalem.

And some men came, bringing a paralyzed man to Yeshua on a pallet carried by four of them. They sought to bring the man in and lay him before Yeshua, but finding no way to get in, because of the crowd, they went up and removed part of the roof above Yeshua. And when they had made an opening through the tiles, they let down the pallet on which the paralyzed man lay, into the midst of the crowd before him.

When Yeshua saw their faith he said to the paralyzed man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” But some of the scribes and Pharisees sitting there began to question this, saying to themselves, “Who is this man, and why does he speak this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

And immediately Yeshua, perceiving in his spirit that this is what they were thinking within themselves, said to them, “Why do you have evil thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven;’ or to say, ‘Arise, and take up your pallet, and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . .” And he said to the paralytic, “I say to you, arise, and take up your pallet, and go home.” Immediately the man stood up before them all, took up that which he had been lying on, and went home praising God.

When the crowds saw this, they were amazed and filled with awe, and they glorified God who had given such authority to men, saying, “We have seen astonishing things today. We have never seen anything like this!”

47. MATTHEW BECOMES A DISCIPLE

Matthew 9 : 9 ; Mark 2 : 13 – 14 ; Luke 5 : 27 – 28

Then Yeshua went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd gathered around him, and he taught them.

After this, as he continued on his way, he saw a tax-gatherer named Matthew Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tollhouse, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And Matthew rose, left everything, and followed him.

48. YESHUA'S MISSION IS TO SINNERS

Matthew 9 : 10 – 13 ; Mark 2 : 15 – 17 ; Luke 5 : 29 – 32

Later Matthew Levi held a great banquet for Yeshua at his house, and many collaborating tax-gatherers and other sinners came and sat with Yeshua and his disciples; for there were many such among his followers. And when the Pharisees and the scribes who belonged to their sect saw this, they complained to his disciples, asking, “Why does your master eat and drink with tax-gatherers and sinners?”

When Yeshua heard this he answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. Go and learn what this scripture means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifices.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

49. LESS NEED FOR RITUAL FASTING

Matthew 9 : 14 – 17 ; Mark 2 : 18 – 22 ; Luke 5 : 33 – 39

One day the Pharisees and the disciples of John the Baptist were fasting, and John’s disciples came to Yeshua and asked, “Why do we and the disciples of the Pharisees often fast and pray, but your disciples continue to eat and drink?”

And Yeshua said to them, “Can you make wedding guests mourn while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot mourn. But the time will come when the bridegoom is taken away from them, and then they shall fast.”

He also told them a parable: “No one tears a patch of unshrunk cloth from a new garment and sews it upon an old garment. If he does, he will have torn the new garment, and the new piece will pull away from the old garment, and a worse tear will be made. And the piece from the new garment will not match the old.

"And no one puts new wine into old bottles or old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the wineskins and the wine will spill out, and the wineskins will be ruined. New wine must be put into new wineskins, and then both are preserved. But no one who has become accustomed to drinking old wine immediately desires the new, for he says, ‘The old is perfectly good.'"

50. THE POOL OF BETHESDA

John 5 : 1 – 18

After this there came a festival day of the Jews, and Yeshua went up to Jerusalem.

Now in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate there is a pool, which in Hebrew is called Bethesda, and around which there are five covered porticos. In these lay a multitude of invalids—the blind, the lame, and the paralyzed—and they waited for the moving of the waters. For from time to time an angel would go down into the pool and stir up the water. Whoever stepped first into the pool after each such troubling of the waters would be cured of whatever disease he had.

One man there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Yeshua saw him lying there and learned that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him, “Would you like to get well?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is troubled, and while I am trying to get there another steps in before me.” Yeshua said to him, “Stand up, take up your pallet, and walk.” At once the man was healed, and took up his pallet and walked.

But that day was the sabbath. So the religious leaders among the Jews said to the man who had been cured, “It is the sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your pallet this day.” But he answered them, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your pallet, and walk.’” They asked him, “Who is this person who told you to take it up and walk?” But the man who had been healed did not know who it had been, for Yeshua had slipped away into the crowd there.

Afterward, Yeshua found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you are well again! Sin no more, so that nothing worse may come upon you.” The man went away and told the authorities that it was Yeshua who had healed him. Therefore they began to persecute Yeshua, because he did these things on the sabbath.

But Yeshua answered them, “My Father is always at work, even until this very day, and I too am working.” And this was why the Jewish leaders sought all the more to find a way to destroy him, because he not only broke the sabbath but also called God his father, making himself equal with God.

51. THE SON OF GOD

John 5 : 19 – 47

Yeshua explained to the temple leaders, “I tell you truly, the Son can do nothing by himself, but does only what he sees the Father doing; because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all that he himself is doing; and he will show the Son even greater works to do than this, so that you will be astonished. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whomever he chooses.

“The Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, so that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. I tell you truly, whoever hears my word and believes in him who sent me, he has everlasting life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you truly, the hour is coming, and has now arrived, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who respond to it will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, so too he has granted the Son to have life in himself; and has also given him authority to pass judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the graves will hear his voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of damnation. By myself I can do nothing. As I hear my Father , I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek to follow not my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

“If I were to testify about myself, my testimony would not be sufficient. But there is another who testifies about me, and I know that his testimony about me is true.

“You sent to John the Baptist, and he has borne witness to the truth. Now, I do not depend on human testimony; but I speak of this so that you may be saved. John was a burning and shining lamp, and for a little while you were willing to rejoice in his light.

“But the testimony supporting me is greater than that of John. The works which the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself testified about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen; and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. You diligently study the scriptures, because you think that through them you will have eternal life. These are the very scriptures that testify about me, and yet you will not come to me to have life.

“I do not need praise from men. But I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God within you. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if another comes in his own name, him you will accept. How can you believe, when you accept honors from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the honor that comes from the only God?

“Do not think that I will be the one to accuse you before the Father. The one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you place your hope. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

52. FOLLOWERS FROM MANY LANDS

Matthew 12 : 1 5 – 21 ; Mark 3 : 7 – 12 ; Luke 6 : 17 b

Aware of the hostility of the Jerusalem leadership , Yeshua and his disciples withdrew from there to the Sea of Galilee, and a great multitude from Galilee followed, and he healed all their sick. When they heard all that he was doing, many people also came to Yeshua from all Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea, and from beyond the Jordan and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon.

And because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him, lest the people should crush him; for he had healed many, and now all who had diseases pressed upon him to touch him. And whenever the unclean spirits beheld Yeshua, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.”

But he gave strict orders to the spirits and to the crowds not to tell who he was. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the prophet Isaiah:

Behold my servant whom I have chosen,

the one I love, with whom my soul is pleased;

I will put my Spirit upon him,

and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.

He will not quarrel or cry out;

no one will hear him shouting in the streets.

A bruised reed he will not break,

and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,

until he has led justice to victory.

And in his name all the nations shall put their hope.

53. CALLING THE TWELVE APOSTLES

Matthew 10 : 1 – 4 ; Mark 3 : 13 – 19 a; Luke 6 : 12 – 1 6

One day Yeshua went up on a mountain to pray; and all night he continued in prayer to God. When morning came, he called his disciples, and they came to him, and he chose from them twelve whom he desired, whom he named apostles. They were to accompany him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message. He gave them authority to cast out demons, and to heal all manner of disease and infirmity.

The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter; and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, to whom he gave the name of Boanerges, that is, the sons of thunder; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax-gatherer; James the son of Alphaeus; Judas Thaddeus from the family of James; Simon who was called the Zealot; and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

54. PREPARATIONS FOR THE GREAT SERMON

Matthew 5 : 1 – 2 ; Luke 6 : 17 a, 17 c– 20 a

Yeshua then came down with the apostles and stood on a level place, surrounded by a crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from many lands , who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those who were troubled by evil spirits were cured; and all the crowd sought to touch him, for power radiated out from him and healed them all.

Seeing the crowds, Yeshua went up on the mountainside and sat down, and his disciples gathered around him. Then he lifted up his eyes to his disciples, and opened his mouth and taught them, and his voice also carried to the crowd below .

55. THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT

Matthew 5 : 3 — 7 : 29 ; Luke 6 : 20 b– 38 , 6 : 41 — 7 : 1 a, 11 : 2 b– 4 , 3 3 – 36 ; 12 : 22 – 30 , 58 – 59

The Beatitudes

“Blessed are the poor and modest, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you that hunger now, for you shall be filled.

Blessed are you that weep now, for you shall laugh.

Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you, and falsely say all manner of evil against you for my sake. Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward in heaven is great; for so their fathers persecuted the prophets who were before you.

The task of the righteous

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt has lost its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men.

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set upon a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and then put it away, or hide it under a bushel, but instead they put it on a lampstand, where it gives light to all that are in the house, so that those who enter may see the light. In the same way, let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Rules of conduct interpreted

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them. For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one letter, not a jot, will pass from the law until everything has been accomplished. Therefore, whoever relaxes even the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so, shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches these commandments shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

"For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall never enter the kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Thou shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, whoever insults his brother as empty-headed will be liable to the council, and whoever curses, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fires of hell. So if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and be on your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

“Try to come to terms quickly with your adversary, while you are still on your way to court with him, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison. I tell you truly, you will never get out of there until you have paid to the uttermost penny.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks upon a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it from you; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell.

“It was also said, ‘Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that every one who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unfaithfulness, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old time, ‘Thou shalt not swear falsely, but shall perform unto the Lord thy oaths.’ But I say to you, Swear not at all, neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne, nor by the earth, for it is his footstool, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let your word be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this is born of evil.

"You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Resist not evil. If any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other cheek to him also; and if any one wants to sue you to take your shirt, let him have your coat as well; and if any one forces you to assist him for one mile, go with him two miles. Give to every one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. If someone takes what belongs to you, do not insist on getting it back.

"You have heard that it was said, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.’ But I say to you that hear me, Love your enemies, do good to those that hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you, so that you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Do not even sinners and tax-gatherers do the same? And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

"And if you are courteous only to your brethren, what are you doing more than others? Do not even the pagans do the same? And if you lend only to those from whom you can expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much in return.

"But love your enemies, and do good to them, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be the children of the Most High; for he is kind even to the ungrateful and the selfish.

"Be perfect, therefore, even as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Simplicity in religious observance: the Lord’s Prayer

"Be careful not to practice your piety in front of men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Therefore, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, that will be their only reward. When you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Thus your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees even what is done in secret will reward you.

"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners, so that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, that will be their only reward. But when you pray, go into your inner room and shut the door and pray to your Father in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

"And in praying do not endlessly repeat empty phrases as the heathen do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what things you have need of, even before you ask him. Pray then like this:

Our Father who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread;

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory

for ever and ever. Amen.

"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

"And when you fast, do not be of a somber countenance, like the hypocrites, for they neglect their appearance to show men they are fasting. Truly, I say to you, that will be their only reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that your fasting will not be seen by others but only by your Father who is unseen; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

Spiritual values are the most important

"Woe to you who are rich,

for you have already had your comfort.

Woe to you that are well fed now,

for you shall go hungry.

Woe to you who laugh now,

for you shall mourn and weep.

And woe to you when all men speak well of you,

for so their fathers treated the false prophets.

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust corrupt and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust corrupts and where thieves do not break in and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

"The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is not sound, your whole body will be full of darkness. Therefore be careful lest the light within you be darkness. For if the light in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! But if your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when the bright shining of a lamp shall give you light.

"No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon. Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, about what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

"Consider the ravens, and the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap, nor do they gather the harvest into storehouse or barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Yet which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And if you are not able to do even so small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest?

"And why be anxious about clothing? Behold the lilies of the field; consider how they grow. They toil not, neither do they spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is cast into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

"Do not be of anxious mind, saying ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For all the nations of the world are eager for these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you have need of them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you as well.

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Sufficient unto each day are the troubles thereof.

Do not judge

“Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

"Judge not, that ye be not judged; for by the rule you apply to others you will be judged yourself. Condemn not, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure—pressed down, shaken together, running over—will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you receive in return.

"And why do you see the speck of sawdust that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the whole chip of wood that is in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when all the while there is a chip in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the chip out of your eye, and then you will see well enough to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Seek out the godly life: the Golden Rule

"Do not give to dogs that which is holy; and do not cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

"Ask, and it shall be given to you. Seek, and ye shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks the door will be opened.

"Which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him?

"So in all things whatsoever, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, for this sums up all of the law and the prophets.

Flee from evil

"Enter by the narrow gate. For wide is the gate, and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter through it. But strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leads to life, and few there are that find it.

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

"You will recognize them by their fruits, for every tree is known by its own fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Every sound tree bears good fruit, but the rotten tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you shall know them.

“The good man out of the good treasure in his heart brings forth good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure in his heart brings forth evil. For it is from the contents of the heart that the mouth speaks.

"Why do you call me Lord and not do what I tell you? Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who truly does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ And then I will declare before all the world, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you breakers of God’s law!’

"Every one who comes to me and hears my words and follows them, I will tell you what he is like: he is like the wise man building a house, who dug deep, and laid the foundation upon the rock. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, for it was founded upon a rock.

"But he who hears these words of mine and does not follow them is like the foolish man, who built his house upon the sand without a foundation. The rain fell, and the winds blew, and the floods came, and the torrent struck that house, and immediately it fell; and great was the fall of it.”

When Yeshua finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had real authority, and not as their scribes.

V. The Galilee Ministry

Building a Movement

56. THE GENTILE CENTURION BELIEVES

Matthew 8 : 1 , 5 – 13 ; Luke 7 : 1 b– 10

After Yeshua came down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him, and he returned to Capernaum.

Now a centurion there had a servant whom he valued highly, who was sick and ready to die. When he heard about Yeshua, he sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal this servant. And when the elders came to Yeshua, they begged him earnestly, saying, “The centurion deserves to have you do this for him, for he loves our people, and he built us our synagogue. And his servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible distress.”

Yeshua said, “I will come and heal him;” and he went with them.

When Yeshua was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; nor do I presume to come to you.”

B ut Yeshua went on to the house, and when he arrived the centurion met him outside and said to him, "Just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am in a chain of command, and I know that words with authority bring results . I have soldiers under me; and I say to one man, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

When Yeshua heard this he was amazed, and turned and said to the crowd that followed him, “I tell you truly, I have not found such great faith, not with anyone in Israel. I tell you, many will come from east and west and take their places at the banquet table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But many Israelites , the children of the kingdom, will be cast outside, into the outer darkness, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Yeshua said to the centurion, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And when the man and his messengers returned to the house, they found that the servant had been healed as of that very moment.

57. A WIDOW'S SON RAISED AT NAIN

Luke 7 : 11 – 17

Soon after this Yeshua went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. As he approached the gate of the town, he saw that a man who had died was being carried out. This man was the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a crowd from the town was with her.

When the Lord saw the widow, he had compassion for her and said to her, “Do not weep.” And he went over and touched the bier, and those who carried it stood still. Then he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Yeshua gave him back to his mother.

Fear seized all the people around; and they praised God, saying, “A great prophet has risen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” And this news about Yeshua went out through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

58. A LAST QUESTION FROM JOHN THE BAPTIST

Matthew 11 : 2 – 6 ; Luke 7 : 18 – 23

John’s disciples visited him in prison and told him about the deeds that the Christ was performing. So John summoned two of the disciples and sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we await another?” And when the men reached Yeshua, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we await another?’”

At that time Yeshua was curing many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and bestowing sight on many that were blind. So he answered the messengers, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard here: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the good news is preached to the poor. And blessed is he who can accept me for what I am!”

59. YESHUA PRAISES JOHN AND CLAIMS HIS MANTLE

Matthew 11 : 7 – 19 ; Luke 7 : 24 – 35 , 16 : 16 – 17

When the messengers from John had departed, Yeshua began to speak to the crowds about him: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, then what did you go to see? A man clothed in soft garments? No, those who are gloriously appareled and live in luxury are to be found in kings’ courts. So what then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet. This is the one of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I will send my messenger ahead of you, who shall prepare thy way before thee.’

“I tell you truly, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least one in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Before John came, all the prophets and the law were looking to the future. Since then, from the days of John the Baptist until now the good news has been preached, and the kingdom of heaven has been strongly advancing, and determined people have been claiming their places in it.

T hese new opportunities do not mean that the law no longer governs our conduct. It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one jot of the law to become void. But if you are willing to accept my words, John actually is Elijah, the one whom the prophets said would come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

When they heard Yeshua’ words, all the people, even the tax-gatherers, agreed that God’s ways were just, because they had been baptized by John. But the Pharisees and the experts in religious law rejected God’s plan for themselves, for they had not been baptized by John.

Then Yeshua said, “To what then shall I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children playing in the marketplace and complaining to one another,

We played the flute for you, but you did not dance;

we sang a dirge, but you did not weep.

“For John the Baptist came eating no bread and drinking no wine; and you say, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking; and you say, ‘Behold, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!’ Yet true wisdom is shown to be right by all her different children.”

60. INVITING THE WEARY TO REST

Matthew 11 : 28 – 30

I n those days Yeshua also said , “Come unto me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

“Take my yoke upon your shoulders, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

61. THE PENITENT WOMAN

Luke 7 : 36 – 50

One of the Pharisees had invited Yeshua to dine with him, and he went to the man’s house and reclined at the table.

A woman of the city, who had lived a life of sin, learned that Yeshua was eating at the Pharisee’s house. She brought an alabaster flask of ointment and stood behind him at his feet, weeping. She began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.

Now when the Pharisee who had invited Yeshua saw all this, he said to himself, “If this man were truly a prophet, he would know what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”

Then Yeshua answered his thoughts, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And Simon replied, “Teacher, say on.” Yeshua continued, “A certain moneylender had two debtors; one owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he forgave both of them their debts. Now tell me, which one will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, to whom he forgave more.” And Yeshua said to him, “You have judged rightly.”

Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house, and you gave me no water to wash my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has kissed my feet continuously. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.

“Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she has been showing much love; while he who has been forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Then the other guests began to say to one another, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And Yeshua said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

62. MARY MAGDALENE AND OTHER WOMEN SUPPORT YESHUA'S MINISTRY

Luke 8 : 1 – 3

Soon afterward Yeshua set out again through cities and villages, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve apostles were with him.

Also with him were certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had come out; and Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; and Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support the men out of their own means.

63. THE SABBATH IS MADE FOR MAN

Matthew 12 : 1 – 8 ; Mark 2 : 23 – 28 ; Luke 6 : 1 – 5

One sabbath Yeshua was going through the grainfields. As they walked along, his disciples became hungry and began to pluck some heads of grain, rubbing off the husks in their hands and eating the kernels. When some Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look, why are your disciples doing what is not lawful to do on the sabbath?”

But Yeshua said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he and his companions were in need and hungry? He entered the house of God, in the days when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the consecrated bread, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave some of it to his companions.

“Or have you not read in the law how on every sabbath the priests in the temple violate the sabbath, and yet are guiltless? And I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. So if you had known what these words mean—‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifices’—you would not have condemned the innocent.”

And he said to them, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath; and so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”

64. HEALING A HAND ON THE SABBATH

Matthew 12 : 9 – 14 ; Mark 3 : 1 – 6 ; Luke 6 : 6 – 11

On another sabbath, when Yeshua entered the synagogue and taught, a man was there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees were looking for a reason to accuse Yeshua, and so they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath?” And they watched him closely to see if he would do that thing.

But Yeshua knew their thoughts, and he said to them, “What man among you, if he has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the sabbath day, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? And of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the sabbath.”

Then he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come up and stand before everyone.” The man rose and came forward. Then Yeshua said to the Pharisees, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath—to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” But they were silent.

He looked around at all of them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” The man stretched it out, and his hand was restored, as sound as the other.

But the Pharisees were filled with fury, and went out and discussed what they might do to Yeshua, and immediately began to conspire with the men around Herod about how to destroy him.

65. JOHN THE BAPTIST IS BEHEADED

Matthew 14 : 6 – 13 a; Mark 6 : 21 – 29

A round this time Herod’s wife, Herodias, found an opportunity to be revenged on John the Baptist .

On his birthday Herod gave a great feast for his officials and army officers and the leading men of Galilee. The daughter of Herodias danced before them, and she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will grant it.” And he swore it to her: “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, even unto half my kingdom.”

And she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” And Herodias said, “The head of John the Baptist.” The daughter immediately hastened to the king and made her demand: “I want you to give me—at once—the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

Then the king deeply regretted his promise; but because of the oath made in public before his dinner guests he did not want to refuse her. So he called an executioner at once and commanded him to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, and brought his head back on a platter. He gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.

When John’s disciples heard of this, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb. Then they went and told Yeshua. And when Yeshua heard the news, he got into a boat and withdrew to a secluded place to be alone.

66. RESISTANCE FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Matthew 12 : 22 – 23 , 46 – 50 ; Mark 3 : 19 b– 21 , 31 – 35 ; Luke 8 : 19 – 21 , 11 : 14

O ne day when Yeshua was home with his disciples , a crowd once again gathered, so that they could not so much as eat bread. And when his family and friends heard of this, they started over to take custody of Yeshua, for they said, “He is not in his right mind.”

Then a man who was demon-possessed, and blind and mute, was brought to Yeshua. Yeshua cast out a demon that was mute; and when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke and saw. All the people were amazed, and asked, “Might this possibly be the Son of David?"

While Yeshua was still speaking to the people about the healing , his mother and his brothers arrived, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. Standing outside, they sent a message in to him. A group was sitting around Yeshua; and someone told him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are standing outside, asking to speak to you.”

But he replied to the man who had told him this, “Who is truly my mother, and who are my brothers?” Then he looked at the disciples sitting in a circle around him, and motioning toward them, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God, and follow it. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

67. DENYING ALLIANCE WITH BEELZEBUB

Matthew 12 : 24 – 45 ; Mark 3 : 22 – 30 ; Luke 11 : 15 – 32 , 12 : 10

When the Pharisees and the scribes who had come down from Jerusalem saw the mute man cured and heard the crowd praise Yeshua, they said, “He is possessed by Beelzebub! It is only with the help of Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons." And others, to try him, sought from him a sign from heaven.

Knowing their thoughts, Yeshua called them to him, and said to them in parables, “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom or a city is divided against itself, it cannot stand. Every kingdom or city divided against itself is brought to ruin. A house divided against itself cannot stand. And if Satan drives out Satan, he is fighting against himself, and how then can his kingdom stand? It must come to an end.

“You say that I cast out demons by Beelzebub. But if I cast out demons with the help of Beelzebub, then with whose help do your own disciples cast them out? They will condemn you for making that argument . And if it is instead through the power of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come close to you.

“Consider, when a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. How can anyone enter such a man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? But then indeed he may plunder the house. When one still stronger than the strong man assails him and overcomes him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted, and distributes the plunder. And in just this way I have overcome Beelzebub.

"He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather the flock with me scatters it abroad. And I tell you truly, all sins will be forgiven the children of men, and all the blasphemies they utter. But blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Whoever says a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come. He is guilty of an eternal sin.” Yeshua said this because they kept saying, “He is in league with an evil spirit.”

“Either admit that the tree is good, and its fruit good; or say that the tree is bad, and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. And the fruit of my actions has been good.

"You brood of vipers! How can you say anything good, when you are evil? For it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks. The good man out of the good treasure in this heart brings forth good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure in his heart brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment men will render an account for every careless word they have uttered; for by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.

“When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it roams through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then the spirit says, ‘I will return to the house from which I came.’ And when he comes he finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and brings back with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the final state of that man becomes worse than the first. So it shall also be with this evil generation.”

As he said this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is your mother —the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!” And Yeshua said, “Blessed, rather, are all those who hear the word of God and follow it!”

Then as the crowds were gathering around him, some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign to prove who you are.”

But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation demands a miraculous sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

"And just as Jonah became a miraculous sign to the people of Ninevah, so likewise the Son of Man will become a sign to this generation. On the day of judgment the men of Nineveh will arise, along with this generation, and they will condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here, and yet you do not repent . And on the day of judgment the Queen of the South will arise, along with this generation, and she will condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here, and yet you do not listen .”

68. PARABLES ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Matthew 13 : 1 – 53 ; Mark 4 : 1 – 34 ; Luke 8 : 4 – 18 , 13 : 18 – 21

That same day Yeshua went out of the house and sat by the sea, and began to teach about the kingdom of God. The crowd that gathered about him from all the towns was so great that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the water, while the people stood along the shore at the water’s edge. And he taught them many things in parables.

Parable of sowing the seeds

Matthew 13 : 3 – 23 ; Mark 4 : 2 – 25 ; Luke 8 : 5 – 18

In his teaching he told this story: “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, where they were trodden under foot; and the birds of the air came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on stony ground, where they had not much soil; these shot up at once, because the soil was shallow, but when the sun rose they were scorched, and because they had no root or moisture they withered away. Still other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with them and choked them, and they yielded no grain. But some seeds fell into good ground and brought forth grain, growing strongly and increasing and yielding thirty or sixty or a hundred times more than was sown.” And after Yeshua finished saying this, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

When he was alone, the twelve and his other followers came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” And they asked what this parable meant. Yeshua answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but to those outside it has not been given. This is why for those outside everything is said in parables, so that they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand; otherwise they might change their hearts, and be forgiven. For with them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah which says:

You shall indeed hear but never understand,

and you shall indeed see but never perceive.

For this people’s heart has grown dull,

and their ears are hard of hearing,

and they have closed their eyes.

Otherwise they might see with their eyes,

and hear with their ears,

and understand with their hearts,

and turn, and I would heal them.

“But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. I tell you truly, many prophets and righteous men longed to see the things that you see, and did not see them; and to hear the things that you hear, and did not hear them.”

Then he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the other parables? Listen then to what the parable of the sower means. The seed is the word of God. The farmer is the one who sows the word.

“Some people are like the seed falling by the wayside. The word is sown in their hearts and they hear about the kingdom, but they do not understand it. Satan the evil one then immediately comes and snatches away the word, so that they will not believe and be saved.

“Others are like the seeds sown upon stony ground. When they hear the word, they receive it with joy; but these have no root. They believe for a while, but then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, or in time of temptation, they quickly fall away.

“And others are like seed sown among thorns. Such men are those who do hear the word, but as they continue on their way the cares of the world, the lure of riches, the pleasures of life, and the desire for other things enter into them and choke the word, and it bears no fruit.

“ But some people are like the seeds in the good soil. They are those who, hearing and understanding the word, hold it fast in a good and honest heart, and bring forth fruit with patience, thirty and sixty and a hundred times what was sown.”

And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be hidden under a jar, or under a bed? No; instead a man puts it on a stand, so that all those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that shall not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that shall not be known and come to light. If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.”

And he said to them, "Consider carefully what you hear, and how you listen. The measure you give will be the measure you receive, and more will be given to you. To him who has understanding , still more will be given, and he will have an abundance; but from him who has not, even what he thinks he has will be taken away.”

The wheat and the weeds

Matthew 13 : 24 – 30

Then Yeshua presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tare weeds among the wheat, and then slipped away. So when the wheat came up and bore its grain, the weeds also appeared.

"The landowner’s servants came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not plant good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ He replied, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and pull up the weeds?’

"But he said, ‘No, for in pulling them up you may uproot the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather all the wheat into my barn.’”

The seed growing of itself

Mark 4 : 26 – 29

Yeshua also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Then day and night, whether he sleeps or wakes, the seed sprouts and grows, although he knows not how. For the earth brings forth fruit of herself—first the shoot, and then the ear, and then the full grain.

"But when the grain is ready, then he immediately puts the sickle to it, because the harvest time has come.”

The mustard seed and the yeast

Matthew 13 : 31 – 35 ; Mark 4 : 3 0 – 34 ; Luke 13 : 18 – 21

And Yeshua put another parable before them, saying, “With what can we liken the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and planted in his garden. When sown upon the ground this is the smallest of all seeds; yet when it is planted it grows up and becomes the greatest of all garden herbs, and puts out large branches like a tree, so that the birds of the air can come and perch in their shade.”

And he told them still another parable: “To what shall I compare the kingdom of heaven? It is like yeast, which a woman took and mixed in with a great bowl of flour, and yet this leavening worked its way through all the dough.”

With many such parables he spoke to the crowds, teaching them as they were able to understand. And he said nothing to them without using a parable. This fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things that have been kept secret since the foundation of the world.” But he explained everything to his own disciples when they were alone.

The wheat and weeds explained

Matthew 13 : 36 – 43

After that, Yeshua left the crowds and went back into the house. And his disciples came to him, asking, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.”

He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world. The good seeds are the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the children of the evil one; and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest time is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels.

"Just as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it shall be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send forth his angels, and they will winnow out of his kingdom everything that causes people to sin, and everyone who does evil, and shall throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. He who has ears, let him hear!

Short parables about the kingdom of heaven

Matthew 13 : 44 – 53

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. A man found it and quickly covered it up again; then in his joy he went and sold all that he had and bought that field.

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

"Or the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good fish into baskets but threw away the bad ones. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked men from the righteous, and will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

"Have you understood all these things?” Yeshua asked. They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” And he said to them, “Because of this, every scribe who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who is able to bring out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old ones.” And when Yeshua finished telling these parables he departed from that place.

69. CALMING THE WAVES OF GALILEE

Matthew 8 : 18 , 23 – 27 ; Mark 4 : 35 – 41 ; Luke 8 : 22 – 2 5

Later that day, when evening had come, Yeshua looked at the great crowds around him and said to his disciples, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” When he got into the boat, his disciples left the crowd and followed him. They took him with them in the boat, just as he was; and other boats were with him as well.

So they set out, and as they sailed he fell asleep.

Then there arose a great storm of wind on the lake, so that the waves broke over the boat, and they were filling with water, and were in great danger. But Yeshua stayed asleep on the cushion in the stern.

The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, save us! Do you not care that we perish?” And he said to them, “Why are you fearful, O ye of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, commanding, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

Then the men were filled with great fear, and they wondered at what they had seen, asking one another, “What manner of man is this, that he commands even the winds and the waves, and they obey him?”

70. THE DEMONS NAMED LEGION

Matthew 8 : 28 – 34 ; Mark 5 : 1 – 20 ; Luke 8 : 26 – 39

After this they came into the country of the Gadarenes, which is across the lake from Galilee. When Yeshua had stepped out of the boat and come ashore, he was met by two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way.

O ne of these men was originally from the city, but for a long time he had worn no clothes, and he lived not in a house but in the tombs instead. Many times the demon had seized him, and no one could hold him any more, even with a chain. For he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and kept under guard, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces, and no one had the strength to subdue him. In the end he was driven by the demon into solitary places. Night and day he was in the mountains, and among the tombs, screaming and cutting himself with stones.

When this man saw Yeshua from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees before him. And crying out with a loud voice, he demanded, “What have you to do with us, Yeshua, Son of the Most High God? I command you in God’s name, do not torment me!' For Yeshua had said to him, “Come out of the man, you evil spirit!”

Then Yeshua asked him, “What is your name?” And he replied, “My name is Legion; for we are many.”

Many demons had entered him. Now they cried out, “Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?” And they begged Yeshua desperately not to command them to depart into the abyss.

A large herd of swine was feeding nearby on the hillside; and the demons begged Yeshua, “If you cast us out, send us to the swine, and let us enter into them.” He gave permission and said to them, “Go.” So the evil spirits came out of the man and entered into the swine. And the whole herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned in the waters.

When the men tending the swine saw what had happened, they fled, and spread the news to the town and the surrounding countryside. Then people went out to see what had happened. They came to Yeshua, and found the man from whom the legion of demons had gone out, sitting at his feet, clothed and in his right mind. And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed, and what had happened to the swine.

Then all the people of the area were afraid, and when they met with Yeshua they begged him to leave their territory. So he got into the boat and departed.

As Yeshua was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by demons begged to go with him. But Yeshua refused and sent him away, saying, “Return home to your own people, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how merciful he has been to you.” So the man went away and began to proclaim throughout the entire Decapolis how much Yeshua had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

71. JAIRUS' DAUGHTER AND THE BLEEDING WOMAN

Matthew 9 : 1 8 – 26 ; Mark 5 : 21 – 43 ; Luke 8 : 40 – 56

When Yeshua had crossed again in the boat to the other side of the lake, a great crowd gathered around him at the shore and welcomed him, for they had all been watching for him.

And there came a man named Jairus, who was a leader at the synagogue. Seeing Yeshua, he knelt down before him, and begged him to come to his house, to save his only daughter, a girl about twelve years of age. “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Perhaps she has already died. 95 Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.” So Yeshua rose and went with him, along with his disciples.

As Yeshua was on his way there, a great crowd followed and pressed about him. And among the people there was a woman who had had a chronic flow of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered greatly under many physicians. She had spent all that she had, and was no better, but rather grew worse, and could not be healed by any one.

She had heard the reports about Yeshua, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched the fringe of his cloak. For she said to herself, “If I touch even his clothes, I shall be made well.” Immediately the hemorrhage ceased; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.

Yeshua realized at once that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and demanded, “Who touched my garments?” When all denied it, Peter and the disciples said, “Master, you see the crowds surrounding you and pressing against you; how can you ask, ‘Who touched me?’” But Yeshua said, “Someone touched me, for I can feel that power has gone forth from me.” And he looked around to see who had done it.

Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, and seeing that she had not escaped notice, came in fear and trembling and fell down before Yeshua, and told him the whole truth. She declared before all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And Yeshua said to her, “Be of good heart, my daughter; your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” 96 And the woman was made whole from that moment.

While Yeshua was still speaking, some men arrived from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader, and said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” But when Yeshua heard what they said, he told Jairus, “Do not fear; only believe, and she shall be saved.”

8 . When he came to the house, he permitted no one to enter with him, except Peter, and James, and John the brother of James, and the father and mother of the child. Yeshua saw the flute players and the noisy crowd, and people weeping and wailing loudly, mourning for her. He said to them, “Why all this commotion and tears? Depart and do not weep; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.

But he sent them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and his three disciples, and went in to where the child was. Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Young lady, I say to you, arise.” Immediately her spirit returned, and she got up and walked. And her parents were overcome with amazement.

10 . Yeshua told them to give her something to eat. Then he strictly charged them that no one should know about what had happened. But the report about this spread through all that district.

72 . HEALING ACCORDING TO THEIR FAITH

Matthew 9 : 27 – 34

When Yeshua left that place, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Take pity on us, Son of David.” After he entered the house where he was staying, 97 the blind men came in to him; and Yeshua asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it happen to you.” And their eyes were opened.

Then Yeshua sternly charged them, “See that you let no one know of this.” 98 But they went out and spread his fame through all the district.

As they were on their way out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not speak was brought in to Yeshua. When the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were astonished, saying, “Never has anything like this been seen in Israel.” But the Pharisees again said, “It is through the prince of demons that he casts out demons.” 99

7FINAL ### 39. REJECTION AT NAZARETH

Matthew 13 : 54 – 58 ; Mark 6 : 1 – 6 a

Then Yeshua left there and went to the town where he had grown up; and his disciples accompanied him. And on the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue; and the people who heard him were amazed, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What wisdom has been given to him, and what power in his hands to do miracles!”

B ut then, once again, they began to doubt. 100 “Is this not just the carpenter—and the son of our carpenter? 101 Is this not the son of Mary? 102 Aren’t his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? Do not all his sisters live here among us? 103 Where then would this man get such powers?” And they took offense at him.

And Yeshua said to them once more , “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own town, and among his own relatives, and in his own house.” And he could not do many miracles there, because of their unbelief, except that he laid his hands upon a few sick people and healed them. And their lack of faith amazed him.

74 . A RICH HARVEST BUT FEW WORKERS

Matthew 9 : 35 – 3 8 ; Mark 6 : 6 b

After this Yeshua traveled through all the towns and villages, teaching in the synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every infirmity.

When he saw the crowds that came he felt compassion for them, because they were harassed and wandering, like sheep that have no shepherd. And he said to his disciples, “Truly the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few; therefore pray to the lord of the harvest, that he will send out workers into his field.”

75 . THE TWELVE APOSTLES ARE SENT OUT

Matthew 10 : 5 – 11 : 1 ; Mark 6 : 7 – 13 ; Luke 9 : 1 – 6 , 12 : 6 – 7

So Yeshua called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. And he sent them out two by two, to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

Instructions for the journey

These were his directions: “Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you have received; now freely give.

“Take nothing special for the journey—no bag, no extra tunic, no travelers’ staves, no walking shoes. Take no bread, and no gold or silver or copper in your purses; for the laborer is worthy of his keep. Take nothing except the staff and the sandals that you already have.” 104

And he said to them, “Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy and stay with him. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from that town. As you enter the house, give it your blessing, saying, ‘May peace be on this house.’ 105 If the house proves worthy, let your blessing of peace remain upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your blessing return to you. And if any house or town will not receive you or listen to your words, shake the dust of it from your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them. I tell you truly, on the day of judgment it shall be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

The need for steadiness

“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so you must be as cunning as serpents and innocent as doves.

“Beware of men, for they will deliver you up to their councils, and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake. But there you can bear testimony to them and the Gentiles. When they hand you over for trial, take no thought for how you are to speak or what you are to say. What you are to say will be given to you at that moment; for it is not you who will speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

“You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But he that endures to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one town, flee to the next; for I tell you truly, you will not have finished going through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man arrives.

“A disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord; it is enough for the disciple to be like his master, and the servant like his lord. So if they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, by how much more will they defame the members of his household?

“But have no fear of them; for nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, or secret that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops. 106 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Are not five sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them shall fall to the ground without your Father’s eye upon it. Even the very hairs of your head have all been numbered. So fear not, for you are of more value than many sparrows.

“Every one who acknowledges me before men, I will likewise acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I will likewise deny before my Father in heaven.

The need for passion

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set—

a man against his father,

and a daughter against her mother,

and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;

and a man’s foes will be those of his own household. 107

Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death. 108

"He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and he who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever clings to his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

"Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive the same reward as a prophet; and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives even a cup of cool water to the least of my followers, 109 just because he is a disciple of mine, truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.”

1When Yeshua had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.

1And so the apostles set out and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and proclaiming that all people should repent. They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick, 110 and healed them.

76 . HEROD GROWS WORRIED

Matthew 14 : 1 – 2 ; Mark 6 : 14 – 16 ; Luke 9 : 7 – 9

At this time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Yeshua, and of all that he was doing, for Yeshua’ name had become well known.

And he was troubled, because it was said by some, “This is John the Baptist; he has been raised from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” But others said, “It is Elijah.” And still others said, “It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old, who has come back to life.”

When Herod heard all this, he said to his attendants, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead! Or else then 111 who is this other person about whom I hear such things?" And he began trying to see Yeshua.

77 . THE APOSTLES RETURN

Mark 6 : 30 – 3 2 ; Luke 9 : 10 ; John 6 : 1

A fter a while the apostles returned to Yeshua, and reported to him all they had done and taught.

And he said to them, “Let us go away by ourselves to a quiet place, and rest a while.” For so many people were coming and going that they had no time even to eat. So he took them in a boat to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias, to a secluded place in the territory of the town called Bethsaida, where they might have a chance to be alone.

78 . THE LOAVES AND FISHES

Matthew 14 : 13 b– 21 ; Mark 6 : 33 – 44 ; Luke 9 : 11 – 17 ; John 6 : 2 – 13

But many people saw Yeshua and the disciples going across the water , and recognized them. The crowds ran after them on foot from all the towns, because they had seen the miracles which Yeshua performed on those who were sick, and they got to the landing place ahead of them.

As Yeshua went ashore he saw the great throng. But before addressing them he went up into the hills, and there sat down with his disciples. It was almost time for the Jewish feast of the Passover.

When Yeshua looked up and saw that the great multitude was coming toward him, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. He welcomed them, and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and cured those who had need of healing.

Then when the day grew far spent, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a lonely place, and the hour is now late. Send the crowds away to go to the farms and villages round about, so they can find shelter and buy food for themselves.”

But Yeshua answered, “They do not have to go away; give them something to eat.” And he asked Philip, “Where can we buy bread, so that these people may eat?” Yeshua said this to Philip to test him, for he already knew what he would do. Philip answered him, “Eight months’ wages would scarcely buy enough bread for each one to have even a little!” And the disciples asked, “Do you wish us to go and spend that much on bread for them?”

Yeshua asked them, “How many loaves have you? Go and see.” And when they had found out, one of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, reported to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two small fish; but what are they among so many?”

Yeshua said, “Bring them here to me.” And he said to his disciples, “Have all the people be seated in groups, about fifty each.” The disciples did so, and had them all sit down. Now there was an abundance of green grass in that place, and the men sat down on it in groups, by hundreds and by fifties.

8 . Then taking the five loaves and the two fish, Yeshua looked up to heaven and blessed the food, and broke the loaves, and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to those who were seated. He did the same with the two fish, giving out as much as they wanted. And the people all ate and were filled.

When they had eaten their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing may be wasted.” They took them up, and they filled twelve baskets with pieces from the five barley loaves and the fish, which were left over by those who had eaten. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

VI. The Galilee Ministry

Moving into Opposition

79 . Yeshua AVOIDS BEING MADE KING

Matthew 14 : 22 – 23 ; Mark 6 : 45 – 46 ; John 6 : 14 – 17 a

When the people saw the miracle which Yeshua had done, they began to say, “Surely this is the prophet who is to come into the world!” Realizing that the people were about to come and take him by force and make him their king, Yeshua immediately instructed his disciples to get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side of the lake, by way of Bethsaida, 112 while he dismissed the crowd.

And after he had sent the people away, he went up into the hills 113 by himself to pray.

When evening came, his disciples went down to the water, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. But Yeshua was still there in the hills alone.

80 . WALKING ON THE WATER

Matthew 14 : 24 – 33 ; Mark 6 : 47 – 52 ; John 6 : 17 b– 21 a

It was now dark, and the boat was in the midst of the sea, and Yeshua was alone on the land, and had not yet come to them. And the sea rose because of a great wind that blew.

Yeshua saw that the disciples were hard-pressed in rowing and were tossed by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night, when they had rowed about three or four miles, he went out toward them, walking on the water.

He intended to go on past them, but when the disciples saw Yeshua walking on the water and drawing close to the boat, they were all frightened and began to cry out, saying, “It is a ghost!” Then Yeshua immediately spoke to them and said, “Take heart! It is I. Be not afraid.”

And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Yeshua said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water toward Yeshua. But when he saw the strength of the wind he was afraid; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Yeshua at once reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “O ye of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Then the disciples were willing to take him into the boat. And when Yeshua and Peter got into the boat with them, the wind ceased.

Then those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” They were utterly amazed, for they had not understood the miracle of the loaves; their hearts had been hardened.

81 . THE HEM OF THE GARMENT

Matthew 14 : 34 – 36 ; Mark 6 : 53 – 56 ; John 6 : 21 b

After that, the boat soon reached the coast where they were heading. They came to land at Gennesaret, 114 where they moored to the shore. And when they got out of the boat, the people of that place recognized Yeshua at once, and they ran through the whole neighborhood, and sent word out to all the region. And they began to carry sick people on their pallets to any place where they heard he was.

And wherever Yeshua went—in villages, towns or the countryside—they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him to let them touch even the hem of his garment; 115 and all who touched it were made well.

82 . THE BREAD OF LIFE

John 6 : 22 – 59

I n the meantime the people who remained on the other side of the sea realized that only one boat had been there, and that Yeshua had not entered it with his disciples, but that the disciples had gone away without him. Then some boats from Tiberias arrived near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord gave thanks. Once the people realized that Yeshua was no longer there, nor his disciples, they got into these boats and went to Capernaum, seeking him.

When they found Yeshua on the other side of the sea, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Yeshua answered them, “I tell you truly, you seek me, not because you saw the miracles, but because you ate the loaves, and were filled by them. Yet you should not work for food which spoils, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you; for on him God the Father has set his seal.”

Then the people asked him, “What must we do, to be doing the work of God?” Yeshua answered, “The work of God is this—that you believe in the one whom he has sent.”

So they said to him, “Then what sign will you give us, so that we may see and believe you? What miracle can you perform? Our fathers ate manna in the wilderness; and so it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Yeshua then said to them, “I tell you truly, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father. And now he gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Lord, give us this bread always.”

Yeshua said to them, “I am that bread of life; he who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.

“But as I have told you, you have seen me and yet you still do not believe. All those that the Father gives me will come to me; and whoever comes to me I will certainly not turn away. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. And the will of him who sent me is this: that I should not lose even one of those that he has given me, but should raise them up again on the last day. My Father desires that all those who look upon the Son and believe in him should have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day.” 116

Then the crowd began to grumble about him, because he said, ‘I am the bread which came down from heaven.’ They said, “Is this not Yeshua, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”

8 . Yeshua answered them, “Do not complain about this. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me leads him there; and that one I will raise up on the last day. It is written in the prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. Not that any one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; but that one has seen the Father. I tell you truly, he who believes in me has everlasting life.

“I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and yet they died. But here before you is the bread which comes down from heaven, so that a man may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever. And the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I give for the life of the world.”

10 . Then the people began to argue among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Yeshua said to them, “I tell you truly, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. As the living Father sent me, and as I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. And unlike your fathers, who ate manna and are dead, he who eats this bread will live forever.” Yeshua said these things as he taught in the synagogue at Capernaum.

83 . MANY DISCIPLES FALL AWAY

John 6 : 60 – 71

On hearing this, many of his disciples said, “This is a difficult teaching. Who can accept it?” And Yeshua, knowing within himself that his disciples were troubled by it, said to them, “Does this offend you? Then what would you think if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some among you that do not believe.”

For Yeshua knew from the beginning which ones of them did not believe, and who it was that would betray him. And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father makes it possible.”

After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. Yeshua said to the twelve, “You do not wish to leave me also, do you?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life; and we believe, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” Yeshua answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil!” He had in mind Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, although one of the twelve, was going to betray him.

84 . OLD DIETARY LAWS ARE SET ASIDE

Matthew 15 : 1 – 20 ; Mark 7 : 1 – 23 ; Luke 6 : 39 – 40

Later a group of Pharisees and scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Yeshua, and noticed some of his disciples eating their food with hands that were “impure,” that is, unwashed. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they properly wash their hands, observing the tradition of the elders; and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they first purify themselves with water. And they hold to many other traditions, such as the ceremonial washing or sprinkling 117 of cups, pitchers, cooking vessels and dining couches.

So the Pharisees and the scribes asked Yeshua, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, 118 but instead eat with impure hands? For they do not wash their hands before they eat.”

Yeshua answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? You seem to think that is a fine thing! For God and Moses said, ‘Honor thy father and thy mother;’ and ‘Whoever curses his father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, Whatever support you might otherwise have received from me is Corban (that is, dedicated to God) then he is not to honor his father or his mother with it.’ You no longer permit him to do anything for them. Thus you make void the command of God through the tradition which you have handed down. And you do many such things.

“You hypocrites! Isaiah spoke rightly when he prophesied about you:

These people honor me with their lips,

but their hearts are far away from me.

In vain do they worship me,

teaching as holy doctrines the precepts of men.

For you too have left the commandments of God, and hold fast to the tradition of men.”

Then Yeshua summoned the crowd to him, and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: It is not what goes into the mouth from outside that defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth; that it what defiles a man.”

When he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard your words?” He answered, “Every plant which my heavenly Father did not plant will be rooted up. Keep clear of them; they are blind guides.” And he told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? A disciple is not better than his teacher, but every student when he is fully taught will become like his teacher.”

Then Peter and the other disciples said to him, “Explain the teaching to us.” And Yeshua said, “Do you too still understand so little? Do you not see that whatever goes into a man from outside cannot defile him? For whatever goes into the mouth enters, not the man’s heart but his stomach, and so it passes on.” In saying this, Yeshua declared all foods clean.

And he said, “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what can defile a man. For from within, out of the hearts of men, come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, promiscuity, theft, blasphemy, greed, wickedness, malice, deceit, sensuality, false witness, envy, arrogance, and folly. All these evil things come from within, and these are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.”

85 . A GENTILE WOMAN ASKS FOR THE CRUMBS FROM THE TABLE

Matthew 15 : 21 – 2 8 ; Mark 7 : 24 – 30

Leaving the place where he had given this lesson , Yeshua went to the district of Tyre and Sidon. There he entered a house, and wished not to have any one know it, and yet he could not escape notice.

For immediately a woman from that region heard of his presence, and came and fell at this feet, and cried, “Have pity on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is possessed and cruelly tormented by a demon.”

Now the woman was a Gentile— by territory a Canaanite, and by nationality a Syro-Phoenician. 119 And she begged Yeshua to cast the demon out of her daughter. But he did not answer a word. His disciples came and urged him, “Send her away, for she is distracting us with her constant begging.” And then he answered the woman, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

She came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” But he said to her, “No, first let the children eat their fill; for it is not right to take away the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 120 She replied, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the master’s table are allowed to eat the crumbs that the children drop.”

Then Yeshua said to her, “O woman, for that good answer you may go home content. Great is your faith. Let it be done for you as you desire; the demon has left your daughter.” And her daughter was healed from that moment. The woman went home, and found her child lying in bed, and the demon gone.

86 . Yeshua DOETH ALL THINGS WELL

Mark 7 : 31 – 37

Soon after this Yeshua departed from the area of Tyre, and went up through Sidon, and then returned to the Sea of Galilee and the region of the Decapolis. There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand upon him.

Taking the man aside, away from the crowd, Yeshua put his fingers into the man’s ears, and he spat and touched the man’s tongue; and looking up to heaven he sighed deeply, and said to him, “Ephphatha,” which means, “Be opened.” And straightaway the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke clearly.

Yeshua charged the people to tell no one; but the more he charged them, with the more determination they proclaimed the news. For they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He does all things well; he makes both the deaf to hear, and the mute to speak.”

87 . FEEDING THE FOUR THOUSAND

Matthew 15 : 29 – 38 ; Mark 8 : 1 – 9 a

From there Yeshua passed along by the Sea of Galilee. And he went up into the hills, and there he sat down.

Great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the deformed, the blind, the mute, and many others. All these they put at his feet, and he healed them, so that the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the deformed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they praised the God of Israel.

Because the crowd grew very great, and they had nothing to eat, Yeshua called his disciples to him, and said to them, “I have compassion for these people, because they have been with me for three days now, and have nothing left to eat. And I do not wish to send them away fasting to their homes, for fear that they may faint on the road, for some of them have come from far away.”

His disciples answered him, “Where are we to get enough bread in this remote place to feed so great a crowd?” And he asked them, “How many loaves have you?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.”

Then he told the crowd to sit down on the ground; and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and broke them, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and the disciples gave them to the crowd. And having blessed the few small fish, he commanded that these also should be set before the crowd. And the people all ate and were filled.

Afterward the disciples took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over. Those who ate were about four thousand men, besides women and children. 121

88 . THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES

Matthew 15 : 39 – 16 : 4 ; Mark 8 : 9 b– 13

After sending away the crowds, Yeshua got into the boat with his disciples, and went to the region of Magdala 122 and Dalmanutha.

There the Pharisees and Sadducees came and began to question him; and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.

He answered them, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning you say, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and lowering.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.”

And he sighed deeply and asked, “Why does this evil and adulterous generation keep looking for a miraculous sign? I tell you truly, no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” 123 And so he left them, and getting back into the boat he departed for the other side.

89 . “BEWARE THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES!”

Matthew 16 : 5 – 12 ; Mark 8 : 14 – 21

Now the disciples had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. When they reached the other side, Yeshua cautioned them, saying, “Take heed, and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the yeast of Herod.” The disciples began to discuss this among themselves, saying, “It is because we have brought no bread.”

Becoming aware of this, Yeshua said, “O ye of little faith, why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see, and have ears and not hear?

“And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you pick up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” “And the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you pick up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” 124

And he said to them, “Do you still not understand? How can you fail to see that I was not speaking about bread when I told you to beware the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!” Then they understood that he was not telling them to beware of the yeast used in making bread, but to beware of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. 125

90 . AN ERROR IN HEALING

Mark 8 : 22 – 26

Then they came to Bethsaida. There some people brought a blind man to Yeshua and begged Yeshua to touch him.

Yeshua took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and laid his hands upon him, Yeshua asked him, “Can you see anything?” And the man looked up and said, “I see people; they look like walking trees.”

Yeshua put his hands on the man’s eyes once more. Then the man’s gaze was sharpened, his sight was restored, and he saw all things clearly. And Yeshua sent him away straight to his home, saying, “Do not even go into the town.”

91 . THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM

Matthew 16 : 13 – 20 ; Mark 8 : 27 – 30 ; Luke 9 : 18 – 21

Yeshua and his disciples continued to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. Along the way, Yeshua was praying one day in the absence of the crowds. The disciples were with him, and he asked them, “Who do the people say that I am?”

And they answered, “Some say you are John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that Jeremiah or one of the prophets of old has come back to life.”

He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

And Yeshua responded, “Blessed are you, Simon son of John! For this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and upon this rock 126 I will build my church; and the gates of hell 127 shall not prevail against it. I will give unto you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 128

Then he strictly ordered his disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

92 . Yeshua FORETELLS HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION

Matthew 16 : 21 – 28 ; Mark 8 : 31 – 9 : 1 ; Luke 9 : 22 – 27

From that time Yeshua began to teach his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem. He said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be rejected by them, and be killed, and on the third day be raised from death.” 129 And he said this plainly.

Peter took Yeshua aside and tried to dissuade him from these thoughts, saying, “God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But when Yeshua turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get thee behind me, Satan! You are only making my path more difficult, 130 for you are not thinking about the purposes of God, but the purposes of men.”

And he called the crowd to him, along with his disciples, and said to them all, “If anyone wishes to come with me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the sake of the gospel will save it.

“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, if he loses his own soul? And what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

“Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man will also be ashamed, when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels. Then he will reward every man according to his deeds.” 131

And he said to them, “I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste of death before they see the kingdom of God come with power, and the Son of Man coming in that kingdom.”

93 . THE TRANSFIGURATION

Matthew 17 : 1 – 8 ; Mark 9 : 2 – 8 ; Luke 9 : 28 – 36 a

Six days 132 after saying these things, Yeshua took Peter, and James, and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves to pray. 133

And as he was praying, the appearance of his countenance was changed, and he was transfigured before their eyes. His face began to shine like the sun, and his garments became glistening, brilliantly white, like the light or like snow, such as no cloth-worker on earth could bleach them.

And suddenly two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor and began talking with Yeshua. They spoke of his approaching death, which he would soon bring about at Jerusalem.

Peter and his companions had been heavy with sleep, but now they were fully awake, and they saw the glory of Yeshua and saw the two men who stood with him.

And as the men were parting from Yeshua, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us put up three temporary shelters, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” He spoke in confusion, not knowing what he said, for they were exceedingly afraid.

Peter was still speaking when a bright cloud came and enveloped them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son, my Chosen One, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him!”

When the disciples heard this, they fell face down on the ground, and were filled with awe. But Yeshua came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fears.” And suddenly, when they looked up, they no longer saw any one with them except Yeshua only.

94 . JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS ELIJAH

Matthew 17 : 9 – 13 ; Mark 9 : 9 – 13 ; Luke 9 : 36 b

As they were coming down the mountain, Yeshua instructed them, “Tell no one of this vision, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” So they kept it close and told no one, only discussing among themselves what “rising from the dead” might mean.

And they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must return before the Christ comes ?” And he said to them, “Elijah will indeed come first, and will make all things ready. But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.

“And why do the scriptures say of the Son of Man, that he must suffer many things and be despised? Because the Son of Man will suffer at their hands in the same way.” 134

Then the disciples realized that he was speaking to them about John the Baptist. But they told no one at that time anything of what they had seen.

95 . THE FAITH THAT MOVES MOUNTAINS

Matthew 17 : 14 – 21 ; Mark 9 : 14 – 29 ; Luke 9 : 37 – 43 a, 17 : 5 – 6

On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain and returned to the other disciples, they saw a great crowd gathered around the disciples, and some scribes arguing with them. When the people saw Yeshua they were greatly excited and they all ran at once to greet him.

He asked them, “What were you arguing about?” A man came up and kneeling before him said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, my only child. I beg you to look at him, for he is possessed by a spirit that has made him mute. He has seizures and suffers terribly. Whenever the spirit seizes him, he suddenly cries out; it convulses him and hurls him to the ground. He foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. Often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. The spirit scarcely ever leaves him and is wearing him away. And I brought the boy to your disciples, and begged them to cast the spirit out, but they could not.”

And Yeshua responded, “O contrary and unbelieving generation, how much longer must I be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring your son here to me.” And they brought the boy to him.

While the boy was still approaching, the spirit saw Yeshua and immediately it convulsed the boy, so that he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.

Yeshua asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been this way?” “From childhood,” the father answered, “and it has often thrown him into the fire or into the water, trying to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

“‘If you can!’” Yeshua repeated to him. “All things are possible for him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I do believe, Lord; help me with my unbelief!”

When Yeshua saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit, saying to it, “You spirit that makes this boy unable to hear or speak, I command you, come out of him, and enter into him no more!” And after screaming out and convulsing the boy terribly, the spirit came out of him.

8 . The boy looked so much like a corpse that most bystanders said, “He is dead.” But the boy was healed from that moment. Yeshua took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he got to his feet; and Yeshua gave him back to his father. And all were amazed at the majesty of God.

9 . When Yeshua had gone inside, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “Because this kind can be driven out only with prayer and fasting, and you have little faith.” The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord said, “I tell you truly, if you have faith, even as a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Uproot yourself, and plant yourself in the sea,’ and it would obey you. Or you could say to this mountain, ‘Move hence to yonder place,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.”

96 . AGAIN FORETELLS HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION

Matthew 17 : 22 – 23 ; Mark 9 : 30 – 3 2 ; Luke 9 : 43 b– 45

Even while the people were marveling at all the things Yeshua had done, he and his disciples left that place and passed through Galilee. And Yeshua did not want anyone to know of their passage, for he was teaching the disciples.

He said to them, “Let these words sink into your ears: the Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him; but after he has been killed, on the third day he will rise again.”

The disciples were greatly distressed. But they did not understand what Yeshua meant. The meaning was concealed from them, so that they could not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask him about it.

97 . THE TRIBUTE TO THE TEMPLE

Matthew 17 : 24 – 27 ; Mark 9 : 33 a

When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and asked, “Your teacher pays the temple tax, does he not?” “Indeed he does,” Peter replied; and then he went into the house.

Before he could say anything, Yeshua asked, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth collect tolls and taxes? From their own children, or from others?” “From others,” Peter said to him. And Yeshua said, “Then we, the children of God, should be exempt from the temple tax. 135

“However, so as not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. When you open its mouth you will find a four-drachma coin; take that and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

98 . Yeshua BEGINS TO THINK ABOUT LEAVING FOR JERUSALEM

John 7 : 1 – 9

After this Yeshua went about only in Galilee, deliberately staying away from Judea because the leaders of the Jews there were waiting to take his life.

But when the time for the Jewish feast of Tabernacles drew near, his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the works you are doing. For no man works in secret if he wishes to become a public leader. 136 If you can actually do these great things, show yourself to the world.” For even his brothers did not believe in him. 137

Yeshua said to them, “My time has not yet come, even if for you the time is always right. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify of it that its works are evil. Go up to the feast yourselves; I am not going yet, for my time has not yet fully come.”

Saying this, he remained a little while longer in Galilee.

99 . BEING GREAT AND BEING CHILDLIKE

Matthew 18 : 1 – 14 ; Mark 9 : 33 b– 50 ; Luke 9 : 46 – 50 , 17 : 1 – 2

During those days an argument arose among the disciples as to which of them was the foremost. When Yeshua was back at the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they were silent. Then they asked him, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 138

When Yeshua perceived the thought that was in their hearts, he sat down, and called the twelve, and he said to them, “If any one desires to be first, he must be the last of all and the servant of all.”

And he called a child, and had him stand among them; and then taking the child up in his arms he said to the disciples, “I tell you truly, unless you change and become as little children, you will never enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself to be like this child, and is least among you all—he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

“Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, welcomes not only me but also the one who sent me.”

John said to him, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.” But Yeshua said, “Do not forbid him. No one who does a miracle in my name will be able to turn in the next moment and speak evil of me. And he that is not against us is for us. 139

“I tell you truly, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in my name because you are committed to Christ, he will by no means lose his reward. But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if a great millstone were fastened round his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea.

“Woe to the world for temptations toward sin! It is inevitable that temptations come, but woe to the man by whom they come!

“Therefore if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to go to hell with two hands, into the fire that shall never die. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be cast into everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, where the worms that consume the body never die and the fire is never quenched.

“Every heart will be prepared with fire, just as every sacrifice is prepared with salt. Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how will you make it salty again? So cultivate the quality of saltiness within you, and keep your heart always prepared , and be at peace with one another. 140

“Take heed that you do not look down on one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels are always within reach of my heavenly Father. And the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.

"So tell me! If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, I tell you truly, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety and nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of your heavenly Father that even one of these little ones should be lost.”

10 0 . FORGIVING YOUR BROTHER

Matthew 18 : 15 – 35 ; Luke 17 : 3 – 4

And Yeshua said, “If your brother 141 sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between the two of you alone. If he listens to you, you have regained your brother.

“But if he will not listen, then take one or two others along with you, so that everything may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, take your complaint to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, then let him be to you as a heathen or a tax-gatherer. I tell you truly, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 142

“Again, I tell you truly that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For wherever two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

Then Peter came up and asked him, “Lord, how often can my brother sin against me, and I must forgive him? As many as seven times?” And Yeshua said to him, “Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him; and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him. I tell you, not seven times, but until seventy times seven.

“For the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to do this, a man was brought to him who owed him a great sum of money; and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all that he had, to repay the debt.

“The servant fell on his knees before his master, begging him, ‘Lord, be patient with me, and I will repay you everything.’ And out of compassion for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.

“But as that servant went out, he came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a small sum; and seizing him by the throat he demanded, ‘Pay me what you owe.’ His fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay you.’ But he refused and went and had the man put in prison until he should pay the debt.

“When the other servants saw this they were greatly offended, and they went and reported to their master all that had happened.

“Then the lord summoned the first servant and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you that huge debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his lord handed him over to the jailers, to be tortured until he should pay all his debt.

“So likewise my heavenly Father will treat every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

101 . Yeshua LEAVES SECRETLY FOR JERUSALEM

Luke 9 : 51 ; John 7 : 10

As the time approached for him to ascend to heaven, Yeshua set a determined face to go to Jerusalem.

And so after his brothers had gone up to the feast of Tabernacles, then he also went up, not openly, but as it were in secret.

102 . OVER-ZEALOUSNESS ON THE ROAD

Luke 9 : 52 – 56

Yeshua sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make things ready for him. But the people there would not welcome him, because he was on his way to Jerusalem.

When his disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?”

But Yeshua turned and corrected them; and he said, “You do not recognize what manner of emotion is driving you; for the Son of Man came not to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And so they went on to another village.

103 . POTENTIAL RECRUITS ARE TESTED

Matthew 8 : 19 – 22 ; Luke 9 : 57 – 62

As they were walking along the road, a scribe came up and said to Yeshua, “Master, I will follow you wherever you go.” And Yeshua said to him, “Foxes have their dens, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”

To another of the disciples he said, “Follow me.” The disciple replied, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” But Yeshua said to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead. 143 Your duty is to go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

Still another man said, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” And Yeshua said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and then looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

104 . SEVENTY DISCIPLES ARE SENT AHEAD

Luke 10 : 1 – 12 , 16 ; 12 : 4 – 5 , 8 – 9 , 11 – 12 ; John 13 : 20

After this, the Lord appointed seventy or seventy-two 144 other disciples, 145 and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place that he intended to visit.

He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few; therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest, that he send more workers into his field. Now go! And keep in mind, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.”

A nd he gave them a shorter version of the same instructions he had given to the twelve: “Carry no money, no bag, no walking shoes; and do not stop to talk with anyone on the road. Whenever you enter someone’s home, first say ‘Peace be on this house!’ If a man of peace is there, your peace shall rest upon him; but if not, it shall return to you. Remain in the same house, freely eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages; but do not move about from house to house.

“Whenever you enter a town and it welcomes you, eat what whatever is set before you, heal the sick in it, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you now.’ But whenever you enter a town and it does not welcome you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we brush off in testimony against you. Yet know this: that the kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, on the day of judgment it will be more bearable for Sodom than for that town.

“I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more. But I will warn you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after killing the body, has also the power to cast you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear that one!

“And when they bring you before the synagogues and the magistrates and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you are to defend yourself or what you should say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you must say.

“I tell you truly, he who receives whomever I send receives me; and he who receives me receives him who sent me. But he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me also rejects the one who sent me.

“And I tell you, every one who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God; but whoever denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God.”

105 . DENOUNCING THE UNRECEPTIVE CITIES

Matthew 11 : 20 – 24 ; Luke 10 : 13 – 15

And Yeshua began to denounce the cities where most of his great miracles had been performed, because they had not repented and changed their ways.

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, on the day of judgment it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon than for you.

“And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you shall be thrust down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained there until this day. But I tell you, on the day of judgment it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom than for you.”

106 . THE SEVENTY RETURN WITH ENCOURAGING NEWS

Luke 10 : 17 – 20

L ater the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we call upon your name!”

And he said to them, “Yes, I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning. For indeed, I have given you authority to trample down serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall harm you. Nevertheless do not rejoice because the spirits submit to you; but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

107 . CONTINUING TO JERUSALEM IN GOOD SPIRITS

Matthew 11 : 25 – 27 ; Luke 10 : 21 – 24

And in that moment Yeshua was filled with joy through the Holy Spirit, and he said, “I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this way was pleasing in your sight.

“All things have been entrusted to me by my Father. No one truly knows the Son except the Father; and no one truly knows the Father except the Son, and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

Then turning to his disciples he said quietly, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you, many prophets and kings longed to see the things that you see, and did not see them, and longed to hear the things that you hear, and did not hear them."

VII. The Jerusalem Ministry

108 . THE PEOPLE LOOK FOR Yeshua

John 7 : 11 – 13

The crowds in Jerusalem were looking for Yeshua at the Feast of Tabernacles, 146 and saying, “Where is he?”

And there was much quiet argument about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No, he is deceiving the people.” Yet for fear of the chief priests and Pharisees no one spoke openly about him.

109 . Yeshua SHOWS HIMSELF AT THE TEMPLE

John 7 : 14 – 24

Then, midway through the festival, Yeshua went up into the temple 147 courtyards and began to teach. The crowds marveled when they heard him, saying, “How did this man acquire such learning, when he has never been trained?”

So Yeshua answered them, “My teaching is not my own, but it comes from him who sent me. Anyone who desires to do God’s will shall know whether my teaching is from God or whether I am only speaking on my own authority. He who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but he who seeks glory for the one who sent him is a man of truth, and in him there is no falsehood.

“Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you want to kill me?” The people answered, “You are possessed! Who is trying to kill you?”

Yeshua answered them, “I did one miracle, and you are all shocked that I acted on the sabbath . 148 But Moses gave you the teaching about circumcision (although that is not truly from Moses, but rather from the patriarchs) and so you circumcise a child even on the sabbath. Now if a child can be circumcised on the sabbath so that the law of Moses will not be broken, why are you angry with me because on the sabbath I healed a man’s entire body? Do not judge according to appearances, but make a sound judgment.”

110 . “OUT OF GALILEE THERE ARISES NO PROPHET”

John 7 : 25 — 8 : 1

Then some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Is this not the man they want to kill? And yet here he is, speaking openly, and they do not challenge him! Is it possible that the authorities actually know that this is the Messiah? Yet we know where this man comes from; and when the Messiah appears, no one will know where he is from.”

So Yeshua lifted his voice, as he taught in the temple, and he said, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come here on my own. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. But I know him, for I come from him, and he has sent me.”

Then they wished to seize Yeshua; but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come. And many in the crowd believed in him. They said, “When the Christ appears, will he do more miracles than this man has done?”

The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering these things about Yeshua, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him. Yeshua then said, “I shall be with you only a little longer, and then I am going back to the one who sent me; you will seek me and you will not find me; for where I am going you cannot come.”

The people said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we shall not find him? Does he mean to go to the communities of Jews who live out among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? What does he mean by saying, ‘You will seek me and you will not find me,’ and, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’?”

On the last day of the feast, the Great Day, Yeshua stood up and proclaimed, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart shall flow streams of living water.’” In saying this, Yeshua was referring to the Spirit, which would later be given to all those who believed in him; but at that time the Spirit was not yet given, because Yeshua had not yet been glorified.

When they heard his words, some of the people said, “This is truly the prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Surely the Christ is not to come from Galilee. Does not the scripture say that the Christ is to come from the line of David, and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?” So the crowd was divided over him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him.

Then the temple guards went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why did you not bring him here?” The guards answered, “No man ever spoke the way this man does!” The Pharisees responded, “Have you been deceived as well? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? But this mob, which knows nothing of the law—they are accursed.”

9 . Nicodemus, who had once visited Yeshua, and who was one of the ruling council, asked, “Does our law judge any man before it hears him and learns what he is doing?” They replied, “Are you too from Galilee? Search the scriptures and you will see: out of Galilee there arises no prophet.” 149

10 . Then each of them went to his own house. But Yeshua went to the Mount of Olives.

111 . THE WOMAN TAKEN IN ADULTERY

John 8 : 2 – 11

Early in the morning Yeshua returned to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and began to teach them.

Then the scribes and Pharisees brought in a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst of the group they said to him, “Teacher, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now, in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women to death. But what do you say?” They asked this to trap him, so that they might have some accusation to make against him.

Yeshua bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground, as though he had not heard them . And as they continued to press him, he straightened up and said to them, “He among you who is without sin, let him cast the first stone at her.” And then he bent down again and continued to write with his finger on the ground.

When the accusers heard this, they slipped away, one by one, beginning with the eldest, even to the last, until only Yeshua was left, with the woman still standing before him.

Yeshua stood up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Yeshua said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and sin no more.”

112 . THE GOOD SAMARITAN

Luke 10 : 25 – 37

One day a specialist in religious law stood up to put Yeshua to the test, asking, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Yeshua said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” The scholar answered, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind.’ And second , ‘you shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” 150 And Yeshua said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this, and you will live.”

But the scholar, wanting to justify his question, asked Yeshua, “And who is my neighbor?”

Yeshua replied with this story : “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothes and beat him, and departed, leaving him half-dead. Now it happened that a priest was going down the same road; but when he saw the injured man he passed by on the other side of the road. And likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

“But a certain Samaritan, 151 as he journeyed, came to where the man was; and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own donkey and brought him to an inn, and cared for him. The next day when he departed he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’

“Which of these three, do you think,” Yeshua asked, “proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the thieves?” The scholar said, “The one who took pity on him.” And Yeshua said to him, “Go, and do likewise.”

113 . THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

John 8 : 12 – 30

Later Yeshua spoke to the people again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

But the Pharisees challenged him, saying, “You are testifying about yourself; and your own testimony is not sufficient.” Yeshua answered, “Even if I do testify on my own behalf, my testimony is sufficient, for I know where I have come from and where I am going. You, however, do not know where I came from or where I am going. You judge by human standards; I judge no one.

“Yet even if I should judge, my judgment is just, for it is not I alone that judge, but both I and the one who sent me. In your law it is written that the testimony of two men is true. I am one witness for myself, and the Father who sent me is another.”

So then they asked him, “Where is your Father?” Yeshua answered, “You know neither me nor my Father; if you knew me, you would know my Father also.” He spoke these words while he was teaching in the temple, in the section called the Treasury; but no one arrested him, because his time had not yet come.

He said to them once more, “I will soon go away, and then you will seek me, but you will die still in a state of sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” The people asked one another, “Surely he does not mean to kill himself, does he, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?”

He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for indeed you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he.” So they asked him, “Then who are you?” Yeshua said to them, “Just what I have said to you from the beginning. I have much to say about you and much I could blame you for. But he who sent me is truthful, and I declare to the world only what I have heard from him.” But they did not understand that he was speaking to them about the Father.

So Yeshua said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he; and that I do nothing on my own authority, but I speak just as the Father has taught me. And he who sent me remains with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him.” And as Yeshua said these things, many came to believe in him.

114 . EXASPERATION WITH THE COMPLACENT

John 8 : 31 – 59

Then Yeshua said to those who believed in him, “If you continue in my word, then you are truly my disciples; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Some Jews in the crowd answered him, “We are the descendants of Abraham, and have never been in bondage to any man. How can you say, ‘You will be made free’?”

Yeshua answered them, “I tell you truly, every one who commits sin is a slave to sin. Now a slave does not continue in a household forever; but a son remains always. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

“I know that you are descendants of Abraham. Yet some of you are ready to kill me, because you have no place in your hearts for my word. I speak to you of what I have actually seen with my Father, and you are only doing what you have been told to do by your own fathers.”

They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Yeshua said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the things that Abraham did. But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are only doing what your own fathers once did.”

They said to him, “We were not born of fornication. 152 We have only one father, and that is God.” Yeshua said to them, “If God were your father, you would love me, for I proceeded and came forth from God; I have not come of my own accord, but because he sent me.

“Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. For in reality you are the children of your father the devil, and your will is to do your true father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks according to his nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. And so, because I tell you the truth, you do not believe me.

“Who of you can accuse me of any sin? And if I speak the truth, why do you not believe me? He who belongs to God listens to the words of God; the reason why you do not listen is that you do not belong to God.”

The crowd answered him, “Truly we are right when we say that you are a Samaritan and are possessed by a demon!”

10 . Yeshua answered, “I am not possessed; but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. I do not seek glory for myself, but there is one who seeks it for me, and he will be the judge. I tell you truly, if any one follows my teaching, he will never see death.”

1The crowd said to him, “Now we know that you are possessed! Abraham died, as did the prophets; yet you say, ‘If any one follows my teaching, he will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do you make yourself out to be?”

1Yeshua answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, and you say that he is your God, although you do not know him. But I know him. If I said, I do not know him, I should be a liar like you; but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”

1 The crowd then said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and you have seen Abraham?” Yeshua said to them, “I tell you truly, even before Abraham was born, I am.” 153 At this, the crowd took up stones to throw at him; but Yeshua hid himself from their sight and went out of the temple.

115 . AT THE HOME OF MARTHA AND MARY

Luke 10 : 38 – 42

O ne day as Yeshua and his disciples were traveling in the countryside near Jerusalem , he entered a village; and a woman named Martha invited him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching.

But Martha was distracted with the labor of much serving, and she went to Yeshua and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.”

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But only one thing is needful. Mary has chosen that good part, and that shall not be taken away from her.”

116 . HEALING A MAN BORN BLIND

John 9 : 1 – 41

One day as Yeshua was walking, he saw a man who had been blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

Yeshua answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but so that the power of God might be displayed in his life. We must work the works of him who sent me, as long as it is daylight; the night comes, when no man can work. But as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

After he had said this, Yeshua spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva and anointed the man’s eyes with the clay, saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam”—a name which means Sent. So the man went and washed, and he came back seeing.

The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar said, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” Some said, “It is he;” others said, “No, he merely looks like him.” But the man himself said, “I am that man.”

So they asked him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” He answered, “The man called Yeshua made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash;’ so I went and washed, and I received my sight.”

They said to him, “Where is he?” He replied, “I do not know.”

So they brought the man who had once been blind to the Pharisees. Now it was a sabbath day when Yeshua made the clay and opened his eyes. The Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I can see.”

Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the sabbath.” But others said, “How could a sinner perform such miracles?” So there was a division of opinion among them. Then they turned again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since it was your eyes he opened?” The man said, “He is a prophet.”

The Pharisees did not believe that the man had in truth been blind and had been given his sight, until they called his parents and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind. But how he now sees we do not know; and who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, and he can speak for himself.”

10 . His parents said this because they feared the religious authorities, for they had already agreed that if any one should acknowledge Yeshua as the Christ, he was to be expelled from the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

1 So for a second time the Pharisees called in the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Give God the praise, for we know that this man is a sinner.” He answered, “Whether he is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I do know: I was blind, but now I see.”

1They asked him, “But what did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” The man answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you too wish to become his disciples?”

1At this the Pharisees turned on him in anger, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this man, we do not even know where he comes from.” The man answered, “Why, this is strange indeed! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners; he listens to the man who worships him and does his will. Never since the world began has any one opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could have done nothing.” The Pharisees answered him, “You were born full of sin, and you would teach us?” And they threw him out.

1Yeshua heard that they had put the man out, and when he found him he asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” The man answered, “And who is that, sir? Tell me so that that I may believe in him.” Yeshua said to him, “You have already seen him; he is the one who is speaking with you now.” The man said, “Lord, I believe;” and he worshiped him.

1Yeshua said, “I have come into this world to prepare men for judgment—to give sight to the blind, and to show those who think they see clearly that they have been blind.” Some of the Pharisees near him heard this, and they said to him, “Do you think that we too are blind?” Yeshua said to them, “If you were truly blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but because you claim, ‘We see,’ your sin remains with you.”

117 . THE GOOD SHEPHERD

John 1 0 : 1 – 21

“I tell you truly,” Yeshua continued , “he who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, that man is a thief and a robber; but he who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The porter opens the gate for him; the sheep respond to his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. The sheep will not follow a stranger, but they flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” Yeshua used this image with the crowd around him, but they did not understand his meaning.

So Yeshua spoke further to them, “I tell you truly, I am the gateway for the sheep. All who came before me are were thieves and robbers; and the sheep did not heed them. I am the gateway; and if any one enters through me, he will be saved. He will come in and go out freely, and will find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The man who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches up the sheep and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep. But I am the good shepherd. I know my own sheep and my sheep know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.

“And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also. 154 They too will heed my voice, and there shall be one flock, and one shepherd.

“This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, so that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own will. I have the power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again; for this is the charge I received from my Father.”

There was again a division of opinion among the people at these words. Many of them said, “He is possessed by a demon, and is mad; why do you listen to him?” Others said, “These are not the words of a possessed man. And can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

118 . INSTRUCTIONS ON PRAYER

Luke 11 : 1 – 2 a, 5 – 13

One day Yeshua was praying in a certain place, and when he was finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” So Yeshua said to them, “When you pray, pray with persistence .” 155

And he explained to them, “Imagine that you have a friend, and that you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him.’ And suppose the friend answers from inside, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’

“I tell you, although the man inside the house will not get up and give anything to the man at the door just because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.

“So I tell you, Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks the door will be opened.

“For what father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, by how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

119 . INWARD AND OUTWARD VIRTUE

Luke 11 : 37 – 41 , 53 – 54

One day, while Yeshua was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and took his place at the table. The Pharisee was surprised to see that Yeshua did not first ceremonially wash his hands before eating.

But the Lord said to him, “You Pharisees are careful to clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but on the inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 156 But give the foods that are within the dish as alms to the poor, and behold, then everything will be clean to you.” 157

And as Yeshua was leaving, the scribes and Pharisees began to press him hard on many subjects, trying to provoke him, watching to catch something out of his mouth that they might use against him.

12 0 . THE RICH MAN PLANS BIGGER BARNS

Luke 12 : 13 – 21 , 31 – 34

Someone in the crowd outside called to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide our father’s inheritance with me.”

But Yeshua replied, “My friend, who appointed me a judge or arbitrator over you, especially for that kind of question ?” And he cautioned them, “Take care, and beware of all forms of greed and covetousness; for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

And he told them this parable: “The lands of a certain rich man brought forth a plentiful crop. And the man thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have no place to store my harvest?’ Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns, and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to myself, My friend, you have ample goods laid up for many years. Now take your ease! Eat, drink, and be merry.’

“But God said to him, ‘Thou fool! This very night thy life shall be demanded from you. And who then will take possession of the things you have prepared for yourself?’

“So it shall be with anyone who stores up riches for himself, and is not rich toward God. Rather, therefore, seek the kingdom of God, and all the needful things of the world shall be yours as well.

“Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell all that you have and give to the poor. Provide yourselves with purses that will never wear out, with a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief can come near and no moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”