The Testimony of Yeshua

31 His mother and His brothers arrived, and, standing outside they sent someone in to call Him. 32 A crowd was sitting around Him and someone told Him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside calling for you.”

33 He replied, “Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?”

34 He looked at those who were sitting with Him and said, “Look, My mother and My brothers! 35 Whoever does Yehovah’s will is My brother and sister and mother.”

Mark 4: He began to teach by the seaside again. Large crowds gathered around Him, so He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea while the people remained on the shore. 2 He taught them many things by analogies. During His teaching He said, 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow. 4 As he was sowing, some of the seeds fell beside the path and birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground where there wasn’t enough soil. It sprouted quickly because the soil was so shallow. 6 But when the sun came up they were scorched, and because they weren’t rooted they dried up. 7 Other seeds fell among the thorns. The thorns grew up and choked them out and they didn’t yield any grain. 8 Other seeds fell on good ground and sprouted, grew, and yielded a crop that was thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times what was sown.”

9 Then He said, “Anyone who has ears should listen.”

10 When they were by themselves, the people with Him, as well as the twelve asked Him to explain the analogy. 11 Yeshua told them, “You have been given the understanding of the mystery of the everlasting Kingdom of Yehovah [Daniel 4:3, 7:27], but to those outside everything is in analogies, 12 so they see clearly, but don’t discern, and when they hear they don’t understand, otherwise they might be converted and their sins sent away” [1].

Analogy of the Sower Explained

13 He asked them, “Don’t you understand this analogy? Then how will you understand any other analogies? 14 The farmer sowing, sows the Word. 15 The seeds very near the path where the Word is sown, represent those who, as soon as they have heard it, Satan comes along and takes away the Word that was sown in their minds. 16 The seeds sown on the rocky ground represent those who, when they hear the Word, accept it immediately with joy. 17 But since they don’t have any roots, they only endure temporarily. When there is trouble or persecution because of the Word, they are quickly offended. 18 The seeds sown among thorns represent those who hear the Word, 19 but the distractions of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth and persistent lust comes in and chokes the Word, and it doesn’t produce a crop. 20 The seeds sown on good ground represent those who hear the Word and accept it, yielding a crop that is thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times what was sown.”

Lamp Under a Basket

21 He asked them, “Is a lamp ever brought in and put under a basket or under a bed? Shouldn’t it be put on a lamp stand? 22 Nothing is hidden that won’t be exposed, and nothing is concealed that won’t be revealed. 23 Anyone who has ears should listen.”

24 Then He told them, “Consider what you heard. You will be measured by the same measuring standard you use. And more will be added to those who hear. 25 Anyone who has will be given more, but for the one who doesn’t have anything, even what they have custody of will be taken away.”

Weeds Sown in the Night

26 He said, “The Kingdom of Yehovah is like a man who sowed seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he’s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows while he is oblivious to it. 28 The soil is productive. First the plant, later the ear, then full heads of grain. 29 When the crop is ripe, someone with a sickle is immediately sent out [Gr. apostello] because the harvest is ready.”

Analogy of the Mustard Seed

30 He said, “What could we compare the Kingdom of Yehovah to? What analogy would illustrate it? 31 It is like a single mustard seed sown in the ground. It’s the smallest seed you sow in the ground. 32 Yet when it is sown it springs up and becomes larger than all the other garden plants. It puts out branches large enough for birds to nest in its shade.”

33 Yeshua gave the people many such analogies to listen to and consider. 34 He didn’t tell them anything without analogies. But He explained everything to His disciples when He was alone with them.

Wind and Waves Obey Yeshua

35 That evening He said to them, “Let’s cross over to the other side.” 36 They sent the crowd away and took Him with them in a boat. Other boats also accompanied Him. 37 There was a heavy squall with violent winds, and the waves kept breaking over the boat until it was nearly filled. 38 Yeshua was asleep on a mat in the stern of the boat. They came and awoke Him and asked Him, “Rabbi, don’t you care that we’re going to die?”

39 He got up and scolded the wind and said to the sea, “Be silent, muzzle it”. The wind stopped blowing and it became very calm.

40 He asked them, “Why were you so afraid? Why don’t you have any faith?” 41 Overcome with fear [Gr. phobos], they began asking each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the sea listen to Him!”

Mark 5: They went to the other side of the sea to the region of the Gadarenes. 2 As He left the boat He encountered a man coming from the graveyard who had unclean spirits. 3 He lived in the graveyard and no one could restrain him, even with chains. 4 Every time he had been confined with shackles and chains he broke the chains and burst the shackles. No one could restrain him. 5 Continually, night and day, he was in the graveyard and in the mountains crying and cutting himself with stones.

6 When he saw Yeshua from a distance, he ran and fell down in front of Him. 7 He called out with a shrill voice, “What do you want with me, Yeshua, Son of the Highest Aloha? I beg You in the name of Yehovah not to torment me.” 8 He had already told him, “Unclean spirit, come out of the man.”

9 He asked Him, “What’s your name?” He replie d, “My name is Legion, because there are many of us.” 10 “He” begged Him not to send them out of the region.

11 There was a large herd of swine feeding on the mountain. 12 The demons begged Him, “Send us to those swine so that we can enter them.” 13 He allowed them and the unclean spirits came out of the man and went into the swine. The herd of about two thousand rushed down a steep cliff and plunged into the sea and drown in the water.

14 The herdsmen ran away and reported it in the city and in the villages. So the people came out to see what had happened. 15 They came to Yeshua and saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there clothed and sane, and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen it explained to them what had happened to the man with the demons and to the swine. 17 After this they begged Him to leave their region.

18 As He got into the boat the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with Him. 19 But He didn’t allow him. He told him, “Go home to your family and tell them what Yehovah has done for you and how He has had mercy on you.” 20 He went away and began to herald in Decapolis about what Yeshua had done for him. And they were all amazed.

Mark 6: Yeshua left there and came to His hometown, and His disciples followed Him. 2 The next Sabbath He began teaching in the synagogue. Many who heard Him were astonished and asked, “Where did He get these ideas? What kind of wisdom has been given to Him? What powerful miracles are being done by His hands! 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Aren’t His sisters living here with us?” And they left Him in indignation.

4 Then Yeshua told them, “A prophet is only dismissed in his hometown and among his own relatives and in his own household.” 5 He couldn’t do any miracles there other than lay His hands on a few of the sick and heal them. 6 He was astonished at their lack of faith as He traveled around the villages and taught.

The Twelve Sent Out

7 He called His twelve and began to send them out in pairs, and He gave them the power and authority to cast out unclean spirits. 8 He told them not to take any provisions on their journeys except for a staff—no wallet, no bread, and no brass in their money belts. 9 They could wear sandals, but couldn’t wear an extra coat. 10 He told them, “Whenever you go into a home, stay there until you leave town. 11 Wherever people don’t accept you or listen to you, when you leave that place shake off the dust that clings to your feet as a testimony to them. I am certain that it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on Judgment Day than for that city.”

12 They went out and heralded that people should amend their ways. 13 They cast out many demons and many of the sick were anointed with oil, and they were healed.

John the Immerser Beheaded

14 King Herod heard about Yeshua because His name had become well known, and he said, “John the Immerser has risen from the dead. That’s why He can do these powerful miracles.

15 Others said, “He is Elijah”. And others were saying, “He’s a prophet like one of the prophets of old.”

16 But when Herod heard about Him he said, “It is John who I beheaded. He has come back from the dead.” 17 Herod had sent men and arrested John and had him chained in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her. 18 John had been telling Herod, “It is against the Torah for you to be married to your brother’s wife.” 19 Herodias herself was an enemy of his and wanted to kill him, but wasn’t allowed. 20 Herod was afraid of John. He knew that he was a righteous and dedicated [Aramaic 'special]] man, so he protected him. He frequently listened to him and did what he said. He enjoyed listening to him.

21 An opportune day came when Herod gave a banquet in the house he was born in [1] for his top officials, military officers and the leaders of Galilee. 22 Herodias’ daughter came in and danced, and she charmed Herod and his guests so much that the king told her, “Ask me for anything you want and I’ll give it to you.” 23 He swore to her, “I’ll give you whatever you ask for, up to half of my kingdom.”

24 So she went out and asked her mother, “What should I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the Immerser.” 25 She rushed back to the king and said, “I want you to give me John the Immerser’s head on a platter right now.”

26 The king deeply regretted what he had said, yet because of the oath and because of the guests he was unwilling to deny her. 27 The king immediately sent an executioner and ordered him to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded John in the prison, 28 and brought it on a platter and gave it to the girl, who gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard what happened, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

Yeshua Feeds the 5,000

30 The envoys gathered around Yeshua and told Him everything that they had done and what they had taught. 31 Then He said, “Let’s go off by ourselves into the wilderness and rest a while.” There were so many people coming and going that they hadn’t even had a chance to eat.

32 So they went away in a boat to the wilderness where they could be alone. 33 But many people saw them leave and recognized them. So the people hurried there by land from all the surrounding cities, arriving ahead of them. 34 Yeshua got out of the boat and saw the large crowd, and He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and He began to teach them many things.

35 Late that day His disciples came to Him and said, “This is a deserted place and it’s getting late. 36 Send them out into the surrounding countryside and into the villages so they can buy themselves something to eat, because they have nothing to eat.”

37 But He told them, “You give them food to eat.” They replied, “Should we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of food and give them something to eat?” 38 He told them, “Go and see how many loaves you have here.” When they checked, they told Him, “Five loaves and two fish.” 39 He asked them to have the people sit on the grass in groups. 40 So they sat down in groups of fifty or a hundred. 41 He took the five loaves and the two fish and looked toward Heaven and blessed and broke the bread and gave it to His disciples to set before them. They also divided the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate and were satisfied. 43 Then they picked up twelve baskets full of broken pieces of bread and fish. 44 There were five thousand men who had eaten the bread!

Yeshua Walks on Water

45 He immediately urged His disciples to get into the boat and go ahead of Him across to Bethsaida, while He sent the people home. 46 After He sent them back, He went up to the mountain to pray.

47 That evening the boat was in the middle of the sea and He was alone on land. 48 He saw them straining themselves rowing because the wind was against them. In the fourth watch of the night Yeshua approached them walking on the water and it appeared as tho He was going to pass them. 49 When they saw Him walking on the water, they assumed it was a phantom [Gr. phantasma] and they began screaming. 50 They all saw Him and were terrified. But he immediately spoke to them and said, “Have courage; I AM! Don’t be afraid.” 51 He got into the boat with them and the wind ceased. They were all greatly amazed and astonished. 52 They hadn’t learned the lesson of the bread because their minds were still calloused.

Touching a Tzitzit

53 When they had crossed over to the other shore they landed in the region of Gennesaret. 54 As soon as they got out of the boat, the local people recognized Him. 55 They ran thruout the region carrying sick people on cots to where they heard He was. 56 Whenever He entered villages or cities the sick were laid in the streets and they eagerly asked Him if they could simply touch a tzitzit [tassel] on His robe. Everyone who touched Him was healed.

Mark 7: Some Pharisees and Torah teachers who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Him. 2 They noticed some of His disciples eating bread without having washed their hands, and they criticized Him 3 because the Jewish people, especially the Pharisees, won’t eat unless they carefully wash their hands. They strictly follow the traditions of the elders. 4 When they come from a market place they won’t eat their food unless they wash it. There are many other traditions that they observe like ceremonially washing cups, pots, bronze utensils and bedding.

5 The Torah teachers and Pharisees asked Him, “Why don’t Your disciples follow the traditions of the elders? They eat bread without washing their hands?”

6 He told them, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you pretenders. As the Scriptures say, ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their minds are very far from Me. 7 Their 'reverence' of Me is pointless because they teach human rules as doctrines.’ 8 You abandon the Commandments of Yehovah and hang onto human traditions, washing cups and pots and other things like that.”

9 He added, “Despite your pretenses, you reject the Commandments of Yehovah in order to establish your own traditions! 10 Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother, and whoever speaks evil of their father or mother must certainly be put to death.’ 11 But you say that if anyone tells their father or mother, ‘Whatever you might have otherwise gotten from me is now dedicated to the treasury’— 12 that they aren’t required to do anything for their father or mother. 13 You reject the Word of Aloha for the sake of the traditions that you hand down. And you do many other things like that.”

14 Yeshua called to the crowd and told them, “Everyone listen to Me and understand. 15 There is nothing outside of a person that can defile them, but the things that come out of a person are what defile them. 16 Anyone who has ears should listen.” 17 Once Yeshua had gone into the house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him about this analogy. 18 He told them, “Don’t you understand either? Don’t you know that nothing entering a person from outside can defile them? 19 It doesn’t enter into their mind but into their belly and it passes thru the digestive process, where everything that is eaten is eliminated [1]. 20 It’s what comes out of a person that defiles them. 21 From inside people’s minds come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 greed, malice, deceit, shameless lust, envy, slander, arrogance and foolishness. 23 All of these evil things come from inside and defile a person.”

24 From there Yeshua got up and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. He went into a house and didn’t want anyone to know of His presence, but He couldn’t be hidden. 25 Right away a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him and she came and fell at His feet. 26 The woman was a heathen [2], Syrophoenician by race. She asked Him to drive the demon out of her daughter.

27 Yeshua told her, “Allow the children to be filled first, because it’s wrong to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 28 She replied, “Yes Master, and yet the puppies under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29 Yeshua told her, “You can go because of what you said! The demon has left your daughter.”

30 She went home and found her daughter lying on her cot, and the demon was gone.

Yeshua Heals a Deaf man

31 Yeshua left the territory of Tyre and Sidon and came to the sea of Galilee, in the territory of Decapolis. 32 Some people brought a deaf and stammering man to Him and begged Him to lay His hands on him.

33 He took him away from the crowd in private and put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting He touched his tongue with saliva, 34 and looked up to heaven, sighed, and told him, “Be opened” [Aramaic Ethpatakh]. 35 Immediately his hearing and speech were restored and he began speaking perfectly.

36 He warned them not to tell anyone about it, but the more He warned them, the more they spread it. 37 In astonishment they said, “He succeeds in everything He does. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

Mark 8: About that time another large crowd had gathered and there was nothing for them to eat. He called His disciples and told them, 2 “I’m moved with compassion for these people because they’ve been with Me for three days now and have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them home hungry they’ll faint along the way because some of them have come from far away.”

4 His disciples asked Him, “How can we satisfy all of these people with bread, here in this deserted place?” 5 He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They told Him, “Seven”.

6 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then He took the seven loaves and blessed them and broke them and started giving them to His disciples to give out, and they served them to the crowd. 7 There were also a few fish. He blessed them as well and told them that the fish should also be served. 8 They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up seven baskets of leftover pieces. 9 About four thousand men had eaten. Then he sent them on their way. 10 Right after that He got into a boat with His disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.

11 The Pharisees arrived and began to argue with Him. As a test, they demanded that He show them a miraculous sign from Heaven. 12 He sighed as He breathed and said, “A wicked and unfaithful people demand a sign, but the only sign they’ll be given is the sign of the prophet Jonah.”

Watch Out For the Leaven!

13 So He left them and got back into the boat and they crossed to the other shore.

14 They had forgotten to bring bread with them and there was only a single loaf with them in the boat. 15 He warned them, “Become acquainted with and be aware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”

16 They began to discuss this with each other and decided, “It’s because we don’t have any bread.”

17 Yeshua knew what they were saying, so He asked them, “Why are you talking about having no bread? Don’t you understand yet? How long will your minds remain calloused? 18 You have eyes but you can’t see. You have ears but you can’t hear, and you don’t remember anything! 19 When I broke up the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of leftover pieces did you pick up?” They told Him, “Twelve.”

20 “And when I broke up seven loaves for the four thousand, how many baskets full of leftover pieces did you pick up?” They said, “Seven.” 21 So He asked them, “Why is it that you still don’t understand?”

22 When they arrived in Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Him and they begged Him to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village and spit on his eyes and laid His hands on him and asked him what he saw.

24 He looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees walking around.”

25 He laid His hands on his eyes again and he was completely restored and saw everything clearly. 26 He sent him home and told him, “Don’t go into the village or tell anyone in the village.”

27 Yeshua and His disciples went to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way He asked His disciples, “Who do people say I am?” 28 They told Him, “Some say You are John the Immerser, others say that You are Elijah, while others say that You are one of the prophets.” 29 Yeshua asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon replied, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living Aloha.” 30 He warned them not to say anything about Him to anyone.

Yeshua Predicts His Resurrection and Death

31 Then for the first time He told them that the Human Son was about to suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, by the high priests and by the Torah teachers, be killed, and rise immediately after the third day. 32 He spoke about this quite openly. Cephas took Him aside and began to scold Him.

33 But He turned and looked at His disciples and scolded Simon and said, “Get behind Me Satan. You aren’t thinking Yehovah’s thoughts, but about human things.”

34 Yeshua called the crowd together along with His disciples and told them, “Whoever wants to follow Me must deny their own ambitions, pick up their cross and follow behind Me. 35 Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever looses their life for My sake and for the sake of My Good News will save it. 36 How would a person [Gr. anthropos] benefit if they gain the whole world but forfeit their eternal Life? 37 Or what could a person pay as compensation for their Life? 38 If anyone is ashamed of Me and of My teachings in this sinful and adulterous nation, then the Human Son will also be ashamed of them when He comes in the splendor of His Father with His spirit messengers.”

 

Mark 9: He told them, “I am certain that there are some people standing here who won’t die until they see the Kingdom of Yehovah arrive with immense power.”

The “Transfiguration”

2 Six days later, Yeshua took Cephas and James and John and led them to a high mountain where He underwent a metamorphosis [Gr. metamorphoo] right in front of them! 3 His clothes glistened and became dazzling white, like snow, whiter than people on earth could ever make them! 4 Then Moses and Elijah showed up and we could see them talking with Yeshua!

5 Cephas told Him, “Rabbi, it’s wonderful that we can be here. Allow us to make three booths, one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 But he didn’t really know what to say because they were so frightened.

7 A cloud appeared and overshadowed them. A voice from the cloud said, “This is My dearly loved Son. Listen to Him.”

8 Suddenly they looked around and no one was with them except Yeshua.

9 As they were coming down the mountain He told them not to tell anyone what they had seen until after the Human Son had risen from the dead. 10 They did discuss among themselves the question of what “had risen from the dead” meant.

11 They asked Him, “Why do the Torah teachers say that Elijah must first come?”

12 He told them, “Elijah certainly came first to get everything ready [1]. But why it is written about the Human Son, that He must suffer a great deal and be rejected? 13 I can assure you that Elijah came before, and they did whatever they wanted to with him, just as was predicted about him.”

Yeshua Heals a Boy

14 As He approached His disciples, He saw a large crowd surrounding them, and some Torah teachers were arguing with them. 15 The crowd was surprised to see Him and they ran to welcome Him right away.

16 He asked the Torah teachers, “What were you arguing about with them?”

17 Then a man in the crowd asked, “Master, I brought my son to You. He has a spirit that won’t let him talk. 18 Wherever it seizes him it shakes and convulses him. He grinds his teeth and becomes exhausted. I asked your disciples about casting it out but they couldn’t.

19 Yeshua asked them, “O unbelieving nation, how long must I be with you? How long must I bear with you? Bring him to Me.”

20 They brought him to Him. When the spirit saw Him, it immediately threw him into convulsions and he fell to the ground, shaking and foaming at the mouth. 21 Yeshua asked his father, “How long has he been like this.” He replied, “From childhood. 22 It has often thrown him into fires and into the water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, help me and have mercy on me.” 23 Yeshua replied, “If I can? Believe Me, everything is possible for someone who believes!” 24 Immediately the child’s father cried out with tears, “I do believe, but help my feeble faith.”

25 When Yeshua saw that a crowd was quickly gathering around Him, He reprimanded the unclean spirit, telling it, “You deaf and dumb spirit, I command you to come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 The demon croaked like a raven, throwing him into convulsions as it came out. He appeared to be dead, and many actually said, “He is dead”. 27 Yeshua took him by the hand and helped him get up.

28 When Yeshua came into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why couldn’t we cast it out?” 29 He told them, “The only way this kind comes out is by fasting and prayer.”

Yeshua Predicts His Resurrection Again

30 After they left the area, they traveled thru Galilee. He didn’t want anyone to recognize Him 3l because He was teaching His disciples. He taught them, “The Human Son will be handed over to men who will kill Him, but after being dead for three days, He’ll rise.” 32 But they didn’t understand what He said, and they were afraid to ask Him.”

Who is he Greatest?

33 They came to Capernaum. When they went in the house He asked them, “What were you arguing about along the road?” 34 But they didn’t answer because along the way they’d argued about which of them should be the greatest.

35 Yeshua sat down and called the twelve and told them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and be a servant to everyone.”

36 He took a child and had him stand among them. He took him in His arms and told them, 37 “Whoever welcomes someone like this child in My name welcomes Me, and those who welcome Me, not only welcome Me but the One who sent Me.”

38 John told Him, “Rabbi, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name and we told him to stop because he wasn’t one of us.”

39 Yeshua told them, “Don’t stop him. No one who does miracles in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. 40 Whoever isn’t against you is for you. 41 Anyone who gives you so much as a cup of water to drink because you are the Messiah’s followers certainly won’t lose their compensation.

Warning Against Offending Little Ones

42 If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for them to be plunged in the depths of the sea with an ass powered millstone hung around their neck! 43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter Life maimed than to go to Gehenna with both hands. 44 That’s where maggots never die out and the fire never burns out. 45 If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into Life maimed than to go to Gehenna with both feet, 46 where maggots never die out and the fire never burns out. 47 If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the Kingdom of Yehovah with one eye than to fall into Gehenna fire with both eyes, 48 where maggots never die out and the fire never burns out.

49 Everything will be vaporized [2] by the fire and every ze’bak [sacrifice] will be seasoned with salt. 50 Salt is good, but if the salt deteriorates, what would you season with it? Use salt and be at peace with each other.”

 

The Testimony of Yeshua was tweaked January 6, 2012