The “New Testament” was really entitled The Testimony of Yeshua by John in the Book of Revelation, and it was really originally written in Aramaic, with one or possibly two of the Books also written in Hebrew, a close variant of Aramaic. So your “New Testament” should be a translation from Aramaic. Read the online Book: Was the new Testament Really Written in Greek? There is far more detail on why I created this new Bible version in the INTRO to The Testimony of Yeshua (Jesus).
Revelation 1:2 He was a witness to the Word of Aloha [God] and to the Testimony of Yeshua Messiah [Jesus] about everything he saw.—The Gabriel Bible
Revelation 1:9 I John, your friend and your partner in the tribulation and suffering that are ours in Yeshua Messiah, was on the island called Patmos, because of the Word of Aloha and the Testimony of Yeshua Messiah.
Revelation 20:4 I saw thrones, and those who were seated on them, and judicial authority was given to them, and I saw the bodies of those who were beheaded for THE TESTIMONY OF YESHUA [the ‘NT’] and for THE WORD OF ALOHA [the ‘OT’]. These are the ones who hadn’t worshiped the predatory beast or his icon, nor had they accepted his mark on their forehead or on their hand. They lived and reigned with their Messiah during those thousand years.
Matthew 1
The Genealogy of Yeshua
1 THE genealogical record of Yeshua (Jesus) Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac was the father of Jacob, Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 Judah was the father of Pharez and Zara of Tamar, Pharez was the father of Hezron, Hezron was the father of Ram, 4 Ram was the father of Aminadab, Aminadab was the father of Nahshon, Nahshon was the father of Salmon, 5 Salmon was the father of Boaz of Rahab, Boaz was the father of Obed of Ruth, Obed was the father of Jesse, 6 Jesse was the father of David the king, David was the father of Solomon of the wife of Uriah, 7 Solomon was the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam was the father of Abia, Abia was the father of Asa, 8 Asa was the father of Yehoshaphat, Yehoshaphat was the father of Joram, Joram was the father of Uzziah, 9 Uzziah was the father of Jotham, Jotham was the father of Ahaz, Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah, 10 Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh was the father of Amon, Amon was the father of Josiah, 11 Josiah was succeeded by Jeconiah [1] and his brothers about the time of the deportation to Babylon.
12 After the captivity of Babylon, Jeconiah was the father of Salathiel, Salathiel was the father of Zerubbabel, 13 Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud, Abiud was the father of Eliakim, Eliakim was the father of Azor, 14 Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok was the father of Achim, Achim was the father of Eliud, 15 Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar was the father of Matthan, Matthan was the father of Jacob, 16 Jacob was the father of Joseph, Mary’s husband, who was Yeshua’s mother who is called the Messiah.
17 So there were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, and fourteen generations from David to the captivity in Babylon, and fourteen generations from the captivity of Babylon to the Messiah.
Messiah is Born
18 Here are the circumstances of Yeshua Messiah’s birth. While His mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, before they were married, while she was still a virgin, she discovered that she was pregnant by the 'special' spirit. 19 Joseph, her fiance was a righteous man and didn’t want her to be publicly disgraced. So he decided to break the engagement secretly.
20 As he was thinking about doing that, a Messenger of Yehovah appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to marry Mary, because the Child conceived in her is from the 'special' spirit. 21 She will give birth to a Son, and you will name Him Yeshua, because He’ll rescue His people from their sins.
22 This all took place to fulfill what Yehovah had revealed thru the prophet, 23 “A virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son and they will name Him Emmanuel”, that being translated means, “Aloha is with us!”
24 When Joseph woke up he did what the Messenger of Yehovah had told him and he married her. 25 She remained a virgin until she had given birth to her Son, the Firstborn, and she named Him Yeshua.
[1] The supposed problem with Yeshua’s genealogy is resolved in the Aramaic under the heading: The GOWRA Scenario: Exploding the Myth of a Flawed Genealogy (page 29).
Matthew 2
The Magi Visit the Messiah
1 After Yeshua had been born in Bethlehem of Judea, during the “reign” of king Herod, certain Magi arrived in Jerusalem from the east, 2 asking, “Where is the newly born King of the Jews, because we saw His star in the east and have come to pay Him homage.”3 When king Herod heard about it he was disturbed, as well as everyone in Jerusalem. 4 So he called together all of the high priests and their Torah teachers of the people and asked them, “Where is the Messiah to be born?” 5 They answered, “In Bethlehem of Judea, because the prophet wrote, 6 ‘You also, Bethlehem of Judea, aren’t the least among the kings of Judea, because a King will come from you who will rule My people Israel.’
7 Then Herod privately called for the Magi and determined from them precisely when the star had appeared to them. [1] 8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem, adding, “Go and search carefully for the Child, and when you have found Him, come and tell me so that I can also come and pay Him homage.”
9 After they had heard from the king, they left, and the star that they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it came and stood over where the Child was! 10 When they saw the star they were filled with joy. 11 They went into the house and they saw the Child with Mary His mother. They bowed down and paid Him homage. Then they opened their treasure chests and presented Him with gifts of gold, myrrh [Aramaic order] and frankincense. 12 Then they were warned in a dream that they shouldn’t return to Herod. So they returned to their country by another route.
Escape to Egypt
13 After they left, a Messenger of Yehovah appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up and take the Child and His mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, because Herod is going to search for the Child in order to destroy Him.”
14 So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother that night and escaped to Egypt. 15 He stayed there until Herod died, to fulfill what was spoken by Yehovah thru His prophet, “I called My Son out of Egypt.”
16 Herod was furious when he realized that he had been misled by the Magi, so he sent men and killed all of the boys in Bethlehem and in all its bordering areas who were two years of age [2] and under, based on the time that he determined from the Magi. 17 Then what Jeremiah the prophet had declared was fulfilled, 18 “A voice was heard in Rama—crying and loud mourning, Rachel crying for her children. She refused to be comforted because they no longer exist.”
He’ll Be Called a Nazarene
19 But after king Herod died a Messenger of Yehovah appeared to Joseph in a dream in Egypt, 20 and said, “Get up and take the Child and His mother and go to the land of Israel, because the people who were trying to take [destroy] his life are dead.
21 So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother and went back to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus, the successor of his father Herod was king in Judea, he was afraid to go there. Then he was told in a dream that he should go to the region of Galilee. 23 He came and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what was fortold by the prophet [Singular: Isaiah], “He’ll be called a Nazarene.”
[1] One year old according to our reckoning, since children were considered to be a year old at birth.
Matthew 3
Preparing the Way
1 About this time, John the Immerser appeared in the desert of Judea. He proclaimed, 2 “Amend your ways because the Kingdom of the Heavens has approached.” 3 This is the one the prophet Isaiah mentioned when he said, “A voice cries out in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the highway for Yehovah [1], smooth out His path.’”4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and he lived on locusts and wild honey. 5 The people of Jerusalem and all of Judea and the whole region around the Jordan went out to him. 6 He immersed them [naked?] [2] in the Jordan River while they were confessing their sins. 7 But when He saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be immersed, He told them, “Offspring of vipers, who warned you to escape from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit that’s consistent with a changed mind. 9 Don’t think you can say, ‘Abraham is our ancestor’, because I tell you that Yehovah is able to raise up descendants of Abraham from these stones. 10 Even now the ax lies against the roots of trees. So every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 I immerse you in water for a changed mind, but the One coming after me is more powerful than I am. I’m not even worthy to carry [3] His sandals. He’ll immerse [or baptize] you with the 'special' spirit OR [4] in fire. 12 His winnowing shovel is in His hand, and He’ll completely empty His threshing floor, gathering the wheat into His granary. But He’ll completely burn up the chaff with inextinguishable fire.”
Yeshua Immersed
13 Then Yeshua came from Galilee, to the Jordan, in order to be immersed by John. 14 But John, trying to deter Him said, “I need to be immersed by You, so why have You come to me?” 15 Then Yeshua told him, “Consent to this now because it is necessary to fulfill every righteous condition.” So He consented.16 After Yeshua was immersed, He immediately came up from the water. Heaven was opened to Him and He saw Yehovah’s spirit descending like a dove, and it landed on Him. 17 Then a voice from Heaven said, “This is My dearly loved Son who I am delighted with.”
[1] This is quoted from Isaiah 40:3, Strong’s (Yeh-ho-vaw’). [2] For the first 400 years, ‘baptisms’ (immersions) were done in the nude. This was similar to the Jewish mikveh ritual that preceded the Christian adaptation. Bathing outdoors was the norm, so it was not considered offensive as it would be today. Jews and some Christians still do it in the nude today. That would help explain the naked prophets! [3] The Greek says “untie.” [4] The three words usually translated “And with fire” are all one word in Aramaic. The reason I chose “OR with fire” rather than “And with fire” is because of the context. The very next verse refers to “burn with unquenchable fire.” It appears to mean that this fire is something you would want to avoid! So the 'special' spirit option is by far preferable to the fire option! You only get “one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5). Some get the “water” and some get the “fire.”
Matthew 4
The Adversary Tempts Yeshua
1 Then Yeshua was led by the 'cherished' spirit into the wilderness in order to be tempted by the Adversary. 2 He fasted forty days and forty nights, and after that He really craved food. 3 So the Tempter came to Him and said, “If You really are Yehovah’s Son, command these stones to turn into bread.” 4 But He replied, “It’s written in the Scriptures, ‘People must not live on bread alone, but by every word that leaves Yehovah’s mouth.’”5 Then the Adversary took Him to the distinguished city and set Him on the highest point of the Temple 6 and said, “If You are Yehovah’s Son, You can jump, because the Scriptures say, ‘He’ll put His messengers in charge of you and they’ll hold you in their hands so that you don’t strike your foot against a stone.’”
7 Yeshua replied, “It’s also written in the Scriptures, ‘You shouldn’t test Yehovah your Aloha.’”
8 Next the Adversary took Him to the top of a very high mountain and showed Him all of the kingdoms of the world, and their splendor, 9 and told Him, “I’ll give You all of these things if You’ll fall down and worship me. 10 Then Yeshua told him, “Go away Satan, because the Scriptures say, ‘You’ll worship Yehovah your Aloha, and only worship Him.’”
11 Then the Adversary left Him and spirit messengers came to take care of Him. 12 Now when Yeshua heard that John was thrown into prison, He returned to Galilee. 13 He left Nazareth and came and stayed in Capernaum, on the seaside, in the region of Zebulon and Naphthali. 14 This fulfilled what was 'foretold' by the prophet Isaiah:
15 “The land of Zebulon, the land of Naphthali, the highway by the sea, the ford of Jordan, Galilee of many ethnicities [Gr. ethnos], 16 the people who sat in darkness have seen great light, and for those who sat near the shadow of death, light has dawned.”
17 From that time on, Yeshua began to proclaim, “Amend your ways, because the royal power of the Kingdom of the Heavens is near.”
18 As He walked on the shore of the sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Cephas andrew his brother who were throwing a dragnet into the sea, because they were fishermen. 19 Yeshua told them, “Follow Me and I’ll have you fishing for people.” 20 So they immediately left their nets and followed Him.
21 As He went on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother in a boat with Zebedee their father, as they were mending their nets. Yeshua called them too. 22 They too immediately left the boat and their father and followed Him.
Yeshua The Healer
23 Yeshua traveled all thru Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom, and He healed every disease and malady of the people who gathered. 24 News about Him spread all thru Syria. They brought everyone who was sick with various diseases and pains to Him, and others who were in pain, demon possessed, epileptics and paralytics, and He healed them all. 25 Large crowds followed Him from Galilee, and from the Ten Cities, Jerusalem, Judea and from across the Jordan.Matthew 5
The Many Blessings
1 When Yeshua saw the crowds, He climbed a mountain and sat down and His disciples gathered around Him, 2 and He began to teach them. 3 He said, “Those who are poor in spirit are blessed, because the Kingdom of the Heavens is theirs. 4 Those who mourn are blessed, because they’ll be comforted! 5 Those who are humble are blessed, because they’ll inherit the earth! 6 Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed, because they’ll be completely satisfied! 7 Those who are merciful are blessed, because there is mercy for them! 8 Those whose thoughts are pure are blessed, because they’ll see Yehovah! 9 Those who work for peace are blessed [1a] because they’ll be called the Sons of Aloha! 10 Those who are persecuted because of righteousness are blessed because the Kingdom of the Heavens belongs to them!11 You are blessed when people insult you and persecute you, and tell all sorts of evil lies about you because of Me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because your compensation in Heaven is great [2]. They persecuted the prophets who were before you in the same way.
Salt of the Earth
13 You are the salt of the earth! But if the salt becomes insipid, how can it be used for seasoning? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under foot. 14 You are the light of the world. A city built on a hilltop can’t be hidden! 15 People don’t put a lamp under a measuring basket, but on a lamp stand, and it provides light for everyone in the house. 16 So allow your light to shine so that people can see your good works and praise your heavenly Father.Yeshua Strengthens the Torah
17 Don’t ever suppose that I came to abolish or destroy the Torah or the Prophets, I haven’t come to destroy them, but to 'establish, illustrate, and explain' them [Commentary]. 18 I am certain that until Heaven and Earth go away [or arrive] not one point or the 'smallest detail' [4] from the Torah [5] will be 'done away with' until all of it is fulfilled [6]. 19 Anyone who breaks one of the smallest prescribed rules [7] and teaches it as doctrine to others will be called small in the Kingdom of the Heavens, but anyone who carries out and teaches them, will be called great in the Kingdom of the Heavens. 20 I assure you that unless your righteousness greatly surpasses the Torah teachers and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of the Heavens.
Murder—A State of Mind
21 You’ve heard that the ancients were told, ‘Don’t murder, and whoever murders is subject to the tribunal.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is rashly angry with an acquaintance is subject to the tribunal, and anyone who says to an acquaintance, ‘I spit on you’ is subject to the tribunal, and anyone who says, ‘You are a coward’ is subject to Gehenna fire!
23 So if while you are making your zebak [sacrifice] on the altar, you remember that an acquaintance has a grievance against you, 24 leave your zebak in front of the altar and first go and be reconciled with the acquaintance, then return and offer your zebak.
25 Come to terms with your adversary quickly while on the way with him to court, because your adversary may deliver you over to the judge, and the judge can deliver you over to the sheriff, and you can end up in prison. 26 It is certain that you won’t get out until you have paid the last quadrans.’
Adultery—A State of Mind
27 You’ve heard it said, ‘Don’t commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who stares at a woman, lusting for her, has already committed adultery with her in his mind. 29 So if your right eye causes you to sin, rip it out and throw it away, because it is better for you if one part of your body is destroyed, than for your whole body to be thrown into Gehenna. 30 If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off, and throw it away, because it is better for you if one part of your body is destroyed, than for your whole body to be thrown into Gehenna.
Divorce
31 It has been said, “For a man to divorce his wife, he must give her a written notice.” 32 But I tell you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason other than illicit sex [Gr. porneia], causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries the divorced woman commits adultery.’
33 Again, you have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘Don’t lie under oath, and you must fulfill yours oaths to Yehovah.’ 34 But I tell you not to make an oath at all, not by Heaven, because it is Yehovah’s throne, 35 and not by the earth, because it is the footstool under His feet, or by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the Great King. 36 And don’t swear by your head, because you can’t change a single hair on it to black or white. 37 You should let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’, and your ‘No’, ‘No.’ Anything beyond that is evil.
38 You’ve heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I tell you not to oppose [8] a wicked person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him as well. 40 If someone wants to sue the pants off of you, let him have your shirt as well. 41 Whoever compels you to perform a public service for one mile, go with him two. 42 Give when someone begs you for something, and if someone wants to borrow from you, don’t refuse them.’
Love Your Enemies
43 You’ve heard it said, ‘You should love your friends and hate your enemies.’ 44 But I tell you, “Love your enemies and bless those who curse you. [1b]Do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who take you away in chains or persecute you, 45 so that you’ll become the very sons of your heavenly Father, who causes His sun to rise on the good and on the bad, and sends His rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.’ 46 Because if you only love those who love you, what compensation do you deserve? Don’t even tax extractors do that? 47 If you only greet your relatives, what are you doing that differs from everyone else? Don’t even tax extractors do that? 48 So become perfect, just as your Heavenly Father is perfect.
[1a,b] So should we be pacifists? [2] So if your compensation is in Heaven, how do you get it? See Revelation 21:1-5. [3] I saw a New Heaven and a New Earth, because the first Heaven and the first earth had gone ... (Revelation 21:1) [4] “Yod” is the smallest letter in both the Aramaic and Hebrew alphabets. “Biblical Greek” has no small letters. [5] “Point” is how the Etheridge version renders this, as in a vowel point, serif or even, as in this case a dot! [6] The primary meaning of “ginomai” means “to come into existence”, but it can also mean, “come to pass.” [7] According to the Hebrew Matthew this verse could include: “ ... that I teach, I will utterly destroy.” [8] Literally “take a stand”, and the Greek says “take a public stand”
Matthew 6
Good Works Pay Off
1 Be careful not to practice your righteous works in public, just so that they can see you, or you’ll have no compensation from your Heavenly Father.2 Don’t announce your presence with a trumpet like the pretenders do in the synagogues and in the streets in order to be praised. Most surely, they’ve already gotten their compensation. 3 When you give to the poor, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your donation is done in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will compensate you openly.
When You Pray
5 When you pray, don’t be like the pretenders who love standing up in the synagogues and on street corners, praying just so they’ll be seen by other people. That’s most certainly their compensation. 6 But when you pray, enter a storage closet and close the door and pray to your Father who is unseen. Your Father who sees the unseen will compensate you openly. 7 When you pray, don’t use meaningless repetition like the pagans who think they’ll be heard if they keep on talking. 8 Don’t be like them because your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. 9 So you should pray like this, ‘Our Father in Heaven, may Your name be revered. 10 May Your Kingdom arrive, and Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 Disregard our sins and debts, as we disregard those of people who haven’t made amends with us.13 Don’t bring us into trial, but rescue us from evil, because the Kingdom and the power and the splendor is Yours into eternity. Aw-main'.’
14 If you disregard people’s faults, your Heavenly Father will also disregard and acquit yours. 15 But if you don’t disregard people’s faults, your Father won’t disregard and acquit your faults.
When You Fast
16 When you fast, don’t appear to be sad like the pretenders do. They try to look sad to make it obvious that they’re fasting. That’s most certainly their compensation. 17 But when you are fasting, wash your face and anoint your head 18 so that it won’t be obvious to others that you are fasting, except for your Father, who tho He is hidden from you, still sees what is done in secret and will compensate you.
19 Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moths and rust spoil them and where thieves dig thru and steal them. 20 Instead, store up treasure for yourselves in Heaven where moths and rust can’t spoil them and where thieves can’t break in and steal it. 21 Because where your passion is, is where your treasure is. 22 The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyesight is good your whole body will be illuminated 23 but if your eyes are diseased, your whole body will be dark. So if the light in you turns to darkness, how intense your darkness will be! 24 No one can be a slave to two masters, because they’ll either hate one and love the other, or they’ll be devoted to one and neglect the other. You can’t serve Yehovahand money.
No Worries
25 So that’s why I tell you to stop worrying about your life—what you’ll eat and what you’ll drink, or about your body, how you’ll clothe yourselves. Isn’t life more important than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds in the sky. They don’t sow or harvest and they don’t store grain into granaries, yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you far more important than they are? 27 Which of you by being worried can add a cubit to your height?28 And why be worried about clothing? Consider the lilies of the wilderness, the way they grow. They don’t work, and they don’t spin clothing. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was arrayed like one of them. 30 If Yehovah clothes the herbs of the field that exists today and tomorrow are tossed into an oven, won’t He clothe you much more, you of little faith? 31 So don’t worry or ask, “What will we eat?” or “What will we drink?” or say “I don’t have anything to wear.” 32 Those are things that heathens pursue. Your Father in Heaven knows that you need all of those things. 33 But first strive for Yehovah’s Kingdom, and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 So don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow has its own problems. Every day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 7
Don’t Condemn
1 Don’t condemn, so that you won’t be condemned, 2 because the way you judge others is the way that you’ll be judged. The same measuring standards that you judge other people by will measure your worth.3 Why do you look at the chaff in your brother’s eye, without noticing the rafter in your own eye? 4 And how can you say to a friend, “Allow me to remove the chaff from your eye”, when you have a rafter in your own eye? 5 You pretender, first remove the rafter from your own eye, and then you’ll see clearly to remove the chaff from your friend’s eye!
6 Don’t hang earrings on dogs, or throw your pearls to swine, because they’ll trample them underfoot and then turn around and tear you to pieces.
Keep Knocking
7 Ask, and you’ll receive. Search, and you’ll find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. 8 Everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. The person knocking at the door will have the door opened.9 Which of you would hand his son a stone if he asks for bread, 10 or if he asks him for a fish, would hand him a snake? 11 So if you, imperfect as you are, know how to give good things to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him? 12 So do for others whatever you want them to do for you [1], because this 'encapsulates' the Torah and the Prophets.
The Narrow Doorway
13 Enter thru the narrow door, because the door is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and many enter thru it. 14 How narrow is the doorway and constricted is the road that leads to eternal life, and very few find it!
You Can Tell by the Fruit
15 Watch out for false [Gr. pseudo] prophets who come to you 'disguised' as sheep, but inwardly they are extortioning wolves. 16 You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes picked from brambles, or figs from briars? 17 Similarly, every good tree produces good fruit, but a diseased tree produces worthless fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce worthless fruit, and a worthless tree can’t produce good fruit. 19 Every tree [person] that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So you’ll know them by their fruit.
I Never Knew You!
21 Not just anyone who says to Me, “Sovereign, Sovereign”, will enter the Kingdom of the Heavens, but only those who actually do the will of My Father in the Heavens. 22 Many will say to Me on 'Judgment' Day, “Sovereign, Sovereign, didn’t we prophesy in Your name and in Your name cast out demons, and perform many miracles in Your name?” 23 Then I’ll tell them publicly [see root words 3674 and 3056], “I never knew you. Get away from Me you Torah breakers” [2].
A Solid Rock Foundation
24 “So everyone who hears these teachings and acts on them is like a wise man who built his house on a rock. 25 The rain came down, flood water rose and the winds blew and beat against the house, yet it didn’t collapse because its foundation was built on bedrock. 26 Anyone who hears My teachings and doesn’t act on them is like the foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 Heavy rain came down followed by floods, and the winds blew and beat on the house. It collapsed, and its collapse was disastrous.”
28 “When Yeshua had finished saying all these things, the crowds were astonished at His doctrine, 29 because He taught them as someone with Torah authority [the Gr. root word applies to law or Torah], unlike the Torah teachers and Pharisees.”
[1] Act first, don’t wait on others! [2] The Greek nomos almost always means Torah in the Testimony of Yeshua, while anomos means without Torah.
Matthew 8
Yeshua Heals the Leper
1 As He came down from the mountain, large crowds gathered around Him. 2 A leper came and knelt before Him and said, “Sovereign, if You want to You can cleanse me.” 3 Yeshua reached out His hand, touched him and said, “I want to, be cleansed.” Instantly he was cleansed of his leprosy. 4 Yeshua told him, “See that you don’t tell anyone about this, but go and show yourself to the priests, and offer the offering that Moses prescribed as evidence for them.”The Centurion’s Son Healed
5 When Yeshua entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him and called Him aside to ask: 6 “Sovereign, my child [Gr. servant] lies at home paralyzed and in terrible pain.” 7 Yeshua told him, “I’ll come and heal him.”
8 The centurion replied, “Sovereign, I don’t deserve to have You come under my roof, but just say the word and my child will be healed. 9 Because I’m also a man under authority, and there are soldiers under my command. I say to one of them, ‘Go’, and he goes, and to another, ‘Come’, and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this’, and he does it.” 10 Now when Yeshua heard this, He was amazed and said to those who were walking with Him, “I am certain that I haven’t found faith like this in all of Israel. 11 I am certain that many will come from the east and from the west and sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of the Heavens, 12 but the native descendants of the Kingdom will be thrown into outer darkness. There will be wailing and clenching of teeth.” 13 Yeshua told the centurion. “Go, what you have believed has been done.” And his child was instantly healed.
Simon’s Mother-in-Law Healed
14 Yeshua came to Simon’s house and saw his mother-in-law lying down with a fever. 15 He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began serving them.
16 That evening they brought many demon possessed people to Him, and He drove out their demons with a word, and healed everyone who was sick; 17 This fulfilled what the prophet Isaiah had prophesied, “He’ll bear our sorrows and He’ll take our weaknesses.”
First Things First
18 When Yeshua saw the large crowds around Him, He instructed His disciples to go to the opposite shore. 19 A Torah teacher came and told him, “Rabbi, I’ll follow You wherever You go.” 20 Yeshua told him, “Foxes have their dens, and the birds of the sky have nests, but there is nowhere for the Human Son to rest His head.
21 Another disciple asked Him, “Sovereign, allow me to first go and bury my father.” 22 But Yeshua told him, “Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead.”
The Wind Obeys Him
23 When Yeshua got on the boat, His disciples embarked with Him. 24 Suddenly, an immense storm arose at sea, and the vessel was being covered by waves, but Yeshua was asleep. 25 His disciples came and woke Him, shouting, “Sovereign, save us. We’re going to die!” 26 Yeshua replied, “Why are you so afraid, you of little faith!” Then He got up and gave an order to the wind and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. 27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of Man is this? Even the wind and the sea obey Him!”
28 When Yeshua arrived on the opposite shore in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon possessed people met Him as they were coming out of the tombs, so savage that no one traveled that way. 29 They shouted, “What do You want with us, Yeshua, Son of Yehovah? Did You come here to torment us before the specified time?”
30 In the distance there was a large herd of swine feeding. 31 The demons began to plead with Him and asked, “If You cast us out, allow us to go into that herd of swine.” 32 Yeshua told them, “Go.” And immediately they came out, and went into the swine, and the entire herd ran impulsively straight down an incline, and then plunged into the sea and died in the water. 33 The herdsmen fled into town and told everyone what had happened, particularly about the demon possessed men. 34 Everyone in town came out to meet Yeshua, and when they saw Him they urged Him to leave their coast.
Matthew 9
The Man on the Cot
1 He boarded a ship and crossed over and came to His home town. 2 Some people brought a paralyzed man lying on a cot to Him. Yeshua saw their faith and told the paralyzed man, “Be encouraged, My son, your sins have departed” [1]. 3 Some of the Torah teachers said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” 4 But Yeshua, knowing what they were thinking, asked them, “Why are you entertaining evil thoughts in your minds?” 5 Which is the easier to say, “Your sins have departed” or to say, “Get up and walk?” 6 But so that you’ll know that the Human Son has authority on earth to send away sins, He said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your cot and go home.” 7 He got up and went home. 8 When the crowd saw this they were awestruck and they praised Aloha for entrusted such authority to people.Matthew the Tax Man
9 As Yeshua went on from there, He saw a man sitting in a tax office whose name was Matthew. He told him, “Follow Me”, so he got up and followed Him. 10 As they were eating in his house, many tax extractors and sinners arrived to eat with Yeshua and His disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax extractors and very wicked sinners?”
12 When Yeshua heard that, He said, “Healthy people don’t need a physician, but those who are very sick do. 13 Go and learn what this means, ‘I require compassion, not zebakim [sacrifices]!’ I didn’t come to call the righteous, but the sinful.
Disciples Not Fasting
14 Then John’s disciples came to Him and asked, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast frequently, while Your disciples don’t fast? 15 Yeshua replied, The 'groomsmen' [literally: sons of the bridal 'party' [3567] can’t fast [2] as long as the bridegroom is with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, then they’ll fast.”
“16 No one ever mends an old garment with a new piece of cloth, because the patch will pull off, tearing the garment, and the rip gets even bigger. 17 And people don’t pour new wine into old wineskins because the wineskins will burst, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. Instead, people put new wine into new wineskins and both are preserved.”
A Healing and a Resurrection
18 While He was still talking with them, a certain leader came and bowed down before Him and said, “My daughter just died, but come lay Your hands on her and she’ll live!” 19 Yeshua and His disciples got up and followed Him.
20 Then a woman came up behind Him who had been hemorrhaging for twelve years and touched a tzitzit [3] on His clothing. 21 She thought to herself, “If I can only touch His garment, I’ll be healed.” 22 Yeshua turned around and looked at her, and told her, “Be encouraged My daughter, your faith has given you life. The woman was healed that very moment.”
23 Yeshua came to the leader’s house, and He saw the pipe players and the wailing crowd. 24 He told them, “Clear out! The girl isn’t dead, she’s sleeping.” And they laughed at Him. 25 After He cleared the crowds, He went in and took her by the hand the girl got up. 26 The news of this occurrence spread thruout the region.
Two Blind Men Healed
27 As Yeshua was traveling on, two blind men followed Him, shouting, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”
28 When He went into the house, the blind men were brought to Him, and Yeshua asked them, “Do you believe that I can do this?” They replied, “Yes Sovereign.” 29 Then He touched their eyes and said, “It will happen for you just as you believe.” 30 Their eyes were opened immediately. Then Yeshua warned them, “See that no one knows about it. 31 But they went out and spread the news about it thruout the region.
The Mute Man
32 As Yeshua was leaving, a mute demon possessed man was brought to Him. 33 When the demon was gone, the mute man could talk. The crowds exclaimed in astonishment, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!” 34 But the Pharisees said, “He drives out demons by the leader of the demons.”
35 Yeshua traveled thru all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaimed the Good News of the Kingdom, and healed all diseases and debilities. 36 When Yeshua saw the crowd, He pitied them because they were troubled and dispersed, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then He told His Disciples, “The harvest is vast and the laborers are few.” 38 So ask Yehovah the harvester to send laborers out to His harvest.
[1] The Jews were right in understanding that only Aloha is capable of forgiving sins, but quite wrong in not realizing that Yeshua was Aloha! Be careful saying that you forgive someone. You can only disregard and acquit people’s sins. To have their sins literally “depart” requires Aloha. If you could actually forgive sins, then why would we need Aloha to do it? [2] Strangely, the Greek says “mourn” here. [3] This is the same “tassels” or “fringes of a garment” that Yeshua criticized the Jews for lengthening in Chapter 23:5
Matthew 10
The Man on the Cot
1 He called His twelve disciples together and gave them authority over unclean spirits to cast them out and to heal every disease and debility.2 These are the names of the twelve envoys: The first of them, Simon who is called Cephas, and his brother Andrew, James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew the tax collector, James the son of Alpheus, Lebbeus who was called Thaddeus; 4 Simon the zealous [or Canaanite], and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him.
5 Yeshua sent out these twelve after instructing them, “Don’t go to the other ethnicities, and don’t enter any of the Samaritan towns. 6 But rather, go to the lost sheep of the household of Israel. 7 As you travel, herald, ‘The Kingdom of the Heavens has approached.’ 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the leprous, raise the dead, and cast out demons. You’ve received freely, so give freely. 9 Don’t accumulate gold or silver or brass in your money belts 10 or take a traveling bag for the journey or an extra coat or sandals or a walking stick, because a laborer deserves his food.
11 Whatever city or town you enter, seek out someone worthy there, and stay there until you leave. 12 When you enter a house, visit with the family. 13 If the home is worthy, your tranquility will come to it, but if it isn’t worthy, your tranquility will return to you. 14 Whoever refuses to accept you or hear your teachings—when you leave that house or that town, shake off the dust from your feet. 15 I am certain that it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on Judgment Day than for that town!”
Sheep Among Wolves
16 Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as savvy as serpents and as innocent as doves. 17 But beware of men, because they’ll hand you over to the tribunals and scourge you in their synagogues. 18 You’ll be brought before governors and kings because of Me, to testify to them and to all nations. 19 When they apprehend you, don’t worry about what to say or how to say it, because the response will be given to you at that time. 20 It won’t be you speaking, but your Father’s spirit speaking thru you.
21 Brothers will betray brothers to death, and fathers their sons, children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You’ll be hated by everyone because of My name. But anyone who endures to the end will have eternal life. 23 When they persecute you in one town, escape to another. I am certain that you won’t have finished your mission in the towns of the lineage of Israel, before the Human Son appears in public.
24 No disciple is better than his master, and a servant isn’t better than his master. 25 It is enough for a disciple to be like his master, and the servant like his master. If they’ve called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they slander his family members?
26 So don’t be afraid of them, because there is nothing covered up that won’t be exposed, or secret, that won’t be revealed.
Shout it From the Rooftops
27 Whatever I tell you in the dark, repeat in the light. And what is whispered in your ear, shout from the rooftops. 28 Don’t be afraid of those who can kill the body but can’t kill the consciousness [psyche, Gr: psuche]. Instead, be afraid of the One who can destroy both your 'spirit' [Gr. psuche, “inner self”] and your body in Gehenna. 29 Aren’t two sparrows sold for an assarium? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground against your Father’s will. 30 As for you, the very hairs on your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid, because you are far more precious than sparrows.32 Whoever acknowledges Me in public, I’ll also acknowledge before My heavenly Father. 33 But whoever disowns Me in public, I’ll also disown before My heavenly Father.
Peace on Earth?
34 Don’t assume that I came to 'bring' world peace. I haven’t come to bring peace, but a sword [conflict]. 35 I came to alienate a man against his father and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 A person’s enemies will be the members of their own household.
37 Anyone who loves [defers to] their father or mother more than Me isn’t worthy of Me, and anyone who loves their son or daughter more than Me, isn’t worthy of Me. 38 Whoever doesn’t pick up their cross and follow Me isn’t worthy of Me. 39 Whoever attempts to save their life will lose it, and anyone who loses their life for My sake will preserve it.
Whoever Welcomes You
40 Whoever welcomes you welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me is welcomed by the One who sent Me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet, because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s compensation, and anyone who is the companion of a righteous person, because they are a righteous person, will receive a righteous person’s compensation [1]. 42 And whoever gives one of these inexperienced ones so much as a cup of cold water to drink, because they are a disciple, I tell you, they certainly won’t lose their compensation.[1] See Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible.
Matthew 11
Go Tell John
1 After Yeshua finished instructing His twelve disciples, He left to teach and herald in their home towns.2 When John heard in prison about the works of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to 3 ask Him, “Are You the One to come or should we expect someone else?”
4 Yeshua told them, “Go and tell John the things that you have heard and seen— 5 the blind see, the lame walk, the leprous are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor hear the Good News 6 and anyone who isn’t offended because of Me is blessed.”
7 After they had left, Yeshua began to ask the crowd about John, “What did you go into the wilderness to see, a reed waving in the wind? 8 If not, what did you go out to see, a man dressed in soft [1] clothing? Look, those who are dressed in soft clothing live in king’s palaces. 9 If not, what did you go to see? A prophet? Yes, I say, and more than a prophet. 10 He is the one mentioned in the Scriptures: “Look, I’ll send My messenger ahead of You, so that he can prepare the way before You!” 11 “I am certain that among those born of women, there hasn’t arisen anyone greater than John the Immerser, yet the least influential person in the Kingdom of the Heavens is greater than he. 12 From the time of John the Immerser until now, the Kingdom of the Heavens has been attacked by force, and violent people continue attacking it [2]. 13 All of the Prophets and the Torah prophesied until the time of John. 14 And if you are willing to believe it, he is Elijah who was prophesied to come. 15 Anyone who has listening ears should listen! 16 But what can I compare this nation to? It is like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to their friends, 17 saying, “We have sung [3] to you and you didn’t dance. We mourned for you, and you didn’t lament.”
18 John didn’t come eating or drinking, yet they said, ‘He has a demon!’ 19 The Human Son came eating and drinking, and they said, ‘Look, a glutton and a wino, and a friend of tax extractors and notorious sinners.’ But wisdom is vindicated by her works.”
Sodom on Judgment Day
20 Then Yeshua began to criticize the cities that many of His powerful miracles were done in, because they hadn’t change their ways. 21 He said, “I pity you Chorazin! I pity you Bethsaida! If the powerful miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon, they would have amended their ways in sackcloth and ashes long ago! 22 I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on Judgment Day than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, exalted to heaven will be brought down to sheol [Greek: hades], because if the powerful miracles that were done for you had been done in Sodom, it would be standing until this very day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom on Judgment Day than for you.”
Wisdom Hidden From the Scholars
25 Then Yeshua exclaimed, “I praise you Father, Aloha of Heaven and earth, because You’ve hidden these things from the scholars and the knowledgeable, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, because this was what You wanted.
27 My Father has handed over everything to Me. No one fully knows the Son except for the Father. Also, no one fully knows the Father except for the Son, and anyone who the Son wants to reveal Him to.
28 Come to Me all of you who are weary and carrying burdens, and I’ll give you rest. 29 Take on My yoke and learn from Me, because I’m gentle and humble and you’ll find your needed rest, 30 because My yoke is pleasant and My burden is light.”
[1] “soft clothing” refers to “effeminate” dainty clothing. [2] “The King and His herald suffered violence, and this is the primary and greater meaning, but also, some were resolutely becoming disciples. CF Lk 16:16.”—Scofield Reference Notes [3] The Greek says, “played a flute.”
Matthew 12
Yeshua, Sovereign of the Sabbath
1 About that time Yeshua was walking 'thru the grain fields' on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began picking heads of grain to eat. 2 When the Pharisees saw them, they told Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing something that the Torah forbids to be done on the Sabbath.”3 But He replied, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry? 4 He went into Aloha’s [God’s] tabernacle and ate bread from Yehovah’s table that was forbidden by the Torah for him and for those who were with him to eat? It was solely for the priests. 5 Or haven’t you read in the Torah that the priests in the Temple Lawfully tread on [1] the Sabbath and are innocent? 6 But I tell you, that Someone greater than the Temple is here. 7 If you had known what this means, ‘I want mercy, not zebakim [sacrifice]’, you wouldn’t have condemned the innocent. 8 The Human Son is Sovereign of the Sabbath!”
Healing on the Sabbath
9 Yeshua moved on from there and went into their synagogue. 10 A man with a withered hand was there. They asked Him, “Is it against the Torah to heal someone on the Sabbath?” (They wanted to make a legal accusation against Him.) 11 He replied, “Which of you, if you had a sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath day, wouldn’t grab it and lift it out?” 12 A human being is far more precious than a sheep! So is it against the Torah to do good on the Sabbath? 13 Then He said to the man, “Reach out your hand.” He reached out his hand it was restored, just like the other. 14 The Pharisees left and conspired against Him, as to how they could destroy Him. 15 Yeshua was aware of this, so He left the area. Large crowds followed Him and He healed them all. 16 He warned them not to say where he was, 17 fulfilling what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah who said: 18 “This is My Servant who I have chosen, My dearly loved One who My consciousness [psyche, Gr: psuche] delights in. I’ll put My spirit on Him and He’ll announce Judgment Day to every ethnicitiy [Gr. ethnos]. 19 He won’t fight or shout. No one will even hear His voice in the streets. 20 He won’t break a crushed reed. He won’t even put out a flickering wick until He brings judgment to victory. 21 All nations will trust in His name.”
22 Then they brought a demon possessed man who was mute and blind to Him, and He healed him so that the man could speak and see. 23 Everyone in the crowd was amazed and asked, “Isn’t this the son of David?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard about it they said, “This man can’t cast out demons without the help of Beelzebub, the prince of demons.” 25 Yeshua knew their thoughts and told them, “Every kingdom that is divided into factions will be laid waste, and any house or city in dissension won’t stand. 26 So if Satan banishes Satan and he is divided into factions, then how can his kingdom continue to stand? 27 If I cast out demons with the help of Beelzebub, then who helps your young men cast them out? So they’ll be your judges. 28 But if I cast out demons by the 'special' spirit, then the royal power of the Kingdom of Yehovah has come to you.
29 How can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods without first tying up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.
Blasphemy
30 Anyone who isn’t with Me is against Me, and anyone who doesn’t gather with Me is scattering. 31 This is why I can say that any sin and blasphemy [Gr. blasphemia] of humanity will be removed, except for blasphemy against the spirit. People can’t have that removed. 32 Whoever says anything against the Human Son will have that removed, but whoever says anything against the 'Father’s spirit' can’t have that removed, either in this world or in the coming world.
33 Either produce [2] a good tree with good fruit, or produce a poor quality tree with poor quality fruit, because a tree becomes known by its fruit. 34 Offspring of vipers, how can you evil people say anything good? You say whatever your minds are filled with. 35 A good person brings good things out of his cache, and a bad person brings bad things from his cache. 36 I tell you, on Judgment Day people will be accountable for every careless word that they have spoken! 37 You’ll be justified by your words, or you’ll be condemned by your words.
Wanting a Sign
38 Then some of the Torah teachers and Pharisees said to Him, “Sovereign, we want to see a miraculous sign from You.” 39 But He replied, “A wicked and unfaithful people demand a sign, but the only sign they’ll be given is the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 Just as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, in the same manner, the Human Son will be in the inner part of the earth for three days and three nights. 41 The people of Nineveh will stand up on Judgment Day with this group of people, and will condemn them, because they amended their ways at the heralding of Jonah, and now Someone greater than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the South will be aroused from her sleep on Judgment Day with these people and condemn them, because she came from a remote part of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and now Someone superior to Solomon is here.
A Demon Returns
43 When an unclean spirit leaves someone, it wanders thru dry places looking for comfort, but doesn’t find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I’ll return to the house I left.’ So it returns and finds it vacated, swept clean, and set in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits, worse than itself. They enter and occupy the person, and the person’s final state is worse than it was before. So it will be for this wicked group of people.
Yeshua’s Family Comes Visiting
46 As He was busy speaking to the crowds, His mother and His brothers came and stood outside wanting to talk to Him. 47 Someone told Him, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wanting to talk to You.” 48 He replied to the man who told him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” 49 He reached out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Look, these are My mother and brothers! 50 Anyone who does the will of My Heavenly Father is My brother and sister and My mother!”
[1] The root word of bebeloo, (bebelos) adds clarity to this seemingly contradictory passage. “Bebelos” means “lawful to be trodden” or “common”, as well as the more popular rendering: “profane.” [2] This distinction is comparable to the wild olive vs the garden variety in Romans 11:23-24. Quality fruit trees are produced by grafting.
Matthew 13
Parable of the Sower
1 Later that day, Yeshua left the house and sat by the seaside. 2 A large crowd gathered around Him, so He went out in a boat and sat down, while the crowd stood on the seaside. 3 He spoke with them at length in parables [Strong’s #]. He said, “Look, a sower went out to sow. 4 As he was sowing, some of the seed fell along the path, and birds came and devoured it. 5 Other seed fell on very rocky ground where there was not much soil. It sprouted immediately because the soil wasn’t deep. 6 But when the sun came up they were scorched. Because they couldn’t take root, they dried up. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns shot up and choked them out. 8 Other seed fell on good ground and produced a crop, some a hundred times, some sixty times, and some thirty times what was sown. 9 Anyone who has ears should listen.”Disciples Entrusted With the Mysteries
10 His disciples came and asked Him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 He replied, “Because you have been entrusted with the mysteries of the Kingdom of the Heavens, but they haven’t. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they’ll have plenty, but whoever doesn’t have, even what they have use of will be taken from them! 13 This is why I talk to them in parables, because they look but they don’t see, and they listen but they don’t understand. 14 They fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy that says, “They’ll listen, but they won’t understand, and they’ll see, but they won’t comprehend. 15 These people have calloused minds and they are hard of hearing. They’ve shut their eyes, otherwise they would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their intellects, and return so that I could free them from their sins.” 16 But your eyes are blessed because they see, and your ears because they listen. 17 I assure you that many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it, and to hear what you hear, but didn’t hear it.
Parable of the Sower Explained
18 “So listen to the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the Word [message] of the Kingdom, yet doesn’t understand it, the wicked one comes and steals the seed that was sown in their minds. This is what was sown along the path. 20 The seed sown on the stony ground represents those who hear the Word and immediately accept it with joy. 21 Yet they aren’t well rooted and don’t last long, and when there is trouble or persecution because of the Word, they soon become indignant. 22 The seed sown among the thorns represents the ones who hear the Word, but the cares of this world and the deceptiveness of wealth chokes out the Word, and they don’t produce a crop. 23 But what was sown on good soil represents a person who hears My Word and understands it and produces a harvest of a hundred times, or sixty times, or thirty times what was sown.”Wheat and Tares
24 He presented another parable to them, “The Kingdom of the Heavens can be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 While everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed tares in the wheat field, and then left. 26 As the grain began to mature the tares became noticeable. 27 The householder’s servants came and asked him, ‘Sovereign, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where did these tares come from.’ 28 He told them, ‘An enemy did this.’ The servants asked him, ‘Should we go and pull them out?’”
29 He replied, ‘No, because if you pull out the tares, you’ll also uproot the wheat. 30 They must both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I’ll tell the harvesters to gather the tares out first, and tie them in bundles to be burned, and then bring the wheat into my granary.’”
The Kingdom is Like a Mustard Seed
31 He related another parable to them, “The Kingdom of the Heavens is like a mustard seed that someone went out and planted in their field. 32 This is the smallest of all seeds, but when it is grown, it is larger than all of the herbs, and becomes a tree, and birds come and nest in its branches.”
The Kingdom is Like Leaven
33 He used another analogy, “The Kingdom of the Heavens is like leaven that a woman hid in three satas [about 4 gallons] of flour, until the whole mass was leavened and rose.”
34 Yeshua explained all of these things to the crowd in parables. He didn’t say anything to them without an analogy. 35 This fulfilled what was 'foretold' by the prophet, who said, “I’ll open My mouth in parables, I’ll explain things hidden from before the foundation of the world.”
36 Then Yeshua sent the crowds away, and went into the house. His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain the parable of the tares and the field to us.” 37 He told them, “The One who sowed good seed is the Human Son. 38 The field is the world. The good seeds are the people of the Kingdom, but the tares are the people who belong to the wicked one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is Satan. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are the spirit messengers. 40 Just as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Human Son will send His spirit messengers, and they’ll gather out of His Kingdom everyone who set snares, and all the Torah breakers [Gr. anomia], 42 and throw them into a blazing furnace where there will be wailing and clenching of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Anyone who has ears to hear should listen.
44 “Again, the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a treasure that is hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again and in his excitement he went and sold everything that he had and bought the field.”
A Pearl of Great Value
45 Again, the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a merchant who was looking for valuable pearls. 46 When he found a pearl of great value, he went and sold everything that he had and bought it.
Parable of the Dragnet
47 Also, the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a fishing net that was thrown in the sea, and it caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, they hauled it ashore and they sat down and culled them. They put the good ones into containers and threw the bad [unkosher] ones away. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The spirit messengers will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into a blazing furnace. There will be wailing and clenching of teeth.
51 Yeshua asked them, “Have you understood all of this?” They answered, “Yes Sovereign.” 52 He told them, “That is why every Torah teacher who has been trained about the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a man who is the owner of an estate who brings new things and old ones from his treasure room.”
Yeshua Rejected in Nazareth
53 After Yeshua concluded His parables, He left. 54 He went to His home town and began teaching the people in their synagogues in such a way that they were amazed and began asking, “Where did He get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? 55 Isn’t He the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother’s name Mary, and His brothers James and Joses and Simon and Judas? 56 Aren’t all of His sisters here with us? Where did He get all of these things?” 57 And they were offended by Him. But Yeshua told them, “A prophet isn’t disparaged anywhere other than in his hometown and in his own household.”
58 He only did a few miracles there because of their unbelief.
Matthew 14
John the Immerser Beheaded
1 At that time Herod the Tetrarch heard reports about Yeshua. 2 So he told his servants, “This is John the Immerser. He has risen from the grave. That’s why he can do these miracles.”3 Herod had arrested John and put him in chains and imprisoned him because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, 4 because John had told him, “It is against the Torah [1] for her to be your wife.” 5 He had wanted to kill him, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered him a prophet.
6 But at Herod’s birthday party, Herodias’ daughter danced before the guests, and she pleased Herod so much 7 that he swore with an oath to give her whatever she asked for. 8 Then, as instructed by her mother, she said, “Give me John the Immerser’s head on a platter.” 9 It made the king sick, but because of the oath and the guests, he ordered that it should be given to her. 10 He sent men and cut off John’s head in prison. 11 The head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she personally took it to her mother. 12 John’s disciples came and removed the corpse and buried it. Then they went and told Yeshua.
Feeding the 5,000
13 When Yeshua heard about it, He went alone on a ship to a deserted place. When the crowd heard about this, they followed Him by land from the towns. 14 When Yeshua disembarked, He saw a large crowd, and feeling compassion on them He healed their sick.
15 That evening His disciples came to Him and said, “This is a deserted place and it’s getting late. Send the people away so that they can go into the villages and buy themselves some food.” 16 But He replied, “It isn’t necessary for them to go. You give them something to eat.” 17 But they replied, “All we have are five loaves of bread and two fish.” 18 Yeshua told them, “Bring them here to Me.” 19 He told the people to sit on the ground. He took the five loaves of bread and two fish and He looked toward Heaven and blessed them, and after breaking the food in pieces He gave it to His disciples, and the disciples set it before the people. 20 Everyone ate as much as they wanted. They picked up what was left over of the broken pieces and filled twelve baskets. 21 Five thousand men had eaten, in addition to all the women and children!
Yeshua walks on Water
22 Immediately afterward, He had His disciples get on a ship and cross to the other side ahead of Him, while He dismissed the crowd. 23 After He dismissed the crowd, He climbed a mountain to pray. After dark He was still there alone. 24 The ship was far from land in the middle of the sea, being battered by the waves, because they were going against the wind.
25 In the fourth watch of the night [about dawn] Yeshua came up to them, walking on the water. 26 His disciples saw Him as He was walking on the water and they were frightened, and they said, “It’s a phantom” [Gr. phantasma], and they screamed in terror. 27 But immediately Yeshua said, “Have courage; I AM! Don’t be afraid!” 28 Cephas replied, “Sovereign, if it’s You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 Yeshua replied, “Come.” So Cephas climbed down from the ship and walked on the water toward Yeshua. 30 But when he saw the furious wind, he was afraid and began to sink, so he shouted, “Sovereign, rescue me.” 31 Immediately our Sovereign reached out His hand caught him and said to him, “You have so little faith! Why did you doubt?”
32 As they stepped into the ship, the raging wind subsided. 33 Everyone on the ship came and worshiped Him and said, “You are truly Yehovah’s Son!” 34 They crossed over and landed in Gennesaret. 35 The men there realized who He was, and they sent messengers [Gr. apostello] to all the villages around them, and they brought everyone who was seriously sick to Him. 36 They begged Him to simply let them touch a tzitzit [tassel] of His upper clothing. And everyone who touched one was healed.
[1] This is usually translated as “against the law”, but John wouldn’t have been informing a politician about a civil “law.”
Matthew 15
Hand Washing and Defilement
1 Some Pharisees and Torah teachers who were from Jerusalem came to Yeshua and asked, 2 “Why do your disciples abandon the tradition of the elders by not washing their hands before they eat?”3 Yeshua replied, “Why do you abandon Yehovah’s Commandments because of your traditions?” 4 Yehovah has said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ and ‘anyone who curses their father or mother should be put to death.’ 5 But you say that whoever says to their father or mother, “Whatever I have that could have helped you has been given as an offering to Yehovah,” 6 You say that they don’t have to honor their father or mother [1]. You disregard Yehovah’s Commandments for the sake of your traditions. 7 You pretenders! Isaiah was absolutely right when he prophesied about you, in saying, 8 “These people 'honor' Me with 'lip service', but their sentiments are very far from Me.” 9 Their 'worship' of Me is futile because they teach human commandments as if they were doctrine.
10 He called out to the crowd and said, “Listen and understand. 11 It’s not what enters a person’s mouth that defiles them, [2] it’s what comes out of their mouth that defiles them.
12 Then His disciples came and asked Him, “Do You realize that the Pharisees were offended when they heard what You said?” 13 He replied, “Every plant that My Heavenly Father hasn’t planted will be pulled up by the roots. 14 Leave them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. If a blind person leads another blind person, they’ll both fall into a ditch.” 15 Simon Cephas said to Him, “Sovereign, explain this parable to us.” 16 He replied, “Don’t you understand this yet either? 17 Don’t you know that everything that goes into the mouth [with unwashed hands] goes into the stomach and from there is eliminated? 18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the mind, and that’s what defiles a person. 19 Evil thoughts come from the mind about adultery, murder, sexual perversion, theft, false testimony, and slander. 20 These are the things that defile people. But if someone eats without washing their hands, they aren’t defiled.”
Yeshua Sent to Israel’s Lost Sheep
21 Yeshua left the area and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that region came forward and began to call out, “Have mercy on me, Sovereign, Son of David, my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” 23 But He didn’t say a word to her. And His disciples came and urged Him, “Send her away because she keeps shouting at us as she follows us.” 24 But He answered, “I was only sent to the sheep that have strayed from the nation of Israel.” 25 Then she came and knelt before Him and said, “Help me Sovereign.” 26 Yeshua replied, “It’s not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the 'puppies'.” 27 She said, “Yes Sovereign, but even the puppies eat the scraps that fall from their master’s tables, and survive.” 28 Then Yeshua told her, “Woman, your faith is strong! What you want will be done for you.” At that moment her daughter was cured.
Healing Whole Crowds
29 Yeshua moved on from there to the seaside of Galilee where He climbed a mountain and sat down. 30 Large crowds came to Him, bringing with them those who were amputees, crippled, blind, mute, disabled and many others, and laid them down at Yeshua’s feet, and He healed them. 31 The crowd was amazed when they saw mute people talking, amputees restored, the disabled walking, and the blind seeing, and they praised the Aloha of Israel.
Feeding 4,000
32 Then Yeshua called His disciples, and told them, “I feel sorry for these people because they’ve been with Me three days now and they have nothing to eat. I won’t send them away hungry because they might faint along the way.” 33 His disciples asked Him, “Where can we get enough bread in the wilderness to feed all of these people?”
34 Yeshua asked them, “How many loaves of bread do you have?” They answered, “Seven, and a few small fish.” 35 Then He told the people to recline on the ground. 36 He picked up the seven loaves and the fish, and gave thanks, then broke it up and gave it to His disciples, and the disciples gave it to the crowds. 37 They all ate as much as they wanted. Then they picked up seven full baskets of leftover pieces. 38 Four thousand men ate that day, without counting the women and children. 39 After He dismissed the people, He boarded a ship and went to the region of Magdala.
[1] Both Murdock and Lamsa accidentally put “Don’t have to honor their father or mother” in verse 5. [2] The context isn’t about unclean “food”, it’s about unwashed hands (verses 2 & 20).
Matthew 16
Demanding a Sign
1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Him, demanding that He show them a miraculous sign from Heaven.2 But He replied, “When it is evening, you say, ‘The weather will be fine because the sky is glowing red.’ 3 And in the morning you say, ‘It will storm today because the sky is red and overcast.’ You pretenders, you can discern signs in the sky, yet you have no discernment of opportune times. 4 A wicked and unfaithful people look for a miraculous sign, but the only sign they’ll be given is the sign of the prophet Jonah.” Then He left them behind and went away.
Leaven of the Sects
5 Later, His disciples crossed to the opposite shore, but they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6 He told them, “Become acquainted with and be aware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees!”
7 They began to discuss this among themselves, concluding, “He said that because we didn’t bring any bread.” 8 But Yeshua, aware of this, said, “You have so little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves that you have no bread? 9 Don’t you understand yet? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you picked up, 10 or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you picked up? 11 Why don’t you understand that I wasn’t talking about bread? Be aware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees!” 12 Then they understood that He wasn’t warning them to be aware of the leaven in the bread, but to be aware of the doctrinal teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
13 When Yeshua came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say the Human Son is?” 14 They answered, “Some say that You are John the Immerser, others Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 Then He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Cephas answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living Aloha.” 17 Yeshua replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of Jonas, because no 'mortal being' has revealed this to you, but My Father in the Heavens has. 18 Also, I tell you that you are Cephas, and it is on this rock that I’ll rebuild My assembly [2], and the gates of sheol won’t triumph over it. 19 I’ll give you the keys of the Kingdom of the Heavens, and whatever you prohibit on earth will have already been forbidden in Heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will have already been permitted in Heaven” [1]. 20 Then He commanded the disciples not to tell anyone that He was the Messiah.
Yeshua Predicts His Death and Resurrection
21 From that time on, Yeshua began to show His disciples that He would have to go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly because of the elders, the high priests, and the Torah teachers. Then He would be killed, but on the third day He would be raised to life [3]. 22 Cephas took Him aside and began to lecture Him. He said, “Absolutely not Sovereign! This will never happen to You.” 23 But He turned and told Cephas, “Get behind Me Satan! You are an impediment to Me because you aren’t thinking Yehovah’s thoughts, but human thoughts!”
24 Then Yeshua told His disciples, “If anyone wants to follow Me, they must forget their own interests and pick up their own cross and follow Me. 25 Whoever wants to rescue their life will lose it. But whoever loses their life because of Me will find it. 26 What benefit would a person have if they gain the whole world, but forfeit their eternal life? Or what can a person give in exchange for their life? 27 The Human Son will return in the splendor of His Father with all His 'cherished Messengers', and then He’ll COMPENSATE EVERYONE BASED ON WHAT THEY HAVE DONE. 28 I am certain that some of you who are standing here won’t die until you have seen the Human Son coming with [or “in”] His Kingdom!”
[1] None of the early Messianic/Christian writers wrote about “hierarchical church government”—known among Catholics as papal primacy, infallibility, pre-eminence, jurisdiction, etc. Local elders managed local affairs in the assemblies. [2] Who was the first pope—really! [3] Just as, .”..Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights”—Jonah 1:17
Matthew 17
The “Transfiguration”
1 Six days later, Yeshua (Jesus) took Cephas, James, and his brother John and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 Yeshua underwent a supernatural metamorphosis [Gr. metamorphoo] in front of them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothing became as white as light. 3 Then Moses and Elijah just appeared and began talking with Yeshua!4 Then Cephas told Yeshua, “We’re honored to be here. If you want, I’ll set up three tabernacles [aka sukkot or booths]—one for You, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 5 He was still speaking when a bright cloud overshadowed them. Then a voice came from the cloud and said, “This is My dearly loved Son, who I’m very pleased with. Listen to Him!” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground in terror. 7 Yeshua came up to them and touched them and said, “Get up, and don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up they didn’t see anyone except Yeshua by Himself.
9 On their way down the mountain, Yeshua instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone about the ecstasy you have witnessed until the Human Son has arisen from the dead.” 10 So the disciples asked Him, “Why do the Torah teachers say that Elijah must come first?” 11 Yeshua answered, “Elijah is indeed coming, so that everything [prophetic] will be fulfilled [1]. 12 But I tell you that Elijah already came and they didn’t recognize him, but treated him any way they wanted to. In the same way the Human Son is going to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then it dawned on the disciples that He had spoken to them about John the Immerser.
Epileptic Boy Healed
14 When they returned to the crowd, a man came up to Yeshua and bowed down in front of Him 15 and said, “Sovereign, have mercy on me, because I have a son who is an epileptic and suffers terribly. He often falls into fire or into the water.” 16 I brought him to Your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him. 17 Yeshua answered, “You unbelieving and antagonistic race [Gr. genea]! How long must I be with you? How long must I bear with you? Bring him here to Me!” 18 Yeshua rebuked the demon and it came out of him, and the boy was immediately healed.19 Then the disciples came to Yeshua privately and asked Him, “Why couldn’t we heal [2] him?” 20 Yeshua told them, “Because you don’t believe. But I can tell you with certainty that if you had in you faith like a grain of mustard, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move, and nothing would be too difficult for you. 21 But this kind of demon doesn’t leave without prayer and fasting.”
Yeshua Predicts His Death and Resurrection Again
22 When they returned to Galilee, Yeshua told them, “The Human Son is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. 23 They’ll kill Him, but in three days He’ll be raised from the dead.” This deeply saddened them.
On Paying Taxes
24 When they came to Capernaum, those who collect the silver coins came to Peter and asked him, “Doesn’t your Teacher give His two zuzeen?” 25 He answered “Yes.” And when Cephas entered the house, Yeshua anticipating his arrival and asked, “What do you think, Simon? Who do the kings of the earth collect sales taxes and property taxes from—from their sons or from 'strangers?'”
26 Simon replied, “From 'strangers'.” Then Yeshua said, “Then the sons are exempt.” 27 But so that we don’t offend them, go to the sea and throw in a fishing hook. Open the mouth of the first fish that comes up, and you’ll find a silver stater. Take it and give it to them for Me and you.”
[1] The Greek translations have a much more ambitious job for Elijah, they have him “restoring everything to its former state.” While when translating from Aramaic to Greek, “restore” is a possible rendering, it certainly differs from John’s preparing the way analogy, and it doesn’t conform to any other prophecy, and certainly not “Everything” prophesied. [2] The Greek uses “cast him out”, but the Aramaic refers to “heal.”
Matthew 18
Who is the Greatest?
1 Just then the disciples approached Yeshua and asked, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of the Heavens?”2 Yeshua called a child, and had him stand among them. 3 Then He said, “I am certain that unless you change your course and become like little children, you’ll never enter the Kingdom of the Heavens. 4 Those who humble themselves like this little child are the greatest in the Kingdom of the Heavens. 5 And whoever befriends a child like this in My name befriends Me.“
Offending a Little One
6 But if anyone causes one of these children who believe in Me to be ensnared—it would be better for them to be plunged in the depths of the sea with an ass powered millstone hung around their neck! 7 I pity the world because of its snares! Snares will certainly be set, but I pity the person who sets the snares! 8 So if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have both hands or both feet and be thrown into the fire of the Ages [1]! 9 And if your eye is causing you to sin, rip it out and throw it away, because it is better for you to enter eternal life with one eye than to have both eyes and be thrown into the fire of Gehenna. 10 See to it that you don’t look down on any of these children, because I tell you, their messengers in Heaven have continual access to My Father in the Heavens. 11 The Human Son came to rescue the lost!
Parable of the Lost Sheep
12 What do you think? Suppose someone has a hundred sheep and one of them strays. Won’t he leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that strayed? 13 If he finds it, I am certain that the shepherd is happier about that than about the ninety-nine that didn’t stray. 14 Similarly, your Father in the Heavens doesn’t want even one of these children to die.
When a Friend Sins
15 If your neighbor sins against you, go and confront them privately. If they listen to you, you have won your neighbor back, 16 but if they don’t listen, then take one or two others with you so that any accusation can be verified by two or three witnesses. 17 If the person ignores them, tell it to your Jewish assembly. [2] If they ignore the assembly as well, regard them just as you would a heathen or a tax extractor.
18 I assure you that whatever you forbid on earth will have been forbidden in Heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will have been permitted in Heaven. 19 Further, I am certain that if two of you agree on earth about anything that you request, it will be done for you by My Father in the heavens, 20 because where two or three have assembled together in My name, I’m among them.
The Neighbor Who Keeps Sinning
21 This is when Cephas approached Him and asked, “Sovereign, if my neighbor sins against me, how many times must I disregard it. As many as seven times?” 22 Yeshua replied, “I tell you, not just seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
23 This is why the Kingdom of the Heavens can be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began to settle accounts, they brought in a debtor who owed him ten thousand silver coins. 25 But he didn’t have the means to repay, so his master ordered that he be sold, as well as his wife and his children, and everything that he owned to repay the debt.
26 So the servant fell to the ground and bowing before him said, ‘Have patience with me and I’ll pay everything back.’ 27 The master of that servant was moved with compassion and set him free, canceling his debt. 28 But as the servant was leaving, he found a fellow servant who owed him one hundred denarii [a few cents]. He grabbed him and began to choke him and said, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ 29 So his fellow servant fell at his feet and began begging him, ‘Have patience with me and I’ll repay you.’ 30 But he refused and had him thrown in prison until he could repay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were extremely angry. They went and explained to their master everything that had happened.
32 Then his master sent for him and said, ‘You wicked servant! I cancelled your entire debt because you begged me. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had mercy on you?’ 34 Then his master became greatly incensed and handed him over to the jailor/torturers until he could repay his entire debt.
35 “My Father in the Heavenly realm will treat each of you the same way unless you endeavor to disregard your neighbor’s shortcomings.”
[1] The associated link explains why the Weymouth Version would better reflect the effect of the “everlasting fire.” [2] There was no “church” at this time, and they didn’t really understand that there was going to be a Rebuilt Assembly (Matthew 16:18)!
Matthew 19
Marriage and Divorce
1 When Yeshua finished saying these things, He left Galilee and came to the region of Judea on the other side of the Jordan. 2 A huge number of people followed Him and He healed them there.3 Some Pharisees came to Him attempting to entice Him to sin. They asked, “Does the Torah allow a man to divorce his wife for any reason?”
4 He replied, “Haven’t you read that the One who originally created them made them male and female?” 5 He said, “That’s why a man leaves his father and mother and is glued to his wife, and the two will be one 'entity'. 6 So they are no longer two, but one entity. So no one should separate what Yehovah has yoked together.”
7 Then they asked Him, “Then why did Moses direct us to deliver a written bill of divorce and send her away?” 8 He replied, “Because of your hardened heart, Moses was instructed to allow you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not that way. 9 I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another 'woman' commits adultery. [1] And whoever 'marries' a [Biblically] divorced woman commits adultery.” 10 His disciples replied, “If that is the situation between a man and his wife, it’s better not to get married.” 11 But he told them, “Not everyone can accept celibacy other than those who have that gift. 12 There are some men who are celibate because they were born that way. Some are celibate because they were castrated. Still others live in celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom of the Heavens. Anyone who is able to accept this should accept it.”
Blessing the Children
13 Children were being brought to Him so that He could lay His hands on them and pray, but the disciples began to stop them, 14 but, Yeshua said, “Allow the little children to come to Me, don’t hinder them, because the Kingdom of the Heavens belongs to people like these.” 15 He laid His hand on them before he left.
How to Inherit Eternal Life!
16 Someone came to Him and asked, “Good Sovereign, what good thing should I do to have eternal life ?” 17 He replied, “Why are you calling Me good? No one is good but One, namely Aloha [God is a generic title]. But if you want to enter into eternal life, OBEY THE COMMANDMENTS” [2].
18 Then he asked, “Which ones?” So Yeshua told him, “Never murder. Never commit adultery. Never steal. Never give false testimony, 19 honor your father and your mother, and you must love your neighbor as yourself.”
20 The young man told Him, “I have obeyed all of these since childhood. What else do I need?” 21 Yeshua told him, “If you want to become perfect, go and sell everything you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have a treasure in heaven, then come right back here and accompany Me”!
22 When the young man heard this he went away in sorrow, because he owned a lot of property. 23 Yeshua told His disciples, “It is certainty difficult for a rich person to gain entry into the Kingdom of the Heavens. 24 Yes, I tell you, it is easier to pass a rope [3] thru the eye of a needle, than for a rich person to gain entry into Yehovah’s Kingdom.”
25 When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and asked, “Then who can receive eternal life?” 26 Yeshua looked at them intently and said, “It is impossible for people, but anything is possible with Yehovah.” 27 Then Cephas said in reply, “Look, we’ve forsaken everything to follow You. What is in store for us?”
28 Yeshua told them, “I assure you that when the Human Son sits on His magnificent throne on the Renewed Earth, those of you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, presiding over the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 Anyone who has had to abandon their homes or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields because of My name will receive a hundred times as much, and inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first in influence will be last, and many who are last will be first.”
[1] Murdock and Etheridge record this second sentence, unlike the vast Majority of Greek manuscripts, tho it would only seem to apply if the woman was an adulteress. [2] This is the world’s most important question, but virtually no one believes His answer, even tho it is repeated in Mark 10:17-22 & Luke 18:18-23! These are the six “love your neighbor” Commandments, (counting covetousness, vss.21-22). The first four Commandments are the “love your Aloha” Commandments, while the last six Commandments apply to human relationships. There is a greatly overlooked means of obtaining eternal life for righteous people who are ignorant of the Torah, as explained in Are the “unsaved” Lost?. [3] See why it’s a rope rather than a camel. Key words: “A camel.”
Matthew 20
The Vineyard Workers Wages
1 The Kingdom of the Heavens is like a property manager who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 He contracted with the laborers for a denarius a day, and sent them into his vineyard.3 He went out at the third hour [9:00] and saw others standing around in the market place. 4 He told them, “You go into my vineyard, too, and I’ll pay you whatever is fair.” So they went. 5 He went out again at the sixth and ninth hours [12:00, 3:00], and did the same. 6 About the eleventh hour, he went out and found others who were standing around, and he asked them, “Why have you been standing here all day and not working?” 7 They told him, “Because no one hired us.” So he told them, “You go into the vineyard too, and you’ll receive what is fair [1].”
8 That evening, the owner of the vineyard said to his property manager, “Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last hired and ending with the first.”
9 Those hired about the eleventh hour came, and they each received a denarius. 10 When those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more, but they all received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they complained to the householder. 12 They said, “These last men have only worked an hour, but you have treated them just like those of us who have endured the scorching heat all day.” 13 But he said to one of them, “Friend, I’m not treating you unfairly. Wasn’t our contract for a denarius? 14 Take your money and go. I want to give the last men hired as much as I gave you. 15 Isn’t it legal for me to do what I want to with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because of my generosity?” 16 So the last will be first, and the first last, because many are invited, but few have chosen to participate [2].
17 As Yeshua was about to go up to Jerusalem, He took His twelve disciples aside on the way and told them, 18 “We’re going up to Jerusalem, and the Human Son will be handed over to the high priests and Torah teachers, and they’ll condemn Him to death! 19 They’ll hand Him over to the heathen to mock and scourge and crucify Him, but on the third day He’ll be raised from the dead.”
Servant Leadership
20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Yeshua with her sons. She bowed down to ask Him for something. 21 He asked her, “What is it you want?” She said to Him, “Declare that one of these two sons of mine will sit on Your right side and the other on Your left in Your Kingdom.” 22 But Yeshua replied, “You don’t realize what you’re asking for [3]. Are you able to drink the cup that I’m about to drink, or be immersed with the immersion that I’m immersed with?” And they told Him, “We can.” 23 He told them, “You certainly will drink from My cup and be immersed with the immersion that I’m immersed with. But whether you’ll be seated at My right hand or at My left isn’t for Me to decide. 'Those determinations' are made by My Father.
24 When the ten heard this, they were angry with the two brothers. 25 Yeshua called them and told them, “You know that the rulers of other nations are tyrants and their great men have authority over them. 26 It won’t be that way with you, because whoever wants to become great among you will be your steward [Gr. diakonos], 27 and whoever wants to be foremost among you must be your servant, 28 just as the Human Son didn’t come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as the price for freeing many servants.”
Two Blind Men Healed
29 As Yeshua was leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him. 30 Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Yeshua was passing by, they shouted, “Have mercy on us, Sovereign, Son of David!” 31 The crowd scolded them, insisting that they be quiet, but they called out all the more, “Sovereign, Son of David, have mercy on us!” 32 Yeshua stopped and called out to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 33 They told Him, “Sovereign, we want to be able to see again.” 34 He was moved with compassion for them and touched their eyes, and immediately they were able to see and they followed Him.
[1] The Aramaic is in agreement with the Textus Receptus, (the basis of the King James Version and the Tyndale), and includes the words, “And you’ll receive what is fair”, unlike most modern versions. [2] Rather than “Are chosen”, this is quite well illustrated in the parable of the invitations to the banquet (in Matthew 22). The Aramaic in verse 16 is in agreement with the Textus Receptus, and includes, “Because many are invited, but few have chosen to participate”, unlike most modern versions. [3] The Aramaic is in agreement with the Textus Receptus, and includes, “Are you able to drink the cup that I’m about to drink, and be immersed with the immersion that I’m immersed with?”, unlike most modern versions.
Matthew 21
A Royal Reception
1 As He was approaching Jerusalem and had arrived in Bethphage, beside the Mount of Olives, Yeshua sent two of His disciples ahead, 2 and had told them, “Go into this village ahead of you, and immediately you’ll find a donkey tied and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to Me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, tell them, ‘The Sovereign needs them’, and he will send them here at once.”4 This all took place in fulfillment of what the prophet had spoken when he said, 5 “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Your King comes to you, humble, and riding on an donkey along with a colt, the foal of a pack animal.’”
6 The disciples left and did as Yeshua had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put their coats on the colt, and Yeshua sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their coats on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowd that went ahead of Him and those who followed Him shouted, “Aloha save the son of David, blessed is the One who comes in Yehovah’s name. Aloha in the highest Heaven save Him.”
10 As He entered Jerusalem, the whole city was shaken with commotion and they asked, “Who is this?”
11 The crowd was saying, “This is Yeshua, the Prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”
Yeshua Cleanses His Fathers Temple
12 Yeshua entered Yehovah’s Temple and drove out those who were buying and selling in the Temple, and overturned the tables of the bankers [1], and the chairs of those who were selling doves. 13 He said, “The Scriptures say, ‘My house will be called the house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.’”
14 Blind and lame people came to Him in the Temple and He healed them. 15 When the high priests and Pharisees saw the amazing things that He was doing and the children shouting in the Temple, ”Aloha save the Son of David” [hosanna] they were incensed. 16 They asked Him, “Do You hear what they are saying?” Yeshua replied, “Yes, haven’t you read, ‘Out of the mouths of children and infants You receive due praise?’” 17 He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where He stayed the night.
Yeshua and the Fig tree
18 In the morning, as He was returning to the city He was hungry. 19 He saw a fig tree along the way and went to it but found nothing on it except leaves. He said to it, “There will never be fruit on you anymore.” Immediately the fig tree withered. 20 When the disciples saw that, they were astonished and said, “Look how fast the fig tree withered!” 21 Yeshua replied, “Assuredly, if you have unwavering faith, without doubts, you’ll not only do something like this to a fig tree, but also, if you say to this mountain, ‘Get up and throw yourself into the sea’, it will happen. 22 Whatever you ask for in prayer you’ll receive if you believe.”
Yeshua’s Authority
23 When Yeshua came to the Temple, the high priests and the elders of the people came to Him while He was teaching and asked Him, “By whose authority are You doing these things and who gave You this authority?” 24 Yeshua replied, “I have a question for you too, and if you answer Me then I’ll explain by what authority I’m doing these things. 25 Where was the authority of John’s immersion from? Was it from Heaven or from men?” They deliberated [Gr. dialogizomai] among themselves and concluded, “If we answer, ‘From Heaven’, He’ll ask us, ‘Then why didn’t you believe Him?’ 26 But if we answer, ‘From men’, we’re afraid of the crowd, because they all consider John to be a prophet. 27 So they told Him, ‘We don’t know.’” Yeshua replied, “Then I won’t explain to you by whose authority I’m doing these things either.
Parable of the Two Sons
28 What do you think about this? A man with two sons went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 He replied, ‘I won’t go.’ But afterward he changed his mind and went. 30 He went to the other and told him the same thing. He replied, ‘Yes master, I’ll go’, but he didn’t go. 31 Which of these two did what their father wanted?” They answered, “The first.” Then Yeshua said, “I am certain that tax extractors and prostitutes will enter Yehovah’s Kingdom before you do. 32 John came to you as a 'role model' of righteousness and you didn’t believe him, but tax extractors and prostitutes believed him. And when you saw this you still didn’t change your minds and believe him.
Parable of the Sharecroppers
33 Here’s another analogy. “There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, enclosed it with a hedge, dug in a winepress and built a tower. Then he leased it to sharecroppers and traveled abroad. 34 When it was time to harvest the fruit, he sent his servants to the sharecroppers so that they could collect his share of vintage. 35 The sharecroppers grabbed his servants and beat one, stoned another and killed another. 36 So he sent another group of servants, more than the first time, and they did the same thing to them. 37 Finally, he sent his son to them, because he thought, ‘Surely they’ll respect my son.’ 38 But when the sharecroppers saw his son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ 39 So they grabbed him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 Now when the owner of the vineyard COMES [His Father!], what will he do to those sharecroppers?” 41 They replied, ‘He’ll utterly destroy them and lease the vineyard to other sharecroppers who will give him his share of the harvest.’
42 Yeshua asked them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures, ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the uppermost cornerstone. Yehovah brought this about, and it’s astounding to 'see'’ [Psalm 118:22-24] 43 That’s why I’m certain that Yehovah’s Kingdom will be taken away from you and given to people who will produce fruit. 44 Anyone who falls on this Stone will be broken, but anyone it falls on will be ground into powder.”
45 When the high priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was talking about them. 46 They wanted to arrest Him, but they were afraid of the crowd because they considered Him to be a prophet.
[1] Kollubistes (money exchangers) were actually functioning as bankers, as was the norm in pagan temples!
Matthew 22
The King’s Banquet
1 Once again, Yeshua spoke in parables, He said, 2 “The Kingdom of the Heavens can be compared to a king who prepared a supper [1] for his son. 3 He sent his servants to call those who had been invited to the banquet, but they refused to come.4 Then he sent more servants instructing them to tell the prospective guests, “I’ve prepared my dinner, my bulls and my cattle have been butchered and everything is ready. Come to the banquet.” 5 But they were contemptuous, and went away, some to their farms, and others to their businesses. 6 The rest grabbed his servants, abused them and killed them. 7 When the king heard about it he was furious, so he sent his military forces and destroyed those murderers and burned their town.
8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The banquet is ready, but those who were invited were unworthy. 9 Now go to the main street intersections and invite everyone you find to the banquet.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and brought in everyone they could find, both bad and good, and the banquet hall was filled with 'guests'.
11 When the king came in to see the guests he saw a man there who wasn’t wearing festive clothes. 12 He asked him, “friend, how did you get in here without festive clothes?” But he was speechless.
13 Then the king told his “deacons”, “Tie his hands and his feet and throw him into the outer darkness, there will be crying and clenching of teeth. 14 Many guests are invited [Gr. kletos], but few have chosen to participate.”
Should We Pay Taxes?
15 Then the Pharisees went out and plotted how they could entrap Him by His words. 16 They sent their disciples to Him along with Herod’s partisans. They said to Him, “Sovereign, we know that You are absolutely credible and that You teach the way of Yehovah truthfully without discriminating between people because You are impartial. 17 So tell us what You think. Does the Torah instruct us to pay tribute money to Caesar or not?” 18 But Yeshua recognized their wicked scheme and said, “Why are you trying to entrap Me you pretenders? 19 Show Me a tribute denarius.” So they brought Him a denarius. 20 Yeshua asked them, “Whose image and inscription is this?”
21 They said, “Caesar’s.” So He said, “Then give Caesar’s things to Caesar and Yehovah’s things to Yehovah.
22 When they heard that they were amazed. So they left Him alone and went away.
Sadducees and the Resurrection
23 That same day some Sadducees came to Him insisting that there is no resurrection from the dead and they had contrived a question for Him. 24 “Sovereign, Moses told us that if a man dies childless, his brother must marry his widow and raise a family for his brother. 25 Now there were seven brothers. The oldest brother married a woman and died, and since he had no children he left his wife to his brother. 26 The same thing happened to the second, and the third, down to the seventh. 27 Last of all the woman herself died. 28 So in the resurrection, which of the seven will she be married to since they all had married her?”
29 Yeshua replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t understand the Scriptures or the power of Yehovah. 30 In the resurrection of the dead, men don’t take wives, nor are wives married to husbands, but they are like the messengers of Yehovah in Heaven. 31 As for whether there will be a resurrection of the dead, haven’t you ever read what was spoken to you by Yehovah when he said, 32 ‘I’m the Aloha of Abraham, the Aloha of Isaac, and the Aloha of Jacob?’ He isn’t the Aloha of the dead, but of the living.
33 When the crowd heard this, they were amazed at His teaching.
Which is the Greatest Commandment?
34 When the Pharisees heard that He had 'muzzled' the Sadducees, they gathered around Him, 35 and one of them who was a Torah teacher tested Him by asking, 36 “Sovereign, which is the greatest Commandment in the Torah?”37 Yeshua told him, “You must love Yehovah your Aloha with all of your passion, with all of your consciousness [psyche, Gr: psuche], with all of your ability and with all of your mind. 38 That is the greatest and most primary Commandment. 39 The secondary Commandment is similar, ‘You must love your fellow man as yourself.’ 40 The entire Torah and the Prophets are predicated on these two Commandments.”
David and the Messiah?
41 While the Pharisees were gathered around, Yeshua asked them a question: 42 “What do you have to say about the Messiah? Whose Son is He? They replied, “The Son of David.” 43 He replied, “So then why does David, inspired by the spirit, call Him Yehovah? Because he said, 44 “Yehovah said to His Word [Targum of Jonathan (Aramaic) Psalm 110:1—Gill’s Commentary], ‘Sit at at My right hand side until I put Your enemies under Your feet.’” 45 So if David calls Him Sovereign, how could he be His son? 46 No one was able to answer Him. And from that day on no one even dared to question Him.
[1] In this analogy, neither Etheridge or Murdock mentions a wedding in verses 2,8,10,11 or 12. The Aramaic’s “place of feasting” in verse 10, was filled with “recliners.” The Greek says “wedding banquet”, but there is no mention of a bride or groom. The Greek even indicates that they were 'lying at tables', so they may have just been there for a meal.
Matthew 23
Moses’ Seat
1 Then Yeshua conversed with the crowd and His disciples. 2 He told them, “The Torah teachers and Pharisees have seated themselves in Moses seat [1]. 3 Now everything that they tell you to obey [people didn’t own copies of the Torah], you must practice, but don’t do what they do, because they don’t 'practice what they teach'. 4 They bundle heavy burdens and load them on people’s shoulders, but they won’t lay a finger on them themselves.5 Everything that they do is done for appearances, like when they broaden their tefillin and extend the tzitzits [tassels] of their clothing. 6 They love the best seating at suppers and the best seats in the synagogues, 7 and salutatory greetings in the market places, and being addressed by people as Rabbi [my great one]. 8 Don’t let anyone call you Rabbi, because there is only One Rabbi and you are all His friends. 9 Don’t call yourselves Father on earth, because there is only One spiritual Father—the Heavenly One. 10 Don’t be called guides [2] because there is only One spiritual Guide—the Messiah. 11 The greatest person among you will be your servant. 12 Anyone who exalts themself will be humbled and whoever humbles themself will be honored. 13 I pity you Torah teachers, because you block the entrance to the Kingdom of the Heavens right in front of people. You aren’t coming in yourselves and you prevent those who are beginning to come in from entering [3]. 14 I pity you Torah teachers, Pharisees and pretenders, because you devour widows houses under the pretext of long prayers. This is why you’ll receive greater condemnation.
15 I pity you Torah teachers, Pharisees and pretenders because you traverse land sea to make a single convert to Judaism, and when they become one, you make them twice the son of Gehenna as yourselves.
16 I pity you blind guides because you say, ‘Whoever swears by the Temple is doing nothing wrong, but whoever swears by the gold that’s in the Temple is bound by the oath.’ 17 You blind fools! Which is more important, the gold or the Temple that causes the gold to be dedicated? 18 And you say, ‘Whoever swears by the altar is doing nothing wrong, but whoever swears by the offering lying on it is obligated.’ 19 You blind fools, which is greater—the offering or the altar that dedicates the offering? 20 So anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything that’s on it. 21 Anyone who swears by the Temple, swears by it and by the One who lives in it. 22 Anyone who swears by Heaven swears by Yehovah’s throne and by the One who sits on it.
23 “I pity you Torah teachers, Pharisees and pretenders, because you give a tithe of your mint, dill and cumin, but you neglect the weightier requirements of the Torah: justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should do those things without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides strain out gnats and swallow camels!
“25 I pity you Torah teachers, Pharisees and pretenders because you clean the outside of cups and dishes while inside you are full of plundering and self indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisees, first clean the inside of the cups and dishes so that the outside will be clean as well.
27 I pity you Torah teachers, Pharisees and pretenders because you’re like whitewashed tombs that appear beautiful on the outside, but are full of dead people’s bones and every kind of uncleanness. 28 Outwardly you certainly appear to people to be righteous men, but inwardly you are against the Torah [Gr. anomia]—fully committed con men!
29 I pity you Torah teachers, Pharisees and pretenders because you rebuild the tombs of the prophets and you decorate the monuments of the righteous. 30 You say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors we would never have taken part in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you are witnesses against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 You’ll finish the measures that your ancestors started!
33 You serpents, you offspring of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to Gehenna [4]? 34 That’s why I’m sending you prophets and eloquent speakers and Torah teachers. Some you will kill and crucify and some of them you’ll scourge in your synagogues and persecute from town to town. 35 Consequently, you’ll be held responsible for all the blood of the righteous that’s ever been shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zachariah, son of Barachiah who you killed between the Temple and the altar. 36 I assure you that all of these things will unexpectantly happen to this present generation.”
O Jerusalem
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who murder the prophets and stone those who have been sent to you. How often I wanted to gather your children like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you refused! 38 Now your house [the Temple] is left abandoned! 39 I assure you that you won’t see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is the One who comes in Yehovah’s name.’” [5]
[1] What is Moses seat? Here is a good answer. [2] Don’t use titles, such as “Rabbi” or “Sovereign” or “mister” (a derivative form) as a religious title, as in Mister/Father/Teacher/Pastor/Elder-so-and-so—or any other title! [3] Various Aramaic and Greek versions differ on the sequence of vss. 13 and 14. [4] Gehenna is the place of the future punishment. This was originally the valley of Hinnom, south of Jerusalem, where garbage and dead animals from the city were thrown out and burned. [5] By the time the Great Tribulation is over, the Jews will be ready to greet Yeshua! Zechariah 12:9-12
Matthew 24
The Fig Tree Generation Nation [1]
1 As Yeshua left the Temple and was going on His way, His disciples approached Him and acknowledged the wonder of the Temple buildings.
2 He told them, “Do you see all of these? I assure you not one stone here will be left on another that isn’t demolished.”
The Beginning of Sorrows (First 1,260 days) [2]
3 As Yeshua sat on the Mount of Olives, His disciples approached, conversing among themselves and asked, “Tell us when will these things happen and what will be the sign of Your coming and the end of the age.” 4 Yeshua told them, “Be careful not to let anyone deceive you. 5 Many will come in My name and say that I’m the Messiah and they’ll deceive many. 6 You’ll hear of wars and the rumors of battles. Don’t be frightened because all of these things must happen, but it’s not the end yet. 7 Nations will rise against nations and kingdoms against kingdoms. There will be famines, epidemics and earthquakes in various places. 8 Yet all of these 'events' are only the beginning of first pains [likely birth pains].9 They’ll hand you over to be tortured and killed, and you’ll be hated by all nations because of My name. [What no rapture?] 10 Then many will fall away and they’ll hate each other and betray each other. 11 Many false prophets will appear and they’ll delude many. 12 Because of the plethora [Gr. plethuno] of Torah breakers, the love of many will decline. 13 But anyone who perseveres to the end will receive eternal Life.
The Sign and the Great Tribulation (Second 1,260 days)
15 When you see the sign of the detestable desolation mentioned by the prophet Daniel, standing in the Cherished Place—may the reader discern!— [2] [3] 16 then those of you who are in Judea should escape to the mountain/s! 17 No one on the roof should come down to get anything out of their houses, 18 and no one in the fields should return to get their clothing. 19 But I pity pregnant and nursing mothers in those days. 20 Pray that your flight won’t be during the winter [rainy weather] or on the Sabbath. 21 There will be Great Tribulation then, such as has never occurred from the beginning of the world until now, and will by no means ever happen again. 22 If it were not for those days being terminated [by the Day of Yehovah!], no one would survive. But for the sake of the Select, those days will be terminated [4]. 23 Then if anyone tells you, ‘Messiah is over here’, or ‘He’s over there’, don’t believe them. 24 False Messiahs and false prophets [Gr. pseudoprophetes] will appear and perform great miracles and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the Select. 25 Remember, I told you this in advance!26 So if people tell you, ‘Look, He’s in the Egyptian? desert’, don’t go there, or, “Look, He’s in a secret chamber” [?], don’t believe them. 27 Like lightning coming out of the east and flashing into the west, that is how the coming of the Human Son will be. 28 Wherever the carcass is, that’s where the vultures are gathered.
The Day of Yehovah
29 Immediately after the time of Tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon won’t shed her light and stars will fall from the sky [See footnote on Isaiah 34:4], and the miraculous power of the skies will be shaken. 30 Then the miraculous sign of the Human Son [6] will be seen in the sky, and then every nation in the world will mourn when they see the Human Son coming on the clouds in the sky, with great power and splendor. 31 Then He’ll send out His spirit messengers with a loud shofar blast [7] and they’ll gather together His Select people from the four winds [north, south, east and west], from one farthermost bound of the horizon [heaven] to the other.
32 Now, learn the parable from the fig tree. As soon as its branches become tender and it produces leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 Similarly, when you actually see all of these things, you will realize that He is near, approaching the door!
The Olivet Conversation [7]
34 It is certain that the Israelite nation [Aramaic Sharebtha: tribe, people or nation] will not cease to exist before ALL of these things [first 36 minutes] have taken place. 35 [The New] Heaven and earth willWise and Wicked Servants
45 “So who is the faithful and wise servant who was put in charge of the household by the master, to give them their food at the specified time? 46 Blessed is the servant who will actually be prepared for work when his master appears. 47 I am certain that He’ll place him over everything He has. 48 But IF that servant is evil and thinks to himself, “My master has delayed his return”, 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and begins eating and drinking with drunkards, 50 THEN His master will arrive on a day when he isn’t expecting him and at an hour that he isn’t considering, 51 and will cut him in pieces and assign him his destiny with the pretenders. There will be wailing and clenching of teeth.
[1] This is an extremely insightful article connecting Yeshua’s Fig Tree Parable with Israel’s Dry Bones (Ezekiel 37). To my mind this makes all other explanations somewhat obsolete, (except for all the timing.) [2] This is reminiscent of Matthew 28:16. [3] See my All Sources Disclaimer.
[4] Matthew 24 describes the same great milestone that Daniel 12:11-12 does, and as Daniel explained, the events will be totally “terminated” after 1,335 days. Here ia a good explanation, (other than the rapture part!) [5] This concludes the 6th seal of Revelation 6:12-14[6] Yeshua was alluding to Daniel 7:13 where “Daniel saw Someone like a Human Son coming with the clouds in the sky. So what is the sign—it will look like a human (son of man) descending from the sky! Immediately after Satan’s nearly unhindered seven year long rampage, everything begins to change in a day. Another entire set of prophecies will play out during the Year of Payback (Isaiah 34) [7] This link is a remarkable timetable that Ernest Martin calculated in 1989. He made many of the same asumptions as I had. Still a lot of good info. The passage of time necessitated the start of my countdown 2,000 years from Yeshua’s crucifixion rather than start from the beginning of His ministry. (otherwise the Great Tribulation would be well underway by now.) [8] Parerchomai can mean pass away, come near, come forward and arrive in Greek! Aramaic too, so far as I can tell. I would much rather see the New Heaven and the New Earth arrive (rather than pass away), with the eternal nature of His words never “disappearing.” See Isaiah 65 & 66 for the complete end-time context. [9] The exact context of the “day or hour” comment pertains to the New heavens and New Earth appearing: verse 35! (Compare to Revelation 21:1 & Isaiah 65 thru 66). It’s also a thinly disguised reference to the Day of Trumpets that begins each year immediately after the thin crescent of the New Moon is seen in Jerusalem, with the exact “day and hour” annually in question! A select few still anticipate it annually! “The Son” is not in the Majority texts (like the KJV or the Aramaic. [10] This is a clue about the Day of Trumpets that arrives the moment that the crescent New Moon is sighted on a day and hour often somewhat of a surprise. [11] The Human Son’s arrival shouldn’t surprise “You”! (1 Thessalonians 5:2-6)
Completion of the Good News as published by Matthew. Also published in Hebrew in the land of the Palestinians.
Matthew 25
Wise and Foolish
1 The Kingdom of the Heavens can be compared to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride [1]. 2 Five of them were wise and five were foolish [2]. 3 The foolish ones brought their lamps, but didn’t bring any (olive) oil with them. 4 But the wise ones brought jars of oil along with their lamps. 5 But since the bridegroom was delayed [3] they were all nodding off to sleep.6 At midnight someone shouted: ‘The bridegroom is coming, go out to meet him.’ 7 Then all the virgins woke up and prepared their lamps. 8 The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil because our lamps have gone out.’ 9 But the wise replied, ‘We must refuse because there isn’t enough for all of us. Go to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’
10 While they were out buying oil, the bridegroom came. Those who were prepared went with him into the wedding hall and the door was shut. 11 Later the other virgins arrived and said, ‘Sovereign, master, open the door for us.’ 12 But he replied, ‘I am certain that I don’t know you.’ 13 So be watching because you don’t know the precise day or hour [4].
Parable of the Ten Minin
14 The Human Son is like a man who called his servants and entrusted them with his property before going on a long trip. 15 He gave one five minin, another two, and another one, based on their ability. Then he immediately went on his journey. 16 The one who received five minin went and did business with it and gained five more. 17 In the same way, the one with two minin gained two more. 18 But the one who received one mani went and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 After a long time their master returned and reviewed their accounts. 20 The one who had received five minin came and brought five more. He said, ‘Sovereign, you gave me five minin. Look, I’ve earned five more by doing business.’ 21 His master replied, ‘You have done well, good and faithful servant! Since you’ve been faithful with a little, I’ll put you in charge of much more. Enter into the joy of your master!’ 22 The one who had received two minin came and said, ‘Sovereign, you gave me two minin. Look, I have earned two more.’ 23 His master replied, ‘You have done well, good and faithful servant. Since you’ve been trustworthy with a little, I’ll put you over much more. Enter into the joy of your master!’
24 Then the one who had received the one mani came and said, ‘Sovereign, I knew that you are a stern man, harvesting where you haven’t sown, and gathering where you haven’t scattered any seeds. 25 And I was afraid, so I hid your mani in the ground. Look, here is your mani.’ 26 His master told him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! You knew that I harvest where I haven’t sown and gather where I haven’t scattered any seeds. 27 You should have thrown my money into a bank, so that I could have returned and gotten my property with interest. 28 So take the mani from 'that servant' and give it to the one who has ten minin. 29 Anyone who has will be given more, and they’ll have an abundance, but for the one who doesn’t have anything, even what they have custody of will be taken away. 30 Throw this worthless servant into outer darkness, where there’ll be crying and clenching of teeth.’
The Clueless Sheep and Goats
31 When the Human Son comes in His splendor, and all His spirit messengers with Him, He’ll sit on the throne of His splendor. 32 All the nations will be gathered in front of Him, and He’ll separate them from each other, just like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He’ll put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.
34 Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father! Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 I was hungry and you gave Me some food, I was thirsty and you gave Me a drink, I was a stranger and you took Me home. 36 I needed clothes and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you cared for Me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 And the righteous will ask Him, ‘Sovereign, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? 38 When did we see that You were a stranger and take You home, or needing clothes and give You some? 39 When did we see You sick or in prison and come to You’ [5]? 40 The King will reply, ‘I can say with certainty that whenever you did anything for one of My brothers, who others thought of as insignificant, you did it for Me.’
41 Then He’ll say to those on His left, 'Go back to your journey away from' Me. You are doomed to the everlasting fire that was prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 When I was hungry you didn’t give Me any food. When I was thirsty you didn’t give Me anything to drink. 43 When I was a stranger you didn’t take Me home, when I needed clothes you didn’t give Me any, when I was sick and in prison you didn’t visit Me. 44 Then they’ll reply, ‘Sovereign, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison and not help You?’ 45 Then He will reply, ‘I am certain that whenever you didn’t do anything for one of those 'insignificant' ones, you didn’t do anything for Me. 46 They’ll go away for an eternal punishment [6], but the righteous to eternal life.’”
[1] A few Greek texts, such as the Diatessaron also mention the bride, as does the Latin Vulgate. This rules out the fantasy that Yeshua will marry all ten virgins (“The church”). No, they are ten bridesmaids! The lamps represent the light of truth. Buying oil represents buying the source of knowledge (Proverbs 23:23—'Yehovah’s' spirit isn’t for sale.) The bride includes the people of Israel (Jeremiah 3:14), the land of Israel (Isaiah 62:4-5) and New Jerusalem, the capital city of Israel (Revelation 21:9-10), but never a church or resurrected believers (Luke 20:35)! [2] The root word for foolish has to do with: “a. generally mysteries, religious secrets, confided only to the initiated and not to ordinary mortals.” [3] for 2,000 years [4] Even tho “You know that He is near the door!” (24:33) [5] See why these “righteous” are ignorant about the Kingdom! Are the Unsaved Lost? [6] The Greek root word of “penalty” is kolazo: “to cut off or prune, as trees and wings.”
Matthew 26
Yeshua (Jesus), Our Passover Lamb
1 When Yeshua was finished with His narrative, He told His disciples, 2 “You know that the Passover takes place after two days, and the Human Son will be handed over to be crucified”
3 Then the high priests and the Torah teachers and the elders of the people gathered in the court of the palace of Caiaphas the high priest. 4 They conspired against Yeshua intending to take Him by treachery and kill Him. 5 But they said, “Not on a Feast day because there would be a riot among the people.”
6 When Yeshua was in Bethany in the home of Simon the potter [1], 7 a woman came to Him with a jar of very valuable aromatic ointment, and she poured it on Yeshua’s head as He was reclining. 8 When His disciples saw this they were upset and asked, “Why this waste? 9 This ointment could have been sold for a lot of money and given to the poor.”
10 But Yeshua was aware of their dissatisfaction and asked them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done something precious for Me. 11 You’ll always have the poor with you, but I won’t always be with you. 12 She has poured the ointment on My body as if to prepare Me for burial. 13 I am certain that wherever My Good News is proclaimed anywhere in the world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”
Judas Betrays Yeshua
17 On the First Day of Unleavened Bread [Preparation Day] the disciples came to Yeshua and asked Him, “Where do You want us to make preparations for You to eat the Passover?” 18 He told them, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘Our Sovereign says, My time approaches, NEAR you I am to do the Passover with My disciples.’” 19 The disciples did as Yeshua directed them and made the necessary preparations for the Passover.
20 That evening He reclined with His twelve disciples. 21 As they were eating He said, “I am certain that one of you will betray Me.”
22 They were greatly troubled, and one after another began to ask Him, “Sovereign, is it I?” 23 He said, “The one who dips his hand with Me in the bowl will betray Me. 24 The Human Son must go as it is written of Him, but pity the man who betrays the Human Son. It would have been better for that man if he had never been born.”
25 Judas the betrayer asked, “Rabbi, is it I?” Yeshua told him, “You have said it yourself.” 26 While they were eating, Yeshua took a loaf of bread [2], and after blessing it, broke it and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take this and eat it. This is My body.” 27 He took the cup and offered thanks and gave it to them and said, “All of you drink from it. 28 This is My blood of the New Covenant [3] that is poured out on behalf of many to release them from the bondage of sins. 29 I’m telling you that I’ll no longer drink any of the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink a new kind [4] [5] with you in the Kingdom of Yehovah.”
30 Then they sang a pascal Psalm and headed toward the Mount of Olives.
Yeshua Predicts Cephas’ Denial
31 Then Yeshua told them, “You’ll all desert Me tonight, because it’s written, ‘I’ll strike the Shepherd and the sheep of His flock will be widely scattered.’ 32 But after I have risen, I’ll go ahead of you to Galilee.” 33 Cephas replied, “Even if everyone else abandons You, I’ll never be offended by You.” 34 Yeshua replied, “You can be certain that tonight before a rooster crows, you’ll disown Me three times!” 35 Cephas said, “Even if I have to die with you, I won’t disown You”, and all the other disciples said the same thing.36 Then Yeshua went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and He told His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Cephas and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be anguished and very distressed. 38 He told them, “My consciousness [psyche, Gr: psuche] is overcome with sorrow to the point of death. Wait for Me here and watch with Me.”
39 Going a little further, He fell facedown and prayed, “Father, if it is possible, allow this cup to pass away from Me. Yet not what I want, but whatever You want.”
40 He came to His disciples and found them asleep and He said to Cephas, “So, couldn’t you watch with Me for a single hour? 41 Wake up and pray so that you don’t fall into temptation. The mind is ready but the body is weak.
42 He went away a second time and prayed, “Father, if it is impossible for this cup to pass without My drinking it, Your will be done.”
43 When He came back, He found them sleeping again. They couldn’t keep their eyes open. 44 So He left them again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing.
45 Then He came back to the disciples and said, “So you are already asleep and resting [6]! Look, the hour has come and the Human Son is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Get up, let’s go. Look, My betrayer is here!”
Betrayal and Arrest
47 While He was still speaking, Judas the betrayer, one of the twelve arrived, and a large crowd with swords and clubs was with him. They were sent from the high priests and elders of the people. 48 Judas the betrayer had given them a signal. He said, “The One I kiss is the One, arrest Him.” 49 Immediately he approached Yeshua and said, “Peace, Rabbi”! And He kissed Him. 50 Yeshua responded by saying, “Friend, do what you came for.” Then they came up and grabbed Yeshua and arrested Him. 51 Then someone with Yeshua drew his sword and struck an underling of the high priest, cutting off his ear. 52 Then Yeshua told him, “Put your sword back where it belongs, because those who draw swords die by swords. 53 Don’t you think that I could ask My Father to send Me more than twelve legions of spirit messengers right now? 54 But how else would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say that this must happen?”
55 At that time Yeshua asked the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to take Me as if I were a cutthroat [or robber]? I sat with you daily and taught in the Temple and you didn’t arrest Me.
Yeshua Faces the Sanhedrin
57 Those who arrested Yeshua took Him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the Torah teachers and elders were gathered. 58 Simon Cephas followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard where he went inside and sat with the underlings to see what would happen.
59 The high priests and the elders and the entire assembly were trying to find witnesses against Yeshua, in order to put Him to death. 60 But they didn’t find any, tho many false witnesses came forward. Finally two others came forward 61 who declared, “This Man said, ‘I can destroy Yehovah’s Temple and rebuild it in three days.’” 62 The high priest stood up and asked Him, “Aren’t You going to respond to what these men are testifying against You?” 63 But Yeshua was silent. Then the high priest said, “I adjure you by the living Aloha [God is a generic title] to tell us if You are the Messiah, Yehovah’s Son.” 64 Yeshua replied, “You have correctly stated it. But I’m telling you that in the future you’ll see the Human Son sitting on the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds in the sky.”
65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need witnesses? Look, you’ve heard His blasphemy! 66 What’s your judgment?” They replied, “He deserves death.”
67 Then they spit in His face and hit Him with their fists. Others slapped Him 68 and said, “Prophesy to us You Messiah, who hit You?”
Cephas Denies Yeshua
69 Cephas was sitting outside in the palace courtyard, and a servant girl approached him and said, “You were also with Yeshua the Nazarene.” 70 But he denied it in front of everyone by saying, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 71 As he went out to the gateway another girl saw him and said, “This man was with Yeshua the Nazarene.” 72 Again he denied it swearing, “I don’t know the Man.” 73 A little later, bystanders came up and said to Cephas, “Certainly you are also one of them. We can tell by your accent.” 74 Then he began to curse and swore, “I don’t know the Man.” Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 Cephas remembered that Yeshua had told him, “Before a rooster crows you’ll disown Me three times.” Then he went outside and cried bitterly.[1] Leper and potter look almost identical in Aramaic, resulting in the Greek translational error. Yeshua didn’t neglect to heal a “leper” friend in v.6! See the explanation here using the keyword “potter.” [2] This was not unleavened bread because it was Yeshua’s Supper-Preparation Day for the Passover tomorrow. That’s why the Greek specifies it was a loaf of risen bread [as in Matthew 4:3 & 14:17]: “from airo; bread (as raised) or a loaf -- (shew-)bread, loaf.” It was as thick as a man’s thumb, easily broken, not cut. [3] Most modern translations omit the word “new” here, siding with a small minority of Greek texts. Some few others say “renewed” here, claiming that the original Hebrew source of the term in Jeremiah 31:31 is “renewed.” Yet only the root word there is “renew.” Chadash khaw-dawsh’ is new, while chadash khaw-dash’ (with a different vowel point) is renew, such as “renew {02318} the face of the earth” or “renew {02318} a right spirit within me.” Nevertheless, there are no specified differences between the covenants other than the promised land being an eternal thing. [4] Compare the traditional “drink it anew” of v.29 with Luke 5:39. [5] The timing and circumstances of v.29 are explained in Did the “lord’s Supper” Replace the Passover? [6] See why the Greek might mean something different. Keywords sleep on.
Matthew 27
Yeshua Handed Over to Pilate
1 In the morning, the high priests and the elders of the people gathered and conspired against Yeshua, about how they could put Him to death. 2 They tied Him up and led Him away and took Him to Pilate the Governor. 3 Then Judas, His betrayer, regretted what had happened when he saw that Yeshua was condemned to death. He quickly returned the thirty pieces of silver to the high priests and elders. 4 He said, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they replied, “What is that to us? Deal with it yourself.”5 He hurled the silver into the Temple, left, and went out and hanged himself.
6 The high priests picked up the silver and said, “It isn’t lawful to put it into the treasury since it is blood money.” 7 So they decided to spend the money on the purchase of the Potter’s Field as a burial ground for strangers. 8 That’s why the field is called the Field of Blood to this very day. 9 Then the words of the prophet were fulfilled [1], “I took the thirty shekels of silver, the price of the Precious One who Israel’s sons had priced, 10 and gave them for the Potter’s Field, as Yehovah directed.”
11 Yeshua stood before the governor, and the governor asked Him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Yeshua answered, “It is as you say.”
12 Yet when the high priests and elders made accusations against Him, He didn’t reply. 13 Then Pilate asked Him, “Don’t You hear what they are charging You with?” 14 But He didn’t answer him, not even one word, to Pilate’s great amazement.
Barabbas Freed
15 “On each Feast day the governor customarily released to the people one prisoner—whoever they wanted. 16 They had in bonds a notorious prisoner named Barabbas. 17 When the people had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Who should I release to you, Barabbas or Yeshua who is called the Messiah?” 18 Pilate knew that it was out of envy that they had arrested Him.
19 As the governor was sitting in on his tribunal, his wife sent a message to him. It said, “Don’t allow an incident between you and that Righteous One, because I have suffered greatly today in a dream about Him.” 20 But the high priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to demand Barabbas and destroy Yeshua.
21 The governor asked them again, “Which of the two should I release for you?” And they shouted, “Barabbas.” 22 Pilate asked them, “Then what should I do with Yeshua who is called the Messiah? They all shouted, “He should be crucified.” 23 The governor asked them, “But what evil has He done?” But they croaked all the more, “He should be crucified.”
24 So when Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere and that a riot was starting, he took some water and washed his hands in front of the crowd and said, “I’m innocent of the blood of this innocent Man. See to it yourselves.”
25 All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”
26 Then he released Barabbas to them, but he had Yeshua scourged with whips and handed Him over to be crucified.
Soldiers Mock Yeshua
27 Then the Governor’s soldiers took Yeshua into the Praetorium and the whole detachment surrounded Him. 28 They stripped Him and put a scarlet military robe on Him. 29 They twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head and put a cane ”scepter” in His right hand. They knelt in front of Him and shouted in mockery, “Hail, King of the Jews.” 30 They spit in His face and took the cane and hit Him on the head. 31 When they finished mocking Him, they took off the robe and put His own clothes on Him again, and led Him out to be crucified.
Simon Carries the Cross
32 As they were leaving, they found a man from Cyrene whose name was Simon. They forced him to carry His cross. 33 They came to a place that is called < a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufVXZBrbSsU">Golgotha (which means means “The Skull”). 34 They offered Him vinegar mixed with gall to drink. But when He tasted it, He refused to drink it. 35 When they crucified Him, they divided His clothing by casting lots [A]. 36 They sat down and watched Him there. 37 They placed over His head a written accusation against Him that said, “THIS IS YESHUA, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” 38 Two robbers were crucified with Him, one on His right and the other on His left. 39 Those who passed by insulted Him, shaking their heads, 40 and said, ”You who would destroy of the Temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself. If you are Yehovah’s Son, come down from the cross.”
41 The high priests were also mocking Him, along with the Torah teachers and elders and Pharisees. 42 They said, “He saved the lives of others but He can’t save His own life. If He is the King of Israel, He should come down from the cross and we’ll believe in Him [B]. 43 He trusts in Yehovah, so He should rescue Him now if He wants Him, because He said, ‘I’m Yehovah’s Son.’” 44 Even the marauders who were being crucified with Him insulted Him.
Yeshua Dies
45 From the sixth hour [noon] until the ninth hour [3:00] there was darkness over the entire land. 46 About the ninth hour, Yeshua called out in a loud voice, “Aloha, Aloha, why have you spared Me [2] [3]?” 47 Some of the people standing there heard this and said, “He is calling for Elijah.”
48 Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge and filled it with vinegar. Then he put it on a reed and gave it to Him to drink. 49 But the rest said, “Wait, let’s see if Elijah comes to rescue Him.”
50 Then Yeshua shouted out again in a loud voice and gave up His spirit. 51 Suddenly the 'veil' of the Temple ripped in two from top to bottom, the earth shook and rocks split. 52 And the tombs were opened and many bodies of the 'chosen ones' [saints] who were sleeping in death were raised. 53 They came out of the tombs after His resurrection, they entered the distinguished city and appeared to many. [4]
54 When the centurion and those who were with Him guarding Yeshua saw the earthquake and the things that happened, they were terrified and said, “Surely this was Yehovah’s Son!”
55 Many women were there watching from a distance, the same ones who had followed Yeshua from Galilee and had supported Him. 56 One of them was Mary from Magdala, also Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s children.
Yeshua Buried at Twilight
57 As evening approached, Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea arrived, who was also a disciple of Yeshua. 58 This man went to Pilate and begged for Yeshua’s body. Pilate ordered that the body be given to him. 59 Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long cloth of pure linen, 60 and laid it in his new tomb that was hewn out in the rock. He rolled a huge stone against the door of the tomb and left. 6l Mary from Magdala and the other Mary were there, sitting over against the sepulcher.
Pilate Posts Guards on the First Day
62 The next day, the day after the Day of Preparation [5], the high priests and Pharisees gathered before Pilate, 63 and told him, “Sovereign, we remember that this impostor said while He was alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 So give orders for the tomb to be guarded until the third day, because His disciples might come and steal Him away at night and tell the people that He has risen from the dead. The last delusion would be worse than the first.”
65 Pilate told them, “You have soldiers. Go and guard it as securely as you know how.” 66 So they went to secure the tomb. They sealed the stone and posted guards.
[1] This should say “The prophet”, instead of the Greek’s presumptive “the prophet Jeremiah”, since it is clearly a reference to Zechariah 11:12-13. Jeremiah 19:1 mentions a “potters vessel”, but not at all in the same context. Jeremiah 32:9 mentions someone buying a field in Anathoth for “seventeen shekels of silver”, but again the context isn’t remotely related to Judas’ betrayal, convoluted rationalizations aside. [2] Yeshua was paraphrasing Psalm 22, as explained off site: "Did God the Father Forsake Jesus Christ? [3] Greek translations of the Aramaic left this statement in the Aramaic, “Eli, Eli, lemana shabakthani?” English transliterated spellings vary widely. [4] The resurrection to physical life of the 'chosen ones' at this time pictures the First Resurrection, when Yeshua returns in the same manner that He ascended on Wave Sheaf Day (Acts 1:9-11). We are His first priority! [5] Preparation Day (v.62) is always associated with Passover. [A] “According to some of the Greek copies, there is added, this, ‘that so might be fulfilled that which was spoken by the prophet David, they distributed My garments among them, and on My vesture they cast the lot.’” This addition isn’t found in four of the most ancient editions of the Aramaic Testimony, and it was put in the margin of the more modern editions. It was doubtless a modern addition to the Aramaic Testimony, borrowed from the Greek Translator. [B] In some editions, “So that we can see and believe in Him.”Matthew 28
Yeshua is Missing!
1 After the Sabbaths! [1], as the first of the Sabbaths [Gr. Sabbaton] was dawning, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary went to see the tomb.2 Then there was a powerful earthquake, because a Messenger of Yehovah had come down from Heaven and came and rolled the stone away from the door and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning and His clothing as white as snow. 4 The guards had been so shaken that they became like dead men.
5 The spirit messenger said to the women, “Don’t be afraid! I know that you are looking for Yeshua who was crucified. 6 He’s not here because He has risen, just as He predicted. Come and see the place where our Sovereign was lying. 7 Then go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead. He’s on His way to Galilee right now. You’ll see Him there as I told you!”
8 They left the tomb quickly in fear and great joy and ran to tell His disciples. 9 Yeshua met them and said, “Peace.” Then they came and held His feet, and worshiped Him. 10 Then Yeshua told them, “Don’t be afraid! Go and tell My friends to go to Galilee and they’ll see Me there.”
The Soldiers Bribed
11 While they were going, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the high priests everything that had happened. 12 They met with the elders and they decided to bribe the guards with a considerable sum of money, 13 and told them to say, “His disciples came and stole Him away during the night while we were asleep.” 14 If this is reported to the governor, we’ll persuade him not to cause you any trouble. 15 After they were paid they did what they were told. This story is still being spread among the Jews to this very day.
16 The eleven disciples went into Galilee to the mountain where Yeshua had arranged for them to meet. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him, tho some had doubts. 18 Yeshua came near during the conversation and said, “All authority has been given to Me in Heaven and on earth. 19 So go and make disciples in every nation IN MY NAME [2]. 20 Teach them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you, knowing that I’ll be with you always, right up until the very end of the age. Aw-main'.”
[1] This would include the weekly Sabbath and the First Day of Unleavened Bread. [2] Constantine decreed that the trinitarian words, “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit” be substituted for “in My name.” This affected later Aramaic, Greek, Latin and Hebrew texts, as well as a huge number of early witnesses also omitting “immersing them”.
Completion of the Good News as published by Matthew. Also published in Hebrew in the land of Israel.
Compare the Testimony of Yeshua with the 1851 Murdock or the 1849 Etheridge Versions of “The Testimony of Yeshua” (The ‘New Testament’).
Mark 1
John the Immerser Prepares the Way
1 THE beginning of the Good News of YeshuaYeshua (Jesus) Messiah, the Son of Yehovah. 2 As it is written in Isaiah [1] the Prophet, “I’ll send My messenger ahead of You and he’ll prepare Your way!” [Malachi 3:1] 3 And “A voice shouts in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Sovereign, level His roads’” [Isaiah 40:3].4 John was immersing in the wilderness and heralded the immersion of a changed mind for the exoneration of sins. 5 All the people of Judea and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him and he immersed them in the Jordan river while they confessed their sins. 6 John wore clothes made from camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He heralded, “Someone is coming after me who is greater than I am. I’m not even worthy to bend down and untie the straps on His sandals. 8 I’ve immersed you with water, but He’ll immerse you with the 'special' spirit.”
John Immerses Yeshua
9 During this time Yeshua came from Nazareth in Galilee and was immersed in the Jordan by John. 10 Just as He was coming out of the water, He saw the skies opening and the spirit coming down on Him like a dove. 11 Then a voice came from the sky and said, “You are My dear Son who I delight in.”
12 Immediately the spirit led/carried/drove Him into the wilderness [2]. 13 He was in the wilderness for forty days, having His character tested by Satan. He was with the wild animals, but spirit messengers took care of Him.
Yeshua Begins Calling the Twelve
14 After John had been arrested, Yeshua came into Galilee and proclaimed the Good News about the Kingdom of Yehovah (Yehovah). 15 He said, “The time has arrived and Yehovah’s Kingdom is near. Amend your ways and believe the Good News.”
16 As He walked beside the sea of Galilee, He saw Simon andrew his brother throwing a net into the sea because they were fishermen. 17 Yeshua told them, “Follow Me and I’ll have you fishing for people.” 18 They immediately abandoned their nets and followed Him.
19 As He went a little further He saw James the son of Zebedee and his brother John who were also in a boat mending their nets. 20 He called them and they immediately left Zebedee their father in the boat with the hired men and followed Him.
21 When they went to Capernaum, He immediately taught on the Sabbath in their synagogues. 22 People were struck with amazement at His doctrine, because He taught them as someone with superior mental power, unlike their Torah teachers. 23 In their synagogue there was a man with an unclean spirit who began shouting, 24 “What do you want with us Yeshua of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? We know who You are—the 'cherished' One of Yehovah.”
25 Yeshua scolded him. He said, “Muzzle your mouth and come out of him.” 26 The unclean spirits threw him down and croaked with a shriek and then came out of him. 27 Everyone was amazed and began to ask each other, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? He gives authoritative orders to unclean spirits and they obey Him!” 28 Immediately news about Him spread thruout the region of Galilee.
Cephas’ Mother-in Law Healed
29 He left the synagogue and went into Simon Andrew’s house, along with James and John. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed, sick with a fever, and they told Him about her. 31 He came and took her hand helped her up. The fever immediately left her, and she began serving them.
Many Healed After the Sabbath
32 That evening after sunset, they brought everyone to Him who was diseased and demon possessed. 33 Everyone in the city gathered at the door. 34 He healed many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons, but He didn’t allow the demons to speak because they knew Him.
35 In the morning, long before sunrise, He got up and went to a solitary place to pray. 36 Simon and the others went looking for Him. 37 When they found Him they told Him, “Everyone’s looking for You.”
38 He told them, ”Let’s go into the nearby villages and towns so that I can also herald there. That’s why I came. 39 He heralded in all their synagogues thruout Galilee and cast out demons.
Yeshua Heals a Leper
40 A leprous man came to Him and fell at His feet and begged Him, “If you want to, you can cleanse me.” 41 Yeshua, moved with compassion, reached out His hand touched him and said, “I am willing, be cleansed.” 42 Immediately his leprosy was gone, and he was clean.
43 He sent him away with a serious warning. 44 He said, “Be sure not to tell anyone. Rather, go and show yourself to the priests [3] and present a zebak [sacrifice] for your purification as Moses instructed, as a testimony to them. 45 But the man went out and began to tell everyone openly what had happened. So Yeshua couldn’t even enter a town openly, but stayed outside in deserted places. Yet people kept coming to Him from everywhere.”
[1] There is a misattribution error here. The Peshitta attributes this prophecy to Isaiah, when only the latter part is from Isaiah. That is why the older Wescott and Hort texts, (the basis of most modern English Bibles) also read that way. It was corrected in the Majority texts. However there is a wrong attribution error in all of the Greek texts in Matthew 27:9 (footnote 1). [2] This is the actual fulfillment of the azazel goat banishment—the Lamb of Aloha [God is a generic title], being banished into the wilderness on the Day of Atonements. [3] See why “priests” must be plural. Keyword priests.
Mark 2
Yeshua Forgives a Paralytic
1 Yeshua returned to Capernaum several days later, but soon everyone heard that He was home. 2 So many gathered that the house couldn’t hold them all, they couldn’t even approach the door. So He conversed with them. 3 Four people came and brought a paralytic [Gr. paralutikos] to Him. 4 Since they couldn’t come near Him because of the crowd, they climbed onto the roof and removed the roofing over the place where Yeshua was. Then they lowered the cot with the paralytic. 5 When Yeshua saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins have been acquitted and sent away.” 6 There were some Torah teachers and Pharisees [1] sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Who is this speaking blasphemy? Who can acquit sins other than Yehovah?”8 Yeshua immediately knew in His spirit what they were thinking, so He asked them, “Why are you thinking those thoughts? 9 Which is the easier to say to a paralytic, ‘Your sins are acquitted and sent away’, or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your cot and walk?’ 10 But so that you’ll know that the Human Son has power on earth to send sins away, He told the paralytic, 11 ‘I want you to get up, pick up your cot and go home.’” 12 He got up right away, picked up his cot and left in front of them all. They were all amazed and praised Yehovah and said, “We’ve never seen anything like this!”
Matthew the Tax Collector
13 He returned to the seashore and a huge crowd followed Him and He taught them. 14 As He was leaving, He saw Levi the son of Alpheus sitting in the tax office. He told him, “Follow Me.” So he got up and followed Him.
15 Then as He was dining in Levi’s house, many tax extractors and sinners accompanied Yeshua and His disciples, since there were many of them following Him. 16 When the Torah teachers and Pharisees saw that He ate with tax extractors and sinners they asked His disciples, “Why does He eat and drink with tax extractors and the wicked?”
17 When Yeshua heard it He told them, “The healthy don’t need a physician, but the seriously ill do. I didn’t come to invite the righteous, but the wicked.”
18 John’s disciples and the Pharisees fasted regularly, and they came and asked Him, “Why do John’s disciples and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples don’t fast?” 19 Yeshua replied, “Can the 'groomsmen' [literally: sons] of the bridal 'party' [3567] fast as long as the bridegroom is with them? No. 20 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, then they’ll fast.
Old Clothing, New Wine
21 “No one patches their old clothing with a piece of unshrunk cloth, because the new patch won’t adhere to the old, and the rip would become even worse. 22 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins, because the wine would burst the skins and the skins would be ruined and the wine spilled. Instead, they put new wine into new wineskins.”
Yeshua, Sovereign of the Sabbath
23 As Yeshua was passing thru the grain fields one Sabbath, His disciples began to pick some heads of grain as they walked along. 24 The Pharisees told Him, “Look, they are violating the Torah by harvesting grain on the Sabbath.”
25 Yeshua told them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his men needed food? 26 He entered Yehovah’s house when Abiathar was the high priest, and ate the bread from Yehovah’s table that wasn’t Lawful for anyone but the priests to eat, and gave some to those who were with him.”
27 He told them, “The Sabbath was made for people [and beavers], not people for the Sabbath.” 28 So the Human Son is Sovereign of the Sabbath.”
[1] The Greek omits Pharisees.
Mark 3
Yeshua Heals on the Sabbath
1 Yeshua entered a synagogue again, and there was a man there whose hand had wasted away. 2 ‘The Pharisees’ were watching Him to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, so they could make an accusation against Him. 3 So He said to the man whose hand had wasted away, “Stand up in front of everyone.”4 Then He also asked the Pharisees, “Is it against the Torah to do good or to do evil on the Sabbath, to save a life or to destroy one?” But they remained silent. 5 He looked at them with indignation, grieving because of their callousness. Then He told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out immediately and met with Herod’s partisans, conspiring as to how they could destroy Him.
7 Yeshua and His disciples headed for the sea. Many people followed Him from Galilee and Judea 8 and from Jerusalem and Idumaea and from beyond the Jordan and from Tyre and Sidon. A huge crowd came to Him when they heard about everything that He had done. 9 He told His disciples to have a boat ready for Him so that the crowd wouldn’t crush Him. 10 He had healed so many people that they were rushing Him in order to touch Him. 11 When those who were possessed by unclean spirits saw Him, they fell down and shouted, “You are Yehovah’s Son.” 12 But He warned them not to reveal His identity.
The Twelve
13 He climbed a mountain and called those He wanted, and they came to Him. 14 He chose twelve to be with Him, those He would send out to be heralds 15 and who would have the power to heal the sick and cast out demons. 16 To Simon he gave the 'moniker' Simon Cephas. 17 He referred to James the son of Zebedee, and to John, James’ brother, as Boanerges, that is, Sons of thunder. 18 He also chose Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alpheus, Thaddeus, Simon the Zealot and 19 Judas Iscariot who betrayed Him. Then they went into a house 20 and again a crowd gathered so they couldn’t even eat. 21 When his family heard about it, they went out to restrain Him. They said, “He’s out of His mind.”
22 The Torah teachers who had come down from Jerusalem were saying, “Beelzebub has possessed Him”, and “He expels demons by the prince of demons.” 23 Yeshua called them and appealed to them by an analogy asking, “How could Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided into factions, that kingdom can’t remain intact. 25 If a household is divided into factions, then that household won’t remain intact. 26 If Satan rebels against himself and is divided into factions he won’t remain standing, he’s finished! 27 No one can enter a strong man’s house and steal his things without first tying up the strong man. Then he can ransack his house.
An Unpardonable Sin
28 I am certain that all sins and any blasphemous speech can be pardoned, 29 but there is never any forgiveness for anyone who blasphemes against the 'special' spirit. They are subject to a judgment that is eternal.”
30 He said this because they were saying, “He’s possessed by an unclean spirit.”
Yeshua’s Family Visits
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
Parable of the Sower
1 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 parables. 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 Yehovah’s everlasting Kingdom [Daniel 4:3, 7:27], but to those outside everything is in parables, 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].
Parable of the Sower Explained
13 He asked them, “Don’t you understand this analogy? Then how will you understand any other parables? 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, “Yehovah’s Kingdom 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.”
Parable of the Mustard Seed
30 He said, “What could we compare Yehovah’s Kingdom to? What parable 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 parables to listen to and consider. 34 He didn’t tell them anything without parables. 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!”
[1] This article on parables or analogies is incredibly helpful, particularly concerning this verse.
Mark 5
A Demon Possessed Person Healed
1 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 Yehovah’s name 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.
A Girl Resurrected and a Woman Healed
21 When Yeshua crossed over by boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him again by the seashore. 22 One of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came up, and when he saw Him, he fell at His feet 23 and plead with Him, “My daughter is very sick, but come and lay Your hand on her and she’ll be cured and live.” 24 So Yeshua went with him and a large crowd followed Him and crowded around Him. 25 A woman there who’d had a hemorrhage for twelve years. 26 She had suffered much under many physicians and had spent everything she had, yet she was no better at all, she was actually getting worse. 27 When she heard about Yeshua, she came up behind Him in the huddled crowd and touched His clothes. 28 Because she thought, “If I can just touch His clothes I’ll live.” 29 Immediately the bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she had been healed of her illness. 30 Yeshua immediately knew that power had left Him. So He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched My clothes?” 31 His disciples asked Him, “You see the crowd pressing against You on every side, and yet You ask, ‘Who touched Me?’ 32 He looked around to see who had done it. 33 The woman was trembling with fear because she knew what had happened to her, so she came and fell down before Him and told Him exactly what had happened. 34 He told her, “Daughter, your faith has saved your life, go with peace of mind and be healed from your illness.”
35 While He was speaking, some men from the leader of the synagogue’s house came and said, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Sovereign?” 36 But Yeshua overheard what they said and told the synagogue leader, “Don’t be afraid, just believe.”
37 He didn’t allow anyone to go with Him except Simon Cephas, James, and John (James’ brother). 38 When they came to the synagogue leader’s home, He saw a lot of commotion, with people crying and wailing. 39 He went inside and asked, “Why all this commotion and crying? The girl isn’t dead, she’s only asleep.” 40 They began laughing at Him. But Yeshua put them all out. He took the girl’s father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the girl was. 41 He took the girl’s hand, and told her, “Little girl, get up! [Aramaic Talitha, koomi]” 42 Immediately the girl got up and began to walk. (She was twelve years old). Everyone was astonished and ecstatic [Gr. ekstasis]. 43 He gave them strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.
Mark 6
Yeshua Rejected in Nazareth
1 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 change 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' 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.
[1] The Aramaic is: b’beth yaldeh, (the house of his nativity). The Greek translator took this to be an idiom for “birthday party .” Perhaps it was.
Mark 7
Inner Defilement
1 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 Sovereign, 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.”
[1] There is a spurious addition to verse 19 not found in the Aramaic or the Textus Receptus or in Rheims’ (Catholic) “New Testament” that is inserted into the KJV, the RSV, and the NIV: “thus purifying all meats.” This is an attempt to change the topic from eating with unwashed hands (v.2) to eating unclean flesh! Compare with Matthew 15, especially vs 2 & 20. [2] See why this word is “heathen”, and simply means a non Greek rather than a Greek. Keyword: children.
Mark 8
4,000 Fed
1 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 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
The Transfiguration
1 He told them, “I am certain that there are some people standing here who won’t die until they see Yehovah’s Kingdom arrive with immense power.”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 tabernacles [aka sukkot or 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, “Sovereign, 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 clenches 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 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 Children
42 If anyone causes one of these children 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 Yehovah’s Kingdom 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 zebak [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.”
[1] The Greek translations substituted a proto Septuagint type Malachi quotation here, with a far more ambitious job for Elijah. Instead of having Elijah preparing the way here, as the Hebrew Malachi 4:5-6 explains, it has him “restoring everything to it’s former state.” And while if translating from Aramaic to Greek, “restore” is a possible rendering, it certainly has nothing to do with John preparing the way. The Greek correctly quoted Malachi in Matthew 3:3 from Masoretic type Hebrew sources. Yeshua will do the restoring in person—not Elijah. [2] See why it is “vaporized”, not “salted” (footnote #1). And see Where is Gehenna?
Mark 10
Divorce and Remarriage
1 He got up and went to the region of Judea on the other side of the Jordan. Large crowds followed Him there and He taught them as He had been doing.2 The Pharisees came to Him and tested Him by asking, “Does it violate the Torah for a man to divorce his wife?” 3 He asked them, “What did Moses command you?” 4 They replied, “Moses allowed us to write a bill of divorce and send her away.” 5 Yeshua (Jesus) told them, “It was because of your hardened attitudes that Moses wrote this rule for you. 6 But from the beginning, ‘Yehovah made them male and female.’ 7 That’s why a man should leave his father and mother and be glued to his wife, 8 and the two will be one 'entity'. So they are no longer two, but one 'entity'. 9 So no one should separate what Yehovah has joined together.”
10 In the house the disciples asked Him about this again. 11 He told them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another is committing adultery. 12 If a woman leaves her husband marries another, she’s committing adultery.”
Yeshua Blesses the Children
13 People brought little children to Him so that He could touch them. But His disciples scolded those who brought them. 14 When Yeshua saw it, He was very displeased and He said, “Allow the little children to come to Me. Don’t stop them! Yehovah’s Kingdom [1] is for people like them. 15 I am certain that whoever doesn’t receive Yehovah’s Kingdom like a little child won’t enter at all.” 16 Then He took them in His arms and laid His hands on them and blessed them.
How to Inherit Eternal Life!
17 As He was beginning His journey, someone ran and fell to his knees and asked Him, “Good Sovereign, what must I do to inherit eternal life? [2]” 18 Yeshua replied, “Why call Me good? No one is good but Aloha [God is a generic title] alone. 19 You know the Commandments: Don’t commit adultery. Don’t steal. Don’t murder. Don’t give false testimony. Don’t cheat. Honor your father and your mother.”
20 The man replied, “Sovereign, I’ve obeyed all of these from my childhood.” 21 Yeshua looked at him and loved him and told him, “There’s one thing you haven’t done. Go and sell everything that you own and give the money to the poor and there will be a treasure for you in Heaven. Then pick up your cross and follow Me.” 22 He lamented those words and went away grieving because he was very rich. 23 Yeshua looked around and said to His disciples, “It is very hard for the rich to enter Yehovah’s Kingdom!”
24 The disciples were astonished at His remark. Then Yeshua added, “Children, it is very hard for a rich person to enter Yehovah’s Kingdom. 25 It is easier to put a rope [3] thru the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter Yehovah’s Kingdom.”
26 They were even more astonished and asked each other, “Then who can receive eternal life?” 27 Yeshua looked at them again and said, “With people it’s not possible, but with Yehovah it is, because everything is possible with Yehovah.” 28 Cephas replied, “Look, we have given up everything to follow You.”
29 Yeshua said, “I am certain that no man who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or 'farms' for My sake, and for the sake of My Good News 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much here in the present time, including houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and farms, along with persecution, and in the world to come, eternal life. 31 But many who are now first in influence will be last, and many who are now last will be first.”
Yeshua’s Third Prediction of His Death and Resurrection
32 While they were on their way up the road to Jerusalem, Yeshua was leading the way. They were amazed as they followed Him—trembling as He took His twelve and began to tell them what was going to happen to Him there. 33 He said, “We’re going to Jerusalem, and the Human Son will be handed over to the high priests and the Torah teachers, and they’ll condemn Him to death and hand Him over to the heathen [ethnos]! 34 They’ll mock Him and scourge Him and spit in His face and kill Him, but after three days He’ll rise.”
Servant Leadership
35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him and asked, “Sovereign, we want You to grant us whatever request we ask of You.” 36 He asked them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 37 They replied, “Allow one of us to sit on Your right side and the other on Your left side in Your splendor.” 38 But He told them, “You don’t know what you’re asking for. Are you able to drink from the same cup that I drink from and be immersed with the same immersion that I’m immersed with?” 39 They told Him, “We’re able.” So Yeshua told them, “You will drink the from cup that I drink from and be immersed with the same kind of immersion that I’m immersed with. 40 But I don’t have the authority to seat you on My right side or on My left. Those positions were previously 'reserved'.”
41 When the other ten heard this they began to mutter about James and John. 42 Yeshua called them and said, “You know that those who are considered the rulers of the nations are tyrants and their great men have authority over them. 43 But it must NEVER be like that with you, because whoever wants to be great among you should be a servant, 44 and whoever who wants to be the most influential must become a servant to everyone. 45 The Human Son didn’t come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as the ransom for many.”
Yeshua Heals Bartimaeus
46 Then they went to Jericho. As Yeshua was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, was sitting beside the road. 47 When he heard that it was Yeshua the Nazarene passing by, he began to shout, “Son of David, have mercy on me.”
48 People criticized him and told him to be quiet. But he shouted even louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me.” 49 Yeshua stood there and had them call for him. They called the blind man and told him, “Cheer up and get up. He’s calling for you!” 50 The blind man threw off his coat and got up and came to Yeshua. 51 Yeshua asked him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man told him, “Rabbi, I want to see.” 52 Yeshua told him, “Go, your faith has restored you.” Immediately he could see again and he followed Him down the road.
[1] The Hebrew texts indicate the name Yehovah rather than the title Elohim (God) in reference to the Kingdom. Early Christians deleted Yehovah and substituted equivalents of “God” and “Lord” in Aramaic and Greek copies of the Testimony. Compare with Chronicles 29:11, 2 Chronicles 12:8 and Obadiah 1:21. [2] This is the world’s most important question! See Matthew 19, footnote 1 & Luke 18:18 [3] See why it’s not a camel. Keyword: camel.
Mark 11
A Royal Reception
1 As they approached Jerusalem, near Bethphage and Bethany, on the Mount of Olives, He sent out two of His disciples 2 and told them, “Go into the village ahead of us, and as soon as you enter you’ll find a colt tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie him and bring him here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ Tell them, ‘Because our Sovereign needs him.’ He’ll send him here right away.”4 They went and found the colt tied by a door out by the street. As they were untying him 5 some people standing there asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?” 6 They told them what Yeshua had said, and they allowed them to take him. 7 They brought the colt to Yeshua and threw their coats over him, and Yeshua sat on him. 8 Many spread their coats on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Those ahead of Him and those following Him shouted, “Aloha save Him [Aramaic Ushana]! Blessed is the One who comes in Yehovah’s name. 10 Blessed is the coming Kingdom of our ancestor David. Save Him now in the highest Heaven” [Aramaic Ushana bamraumee]!
11 Yeshua went into the Temple in Jerusalem and looked around at everything. That evening He went out to Bethany with the twelve.
The Fig Tree Withers
12 The next day as He was leaving Bethany, He was hungry. 13 He saw a fig tree in full leaf in the distance, and He went to see if He could find something on it to eat. When He got to it, He found nothing on it but leaves because it was too early for fruit. 14 He said to it, “From now on, no one will ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples heard Him.
Bankers Booted
15 When they came to Jerusalem, Yeshua entered Yehovah’s Temple and began to throw out everyone who bought and sold in the Temple, and He overturned the tables of the bankers [1] and the seats of those who sold doves. 16 He wouldn’t allow anyone to carry goods thru the Temple. 17 As He taught them, He asked, “Isn’t it written, ‘My 'Temple' will be called the 'Temple' of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of thieves.’”
18 The high priests and the Torah teachers heard Him, and they began looking for a way to destroy Him. They were afraid of Him because all the people were amazed at His teaching. 19 That evening they left the city.
20 In the morning as they passed by the fig tree, they saw that it had dried up down to the roots. 21 Remembering what Yeshua had said, Simon remarked, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you doomed has dried up.”
22 Yeshua replied, “Have faith in Yehovah. 23 And believe Me, whoever tells this mountain, ‘Rise up and fall into the sea’, having no doubts in their mind, but believing that what they said will happen for them, then whatever they spoke will be done for them.
Prayer and Forgiveness
24 That’s why I’m telling you that whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you will receive it and it will be yours. 25 Whenever you stand up to pray, disregard whatever you have against anyone, so that your Heavenly Father can also disregard and acquit your offenses.” 26 But if you don’t disregard offenses, then your heavenly Father won’t acquit your offenses [2].
27 They came to Jerusalem again. As He was walking in the Temple courtyard, the high priests and Torah teachers and elders came to Him 28 and asked Him, “By what authority are You doing these things? Who gave You the authority to do them?” 29 Yeshua replied, “I’ll also ask you a question, answer Me, and I’ll tell you by what authority I do these things. 30 Did the immersion of John come from Heaven or from men? Tell Me.”
31 Then began considering their options and said, “If we say, ‘From Heaven’, He’ll ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ 32 But if we say, ‘From men’—we are afraid of what the people would do, because they all believe that John was truly a prophet.” 33 So they told Yeshua, ‘We don’t know.’ So He told them, ‘Nor will I tell you by what authority I’m doing these things.’”
[1] The “money exchangers”, as it is usually worded, were actually functioning as bankers, as was the norm in pagan temples. [2] This is just one example of a verse that is omitted from the “most reliable” older Greek texts, but not the Peshitta.
Mark 12
Parable of the Sharecroppers
1 He began talking to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard and enclosed it with a hedge and dug out a wine press and built a tower in it. Then he entrusted it to sharecroppers before going on a journey. 2 At harvest time he sent a servant to the sharecroppers to collect his share of the vintage. 3 But they beat him and sent him away empty handed. 4 So he sent another servant to them, and they threw stones at him also, injuring him, and sent him away after treating him shamefully. 5 He sent another, and they killed him. He sent many other servants. Some they beat and some they killed. 6 Finally, having only a dear son left, he sent him to them, thinking, ‘Perhaps they’ll be ashamed when my son shows up.’ 7 But the sharecroppers said to each other, ‘This is the heir. We should kill him, and his inheritance will be ours.’ 8 So they took him and killed him and threw his body out of the vineyard.9 So what will the owner of the vineyard do? He’ll come and put those sharecroppers to death and lease the vineyard to others. 10 Haven’t you read this Scripture, ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the Cornerstone?’ 11 This is from Yehovah, and it is marvelous in our eyes.”
12 They looked for an excuse to arrest Him, but were afraid of the people. They realized that He had spoken this parable in reference to them. So they left Him alone and went away.
13 Then they sent some Torah teachers and Herodians to Him in order to entrap Him by His own words. 14 They came and asked Him, “Sovereign, we know that You are truthful and without favoritism toward anyone. You don’t consider anyone’s position, but teach the way of Yehovah in truth. Does the Torah permit giving tribute money to Caesar or not? Should we pay the tax or not?” 15 He understood their treachery and asked them, “Why are you trying to ensnare Me? Bring Me a denarius to look at.” 16 So they brought one to Him. Then He asked them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They replied, “It’s Caesar’s.”
17 Then Yeshua said, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and give to Yehovah what is Yehovah’s.” They were amazed at Him.
Sadducees Ask About the Resurrection
18 Then some Sadducees, who claim that there is no resurrection, came to Him with a question: 19 “Sovereign, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a widow and leaves no children, his brother should 'marry' his widow and raise up 'children' for his brother. 20 There were seven brothers. The first married and died without leaving any children. 21 The second married her and died, and he also left no children, and so did the third. 22 All seven married her and none left any children. Last of all the woman died too. 23 So in the resurrection, which of them will she be married to, since all seven had married her?”
24 Yeshua replied, “Aren’t you mistaken because you don’t understand the Scriptures or Aloha’s power?” 25 When they rise from the dead, they don’t take wives nor are wives given to husbands. Rather, they are like the spirit messengers in Heaven. 26 But as for the dead rising, haven’t you read in a scroll of Moses, how Aloha said to him from the bush, ‘I’m the Aloha of Abraham, the Aloha of Isaac, and the Aloha of Jacob?’ 27 He’s not the Aloha of the dead, but of the living. So you are 'gravely' mistaken.
The Most Important Commandment
28 One of the Torah teachers came near and heard the dialog. He realized that He had given them an excellent answer. So he asked Him, “Which Commandment is the most important of all?”
29 Yeshua replied, “The most important of all the Commandments is, ‘Hear, O Israel; Yehovah is our Aloha, Yehovah is one! 30 And you must love Yehovah your Aloha with all of your intellectual endeavors, with all of your consciousness [psyche, Gr: psuche], with all of your understanding, and with all your ability.’ This is the most important Commandment. 31 The second is similar, ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other Commandment is greater than these.”
32 The Torah teacher replied, “An excellent answer Rabbi. You’ve spoken the truth in saying that there is one Aloha, and there are none other than Him. 33 For a person to love Yehovah with all of their intellectual endeavors and with all their consciousnesses, with all of their understanding, with their ability, and to love their neighbors as themselves is far better than all the burnt offerings and zebakim [sacrifices].”
34 Then Yeshua, noting the wisdom of his reply, told him, “You aren’t far from Yehovah’s Kingdom.” No one dared to question Him again after that.
David and the Messiah
35 Later, while Yeshua was teaching in the Temple courtyard, He asked, “How can the Torah teachers say that the Messiah is David’s son? 36 Because David himself, inspired by the 'special' spirit, said, “Yehovah said to His Word [Targum of Jonathan (Aramaic) Psalm 110:1]—Gill’s Commentary], ‘Seat Yourself on My right hand side until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.’”
37 So if David calls Him Sovereign, how could He be his Son?” The crowd was delighted to hear this.
Watch Out For Torah Teachers
38 Continuing to teach, He said, “Watch out for the Torah teachers. They love to strut around in long robes and be greeted [Aramaic shlama] in public places, 39 and to have the best seats in the synagogues and the best seating arrangements at banquets. 40 They devour widow’s houses and offer long prayers for appearance’s sake. They will receive a harsher condemnation.”
41 As Yeshua sat before the treasury room of the Temple, He watched how the people were tossing money into the treasury. Many rich people tossed in a large amounts. 42 Then a poor widow came and tossed in two mites, small brass coins.
43 Yeshua called His disciples together and told them, “I am certain that this poor widow has tossed more into the treasury than all the others who are tossing money in. 44 They all throw in portions of their surplus, but she, in her poverty, has thrown in all she had—everything she owned.”
Mark 13
Yeshua Predicts the Destruction of the Temple
1 As Yeshua was leaving the Temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Sovereign, look at these stones and these buildings!”2 Yeshua asked him, “Do you see these large buildings? There won’t be a single stone left on another here that will not be knocked down.”
Signs of the End of the Age
3 As Yeshua sat on the Mount of Olives facing the Temple, Cephas, James, John and Andrew asked Him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what is the sign that these things are about to happen?”
5 Yeshua replied, “Be careful that no one misleads you. 6 Many will come in My name and say, ‘I AM’, [no ‘He’ in Ar. or Gr.], and they’ll deceive many. 7 But when you hear of wars and rumors of battles, don’t be afraid because these things must happen, but it’s not the end yet. 8 Nations will rise against other nations, and kingdoms against kingdoms. There will be earthquakes in various places and famines and insurrections. These are like the first pains [likely birth pains].
9 Be very careful, because they’ll hand you over to judges, and you’ll be beaten in the synagogues [Gr. sunagoge]. You’ll stand before kings and governors for My sake as witnesses to them for Me. 10 But first the Good News must be proclaimed in every nation. 11 When they arrest you and hand you over to stand trial, don’t worry beforehand about what you’ll say or premeditate your words. Say what is given to you spontaneously, because it won’t be you speaking, but the 'special' spirit.
12 Brothers will betray brothers to death and fathers their children. Children will stand up against their parents and have them put to death. 13 Everyone will hate you because of My name. But whoever endures to the end will be rescued.
The Great Tribulation
14 When you see the sign of the idolatrous abomination of desolation that was mentioned by Daniel the prophet standing where it should never be—the reader must understand— [1] then you who are in Judea should flee to the mountain [2]. 15 No one who is on the roof should come down to get anything out of their house. 16 No one in the fields should return to get their clothes. 17 It will be a terrible time for pregnant and nursing women during those days! 18 Pray that your 'exodus' won’t be during the foul weather. 19 In those days there will be Tribulation on a scale that has never happened since the beginning of Yehovah’s creation until now—and certainly never again! 20 If it weren’t for Yehovah terminating those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the Select who have chosen [3] [to remain faithful], those days will be terminated [4]. 21 During this time if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah’, or ‘Look, He’s over there’, don’t believe it. 22 False Messiahs and lying prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles in order to deceive, if possible, even the Select. 23 So watch out! I’ve told you everything in advance.
After the Tribulation
24 But in the days AFTER that Tribulation [5a], ‘The sun will be darkened; and the moon won’t give her light. 25 Stars will fall from the sky [Isaiah 12:, Joel 3:], and the dynamism [Gr. dunamis] of the heavens will be shaken.’
26 Then they’ll see the Human Son coming in the clouds [Daniel 7] with great power and splendor. 27 Then He’ll send out His spirit messengers to gather His Select people from the four winds [north, south, east and west], from the farthest horizons of the sky.
28 Learn a parable from a fig tree. When its twigs become tender and its leaves begin to bud, you know that warm weather is coming. 29 Similarly, when you see these things happening, you’ll know that it [the Day of Yehovah [5b]] is near—right at your open door! 30 I’m sure that this perverse nation [6] won’t pass away [7a] until all these things take place. 31 [The New] Heaven and earth will arrive [7b], but My Word won’t disappear [7c].
32 But no one knows the exact day and hour [8], not the spirit messengers in heaven, not even the Son, only the Father. 33 Be careful, watch and pray, because you don’t know when the exact time is. 34 The Human Son is like a man who left home and went on a journey. He gave guardianship to his servants, each had their assignments, and he instructed the doorkeeper to stay on the alert.
35 So stay alert, because you don’t know when the master of the house is returning, whether in the evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or in the morning. 36 Make sure He doesn’t come unexpectedly and find you asleep! 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone—‘Stay alert’!
[1] In the end time Temple—Matthew24:15 and Daniel 12, particularly v.11. [2] You’ll need to understand the timing if you are there. This is reminiscent of Matthew 28:16. [3] This could also be translated “The select who He has chosen”, ignoring your personal responsibility. [4] The Great Tribulation is Satan’s heyday, but Satan’s timetable is the timetable that is interrupted, not Yehovah’s. Mark 13 describes the very same events as Daniel 12 does, and the events explained in Daniel will be totally “terminated” after 1,335 days. The Great Tribulation ends with a Great Intervention! [5a,b] The Great and Awesome Day of Yehovah (the “Lord”) immediately follows the Great Tribulation. [6] The Greek is genea, but using the keyword “generation”, see why this isn’t “generation” here. [7a,b,c] Parerchomai can mean both “disappear/pass away” and “arrive”, much like the Hawaiian use of the word aloha, (a very interesting word!) Perhaps this is a play on the word, contrasting the future arrival of the New Heavens and the New Earth with the present and eternal nature of His words. [8] A thinly disguised reference to the Day of Trumpets that begins each year immediately after the thin crescent of the New Moon is seen in Jerusalem, with the exact “day and hour” annually in question. A select few still anticipate it annually!
Mark 14
Yeshua Our Passover Lamb
1 It was two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The high priests and the Torah teachers were bent on finding a scheme to arrest Him and kill Him. 2 But they said, “Not during the Feast, because the people might begin to riot.”3 While He was in Bethany in Simon the potter’s house [1], as He was eating, a woman came with an alabaster jar of precious spikenard perfume. She opened it and poured it on Yeshua’s head.
4 Some of the disciples there got upset and began asking each other, “Why was this perfume wasted? 5 It could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they were angry with her.
6 But Yeshua said, “Leave her alone. Why criticize her for doing something good for Me? 7 You’ll always have the poor with you, and you can do good things for them whenever you want to, but I won’t always be with you. 8 She’s done the best she could in preparation for My burial, by perfuming My body. 9 I’m certain that wherever My Good News is proclaimed thruout the world, what she has done will be mentioned in memory of her.”
Judas Betrays Yeshua
10 Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the high priests in order to betray Yeshua to them. 11 When they heard this they were thrilled, and they promised to pay him off. So he began looking for an opportunity to betray Him.
Preparation For Passover
12 On the First Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Jews present the Passover zebak [sacrifice], His disciples asked Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover?”
13 He sent two of His disciples and told them, “Go to the city, and you’ll meet a man carrying a water jug. Follow him. 14 When he goes into a house, tell the owner of the house that our Rabbi asks, ‘Where is My banquet room where I may [2] eat the Passover with My disciples?’ 15 Then he will show you a large room upstairs, furnished with seating and available. Make preparations for us there.”
16 His disciples left and went into the city, and found things just as He had told them, and they prepared the Passover. 17 When it was evening, He arrived with the twelve. 18 As they were eating, Yeshua said, “I am certain that one of you eating with Me will betray Me.”
19 They were becoming distressed, and began asking Him one after another, “Is it I?” 20 He told them, “It is the one of you twelve who dips bread with Me from the bowl.” 21 The Human Son is leaving just as it is written of Him. But how terrible it will be for the man who betrays the Human Son. It would be better for that man if he’d never been born.”
Yeshua’s Supper Instituted
22 As they were eating, Yeshua took a loaf of bread [3] and blessed it. Then He broke it and handed it to them and said, “Take some, this is My body.” 23 Then He took a cup, praised [Gr. eulogeo] and blessed [4] it, and passed it to them. And they all drank from it.
24 He told them, “This is My blood of the New Covenant [5] that is poured out on behalf of many. 25 I’ll definitely not taste the fruit of the vine again until the day when I drink a new variety [or fresh wine] in Yehovah’s Kingdom.
26 They sang a paschal praise Psalm and went out to the Mount of Olives.
Yeshua Predicts Cephas’ Denial
27 Yeshua told them, “Tonight all of you will abandon Me, because it’s written, ‘I’ll strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of His flock will be widely scattered.’ 28 After I have risen to life, I’ll go ahead of you into Galilee.” 29 Cephas replied, “Even if everyone else considers You to be scandalous [Gr. skandalizo], I won’t.” 30 Yeshua told him, “I am certain that today—this very night—before the rooster crows twice, you’ll deny Me three times.”
31 So he emphatically added, “Sovereign, even if I have to die with You, I won’t disown You.” All the disciples said similar things.
Yeshua’s Prayer in the Garden
32 They came to a place called Gethsemane, and He told His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 He took Cephas, James and John with Him and began to be sorrowful and distressed. 34 He told them, “My consciousness [psyche, Gr: psuche] is overcome with sorrow to the point of death! Wait for Me here and keep watch.”
35 He went on a little farther, and fell to the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour could pass from Him. 36 He said, “O Elohim, My Elohim! You can do anything. Cause this cup to pass from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours.”
37 He returned and found them sleeping, and He said to Cephas, “Are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch with Me for a single hour? 38 Watch and pray so that you don’t yield to temptation. The spirit is willing and ready, but the body is weak.”
39 He went away again and prayed, repeating the same things. 40 He came back again and found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy, and they didn’t know what to say to Him.
41 He came back a third time and said, ““Are you still sleeping and resting? [6]! That’s enough! The hour has come. Look! The Human Son is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Get up. We’re leaving. My betrayer is coming.”
43 While He was still speaking, Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, arrived with a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the high priests, the Torah teachers and the elders.
44 The traitor who betrayed Him had given them a signal. He said, “The One I kiss is the One. Arrest Him and lead Him away under guard.” 45 He stepped right up and said, “Rabbi, Rabbi!” And kissed Him. 46 They grabbed Him and arrested Him. 47 One of those who stood nearby pulled a sword and struck the underling of the high priest and cut off his ear.
48 Yeshua asked them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me, as you would against a robber? 49 I was with you every day teaching in the Temple and you didn’t arrest Me. Yet this is happening to fulfill the Scriptures.” 50 Then His disciples deserted Him and ran away.
51 A young man had been following Him was wearing a linen loincloth around his naked body. When they grabbed him, 52 he pulled free of the linen loincloth and escaped naked.
Yeshua Faces the Sanhedrin
53 They led Yeshua to Caiaphas the high priest, and all the high priests and Torah teachers and the elders had gathered with him. 54 Simon followed Him at a distance as far as the high priests’ courtyard. He sat with the underlings warming himself by the fire.
55 The high priests and the entire Sanhedrin were trying to obtain testimony against Yeshua in order to put Him to death, but they couldn’t find any. 56 Tho many gave false testimony against Him, their declarations were inconsistent.
57 Some false witnesses stood up against Him and said, 58 “We heard Him say, ‘I’ll destroy this Temple made with hands, and in three days I’ll build another not made with hands.’” 59 But even then their declarations were contradictory.
60 The high priest stood with them and asked Yeshua, “Don’t You have an answer? What about these claims against You?” 61 But Yeshua was silent, He wouldn’t reply. Again the high priest demanded an answer, “Are You the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
62 Yeshua replied, “I AM. And you will see the Human Son sitting on the right hand side of the Power, when He comes on the clouds in the sky!” 63 The high priest tore his clothes and asked, “Why do we need more witnesses? 64 Look, you’ve heard the blasphemy from His own lips. What do you think?” And they unanimously condemned Him to death. 65 Some began to spit on Him, and beat Him with their fists. They told Him, “Prophesy.” The underlings slapped His cheeks.
Cephas Denies Yeshua
66 As Simon was below in the courtyard, a servant girl of the high priest came 67 and saw him warming himself. She looked at him and said, “You were also with Yeshua the Nazarene.” 68 But he denied it by saying, “I don’t know what you are talking about.” Then he went out onto the porch and the rooster crowed.
69 The servant girl saw him again and began saying to the bystanders, “This man is also one of them.” 70 He denied it again. A little later other bystanders said to Cephas, “Surely you are one of them, because you are also a Galilean, and your dialect confirms it.” 71 Then He began to curse and swear, “I don’t know this Man you’re talking about.”
72 Immediately the rooster crowed a second time. Then Simon recalled that Yeshua had told him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you’ll deny Me three times.” And he began to cry.
[1] See why this says “potter” instead of “leper.” (Didn’t Yeshua heal lepers?) Keyword: potter. [2] The word “may” (Murdock) or “can” (Etheridge) implies uncertainty. In verse 14, Yeshua was being deliberately vague with His words concerning whether or not He would be there. Very shortly afterward there was no doubt—He was to be the Passover, not eat it. [3] This was not unleavened bread because it was Yeshua’s Supper-Preparation Day for the Passover tomorrow. That’s why the Greek specifies it was a loaf of risen bread [as in Matthew 4:3 & 14:17]: “from airo; bread (as raised) or a loaf—(shew-)bread, loaf.” It was as thick as a man’s thumb, easily broken not cut. [4] The Aramaic mentions both praise and blessing here. The distinction is like the distinction between “giving thanks” and “prayer”, as in where both are mentioned in the same verse in the Greek (Luke 18:11; 2 Corinthians 1:11; Ephesians 1:16; Colossians 1:3, 1 Thessalonians 1:2, Philemon 1:4). [5] Almost every modern translation omits the word “New” here, siding with a small minority of Greek texts, breaking the connection with the New Covenant promises of Jeremiah 30 and 31. Of over 6,000 known copies of the Greek texts, all but 2 or 3 mention New Covenant, those few corrupted Wescott and Hort editions are the ones that the “scholars” rely on in the modern translations. Some few others say “renewed” here, claiming that the original Hebrew source of the term (Jeremiah 31:31) is “renewed.” Yet only the root word there is “renew.” Chadash khaw-dawsh’ is new, while chadash khaw-dash’ (with a different vowel point) is renew, such as “renew {02318} the face of the earth” or “renew {02318} a right spirit within me.” Nevertheless, there are no specified differences between the covenants other than the promised land being an eternal thing. [6] See why the Greek says just the opposite. Keywords sleep on.
Mark 15
Yeshua Faces Pilate
1 At dawn, the high priests, the elders, and the Torah teachers held a meeting. They and the entire Sanhedrin bound Yeshua and led Him away and handed Him over to Pilate, the Governor [1].2 Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” He replied, “You said it yourself.”
3 The high priests made many accusations against Him. 4 Pilate asked Him again, “Aren’t You going to reply? Look at all the charges they’re bringing against You!” 5 Pilate was amazed that Yeshua wouldn’t answer him.
Barabbas Replaces Yeshua
6 It was his custom at every Feast to release one prisoner—whoever they wanted. 7 A man named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the insurgents who had committed murder in the insurrection. 8 The people called out demanding that he do what he usually did for them.
9 Pilate answered, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” 10 Pilate knew that the high priests had arrested Him out of envy. 11 But the high priests continued to persuade the crowd to demand that Barabbas be released to them.
12 Pilate asked them, “What should I do with the One you call the King of the Jews?” 13 They shouted out, “Crucify Him.” 14 Pilate asked them, “Why? What crime has He committed?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him.”
15 Pilate, wanting to pacify the mob, released Barabbas to them. And after scourging Yeshua, he handed Him over to be crucified.
Soldiers Mock Yeshua
16 The soldiers led Him into the court of the Praetorium, and they called out the entire reignnt. 17 They clothed Him in purple, and wove a crown of thorns and put it on Him. 18 Then they began to salute Him with, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19 They hit Him on the head with a reed and spit in His face, and bowed down on their knees and pretended to worship Him. 20 After mocking Him, they took the purple robe off of Him and put His own clothes on Him. Then they led Him out to be crucified.
A Cyrenian Carries Yeshua’s Cross
21 They compelled a passerby named Simon the Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, who was coming in from the fields, to carry His cross. 22 They brought Him to Golgotha (which means “The Skull”). 23 They offered Him wine mixed with myrrh, but He refused it. 24 Then they crucified Him and divided His clothes up by casting lots for them, to decide what each man would take.
25 It was the third hour [9:00 AM] when they crucified Him. 26 A sign stating the reason for His death read: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” 27 They crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and the other on His left. 28 The Scripture was fulfilled that said, “He was numbered among the wicked.” 29 Those passing by also insulted Him, nodding their heads and saying, “Aha! You were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. 30 Rescue Yourself and come down from the cross!”
31 The high priests and the Torah teachers were laughing together and saying, “He gave life to others but He can’t spare His own life. 32 The Messiah, the King of Israel should come down from the cross now, so that we can see it and believe in Him.” Even those who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him.
33 At the sixth hour [noon] darkness overtook the entire land until the ninth hour. 34 At the ninth hour [3:00] Yeshua called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, Lamana Shabakthani?” That is, “Alohi! Alohi! Why have you spared me?” [2]
35 When some of the bystanders heard this, they said, “He’s calling for Elijah.”
36 Someone ran and soaked a sponge with vinegar and tied it on a reed and offer Him a drink. But others [3] said, “Stop! Let’s see if Elijah comes to take Him down.” 37 Yeshua called out loudly and breathed His last.
38 The veil of the Temple door was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 When the centurion who was standing near Him saw how He had called out and died, he said, “This man was certainly Aloha’s Son.”
40 There were women looking on from a distance, including Mary Magdalena, Mary (the mother of James the Less and Joses), and Salome. 41 When He was in Galilee, they followed Him and supported Him. Many other women who had come up to Jerusalem with Him were there too.
42 It was the evening of the Preparation Day that precedes the annual Sabbath [4]. 43 Joseph of Arimathaea, a highly respected member of the Sanhedrin, who himself was also waiting for Yehovah’s Kingdom to come, boldly went to Pilate and requested Yeshua’s body. 44 Pilate was surprised to hear that He was already dead. So he called the centurion to verify that He had already died. 45 When he confirmed it, he gave His body to Joseph. 46 Joseph bought some fine linen, took His body down, and wrapped it in the linen and put it in a tomb that was cut out of rock. Then rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalena and Mary Joses’ mother saw where He was laid.
[1] The Greek doesn’t mention “governor.” [2] He was paraphrasing from Psalm 22. But here is the rest of the story. Compare with John 16:32. [3] The Greek versions have the man with the vinegar trying to stop himself from offering Yeshua the vinegar! [4] Preparation Day was Tuesday that year. Every example of “preparation Day” precedes the First Day of Unleavened Bread. Passover is actually an event, late on Preparation Day, immediately preceding the First Day of Unleavened Bread.
Mark 16
Yeshua is Missing
1 AFTER the [annual] Sabbath [Wednesday after sundown that year], Mary Magdalena, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought aromatic herbs so that they could go and anoint Him [Thursday]. 2 Very early in the morning on the first of the Sabbaths [Gr. Sabbaton] [1], they came to the tomb as the sun was rising. 3 They were asking each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”4 Then they looked and saw that the stone had already been rolled away, tho it was very large. 5 They entered the tomb and saw a young man wearing a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were astonished.
6 But he told them, “Don’t be frightened. You are looking for Yeshua the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen. He isn’t here. Here is the place where He was laid! 7 Now go and tell His disciples, and Cephas, that He is going before you into Galilee. You’ll see Him there, just as He told you.”
8 When they heard this, they fled the tomb, overcome with astonishment and trembling, but they said nothing to anyone because they were afraid.
Yeshua Appears to Mary
9 [2] In the morning of the first of the Sabbaths, after He had risen [3], He appeared first to Mary Magdalena, who He had cast seven demons out of. 10 She went and told those who had been with Him [4], as they were grieving and crying. 11 When they heard the women say that He was alive and that He had appeared to them, they didn’t believe them. 12 After this He appeared in a different form to two of them as they were approaching a neighboring village. 13 They went back and told the others, but they didn’t believe them either.
14 Finally, He appeared to the eleven while they were at the table, and He criticized their lack of faith and their calloused attitudes, because they refused to believe those who had actually seen Him after He’d risen.
15 He told them, “Go into all the world and announce My Good News to the whole creation! 16 Anyone who believes and is immersed will be rescued, but anyone who refuses to believe [5] will be condemned. 17 These signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they’ll cast out demons, and they’ll speak in new [to them] languages. 18 If they happen to pick up a snake or if they drink a deadly poison it won’t hurt them. They’ll lay their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.”
19 After Yeshua our Sovereign had spoken with them, He was taken up to Heaven and sat on Yehovah’s right hand side. 20 They went out and heralded everywhere, and our Sovereign helped them and confirmed what they said by the miracles they performed.
End of the Good News announcement of Mark the envoy, that he proclaimed in Latin in Rome.
[1] The countdown to Pentecost always begins on a “sunday”, Leviticus 23:15. [2] The two most UNreliable early Greek manuscripts do not have Mark 16:9-20. [3] Most translations opt to have Yeshua rising in the morning. But others indicate that He had already risen prior to the women arriving. There is much evidence that He arose precisely 72 hours after He was buried, and that He was laid to rest as the last rays of the sun ended the Preparation Day—marking three days and three nights. [4] Alleged Resurrection Contradictions [5] Evidently “Anyone who refuses to believe genuine signs”—the next verse and John 10:37-38, “will be condemned.”
Luke 1
Letter to Theophilus
1 Since many have attempted to explain the events that we’re completely familiar with, 2 precisely like they were handed over to us by the original eye-witnesses, 3 it seemed appropriate for me, since I have considered them all carefully, to write everything down, step-by-step for you, most eminent Theophilus, 4 so that you can be absolutely certain of the truthfulness of the statements that have been explained to you.John’s Birth Announced
5 In the time of Herod the king of Judea there was a priest named Zacharias, of the priestly division of the house of Abijah, and his wife was descended from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 6 They were both righteous in the sight of Yehovah, continuing on life’s journey in all of His Commandments and Aloha’s righteous requirements perfectly. 7 But they never had any children because Elisabeth was sterile, and they were both advancing in years.
8 But while he was serving as priest during his scheduled order of ministry in Yehovah’s presence, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, the lot fell to him to burn the incense. So he entered the inner portion of the Temple of Yehovah. 10 The entire group were praying outside during the time when the incense was being burned.
11 Then one of Yehovah’s messengers appeared to Zechariah, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was overcome with anxiety and terror. 13 Yehovah’s Messenger told him, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elisabeth will give you a son, and you’ll name him John. 14 You’ll have joy and happiness, and many others will celebrate at his birth. 15 He will be great in Yehovah’s presence. He’ll never drink wine or other fermented drinks. He’ll be filled with the 'special' spirit, even before his birth. 16 He’ll bring back many of the descendants of Israel to Yehovah their Aloha. 17 He’ll precede Him [Messiah], in the spirit and power of Elijah [1] the prophet, and he’ll turn the sentiments of the fathers to the children, and turn the disobedient to a knowledge of righteousness, and prepare a perfect [2] people for Yehovah.”
18 Zechariah asked Yehovah’s spirit messenger, “How can I be sure of this, since I’m old and my wife is advancing in years.”
19 The Messenger told him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of Yehovah, and I was sent to talk with you, and to tell you the good news. 20 But since you didn’t believe my message, you’ll be speechless. You won’t speak until the day when these things happen, and everything will take place when the time is right.”
21 Meanwhile, the people were standing around waiting for Zechariah, wondering why he was staying in the most 'cherished' part of the Temple so long. 22 When he did come out, he couldn’t talk to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the Temple. He made many hand gestures to them but remained unable to talk.
23 When the days of his service were finished, he went home. 24 Soon after this time, his wife Elisabeth became pregnant and remained in seclusion for five months. She said, 25 “Yehovah did these things for me during the time when He looked on my desolation, and took away my public reproach.”
Gabriel Speaks With Mary
26 In the sixth month, Yehovah sent the Messenger Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 Yehovah’s Messenger came to her and said, “Peace, favored one! Yehovah is with you. You are a very blessed woman.”
29 When she saw him, she was troubled by what he said, and she wondered what this visit meant. 30 The Messenger told her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, because you have found favor with Yehovah. 31 You’ll conceive and give birth to a Son, and you will name Him Yeshua (Jesus)! 32 He’ll be great and will be called ‘the Son of the Highest’, and Yehovah Aloha will give Him the throne of His ancestor David. 33 He’ll reign over the descendants of Jacob forever in His everlasting Kingdom.” [3] 34 Mary asked the Messenger, “How is this possible, since I’m a virgin?”
35 The Messenger replied, “the 'special' spirit will come, and the power of the Highest [Eloia] will overshadow you. So the 'Cherished' One to be born will be called the Son of Yehovah. 36 Your relative Elizabeth is also pregnant with a son in her old age. A woman who was said to be childless is in her sixth month, 37 because nothing is impossible for Yehovah!” 38 Mary said, “I am Yehovah’s servant girl. May it be just as you said!” Then the spirit messenger left her.
Mary Greets Elisabeth
39 Mary quickly got ready to go to the mountain [4], to a town in Judea. 40 She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elisabeth. 41 When Elisabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby within her jumped for joy, and she was filled with the 'special' spirit. 42 She called to Mary in a loud voice, “You are a very blessed women, and the 'infant' in your womb is blessed! 43 But why has the mother of the Sovereign come to visit me? 44 The moment I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb leaped for joy! 45 You are blessed because you believed. And the things Yehovah told you will be fulfilled.”
46 Mary said, “My consciousness [psyche, Gr: psuche] praises Yehovah, 47 and my spirit rejoices in Yehovah my Life Giver. 48 He has noticed the humility of His servant girl. From now on every generation will call me blessed, 49 because the Mighty One has done great things for me. His name is 'cherished'! 50 He shows mercy to those who fear Him from generation to generation. 51 He has been victorious with 'supreme strength'. He has scattered those who are inwardly arrogant. 52 He has overturned monarchs from their thrones, and uplifted the humble. 53 He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty handed. 54 He has helped His servant Israel, remembering his mercy, 55 as He spoke to our ancestors, to Abraham and his descendants forever.” 56 Mary stayed with Elisabeth about three months and then returned home.
John is Born
57 When the time came for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that Yehovah had shown His great compassion to her, and they shared her joy. 59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. They named him after his father, Zechariah. 60 But His mother said, “No, he will be called John.”
61 They told her, “None of your relatives go by that name.”
62 They signed to his father to see what he wanted to name him. 63 He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John”, to everyone’s surprise. 64 Suddenly his mouth was opened and his speech was unimpeded, and he began to speak and to praise Yehovah. 65 The neighbors were all amazed, and thruout the mountain country of Judea all these things were discussed. 66 Everyone who heard about it contemplated what had happened and asked, “What kind of boy will this be?” The hand of Yehovah was certainly with Him.
Zechariah’s Prophecy
67 His father Zechariah was filled with the 'special' spirit and prophesied: 68 “Blessed is Yehovah the Aloha of Israel. He has visited His people and paid their ransom. 69 He has empowered for us a horn of deliverance from the descendants of His servant David, 70 as He foretold by the voices of His 'cherished' prophets in times past— 71 that He would rescue us from our enemies and from the grasp of everyone who hates us. 72 He was merciful with our ancestors and remembers His 'cherished' covenant, 73 and the oath that He swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us 74 deliverance from the grasp of our enemies, so we can serve Him without fear, 75 in justice and righteousness all our days. 76 You, my child, will be called a prophet of the Highest, because you’ll go ahead of the Sovereign to prepare His way, 77 so that He can give His people the knowledge of eternal life and pardon their sins—as if they had never been committed, 78 thru Yehovah’s compassionate mercy, so that a ray from Heaven above [5] will visit us to 79 enlighten those who sit in darkness, in the shadow of death, to guide our feet toward the road of peace.”
80 The boy grew and became strong in spirit. He was in the wilderness till the day of his public appearance to Israel.
[1] “He was taken up to heaven without dying, whence the Jews expected he would return just before the advent of the Messiah, whom he would prepare the minds of the Israelites to receive”—OBGL. They were somewhat right, and Yeshua confirmed it by saying, “And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who was prophesied to come.” (Matthew 11:14). And he will come once again—“I’ll send Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome Day of Yehovah” (Malachi 4:5). The literal explanation is far from mainstream! (By contrast, many groups claim to be doing Elijah’s work right now—preparing the way. But how many people did it take to do “Elijah’s work” in the first go around?) [2] The Greek says, “prepare a prepared people.” [3] It’s not just a millennial Kingdom: Psalms 145:3, Daniel 7:27, 2 Peter 1:11. [4] Could this be the mountain (singular) mentioned in Matthew 24:16? [5] This is the happily ever after part mentioned in Daniel 12:3 as well.
Luke 2
Messiah is Born
1 At this time Augustus Caesar issued a decree demanding everyone in his empire to register for taxation. 2 This was the first registration made while Quirinus was governor of Syria. 3 Everyone went to their hometowns to register.4 Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to David’s city called Bethlehem, because he was from the family and tribe of David, 5 with Mary his promised bride, then pregnant. 6 But while they were there, the time came for her to have her Child. 7 She delivered her firstborn son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in the sukkah, because they had no place where they were lodging.
8 There were shepherds in the region who stayed there in the fields, watching over their flocks at night. 9 Then Yehovah’s Messenger stood by them and the majesty of the Sovereign shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 The Messenger told them, “Don’t be afraid, because I’m announcing good news to you that will reach the entire world! 11 The Life Giver who is the Sovereign, the Messiah, was born for you today in David’s city. 12 This is a sign for you: You’ll find the baby wrapped in infant clothes and lying in a sukkah.”
13 Suddenly many soldiers of Heaven were seen with the Messenger praising Yehovah and saying, 14 “Praise Yehovah in the highest Heaven, and peace on earth to the people He favors!”
15 After the messengers returned to Heaven, the shepherds discussed what they saw among themselves and said, “Let’s go down to Bethlehem and see what Yehovah told us about.”
16 So they went quickly and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a sukkah. 17 When they saw them, they told them what they had been told about the Child. 18 Everyone who heard about it was amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 Mary never forgot any of these things, and kept them in her thoughts. 20 The shepherds returned, honoring and praising Yehovah for everything that they had seen and heard, just as they had been told.
21 After eight days had passed, the Boy was circumcised and named Yeshua, the name given by the spirit messenger before He was conceived.
Baby Yeshua Visits the Temple
22 When the days of their purification were completed, according to the Torah of Moses, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to Yehovah, 23 (as specified in Yehovah’s Torah: “Every son opening the womb will be dedicated to Yehovah”), 24 and offer a zebak [sacrifice] as specified in Yehovah’s Torah: “A pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons.”
25 There was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. This man was righteous and just. He was waiting for the Messianic consolation [1] of Israel, and the 'special' spirit was with him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the 'special' spirit that he wouldn’t die before he had seen Yehovah’s Messiah. 27 He was led by the spirit to the Temple, and when His parents brought their Son Yeshua in to do for Him what is required by the Torah, 28 he took Him in his arms and praised Yehovah and said, 29 “Yehovah, now dismiss your servant in peace, as You said, 30 because I’ve seen Your mercy with my own eyes, 31 that You prepared in the presence of all nations, 32 an illuminating light for all ethnicities, and the splendor of Your people Israel.”
33 Joseph and His mother were amazed at the things that were said about Him. 34 Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “This Child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and as a sign of opposition, 35 so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed. And a spear will pierce your consciousness [psyche, Gr: psuche].
Anna Sees the Messiah
36 Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher was very old, having only lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, 37 having been a widow for eighty-four years. She never left the Temple, but worshiped day and night with fasting and prayer. 38 Just then she stood up and gave thanks to Yehovah, and spoke of Him [Yeshua] to everyone who was anticipating the deliverance of Jerusalem.
39 After they fulfilled everything that the Torah of Yehovah specifies, they returned to Galilee, to their hometown of Nazareth. 40 The Child grew up and became strong in spirit. He was filled with wisdom and Yehovah’s favor was on Him.
Yeshua Amazes the Scholars
41 His relatives went up to Jerusalem every year for the Feast of the Passover. 42 When He was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast as prescribed by the Torah. 43 After staying the full number of days they returned, but the Child Yeshua remained in Jerusalem, and Joseph and His mother were unaware of it, 44 assuming that He was with His friends. After traveling for a day, they started looking for Him among their relatives and asked everyone they knew. 45 When they didn’t find Him, they went back to Jerusalem, searching for Him. 46 After three days they found Him in the Temple, sitting with the Jewish teachers, listening to them and questioning them. 47 Everyone who heard Him was amazed at His wisdom and His answers. 48 When they saw Him, they were astonished. His mother asked Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Your father and I have been frantically looking for You!”
49 He asked them, “Why were you looking for Me? Didn’t you realize the necessity of My being in My Father’s house?” 50 But they didn’t comprehend His response.
51 He went down with them to Nazareth and was submissive to them. His mother continued to keep all of these things in mind. 52 Yeshua increased in stature, wisdom and favor with Yehovah and His People.
[1] The Greek word paraklesis means, “consolation, comfort, solace, that which affords comfort or refreshment”, “So the Rabbis call the Messiah the consoler, the comforter).”
Luke 3
John the Immerser Prepares the Way
1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was Tetrarch in Galilee, while Philip his brother Tetrarch in Ituraea, and in the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias was Tetrarch of Abilene. 2 During the administration of the high priests Annas and Caiaphas, the Word of Aloha came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into the region around the Jordan, heralding the immersion of a changed mind for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As the prophet Isaiah wrote in his book, “A voice cries out in the wilderness, prepare the way for the Sovereign. Straighten the paths in the plain [1] for the Sovereign. 5 Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be leveled. Even small hills will be leveled, and the rough places made smooth. 6 All humanity will see Yehovah’s rescue from destruction.”7 He was telling the crowds that came to him to be immersed, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the future punishment? 8 Produce a harvest consistent with a changed mind. Don’t say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’, because I tell you that Yehovah can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones. 9 Even now the ax is set against the root of the trees. So every tree that doesn’t bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” 10 The crowds were asking him, “What should we do?” 11 He told them, “Whoever has two coats should give one to someone who has none, and whoever has food should do the same.”
12 Tax extractors also came to be immersed. They asked him, “Sovereign, what should we do?” 13 He told them, “Extract no more than you are required to exact.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “What should we do?” And he told them, “Don’t hurt anyone or make threatening accusations, and be content with your pay.”
15 The people were considering John, and wondering whether or not he was the Messiah. 16 John told them, “I immerse you with water, but after me Someone more powerful than I am will come, the strings of whose sandals I’m not worthy to untie. He’ll immerse you with the 'special' spirit OR [2] with fire! 17 He holds His winnowing shovel in His hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His granary, but the chaff He’ll burn with unquenchable fire.” 18 He taught the people many other things as He instructed them. 19 But once John spoke out against Herod the Tetrarch for marrying Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, and because of all the evil things he had done, 20 he added one more evil: He locked John up in prison.
John Immerses Yeshua
21 When all the people were being immersed, Yeshua was immersed too, and while He was praying, the sky opened, 22 and the 'special' spirit descended on Him in the form of a dove, and a voice from the sky said, “You are My dear Son, I’m delighted with You.”
Yeshua’s Genealogy
23 Yeshua was thirty years old [3], and was considered to be the son of Joseph, the son of Eli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Janna, the son of Joseph, 25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah, 27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, 29 the son of Yeshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, 31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, 33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah 34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan, 38 the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of Yehovah.
[1] The Greek doesn’t mention the plain. [2] The three words usually translated “And with fire” are all one word in Aramaic. The reason I chose “OR with fire” rather than “And with fire” is because of the context. The very next verse refers to “burn with unquenchable fire.” It appears to mean that this fire is something you would want to avoid! So the 'special' spirit option is by far preferable to the fire option! You only get “one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5). Some get the “water” and some get the “fire.” [3] Literally ‘a son of 30 years”, (Aramaic), some Greek versions add ‘began His ministry”, without any textual basis, tho He would begin after exactly forty days. Saul(?), David and Joseph were all thirty when they began ruling. (Compare the 2 literal translations.)
Luke 4
The Devil Tempts Yeshua
1 Yeshua was filled with the 'cherished' [holy] spirit. He returned from the Jordan river and the spirit sent Him away [1] into the wilderness 2 to be tempted by the devil for forty days. During those days He ate nothing, and after He finished them, He was extremely hungry.3 The Devil told him, “If You are Yehovah’s Son, command this stone to become bread.” 4 Yeshua replied, “It is written in the Scriptures, ‘No one can live on bread alone, but by everything Aloha (God) has spoken.’”
5 Then Satan took Him to a high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in an instant. 6 And the Accuser told Him, “I’ll give You this entire dominion and its splendor, because it has been entrusted to me. I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 So if You worship me, it’s all Yours.” 8 But Yeshua replied, “It’s also written, ‘You must worship Yehovah your Aloha, and only serve Him.’”
9 He brought Him to Jerusalem and had Him stand on a pinnacle of the Temple and told Him, “If You’re Yehovah’s Son, throw Yourself down from here, 10 because it’s written, ‘He’ll give orders to His spirit messengers to protect You. 11 They’ll lift you in their arms so that you don’t hit your foot against a stone.’”
12 Yeshua replied, “It says, ‘You should never put Yehovah your Aloha to the test.’”
13 So after the Devil had tried all of his temptations on Him, he left Him for a while.
14 Yeshua returned to Galilee empowered by the spirit, and the news about Him spread thruout the surrounding region. 15 He taught in their synagogues and was commended by everyone.
16 He went to Nazareth where He had been raised, and He went into the synagogue as usual on the Sabbath and stood up to read.
17 He was handed the scroll of Isaiah the prophet. Yeshua unrolled the scroll and found the place where it says:
18 “The Sovereign Yehovah’s spirit overlooks Me, because Yehovah has anointed Me to bring Good News to the afflicted. He has sent Me to relieve the grief stricken, to proclaim liberty to the captives, recovery of sight for the blind and to set the oppressed free;
19 to proclaim the Acceptable Year [1] of Yehovah ... [Jubilee] [Directly from Isaiah 61:1-2]
20 He rolled up the scroll and gave it to the attendant and sat down. Everyone in the synagogue was gazing at Him.
21 Then He told them, “Today the Scripture you just heard read has been fulfilled.”
22 Everyone spoke well of Him and was amazed at the magnanimous words they heard coming from Him, and they asked, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”
23 Yeshua told them, “Doubtless you’ll quote this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself’, and then ‘Do everything in Your hometown that we heard You did in Capernaum.’”
24 He told them, “I can tell you for certain that a prophet isn’t accepted in his home town.
25 I assure you that there were many widows in the house of Israel in Elijah the prophet’s time when the skies were closed for three years and six months, and there was a severe famine thruout the land.
26 Yet Elijah wasn’t sent to any of them except for a widow in Sarepta, in the region of Sidon.
27 And there were many with leprosy in the house of Israel in Elijah the prophet’s time, yet none of them were cleansed except for Naaman the Aramean.”
28 Everyone in the synagogue was filled with rage when they heard this.
29 They got up and rushed Him out of town, then brought Him to the top of the hill that the city was built on, intending to throw Him over a cliff.
30 But He walked right thru 'the mob' and went His way.
31 Then He went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and taught them on the Sabbaths.
32 They were amazed at what He taught because His teaching was so authoritative.
33 In a synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out loudly,
34 “Let us alone. What do You want with us, Yeshua the Nazarene? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the 'Cherished' One of Yehovah.”
35 Yeshua scolded him and said, “Muzzle it and come out of him.” The demon threw him down in front of them and came out of him without harming him at all.
36 Everyone was amazed and they were asking each other, “What is this teaching? With authority and power He commands the unclean spirits and they come out.”
37 News about Him spread thruout the surrounding region.
38 When Yeshua left the synagogue He went to Simon’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering with a severe fever and they plead with Him on her behalf.
39 He stood over her and scolded the fever, and it left her. She got up right away and waited on them.
40 At sunset everyone who had sick friends suffering from various diseases brought them to Him, and He laid His hands on all of them and healed them.
41 Demons came out of many people shouting, “You are the Messiah, Yehovah’s Son.” But He scolded them and ordered them not to tell anyone that they knew He was the Messiah.
42 Then at dawn He went out to a secluded place. The crowds searched for Him and went out to Him and restrained Him so that He couldn’t leave them.
43 But Yeshua told them, I must proclaim the Good News of Yehovah’s Kingdom to other towns as well. That’s why I was sent!
44 He continued to herald in the synagogues of Galilee.Yeshua Casts Out a Demon
Simon’s Mother-in Law Healed, and Many Others
Luke 5
Four Fishermen Called
1 As a crowd gathered around Him to hear the Word of Aloha, He ended up standing on the bank of the sea of Gennesaret. 2 He saw two boats docked near the sea, left there by fishermen who were washing their nets. 3 One of them belonged to Simon Cephas. Yeshua got in and sat down. He asked them to shove off a little from the shore into the sea, and He sat down and taught the crowd from the boat.4 When He finished speaking, He told Simon, “Launch out into deep water and toss your net in for a haul.” 5 Simon told Him, “Sovereign, we have worked all night and haven’t caught anything, but because You asked, I’ll toss the net.”
6 After doing that, they caught such a vast number of fish that their nets began to tear. 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. When they came they filled both boats until they nearly sank.
8 When Simon Cephas saw this, he fell before Yeshua’s feet and told Him, “Sovereign, I ask that You leave me because I’m a sinful man.” 9 He and everyone with him was astonished at the haul of fish they caught, 10 this included James and John who were Zebedee’s sons, who were partners of Simon. But Yeshua said, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you’ll be catching people for eternal life.” 11 Then, after pulling the boats to land, they abandoned everything and followed Him.
A Leper Cleansed
12 While Yeshua was in one of the towns, a man came out who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Yeshua, he fell facedown to the ground and told Him, “Sovereign, if You want to, You can make me clean.”
13 Yeshua reached out His hand touched him and said, “I want to. Be clean.” Immediately the leprosy left him. 14 He told him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go and show yourself to the priests and offer a zebak [sacrifice] for your purification as Moses instructed, for a testimony to them.”
15 News about Him spread even more, and many people gathered to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases. 16 But He often withdrew into the wilderness for prayer.
Yeshua Heals a Paralytic
17 One day when Yeshua was teaching, there were Pharisees and Torah teachers sitting nearby who had come from every village in Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of Yehovah was present to heal people. 18 Some men brought a paralyzed man on a cot. They wanted to bring him in, and set him down in front of Him. 19 When they couldn’t find a way to get him inside because of the crowd, they climbed on the roof and let him down from the ceiling on his cot, into the crowd in front of Yeshua.
20 When Yeshua saw their faith, He told the paralyzed man, “Your sins have been forgiven [disregarded].”
21 The Torah teachers and Pharisees began thinking to themselves, “Who is this who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins [1] other than Yehovah?”
22 Yeshua was aware of their thoughts, so He asked them, “What are you thinking among yourselves?” 23 Which is the easier to say, ‘Your sins have been forgiven’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk?’ 24 But so that you’ll know that the Human Son has jurisdiction to forgive sins on the earth, He told the paralyzed man, ‘Get up! Take your cot and go home.’ 25 Without hesitation he stood up in front of them, took his cot and went home, praising Yehovah. 26 Everyone was awestruck. They praised Yehovah and they were filled with fear and said, “We have seen amazing things today.”
Levi the Tax Collector
27 Afterward, Yeshua went out and saw a tax extractor named Levi sitting in the tax office, and He told him, “Follow Me.” 28 He got up, leaving everything, and followed Him.
29 Levi held a great reception for Him at his home. There were many tax extractors and others who were 'eating' with them. 30 The Torah teachers and Pharisees were complaining and asked His disciples, “Why do You eat and drink with tax extractors and very wicked sinners?” 31 Yeshua replied, “Healthy people don’t need a physician, but the seriously ill do. 32 I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners to change their ways.”
Yeshua Questioned About Fasting
33 They asked Him, “Why do John’s disciples often fast and pray, as well as the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?” 34 He told them, “You can’t ask the 'groomsmen' [literally: sons] of the bridal 'party' [3567] to fast while the bridegroom is with them. 35 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken up from them, those are the days when they’ll fast.” 36 He gave another analogy to them. He said, “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment to mend an old garment. Otherwise the new one is 'ruined' and the patch from the new won’t 'match' the old. 37 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the new wine would burst the skins, the wine would be spilled, and the skins destroyed. 38 But people pour new wine into fresh wineskins and both are preserved. 39 No one drinks old wine and then immediately asks for new wine, because he says, ‘The old is delicious.’”
[1] The Torah teachers and Pharisees were correct in understanding that only Yehovah can forgive sins, we can only acquit them. Yet Yeshua, being Yehovah, could forgive sins, but they denied that He was a Supreme Being.
Luke 6
Yeshua, Sovereign of the Sabbath
1 On the second Sabbath after the first [1], Yeshua was walking thru the grain fields, and His disciples were picking heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands and eating them. 2 But some of the Pharisees asked them, “Why are you doing what the Torah forbids on the Sabbath” [2]?3 Yeshua replied, “Haven’t you read what David and those who were with him did when they were hungry? 4 He entered Yehovah’s House and took the bread from Yehovah’s table and gave it to those who were with him to eat, tho it wasn’t Lawful for anyone other than the priests to eat it.” 5 Then He told them, “The Human Son is Sovereign of the Sabbath.”
6 On another Sabbath, He went into a synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. 7 The Torah teachers and Pharisees watched Him to see if He would heal on the Sabbath, as an excuse to bring an accusation against Him. 8 Knowing what they were thinking, He said to the man with a withered hand, “Get up and stand in view of the assembly.” When he came and stood there, 9 Yeshua asked them, ‘What is Lawful to do on the Sabbath? To do good or do evil, to save a life or destroy one?’” 10 After looking at them all, and told him, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched out his hand it was restored like the other. 11 They were filled with malicious envy and began scheming about what they could do to Yeshua.
Twelve Chosen Men
12 During that time Yeshua went to a mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night praying to Yehovah. 13 At dawn He called His disciples and chose twelve of them, and He called them envoys. 14 They were Simon who He named Cephas, Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alpheus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
Yeshua Heals a Crowd
17 Yeshua went down with them and stood on a level place, along with a large number of His disciples, and a crowd of people gathered from all over Judea, from Jerusalem and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear His teaching and to be healed of their diseases. 18 Those who were distressed by unclean spirits were also healed. 19 Everyone wanted to touch Him because power went out from Him and healed them all.
The Many Blessings
20 He looked out at His disciples and said, “The poor are blessed because Yehovah’s Kingdom is yours. 21 If you hunger now, you’ll be blessed because you’ll be satisfied. If you cry now, you’ll be blessed because you’ll laugh. 22 When people hate you and blacklist you and slander you and spurn your name as evil, you’ll be blessed for the Human Son’s sake.
23 Be glad at such a time and jump for joy because your compensation in Heaven is great. Their ancestors did the same thing to the prophets.
Pity the Rich and the False Prophets
24 But I pity you who are rich, because you already have your consolation. 25 I pity you who are full, because you’ll hunger. I pity those you who are laughing, because you’ll cry and mourn. 26 I pity you when everyone praises you, because that’s what their ancestors did with the false prophets.Love Your Enemies
27 But to everyone who is listening I say, love your enemies and do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you, and pray for those who drag you in bondage [or ‘with a chain’]. 29 When someone strikes you on your cheek, offer the other, and when someone takes your coat, don’t stop him from taking your tunic. 30 Give to everyone who asks you for something, and when someone takes your property, don’t demand it back. 31 So do for others whatever you want them to do for you. [3]
32 If you love those who love you, what good is there in that? Even the wicked love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good for you, what good is there in that? Even the wicked do that. 34 If you lend to someone who you expect repayment from, what good is there in that? The wicked lend to the wicked as well, for adequate compensation. 35 But love your enemies and do good for them. Lend to them, and don’t destroy anyone’s hopes [4], then your compensation will be huge and you’ll be the sons of the Highest, because He is kind to the wicked and to the unthankful. 36 So be compassionate just like your Father is compassionate.
Don’t Condemn Others
37 Don’t express judgments and you won’t be judged, don’t pronounce condemnations and you won’t be condemned. Pardon those who sin and you’ll be pardoned. 38 Give, and it will be given to you, a choice measure, pressed down and overflowing will be poured into your lap. Because the same measuring standard you use will be used to measure you.
39 He told them another analogy, “Can the blind lead the blind? Won’t they both fall into a ditch? 40 No Disciple is better than his teacher, but everyone who is well prepared will be like his teacher.
41 Why do you look at the chaff in your brother’s eye without considering the beam that’s in your own eye? 42 And how can you ask your friend, “Let me help you get rid of the chaff that’s in your eye’, without noticing that there is a beam is in your own eye? Pretenders, first remove the beam from your own eye, and then you’ll be able to see well enough to get rid of the chaff from your brother’s eye.
Good Tree, Bad Tree
43 A good tree doesn’t yield bad fruit, and a bad tree doesn’t yield good fruit. 44 Every tree is known by its fruit. People don’t pick figs from thorn bushes or pick grapes from brambles. 45 A good person brings about good things from the good stored up in their innermost being, and wicked people bring about bad things from the bad stored up in their innermost being. The mouth reveals the innermost being.
Solid Rock Foundation
46 Why do you call Me, “Sovereign, Sovereign”, without doing what I say to do? 47 I’ll show you what everyone is like who comes to Me and hears My words and puts them into practice. 48 They’re like a person who built a house by digging down deep and laying the foundation on solid rock. When a flood came, the flood pounded against the house, but was unable to move it because its foundation was set on rock. 49 But the person who hears My words and doesn’t respond is like a man who built his house on the ground without a foundation. When floodwater struck it, it crumbled immediately and the house was totally destroyed.”
[1] This would be the second Sabbath of the seven Sabbath countdown to Pentecost. The Textus Receptus, (as in the KJV), mentions the “second Sabbath”, tho the minority texts don’t. Perhaps this is because it meant nothing to the translators. Sabbaths is frequently plural, but translated singularly, probably for the same reason. While the Aramaic doesn’t mention “second” and “after the first”, it seems likely that in this one instance the Greek translator had access to an earlier text and added a detail similar to what is stated in Chapter 24. [2] This wouldn’t violate any Scriptures, but it would ruffle the feathers of the religious “scholars” who kept inventing rules. This is akin to His healing as many people as possible on the Sabbath, to shame the “scholars” who wouldn’t even ease someone’s suffering on the Sabbath. [3] You act first, don’t wait on others! [4] The Greek says, “expecting nothing in return”, instead of “Don’t destroy anyone’s hopes.”
Luke 7
A Centurion’s Faith
1 When He was finished saying everything He wanted to say to the audience, Yeshua went to Capernaum. 2 A centurion’s servant who was dear to him was very sick and near death. 3 When he heard about Yeshua, he sent some Jewish elders to Him to ask if He would come and save the life of his servant. 4 So they came to Yeshua and plead, “He is worthy of having You do this for him. 5 He loves our nation and has even built us a synagogue.” 6 Yeshua went with them. When He was not far from the house, the centurion sent his friends to Him and told Him, “Sovereign, don’t trouble Yourself, because I’m not worthy of having You come under my roof. 7 I don’t consider myself worthy of approaching You myself, but simply say the word and my young man will be healed. 8 I too am a man under authority, and I have soldiers under my command. I say to one, ‘Go’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this’ and he does it”.9 When Yeshua heard this, He was amazed at him, and He turned and told the crowd that followed Him, “I assure you that I haven’t even found faith like this in Israel.” 10 Those who had been sent returned to the house and found that the servant who had been sick was now well.
Yeshua Resurrects a Widow’s Son
11 The following day He went to a town called Nain. His disciples and a large crowd were with Him. 12 As He approached the town gate, He saw a funeral procession carrying a dead man who was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow, and a large number of the town’s people were with her. 13 When Yeshua saw her, He felt sorry for her and said, “Don’t cry.”
14 He went and touched the coffin support, and the people who were carrying him stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, awaken.” 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and He presented him to his mother.
16 Everyone was awestruck, and they praised Yehovah, they were saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us. Yehovah has visited His people.” 17 This story about Him spread thruout Judea and the surrounding region.
18 John’s disciples told him about all these things. 19 John called two of his disciples and sent them to Yeshua to ask, “Are You the One who is to come, or should we look for someone else?” 20 They came to Yeshua and told Him, “John the Immerser has sent us to You and asks, ‘Are You the One who is to come, or should we look for someone else?’”
21 But in that very hour He had healed many people of their diseases and illnesses, and of unclean spirits, and had given sight to many blind people.
22 Yeshua replied, “Go and tell John everything that you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the leprous are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is announced to the poor. 23 Whoever doesn’t take offense at Me is blessed.”
24 After John’s disciples [1] left, Yeshua asked the crowd about John, “What did you go into the wilderness to see, a reed swaying in the wind? 25 If not, what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? People who wear expensive clothing and live in luxury are in kings’ palaces. 26 If not, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and even more than a prophet. 27 This is the man referred to in the Scriptures when it says, ‘I’ll send My messenger before You to prepare the road ahead of You.’ 28 I assure you that no prophet [2] born of women has been greater than John the Immerser, yet the least influential person in the Kingdom of the Heavens is greater than he is.”
29 Everyone who heard Him, even tax extractors, praised Yehovah, having been immersed with John’s immersion. 30 But the Pharisees and Torah teachers defiantly rejected Yehovah’s will, refusing to be immersed.
31 So what can I compare this nation [or generation] to? What are they like? 32 They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call out to their friends, “We played the flute for you, and you didn’t dance, we sang dirges for you, and you didn’t cry.”
33 John the Immerser came eating no bread and drinking no wine, yet you said, “He has a demon.” 34 The Human Son came eating and drinking, and you say, “Look, a glutton and a wino, a friend of tax extractors and notorious sinners. 35 But wisdom is vindicated by her deeds [3].”
Supper With a Pharisee
36 One of the Pharisees came and asked Him to eat with him. So He went to the Pharisee’s house ‘for a meal.’ 37 There was a woman in the city who was a notorious sinner. When she learned that He was 'eating' in the Pharisee’s house, she took an alabaster flask of perfume 38 and stood behind Him at His feet, and cried. She began to wet His feet with her tears and to wipe them with her hair and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the perfume.
39 When the Pharisee who invited Him saw this, he thought to himself, “If this Man were a prophet, He would know who she is and about her reputation, because the woman touching Him is really sinful.” 40 Yeshua told him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” So he replied, “Say it Rabbi.”
41 “There were two debtors to a certain creditor. One owed him five hundred denarii and the other fifty denarii. 42 Neither had the means to repay, so he cancelled their debts. So which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one with the larger debt.” Yeshua replied, “You have judged correctly.”
44 He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house and you didn’t give Me water for My feet, but she has bathed My feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. 45 You didn’t kiss Me, but this woman has continually kissed My feet since she [4] came in. 46 You didn’t anoint My head with olive oil, but she has anointed My feet with perfumed ointment. 47 So I tell you, “Her many sins are forgiven, because she has so much love. But the one who is forgiven of little, loves little.” 48 He told the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 Those who were at the table began saying to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 Yeshua told the woman, “Your faith has rescued you from destruction. Go in peace.”
[1] The Greek says “Angels” (angelos) here, rather than “disciples.” [2] The Greek omits “prophet.” [3] See why this word isn’t “children.” Keyword children. [4] See why this refers to the sinner, “she” and not Yeshua (in agreement with v.37): Keywords extra spice.
Luke 8
Women Support Yeshua
1 Later, Yeshua traveled around the towns and the villages, heralding and announcing the Good News of Yehovah’s Kingdom. His twelve disciples were with Him, 2 and some women who were healed of sicknesses and of unclean spirits, as well as Mary called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3 Joanna, Chusa’s wife, Herod’s household manager, Susanna and many others were contributing their support from their personal finances.Parable of the Sower
4 When a large crowd had gathered and people came to Him from every town around, He gave this analogy: 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. As he was sowing, some fell beside the path and was trampled and birds devoured it. 6 Some fell on rocks and sprang up immediately, but because it had no moisture it shriveled up. 7 Some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. 8 And some fell on fertile ground and sprang up and bore fruit, a hundred to one.” Having said these things, He shouted, ‘Anyone who has ears should listen.’
9 His disciples asked Him, ‘What does this parable mean?’ 10 He told them, “You have been permitted to understand the mysteries of Yehovah’s Kingdom, but to the others it is spoken in parables, so that, while seeing, they won’t see, and while hearing, they won’t understand.
Parable of the Sower Explained
11 “Now here is the analogy: The seed represents the Word of Aloha [God is a generic title]. 12 Those beside the path represent people who hear the Word, but the enemy comes and takes the Word out of their minds, so that they won’t believe and attain life. 13 Those on the rock represent people who joyfully accept the Word when they hear it, but they have no roots. Their faith is temporary, and when a trial comes they fall away. 14 Those sown among the thorns represent the ones who hear the Word, but are choked by distractions, by riches and by worldly desires, and don’t produce any fruit [accomplishments]. 15 Those falling on fertile ground represent people who, with pure and honest consideration, hear the word, retain it, and by perseverance yield fruit.
16 No one lights a lamp and covers it with a crock or puts it under a bed. A lamp is put on lampstand so that everyone who comes in can see the light. 17 There is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered, nothing secret that won’t be readily known and apparent. 18 Be careful how you hear, because the person who already has understanding will be given more, and the person who has nothing, even what they think they have will be taken.”
Yeshua’s Family Visits
19 His mother and His brothers came to see Him, but they couldn’t talk to Him because of the crowd. 20 Someone told Him, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside and want to see You.” 21 He answered, “My mother and My brothers are those who hear the Word of Aloha and obey it.”
Wind and Waves Obey
22 One day Yeshua and His disciples got into a boat, and He told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the sea.” 23 After they set sail, Yeshua fell asleep. There was a violent storm at sea and the boat was about to sink.
24 They came and woke Him up, saying to Him, “Sovereign Sovereign, we’re going to die!” He got up and scolded the winds and the raging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm. 25 He asked them, “Where is your faith?” But they were terrified and amazed, and asking each other, “Who is this Man? He even commands the winds and the waves and the sea, and they obey Him!”
Demon Possessed Man Healed
26 They sailed to the shore of the region of the Gadarenes, that lies opposite of Galilee. 27 As He was stepping on the shore, a man from town who had been possessed by demons for a long time met Him. He didn’t wear clothes, nor live in a house, but had lived in the cemetery. 28 When he saw Yeshua, he cried out and fell down in front of Him and said in a loud voice, “What do we have to do with You, Yeshua, Son of the exalted Yehovah? I beg You not to torture me.” 29 Yeshua had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. He had been held captive by it for a long time. He’d been bound with chains, and held in shackles, but he broke the chains, and was driven by the demon into the wilderness. 30 Yeshua asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “Legion” [3-6 thousand], (because many demons had entered him.) 31 They begged Him not to order them to go into the Bottomless Pit.
32 There was a large herd of swine feeding on the mountain. They asked if He would allow them to go into the swine. So He allowed them. 33 The demons left the man and went into the swine and the whole herd ran down a precipice and plunged into the sea and drowned.
34 When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran and let everyone in the towns and the villages know. 35 The people came out to see what had happened. They came to Yeshua and found the man who the demons had left, now clothed and sober and sitting at Yeshua’s feet, and they were terrified. 36 Those who had seen it told them how the man possessed by demons was healed. 37 Then everyone from the region of the Gadarenes asked that He leave them, because they were so terrified. So Yeshua boarded a boat and turned back.
38 The man who the demons had left begged to go with Him. But Yeshua sent him away and told him, 39 “Go home and tell them what Yehovah has done for you.” So he went away and heralded to the everyone in town what Yeshua had done for him.
Girl Resurrected, Woman Healed
40 When Yeshua returned, a large crowd welcomed Him, because they had all been expecting Him. 41 A man named Jairus, a leader of the synagogue, fell down at Yeshua’s feet and begged Him to come to his house, 42 because his only daughter who was about twelve years old, was dying. As Yeshua went with Him, a large crowd closely surrounded Him. 43 There was a woman there who for twelve years had been hemorrhaging. She had spent all her resources on physicians, but no one had been able to heal her. 44 She came up behind Him and touched a tzitzit [tassel] on His robe, and the hemorrhaging stopped immediately. 45 Yeshua asked, “Who touched Me”? As everyone was denying it, Simon Cephas and those with Him said, “Sovereign, crowds press against You on every side, and You ask, ‘Who touched Me?’”
46 He said, “Someone touched Me, because I know that power has gone out from Me.” 47 The woman, when she saw that she could not remain hidden, came trembling, and fell down in worship before Him. Then with everyone watching her, she explained why she touched Him, and how she had been instantly healed. 48 Yeshua told her, “Be comforted My daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”
49 As He was speaking, someone came from synagogue leader’s home and told him, “Your daughter is dead, don’t bother the teacher.”
50 But Yeshua heard about it and said to the girl’s father, “Don’t be afraid, just believe and she’ll be restored to life.”
51 When Yeshua came to the house, He didn’t allow anyone to go in with Him except Simon, James, John, and the girl’s father and mother. 52 Everyone was crying and wailing over her. But Yeshua said, “Don’t cry, she isn’t dead. She’s asleep.”
53 They laughed at Him, knowing that she was dead. 54 He put everyone out, and took her by the hand called out, “Little girl, awake”! 55 Her spirit returned and she immediately stood up. Then He told them to give her some food. 56 Her parents were astonished, but He cautioned them not to tell anyone what had happened.
Luke 9
The Twelve Sent Out
1 Yeshua called His twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and diseases to cure them. 2 He sent them out to herald Yehovah’s Kingdom and to heal the sick. 3 He told them, “Don’t take anything for the journey—no staff, no wallet, no bread, no money, and don’t carry a second coat. 4 When you enter a house, stay there until you leave the area. 5 Anywhere people refuse to accept you, when you leave that town, shake the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 The envoys went traveling around the villages and towns heralding and healing everywhere.Herod Wants to See Yeshua
7 Herod the Tetrarch heard about everything He was doing and he was disturbed, because some were saying that John had come back to life. 8 But others said that Elijah had reappeared, while others said that one of the prophets of ancient times had been raised from the dead. 9 Herod said, “I beheaded John, so who is this I’m hearing these reports about?” And he wanted to see Him.
Feeding 5,000
10 When the envoys returned, they told Yeshua everything that they had done. Then He took them away to an uninhabited area near Bethsaida. 11 When the crowd became aware of it they followed Him and He welcomed them and spoke with them about Yehovah’s Kingdom, and those who needed to be healed were healed.12 His disciples came around near sunset and told Him, “Send the crowd away so that they can go into the villages around us and to the farming communities to spend the night and buy some food, because we’re in an uninhabited place.” 13 Yeshua told then, “You give them something to eat.” But they replied, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we were to go and buy food for all of these people.” 14 There were about five thousand men. Yeshua told them, “Have them sit down in groups of fifty.” 15 So the disciples had them all sit down. 16 Yeshua took the five loaves and two fish, and looking up to Heaven, He blessed and broke it and gave it to His disciples to distribute to the crowds. 17 Everyone ate and was filled, and they picked up many left over pieces of food—twelve baskets. 18 Once, when He was praying by Himself, the disciples were with Him and He asked them, “Who do the people say that I am?” 19 They answered, ”Some say John the Immerser, others say Elijah, and others say a prophet, one of the prophets of ancient times has come back to life.”
20 He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon replied, “Yehovah’s Messiah.”
Yeshua Predicts His Death and Resurrection
21 He gave them a strict order, cautioning them not to tell anyone. 22 He told them, “The Human Son is to suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders and the high priests and Torah teachers, and they’ll kill Him, but on the third day He’ll be raised to life again.”23 He told everyone, “Anyone who wants to follow Me must deny themself and take up their cross daily and follow Me.” 24 Anyone who would save their life will lose it, but anyone who would lose their life for My sake will rescue it. 25 How would a person profit if they were to gain the whole world but lose or forfeit their eternal life? 26 If anyone is ashamed of Me and of My truths, the Human Son will be ashamed of them when He comes in the splendor of His Father and His messengers. 27 I tell you with absolute certainty that some of you standing here won’t experience death until you see Yehovah’s Kingdom with your own eyes.
The ‘Transfiguration’
28 About eight days after these discourses, Yeshua took Simon and James and John, and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 While He prayed, the appearance of His face was changed, and His clothing became white and radiant. 30 Suddenly there were two men talking with Him. They were Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in an exalted state. They were talking about His departure that was to take place in Jerusalem. 32 Simon and those with him were overcome with drowsiness and barely awake [1] when they saw His splendor, and the two men who stood with Him. 33 As they were about to leave Him, Simon said to Yeshua, “Sovereign, it is delightful for us to be here. Let’s make three tabernacles [aka sukkot or booths] here, one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he wasn’t aware of what he was saying [because he was “barely awake”].
34 As he was saying this, a cloud overshadowed them and they were afraid when they saw Moses and Elijah go up into the cloud. 35 Then a voice came from the cloud that said, “This is My dear Son [Gr. chosen Son], listen to Him.” 36 When the voice finished speaking, Yeshua was there alone. They kept it to themselves, not telling anyone at that time what they had seen.
A Boy Healed
37 The next day, after they had come down from the mountain, a large crowd came to meet them [Gr. Him]. 38 A man from the crowd yelled out, “Sovereign, I beg you to notice me [Gr. my son]. Here is my only son. 39 A spirit comes on him, and suddenly he’s yelling out and grinding his teeth and foaming at the mouth, and it doesn’t leave him without pummeling him. 40 I tried to have your disciples cast it out, but they couldn’t.”
41 Yeshua replied, “You unbelieving and perverse nation! How long must I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”
42 While he was bringing him, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. Yeshua scolded the unclean spirit and healed the youth and gave him back to his father.
Yeshua Predicts His Death Again
43 They were all astonished at the majesty of Yehovah. While everyone was expressing amazement at what Yeshua had done, He said to His disciples, 44 “Treasure these words in your minds, because the Human Son is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.” 45 But they didn’t understand what He said because their understanding was blocked, so that they couldn’t understand it, and they were afraid to ask Him about it.Who is the Greatest?
46 They began thinking [Gr. arguing] about which of them would be the greatest. 47 Yeshua knew their very thoughts [i.e. verse 46], so He took a child and had him stand next to Him. 48 Then He told them, “Whoever welcomes a child like this in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes the One who sent Me, because the one who is least among you is greatest.”
49 John said, “Sovereign, we saw a man casting out demons in Your name and we stopped him, because he wasn’t following You, like us.” 50 Yeshua told them, “Don’t stop him, because whoever isn’t against you is for you.”
A Samaritan Village Rejects Yeshua
51 When the days for Him to go up on his journey had elapsed, He resolutely headed for Jerusalem. 52 He sent envoys ahead of Him, and they entered a Samaritan village to arrange for His lodging. 53 But they didn’t welcome Him because He was headed for Jerusalem. 54 When His disciples James and John saw it, they asked Him, “Sovereign, is it alright if we call for fire to come down from Heaven and consume them, like Elijah did?” 55 He turned and scolded them and said, “You don’t know what kind of spirit you are advocating. 56 The Human Son didn’t come to destroy humanity, but to preserve it.” Then they went on to another village.
Following Yeshua
57 As they traveled along the road, someone told Him, “I’ll follow You wherever You go, Sovereign.” 58 Yeshua replied, “Foxes have dens and the birds overhead have nests, but the Human Son has nowhere to lay His head.” 59 He told another, “Follow Me.” But he replied, “Sovereign, allow me to first go and bury my father.” 60 Yeshua replied, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead. But you should go and proclaim Yehovah’s Kingdom.”
61 Another told him, “I’ll follow You, Sovereign, but first allow me to say goodbye to my family, then I’ll come.” 62 Yeshua replied, “No one putting their hand to the harrow and then looking backward is fit for Yehovah’s Kingdom.”
[1] The Greek to English versions say that they were “fully awake.”
Luke 10
The Seventy Sent Out
1 After this, Yeshua appointed seventy other people and sent them out in pairs ahead of Him to every place and town where He planned to visit. 2 He told them, “The harvest is huge, but the harvesters are few. So pray that Yehovah the Harvester will send harvesters into His harvest.” 3 Now go, but be aware that I’m sending you out as lambs among wolves! 4 Don’t take a handbag or a wallet or sandals, and don’t visit [1] anyone along the way.5 Whenever you go into a house, say right away, ‘May there be peace in this house.’ 6 If a peace loving person is there, your peace will remain with them, but if not, your peace will come back to you. 7 Stay in that house, eating and drinking at their table, because the laborer is worthy of his wages. Don’t move from house to house.
8 Whenever you come to a town where you are welcome, eat what they serve you. 9 Heal those who are sick and tell them, ‘Yehovah’s Kingdom is extremely close to you.’ 10 But any town you come into that doesn’t welcome you, go out into the street and say, 11 ‘We’ll shake off the very dust of your town that sticks to our feet, protesting you, but be certain of this, Yehovah’s Kingdom came extremely close to you.’ 12 I can assure you that it will be more tolerable for Sodom on Judgment Day than for that town.
Pity the Unbelieving Cities
13 I pity you Chorazin, I pity you Bethsaida. If the miracles that had been done in you had been seen in Tyre and Sidon, they would have amended their ways long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on Judgment Day than it is for you. 15 Capernaum, you have elevated yourself up to Heaven, but you’ll be brought down to sheol.
16 Anyone who listens to you listens to Me, and anyone who rejects you rejects Me. Anyone who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”
The Seventy Return
17 The seventy He sent out returned and were elated. They said, “Sovereign, even the demons were subject to us in Your name.” 18 He told them, “I saw Satan fall like a lightning flash from the sky.” 19 I’m giving you the ability to trample snakes and scorpions as well as overcome all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you! 20 But don’t be elated because the demons yield to you, rather be elated because your names are recorded in Heaven.
Yeshua Encouraged
21 On that same occasion, Yeshua rejoiced in the 'special' spirit and said, “I thank You, Father, Aloha of Heaven and earth, that You’ve hidden these things from the scholars and intellectuals, and have revealed them to babes, yes Father, because these are the ones You want.”
22 He turned to His disciples and told them [2], “Everything is committed to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except for the Father, or who the Father is except for the Son, and whoever the Son chooses to reveal Him to.”
23 When they were alone He told His disciples, “Your eyes are blessed by what they have seen. 24 I can tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see the things you have seen, and didn’t see them, and to hear what you have heard, and didn’t hear them.”
The Torah Teacher and Eternal Life
25 One day a Torah teacher stood up to test Him and asked, “Sovereign, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 Yeshua asked him, “How is it written in the Torah? How do you understand it?” 27 He replied, “You must love Yehovah your Aloha with all of your intellectual endeavors, with all of your consciousness [psyche, Gr: psuche], with all of your understanding, and with all your ability, and love your neighbors as yourself.”
28 Yeshua told him, “Your reply is correct, do this and you’ll Live.”
29 But he, wanting to justify himself added, “And who are my neighbors?”
The Good Samaritan
30 Yeshua replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was overtaken by robbers who stripped him and beat him and left him for dead, and went their way. 31 Now a priest happened to be traveling that way, and he saw him, but walked on by. 32 Then a Levite approached the same spot and saw him, but walked on. 33 But a Samaritan was traveling by, and he came across the man, and was merciful to him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds with oil and wine, and put him on his donkey and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day at dawn, he gave two denarii to the innkeeper and said, “Take good care of him, and if you have any more expenses, when I return I’ll reimburse you.”
36 So which of these three appears to you to have been a neighbor to the man who was attacked by robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who had mercy on him.” Yeshua replied, “Go and do the same.”
Mary and Martha’s Difference of Opinion
38 Then, as they were traveling along, He went into a village where a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39 She had a sister named Mary. She came and sat at the Sovereign’s feet and listened to His teachings. 40 But Martha was preoccupied with all the preparations, and she came and asked Him, “Sovereign, don’t You care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me.”
41 Yeshua replied, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about so many things, 42 but only one thing really matters, and Mary has made the right decision, and she won’t be deprived of it.”
[1] Usually translated as “greet”, but “A salutation was made not merely by a slight gesture and a few words, but generally involved embracing and kissing, a journey was retarded frequently by saluting.” OBGL [2] The Greek omits several words in verse 2.
Luke 11
A Lesson on Prayer
1 He was praying in a certain place, and when He finished, one of His disciples asked Him, “Sovereign teach us to pray like John taught His disciples.” 2 Yeshua told them, “When you pray say, ‘Father in Heaven, may Your name be kept 'cherished', may Your Kingdom come. May Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. 3 Give us daily the bread we need, 4 and remit our sins, because we also remit those of everyone indebted to us. Don’t bring us trials, but rescue us from evil.’”A Midnight Visitor
5 He told them, “Suppose one of you has a friend and you go to him at midnight and say to him, “friends, lend me three loaves, 6 because a friend of mine is traveling and just stopped in, and I have nothing to serve him?”
7 His friend from inside might answer, “Don’t bother me. The door is locked and my children are with me in bed, I can’t get up and give you anything.” 8 I tell you, altho He won’t help you because he is your friend, he’ll get up and give you whatever you want because of your persistency.
Ask, Seek, Knock
9 So I tell you, “Ask and you will receive, seek and you’ll find, knock and the door will be opened for you, 10 because everyone who asks will receive, and everyone who seeks will find, and the person who knocks has the door opened.
11 Is there a father among you who, if his son asks him for bread, would hand him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, would hand him a snake instead of a fish, 12 or if he asks for an egg, would hand him a scorpion? 13 So if those of you who are far from perfect know how to give useful gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give the 'special' spirit to those who ask Him?”
A House Divided
14 He was casting out a demon that made a person unable to talk. When the demon was gone, the mute person began to speak and the people were amazed. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the prince of demons.” 16 Others demanded a sign from Heaven to test Him.
17 But since He knew their thoughts, Yeshua told them, 'Any kingdom 'undergoing civil war' will be devastated. When family attacks family it falls apart. 18 So if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Since you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebub, explain that! 19 If I cast out demons by Beelzebub, who casts them out for your sons? That’s why they’ll be your judges. 20 But if I cast out demons by the finger of Yehovah, then Yehovah’s Kingdom came extremely close to you.
21 When a fully armed strong man guards his courtyard [1], his property remains safe, 22 unless a stronger man comes and overpowers him, and takes away all the arms that he relied on and divvies up the loot.
23 Whoever isn’t with Me is against Me, and whoever doesn’t gather with Me actually scatters.
Unclean Spirits Return
24 When an unclean spirit leaves a person, it goes wandering in dry places searching for rest, and when it can’t find rest it says, “I’ll return to the house that I left.” 25 When it arrives, it finds it swept clean and set in order. 26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits worse than itself and they come in and live there. In the end, the man’s condition is worse than it was to begin with.
27 As He was saying these things, a woman from the crowd called out, “Blessed is the womb that carried You and the breasts that nursed You.” 28 He replied, “Blessed are those who hear the Word of Aloha, and obey it.”
An Evil Nation Requires A Sign
29 Once the people had gathered together, He began by saying, “This evil nation demands a sign, but the only sign they’ll be given is the sign of the prophet Jonah. 30 Just as Jonah became a sign for the Ninevites, so the Human Son will be a sign for this nation. 31 The Queen of the South will stand up on Judgment Day with the men of this nation and condemn them, because she came from the other side of the world to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and Someone superior to Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up on Judgment Day with this nation and condemn it, because they amended their ways at the heralding of Jonah, and Someone superior to Jonah is here.
33 No one lights a lamp and puts it in the cellar or under a measuring basket, but on a lampstand, so that those who come in can see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. So when you have a good eye [generous eye], your whole body will shine, but if it is defective, your body is darkened. 35 So see to it that the light in you isn’t darkened. 36 If your whole body is immersed in light and no part of it is darkened, everything will shine like the flame of a lamp shining on you.”
Pity the Pharisees and Torah Teachers
37 While He was speaking, a Pharisee asked Him to eat with him, so He went in and reclined at the table. 38 The Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that He didn’t ceremonially wash before dinner.
39 Yeshua told him, “You Pharisees wash the outside of cups and dishes, but inside you are full of extortion and wickedness. 40 You don’t understanding anything! Didn’t the One who made the outside also make the inside? 41 But give some of your possessions as charity and then everything will be clean for you.
42 But I pity you Pharisees! You give a tithe of your mint and rue and every herb, but neglect justice and Yehovah’s love. You should do these things without neglecting the others.
43 I pity you Pharisees! You love the best seats in the synagogues and special greetings in public places. 44 I pity you Torah teachers and Pharisees, pretenders! You are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without realizing it.”
45 One of the Torah teachers replied, “Sovereign, while saying these things, you are also vilifying us.” 46 He replied, “Yes, I also pity you Torah teachers because you load people down with heavy burdens, yet you yourselves won’t 'lift' a finger to ease the burden!
47 I pity you because you build monuments for the prophets who your ancestors killed! 48 So you are witnesses and agree with what your ancestors did, because they killed them and you build their monuments. 49 So Wisdom said, “I’ll send prophets and envoys to them, and some of them they’ll persecute and kill”, 50 so that the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the cosmos [Gr. kosmos] was created will be blamed on this nation [or generation], 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was murdered between the Temple and the altar.’ Yes, I tell you, ‘It will be blamed on this nation.’
52 I pity you Torah teachers, because you have taken away the key of knowledge. You aren’t entering, and you stop those who are entering.” 53 After He said these things, the Torah teachers and Pharisees were greatly offended and hostile, and they pummeled Him with questions. 54 They tried many schemes, hoping to entrap Him in something He might say, so that they could accuse Him of it.
[1] It’s actually ‘courtyard’ in Greek too, despite modern translations.
Luke 12
Don’t Be Like the Pharisees
1 Meanwhile, large crowds had gathered by the tens of thousands and they were trampling on each other. Yeshua (Jesus) told His disciples, “First of all, watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees, they are con men. 2 There is nothing hidden that won’t be revealed—no secret that won’t be known. 3 Anything you’ve said in the dark will be heard in the light, and anything you have whispered in someone’s ear in a private room will be shouted from the house tops.4 But to you My friends, I say, don’t be afraid of those who can kill the body, because afterward there is nothing more they can do. 5 But I’ll show you who to be afraid of. Be afraid of the One who has the authority to cast you into Gehenna after killing you. Yes I tell you, be afraid of Him. 6 Aren’t five sparrows sold for two assarii? Yet Yehovah hasn’t forgotten one of them. 7 As for you, the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid. You are far more precious than many sparrows.
You Must Acknowledge Yeshua Publicly!
8 I tell you that everyone who acknowledges Me in public, the Human Son will also acknowledge before Yehovah’s messengers. 9 But anyone who rejects Me publicly will be rejected before Yehovah’s messengers. 10 Anyone who speaks a word against the Human Son can have it disregarded, but anyone who blasphemes the 'special' spirit won’t have their sin disregarded.
11 When they put you on trial in a synagogue before leaders and top magistrates, don’t worry about how you’ll defend yourself, or what you’ll say, 12 because the 'special' spirit will instruct you about what you need to say at that very moment.”
The Rich Man Dies With His Stuff
13 Someone at the gathering asked Him, “Sovereign, tell my brother to give me a share of the inheritance.” 14 But Yeshua replied, “Man, who made Me your judge or arbitrator?” 15 He told His disciples, “Be on your guard against any kind of greed, because life isn’t about having lots of things.”
16 He gave them another analogy. “The land of a rich man was quite productive. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have enough room to store all of my crops?’ 18 He thought, ‘This is what I’ll do, I’ll tear down my storehouses and rebuild them larger, and I’ll store all my grain and my goods there.’ 19 Then I’ll say to myself, ‘I have accumulated enough goods to last for many years. I’ll take it easy, eat, drink, and be merry.’
20 But Yehovah told him, ‘You ignorant man! Tonight your life [psyche, Gr: psuche] will be demanded back. Now who will get all your things?’
21 This is what awaits anyone who accumulates wealth for himself, but doesn’t have riches with Yehovah.”
No Worries
22 He told His disciples, “So I tell you not to worry about your life, what you’ll eat or what you’ll wear on your body. 23 Life is far superior to food, and the body is superior to clothing. 24 Consider the ravens. They don’t sow or harvest or have cellars and storehouses, yet Yehovah feeds them. How much more important are you than birds!25 Which of you can add a cubit to your height by worrying? 26 If you can’t control the least of things, why are you worried about the rest?
27 Consider the lilies, how they grow. They don’t work and they don’t spin, yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. 28 If Yehovah clothes the vegetation in the fields that’s thrown into an oven tomorrow, how much more will He care for you, you with little faith? 29 Don’t ask what you’ll eat or what you’ll drink, or worry about those things. 30 Everyone in the world is preoccupied with those things, and your Father knows that you need these things too. 31 But strive for Yehovah’s Kingdom and all of these things will be given to you as well.
32 Don’t be afraid little flock, because your Father is delighted to give you the Kingdom. 33 Sell your property and give to those in need. Make yourselves moneybags that will never wear out, and an inexhaustible treasure in Heaven where no thief can get near it or any moth can eat it. 34 Your treasure is in your mind!
Two Very Different Servants
35 Be dressed for action and keep your lamps burning. 36 Be like people who expect their master to return, so that when he returns from the wedding festivity [1], and he comes and knocks, they’ll open the door for him immediately. 37 The master’s servants will be blessed when he comes, and he finds them still awake. It’s certain he’ll dress himself for service, but have them lean back at the table, and ‘he’ll’ come over and serve them! 38 Whether in the second watch, or in the third, when he comes and finds them still awake, those servants will be blessed. 39 But be sure of this, if the owner of the house had known the exact watch when the thief was coming, he would have been awake and wouldn’t have allowed his house to be broken into. 40 So be ready, because the Human Son will return at a time when you’re not expecting Him.”
41 Simon Cephas asked, “Sovereign, are you giving this parable to us or to everyone?” 42 Yeshua replied, “So who is the faithful and wise manager, that the master will put in charge of his entire household, giving them their fair share of food at the right time? 43 The master’s servants will be blessed when he comes and he finds them still serving! 44 I tell you with absolute certainty that he will put him in charge of everything he owns. 45 But if the head servant thinks to himself, ‘My master is postponing his return’, and starts beating the men and women servants and starts wining and dining and getting drunk, 46 that servant’s master will come on a day when he isn’t expecting him, and at a time of day when he doesn’t suspect, and will cut him in two, and make him share the lot of the unfaithful.
47 The servant who knew what his master wanted, but wouldn’t do what he was instructed will be beaten with many stripes, 48 while the person who did something deserving stripes in ignorance will be beaten with fewer stripes. Much is required of anyone who is given much, and much is expected from anyone who has been entrusted with much.
I came to set the earth on fire!
49 I came to 'rain' fire on the earth, and I wish the burning had already begun! 50 I have an immersion to 'undergo', and I’ll be very distressed until it’s finished. 51 Do you think I came to bring world peace? No, I tell you that I came to cause separation! 52 From this time on there will be five people in one house who will be in opposition, three against two, and two against three. 53 A father will be opposed to his son and a son opposed to his father, a mother opposed to her daughter and a daughter opposed to her mother, a mother-in-law opposed to her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law opposed to her mother-in-law.”
Discerning the Time
54 He said to the crowd, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, ‘Rain is coming’, and it happens. 55 When a south wind blows, you say, ‘It will be hot’, and so it is. 56 You pretenders! You know how to analyze the signs in the sky and on the earth, but why can’t you analyze the present time? 57 Why can’t you decide for yourselves what is right?
Make Peace
58 When you go with your adversary to a magistrate, while on the way, try to negotiate with him, otherwise he will bring you to a judge, and the judge might hand you over to jailer, and the jailer could throw you in prison. 59 I tell you, you won’t get out of there until you pay the very last shomona.”
[1] Gamos is “A wedding or marriage festival, a wedding banquet, a wedding feast.” Contrast these wedding servants, awake and prepared with their lamps burning, to the ten sleeping virgins of Matthew 25!
Luke 13
Change or Die
1 At that time, someone came and told Him about some Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their zebakim [sacrifices].” 2 Yeshua replied, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because this happened to them? 3 No, but I assure you that you will all be destroyed as well, unless you amend your ways. 4 Or those eighteen that the tower in Siloam fell on and killed, do you think that they were worse sinners than anyone else living in Jerusalem? 5 No, but I assure you that unless you amend your ways you’ll die just as they did.” [1]The Barren Fig Tree
6 He also gave this analogy: “A man had a fig tree growing in his orchard and he came looking for fruit on it, but didn’t find any. 7 So he said to the farm worker, ‘Look, for three years I’ve come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and I never find any. Cut it down. Why should it waste precious ground?’
8 The farm worker told the owner, ‘Sovereign, why not leave it alone for one more year, I’ll 'till' around it, and manure it. 9 If it bears fruit, fine. If not then I will cut it down?’”
Healing on the Sabbath
10 As Yeshua was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath, 11 there was a woman there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and couldn’t straighten herself up at all. 12 Yeshua saw her, and called out to her, “Woman, you are free from your illness.” 13 He put His hand on her, and immediately she stood up straight and praised Yehovah.
14 The leader of the synagogue was indignant that Yeshua had healed on the Sabbath, so he told the crowd, “There are six days when it is permissible to work, come on those days and be healed, but not on the Sabbath day.”
15 But Yeshua replied, “You hypocrite! doesn’t every one of you untie your bull or your donkey from the stall on the Sabbath and lead it to water? 16 Shouldn’t this woman, a daughter of Abraham who Satan has bound for eighteen long years, be set free from what binds her on the Sabbath day?”
17 After He said that, all His adversaries were put to shame, and everyone else was delighted with all the miracles that 'He was doing'.
18 Then Yeshua asked, “What is Yehovah’s Kingdom like? What can I compare it to? 19 It’s like the tiny seed of the mustard herb that someone took and tossed in their garden. It grew and became a large tree [2], and the birds of the sky nested in its branches.” 20 Yeshua asked again, “What can I compare Yehovah’s Kingdom to? 21 It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three seahs of meal until it was entirely leavened.”
Judgment Day for the Wicked
22 He traveled thru the villages and towns teaching as He headed toward Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked Him whether only a few would Live eternally. 24 Yeshua replied, “Strive to enter by the narrow gate. I assure you that many will try to enter, but won’t be able to. 25 Once the Sovereign of the house gets up and closes the door, you’ll stand outside knocking on the door and you’ll be saying, ‘Sovereign, Sovereign, open the door for us’, and He’ll reply, ‘I don’t know who you are or where you are from.’ 26 Then you’ll say, ‘We ate and drank with You, and You taught in our streets.’ 27 He’ll reply, ‘I don’t know who you are or where you are from. Leave Me you perpetrators of evil.’ 28 There will be crying and clenching of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in Yehovah’s Kingdom, but yourselves being thrown out.
Second Exodus and Resurrection
29 People will come from east and west, and from south and north and take their places in Yehovah’s Kingdom. [3] 30 Yes, some who are last will be first in influence, and some who are first will be last.”O Jerusalem, Jerusalem
31 Later that day some of the Pharisees came and told Him, “Get out of here, because Herod wants to kill You.” 32 Yeshua told them, “Go tell that fox that I’ll be casting out demons and healing today and tomorrow, and on the third day My work will be finished. 33 But I must work [4] today and tomorrow, and the next day I will leave [5], because it is inconceivable for a prophet to die outside of Jerusalem. 34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you murder the prophets and stone those who have been sent to you! How often I’ve longed to gather your children like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you weren’t willing! 35 Look, your house is abandoned. And I’m absolutely certain that you won’t see Me again until you’re saying, ‘Blessed is the One who is coming in Yehovah’s name.’”
[1] The meaning is that if you are converted, your death is never an accident that takes Yehovah by surprise. All things work out fof good! [2] This tree possibly contrasts with the gigantic tree of Daniel 4. [3] Psalm 107:2-7 First describes the city where the “redeemed” are spared “from the hand of the enemy” and coming from the four cardinal directions. John expanded on Luke’s comments about the patriarchs arriving for this world spanning Judgment Day event, mentioning the 12 patriarchal tribes and the 12 envoys entering from the four cardinal directions, naming the city—New Jerusalem (Revelation 21). This coincides with Judgment Day in the Preceding Verses. [4] See why this says “work” instead of “travel” (as in the Greek). Keywords walk or work. [5] The Greek doesn’t say “I will leave.”
Luke 14
Meal With a Pharisee
1 Later He went into the house of one of the leading Pharisees for a meal on the Sabbath day. They were watching Him closely. 2 In front of Him was a man suffering from dropsy. 3 Yeshua asked the Torah teachers and Pharisees, “Is it Lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” 4 But they remained silent. So He took hold of the man, healed him and sent him on his way.5 He asked them, “If your son or your bull falls into a pit on the Sabbath day, wouldn’t you pull him out immediately?” 6 They couldn’t give Him an answer to that.
7 When He noticed that they were choosing the best seating at the tables, He gave a parable to the guests who were present: 8 “When you are invited by someone to a banquet hall, don’t take the best seating. Perhaps someone more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9 Then the person who invited you will come and say ‘Give your place to this person.’ Then you’ll be embarrassed as you’re getting up and finding other seating. 10 But when you get an invitation, go and choose the least desirable seating, so that when the host arrives he’ll tell you, ‘Friend, please take the best seating.’ Then you’ll be honored in front of everyone around you. 11 People seeking honors for themselves will be humbled, and people who humble themselves will be honored.”
12 He told the host, “When you have a breakfast or a supper, don’t always invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your rich neighbors, because they’ll reciprocate, and you’ll be compensated. 13 But when you have a banquet, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind. 14 Then you’ll be blessed because they can’t repay you. You’ll be repaid at the Resurrection of the Righteous.
The Great Banquet
15 Then someone at the table heard these things and told Him, “Blessed is the everyone who will eat bread in Yehovah’s Kingdom.” 16 Yeshua replied, “A man once gave a large banquet and invited many guests. 17 When it was time for the banquet, he sent his servant to remind those who were invited, ‘Come, everything is ready for you!’
18 To a man they all began to make excuses. The first told him, ‘I bought a field and I need to go out and see it. I ask that you allow me to be excused.’
19 Another said, ‘I just bought five pairs of oxen. I’m on my way to try them out. I ask that you please excuse me.’
20 Another said, ‘I’m a newly wed, so I can’t come.’
21 The servant came back and told these things to his master. Then the master of the house got angry and he told his servant, ‘Go quickly into the market places and the streets of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.’ 22 The servant said, ‘Sovereign, your order has been done, and there is still room.’
23 Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out into the streets and beat the bushes, and urge them to come in so that my house will be filled.’ 24 I’m certain that not one of those men who were invited will sample My banquet.”
Be Willing to Leave it all Behind
25 A large crowd was traveling with him. He turned and told them, 26 “If anyone comes to Me and doesn’t 'have an aversion to' [Aramaic] the life of his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters—yes, even their own lifestyle, they can’t be My disciple. 27 Anyone who doesn’t carry their own cross and follow Me can’t be My disciple.
28 Which of you planning to build a tower wouldn’t first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have the means to finish it? 29 Otherwise, when the foundation is laid, and you are unable to finish it, everyone who sees it will laugh at you, 30 and say, ‘This person began construction and couldn’t afford to finish it.’
31 Or what king intent on going to war with the neighboring king doesn’t first consider whether his ten thousand soldiers can defeat the man who is coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If not, while he is still far away, he would send envoys and negotiate for peace. 33 So no one who couldn’t abandon their possessions can be My disciple.
34 Salt is a good thing, but if the salt has deteriorated, how could it be used as seasoning? 35 It isn’t fit for the soil or the manure pile. They must throw it away. Anyone who has ears should listen.”
[1] Using the keyword “hate”, find out why the original Aramaic in this context would make far more sense than “hate”
Luke 15
Parable of the Lost Sheep
1 Many tax extractors and notorious sinners came to listen to Him. 2 The Torah teachers and Pharisees muttered things like, “This Man associates with sinners and even eats with them.”3 Yeshua gave them this analogy: 4 “Which of you men who has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, wouldn’t leave the ninety nine in the wilderness and go and search for the one that got lost until he finds it? 5 When he finds it, he’s delighted, and he puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home and calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Celebrate with me, because I found my lost sheep.’ 7 I assure you that there will be more joy in Heaven over one sinner who amends his ways than over ninety nine righteous people who don’t need to change their ways.
Parable of the Lost Coin
8 Or suppose a woman has ten drachmas [silver coins], and loses one of them. Wouldn’t she light a lamp and sweep the house and carefully search for it until she finds it? 9 When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors over and says, ‘Celebrate with me, because I found my lost drachma.’ 10 I can tell you that there will be this kind of joy among the messengers of Yehovah when a sinner amends their ways.”
Parable of the Lost Son
11 Then Yeshua said, “A man had two sons. 12 His younger son told him, ‘Father, give me my share of your estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13 After a few days, the younger son got his things together and went to a distant country where he squandered his property by extravagant living. 14 After he had squandered everything he had, there was a severe famine in that country and he began to go hungry. 15 He contracted a job with one of the local residents who sent him into the field to tend swine. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the carob pods that the swine were eating, but no one gave him any.
17 When he came to 'his senses' he thought, ‘How many hired servants are in my father’s house right now who have plenty of food, while I’m here starving to death!’ 18 I’ll get up and go to my father and say, ‘Father, I have sinned against Heaven and in your presence, 19 and am no longer worthy of being called your son. Hire me as one of your servants.’ 20 So he got up and headed toward his father. While he was at a considerable distance, his father saw him, and out of compassion ran toward him, grabbed him and kissed him.
21 His son said, ‘Father, I have sinned against Heaven and in your presence and don’t deserve to be called your son.’ 22 But his father said to his servants, ‘Bring my best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand give him some sandals. 23 Bring the biggest bullock and slaughter it. Let’s eat and celebrate. 24 My son was dead and has come to life again, he was lost but has been found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25 But his older son had been in the field, and as he approached the house he heard the voices of many people singing [1]. 26 So he called to one of the boys and asked him what was going on. 27 He said, ‘Your brother is back, and your father has killed the biggest bullock, because he has come home safe and sound.’
28 Then he got mad and wouldn’t go inside, so his father went out and began pleading with him. 29 He told his father, ‘I’ve been serving you for many years, never disobeying your commands, but you never gave me so much as a kid goat to celebrate with my friends! 30 But when this son of yours finished squandering your wealth on prostitutes, and came home, you slaughtered the largest bullock for him.’ 31 His father told him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But celebrating and rejoicing is the right thing to do, because your brother was dead and is now alive, he was lost and has been found.’”
[1] The Greek adds “And dancing.”
Luke 16
Parable of the Crooked Manager
1 He gave a parable to His disciples: “There was a rich man who had a manager, and accusations were being made that he was embezzling his property. 2 His superior [Gr. kurios] called him and asked him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Make me a final accounting of your management, you can no longer be my manager.’3 The manager thought to himself, ‘What can I do since my superior is about to take away my management position? I’m unable to dig, and ashamed to become a beggar. 4 I know what to do to ensure that when I’m removed from management I’ll be welcomed into other homes.’
5 So he called each of his superior’s debtors and he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my superior?’ 6 He told him, ‘One hundred measures of oil.’ So he told him, ‘‘Sit down quickly with your bill and write fifty measures.’ 7 He asked another, ‘How much do you owe my superior?’ He told him, ‘One hundred cors of wheat.’ So he told him, ‘Sit down quickly [1] with your bill and write eighty cors.’
8 His superior commended the dishonest manager for having acted shrewdly, because our contemporaries in this age are shrewder than the enlightened people. 9 So I tell you, make friends using this unrighteous wealth so that ‘in the end’, they can welcome you into everlasting homes. [Commentary]
10 A person who is responsible with a little will also be responsible with much, and the person who is dishonest with a little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you haven’t been trustworthy with unrighteous wealth, who would trust you with true wealth? 12 If you haven’t been trustworthy with something that isn’t yours, who would give you something of your own?
13 No servant can serve two masters, because they’ll either hate the one and love the other, or they’ll honor the one and despise the other. You can’t serve both Yehovah and wealth.”
The Torah, the Prophets & the Kingdom
14 When the Pharisees heard all of these things, they ridiculed Him because they loved money. 15 Yeshua told them, “People like you appear to be righteous to others, but Yehovah knows your minds. The things that are highly valued by people are idolatrous highly detestable things to Yehovah.
16 The Torah and the Prophets were everything until John, since then, the Good News of Yehovah’s Kingdom has been proclaimed, and all kinds of people are pressing to enter in. 17 It is easier for Heaven and earth to pass by than for one serif from the Torah to fall [or perish, i.e come to an end, disappear, cease].
18 Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.
Lazarus and Judgment Day
19 There was a rich man who dressed himself in fine linen and scarlet, who spent every day basking in luxury. 20 And there was a poor man named Lazarus [2] who was laid by the gate of the rich man, covered with sores. 21 He wanted to fill his belly with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs used to come and lick his sores.
22 Eventually the poor man died and spirit messengers transported him to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 Being tormented in sheol [Greek: hades], he looked and saw Abraham in the distance and Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called out, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and moisten my tongue, because I’m suffering greatly in these flames.
25 But Abraham replied, “My son, remember that you received your good things during your lifetime, and Lazarus had bad things. But now he is being comforted and you are suffering. 26 And besides, there is a vast chasm set up between us and you, so that anyone who might want to cross from here to you can’t, nor can anyone cross from there to us.
27 He said, “Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s house, 28 because I have five brothers. Have him go and warn them, so that they don’t also end up in this place of torment.”
29 Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the Prophets, they should listen to them.” 30 But he pleaded, “No, father Abraham, but if someone were to go to them from the dead, they’d change their ways!” 31 Abraham told him, “If they won’t listen to Moses and the Prophets, they wouldn’t [didn’t] believe even if someone were to rise from the dead!”
[1] The Greek doesn’t mention sitting down. [2] This is an allegorical account of Judgment Day. The first five chapters of Mysteries of the Everlasting Kingdom deal with that. The twelfth—Are the “Unsaved” Lost? is most astonishing. The article above linked to Lazarus dispels many false notions about this parable, except for the timing of Judgment Day itself.
Luke 17
Yeshua Warns of Scandals
1 Yeshua told His disciples, “It is inevitable that scandalous offenses [Gr. skandalon] will occur, but I pity the person who causes them. 2 It would be better for them to be plunged in the depths of the sea with an ass powered millstone hung around their neck, than for them to trip up one of these children! 3 You should pay attention! If your brother wrongs you, reprimand him, and if he changes his ways, disregard [1] the sins. 4 If you are wronged seven times in a day, and then seven times that day they come to you and say, “I want to change my ways, then acquit them” [1].Faith and Duty
5 The envoys said to the Sovereign, “Give us more faith.” 6 He replied, ‘“If you had faith like a tiny mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be ripped out by the roots and plant yourself in the sea’, and it would obey you. 7 Would any of you who has a servant driving a team of bulls or tending sheep, tell him when he comes in from the field, ‘Come in right away and sit down for supper?’ 8 He would actually tell him, ‘Make me something to eat, get dressed and wait on me until I’m finished eating and drinking, then later you can eat and drink?’ 9 Does he thank the servant for doing his job? I don’t think so. 10 In the same way, when you have done everything you are ordered to do, you can say, ‘We aren’t very profitable servants, because we’ve only done our duty.’”
Ten Lepers Cleansed
11 As Yeshua was on His way to Jerusalem, He traveled between Samaria and Galilee. 12 When He approached a village, ten leprous men met Him, standing at a distance, 13 and they shouted out, “Sovereign, Yeshua, have mercy on us.”
14 When He saw them, He told them, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” While they were going, they were cleansed.
15 When one of them saw that he was cleansed, he turned back, loudly praising Yehovah. 16 He fell facedown at Yeshua’s feet and thanked Him. And he was a Samaritan. 17 Yeshua asked, “Weren’t there ten men cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Have they all left without returning to praise Yehovah, except for this foreigner?” 19 He told him, “Get up and go, your faith has given you life!”
The Coming Kingdom
20 When some Pharisees asked Him when Yehovah’s Kingdom was coming, He told them, “Yehovah’s Kingdom is not coming with visible signs” [2]. 21 People won’t be saying, “Look, here it is!” or, “Look, there it is”, because Yehovah’s Kingdom is among you!
22 He told His disciples, “There will come a time when you’ll wish you could experience just one of days of the Human Son, but you won’t experience it. 23 If they tell you, ‘Look, there He is!’ or ‘He’s over there’, don’t follow them! 24 Just like lightning flashing in one part of the sky lights up the entire sky, so it will be on the day when the Human Son comes. 25 But first, He must endure a great deal of suffering and be rejected by this nation [or generation].
26 Just like it was in the time of Noah, that is how it will be in the days of the Human Son. 27 They ate and drank, they 'married' wives, and were 'marrying' husbands until the day that Noah entered the ark, then the flood came and destroyed everyone.
28 Again, just like it was in the days of Lot, they ate and drank, bought and sold, planted and built. 29 But on the day that Lot left Sodom, Yehovah caused fire and sulfur to rain from the sky and destroyed them all.
30 This is exactly how it will be on the day when the Human Son is revealed. 31 When that day comes, anyone who is on a house top must not come down to get their things out of the house, and anyone who is in the field must not return home. 32 Remember Lot’s wife. 33 Anyone who tries to save their life will lose it, and anyone who is willing to lose their life will rescue it. 34 I tell you, on that night, two will be in the same bed, one will be taken and the other left. 35 Two women will be grinding grain together. One will be taken and the other left. 36 Two men will be in the field, one will be taken and the other left. 37 They asked Him, ‘Where, Sovereign?’ He told them, “Where the corpse [or body] is, that’s where the vultures [or eagles] will gather together.”
[1] Only Yehovah can actually forgive sins, but we can disregard them, that is, be willing to forgive them—were that possible. [2] Contrast this with Mark 9:1—“There are some standing here who won’t experience death until they SEE Yehovah’s Kingdom coming with great power.” An explanation for the Kingdom’s visibility—and invisibility would be that it remained invisible during Yeshua’s first public ministry, but that the Kingdom, New Jerusalem, will become visible to everyone during His next public arrival (Revelation 20:1-2).
Luke 18
Parable of the Persistent Widow
1 He gave them another analogy, this one about our continual need to pray without ever giving up. 2 “There was a judge in one particular city who didn’t fear Yehovah or care about people. 3 And there was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice and stop my adversary.’4 For a long time he refused, but eventually he thought to himself, ‘I don’t fear Yehovah or care about people, 5 but this widow keeps bothering me. I’ll see that she gets justice so that she won’t always be coming and bothering me.’”
6 The Sovereign said, “Listen to what the unfair judge says. 7 Won’t Yehovah give His Select justice when they call on Him day and night, even more readily, tho He seems slow in acting on their behalf? 8 I tell you, He’ll give them justice quickly. Yet when the Human Son comes, will He find faith on the earth?”
The Self-Righteous Pharisee
9 He told this parable about people who were convinced that they were righteous, but viewed everyone else as worthless. 10 “Two men went up into the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other was a tax extractor. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘Yehovah, I thank You that I’m not like everyone else—thieves, dishonest, adulterers, or like this tax extractor. 12 I fast twice on the sabbath [two meals] and pay tithes on my entire income.’
13 But the tax extractor stood at a distance and wouldn’t even look toward Heaven. He was beating his chest and saying, ‘Yehovah, be merciful to me, a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, this man went home justified rather than the Pharisee, because anyone promoting themselves will be humbled, and anyone who becomes humble will be promoted.
Yeshua (Jesus) Blesses the Babies
15 People were bringing their babies to have Him touch them, but when His disciples saw them, they began to scold them. 16 But Yeshua called for them and said, “Allow little children to come to Me, get out of their way, because the Kingdom of the Heavens belongs to people like them. 17 I’m certain that anyone who doesn’t embrace Yehovah’s Kingdom like a little child won’t enter it at all.”
How to Inherit Eternal Life!
18 One of the leaders asked Him, “Good Sovereign, what must I do so that I can inherit eternal life” [1]? 19 Yeshua asked him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except Aloha alone. 20 You know the Commandments, [Aramaic order] ‘You must never murder. You must never commit adultery. You must never steal. You must never give a false testimony. And honor your father and your mother.’ 21 He replied, “I have obeyed all of these from my childhood.”
22 When Yeshua heard that, He replied, “You still need to do one thing. Go and sell everything that you have and give 'the money' to the poor, and you’ll have a treasure in Heaven. Then come and follow Me.” 23 When he heard this he was overcome with sorrow, because he was very rich. 24 When Yeshua saw how sad he was, He said, ”It is very difficult for those who are wealthy to enter into Yehovah’s Kingdom! 25 It is easier to push a rope [2] thru the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter Yehovah’s Kingdom!” 26 Those who heard it asked Him, “Then who can have eternal life?” 27 Yeshua replied, “Things that are impossible for people are possible with Yehovah.”
28 Then Simon Cephas said, “Look, we’ve left everything we had to follow You.” 29 Yeshua replied, “I tell you with absolute certainty that there is no one who has given up a house, or parents, or brothers, or a wife, or children for Yehovah’s Kingdom 30 who won’t receive many times more in the present time, and in the coming world, eternal life.”
Yeshua Predicts His Death & Resurrection a Third Time
31 Yeshua took His twelve aside and said, “Now we’re going up to Jerusalem, and everything written in the Prophets about the Human Son will be fulfilled. 32 He’ll be handed over to the heathen [Gr. ethnos], and they’ll mock Him and spit in His face, 33 and they’ll scourge Him and mistreat Him and kill Him, but on the third day He’ll rise to life again!”
34 But they didn’t understand any of these things. This subject was hidden from them. They didn’t even understand anything when He explained it.
35 As they approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the side of the road begging. 36 He heard the crowd going by and asked what was going on. 37 They told him, “Yeshua the Nazarene is passing by.” 38 Then he called out, “Yeshua, Son of David, have mercy on me.”
39 The people in front of Yeshua scolded him, and told him to be quiet. But he called out all the louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me.” 40 Yeshua stopped and insisted that he be brought to Him. As he approached Him, He asked him, 41 “What do you want Me to do for you?” He answered, “Sovereign, I want to see again.” 42 Yeshua told him, “Look, your faith has given you life.” 43 Immediately he could see, and he followed Him, praising Yehovah. And everyone who saw it praised Yehovah.
[1] This is the world’s most important question, but virtually no one believes Yeshua’s answer, even tho it is repeated in Mark 10:17-22 & Luke 18:18-23! These are the six “love your neighbor” Commandments, (counting covetousness, vss.21-22). The first four Commandments are the “love your Aloha” Commandments, while the last six Commandments apply to human relationships. There is a greatly overlooked means of obtaining eternal life for the relativelyrighteous people who are ignorant of the Torah, as explained in Are the “Unsaved” Lost?. [2] See why it’s not “A camel.” Keyword “camel.”
Luke 19
Yeshua at Zacchaeus’ House
1 Yeshua entered Jericho and was passing thru. 2 There was a man there named Zaccheus. He was a prominent tax extractor, and he was rich. 3 He wanted to see who Yeshua was, but he couldn’t due to the crowd, because Zaccheus was a very short man. 4 So He ran ahead of Yeshua and climbed a wild fig tree in order to see Him, because He was coming that way.5 When Yeshua came to the 'tree', He looked up at him and said, “Zaccheus, come down quickly, because I must visit your house today.” 6 So he hurried down and enthusiastically welcomed Him.
7 When the people saw it, they began complaining, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a notorious sinner.” 8 But Zaccheus stood up and told Yeshua, “Look Sovereign, I’ll give half of my wealth to the poor, and anyone who I have cheated in any way, I’ll repay four times as much!” 9 Yeshua told him, “Today, eternal lifehas come to this house, because he is also a son of Abraham.” 10 The Human Son came to search for and rescue those who were lost.”
Parable of the Ten Minin
11 While they were listening to what he said, He went on to give an analogy, because He was near Jerusalem and they were assuming that Yehovah’s Kingdom was going to appear immediately. 12 He said, “A nobleman was traveling to a distant country to be appointed king, and then return. 13 He called ten of his servants, and gave them ten minin [gold coins] and told them, “Do business transactions until I return.”
14 But his citizens hated him and they sent envoys to him to tell him, “We refuse to accept this man as our king.” 15 After he was appointed king, he returned, and he sent for the servants who he had entrusted with his money, so that he could find out what each of them had gained by doing business.
16 The first came and said, “Sovereign, your mani has increased to ten minin.” 17 He told him, “Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful over a little, you’ll have control of ten minin [2]. 18 The second came and said, “Sovereign, your mani has increased to five minin.” 19 Similarly, he told him, “You now have control of five minin.” 20 The next came and said, “Look Sovereign, here is your mani. I’ve kept it safely wrapped up in a cloth. 21 I was afraid of you because you are a stern man who appropriates things by decrees, and you harvest where you haven’t sown.”
22 He replied, “I’ll judge you by your own words, you evil servant. You knew that I am a stern man, and that I collect when I haven’t invested, and harvest where I haven’t sown! 23 So why didn’t you put my money into a broker’s hands, so that when I returned I could have gotten it back with interest?”
24 He told those standing nearby, “Take the mana from him and give it to the man who has ten minin.” 25 They replied, “Sovereign, he already has ten minin.” 26 He told them, “I tell you that everyone who has something will be given more, but as for the person who has nothing, even what he has custody of will be taken away. 27 But as for my enemies who didn’t want me to be their king, bring them here and kill them in front of me.”
The Royal Welcome
28 After Yeshua said these things, He continued on His way up to Jerusalem. 29 When He arrived in Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples on ahead, 30 and told them, “Go to the village ahead of us, and as you enter it, you’ll find a colt tied there that no one has ever ridden yet, untie him and bring him here. 31 If anyone asks you, “Why are you untying him?” Tell him, “Our Sovereign needs him.”
32 So those who were sent ahead went and they found it just as He had told them. 33 When they untied the colt, its owner asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?” 34 They replied, “Because the Sovereign needs it.” 35 They brought him to Yeshua, and after tossing their garments on the colt, they helped Yeshua onto him. 36 As He went, they spread their coats on the road.
37 As He approached the descent to the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began to celebrate and praise Yehovah with loud cheers, because of all the miracles they had seen. 38 They shouted, “Blessed is the King who comes in Yehovah’s name, peace in Heaven and praise in the highest Heaven.”
39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Rabbi, reprimand Your disciples.” 40 He replied, “I assure you that if they were to remain quiet, the stones would shout!”
Jerusalem to be Leveled
41 As He came closer to the city and saw it, He cried over it, 42 and said, “If you only knew, at least during this special time, the advantages for your national security [3] that are possible, but now they are hidden from your 'view'! 43 The time will come when your enemies will completely surround you and set up a barricade around you on every side. 44 They’ll level your city, as well as you and your children to the ground. They won’t leave you with one stone on another, because you failed to recognize your opportunity in this, My public arrival” [4].
Yeshua Cleanses the Temple
45 When He entered the Temple, He began to throw out the merchants and their patrons. 46 He told them, “It is written in the Scriptures, ‘My House is a House of prayer, but you have turned it into a den of thieves.’”
47 Every day He taught in the Temple, while the high priests and Torah teachers and the elders of the people were planning how to destroy Him. 48 But they couldn’t find a way of doing it to Him, because all of the people were hanging onto every word He said.
[1] A mani (Heb. maneh) is said to have been equal to sixty shekels. [2] Why does this says “minin” (talents) instead of “cities”? The Matthew 25 account is almost identical, but it is not about cities either. “The largest coins in those days, probably equivalent to 3000 shekels—a Minin, talent, was a large coin of silver or gold. A man could carry only one of them. The Greek translators made an error when they translated this word Minin, for Karkha, province. The difference between these two words is noted with a single dot placed over one of the characters and can be easily confused. This nobleman could not have given his servants ten and five cities as a reward for their faithfulness, for he himself had only one city and his servants were not qualified to be rulers.”—Was the New Testament Really Written in Greek? [3] This is the very reason for the destruction of 70 AD. [4] This word is used four times in the Testimony: Once (here) for Yeshua’s first “public arrival”, once concerning His second “visitation” in 1 Peter 2:12. The word was distorted to create “The office of a bishop” in the KJV (in in Acts 1:20 and 1 Timothy 3:1.
Luke 20
Yeshua’s Authority Questioned
1 One day while He was teaching the people in the Temple and announcing the Good News, the high priests and Torah teachers along with the elders confronted Him 2 and asked Him, “Tell us by what authority are you doing these things? Who gave You this authority?” 3 Yeshua replied, “I have a question for you as well. Tell Me, 4 was John’s immersion authorized from Heaven, or by men?”5 They pondered it awhile and decided, “If we say, ‘From Heaven’, He’ll ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘By men’, all the people will stone us, because they are convinced that John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered, “We don’t know where it originated.” 8 Yeshua told them, “Nor will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
Parable of the Wicked Sharecroppers
9 Then He told the people this analogy, “A man planted a vineyard and leased it to sharecroppers and went abroad for a long time. 10 When the time came, he sent his servant to the sharecroppers so that they would give him his share of the crop. But the sharecroppers beat him and sent him away empty handed. 11 He sent another servant, and they beat him also and mistreated him and sent him away empty handed. 12 He tried a third time, but they wounded that one and threw him out.
13 The owner of the vineyard said, “What should I do? I’ll send my dear son. Perhaps when they see him they’ll be ashamed.” 14 But when the sharecroppers saw him, they talked the matter over and decided, “This is the heir, let’s kill him and the inheritance will be ours.” 15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and murdered him. So what will the owner of the vineyard do to them?” 16 He’ll come and kill those sharecroppers and lease the vineyard to others. When they heard this, they said, “This should never happen!” 17 He looked at them and asked, “What about the passage that says, ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone?’ 18 Whoever falls on this stone will be broken, but it will crush whoever it falls on.”
19 The high priests and Torah teachers strove for a way to arrest Him then and there, because they realized that He had given this parable about them, but they were afraid of the people.
A Trick Question About Taxes
20 They sent spies to Him who could pass for righteous men, so that they could entrap Him by something He said, and then hand Him over to the judgment and authority of the governor. 21 They asked Him this question, “Sovereign, we know that You speak and teach correctly, and have no biases toward people, but teach the way of Yehovah truthfully. 22 Does the Torah permit us to pay poll taxes to Caesar or not?”
23 But He saw thru their scheme and replied, “Why test Me?” 24 Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscriptions are on it? They answered, “Caesar’s.” 25 Yeshua replied, “Then give Caesar what is Caesar’s and give Yehovah what is Yehovah’s.” 26 They couldn’t entrap Him in front of the people, and they were amazed by His answers, and silenced.
Sadducees and the Resurrection
27 Some of the Sadducees who claim there is no resurrection, came and questioned Him. 28 They asked, “Sovereign, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, his surviving brother must 'marry' the widow and raise up descendants for his deceased brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died without children. 30 The second married her and he died without children. 31 Then the third married her, as did all seven, they all died and left no children. 32 Finally, the woman also died. 33 So in the resurrection, which of them will she be married to, since all seven had married her?
34 Yeshua responded, “The 'people' of this age marry, and the women are given in marriage. 35 But those who are worthy of that age and the resurrection from the dead will never marry or be given in marriage. 36 They can no longer die because they are like spirit messengers, and are Yehovah’s children, because they are children of the resurrection. 37 But even Moses showed that the dead will be raised to life, because in the burning bush passage he mentioned that Yehovah is the Aloha of Abraham, the Aloha of Isaac, and the Aloha of Jacob. 38 Now Yehovah isn’t the Aloha of the dead, but of the living, because all kinds of people live for Him.
39 Some of the Torah teachers said, “Well said, Sovereign.” 40 After that, no one dared to question Him about anything.
Messiah, Son of David?
41 He also asked them, “Why is it that the Torah teachers [1] say that the Messiah is the son of David? 42 David himself said in the book of Psalms, “Yehovah said to His Word [Targum of Jonathan (Aramaic) Psalm 110:1]—Gill’s Commentary], ‘Seat Yourself on My right hand side 43 until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.’” 44 So if David called Him Sovereign, how can He be his Son?”
45 While all the people were listening, He told His disciples, 46 “Beware of the Torah teachers who like to strut around in long robes and love venerable greetings in the streets, and taking the best seats in the synagogues, and the best seating at suppers. 47 They 'steal' widows houses, and for the occasion pretend to be praying long prayers. They’ll receive a more severe punishment.”
[1] The Greek says ‘they’ instead of the ‘Torah teachers’ (scribes).
Luke 21
The Widow’s Mites
1 Yeshua looked at the rich as they tossed their money into the treasury box. 2 He also saw a poor widow who tossed in two shomonee [mites]. 3 He said, “I am certain that this poor widow has tossed in more than anyone else. 4 They’ve all contributed money to Yehovah out of their surplus, but she, even tho impoverished, has tossed in everything that she owned.5 While some were talking about the Temple being adorned with beautiful stones and dedicated gifts, Yeshua told them, 6 ”As for these things that you are admiring, the time will come when there won’t be a single stone left on another stone that won’t be thrown down.”
These Things Must Happen First
7 They asked Him, “Sovereign, when will these things happen? And what is the distinguishing sign that they are about to happen?” 8 He replied, “Be careful that you aren’t deceived, because many will come in My name teaching that ‘I am the Messiah’ and that ‘The time is near.’ But don’t follow them. 9 When you hear of wars and chaos, don’t be afraid, because these things must happen first, but it’s not the end yet.
10 Nations will rise up against other nations and kingdoms against kingdoms, 11 and there will be huge earthquakes in various places, and famines, and epidemics. There will be ominous signs and terrifying sights. Amazing supernatural signs will be seen in the sky, and huge storms. [1]
12 But before all of these things, they’ll arrest you and persecute you. They’ll hand you over to councils and imprison you and arraign you before kings and governors, because of My name. 13 But it will be an opportunity for you to testify. 14 Be resolved not to plan your defense in advance, 15 because I’ll give you verbal skill and wisdom that none of your enemies will be able refute. 16 Your parents, your brothers, your relatives and your friends will betray you, and have some of you put to death. 17 You’ll be hated by everyone because of what My name represents. 18 But not a hair on your head will actually be lost. 19 By your loyal patient endurance you’ll secure everlasting life.
20 So when you see Jerusalem surrounded by an encamped army [2], then you’ll know that its destruction is approaching. 21 Then those in Judea should flee to the mountain, and those who are inside 'Jerusalem' should evacuate, and those in the fields should avoid 'the city'. 22 These are the days of vengeance that will fulfill everything that is written about in the Scriptures. 23 But pity those who are pregnant and those who are nursing babies then, because there will be great adversity in the land, and 'persecution' against these people. 24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be carried away captive into every foreign nation. Jerusalem will be trampled down by heathens until the times [eras] of the heathens are completely over.
The Day of Yehovah
25 There will be supernatural signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars, and there will be great stress on earth among the nations—shock and trembling due to the roaring waves [hurricanes] at sea. 26 People will have anxious expectations and fear because of what is coming to the earth, because universal 'law' will be shaken. 27 Then they’ll see the Human Son coming in the clouds [3] with power and with great splendor. 28 When these things begin to happen, be encouraged and ‘look up’ because you are about to be delivered!””
Parable of the Fig Tree
29 He told them this analogy, “Look at the fig tree and all the other trees. 30 When they bud out, you’ll know at a glance that summer is near. 31 In the same way, when you see all of these things taking place, you’ll know that Yehovah’s Kingdom is near.
32 It is absolutely certain that this generation [4] won’t pass away until all of these things have taken place. 33 [The New] Heaven and earth will arrive [5], but My Word won’t pass away.
34 Be careful that you are never weighed down by gluttony and drunkenness and worldly cares, or that Day could take YOU by surprise. 35 Like a hunter’s snare, it will spring shut on everyone else who lives on the face of the whole earth. 36 So always be vigilant and prayerful, so that you are worthy to escape everything that is about to happen and take your stand in the presence of the Human Son.
37 During the day He taught in the Temple, but at night He would go out and stay on what is known as the Mount of Olives. 38 All the people came to the Temple early in the morning to listen to Him.
[1] The Greek is missing the great storms. [2] The case for Luke 21:20 being dual!—not that the article mentions it: Disclaimer. Warning: the Greek says ‘armies’ plural. Aramaic, Latin and Persic all say mountain singular. If you wait to flee until the Antichrists army surrounds you, you will die! Maybe flee to Pella again? In the first go-around in 70 AD it was the Roman army. [3] This time all the Greek translations say “cloud” and the Aramaic translations say “in the clouds.” [4] That is, the generation that witnesses these unprecedented supernatural events. [5] Parerchomai can mean both “disappear/pass away” and “arrive”, much like the Hawaiian use of the word aloha, (a very interesting word!) Perhaps this is a play on the word, contrasting the future arrival of the New Heavens and the New Earth with the present and eternal nature of His words.
Luke 22
Yeshua Becoming the Passover Lamb
1 The Feast of Unleavened Bread that is called the Passover was approaching. 2 The high priests and Torah teachers were plotting how to kill Him, but they were afraid of the people. 3 Satan entered Judas who was called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve. 4 He went and discussed with the high priests and Torah teachers and the Temple guard how he should betray Him to them. 5 They were delighted and arranged to give him silver. 6 He promised them that he would find an opportunity to betray Him to them when the people weren’t there.Preparation Day
7 The Day of Unleavened Bread arrived when it was time to offer the Passover lamb. 8 Yeshua sent Cephas and John, and told them, “Go and prepare the Passover for eating.” 9 They asked Him, “Where should we prepare for it?” 10 He told them, “When you enter the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him into the house he enters, 11 and you will say to the owner of the house, ‘The Sovereign asks: Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?’ 12 Then he will show you a large furnished upper room. Make preparations there.
13 They went and found it just as He had told them, and they got everything ready for the Passover.
14 When it was time to eat, Yeshua came and reclined at the table, along with His twelve envoys. 15 He told them, “I had [1] really wanted to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 But I tell you, “From now on I WILL NOT BY ANY MEANS EAT IT [2] until it is fulfilled in Yehovah’s Kingdom.” 17-18 [A]
19 Then He took a loaf of bread [3] and gave thanks and broke it and gave it to them and said, “This is My body that is given on your behalf. Do this to remember Me.”
20 After supper He did the same with the cup, He said, “This cup is the New Covenant in My blood that is poured out on your behalf! 21 But look, the hand of the man betraying Me is on the table. 22 The Human Son is going as it was determined, but I pity the man who does the betraying.” 23 They began to discuss among themselves which of them was going to do this.
Who is the Greatest?
24 There was also a disagreement among them about which of them would be considered the greatest. 25 Yeshua told them, “The kings of the nations exercise dominion over their people, and those exercising authority over them call themselves 'benefactors'. 26 But this will not be the case with you. Anyone who is great among you must be like the least, and the one who leads should be like a servant. 27 Who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Isn’t it the person at the table? But I’m here among you as someone who serves. 28 You are the ones who have stayed with Me in My trials, 29 and I PROMISE YOU THE KINGDOM just as My Father has promised it to Me, 30 so that you can eat and drink at the table in My Kingdom and sit on thrones governing the twelve tribes of Israel.”
Satan Wants to Destroy Simon
31 Yeshua told Simon, “Satan wants to sift all of you [4] like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith won’t fail! So once you have returned to Me, strengthen your friends.” 33 Simon told Him, “Sovereign, I’m ready to go both to prison and to death with you.” 34 Yeshua replied, “I tell you, Simon, the rooster won’t crow today until you have denied that you know Me three times.” 35 He told them, “When I sent you without handbags, wallets and sandals, were you missing anything?” They replied, “Nothing.” 36 He said, “From now on whoever has a moneybag should take it, and also a traveling bag. Anyone who doesn’t have a sword should sell their coat and buy himself a sword. 37 I assure you that I will fulfill the passage, ‘He was numbered with the transgressors.’ Everything concerning Me will be fulfilled.” 38 They told Him, “Sovereign, here are two swords!” He replied, “That’s enough.”
Yeshua’s Prayer in the Garden
39 Coming out, He proceeded as usual to the Mount of Olives, and His disciples followed Him. 40 When He arrived, He told them, “Pray that you won’t give in to temptation.” 41 He walked about a stone’s throw away and knelt down and prayed repeatedly, 42 saying, “Father, if You are willing, take this cup away from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours be done.” 43 Then a Messenger from Heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him. 44 And being in agony, He prayed even more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
45 He got up from His prayer, He went to His disciples and He found them sleeping from sorrow. 46 He asked them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray so that you won’t be tempted.”
47 While He was speaking, a crowd arrived. The one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He came up to Yeshua and kissed Him [5]. He had given them this sign, “The One I kiss is the One.” 48 Yeshua asked, “Judas, are you betraying the Human Son with a kiss?”
49 Those who were with Him anticipated what was about to happen, so they asked Him, “Sovereign, should we strike them with the sword?” 50 Then one of them struck an underling of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 51 Yeshua said, “That’s enough.” He touched the ear of the man who had been struck and healed him.
52 Yeshua asked the high priests and elders and the Temple guard who had come for Him, “Have you come out against Me as you would a robber, with swords and clubs to arrest Me? 53 I was with you every day in the Temple, and you didn’t arrest Me. But this is your hour, when darkness reigns!”
Simon Cephas Denies Yeshua
54 They arrested Him, and brought Him to the high priest’s house, while Simon followed Him at a distance. 55 They kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and were sitting around it, and Simon sat down with them. 56 A young woman saw him sitting by the fire and she began looking at him closely and said, “This man was with Him too.” 57 But he denied it by saying, “Woman, I don’t know Him.” 58 A little later someone else saw him and said, “You are one of them too.” But Cephas said, “I am not.” 59 An hour later someone else insisted, “This man was certainly with Him, because he’s a Galilean too.” 60 Cephas said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.” Right then, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. 61 Yeshua turned and looked directly at Cephas, and Simon remembered the Sovereign’s words, that He had told him, “Before the rooster crows you’ll deny Me three times.” 62 Simon went outside, and cried bitterly.
Yeshua Mocked and Beaten
63 The men who were guarding Yeshua were mocking Him, 64 and blindfolded Him and struck Him on His face and said, “Prophesy, who struck You?” 65 And they said many other blasphemous things against Him.
66 At dawn the elders and high priests and Torah teachers gathered together and they brought Him before their Sanhedrin, 67 and asked Him, “If you are the Messiah, tell us.” But He replied, “If I tell you, you won’t believe Me.” 68 If I were to question you, you wouldn’t answer Me or let Me go. 69 From now on, the Human Son will be seated on the right hand side of the power of Yehovah. 70 They all asked, “Are You the Son of Yehovah?” Yeshua replied, “You said it, I AM.” 71 They replied, “Why do we need any more witnesses? We’ve heard enough from His own mouth.”
[1] In March, 2011 I was sent a link to an article by Roy A. Reinhold showing that the Aramaic definitely puts this in the past tense. Yeshua had already given up on celebrating the Passover, rather He was to be the Passover! (I was surprised at the similarities in our reasoning.) [2] See why He didn’t eat the Passover here! [3] This was not unleavened bread because it was Yeshua’s Supper-Preparation Day for the Passover tomorrow. That’s why the Greek specifies it was a loaf of risen bread [as in Matthew 4:3 & 14:17]: “from airo; bread (as raised) or a loaf—(shew-)bread, loaf.” It was as thick as a man’s thumb, easily broken not cut, as opposed to the unleavened bread (azumos) that is used the following night at Passover. [4] Younan’s incomplete interlinear shows that this in not just about sifting Peter. The Greek is not clear.
[5] The Greek omits much of this verse. [A] Adler says, verses 17 & 18: “He took the cup, and gave thanks and said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. 18 Know that I’ll never drink of the fruit of the vine, until the Kingdom of [Yehovah] comes”, isn’t included in any MSS. of the Peshitto. (They were borrowed from Matthew & Mark). Lamsa, who was ostensibly translating from the Aramaic, accidentally included them without comment.Luke 23
Yeshua Handed Over to Pilate
1 Virtually [v.50-51] the entire assembly got up and took Him to Pilate. 2 They began accusing Him by saying, “We found this Man misleading our people and forbidding them to pay tribute money to Caesar and claiming that He is the Messiah, the king.3 When Pilate was interrogating Him he asked, “Are You King of the Jews?” And He replied, “It is as you say.”
4 Pilate told the high priests and the crowd, “I find no criminality in this Man.” 5 They were enraged and said, “He is stirring up our people by teaching thruout Judea from Galilee and now here.”
Yeshua Faces Herod
6 On hearing the name Galilee, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. 7 Upon learning that He came from Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him over to Herod, who was in Jerusalem at that time.
8 Herod was greatly pleased to see Yeshua, because he had been wanting to see Him for a long time. He had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see Him perform some miracle. 9 He asked Him many questions, but Yeshua wouldn’t answer. 10 Meanwhile the high priests and Torah teachers were standing there vehemently accusing Him. 11 Then Herod and his soldiers treated Him like a fool and mocked Him. He clothed Him in a purple robe and sent Him to Pilate. 12 On that very day, Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, tho previously there had been hostility between them.
13 Pilate called together the high priests and the leaders of the people, 14 and told them, “You brought this man to me claiming He is misleading your people, but I have examined Him in your presence and I didn’t find this man guilty of anything that you accuse Him of. 15 Nor did Herod, because I sent Him to him, and He has done nothing to deserve death. 16 So I’ll chastise Him and let Him go. 17 It was customary for him to release someone to them at the Feast.
18 The entire crowd began hatefully yelling out, “Take Him away, and release Barabbas for us!” 19 Barabbas was someone who had been thrown into prison in connection with an insurrection in the city, and for murder.
20 Pilate, wanting to release Yeshua, addressed them again. 21 But they yelled out, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”
22 He appealed to them a third time, “Why, what crime has he committed? I find no reason for putting Him to death. So I’ll chastise Him and release Him.”
23 But they were insistent, and with loud outcries demanded that He be crucified. And the demands of the people and the high priests prevailed. 24 Pilate decided to give in to their demands. 25 He released to them the man who had been thrown in prison for insurrection and murder, who they clamored for, and he let them have their way with Yeshua.
Yeshua on the Cross
26 As they led Him away, they grabbed Simon the Cyrenian, coming in from the fields, and forced him to carry the cross behind Yeshua. 27 A large crowd of people followed Him including women who were mourning and lamenting Him. 28 Yeshua turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t cry for Me, but cry for yourselves and for your children” [1], 29 because the time is coming when they’ll say, “Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.” 30 Then they’ll begin to say to the mountains, “Fall on us”, and to the hills, “Cover us”! 31 If they do these things to a green tree, what will happen to a dry one” [2]?
32 Two criminals were also being led away to be executed with Him. 33 When they came to a place called The Skull, they crucified Him there with the two criminals, one on His right, and the other on His left. 34 Yeshua said, “Father forgive them, because they don’t know what they are doing [3].” Then they divided His garments, casting lots for them.”
35 The people stood by watching. And even their leaders were sneering at Him by saying, “He rescued others, He should rescue Himself if He is the Messiah, the One chosen by Yehovah.”
36 The soldiers also mocked Him by coming to Him and offering Him vinegar, 37 and saying to Him, “If you are the King of the Jews then rescue Yourself.”
38 There was also an inscription over Him, written in Greek, Latin and Hebrew: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” 39 One of the criminals who was being crucified with Him, blasphemed Him and said, “If you are the Messiah, rescue Yourself and rescue us!”
40 But his fellow criminal scolded him and asked him, “Aren’t you even afraid of Yehovah, since you are under the same penalty? 41 We’re being treated fairly, because we’re getting what we deserve for what we’ve done, but He hasn’t done anything wrong.” 42 He told Yeshua, “Sovereign, remember me when you come into Your Kingdom.” 43 Yeshua told him, “Most certainly, I tell you today, you’ll be with Me in Paradise” [4].
Yeshua is Dead
44 It was about the sixth hour [noon], and darkness covered the whole land [or earth] until the ninth hour [3:00]. 45 The sun was darkened and the curtain of the Temple was ripped down the middle. 46 Yeshua cried in a loud voice, “Father, I entrust My spirit into Your hands.” Once He said that, He died.
47 When the centurion saw what happened, he praised Yehovah and said, “Certainly, this was a righteous man.” 48 The entire crowd that had gathered to see this, beat their chests and left. 49 All of Yeshua’s acquaintances were standing at a distance, including the women who had accompanied Him from Galilee, and they witnessed these things.
Yeshua Buried in Joseph’s Tomb
50 There was a man named Joseph, a member of the Sanhedrin from Ramath [5] [Arimathea], a city in Judea, who was a good and righteous man 51 hadn’t agreed with the plan and actions, and he was awaiting Yehovah’s Kingdom. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for Yeshua’s body. 53 He took it down and wrapped it in a winding sheet of linen and laid it in a hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid. 54 It was Preparation Day [6] [Tuesday evening], at the twilight of the [annual] Sabbath.
55 The women who came with Him from Galilee approached and saw the tomb and where the body was placed. 56 They returned and prepared perfumes and aromatics. And they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the Commandment.
[1] Here is another direct correlation between Yeshua’s rejection and Jerusalem’s destruction. [2] “green tree—that naturally resists the fire. The dry—that attracts the fire, being its proper fuel. The proverb here plainly means, ‘If such sufferings alight upon the innocent One, the very Lamb of God, what must be in store for those who are provoking the flames?’”—JFB [3] People ask why this literally reads “Father forgive them NOT” in Aramaic and Greek. So I asked about this on Paul Younan’s forum: peshitta.org (he wrote the Peshitta Aramaic/English Interlinear NT) and he assured me that the English rendering is truly “Father forgive them, for they know not ... ”. [4] Proper comma placement benefits from 1 Corinthians 15 knowing when the Edenic paradise will arrive. Where was Yeshua really on the “today” that He died? See 1 Peter 3:18-19 and Ephesians 4:9. [5] The Greek doesn’t mention “Ramath, a city in Judea.” [6] Every Biblical usage of the term “preparation Day” is associated with the Passover, not the weekly Sabbath.
Luke 24
Yeshua is Missing!
1 On the first of the Sabbaths [Sabbaton], at early dawn, while it was still dark [1], they came to the tomb and brought the aromatics they had prepared. There were other women with them. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in, they didn’t find Yeshua’s body! 4 They were entirely at loss about this. Suddenly two “men” in radiant clothing stood by them. 5 They were terrified, and bowed to the ground. The “men” asked them, “Why are you looking for the Living among the dead? 6 He isn’t here, He has already risen. Remember your conversation while He was still in Galilee, 7 how He explained that the Human Son was to be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise on the third day.” 8 Then they remembered His words,9 They returned from the tomb and they told everything to the eleven and to the others. 10 Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James, and they and the others told everything to the envoys. 11 But what they said seemed to be nonsense and they didn’t believe them. 12 But Simon got up and ran to the tomb, and looked in and saw the linen lying by itself, and he went away wondering to himself what had happened.
The Road to Emmaus
13 That same day, two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, sixty stadion from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 While they were talking, and evaluating what had happened, Yeshua approach them, and began walking with them. 16 And even tho they saw Him, they were prevented from recognizing Him. 17 He asked them, “What are you discussing among yourselves as you walk around so sadly?”
18 Then one of them named Cleopas asked Him, “Are you a visitor in Jerusalem, unaware of the things that have happened there in the last few days?” 19 He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Yeshua of Nazareth. The Man was a prophet—powerful in words and actions before Yehovah and before all the people. 20 The high priests and elders handed Him a death sentence and crucified Him. 21 But we fully expected Him to deliver Israel. Yes, and besides all this, three days have passed since all these things happened. 22 Then some of our women friends astonished us. They went to the tomb early this morning, 23 and they didn’t find His body. They came and told us that they saw spirit messengers there, and they said He was alive! 24 Then some of us went to the tomb, and found it just as the women had said, but they didn’t see Him.”
25 Then Yeshua said, “Foolish people! You’re so slow to believe everything the prophets have spoken! 26 Wasn’t it inevitable that the Messiah would suffer, and enter into His splendor?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the Prophets, He explained to them all the Scriptures about Himself.
Yeshua Found
28 They came near the village where they were going, and He acted as if he were going to a more distant place. 29 But they urged Him, “Stay with us because the day is over and it’s nearly dark.” So He went inside and stayed with them.
30 Now as He reclined with them, He took bread [generic word for bread] and blessed it and broke it and gave it to them. 31 Instantly, their eyes were opened and they recognized Him. Then He vanished from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Didn’t our every thought burn [A] within us as He talked with us on the road, and explained the Scriptures to us?”
33 They got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem. They found the eleven assembled and the others with them, 34 who were saying, “Certainly, our Sovereign has risen, in fact He appeared to Simon.” 35 Then they explained what had happened on the road and how they recognized Him when He broke bread.
Yeshua Appears to the Eleven
36 While they were talking about these things, Yeshua stood among them and said, “Peace be with you! It is I, don’t be afraid.” 37 They were startled and terrified because they thought that they were looking at a spirit. 38 Yeshua asked them, “Why are you so afraid? And why are you imagining things? 39 Look at My hands and My feet and see that it is really Me. Touch Me and be certain, because a spirit doesn’t have flesh and bones as you see I have.”
40 While He was speaking, He showed them His hands and His feet. 41 While they still couldn’t believe it due to their joy and astonishment, He asked them, “Do you have anything to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish and some honeycomb. 43 He took it and ate it while they watched.
44 Then He said, “This is what I told you while I was still with you, that everything written about Me in the Torah of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.
45 Then He opened their minds so that they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “It was written in the Scriptures and so it is necessary, that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and that, in His name, a message of minds being changed and sins being forgiven—as if they had never been committed—would be heralded in every nation, beginning in Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I’m about to send you what My Father promised. But wait in Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from high above.”
Yeshua Returns Home
50 He led them out as far as Bethany, and lifted His hands and blessed them. 51 Then, while He was blessing them, He left them, and was taken up to Heaven. 52 They worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem greatly elated. 53 They were always in the Temple, praising and blessing Yehovah. Aw-main'.
[1] The Greek omits “while it was still dark.” [A] The printed copies read, “was burning”, but an old MS. at Oroomiah reads, “was heavy, or dull.”—Perkin’s residence in Persia, p.16. End of the Good News Announcement of Luke the envoy
Compare the Testimony of Yeshua with the 1851 Murdock or the 1849 Etheridge Versions of “The Testimony of Yeshua” (The ‘New Testament’).
John 1
The Word Became Flesh
1 In the beginning, the Word existed. The Word was with Aloha, and Aloha was the Word Himself* [Aramaic]. 2 He was with Aloha in the beginning. 3 Everything was created by Him, and absolutely nothing came into existence without Him. 4 In Him was life, and that life was the Light of humanity [anthropos]. 5 This light shines in the darkness, but the darkness can’t comprehend it.John Prepares the Way
6 There was a man sent from Yehovah whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify about the Light so that everyone would believe 'because of him'. 8 He was not the Light himself, but he came to testify about the Light. 9 The true Light enlightens everyone who comes into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world came into existence thru Him, but the world didn’t recognize Him. 11 He came to His own people and His own people didn’t accept Him. 12 But to those who accept Him, He has given the privilege of becoming Yehovah’s children—to those who believe in His name. 13 They aren’t born due to blood, physical desires or by human decisions, but from Yehovah.
The WORD Became Flesh
14 The Word became physical and lived among us. We saw His splendor, the splendor of the Father’s only Son. He was full of dignity and truth.
15 John testified about Him and shouted, “He is the One I was referring to when I said, ‘He who is coming after me preceded Me, because He existed before me.’ 16 From His abundance we have all received kindness after kindness. 17 The Torah was given to us thru Moses. Truth and dignity were given to us by Yeshua Messiah (Jesus Christ). 18 No one has seen Yehovah [the Father] [1] at any time. The only begotten [or unique] Yehovah, the One who is close to His Father’s side has declared Him to us.
A Voice in the Wilderness
19 This was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He openly admitted without hesitation, “I’m not the Messiah.” 21 They asked him again, “Who then? Are you Elijah?” He replied, “I’m not” [2]. “Are you the Prophet”? [mentioned in Deuteronomy 18:15] And he replied, “No.”
22 So they asked him, “Who are you? Tell us so that we can answer those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I’m the voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Make the highway for the Sovereign smooth’, as the prophet Isaiah said.”
24 Those who were sent were Pharisees. 25 Again they asked him, “Then why do you immerse if you aren’t the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet?” 26 John told them, “I immerse with water, but there is Someone standing among you who you don’t recognize. 27 He is coming after me and existed before me. I’m not even worthy to unfasten His sandal straps.”
28 These things happened in Bethany, on the other side of the Jordan, where John was immersing.
The Lamb of Aloha
29 The next day John saw Yeshua coming towards him and said, “Look, the Lamb of Aloha who takes away the sins of the world! 30 This is the One I was referring to when I said, ‘A man is coming after me who preceded me, because He existed before me.’ 31 I didn’t recognize Him, but in order for Him to be revealed to Israel, I have come immersing with water.”
32 John testified, “I saw the spirit descend from the sky like a dove, and it remained on Him. 33 I didn’t recognize Him, but the One who sent me to immerse with water told me, ‘The One who you see the spirit descend to and remaining on is the One who immerses with the 'special' spirit.’ 34 I have seen this and am a witness that this is the Son of Yehovah.”
The First Disciples
35 The next day John was standing with two of his disciples. 36 He saw Yeshua as He walked by and said, “Look, the Lamb of Yehovah!” 37 Two of His disciples heard him when he said it, so they followed Yeshua. 38 Yeshua turned around and saw them coming after Him and He asked them, “What do you want?” They answered, “Rabbi, where are You staying?” 39 He said, “Come and see.” So they went and saw where He was staying, and they spent the day with Him 'from' about the tenth hour [4:00].
40 One of those who heard John and followed Yeshua was Andrew, Simon’s brother. 41 The first person Andrew found was his brother Simon, and he told him, “We have found the Messiah.” 42 He brought him to Yeshua. Yeshua looked at him and said, “You’re Simon the son of Jona. We’ll call you Cephas.”
Philip & Nathaniel
43 The next day Yeshua wanted to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come follow Me.” 44 Philip was from Bethsaida, the 'hometown' of Andrew and Simon. 45 Philip found Nathaniel and told him, “We have found the Man who Moses wrote about in the Torah and the Prophets—Yeshua, the Son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” 46 Nathaniel asked, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip said, “Come and see.” 47 Yeshua saw Nathaniel coming toward Him and said, “Look a genuine Israelite, someone honest.” 48 Nathaniel asked Him, “How do you know me?” Yeshua replied, “Before Philip called you, I saw you while you were under the fig tree.” 49 Nathaniel declared, “Rabbi, You are the Son of Yehovah. You are the King of Israel.” 50 Yeshua told him, “You believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You’ll see greater things than that.” 51 He added, “I tell you with absolute certainty that in the future, you’ll see the sky open and spirit messengers of Yehovah ascending and descending [3] to [4] the Human Son.”
[1] Most modern Wescott and Hort English translations agree with the Aramaic in this unusual instance. The oldest three versions of the Greek are corrupted, but they don’t contain some of the later alterations. It is “Yehovah” the Father, rather than the Son (Exodus 3320-21), referenced here.) [2] Some thought that John was the expected Messiah, others thought that he was Elijah as far as the fulfillment of Malachi 4:5-6. Others thought that he was the prophet predicted by Moses in Deuteronomy 18:15 (Yeshua comment in v.15). But John insisted that he wasn’t fulfilling any of those rolls, yet he was Elijah in a different role: Matthew 11:14. [3] This is a reference to Jacob’s ladder. Keyword “ladder.” (Genesis 28:12-13.) [4] The Weymouth and the ISV correctly translate the Greek “epi” to “to” here, in agreement with the Aramaic, tho it is almost always translated as “on” in other translations, which makes no sense. So Yeshua will be spending some time above, in nearby New Jerusalem, and some time below, on earth (Revelation 21:3).
John 2
Water Into Wine
1 On the third day there was a wedding banquet in Cana, a town in Galilee, and Yeshua’s mother was there. 2 Yeshua and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 They ran out of wine and His mother told Yeshua, “They’re out of wine.”4 Yeshua asked her, “What does that have to do with Me and you, woman? My time hasn’t arrived yet.” 5 His mother said to the 'deacons' [diakonos], “Do whatever He tells you to do.”
6 There were six stone water jars set aside for ritual washing by the Jews, each containing two or three quadrantalia [18-27 gallons]. 7 Yeshua told them, “Fill these water jars with water.” So they filled them to the top.
8 Then He told them, “Now pour some and take it to the host of the banquet.” So they took it. 9 Then the host of the banquet tasted the water that had become wine without knowing where it came from (altho the 'deacons' knew, because they had filled the jars with water), and the host of the banquet called the bridegroom, 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the best wine first, and when people are satisfied, then they bring out the cheaper wine, but you have kept the best wine until now!”
11 This is the first 'public miracle' that Yeshua did. He revealed His splendor in Cana of Galilee, and His disciples believed in Him.
12 Later He went down to Capernaum with His mother and His brothers and His disciples and they stayed there a few days.
Yeshua Cleanses the Temple
13 The Jewish Passover [1] was near, so Yeshua went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the Temple He found the merchants who sold bulls and sheep and doves, as well as bankers [2] sitting there. 15 He made Himself a whip from a cord and drove them all out of the Temple—the sheep, the bulls and the bankers. He scattered their money by overturning their tables. 16 He told the people selling doves, “Get rid of these things and don’t turn My Father’s house into an emporium [Gr. emporion].”
17 His disciples remembered that it is written, “Zeal for Your house has consumed Me.”
18 But the Jews replied, “What supernatural sign will You show us to justify Your doing these things?” 19 Yeshua replied, “Destroy this Temple and in three days I’ll raise it up.”
20 The Jews said, “It took forty-six years to build this Temple and You’re going to raise it in three days?” 21 But He was speaking of the Temple of His body. 22 After He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered what He had said, and they believed the Scriptures and the word[s] that Yeshua had explained.
23 While Yeshua was in Jerusalem at the Feast of the Passover, many believed in Him because they saw the miracles He was doing. 24 But Yeshua didn’t confide in any of them because He knew everyone. 25 He didn’t need anyone to tell Him about humanity, because He understood humanity.
[1] The Samaritan Passover was on a different date. [2] The “Kollubistes”, or “money exchangers” were actually functioning as bankers, as was the norm in pagan temples!
John 3
Born Again, Free as the Wind
1 There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews, 2 who came to Yeshua one night and told Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher sent from Yehovah, because no one can do the miraculous signs that You do unless Yehovah is with Him.”3 Yeshua replied, “I tell you with absolute certainty that unless a person is born again [1] they can’t see Yehovah’s Kingdom.”
4 Nicodemus asked Him, “How can an old man be born? Can he go into into his mother’s womb a second time and be born?” 5 Yeshua replied, “I tell you with absolute certainty that unless someone is born of water and the spirit they can’t enter Yehovah’s Kingdom. 6 Those born of flesh ARE composed of flesh, and those born of the spirit ARE composed of spirit. 7 Don’t be surprised when I tell you that it is imperative that you be born again. 8 The wind blows wherever she [2] wants and you hear her sing [3], but you don’t know where she came from or where she is going. That is how it is with everyone who is born of the spirit.”
9 Nicodemus asked Him, “How can these things be?” 10 Yeshua asked, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you don’t understanding these things? 11 I tell you with absolute certainty that We speak what We know, and We testify to what We have seen, but you don’t accept Our testimony. 12 If I have spoken to you about earthly things and you don’t believe them, how could you believe if I tell you about things in the Heavenly realm? 13 NO ONE HAS GONE UP TO HEAVEN EXCEPT THE ONE WHO CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN, the Human Son who is in Heaven. [Commentary] 14 Just as Moses lifted the serpent in the wilderness, so the Human Son must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who continues to trust in Him will have eternal life, rather than be destroyed. 16 Yehovah loved the world so much that He gave His unique Son, so that whoever continues believing [present, active] [4a] in Him would not be destroyed, but have eternal life. 17 Yehovah didn’t send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world, because of Him could receive eternal life.
18 No one who believes in Him faces an adverse judgment, but those who refuse to be persuaded will be summoned to trial, because they refused to believe in the unique Son of Yehovah’s name. 19 This is the grounds for condemnation—the Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness more than the Light because their deeds [works] have been wicked. 20 Anyone who does highly detestable things hates the Light and doesn’t come to the Light, fearing that their actions will be exposed. 21 But anyone who does what is right eventually comes to the Light, so that it becomes apparent that their works were performed in compliance with Yehovah.”
John Praises Yeshua
22 After these things, Yeshua and His disciples went to the land of Judea and He conversed with them there and immersed people. 23 John also was immersing in Aenon, near Salim, because there was plenty of water there, and people were coming and being immersed. 24 (This was before John was thrown into prison.) 25 Some of John’s disciples, and one particular Jew had a dispute about ritual washing. 26 They went to John and told him, “Rabbi, the Man who was with you on the other side of Jordan, who you testified about, is also immersing and many are following Him.”
27 John replied, “No one can claim anything by their own choosing, unless it has been given to them from Heaven. 28 You can all attest that I said, ‘I’m not the Messiah’, and ‘I’ve been sent as His forerunner.’ 29 The man holding the bride’s hand is the Bridegroom. The Bridegroom’s best man stands by His side and listens to Him and celebrates when he hears the Bridegroom’s voice. So my anticipated joy has been realized! 30 He must become more important, while I become less important.
31 He who comes from above is higher than everyone, while he who is from the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from Heaven is higher than everyone. 32 He bears witness to what He has seen and heard, but no one accepts what He said. 33 But anyone who accepts what He said [5] 'acknowledges' [6] that Yehovah is true. 34 The Man Yehovah sent speaks Yehovah’s words, because Yehovah hasn’t given Him the spirit in a limited measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has put everything into His hands. 36 Anyone who continues believing [present, active] [4 b] in the Son has eternal life, but anyone who refuses to believe and obey the Son won’t see life, because Yehovah’s punishment remains with them.”
[1] The Aramaic means “again” in verse 3. The Greek is better translated “from above” in both verse 3 and 31. When this happens we are made of spirit—not flesh, verse 6! [2] ‘Wind’ and ‘spirit’ are interchangeable in Aramaic, Greek and Hebrew, but in Aramaic and Hebrew it literally refers to the spirit as ‘she’, while in Greek it is ‘it.’ [3] ‘Sing’ and ‘voice’ are the same word in both Aramaic and Greek. [4 a,b] See Shemitah link [5] In Revelation, John called what He said “The Testimony of Yeshua Messiah.” [6] Literally “seal.” This is like a seal of approval, or like a signature on a contract.
John 4
The Samaritan Woman
1 Yeshua knew that the Pharisees had heard that He was making many disciples and was immersing more than John, 2 (tho Yeshua Himself wasn’t immersing, His disciples were). 3 He left Judea and returned to Galilee. 4 On the way He had a chance to go thru Samaria. 5 He came to a town in Samaria called Sychar near the edge of the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, so Yeshua, weary from traveling sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour [noon].7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water. Yeshua asked, ”Please give Me some water to drink.” 8 (His disciples had gone into town to buy some food.) 9 The Samaritan woman asked Him, “How is it that You, a Jew, ask me for a drink since I’m a Samaritan woman?” (Because the Jews have nothing to do with Samaritans). 10 Yeshua replied, “If you had only known the gift of Yehovah, and who was asking you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.” 11 The woman replied, “Sovereign, You have no water jug to draw with, and the well is deep. Where do You get this living water? 12 Are You greater than our ancestor Jacob who gave us this well and drank from it himself, along with his children and his flocks?” 13 Yeshua replied, “Whoever drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water that I give them will never be thirsty again. The water that I give them will become in them an artesian well, springing up to eternal life.”
15 The woman said, “Sovereign give me this water, so that I won’t get thirsty again and have to come and draw water.” 16 Yeshua told her, “Go call your husband come back here.” 17 She said, “I have no husband.” Yeshua replied, “You’re right in saying, ‘I have no husband’, 18 because you have had five husbands, and the man you now have isn’t your husband. You’ve certainly told the truth!”
19 The woman said, “Sovereign, I see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say that it is necessary for people to worship in Jerusalem.” 21 Yeshua replied, “Woman, believe Me, the time is coming when you won’t worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem [1]. 22 You Samaritans don’t know what you worship, but we worship what we understand, because life comes from the Jews. 23 But a time is coming, (and as of this writing, now is), when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. Father is looking for worshipers like that. 24 Yehovah is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” 25 The woman replied, “I know that the Messiah is coming, and when He comes He’ll teach us everything.” 26 Yeshua said, “I AM [2], the One who is speaking to you.”
27 While He was speaking, His disciples returned. They were surprised to find Him talking with a woman, yet no one asked, “What are You asking about?” or, “Why are you talking to her?” 28 The woman left her water jar and went back to town and told the people, 29 “Come and see a Man who told me everything I ever did. Wouldn’t this be the Messiah?” 30 The people left the town to go to Him.
The Harvest is Ripe
31 Meanwhile, His disciples urged Him, “Rabbi, eat something.” 32 But He said, “I have food to eat that you don’t know about.”
33 The disciples began asking each other, “Has someone brought Him something to eat?” 34 Yeshua said, “My food is doing the will of the One who sent Me and to finish His work. 35 Wouldn’t you say that the harvest is four months away? [3] But look! I ask you to look around at the fields. The grain is already white and ready for harvest. 36 The harvesters are earning wages and gathering the fruit of eternal life. The sower and the harvester are celebrating together. 37 The old saying is true, ‘One person sows and another harvests.’ 38 I sent you to harvest where you hadn’t labored, because others have already labored, and you are joining in their labor.”
Many Samaritans Believe
39 Many Samaritans in that town believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything that I ever did.’ 40 When the Samaritans came to Him they asked Him to stay with them, so He stayed with them for two days. 41 Many more people believed because of His own words. 42 They told the woman, “From now on we will believe in Him, not just because of what you said, but because we have heard Him ourselves and we know that He is truly the Messiah, the Life Giver of the world.”
Yeshua Welcomed in Galilee
43 Two days later, Yeshua left for Galilee. 44 Yeshua Himself stated that a prophet isn’t honored in His own town. [4] 45 When He arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed Him, having seen all the signs that He did in Jerusalem at the Feast, because they had also gone to the Feast.
The Nobleman’s Son Healed
46 Yeshua returned to Cana in Galilee, where He had turned the water into wine. In Capernaum there was a king’s nobleman whose son was sick. 47 He heard that Yeshua had returned from Judea to Galilee, so he went to Him and plead with Him to come down and heal his son, because he was close to death.
48 Yeshua told him, “Unless you see signs and miracles you will never believe.” 49 The king’s servant asked him, “Sovereign, come down, before my child dies.” 50 Yeshua replied, “Go, your son will live.” The man believed what Yeshua told him and he left.” 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that, “Your son is alive.” 52 He asked them the exact time when he got better, and they replied, “The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour.”
53 His father knew that was the very hour when Yeshua had told him, “Your son will live.” So he and everyone in his household believed. 54 This was the second miraculous sign that Yeshua did after traveling from Judea to Galilee.
[1] This is a reference to the Diaspora from Judea in 70 AD. [2] There is no ‘He’ here in Aramaic or Greek. [3] This is normally expressed as tho it were a Jewish idiom, but Yeshua was just commenting that the fall grain had not been harvested, and the spring harvest was four months away, as was normal during a Shemitah year. [4] The Greek says “country.”
John 5
The Nobleman’s Son Healed in Bethesda
1 Later on the Jews were celebrating another Feast, and Yeshua went up to Jerusalem. 2 There was a place in Jerusalem for immersing [1], called “Bethesda” in Hebrew, it has five covered porches. 3 A large number of sick, blind, lame and 'debilitated' people were lying under them [waiting for the water to move. 4 From time to time an angel would go down into the pool and stir the water. The first one in after the water was stirred was healed of whatever disease they had [2]. 5 One man there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 Yeshua saw him lying there, and knew that he had been afflicted for a long time. So He asked him, “Would you like to be healed?”7 The invalid said, “Yes Sovereign, but I don’t have anyone to put me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I’m trying to get there someone else steps in ahead of me.” 8 Yeshua told him, “Get up, pick up your cot and walk.”
Healing on the Sabbath
9 The man was instantly restored to perfect health, he got up and took his cot and walked away. This happened on the Sabbath. 10 The Jews told the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, it’s unlawful for you to carry your cot.” 11 But He told them, “The Man who healed me told me, ‘Pick up your cot and walk.’” 12 They asked, “Who is the Man who told you, ‘Pick up your cot and walk?’”13 But the man who was healed didn’t know who He was, because Yeshua had slipped away secretly in the large crowd that had gathered. 14 A while later, Yeshua found him in the Temple and said to him, “Look, you are now healed, but don’t sin again because something worse than before will happen to you.” 15 The man left and told the Jews that it was Yeshua who had healed him.
16 This is why the Jews began to persecute Yeshua, trying their best to kill Him, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Yeshua told them, “My Father is working right now, and so am I.” 18 This was why the Jews wanted to kill Him all the more. Not only because He had 'broken' [3] the Sabbath, but because He said that Yehovah was His Father, making Himself Yehovah’s equal.
19 Yeshua told them, “I tell you with absolute certainty that the Son can do nothing by His own will. He can only do what He sees the Father doing. Whatever He sees the Father doing, the Son can do as well. 20 The Father loves His Son, and shows Him everything that He does. And He’ll show Him greater works than these, so that you’ll be amazed. 21 The Father raises the dead, and gives them life again, so the Son also gives life to whoever He wants to. 22 Father doesn’t judge anyone because He has delegated all judgment to the Son, 23 so everyone should honor the Son, as He honors the Father. Anyone who doesn’t honor the Son, doesn’t honor the Father who sent Him.
Eternal Life
24 I tell you with absolute certainty that anyone who hears My Word, and believes in the One who sent Me has eternal life. They won’t come into condemnation, but have passed from death to life. 25 I tell you with absolute certainty that the time is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of Yehovah, and those who 'respond' will live. 26 The Father has life in Himself, so He has also enabled the Son to have life in Himself, in the same way. 27 More importantly, He has also given Him the authority to judge everyone, because He is the Human Son.
Two Resurrections, One “Time”
28 Don’t be amazed at this, because the time is coming when everyone in their graves will hear His voice 29 and come out—those who have done good things to a Resurrection resulting in life, and those who have committed evil to a Resurrection resulting in Condemnation [4]. 30 I can do nothing by My own will. I consider what is said and I judge accordingly. My judgment is fair, because I don’t seek My own will, but the will of the One who sent Me.
31 If I were to give a testimony about Myself, My testimony would be regarded as invalid. 32 There is Another who testifies about Me, and I know His testimony about Me is true. 33 You were sent John the Immerser, and he verified the truth. 34 I don’t need to have human verification, but I’m saying these things so that you can be rescued. 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and for a while you were willing to delight in his light. 36 But I have a testimony that is greater than John’s, because of the works that My Father has allowed Me to accomplish—these very works that I’m doing are the evidence that the Father has sent Me! 37 The Father who sent Me has testified about Me [in the Scriptures], but none of you have ever heard His voice or seen what He looks like. 38 His word doesn’t live in you because you refuse to believe in the One He sent. 39 You search the Scriptures because you believe that there is eternal life in them for you, yet those same Scriptures testify about Me! 40 You refuse to come to Me so that you can have eternal life.
41 “I don’t accept praise from people, 42 but I know you, and none of you have a loving relationship with Yehovah. 43 I came in the name of [representing] My Father, and you rejected Me, if someone else comes in their own name, you’ll welcome them! 44 How is it possible for you to believe when you accept praises from each other, without pursuing the praise that only comes from Yehovah? 45 Do you think that I’ll accuse you before the Father? There is one who will accuse you, Moses himself, who you rely on, 46 yet if you really believed Moses, you would also believe Me, because Moses wrote about Me. 47 But if you don’t believe his Writings, how could you believe what I say?
[1] The Greek adds “near the Sheep Gate.” [2] The narrative in green here is a deliberate fake! I was quite skeptical upon hearing this until I saw the astonishing proof and motivation from an unlikely source—I learned it from a Jew! [3] Literally “loosened.” The Jews had concocted many Sabbath “laws” that they equated to Father’s Laws. Yeshua went out of His way to discredit those. [4] This statement alludes to Daniel’s Judgment Day statement (12:1-3). Judgment Day will occur during the most horrific time in world history. Yet “at that time your people [Israel] will be saved.”
John 6
Feeding the 5,000
1 After this, Yeshua went to the other side of the sea of Galilee (aka the Sea of Tiberias). 2 A huge crowd followed Him because they were witnessing the miraculous signs that He was doing for the sick. 3 Yeshua climbed a mountain and He sat there with His disciples.4 The Passover Feast of the Jewish people was near. 5 Yeshua looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward Him, and He asked Philip, “Where will we buy bread for all these people to eat?” 6 He asked this to test him, because He knew what He was going to do.
7 Philip replied, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread wouldn’t be enough for everyone to even have a little.”
8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Cephas’ brother said, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley cakes and two fish with him, but what good are those among so many people?”
10 Yeshua told them, “Have all the people sit down.” Now there was a large pasture there, and the adult men alone sitting down there numbered about five thousand. 11 Yeshua took the bread, and blessed it, and distributed it to those who were sitting. He did the same with the fish—as much as they wanted.
12 When they were satisfied, He told His disciples, “Pick up the fragments that remain so that nothing is wasted.” 13 They picked them up and filled twelve baskets with leftover fragments after they had eaten the five barley cakes. 14 But when the people saw the miracle that Yeshua had done, they said, “Certainly this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 Yeshua knew that they intended to come and take Him by force and make Him King, so He returned to the mountain by Himself.
Yeshua Walks on Water
16 That evening, His disciples went down to the sea 17 and got into a boat and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was already dark and Yeshua still hadn’t joined them. 18 The sea was getting quite rough because a violent wind was blowing. 19 They had rowed about twenty-five or thirty furlongs when they saw Yeshua walking on the sea and approaching the boat, and they were terrified. 20 But Yeshua told them, “It’s Me. Don’t be afraid!” 21 They were delighted to take Him on board, and soon the boat landed where they were heading.
22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite seashore noticed that only one small boat had been there, and that the disciples had already left, and that Yeshua hadn’t boarded the boat with His disciples. 23 Yet a number of smaller boats from Tiberias landed near the place where they had eaten the bread that Yeshua had blessed. 24 When the people became aware that neither Yeshua or His disciples were there, they got into the smaller boats and went to Capernaum looking for Yeshua. 25 When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they asked Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?”
26 Yeshua replied, “I tell you with absolute certainty that you aren’t looking for Me because you saw the miraculous signs, but because you ate all the bread you wanted. 27 Don’t work for food that spoils, but for food that leads to eternal life. The Human Son will give it to you, because Yehovah the Father has set His seal of approval on Him.” 28 They asked Him, “What should we do in order to be doing the works of Yehovah?” 29 Yeshua replied, “This is the work of Yehovah—to believe in the One He has sent.”
30 They asked Him, “What miraculous sign will You perform so that we can see and believe in You? What are You going to do? 31 Our ancestors ate manna in the wilderness as it is written in the Scriptures, ‘He gave them bread from the sky to eat.’”
32 Yeshua told them, “I tell you with absolute certainty that it wasn’t Moses who gave you bread from Heaven, but My Father gives you the real bread from Heaven, 33 because the bread of Yehovah is the One who came down from Heaven, giving life to the world.”
34 They replied, “Sovereign, give us this bread from now on.”
35 Yeshua told them, “I am the bread of life. Anyone who comes to Me will never be hungry, and anyone who believes in Me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I said, you’ve seen Me and you still don’t believe. 37 Everyone who My Father has given Me will come to Me, and no one who comes to Me will ever be forced out, 38 because I came down from Heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of the One who sent Me. 39 And the will of the One who sent Me is that I won’t lose any of those He has given Me, but should raise them up during the Last Day. 40 Because My Father wants everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him to have eternal life, and I’ll raise them up on the Last Day.”
The Bread From Heaven
41 Then the Jews began muttering about Him, because He said, “I’m the bread that came down from Heaven.” 42 They asked, “Isn’t this Yeshua, Joseph’s son? We know His father and mother, don’t we? So how can He say, ‘I came down from Heaven?’”
43 Yeshua replied, “Stop muttering among yourselves. 44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws them. Then I’ll raise them from the dead on the Last Day. 45 It was written in the Prophets, ‘They’ll all be taught by Yehovah (Isaiah 54:13).’ So everyone who has heard from Father and learned from Him comes to Me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father except the One who is from Yehovah. He has seen the Father. 47 I tell you with absolute certainty that there is eternal life for anyone who believes in Me. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 But this is the bread that comes down from Heaven, so that a person can eat it and ‘never’ die. 51 I’m the bread of life who has come down from Heaven, if anyone eats this bread they’ll live forever. The bread that I will give is My body, that I will give for the life of the world.”
52 Then the Jews began arguing with each other and asked, “How can He give us His body to eat?”
53 Yeshua told them, “I tell you with absolute certainty that unless you eat the body of the Human Son and drink His blood, you have no life within you, 54 but anyone who eats My body and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I’ll raise them from the dead on the Last Day. 55 My body is real food and My blood is real drink. 56 Anyone who eats My body and drinks My blood remains in union with Me, and I in him. 57 The living Father has sent Me, and I live because of the Father. Similarly, anyone who feeds on Me will also live because of Me. 58 This is the bread that came down from Heaven, unlike the manna your ancestors ate, and still died. Whoever eats this bread will live forever.” 59 He said these things in the synagogue when He taught in Capernaum.
Many Abandon Yeshua
60 Many of His disciples who heard Him said, “This is a baffling statement. Who can accept it?”
61 Yeshua intuitively knew that His disciples were dissatisfied about this, so He asked them, “Does this offend you? 62 What if you were to see the Human Son ascending to where He was from the beginning! 63 It is the spirit that gives life. This body provides nothing permanent. The words that I have spoken with you are spirit and they are life, 64 but some of you don’t believe.” Yeshua knew from the beginning the ones who didn’t believe, and who it was who would betray Him. 65 Then He said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to Me without My Father’s permission.”
66 As a result of these statements, many of His disciples turned back and no longer 'associated' with Him. 67 Yeshua asked the twelve, “Do you want to leave as well?” 68 Simon Cephas replied, “Sovereign, who would we go to? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have believed and known for certain that you are the Messiah, the Son of the living Aloha.” 70 Yeshua asked them, “Haven’t I chosen you twelve? Yet one of you sides with the devil.” 71 He said this about Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, because he would later betray Him, tho he was one of the twelve.
John 7
Yeshua’s Brothers Reject Him
1 After this Yeshua went to Galilee. He wouldn’t go to Judea because the Jews were trying to kill Him. 2 The Jewish Feast of Tabernacles [1] was near. 3 Yeshua’s brothers told Him, “Leave here and go to Judea so that Your disciples can witness the miraculous works You do. 4 No one does anything in secret when they really want to be known publicly. If you’re going to do these things, show Yourself to the world.” 5 But even His brothers didn’t believe in Him.6 Yeshua told them, “The right time for Me has not arrived yet, but for you, anytime is the right time. 7 The world can’t hate you, but it hates Me because I say that what they are doing is evil. 8 So go to the Feast. I won’t go up to the Feast just yet because My allotted time isn’t yet completed.” 9 After saying this, He stayed in Galilee.
Yeshua Goes to the Feast Covertly
10 But when His brothers left for the Feast, then He also went up, not openly, but covertly. 11 The Jews were looking for Him at the Feast and asking, “Where is He?”
12 There was a great deal of discussion about Him among the people because some said, “He’s a good man”, while others said, “No, He deceives the people.” 13 Yet no one spoke about Him in public because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders.
14 About midway thru the Feast, Yeshua went up to the Temple and began teaching. 15 The Jews were astonished and asked, “How does this man understand literature [gramma] having never been educated?”
16 Yeshua said, “My doctrine isn’t from Me, but from the One who sent Me. 17 Anyone who wants to do His will, understands whether My doctrine is from Yehovah or whether I’m speaking for Myself. 18 A person speaking their own thoughts is looking for personal praise, but someone pursuing praise from the One who sent him is genuine and doesn’t have dishonest motives. 19 Didn’t Moses give you the Torah? Yet not one of you obeys the Torah. Why are you trying to kill Me?”
20 The people responded, “You have a demon. Who’s trying to kill You?”
21 Yeshua replied, “I did one miraculous deed, and you are all amazed. 22 Moses gave you circumcision, (not that it began with Moses, but with the patriarchs), and you circumcise a child on the Sabbath. 23 If a boy is circumcised on the Sabbath day so that the Torah of Moses isn’t violated, why are you complaining about Me because I made a man perfectly well on the Sabbath day? 24 Don’t make 'superficial judgments', but make your judgments righteous judgments.”
Is He the Messiah?
25 Some of the people from Jerusalem asked, “Isn’t this the Man they want to kill? 26 And look, He’s speaking publicly, and they aren’t saying anything to Him! Do the elders actually believe that He is the Messiah? 27 Yet we know where this Man is from. When the Messiah comes, no one will know where He comes from.”
28 While Yeshua was teaching in the Temple, He raised His voice and said, “You know Me and you know where I’m from. I didn’t come of My own will. The One who sent Me is true. You don’t know Him, 29 but I know Him because I came from Him and He sent Me.”
30 They tried to arrest Him, but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour [2] hadn’t yet come. 31 Still many in the crowd believed in Him and said, “When the Messiah comes, will He perform more miraculous signs than this Man does?”
You Can’t Go Where I’m Going
32 When the Pharisees heard the crowd saying these things about Him, they and the high priests sent officers to arrest Him. 33 Yeshua said, “I’ll be with you a little while longer, and then I’ll go to the One who sent Me. 34 You’ll look for Me, but you won’t find Me, because you can’t go where I’m going.”
35 The Jews asked each other, “Where does this Man intend to go where we can’t find Him? Will He go to some region of the other ethnicities [ethnos] and teach the heathens?” 36 What does He mean by, “You’ll look for Me but you won’t find Me”, and “You can’t go where I’m going?”
The Great Day of the Feast
37 On the Last Day of the Feast—the Great Day—Yeshua stood and spoke out, “If anyone is thirsty they should come to Me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in Me, as the Scriptures says, ‘Out of their heart will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 But He said this about the spirit that those who believe in Him were to receive, since the spirit had not yet been given, because Yeshua had not yet become radiant.
40 Many in the crowd who heard what He said were saying, “He is certainly the Prophet!” 41 Others said, “He is the Messiah.” But others said, “How could the Messiah come from Galilee? 42 Don’t the Scriptures say that the Messiah is a descendant of David, and from Bethlehem, the town of David?” 43 There was disagreement among the people about Him. 44 Some of them wanted to arrest Him. But no one laid a hand on Him.
Rejected By the Religious Leaders
45 When the Temple guards returned to the high priests and Pharisees, the priests asked them, “Why didn’t you bring Him?” 46 The Temple guards said, “No one has ever spoken the way this Man speaks.” 47 The Pharisees replied, “Are you deceived as well? 48 Have any of the leaders or the Pharisees believed in Him? 49 But if these people who don’t know the Torah believe in Him they are cursed.” 50 Nicodemus, the one who came to Yeshua one night asked them, 51 “Does our Torah condemn people without first hearing what they have to say and finding out what they’ve done?” 52 They asked him, “Are you from Galilee too? Check and see that no prophet comes from Galilee.” 53 Then everyone went to their own homes [3].
[1] The dates differ from the Samaritan Feast days. [2] The hour of the Passover zebak [sacrifice] is referenced here. [3] The 53rd verse was accidentally omitted in the Peshitta.
John 8
The Woman Caught in Adultery
1 Yeshua [Jesus] went to the Mount of Olives. 2 In the morning He returned to the Temple and virtually everyone came to Him, and He sat down and taught them. 3 The Torah teachers and Pharisees brought a woman to Him who was caught committing adultery [1]. They made her stand in 'among them'. 4 They told Him, “Sovereign, this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. 5 In the Torah of Moses, Yehovah has commanded us to stone such people, but what do You say?” 6 They asked this to 'entrap' Him, in order to have legal grounds to accuse Him. But Yeshua stooped down, and began writing [2] on the ground with His finger. 7 They continued asking Him until He stood up and said, “The person among you who hasn’t sinned [in this way] should be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 He stooped down again and wrote [more names] on the ground.9 When they heard about it they passed by, one by one, beginning with the oldest until He was all alone with the woman still standing 'there'. 10 When Yeshua stood back up, He asked the woman, “Where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Sovereign.” Yeshua replied, “I don’t condemn you either. So go, and from now on don’t sin any more.”
I am the Light of the World
12 Once more Yeshua conversed with them, “I am the light of the world. Anyone who comes to Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 The Pharisees told Him, “You are giving testimony about Yourself, so Your testimony is invalid.” 14 Yeshua told them, “Even tho I’m giving testimony about Myself, My testimony is true because I know where I came from and where I’m going. But you don’t know where I came from or where I’m going. 15 You’re judging 'by human standards', but I’m not judging anyone. 16 But if I were to judge, My judgment would be valid, because I’m not alone. There’s Me and My Father who sent Me. 17 It is written in your own Torah that the testimony of two people is valid. 18 I AM testifying about Myself and My Father who sent Me also testifies about Me.”
19 They asked Him, “Where is Your Father?” Yeshua replied, “You don’t know Me or My Father. If you knew Me, you would also know My Father.” 20 This is what Yeshua explained in the treasury, as He taught in the Temple, and no one 'arrested' Him because His specified time had not yet come.
You Can’t Go Where I’m Going
21 Later on Yeshua told them again, “I’m going away, and you’ll try to find Me, but you’ll die in your sins. You can’t go where I’m going.” 22 The Jews asked, “Is He about to kill Himself, since He says, “You can’t go where I’m going?” 23 He told them, “You are of temporal succession, I existed before time, you are part of the universe [Gr. kosmos], I’m not part of the universe.” 24 That’s why I told you you’ll die in your sins, because if you don’t believe that I AM [3], you’ll die in your sins.” 25 The Jews asked Him, “Who are You?” Yeshua replied, “What have I been telling you all along? 26 I still have a lot to say about you, and a lot to condemn. The One who sent Me is reliable. But these are the things that I heard from Him and declare to the world.”
27 They still didn’t realize that He was telling them about the Father. 28 Yeshua told them again, “When you have lifted up the Human Son, then you’ll know that I AM, and that I do nothing by My own initiative. I only say what the Father taught Me. 29 The One who sent Me is with Me, My Father hasn’t left Me alone, because I always do what pleases Him.” 30 While He was saying these things, many believed in Him.
The Truth Will Set You Free
31 Yeshua told the Jews who believed in Him, “If you continue to live by My teachings you’ll truly be My disciples. 32 You’ll know the truth and the truth will set you free.” 33 They told Him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone, so how can You say, ‘You’ll be set free?’” 34 Yeshua replied, “I am absolutely certain that whoever commits sin is a slave to sin. 35 A servant doesn’t have a permanent place in the family, but the Son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you’ll really be free. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you want to kill Me because you don’t agree with what I’m saying. 38 I’m telling you what I’ve seen with My Father, and you do what you’ve seen with your father.”
39 They told him, “Abraham is our father.” Yeshua told them, “If you were descendants of Abraham, you would do the things Abraham did. 40 But now you want to kill Me for telling you the truth that I heard from Yehovah. Abraham wouldn’t have done things like that. 41 But you do the works your father did.” They told him, “We aren’t the offspring of prostitution, we have one Father, Yehovah.”
42 Yeshua told them, “If Yehovah were your Father, you’d love Me, because I descended from the presence of Yehovah, I did not arrive here by My own initiative, but He sent Me. 43 Why don’t you understand Me? Is it because you can’t hear what I say? 44 You are from your father the devil, and you are bent on acting on your father’s cravings. He was a murderer from the beginning, and didn’t take a stand for the truth, because there is no truth in him, and when he tells a lie, he’s 'just being' himself, because he is the very father of lies. 45 But because I’m telling the truth, you don’t believe Me. 46 Which of you can prove Me guilty of sin? Yet if I’m telling the truth, why don’t you believe Me? 47 The people who belong to Yehovah hear what Yehovah says. You’re not listening because you don’t belong to Yehovah.”
48 The Jews replied, “Aren’t we right in saying that You are a demon possessed Samaritan?” 49 Yeshua answered, “I’m not demon possessed. I honor My Father and you condemn Me. 50 I’m not pursuing My own praise, but there is One pursuing it for Me. His opinion counts! 51 I tell you with absolute certainty that anyone who carefully preserves My instructions won’t 'experience' death forever.”
52 The Jews told Him, “Now we know that You’re demon possessed. Abraham died, and so did the prophets, yet You say, ‘Anyone who carefully preserves My instructions won’t 'experience' death forever.’ 53 Are You greater than our ancestor Abraham who died, or than the prophets who died? Who are You claiming to be?”
Before Abraham Was, I AM
54 Yeshua told them, “If I praise Myself, My praise is nothing. My Father praises Me, the One you’re claiming is your Aloha.” 55 You don’t know Him, but I know Him. If I were to say that I didn’t know Him, I’d be a liar like all of you, but I know Him and I obey His words. 56 Your ancestor Abraham wanted to see My day, and he saw it [4] and was jubilant!”
57 The Jews told Him, “You aren’t even fifty years old, yet You claim to have seen Abraham?” 58 Yeshua told them, “I tell you with absolute certainty that before Abraham existed, I AM.” 59 At this they picked up stones to stone Him. But Yeshua concealed Himself and left the Temple, walking right among them as He left.
[1] The 53rd verse of John 7, as well as the whole story of the adulteress in John 8:1-11, was accidentally omitted in the Peshitta Testimony of Yeshua (and hence, in the Sinaiticus and the Vaticanus). It is found in eight Aramaic (Syriac) mss, and in numerous references by the “church fathers” in reference to the book of John. This is one exact page since manuscript pages were all laid out with the same line & word counts. [2] Names were likely being written on the ground..”.. Those who depart from Me will be written on the ground ... ” Jeremiah 17:13. [3] Other than the Etheridge, the ISV and the NLT, every translation I checked pretends that it says ‘I am He’ or ‘I am one’, etc instead of ‘I AM.’ Neither Aramaic or Greek really says ‘I am He.’ It’s ‘Ena-Na’, as in Exodus 3:14. [4] Abraham met Yeshua when He was known as “The 'Angel' of the 'Lord'.”
John 9
Man Born Blind Now Sees
1 As He was walking along, He saw a man who had been born blind. 2 His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, causing him to be born blind?”3 Yeshua told them, “He didn’t sin, nor did his parents, but it was this way so that the works of Yehovah could be displayed in him. 4 I must do the works of the One who sent Me while it is day, because night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I’m in the world, I’m the Light of the world.” 6 After He said this, He spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva, and spread it on the eyes of the blind man, 7 and told him, “Go wash in the pool of Siloam” [1]. He went and washed and came back able to see.
8 His neighbors and others who had previously seen him begging, began asking, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some were saying, “He’s the one”, while others said, “No, he only looks like him.” But he said, “I’m the man.” 10 They asked him, “How were your eyes 'healed'?” 11 He answered, “A man named Yeshua made mud and spread it on my eyes and told me, ‘Go wash in the water of Siloam.’ So I went and washed and then I could see.” 12 They asked him, “Where is He?” He replied, “I don’t know.”
Religious Leaders Banish the Healed Man
13 They took the man who had been blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now it was on the Sabbath when Yeshua made the mud and ‘healed’ his eyes. 15 The Pharisees asked him again, “How was your sight restored?” And he told them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.”
16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man isn’t of Yehovah because He doesn’t observe the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a Man who is a sinner perform such miraculous signs?” So there was division among them. 17 Again they asked the formerly blind man, “What do you say about Him, since He gave you sight?” He told them, “I say that He is the Prophet.”
18 The Jews didn’t believe that he had been blind and received sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight. 19 They asked them, “Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? How is it that he can see now?” 20 His parents said, “We know that he’s our son and that he was born blind, 21 but we don’t know how he is able to see now, or who 'healed' him. He’s old enough, ask him, he can speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, since the Jews had decided that if anyone acknowledged that He was the Messiah, they would be banished from the synagogue. 23 That’s why his parents said, “He’s old enough, ask him.”
24 They called in the man who had been blind a second time, and told him, “Give the praise to Yehovah, because we know that this Man is a sinner.” 25 He replied, “I don’t know if He’s a sinner or not. But I do know that I was blind, and now I see!” 26 They asked him again, “What did He do to you? How did He 'heal' your eyes?” 27 He replied, “I already told you, but you weren’t listening. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become His disciples too?” 28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You’re His disciple, but we’re disciples of Moses. 29 We know that Yehovah spoke with Moses, but as for this Man, we don’t know where He’s from.” 30 The man replied, “This is amazing! You scholars don’t know where He is from, yet He 'healed' my eyes. 31 Now we know that Yehovah doesn’t listen to sinners, but He listens to anyone who reveres Him and does His will. 32 Since the beginning of time, no one has ever heard of anyone healing the eyes of a person who was born blind. 33 If this Man were not from Yehovah, He couldn’t have done that.” 34 They replied, “You were born entirely sinful, and you want to teach us?” Then they threw him out of the synagogue.
The Blind Man Really Sees!
35 Yeshua heard that they threw him out, and when He found him, He asked him, “Do you believe in the Son of Yehovah” [2]? 36 The man who was healed asked, “Sovereign, who is He? I want to believe in Him?” 37 Yeshua told him, “You have seen Him, and He is the One who is talking to you.” 38 He said, “Sovereign, I believe”, and he worshiped Him. 39 Yeshua said, “I came into the world for judgment, so that those who are blind can see, and so that those who can see will become blind. 40 Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and they asked Him, “Are we blind too?” 41 Yeshua told them, “If you were blind, your sins wouldn’t “stick”, but now you say, ‘We see’, so your sin is confirmed.”
[1] Siloam comes from the Hebrew and means “sent.” [2] See Proverbs 30:4.
John 10
The True Shepherd
1 “I tell you with absolute certainty that anyone who doesn’t enter by the gate into the sheepfold, but climbs in some other way is a thief and a robber. 2 But the person who enters thru the gate is the shepherd of the flock. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has led out his flock, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they recognize his voice, 5 but the flock won’t follow a stranger. They flee from him because they don’t recognize the voice of strangers.” 6 Yeshua used this illustration with them, but they didn’t understand what He meant.7 Later, Yeshua told them, “I tell you with absolute certainty that I’m the gate for the flock. 8 Everyone who came before Me were thieves and robbers, but the flock didn’t listen to them. 9 I’m the gate. Anyone who enters thru Me will be rescued, they’ll come in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief only comes to steal, kill and destroy. I came so that they can have life, and have it abundantly.
11 I AM the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 12 When a hireling who isn’t the Shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. So the wolf comes and attacks and scatters the flock. 13 The hireling flees, because he was only working for money, and cares nothing about the flock.
14 I’m the Good Shepherd, and I know My own sheep and they know Me. 15 Just as My Father knows Me and I know My Father. And I lay down My life for the flock. 16 I have other sheep that aren’t in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will also hear My voice and together they’ll all become one flock with one Shepherd. 17 This is why My Father loves Me, because I’m laying aside My life only to resume it. 18 No one is going to take it from Me because I’m laying it aside of My own free will. I have the liberty to lay it down, and the liberty to resume it again. I received this commandment from My Father.”
19 Once again the Jews were divided about the things He said. 20 Many of them said, “He has a demon and is insane, why listen to Him?” 21 Others claimed, “These aren’t things a demon possessed person would say. Can a demon 'heal' the eyes of someone who is blind?”
I and My Father Are One!
22 It was winter, and the Feast of “Hanukkah” was being celebrated in Jerusalem. 23 Yeshua walked into the Temple, inside the open porch of Solomon. 24 The Jews gathered around Him and asked Him, “How long are You going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
25 Yeshua told them, “I told you, but you didn’t believe Me. The works that I do in My Father’s name confirm what I say, 26 but you don’t believe because you’re not My sheep. As I’ve told you, 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 I give them eternal life and they’ll never be lost, and no one will grab them out of my hand. 29 My Father who gave them to Me is greater than everyone, and no one can grab them from My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are One.”
You Claim to be Aloha
31 Once again the Jews picked up stones to stone Him. 32 Yeshua told them, “I’ve shown you many good works from My Father. Which of those works do you want to stone Me for?” 33 The Jews replied, “We’re not going to stone You for any good work, but for blasphemy, because You are only a man, but You claim to be Aloha!”
34 Yeshua told them, “Isn’t it written in your Torah, ‘I have said, you are alohee’ [supreme beings]? 35 If he called the people who possessed the Word of Aloha, “Alohee”, and the Scriptures are never 'contradictory', 36 then how can you say to the One who the Father has dedicated and sent into the world, ‘You blaspheme’, because I told you I’m the Son of Yehovah? 37 If I’m not doing My Father’s works, don’t believe Me. 38 But if I’m doing them, even tho you don’t believe Me, believe in the works, so that you can know and believe that My Father is in Me, and that I am in My Father.” 39 Again they tried to arrest Him, but He escaped from their grasp.
40 He went to the other side of the Jordan, to the place where John had begun immersing, and He stayed there. 41 Many people came to Him and said, “John hasn’t even performed a single miracle, but everything that John said about this Man was true!” 42 And many believed in Him.
John 11
The Death of Lazarus
1 Now there was a man who was sick, Lazarus from the town of Bethany. He was the brother of Mary and of Martha. 2 She was the same Mary who anointed Yeshua’s feet with perfume, and wiped them with her hair. Her brother Lazarus was sick. 3 His two sisters sent a message to Yeshua that said, “Sovereign, the one You love is sick.”4 Yeshua said, “This sickness isn’t a deadly sickness. It is for the splendor of Yehovah, so that the Son of Yehovah will be praised because of it.” 5 Now Yeshua loved Martha and Mary and Lazarus. 6 Yet when He heard that he was sick, He stayed where He was for two days.
7 After this He said to His disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.” 8 His disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, the Jews have just tried to stone You, and You want to go there again?” 9 Yeshua replied, “Aren’t there twelve hours in the day? When someone walks in the daytime, they won’t stumble because they see the light of the world. 10 But if someone walks at night, they stumble because there is no light with them.”
11 After Yeshua said these things, He told them, “Lazarus our friend has fallen asleep. [1] But I’m going to wake him up!” 12 His disciples said, “Sovereign, if he’s sleeping, he’s recovering.” 13 But Yeshua had spoken metaphorically of his death, but they thought that He literally meant lying down sleeping.
14 Then Yeshua told them bluntly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I’m glad I wasn’t there, so that you can believe. Now let’s start walking there.”
16 Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go too, and die with Him.”
17 Yeshua arrived in Bethany, and found that he had been in the grave for four days. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen stadia [two miles] away. 19 Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Yeshua was coming, she went out to meet Him, but Mary stayed sitting in the house.
21 Martha said to Yeshua, “Sovereign, if You had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. 22 But even now, I know that whatever You ask Yehovah for, He’ll give You.” 23 Yeshua told her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha replied, “I know that he’ll rise in the resurrection on the Last Day.” 25 Yeshua told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in Me will live, even if they die. 26 Anyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She told Him, “Yes Sovereign, I believe that You are the Messiah, the Son of Yehovah, the One who was to come into the world.”
28 After she said that, she went and called her sister Mary aside in private, and told her, “Our Sovereign is here and is calling for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to meet Him. 30 Yeshua had not yet entered the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met Him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house consoling her, saw that Mary had gotten up suddenly and gone out, they followed her because they thought she was going to the grave to cry.
32 When Mary arrived where Yeshua was and saw Him, she fell at His feet and told Him, “If you had been here, Sovereign, my brother wouldn’t have died.” 33 When Yeshua saw her crying, and the Jews who came with her crying, He was moved in His spirit to strong indignation [2]. 34 He asked, “Where have you laid him?” They replied, “Sovereign, come and see.” 35 Yeshua was in tears.
36 The Jews said, “See how much He loved him.” 37 But some of them asked, “Couldn’t this Man who 'healed' the eyes of a blind man have prevented this death?”
38 Yeshua, still disturbed, came to the grave. The grave was a cave and a stone was lying against the entrance. 39 Yeshua said, “Take the stone away.” Martha, the sister of the deceased told Him, “Sovereign, by this time there will be a stench, he’s been dead four days.” 40 Yeshua told her, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed you would see the splendor of Yehovah?”
41 So they removed the stone. Yeshua looked up and said, “Father, I thank You that You’ve heard Me. 42 I know that You always hear Me, but I said this for the sake of people standing here, so they’ll believe that You sent Me.”
43 After saying this, He called out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The man who had died came out with his hands and his feet wrapped with burial clothes, and his face wrapped with cloth. Yeshua told them, “Untie him and let him go.”
Will He Come to the Feast?
45 Many of the Jews who had come to Mary, believed in Yeshua when they saw what He did, 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them everything that Yeshua had done.
47 The high priests and Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin and said, “What should we do now? This Man is performing many miraculous signs. 48 If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and confiscate our territory and our nation.”
49 But one of them, named Caiaphas, the high priest that year, told them, “You don’t know anything. 50 You don’t realize that it’s better for us, for one Man to die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.”
51 However He didn’t say this on his own initiative, but as high priest that year, he prophesied that Yeshua was about to die for the people, 52 and not only for the people, but also to unify the sons of Aloha who were scattered abroad [Gr. diaspora]. 53 From that day on they resolved to kill Him.
54 As a result, Yeshua didn’t walk jn public among the Jews, but went to a region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and He stayed there with His disciples.
55 The Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up from the villages to Jerusalem before the Feast to purify themselves. 56 They were looking for Yeshua, and saying to one another as they stood in the Temple, “What do you think? Will He avoid coming to the Feast?” 57 The high priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, they were to let them know, so they could arrest Him.
[1] Do souls sleep? [2] Moved, not by remorse, but by the lack of belief.
John 12
Yeshua Anointed With Spikenard
1 Six days before the Passover, Yeshua arrived in Bethany, where Lazarus was, who Yeshua had raised from the dead. 2 They made a supper for Him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of the guests reclining with Him. 3 Mary took an alabaster vase of very expensive perfume, the finest nard, and anointed Yeshua’s feet, and she wiped His feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.4 But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who was going to betray Him said, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 He didn’t say this because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the money box, he carried whatever was tossed into it.
7 But Yeshua said, “Leave her alone, she has kept it for the day of My burial. 8 You will always have the poor with you, but you won’t always have Me.”
9 A large crowd of Jews heard that He was there, and they came, not only because of Yeshua, but also so that they could see Lazarus, who He raised from the dead. 10 The high priests even considered killing Lazarus as well, 11 since because of him many of the Jews were leaving them and believing in Yeshua.
Yeshua on a Donkey
12 The next day the large crowd that had come to the Feast heard that Yeshua was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took boughs of palm trees and went out to meet Him, shouting, “Aloha save Him [Hosanna]. Blessed is the One who comes in Yehovah’s name, the King of Israel!” 14 Yeshua found a donkey, and sat on it, as it is written, 15 “Don’t be afraid, daughter of Zion. Your King is coming to you. He’s riding on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
16 His disciples didn’t understand these things at the time, but after Yeshua was honored with splendor, the disciples remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done this to Him.
17 The crowd that had been with Him when He raised Lazarus from the dead kept telling others about it. 18 Because of this many people went out to meet Him, since they heard that He had given this miraculous sign. 19 So the Pharisees said to each other, “You see that we’re 'loosing ground'? The whole world is following Him.”
20 There were also some Greek proselytes among the people who had come up to worship at the Feast. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee and said, “Friend, we want to see Yeshua.” 22 Philip came and told Andrew, and Andrew told Philip who told Yeshua. 23 Yeshua replied, “The time has come for the Human Son to enter His splendor. 24 I tell you with absolute certainty that unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains 'just one seed', but if it dies it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, and anyone who is not concerned about their life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. 26 Anyone who serves Me must follow Me. And where I am is also where my servant [Gr. diakonos] will be [Aramaic future tense]. Father will honor anyone who serves Me.
Yeshua Predicts His Death
27 “Now My life [soul] is deeply troubled, and what should I say? Father, save Me from this hour? But this is why I came to this hour. 28 Father, praise Your name!” A voice was heard from Heaven, “I have already brought praise to My name and I will praise it again.” 29 The crowd standing by, heard it, and they said, “There was thunder.” But others said, “A spirit Messenger was speaking with Him.” 30 Yeshua told them, “This voice wasn’t for My sake, but for yours. 31 The world is being judged right now! And now the ruler of this world will be thrown out [1]. 32 After I’ve been lifted up from the earth, I’ll draw all ethnicities to Myself.” 33 He said this to indicate the kind of death He was going to die.
34 The people were telling Him, “We have heard from the Torah that the Messiah remains forever, so why do You say that the Human Son will be lifted up? Who is this Human Son?” 35 Yeshua told them, “For a little while longer, the Light is with you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness won’t overtake you. Anyone who walks in the dark doesn’t know where they are going. 36 While you have the Light, believe in the Light so that you can become children of Light.” After Yeshua said these things, He went away and hid Himself from them.
37 Even tho He had done all of these miraculous signs in their presence, they still didn’t believe in Him. 38 This was to fulfill the statement of Isaiah the prophet when he said, “Yehovah, who has believed our report? Who has the arm of Yehovah been revealed to?”
39 This is why they couldn’t believe, again, because as Isaiah had said, 40 “They [2] have blinded their own eyes and darkened their minds, so that they couldn’t see with their eyes or understand with their minds and be converted, so that I could heal them.” 41 Isaiah spoke about these things after he saw His splendor [3].
They Loved the Praises of Men
42 Many of the leaders actually believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they didn’t admit it since they didn’t want to be banished from the synagogue, 43 since they loved the approval of people more than the approval of Yehovah.
44 Yeshua shouted, “Anyone who believes in Me, doesn’t believe so much in Me, but in the One who sent Me. 45 Whoever sees Me sees the One who sent Me. 46 I am the Light who came into the world, so that whoever believes in Me wouldn’t stay in the dark.
47 I won’t judge anyone who hears My words, but doesn’t obey them, because I didn’t come into the world to judge it [this time] [4], but to rescue the world. 48 Those who reject Me and don’t accept My words have something to judge them—the words [5] I have spoken will judge them on the Last Day. 49 I haven’t spoken on My own. The Father who sent Me instructed Me about what I should say and what I should reveal. 50 I know that His Commandments lead to eternal life. So the things I’m saying are what My Father told Me to say.”
[1] Tho Satan tried to control the world thru Yeshua, he has had a “lame duck” administration since Yeshua qualified to rule the world under His Father. [2] The Greek translations infer that tuphloo means “He has blinded”, rather than “they have blinded.” [3] Isaiah saw Yeshua in His splendor, Isaiah 6:1,5. [4] In Acts 17:30-31, Yeshua is shown judging the world. [5] Isaiah 5:24
John 13
Foot Washing
1 Before the Feast of the Passover, Yeshua knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and return to His Father. He loved His own people who were in the world, and He loved them to the end.2 During supper, Satan had already influenced Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray Him. 3 Yeshua knew that the Father had put everything under His control, and that He had come from the Father, and was going back to Yehovah. 4 He got up from the supper and laid aside His outer clothing, and took a linen cloth and wrapped it around His waist. 5 Then He poured water into a wash basin and began to wash the feet of His disciples. He wiped them with the linen cloth that He had tied around His waist.
6 When He came to Simon Cephas, Simon asked Him, “Sovereign, are You going to wash my feet?” 7 Yeshua replied, “You don’t comprehend what I am doing now, but later you’ll understand.” 8 Simon Cephas told Him, “You’ll never wash my feet.” Yeshua replied, “Unless I wash you, you’ll have nothing to do with Me.” 9 Then Simon Cephas said, “Sovereign, then don’t just wash my feet but my hands and my head as well.” 10 Yeshua told him, “A person who has had a bath only needs to wash their feet because they are clean everywhere else.” That’s why He said, “You are 'basically' clean, tho not all of you are clean.” 11 Yeshua knew who would betray Him, that’s why He said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12 After washing their feet, He put on His outer clothing and reclined at the table again. Then He asked them, “Do you comprehend what I’ve done for you? 13 You call Me Rabbi and Sovereign, and you’re right because that’s what I am. 14 So if I, your Rabbi and Sovereign, have washed your feet, how much more important is it for you to wash each other’s feet? 15 I’ve set an example for you, so that you can do what I’ve done for you. 16 I tell you with absolute certainty that no servant is greater than his master, and no messenger [Gr. apostolos] is greater than the person who sent him. 17 If you understand these things, you’ll be blessed for doing them.
Yeshua Identifies the Traitor
18 “I’m not referring to all of you. I know the ones I’ve chosen, but this fulfills the Scripture, ‘Someone who eats bread with Me has lifted his heel against Me.’ 19 I want to tell you this now before it happens, so that when it happens you’ll know that I AM. 20 I am absolutely certain that anyone who welcomes someone I send welcomes Me, and anyone who welcomes Me welcomes the One who sent Me.
21 Yeshua said these things, but He was troubled in spirit and He declared, “I tell you with absolute certainty that one of you is going to betray Me.” 22 The disciples stared at each other, because they didn’t know what He was talking about. 23 One of His disciples, one Yeshua particularly loved, was reclining next to Him. 24 Simon Cephas gestured to Him to ask Him who it was that He spoke of. 25 Then that disciple leaned on Yeshua’s chest and asked Him, “Sovereign, who is it?” 26 Yeshua answered, “It’s the one I give this bread to, once I’ve dipped it.” Then Yeshua dipped the bread, and gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27 After taking the bread, Satan entered into him, and Yeshua told him, “What you’re about to do, do quickly.” 28 But no one else at the table knew why He told him that. 29 Some of them thought that since Judas had the money box, that Yeshua was telling him to buy what they needed for the Feast [1] or that he should give something to the poor. 30 Judas took the piece of bread and immediately left the house. It was night when he left.
31 Yeshua said [2], “Now the Human Son has been exalted, and Yehovah is exalted because of Him. 32 If Yehovah is exalted by Him, Yehovah Himself will also exalt Him, and will exalt Him immediately.
You Can’t Go Where I Go!
33 “My children, I will only be with you a little longer. You’ll look for Me, but I’m telling you what I told the Jews, ‘You can’t go where I’m going [Heaven].’ 34 I’m giving you a new Commandment [3]: Love each other. You must love each other just as I have loved you. 35 This is how everyone will know that you are My disciples—if you love each other!” 36 Simon Cephas asked Him, “Sovereign, where are You going?” Yeshua told him, “You can’t go where I am going, tho you’ll follow Me later [at the end of the age].” 37 Simon Cephas asked Him, “Sovereign, why can’t I go with you now? I would lay down my life for You.” 38 Yeshua replied, “Would you lay down your life for Me? I tell you with absolute certainty that the rooster won’t crow until you have disowned Me three times!”
[1] All of Israel was preparing for the Passover on that Preparation Day. [2] The Greek adds, “after He had gone out.” [3] There is nothing new about love (Leviticus 19:18,34 and Mark 12:28-31), yet a new motivation and intensity was stressed (v.35). Yeshua wanted His followers to become a special assembly—noted for their love for each other.
John 14
In My Father’s House
1 “Don’t allow your minds to be troubled, believe in Yehovah, and believe in Me. 2 There are many mansions [Etheridge, Murdock] in My Father’s house, otherwise, I would have told you. I’m going to prepare a place for you to live. 3 If I go to prepare that place for you, I’ll appear publicly again and accept you as My own, so that you can be where I am. 4 You already know where I’m going, and you already know the way.”5 Thomas asked Him, “Sovereign, we don’t know where You’re going, so how could we know the way?” 6 Yeshua told him, “I am the way, and truth, and the life, no one comes to My Father other than thru Me. 7 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father as well. From now on you know Him and have seen Him.” 8 Philip said, “Sovereign, show us the Father, and it will be enough for us.” 9 Yeshua replied, “Philip, have I been with you all this time, and you still don’t know Me? Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father, so why would you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in My Father, and that My Father is in Me? The words that I’m telling you aren’t of My own initiative. My Father who lives in Me is doing the work! 11 Believe Me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me. But if not, at least believe because of the works themselves. 12 I tell you with absolute certainty that anyone who believes in Me will also do the works that I do. And they’ll do greater works than these, because I’m going to My Father. 13 Whatever you ask for in My name I’ll do for you, so that the Father can be honored thru His Son. 14 If you ask Me for anything in My name, I’ll do it.
Obey My Commandments!
15 “If you love Me, obey My Commandments! 16 I’ll ask My Father, and He’ll give you another advocate [1], and “she” [2] will be with you forever. 17 She is the spirit of truth that the world won’t accept, because it hasn’t seen her and doesn’t know about her, but you know about her because she remains with you, and is in you. 18 I won’t leave you orphans, because I will come to you in a little while. 19 The world won’t see Me, but you’ll see Me, and because I live, you’ll also live. 20 Then you’ll know that I am in My Father, and that you are in Me, and I am in you. 21 Anyone who accepts My Commandments and obeys them is someone who loves Me. My Father will love anyone who loves Me, as will I, and I’ll reveal Myself to them.”
22 Judas, (not Iscariot), asked Him, “Sovereign, how are you planning on revealing Yourself to us and not to the world?” 23 Yeshua replied, “Anyone who loves Me obeys My teachings. My Father will love them, and WE WILL COME TO THEM [3] and make Our home with them! 24 Yet those who don’t love Me, don’t obey My teachings. The teachings that you hear aren’t Mine, but are from the Father who sent Me.
“She” Will Remind You!
25 “I’m telling you these things while I’m still with you. 26 But the redeemer (Aramaic), the 'special' spirit that the Father will send in My name will teach you everything. She will remind you of everything that I have told you. 27 I leave peace with you, I give you My own peace, but not the way the world gives it. Don’t allow your minds to be troubled or fearful.
28 “You heard Me say, ‘I must go away, and come again to you.’ If you really loved Me, you would have been delighted that I am going to the Father, since the Father is greater than I am. 29 Now look, I’ve told you in advance, so that when it happens you will believe. 30 I can’t talk with you much longer, because the ruler of this world is coming, tho he has no power over Me. 31 Yet in order for the world to know that I love My Father, I’m doing what My Father has commanded Me. Get up, let’s leave this place.”
[1] The Aramaic word has been confused with the Greek ‘paraclitus’, meaning ‘advocate.’ The Aramaic word is derived from two Aramaic roots: One meaning ‘to finish’ and the other ‘the curse.’ (See ‘A Compendious Syriac Dictionary’, page 236, and Oraham’s Dictionary, page 250). So the construct is ‘redeemer’ or ‘one who ends the curse.’ By the indwelling of the 'special' spirit, our fallen nature has been redeemed from the curse of Adam. [2] Aramaic assigns gender to inanimate objects etc, as many languages do. The special [holy] spirit is feminine in both Aramaic and Hebrew. The cherished spirit in Greek is neuter, so the neuter pronouns “it,” and “itself” should be used in translating from Greek! Any strictly literal Greek translation would have to use “it” for the 'special' spirit (since it is really not a person, but Aloha’s active force. [3] Both the Father and the Son will come to the person who shows Them love by obeying Their Commandments. In the context (verses 2 & 3) Their home (New Jerusalem) will be here when They are.
John 15
I Am the True Vine
1 “I AM the Vine of Truth [Gr. “true Vine”] and My Father is the Vinedresser. 2 He 'prunes' away every branch in Me that doesn’t produce fruit, and He prunes those that yield fruit so that 'they' can produce even more fruit. 3 You have already been pruned by the teachings that I have given you. 4 Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. Just as a branch can’t yield fruit by itself unless it remains attached to the vine, you can’t either unless you remain in Me.5 “I am the vine and you are the branches. Anyone who remains in Me and I in them, continues to produce abundant fruit, but you can’t do anything without Me. 6 If anyone doesn’t remain in Me, they are thrown away like a dried up branch. They are picked up and tossed in the fire to be burned. 7 But if you remain in Me, without departing from My teachings, anything that you ask for will be given to you. 8 The Father is held in honor when you produce a lot of fruit, and become My disciples.
If You Obey My Commandments
9 “As My Father has loved Me, I have also loved you. So live in My love. 10 If you carefully obey My Commandments you’ll remain in My love, just as I have obeyed My Father’s Commandments and remain in His love. 11 I’m telling you these things so that you continue to be pleasing to Me, and so that your joy will be brought into realization. 12 This is My Commandment to you—you must love each other just as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this—someone laying down their life for their friends. 14 You are My friends IF you obey everything I command you. 15 I don’t call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his Sovereign is doing, but I have called you My friends, because I’ve revealed everything to you that I’ve heard from My Father. 16 You haven’t selected Me, but I’ve selected you, and I’ve established you so that you can also go and yield fruit that will last, and He’ll give you whatever you ask for in My Father’s name. 17 I’m commanding these things, so that you’ll love each other.
You Can’t Go Where I Go!
18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before you. 19 If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own, but because you don’t belong to the world, I have selected you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember the teachings that I gave you—that no servant is greater than his master. If they’ve persecuted Me, they’ll persecute you as well, and if they’ve paid attention to My teachings, they’ll pay attention to yours as well. 21 They’ll do all of these things to you because of My name, because they don’t know the One who sent Me.
Now They Have No Excuse
22 “If I hadn’t come and spoken with them they wouldn’t be guilty of this sin, but now their sins are exposed. 23 Anyone who hates Me also hates My Father. 24 If I hadn’t done miraculous works in their presence—things no else has ever done, they wouldn’t be guilty of this sin, but they’ve indeed seen them, and hated both Me and My Father anyway. 25 But this happened to fulfill what is written in their Torah, ‘They hated Me for no reasonn.’26 “Yet when the redeemer comes, that I’ll send to you from My Father, the spirit of truth that the Father will send to you, she [1] will testify on My behalf. 27 You will also be My witnesses, because you have been with Me from the beginning.”
[1] “Likewise in Hebrew thought, Ruach Ha Kodesh was considered a voice sent from on high to speak to the Prophet. Thus, in the Old Testament language of the prophets, She is the ['cherished'] spirit of indwelling and creativity and is considered as having a feminine power. “He” as a reference to Spirit has been used in theology to match the pronoun for [Yah], yet the Hebrew word ruach is a noun of feminine gender [just as “she” is in Aramaic]. Thus, referring to the ['cherished'] spirit as “she” has some linguistic justification. Denoting Spirit as a feminine principle, the creative principle of life, makes sense ... ”—J. J. Hurtak, PhD
John 16
Booted From the Synagogues
1 “I have told you these things so that you won’t 'fall away'. 2 You’ll be banished from their synagogues [1] and far worse, the time will come when whoever kills you will believe that they are giving a zebak [sacrifice] to Yehovah. 3 They’ll do these things because they haven’t come to know either My Father or Me. 4 I’ve told you these things so that when the time comes, you’ll remember that I told you about them. I didn’t tell you these things to begin with, because I was with you.I’ll Send “Her”
5 “But now I’m returning to the One who sent Me, yet none of you are asking Me where I’m going. 6 Because I’ve told you these things, sorrow has come and filled your thoughts. 7 Yet I tell you the truth—it is to your advantage that I leave, because if I don’t leave, the redeemer [Aramaic] won’t come to you, but if I go I’ll send “her” [Aramaic gender] to you. 8 When she comes, she will convict the world regarding sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 regarding sin, because they don’t believe in Me; 10 regarding righteousness, because I’m going to My Father and you’ll no longer see Me; 11 regarding judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
12 I have much more to tell you, but you can’t comprehend [2] it yet. 13 Yet when the spirit of truth comes, she will guide you into all the truth. She won’t speak for herself, but whatever she is told, that is what she will reveal, and she will reveal future events. 14 She will bring Me splendor because she will take what is Mine and reveal it to you. 15 Everything that the Father has is Mine, that is why I said she will take what is Mine, and reveal it to you.
16 In a little while you’ll no longer see Me, but soon after that you’ll see Me, because I’m going to the Father.”
17 His disciples were asking each other, “What does He mean when He says, ‘In a little while you’ll no longer see Me, but soon after that you’ll see Me, because I’m going to the Father?’” 18 They were asking, “What is this ‘little while’ that He’s talking about? We don’t understand what He’s talking about.”
19 Yeshua (Jesus) knew what they wanted to ask Him, so He asked them, “Are you questioning each other about what I meant when I told you,‘In a little while you’ll no longer see Me, but soon after that you’ll see Me?’ 20 I am absolutely certain that you’ll cry and lament. When the world rejoices, you’ll be sorry. But your sorrow will be turned to joy. 21 A woman having a baby is in pain because the time for her delivery has come, but after she has delivered the baby, she doesn’t think about her pain, because of the joy of having her child born into the world. 22 You also have sorrow now, but I’ll see you again and you’ll be elated, and no one will deprive you of your joy. 23 When that day comes you won’t ask Me for anything. I am absolute certainty that whatever you ask My Father for, in My name, He’ll give you. 24 Up until this point you haven’t asked for anything in My name. Ask, and you’ll receive, and your joy will be complete.
No More Parables
25 “I have been telling you these things in parables, but the time is coming when I’ll no longer talk to you in parables, but I’ll talk to you without hesitation about the Father. 26 Then you’ll make your requests in My name and I won’t have to ask the Father 1for you. 27 The Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from the Father. 28 I left the Father and came into the world, and now I’m leaving the world and going back to the Father.”
29 His disciples said, “Now You’re speaking freely and without parables. 30 Now we know that You know everything, and there is no need for anyone to question You. By this clarification we understand, that You departed from Yehovah.”
31 Yeshua asked them, “So now you believe? 32 Look, the time is coming, it’s actually already here, when you’ll be scattered, everyone going to their own place, and you’ll leave Me all alone. Yet I’m never alone because the Father is with Me.
33 I’ve told you these things so that in Me you can have peace. In the world you’ll have tribulation, but be encouraged, I have conquered the world.”
[1] or Congregations or “Assemblies” [2] The Greek says “bear the burden.”
John 17
Yeshua’ Prayer For His Disciples
1 After Yeshua said these things, He looked up toward Heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Bring renown to Your Son so that Your Son can bring renown to You, 2 just as You have given Him authority over all humanity, so that He can give eternal life to everyone You’ve given Him. 3 This is eternal life—for them to know You, the Aloha of truth, and Yeshua Messiah, the One You sent. 4 I have brought You praise on the earth by finishing the work [1] You gave Me to do. 5 Now Father, dignify Me in Your presence with the splendor that I had with You before the world existed.6 “I have revealed Your name to the people You gave Me from the world. They were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have followed Your instructions. 7 Now they know that anything You gave Me is from You, 8 because I gave the instructions You gave Me to them, and they’ve accepted them, and they know for certain that I came from You. They have believed that You sent Me. 9 I’m asking for them, I’m not asking for the world, just for the ones You gave Me, since they’re Yours. 10 Everyone 'who' is Mine is Yours, and 'everyone' who is Yours is Mine, and I’m highly esteemed by them. 11 From now on I won’t be in the world, but they are in the world. I’m coming to You. Perfect Father, protect those You’ve given to Me in Your name, the name You’ve given to Me, so that they can become one as We are. 12 While I was with them in the world, I protected them in Your name. Those you gave Me I have protected, and none of them were lost except the son of destruction, in fulfillment of the Scriptures.
13 “But now I’m coming to You, and I’m asking these things while still in the world, so that they’ll be filled with the joy that I have. 14 I’ve given them Your teachings, and the world has hated them because they don’t belong to the world 'any more than' I belong to the world. 15 I’m not asking You to take them out of the world, but to protect them from the evil. 16 They don’t belong to the world 'any more than' I belong to the world. 17 Father, dedicate them by Your Word, Your Word is truth. 18 You sent Me into the world, just as I sent them into the world. 19 I dedicated Myself to them, so that they can be dedicated to the truth.
20 “I’m not asking just for them, but also for those who will believe in Me thru their teaching, 21 so that they can all be one just as You Father, are in Me, and I in You. And may they be one with Us, so that the world will believe that You sent Me. 22 The magnificence that You gave Me, I have given to them, so that they can be one, just as We are One. 23 I am in them and You are in Me. May they be perfected into one so that the world will know that You sent Me and that You loved them just as You loved Me.
24 “Father, I want those You’ve given Me to be with Me where I am, so that they can see the splendor that You’ve given Me, because You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 25 Righteous Father, the world has never known You, but I have certainly known You, and these disciples know that You sent Me. 26 I have revealed Your name to them, and I’ll continue to make it known so that the love that You have for Me will be in them, and I in them.”
John 18
Arrested in Gethsemane
1 After Yeshua said these things, He went out with His disciples and crossed the Kedron brook, where He and His disciples entered a garden. 2 Judas the traitor also knew that place, because Yeshua often met there with His disciples. 3 So Judas took a regent and some officials from the high priests and Pharisees, and they came with torches and lanterns and weapons. 4 Yeshua knew every last thing that was going to happen to Him, but He went out and asked them, “Who do you want?” 5 They told Him, “Yeshua the Nazarene.” Yeshua replied, “I AM.” [1] (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6 As soon as Yeshua told them, “I AM”, they 'lurched' backward and fell to the ground. 7 So Yeshua asked them again, “Who do you want?” And they said, “Yeshua the Nazarene.” 8 Yeshua replied, “I told you that I AM. If you want Me, let these others go.” 9 This fulfilled His own statement, “I haven’t lost even one of those You gave Me.”10 Simon Cephas was carrying a sword, so he drew it and swung it at an underling of the high priest and cut off his right ear. The underling’s name was Malek [Aramaic king]. 11 Yeshua told Cephas, “Put your sword back into its sheath. Should I avoid drinking from the cup that My Father has given Me?”
12 Then the regent and the captain and the Jewish officers seized Yeshua and tied Him up. 13 First they brought him to Annas. He was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 It was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it would be better to have one Man die for the people.
Cephas Denies Yeshua
15 Simon Cephas and another disciple followed Yeshua. Since the other disciple knew the high priest, he accompanied Yeshua into the courtyard, 16 but Simon stood outside the door, and the other disciple who was acquainted with the high priest went out and spoke to the doorkeeper and let Simon in.
17 The servant girl at the door asked Simon, “Aren’t you also one of this Man’s disciples?” He replied, “I’m not.” 18 The servants and the officials were standing around a fire they had built to warm themselves because it was cold, and Cephas was standing there too, warming himself with the others.
Yeshua Interrogated
19 The high priest interrogated Yeshua about His disciples and about His teachings. 20 Yeshua told him, “I have spoken publicly with the people, and have continually taught in synagogues and in the Temple where all the Jews assemble, and I haven’t said anything in secret. 21 Why are you interrogating Me? Ask those who heard what I said. They know what I said.”
22 When He said this, one of the officials standing by slapped Yeshua’s cheek and asked Him, “Is that how You answer the high priest?” 23 Yeshua replied, “If I said something wrong, then show some evidence of the wrong, but if I’m right, why did you hit Me?” 24 Then Annas sent Yeshua, still tied up, to Caiaphas the high priest.
25 Simon Cephas was still standing and warming himself, and they asked him, “Aren’t you also one of His disciples?” Yet he denied it and said, “I’m not.” 26 One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the one whose ear Simon cut off, asked him, “Didn’t I see you with Him in the garden?” 27 Simon again denied it, and at that moment the rooster crowed.
28 Then Yeshua was led away from Caiaphas to the Praetorium [judgment hall] that morning. Yet they didn’t enter the Praetorium because they were afraid that they would defile themselves before they had eaten the Passover. 29 So Pilate came out and asked them, “What accusation are you bringing against this Man?”
30 They answered, “If He weren’t doing evil, we wouldn’t have handed Him over to you.” 31 Pilate replied, “Take Him and judge Him by your Torah.” The Jews replied, “It is illegal for us to put a man to death.” 32 This fulfilled what Yeshua said about the kind of death He was to die.
33 Then Pilate reentered the Praetorium, and summoned Yeshua and asked Him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Yeshua asked, “Is that your own question, or did others tell you about Me?”
35 Pilate replied, “Am I a Jew? Your countrymen and the high priests have handed You over to me. What have You done?” 36 Yeshua answered, “My authority to rule does not originate from this world. If My royal power were from this world, My soldiers [literally crewmen] would fight to prevent My being handed over to the Jews, but My authority to rule isn’t here yet.”
37 Pilate asked, “Then You are a King?” Yeshua replied, “You have said that I’m a King. That is why I was born. That is why I came into the world, so that I could be a witness of the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.”
38 Pilate asked Him, “What is truth?” As he was asking this, he went out again to the Jews and told them, “I find no basis for the accusations against Him. 39 You have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. So shouldn’t I release the King of the Jews?” 40 They shouted back, “Not this man, but Barabbas.” (Barabbas was a robber).
[1] Yeshua revealed who He was, as in Exodus 3:13-15. There is no “he” here in Aramaic or Greek.
John 19
Soldiers Mock Yeshua
1 Then Pilate had Yeshua scourged. 2 The soldiers braided a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put a purple robe on Him. 3 They were saying, “Peace to the King of the Jews!” Then they slapped His face.4 Pilate went out again and told them, “I’m bringing Him out to you, but understand that I didn’t find this Man guilty of anything!” 5 Yeshua went out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate told them, “Look, here’s the Man!”
6 When the high priests and officials saw Him they shouted, “Crucify Him, Crucify Him.” Pilate told them, “You take Him and crucify Him. I found no basis for the accusations against Him.”
7 The Jews told him, “We have the Torah, and according to our Torah He should die, because He claimed to be Yehovah’s Son.”
8 When Pilate heard that, he was more afraid than ever. 9 He returned to the Praetorium and asked Yeshua, “Where are You from?” But Yeshua wouldn’t answer him. 10 Pilate asked Him, “Aren’t You going talk to me? Don’t You know that I have the authority to release You and I have the authority to crucify You?” 11 Yeshua answered, “You would have no authority at all over Me if it were not given to you from above. So the sin of those who handed Me over to you is greater than yours.”
12 Pilate wanted to release Him because of this. Yet the Jews were shouting, “If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar’s, because anyone who claims to be a king is defying Caesar.”
13 When Pilate heard what they were saying, he brought Yeshua out and sat on the tribunal in a place called the Pavement of Stones, but in Hebrew it is called Gabbatha. 14 It was the Preparation Day for the Passover, and it was about the sixth hour [noon]. He told the Jews, “Look, your King.” 15 But they shouted, “Take Him away, take Him away! Crucify Him, crucify Him.” Pilate asked them, “Should I crucify your King?” The high priests replied, “We have no king but Caesar.”
Golgotha
16 So he handed Him over to them to be crucified. They took Yeshua and led Him away, 17 carrying His cross to a place called “The Skull”, or in Hebrew called “Golgotha.” 18 There they crucified Him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Yeshua between them.
19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on His cross. It read, “THIS IS YESHUA THE NAZARENE, KING OF THE JEWS.” 20 Many of the Jews read the inscription because the place where Yeshua was crucified was near Jerusalem, and it was written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin. 21 The high priests told Pilate, “Don’t have it say that He is ‘King of the Jews’, but that ‘He said He was King of the Jews.’” 22 Pilate said, “What I have written, I have written.”
23 After the soldiers had crucified Yeshua, they took His clothes and made four lots of them, a lot for each of the soldiers. His tunic was seamless, woven from the top in one piece.
24 They all agreed, “Let’s not tear it, we’ll cast lots for it to see who gets it.” In this way the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “They divided My clothes among them, and they cast lots for My robe.” So the soldiers did these things.
25 His mother and His mother’s sister and Mary, Cleophas’ wife and Mary Magdalene were standing near Yeshua’s cross. 26 When Yeshua saw His mother and the disciple He loved standing by, He told His mother, “Woman, look, your son.” 27 He said to that disciple, “Look, your mother.” From then on this disciple welcomed her to be with him.
“It is Finished”
28 After these things, Yeshua knew that everything was finished. So to fulfill the Scriptures He said, “I’m thirsty.” 29 A jar full of vinegar was there. They soaked a sponge with the vinegar and put it on a hyssop stalk and held it to His mouth. 30 When Yeshua had taken the vinegar He said, “It is finished.” He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
31 Because it was the Preparation Day, the Jews said, “These bodies must not remain all night on crosses”, (because Sabbath sundown [1] was approaching and that particular Sabbath was a 'special' Day.” So they asked Pilate if they could break the legs of those crucified and take them down. 32 The soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man, and then of the other man who was crucified with Him. 33 But when they came to Yeshua, they saw that He was already dead, so they didn’t break His legs. 34 However, one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and blood and water immediately came out. 35 The person who saw this is an eye-witness, and his testimony is true. He knows that he is telling the truth, so that you can also believe. 36 These things happened to fulfill the Scripture that says, “Not one of His bones will be broken.” 37 Another Scripture says, “They’ll look at the One they pierced.”
Yeshua Buried at Sundown
38 After these things, Joseph of Arimathaea, (who was a disciple of Yeshua, but who kept it secret out of fear of the Jews) asked Pilate’s permission to take Yeshua’s body away. Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away Yeshua’s body. 39 Nicodemus, the man who had previously visited Yeshua one night, also arrived and he brought with him a compound of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred lithreen. [2] 40 They took Yeshua’s body away and wrapped it in linens and aromatics, which is the Jewish custom for burial. 41 There was a garden in the place where Yeshua was crucified, and in the garden was a new tomb that no one had yet been placed in. 42 They put Yeshua in there since the Annual Sabbath [3] was about to begin, and because the tomb was nearby.
[1] The Greek doesn’t mention “sundown” here, or literally “dawning.” Aramaic and Greek both use a single word to mean “dawning” and “twilight approaching.” [2] A litra is about 12 oz. [3] The Greek says, “The Jewish Day of Preparation.”
John 20
The Empty Tomb
1 On the First of the Sabbaths [Gr. Sabbaton], in the morning while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and she saw that the stone had already been removed from the tomb’s entrance. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Cephas and to the other disciple who Yeshua loved and told them, “They’ve taken our Sovereign from the tomb, and I [1] don’t know where they’ve put Him.”3 Simon and the other disciple left, heading for the tomb. 4 They were both running together, but the other disciple outran Simon and reached the tomb first. 5 He looked in and saw the linen clothes lying there, but he didn’t go in. 6 Simon arrived after him and went inside the tomb and saw the linen clothes lying there, 7 and saw that the face cloth that had been wrapped around His head was not with the linen clothes, but was folded up and set in a separate place. 8 Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first went in. He saw and believed. 9 They still didn’t understand from the Scriptures that He was to rise from the dead.
10 The disciples went back to the place where they were staying. 11 But Mary stood crying outside the tomb, and as she cried she looked into the tomb 12 and saw two messengers in white, sitting there, one by the pillow and one at the foot of the place where Yeshua’s body had been. 13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” She said, “Because they’ve taken my Sovereign away, and I don’t know where they’ve put Him.” 14 After she said that, she turned around and saw Yeshua standing there, but didn’t realize that it was Yeshua.
15 Yeshua asked her, “Woman, why are you crying and who are you looking for?” She, assuming that He was the gardener, asked Him, “friend, if you have taken Him away, tell me where you have put Him and I’ll go and get Him.” 16 Yeshua said to her, “Mary!” And she turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabbuni!” (meaning “Sovereign”). 17 Yeshua told her, “Don’t touch Me, because I haven’t ascended to My Father yet. Go to My friends and tell them, ‘I’m ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My Aloha and your Aloha.’”
18 Then Mary Magdalene went and told the disciples that she had seen the Sovereign, and told them what He had said to her.
19 On the evening of the First of the Sabbaths, the disciples were meeting behind locked doors, because they were afraid of the Jews. Yeshua appeared standing among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20 After saying this, He showed them His hands and His side. The disciples were elated when they saw the Sovereign.
21 Yeshua said to them again, “Peace be with you. I’m sending you in the same way that My Father sent Me.” 22 After He said these things, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the 'special' spirit. 23 If you disregard anyone’s sins, their sins will be disregarded, but if you retain anyone’s sins, yours will also be retained.”
24 But Thomas, one of the twelve who was called the Twin, wasn’t with them when Yeshua came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen our Sovereign”, but he replied, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my fingers into them, and touch His side with my hand, I won’t believe it.”
The Seventh Day of Unleavened Bread
26 After eight days [2] the disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Yeshua came in, even tho the doors were locked, and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then He told Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at My hands, and reach out your hand put it into My side, don’t be an unbeliever, be a believer!” 28 Thomas replied, “My Sovereign and my Aloha! 29 Yeshua told him, “Because you’ve seen Me you believe. Blessed are those who haven’t seen Me, and believe.”
30 Yeshua did many other miraculous signs in the presence of His disciples that aren’t recorded in this book, 31 but these have been recorded so that you’ll believe that Yeshua is the Messiah, Yehovah’s Son, and that by believing you’ll have eternal life in His name.
[1] The Greek suspiciously says “we.” [2] This gathering, counting eight days inclusively from Yeshua’s Supper on Preparation Day (Luke 22:12-13) would have been for the celebration of the Last Day of Unleavened Bread!
John 21
Breakfast by the Sea
After these things, Yeshua appeared to His disciples again by the sea of Tiberias. He just showed up. 2 Simon Cephas and Thomas (called the Twin), Nathaniel from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 Simon Cephas said, “I’m going fishing.” They replied, “We’ll go with you.” So they went and got into the boat, but they didn’t catch anything that night.4 At dawn, Yeshua stood on the beach, but the disciples didn’t know that it was Yeshua.
5 Yeshua called out to them, “Lads, do you have anything to eat?” They replied, “No.” 6 He told them, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you’ll find fish.” So they threw the net in and they couldn’t even drag the net ashore because there were so many fish in it.
7 The disciple who Yeshua loved said to Cephas, “It’s our Sovereign!” When Simon heard that it was the Sovereign, he put on his fisherman’s coat (because he had been nearly naked), and jumped into the sea, to go to Yeshua. 8 But the other disciples came in the boat, (because they were not very far from land, only about two hundred cubits), dragging the net full of fish. 9 When they came ashore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish lying on it, and some bread. 10 Yeshua told them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.”
11 Simon Cephas went aboard and pulled the net full of huge fish ashore, 153, but even with all this weight, the net wasn’t torn. 12 Yeshua told them, “Come and eat.” None of the disciples dared to ask Him who He was, because they knew that it was their Sovereign. 13 Yeshua came carrying bread and fish, and gave it to them. 14 This was the third time that Yeshua just showed up with His disciples after He was raised from the dead.
Do You Love Me?
15 After they had eaten, Yeshua asked Simon Cephas, “Simon, son of Jonas, do you love Me more than these?” He replied, “Yes, Sovereign, You know that I love You.” Yeshua replied, ”Then feed My lambs.” 16 He asked him a second time, “Simon, son of Jonas, do you love Me?” He told him, “Yes, Sovereign, You know that I love You.” Yeshua told Him, “Take care of My sheep for Me.”
17 Yeshua asked him a third time, “Simon, son of Jonas, do you love Me? And Cephas was hurt, because He had asked him a third time, “Do you love Me”, so he replied, “Sovereign, you understand everything, and You know that I love You.” Yeshua told him, ”Then feed My sheep for Me. 18 I tell you, it is absolutely certain that when you were young, you clothed yourself and walked where it pleased you, but when you are old, you’ll extend your hands and another will clothe you, and lead you where you don’t want to go.” 19 He said this to let him know what kind of death he would honor Yehovah with. After saying these things, He told him, “Follow Me.”
20 Simon turned around and saw the disciple Yeshua loved following him, the one who leaned on Yeshua’s chest at the supper and asked, “Sovereign, who is the one who is going to betray You?” 21 Cephas saw him and asked Yeshua, “Sovereign, what about him?” 22 Yeshua replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? Follow Me.” 23 So a rumor spread among the friends that this disciple wouldn’t die. Yet Yeshua didn’t really say that he wouldn’t die [1], but, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”
24 This is the disciple who verified all of these things and wrote them down, and we know that His statements are true. 25 Yeshua did many other things, and if they were all written out in detail, I suppose the world wouldn’t have enough room for the documents that could be written.
[1] Interestingly, John is to measure the end time third Temple, just prior to the Two Witnesses commission (Revelation 11):3. Measuring in the Temple is mentioned 29 times in Ezekiel 40-42. This would explain Revelation 10:11: ”[John], you must prophesy again before many nations, and peoples, and princes, and kings.” See how this might occur.
Completion of the Good News announcement of John the envoy, that he spoke in Greek in Ephesus.
Acts 1
Yeshua, First Man in Heaven!
1 In my first book, Theophilus, I wrote about everything that our Sovereign Yeshua (Jesus) Messiah began to do and teach 2 until the day He was taken up to Heaven, after He had given commands to the envoys He had chosen by the 'special' spirit. 3 After He had suffered, He showed them that He was alive by many convincing proofs. He made appearances to them over a period of forty days, and He discussed the Kingdom of Yehovah. 4 Once when He was eating with them, He instructed them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father that He had previously explained. 5 He said, “John immersed you with water, but you’ll be immersed in the 'special' spirit in a few days.”Yeshua Vanishes in the Cloud
6 When they assembled they asked Him, “Sovereign, are You about to restore the Kingdom of Israel to its former state?” [1] 7 He replied, “You aren’t going to understand the time periods and the specified times of crisis that Yehovah has set by His own authority. 8 But when the 'special' spirit descends on you, you’ll receive power, and you’ll be My witnesses in Jerusalem, thruout Judea and Samaria and in the remotest parts of the earth.”
9 After saying these things, and while they were watching Him, He was taken up, and the cloud took Him in, and He vanished out of their sight.
10 While they stood intensely gazing into the sky as He was departing, two ‘men’ in white clothing appeared near them.
11 “Men of Galilee,” they asked, “why are you standing there gazing toward heaven? This same Yeshua who has been taken up from you into heaven will return from heaven the same way [2]/span> you saw Him ascend into the heavens!”
12 Later, they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called the Olive Orchard, near Jerusalem, a distance of about seven stadia [3]
13 After they went into the building, they went to the upper room where Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Matthew, Bartholomew, James the son of Alpheus, Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James had been staying.
14 They all unitedly persevered in prayer, with one mind, along with the women, including Mary, Yeshua’s mother, and with His brothers.
15 One particular day Simon Cephas stood up among the disciples (the people assembled there numbered about one hundred and twenty) and said,
16 “Men and friends, the Scripture had to be fulfilled that the 'special' spirit foretold by the statements of David, about Judas, who led the way for those who arrested Yeshua.
17 He was one of our number, and shared in this service.
18 He acquired a field with the reward for his injustice, where he fell facedown to the ground and burst in the middle, and all his intestines gushed out.
19 This was so well known by everyone who lived in Jerusalem, that the field was called in the dialect of the area, Hakel damo, which means ‘Field of Blood.’
20 It is written in the book of Psalms [69:25], ‘May his encampment be desolate, and no one live in it’, and ‘May someone else take over his duties’ [109:8].
21 So it is necessary for one of the men who has been with us during the time when our Sovereign Yeshua went in and out among us—
22 from the immersion of John until the day He was taken up from us.—One of these men should join us as a witness of His resurrection.”
23 So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabas, whose surname was Justus, and Matthias.
24 Then they all prayed, “Yehovah, You know the minds of everyone, show us which of these two you have chosen,
25 so that he can participate in the service that Judas abandoned to go where he belongs.”
26 Then they drew lots, and Matthias’ 'lot' came up, and he was added to the eleven envoys. [1] Not to be overlooked is the fact that a literal Kingdom isn’t an “if”, but a “when” (Luke 22:30) Also see these comments!A Replacement for Judas
Acts 2
Pentecost
1 When the [49] days [Plural: Aramaic & Vulgate] preceding Pentecost [Ar. Pen-ikaos-ia] were fulfilled [1], while they were all gathered together, 2 a sudden sound came from the sky similar to a violent wind. Aloha’s entire House where they were sitting was filled with it. 3 Then what looked like separate flaming tongues of fire appeared to them, and a flame rested on each of them. 4 They were all filled with the 'special' spirit and began speaking in various languages as the spirit enabled them to speak.5 Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem who revered Yehovah from every nation under the sky. 6 When they heard the noise, many people gathered around in amazement because everyone heard them speaking in their own language. 7 They were all amazed and astonished and began asking each other, “Aren’t all of these people who are speaking Galileans? 8 So how can each of us hear them in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people living between the rivers [Mesopotamia], Jews and Cappadocians, people from the region of Pontus and of Asia, 10 people from the region of Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, from parts of Libya near Cyrene, visitors from Rome, Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs. We hear them speaking the wonders of Yehovah in our own languages.” 12 They were all astounded and entirely at a loss, asking each other, “What’s going on?”
13 However others ridiculed them and said, “They’re drunk on sweet wine.”
In the Last Days
14 Afterward, Simon Cephas [Peter] stood up with the eleven envoys, and raised his voice to address them: “Men, Jews, everyone who lives in Jerusalem, you need to understand this, so pay attention to what I say. 15 Don’t assume that these people are drunk, because it is only the third hour [9:00 AM]. 16 This is what the prophet Joel [2:28-30] was talking about.
17 In the last days Yehovah says, ‘I’ll pour My spirit on all 'people'. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will have dreams. 18 This is when I’ll pour My spirit on My servants, both men and women, and they’ll prophesy. 19 I’ll display miraculous signs in the sky above and unusual occurrences on the earth—blood, fire, and columns of smoke. 20 The sun will be darkened and the moon 'will become' blood red before the great and awesome Day of Yehovah arrives. (When—Matthew 24:29). 21 And everyone who calls on Yehovah’s name (in reference to Yeshua!) will survive!”
22 Men of Israel, listen to what I say, Yeshua the Nazarene was a Man endorsed by Yehovah by powerful events and miracles that Yehovah performed before you thru Him, as you yourselves know. 23 He was resigned by a previously envisioned plan, by the will of Yehovah, and you have delivered Him into the hands of the wicked to be crucified and killed. 24 But Yehovah has raised Him from the dead and has released the cords [2] of sheol [Greek: hades], because it was impossible for Him to be held in sheol. 25 Just as David said of Him: “I always see Yehovah. He is on my right hand side so that I remain unshaken. 26 So I have peace of mind and praise in my speech. Even my 'body' lives in anticipation 27 because You won’t leave my 'body' in the grave or allow Your 'Cherished' One to 'undergo' bodily decay. 28 You’ve revealed the path of life to me, You’ll fill me with joy in Your presence.
29 Men and friends, allow me to speak freely to you about the patriarch David. He died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this very day. 30 He was a prophet, and he knew that Yehovah had solemnly sworn to him, “Of the fruit of your body, I’ll seat a descendant on your throne.” 31 He foresaw, and spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that He wasn’t to be left in the grave, nor would His body undergo decay. 32 This Yeshua, Yehovah raised from the dead, and we’re all His witnesses. 33 He’s the One who was elevated to the right hand of Yehovah, and has received from the Father the 'special' spirit as promised, and has poured out what you’re seeing and hearing. 34 David didn’t ascend into the heavens, because he said himself, “Yehovah said to His Word [Targum of Jonathan (Aramaic) Psalm 110:1]—Gill’s Commentary], ‘Seat Yourself on My right hand side 35 until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.’”
36 So the entire family of Israel should know for certain that Yehovah has made this Yeshua, who you crucified, both Sovereign and Messiah.” 37 When they heard these things their hearts ware pierced, so they asked Simon and the rest of the envoys, “What should we do?” 38 Simon said, “Every one of you should amend your ways and be immersed in our Sovereign Yeshua’s name for the exoneration of sins, and you will receive the gift of the 'special' spirit, 39 because the promise belongs to you and to your children, and to everyone living far away that Yehovah will call.” 40 Using many different 'approaches' he plead with them, “Escape from this crooked generation.” 41 Some of them eagerly accepted his teaching and were immersed. That very day about three thousand 'people' were added to the assembly.
The Assembly Grows
42 They dedicated themselves to the doctrine of the envoys, and fellowshipped together in prayer and in breaking bread. 43 A sense of awe came over everyone, and many miraculous signs and wonders were done 'by' envoys in Jerusalem. 44 All of the believers were staying together. Once prized possessions were now considered property of the assembly. 45 Those who had unneeded property sold it and distributed the proceeds to anyone who needed it [3]. 46 They went to the Temple daily, in unity, and at home they broke bread and ate it rejoicing in singleness of purpose. 47 They praised Yehovah, and were well thought of by all the people. Every day Yehovah added 'more people' to those living among the assembly.
[1] Interestingly, in 1948, using the calendar in use in the first century, the nation of Israel was born as sundown “fully arrived” on the Day of Pentecost! [2] See why this refers to “cords” rather than “pains.” Keyword “cords.” [3] This “communal” living was only begun because everyone believed that Yehovah’s Kingdom was about to begin then. In vv 16-17 Peter (Simon Cephas) even began quoting the book of Joel, and that strictly concerns the end time “Day of Yehovah” (Day of the Lord), likely in 2032. Eventually they resumed normal lives.
Acts 3
A Crippled Man Healed
1 Simon Cephas and John were going up to the Temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour [3:00]. 2 A man who had been crippled from birth was being carried to the Temple gate called Beautiful. They used to set him down every day so that he could beg for money from people going into the Temple. 3 When he saw Simon and John about to go into the Temple, he asked them for money. 4 Simon and John stared at him and said, “Look at us.” 5 So he looked at them, expecting to get something from them.6 Simon said, “I don’t have gold or silver [1], but I’ll give you what I have. In our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah the Nazarene’s name, get up and walk.” 7 He took him by the right hand lifted him up. Immediately his feet and his heels became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went into the Temple with them, walking, jumping and praising Yehovah. 9 Everyone saw him walking and praising Yehovah, 10 and they realized that he was the beggar who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple, and they were filled with awe and amazement at what had happened.
11 While he held onto Simon and John, the people ran up to them in amazement in what was known as Solomon’s Portico. 12 When Simon saw this he said, “Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this, and why are you staring at us as if by our own power or dedication to Aloha we have enabled this man to walk? 13 The Aloha of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—the Aloha of our patriarchs, has honored His Son Yeshua with splendor, the One you handed over and rejected before Pilate, when he would have set Him free. 14 You disowned the 'Cherished' and Just One and demanded the release of a murderer. 15 You murdered the Pioneer of Life, but Yehovah has raised Him from the dead, and all of us are witnesses. 16 By faith in His name, He has strengthened and healed this man who you see and know, and faith in Him has given the man this perfect health as you can plainly see.
17 Now friends, I know that you did this in ignorance, just as your rulers did. 18 But this is how Yehovah fulfilled what He had previously announced by the voices of all the prophets—that His Messiah was to suffer. 19 So amend your ways and turn to Yehovah so that your sins will be wiped away, and times of transformation will come to you [2][3] 'from' Yehovah, 20 and He’ll send Yeshua Messiah, the One who was appointed [4] for you. 21 He must be warmly welcomed in Heaven until the completion of the times when everyhing that Yehovah has spoken by the mouth of His 'cherished' prophets [5] from antiquity [6] is completed. 22 As Moses said, ‘Yehovah will raise up a Prophet like me [7] for you from among your brothers. Listen to Him in everything He tells you.’ 23 When this happens, anyone who won’t listen to that Prophet will be 'removed' from his people [8].”
24 All of the prophets from the time of Samuel and afterward spoke about and announced this time [9]. 25 You are the descendants of the prophets and heirs of the Covenant that Yehovah made with our ancestors when He told Abraham, ‘Thru your descendants all the families of the world will be blessed.’ 26 You were the first people who Yehovah established, and He sent His Son to bless you again IF you will return to Him by turning from your wicked ways.”
Acts 4
Speaking Like Yeshua
1 While they were telling these things to the people, the priests and the Sadducees and the Temple guards suddenly confronted them. 2 They were furious with them because they were publicly teaching the people about the Messiah’s resurrection from the dead. 3 They arrested them and put them in custody until the next day because evening was approaching. 4 Many who had heard the message believed, and they numbered about five thousand men.5 The next day the rulers and the elders and the Torah teachers gathered in Jerusalem 6 with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander and other relatives of the high priest. 7 They made them stand in the center of the Sanhedrin semicircle and they began asking, “By what power or by whose name have you done this?”
8 Then Simon Cephas was filled with the 'special' spirit and said to them, “Rulers of the people, and elders of the house of Israel, listen to this. 9 If you are investigating us today about a good deed done for a sick man, as to how he was healed, 10 then you should know, and everyone in Israel, that in the name of Yeshua Messiah the Nazarene, who you crucified, and who Yehovah has raised from the dead—because of Him this man is standing before you fully recovered. 11 This is the Stone that you builders rejected, but He has become the Cornerstone. 12 There is no salvation by any other man. There is no other name under Heaven given to humanity that leads to [eternal] life. 13 When they heard Simon and John speaking so freely, they perceived that these men were unfamiliar with scribal literature [Gr: idiotes] and they were amazed at them. They realized that they were speaking like Yeshua! 14 But since the man who had been healed was standing there with them, they weren’t about to confront them. 15 So they ordered them to be removed from the Sanhedrin while they discussed the matter among themselves. 16 They asked, “What should we do to these men? It’s obvious that they’ve performed a remarkable miracle, and everyone who lives in Jerusalem knows it. We can’t deny it. 17 But to prevent this from spreading any further, let’s threaten them about talking to anyone in this name.”
18 They called them in and ordered them not to speak or teach anything in Yeshua’s name. 19 But Simon Cephas and John replied, “You can ponder whether Yehovah wants us to obey you rather than Him, 20 but we won’t stop talking about what we’ve seen and heard.”
21 After even more threats they let them go because they couldn’t find an 'excuse' for punishing them, since everyone was praising Yehovah for what had been done. 22 The man who this miraculous healing had been done for was more than forty years old.
23 After their release, they went to their friends and told them everything that the priests and elders had said. 24 When they heard this, they unitedly raised their voices to Yehovah and said, “Yehovah, You are the Aloha who has made the skies, earth, the seas and everything in them. 25 You said by the 'special' spirit thru David Your servant, ‘Why do the heathens rage and the people concoct detestable plans? 26 The kings of the earth and the rulers stood up and conspired against Yehovah AND against His Messiah.’ 27 In reality, both Herod and Pilate along with foreign nationals [Gr.] and the assembly of Israel gathered together in this city against Your 'cherished' Son Yeshua, who You anointed 28 to do whatever Your 'plan' and will had predestined to occur. 29 So now Sovereign, take notice of their threats and allow your servants to proclaim Your Word without any reservations, 30 while You stretch out Your hand to heal and perform miraculous works to be done in Your 'cherished' Son Yeshua’s name.”
Filled With the Spirit
31 After they prayed and made their requests, the place where they had assembled shook, and they were all filled with the 'special' spirit, and spoke the Word of Aloha openly without reservations.
32 In the assembly of believers, they were like a single spiritual entity [Gr. kardia] with one heart [Gr. psuche]. Not one of them claimed any of their possessions as their own. Anything that had been theirs was now the assembly’s. 33 The envoys testified with great power about the resurrection of Yeshua Messiah, and they all had great dignity. 34 Not one of them needed anything because everyone who owned lands or houses sold them and contributed the money from the sale by 35 laying it at the feet of the envoys. Everyone there was given just what they needed.
36 Joseph, who the envoys gave the name Barnabas, (which means son of encouragement), was a Levite, a native of Cyprus. 37 He had some land, and he sold it and brought the money from the sale and laid it at the envoy’s feet.
Acts 5
Lying to the Spirit
1 There was a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, who sold a field, 2 but they kept back part of the proceeds and hid it, with his wife consenting, and he brought a part of the silver and laid it at the feet of the envoys.3 Simon said, “Ananias, why has Satan so filled your mind that you would lie to the 'special' spirit, and keep back some of the silver from the sale of your field? 4 Wasn’t it yours before it was sold? And after it sold, you still had control over the proceeds. How could you even think of doing this? You haven’t simply lied to people, but to Yehovah.”
5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. Everyone who heard about it was awestruck. 6 Some younger men who were there got up and wrapped him up, and carried him out and buried him.
7 Three hours later his wife came in, unaware of what had happened. 8 Simon asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you were paid for the field?” And she said, “Yes, that was the price.” 9 Simon told her, “Since you have agreed in testing the 'special' spirit, look, the men who buried your husband are 'walking up to' the door, and they’ll carry you out.”
10 Immediately she dropped dead in front of them them. The young men came in and found her dead. So they picked her up and carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Everyone in the assembly was overcome with fear, as was everyone else who heard about it.
Sadducees Filled With Jealousy
12 There were many miraculous signs and wonders being done by the envoys among the people. They were all assembled together in Solomon’s colonnade. 13 No one dared touch [1a] them because the people were greatly 'touched' [1b] by them. 14 Even more believers were being added to Yehovah—a great number of men and women. 15 As a result, people carried their sick out into the streets on cots so that when Simon passed by at least his shadow might overshadow them. 16 People came to them from cities around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those who had unclean spirits, and they were all cured.
17 The high priest and everyone with him (that is, the sect of the Sadducees) were filled with jealousy. 18 They grabbed the envoys, arrested them and put them in the city jail. 19 That night a Messenger of Yehovah opened the door of the jail and let them out and said, 20 “Go and stand in the Temple and tell the people all these words of life.”
21 At dawn they entered the Temple and taught. The high priest and those with him called together the Sanhedrin as well as all the elders of Israel, and sent men to the jail to get the envoys. 22 The officers who were sent in didn’t find them in the jail, so they returned 23 and said, “We found the jail securely locked and the guards standing at the gates, but when we opened them, no one was there!” 24 When the high priests and Temple leaders heard this, they were greatly perplexed, and pondered what this could mean.
25 Someone came and told them “The men you put in jail are actually standing in the Temple teaching the people!” 26 Then the leaders and their attendants went to 'arrest' them, but without violence, because they were afraid that the people might stone them.
27 When they brought them back, they made them stand before the Sanhedrin, and the high priest began to question them. 28 They asked, “Didn’t we strictly order you not to teach anyone in this name? Look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and you are determined to bring this Man’s blood on us.”
29 Simon, and the envoys, told them, “We must obey Yehovah rather than men.” 30 The Aloha of our ancestors has empowered Yeshua, who you killed when you hung Him on a tree. 31 Aloha has established Him as the Pioneer and Life Giver, and has exalted Him to His own right hand, so that He could bring about changed minds and pardon Israel’s sins. 32 We are the witnesses of these things, as is the 'special' spirit that Yehovah gives to those who believe in Him.”
33 When they heard this they burned with rage and considered killing them. 34 Then one of the Pharisees named Gamaliel, a Torah teacher who was well respected by all the people, got up and ordered the envoys to be sent outside for a little while. 35 He told them, “Men and sons of Israel, be careful what you propose to do with these men, 36 because some time ago, Theudas appeared, claiming that he was someone great, and about four hundred men joined him. He was killed and all his followers were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After him, Judas of Galilee rose up when people were registering for the tribute tax, and he got people to follow him. He was killed too, and all his followers were scattered. 38 So I say stay away from these men and let them alone, because if this plan or idea is of human origin they’ll be dispersed and disappear, 39 but if it is really from Yehovah, it isn’t within your power to stop it, you might even find that you are fighting against Yehovah.”
40 So they took his advice and called the envoys in, scourged them, and ordered them not to teach in Yeshua’s name, and let them go. 41 They left them, elated that they were considered worthy to be treated with contempt because of His name. 42 They never stopped teaching and bringing the Good News to the Temple daily and into homes, about our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah.
[1a,b] There is a play on the two Aramaic words that can mean ‘touch’ that doesn’t come across in Greek, but it works pretty well in English.
Acts 6
Seven Chosen to Serve
1 About this time, when the disciples were becoming numerous, the Grecian disciples complained about the Hebrews, because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the twelve envoys summoned the entire assembly of disciples and said, “It isn’t right for us to neglect the Word of Aloha [Elohim] in order to wait on tables. 3 So friends, interview and select from among yourselves seven men with good reputations, men filled with the 'special' spirit and wisdom, so that we can put them in charge of this duty. 4 We will commit ourselves to prayer and to the ervice of teaching.”5 This idea was acceptable to everyone. So they selected Stephen, a man who was abounding in faith and the 'special' spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte from Antioch. 6 They had these men stand in front of the envoys, and while praying they laid their hands on them.
7 The 'message' of Aloha continued to spread, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly, and many of the Jewish people [1] became obedient to the faith.
Stephen Accused of Blasphemy
8 Stephen was full of conviction and dynamism [Gr. dunamis], and performed miraculous signs and wonders among the people. 9 But some men from a sect [Gr. sunagoge] called the “libertines”, as well as Cyrenians, Alexandrians, people from Cilicia and from Asia minor stood up and argued with Stephen, 10 but they couldn’t refute the wisdom that the spirit spoke thru him.
11 So these Libertines incited some men to say, “We have heard Him speaking blasphemous things against Moses and against Yehovah.”
12 They stirred up the people and the elders and the Torah teachers. So they came up to him and grabbed him, and brought him before the Sanhedrin. 13 They had some lying “witnesses” say, “This man doesn’t stop saying things contrary to the Torah and against this 'Cherished' Place. 14 We have heard him say that this Yeshua the Nazarene will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses 'handed down' to us.” 15 Then everyone who was seated in the Sanhedrin stared at him, and they saw his face looking just like the face of a spirit messenger.
[1] The Greek says “priests.”
Acts 7
Stephen Speaks Out
1 The high priest asked him, “Are these things true?” 2 He replied, “Men, countrymen, and fathers, listen to this. The magnificent Yehovah appeared to our ancestor Abraham while he was between the rivers before he settled in Haran, 3 and He told him, ‘Leave your country and your relatives, and go to a land that I’ll show you.’4 “So Abraham left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran till after the death of his father. Then Yehovah moved him to this land where you live today. 5 He didn’t give him an inheritance in it, not even space for a foot print, but He promised that He would give it to him as an inheritance, both to him and to his descendants, before he even had a son. 6 And Yehovah told him, ‘Your descendants will be pilgrims in a foreign land, and they’ll be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years.’ 7 Yehovah said, “I will judge the nation that enslaved them. Afterward they’ll come out and worship Me in this land.” 8 He [Yehovah] gave them the covenant of circumcision. Then 'Abraham' became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day. Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.
9 “The patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, and sold him into slavery in Egypt, but Yehovah was with him, 10 and rescued him from all his troubles, and gave him favor before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he made him governor over Egypt and over his entire household.
11 “Then a famine brought much suffering thruout Egypt and Canaan, and our patriarchs ran out of food. 12 When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors there on their first visit. 13 On their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was, and Joseph’s family was introduced to the Pharaoh. 14 Then Joseph invited his father Jacob, and his entire family of seventy five people came to him. 15 Jacob went down to Egypt, and he died there, he and our patriarchs. 16 His remains were carried back to Shechem and put in the tomb that Abraham bought with silver from the sons of Hamor.
17 “When it was almost time for the fulfillment of the promise that Yehovah had made to Abraham, their population had greatly increased in Egypt, 18 until another king 'began to rule' over Egypt, who knew nothing about Joseph. 19 He dealt treacherously with our people and oppressed our ancestors and forced them to abandon their infants, so they would die of exposure.
20 “This is when Moses was born, and he was pleasing to Yehovah, and for three months he was nurtured in his father’s house. 21 When he was abandoned, Pharaoh’s daughter found him and brought him up as her own son. 22 Moses was taught all the “sophistication and philosophy” of the Egyptians. He was an excellent speaker and quite enterprising.
23 “When he was forty years old, he decided to visit his countrymen, the descendants of Israel. 24 He saw 'a fellow Israelite' being abused, so he avenged him as he saw fit, by killing the Egyptian who had abused him. 25 He thought that his countrymen, the Israelites, would understand that Yehovah was sending them deliverance 'thru him', but they didn’t understand. 26 The next day, he came and found two of them fighting with each another. He tried to reconcile them and said, “Men, you are brothers, why are you trying to hurt each other?”
27 But the man who was harming his neighbor shoved him aside and said, ‘Who appointed you as our ruler and judge? 28 Do you want to kill me like you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ 29 Moses fled after hearing that and became a refugee in the land of Midian. There he became the father of two sons.
30 “After forty years had passed, THE Messenger of Yehovah appeared to him in the flames of a burning bush in the wilderness of Mount Sinai. 31 When Moses saw it he was amazed at the sight, and as he came closer to have a look, Yehovah spoke to him out loud, 32 ‘I’m the Aloha of your ancestors—the Aloha of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’ Quaking with fear, Moses didn’t even dare to look at the sight.
33 “Yehovah told him, ‘Take off your sandals, because you are standing on 'dedicated' ground. 34 I have witnessed the suffering of My people in Egypt. I’ve heard their groaning and have come down to rescue them. So come, I’ll send you to Egypt.’
35 This Moses, who they rejected by asking, ‘Who appointed you ruler and judge over us’, is the one who Yehovah sent to them to be their commander and liberator, thru the Messenger who appeared to him in the bush. 36 He is the one who brought them out after performing miraculous signs and wonders and powerful occurrences in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. 37 This Moses is the man who said to the descendants of Israel, ‘Yehovah, your Aloha will raise up for you a Prophet like Me from among your brothers. Listen to Him.’ 38 He is the one who was in the assembly [1] in the wilderness with the Messenger who spoke to him and to our ancestors on Mount Sinai, and he is the one who received the words of life to give to us.
39 Our ancestors wouldn’t obey him, but abandoned him, and in their minds they turned back to Egypt. 40 Then they told Aaron, ‘Make us alohee [gods] to lead us, because as for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what happened to him.’ 41 That’s when he made them a calf, and they offered sacrifices to the idols, and were delighted with what they made with their hands. 42 So Yehovah turned away and allowed them to worship the heavenly bodies, as it is written in the Book of the Prophets, ‘Did you offer Me a slain animal or a zebakim [sacrifices] during those forty years in the wilderness, nation of Israel? 43 You actually carried the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of the aloha Rephon, images that you made to worship. So I’ll send you into exile beyond Babylon.’
44 Our ancestors had the Tabernacle of Testimony in the wilderness. It was constructed just like the pattern that the One who spoke with Moses had shown him. 45 Our ancestors actually brought this Tabernacle in with Joshua, into the land that Yehovah gave them when they replaced the nations that He drove out before them, and this inherited Tabernacle was carried around until the time of David. 46 He found favor with Yehovah and he asked for permission to find a tabernacle site for the Aloha of Jacob. 47 But Solomon built Yehovah’s 'Temple'.
48 Yet the Supreme doesn’t live in anything built by human hands, as the prophet said, 49 ‘The sky is My throne and the earth is a footstool for My feet. What kind of 'Temple' could you build for Me’, Yehovah asked, ‘Or where would you suggest that I rest? 50 Didn’t I make the 'universe' with My own hands?’
51 You are stiff necked and uncircumcised in your thoughts and in your hearing! You always resist the 'special' spirit, just like your ancestors did. 52 Which of the prophets did your ancestors fail to persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One, and now you have betrayed and murdered Him! 53 You received the Torah that was 'put into effect' by spirit messengers, but you haven’t obeyed it.”
Stephen Martyred
54 When they heard these things they were infuriated, and they started chewing on him with their teeth! 55 But because he was full of faith and the 'special' spirit, he gazed into Heaven and saw the splendor of Yehovah, and Yeshua standing at the right hand side of Yehovah. 56 He said, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Human Son standing on the right hand side of Yehovah.”
57 They began screaming loudly and covered their ears, and then they all rushed him. 58 They grabbed him and drug him out of the city and stoned him. Those who martyred [Gr. martus] him laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 They stoned Stephen while he was praying, as he said “Sovereign Yeshua, receive my spirit.” 60 And kneeling down, he shouted, “Yehovah, don’t 'hold' this sin against them.” And with these words he fell asleep [2].
[1] The ekklesia (assembly) isn’t a “church”! [2] Do souls sleep?
Acts 8
Saul Persecutes the Assembly
1 Saul gladly approved of his death. That was the day when a severe persecution began against the assembly in Jerusalem, and everyone except for the envoys were scattered thruout the villages of Judea and Samaria. 2 Devout men buried Stephen. They mourned over him deeply. 3 But Saul devastated the assembly of Aloha. He went into houses dragging out both men and women to throw them in prison.4 However those who were scattered traveled around spreading Yehovah’s Good News. 5 Philip went down to a Samaritan city heralding about the Messiah. 6 When the people who were there heard what he had to say, they paid close attention because they saw the miraculous signs that he did. 7 Many unclean spirits screamed loudly as they came out of the people they had possessed, and others who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 So there was much joy in that city.
9 There was a man there named Simon who had lived in that city for a long time. He had misled the Samaritans by his sorceries, extolling himself [1] and claiming, “I am the Great One.” 10 Everyone there, great and small, bowed to him in worship, claiming, “This man is the mighty power of Yahweh” [2]. 11 They were all dedicated to him because he had astounded them for a long time with his sorcery. 12 But when they believed Philip as he brought the Good News of Yehovah’s Kingdom in our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah’s name, both men and women were immersed. 13 Even Simon believed and was immersed, and stayed close to Philip. When he saw the miracles and transcending occurrences that were done, he was surprised and astonished.
14 When the envoys in Jerusalem heard that Samaritans had accepted the Word of Aloha, they sent Simon Cephas and John to them. 15 When they arrived, they prayed that they would receive the 'special' spirit. 16 It hadn’t yet descended on any of them, altho they had been immersed [3] in our Sovereign Yeshua’s name. 17 Then they laid hands on them and they received the 'special' spirit.
18 When Simon saw that the 'special' spirit was given when the envoys laid a hand on someone, he offered them money 19 and said, “Give me this ability so that whoever I lay my hand on will receive the 'special' spirit.” 20 Simon Cephas told him, “Your silver will perish with you, because you thought that the gift of Yehovah could be purchased with worldly goods!” 21 You have no part or share in this faith because your mind isn’t right with Yehovah. 22 So amend your wicked ways and ask Yehovah to banish your treacherous thoughts, 23 because I see that you are very bitter, extremely wicked and enslaved by wickedness. 24 Simon said, “Pray to Yehovah for me so that nothing you’ve said will happen to me.” 25 After Simon and John had solemnly testified and spoken the Word [message] of Aloha, they headed back to Jerusalem, proclaiming the Good News to many villages in Samaria along the way.
26 A spirit messenger of Yehovah said to Philip, “Get up and go south to the road that goes down toward the desert from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he got up and went. On his way he met an Ethiopian believer [4], an important official in charge of the entire treasury of Candace, queen of Ethiopia. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship. 28 As he was returning, he was sitting in his chariot and reading from the prophet Isaiah. 29 the 'special' spirit told Philip, “Go over there and join him in the chariot.”
30 When he got close, he could hear him reading from the prophet Isaiah, so he asked him, “Do you understand what you’re reading?” 31 He answered, “How can I understand unless someone teaches me?” So he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Here is the section of Scripture that he was reading: “He was led away like a lamb to the slaughter, and like a sheep before the shearer is silent. In His humiliation He didn’t open His mouth.” 33 He suffered confinement [Gr. humiliation] and condemnation. Who can talk about His descendants [or generation], since His life was taken away from the earth.”
34 The believer asked Philip, “Was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip 'began' to speak, and beginning with that very Scripture he told him the Good News about our Sovereign Yeshua.
36 As they traveled along the way, they came to a place where there was water. And the believer asked, “See, here is water. What prevents me from being immersed?” 37 [A] 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot, and they both went down to the water, and Philip immersed the believer. 39 When they came up out of the water, the 'special' spirit quickly carried Philip away and the believer didn’t see him anymore, but he joyfully continued on his way. 40 Philip found himself in Azotus, and from there he traveled around announcing the Good News in every city until he arrived in Caesarea.
[1] The Greek says “amazing people” instead of “extolling himself.” [2] This may have originally read “Yahweh”, because there is abundant evidence that the Samaritans worshiped Yahweh. [3] Immersion alone is insufficient! I know from experience. [4] Aramaic: Mahaimna, “A faithful or confidential one.” In Aramaic, this has nothing to do with eunuchs! [A] The 37th verse: Philip [allegedly] said, “If you believe with all your being, it is permissible.” He said, “I believe that Yeshua Messiah is the Son of Yehovah”, isn’t in any of the earlier editions, and is excluded from the text of the London editions of 1816 and 1826, as well as many Greek copies.
Acts 9
On the Road to Damascus
1 Saul was still preoccupied with threats and deadly hatred against the Sovereign’s disciples, 2 demanding that letters from the high priest be given to him for use in Damascus in the synagogues, so that if he were to find any men or women pursuing this Way, he could bring them in chains to Jerusalem. 3 As he traveled along and was approaching Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly shone down on him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It will be hard for you to kick against the goads.”5 He asked, “Who are you Sovereign?” And our Sovereign replied, “I’m Yeshua the Nazarene, the One you’re persecuting. 6 Now get up and go into the city, and there you’ll be told what you should do.”
7 The men traveling with him on the road stood there amazed, because they merely heard the sound [1] but they didn’t see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and tho his eyes were open, he couldn’t see anything. So they led him by the hand to Damascus. 9 He was blind for three days, and he didn’t eat or drink anything.
10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. Yehovah called to him in a vision, “Ananias”! He answered, “I am here Sovereign.” 11 The Sovereign told him, “Get up and go to Judas’ house on Straight Street, and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying there. 12 He saw a man named Ananias in a vision come in and lay his hand on him so he could 'see again'.
13 Ananias said, “Yehovah, I’ve heard many people tell about how many evil things he has done to Your 'chosen ones' [saints] in Jerusalem. 14 He is here with authority from the high priests to arrest anyone who calls on Your name.”
15 Yehovah said, “Get up and go, because he is My chosen vessel to carry My name to the nations, to their kings, and to the descendants of Israel. 16 I’ll show him how much he must suffer because of My name.”
17 So Ananias went into the house and laid his hand on him and said, “Saul, my friend, our Sovereign Yeshua who appeared to you on your journey has sent me to you so that you can regain your sight and be filled with the 'special' spirit.” 18 Immediately something like a scales fell from his eyes and he could see again. He got up and was immersed. 19 He ate some food and was strengthened. Then he spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.
Saul Heralds Yeshua
20 Then right away he began heralding in the Jewish synagogues that Yeshua is the Son of Yehovah. 21 Everyone who heard him was amazed and they asked, “Isn’t this the guy who persecuted everyone who called on this name in Jerusalem, so that he could bring them in chains to the high priests?” 22 But Saul was becoming more persuasive, throwing the Jews who lived in Damascus into confusion by proving that 'Yeshua' is the Messiah.
23 After he had been there several days, the Jews conspired to kill him. 24 Saul learned of their conspiracy. They were even watching the gates of the city, day and night, in order to murder him. 25 So the disciples put him in a basket and lowered him down from the wall one night.
26 When he arrived in Jerusalem, he attempted to bond with the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, and didn’t believe that he was a disciple. 27 Then Barnabas took him and brought him to the envoys and explained to them how the Sovereign had appeared to him on his journey, and how he talked with Him, and how he had spoken without any reservations in Yeshua’s name in Damascus. 28 So he freely circulated among them in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in Yeshua’s name. 29 He spoke fearlessly in Yeshua’s name, and tried reasoning with the Greek speaking Jews, but they just wanted to kill him. 30 But when his friends learned of this, they took him to Caesarea one night, and from there they sent him to Tarsus.
31 So the assembly thruout Judea, Galilee and Samaria had peace and continued to be built up in the fear of Yehovah, and with the encouragement of the 'special' spirit it continued to increase.
32 As Simon traveled around the cities, he went down to visit the 'chosen ones' who lived in the city of Lydda. 33 He found a man named Aeneas who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. 34 Simon told him, “Aeneas, Yeshua Messiah is healing you. Get up and fold up your cot.” He got up immediately. 35 Everyone who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to Yehovah.
Tabitha, Get Up!
36 In the city of Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha [2]. She was entirely dedicated to doing good works and charity. 37 At that time she got sick and died, so they washed her and put her in an upstairs room. 38 When the disciples heard that Simon was in the city of Lydda, near Joppa, they sent two men to him, urging him to come to them right away.
39 Simon got up and went with them. When he arrived, they took him upstairs. All the widows were gathered around her crying, and showing him all the coats and garments that Tabitha had given them when she was alive.
40 Simon had everyone leave the room, then he fell to his knees and prayed. He turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and when she saw Simon she sat up. 41 He reached out his hand raised her up. He called the 'chosen ones' and the widows and presented her to them alive. 42 This became known thruout the city, and many believed in our Sovereign. 43 He stayed in Joppa for quite a few days with a leatherworker named Simon.
[1] See why they didn’t hear a “voice.” Keywords: hearing a voice. [2] Aramaic for Gazelle.
Acts 10
Cornelius’s Vision
1 There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian reignnt. 2 He was righteous and revered Yehovah, as did every member of his household. He was very charitable with the people, and always prayed to Yehovah. 3 One day at about the ninth hour [3:00] he had a vision, and distinctly saw a messenger of Yehovah who came to him and said, “Cornelius”!4 He stared at him in terror and asked, “What do you want, Sovereign?” The spirit messenger replied, “Your prayers and your charity have ascended to Yehovah as something quite memorable!” 5 Now, send men to the city of Joppa and bring back Simon who is called Cephas. 6 He is staying as a guest with Simon, a leatherworker who lives by the seashore.
7 When the spirit messenger who talked with him left, he called two of his household servants and a dedicated soldier who worked for him, 8 and after telling them everything that he had seen, he sent them to Joppa.
Simon’s Vision
9 The next day, while they were on their way and approaching the city, Simon went up to the roof to pray at the sixth hour [noon]. 10 He was quite hungry and wanted to eat. But while they were preparing his food, he was seized with ecstasy [Gr. ekstasis]. 11 He actually saw the sky open and a sailing vessel fastened at the four corners. It was like a huge linen sail, and it descended from the sky to the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of quadrupeds and land dwelling reptiles and birds of the air. 13 He heard a voice that said, “Simon, get up, kill and eat.”
14 Simon said, “Absolutely not, Sovereign, because I’ve never eaten anything defiled or unclean.
15 He heard the voice again, “What Yehovah has cleansed you must not consider to be unclean. 16 This happened three times, then the vessel was pulled back into the sky.
17 Simon was still entirely at a loss about what the vision he had seen could mean when the men arrived who had been sent by Cornelius and began asking directions to where Simon lived. Soon they were standing at the gate to the courtyard. 18 They called out, asking if Simon who was called Cephas was staying there.
19 While Simon was still thinking about the vision, the spirit told him, “Three men are looking for you! 20 Get up, go down and accompany them, and don’t even think about discriminating against them, because I sent them.”
21 So Simon went down to the men and said, “I’m the man you’re looking for. Why have you come here?” 22 They told him, “A man named Cornelius, a centurion who reveres Yehovah and is well spoken of by all the Jewish people was told in vision by a spirit messenger to have you come to his house and hear what you have to say.” 23 Simon invited them in to be his guests where he was staying. The next day he got up and left with them. Some of the friends from Joppa also went with them.
Simon Meets Cornelius
24 The day after that, they arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them, and all of his relatives and his close friends were also there. 25 As Simon was entering, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet to worship him. 26 But Simon lifted him up. He said, “Get up, I’m just a man.”27 As he was talking with him, he went in and found that many others had gathered. 28 He told them, “You know that it is assumed to be [1] contrary to our Law for a Jewish man to associate with a foreigner of another race, but Yehovah has shown me never call anyone defiled or unclean.” 29 So I came without any reservations when you sent for me. But please tell me, why did you sent for me?”
30 Cornelius told him, “Four days ago I was fasting and praying in my house at this very hour, the ninth hour [3:00]. 'Suddenly' a man clothed in white stood in front of me. 31 He said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and Yehovah is well aware of your gifts to the poor. 32 Now send messengers to the city of Joppa, and have them send Simon who is called Cephas to you. He is staying at the house of a leatherworker named Simon who lives by the sea. He’ll come and talk to you.’ 33 Immediately I sent a messenger for you, and it was good of you to come. We are all here here before you [2] eager to hear whatever Yehovah has commanded you to say.”
Simon Understands His Vision
34 Then Simon said, “The truth is, I now realize that Yehovah doesn’t discriminate between people. 35 He accepts anyone who reverences Him and lives righteously from every nation. 36 This is the Word that He sent to the descendants of Israel, announcing to them peace and rest by Yeshua (Jesus) Messiah. He is everyone’s Sovereign. 37 You are familiar with 'what happened' thruout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the immersion that John heralded, 38 how Yehovah anointed Yeshua of Nazareth with the 'special' spirit and with power. He is the One who traveled around healing those who were oppressed by evil [3], because Yehovah was with Him.
39 We are His witnesses for everything He did in the region of Judea and in Jerusalem. He is the One who the Jews hung on a tree, killing Him. 40 But Yehovah raised Him up on the third day and allowed him to appear openly, 41 certainly not to everyone, but to those of us who were previously chosen by Yehovah to be His witnesses. We even ate and drank with Him after His resurrection from the dead. 42 He commanded us to herald to the people and to solemnly testify that He has been appointed by Yehovah to be the judge of the living and the dead. 43 All of the prophets are witnesses that whoever believes in His name will be pardoned and released from bondage due to their violation of the 'cherished' Torah [definition of “sin”].
Non Israelites Receive the Spirit
44 While Simon was still speaking, the 'special' spirit rested on everyone who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who came with him were amazed and astonished that the gift of the 'special' spirit had been poured out on the other ethnicities too. 46 They had heard them speak in various languages, praising Yehovah. 47 Simon asked, “Can anyone withhold water for immersing these people, since they’ve received the 'special' spirit just like we did?” 48 Then he determined that they should be immersed in our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah’s name. Afterward they urged him to stay with them for a few days.
[1] Barnes Notes on this verse explains that tho they were prohibited from marrying the unfaithful, their idea of total segregation was only a Jewish contrivance. [2] The Greek ‘says’ “before God.” [3] The Greek ‘says’ “oppressed by the devil.”
Acts 11
Simon Explains the Vision
1 The envoys and their friends thruout Judea heard that people of other ethnicities had also accepted the Word of Aloha. 2 But when Simon went up to Jerusalem, those who 'insisted on' circumcision began to argue with him. 3 They said, “You entered the home of uncircumcised men and ate with them.”4 So Simon began to explain the situation exactly as it happened. 5 “While I was in Joppa praying, I went into an ecstatic state. A vessel descended that looked like an enormous sail! It was tied at its four corners, and it came down from the sky. It came right to me. 6 I looked into it and I saw four footed animals, terrestrial reptiles and birds from the air. 7 Then I heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up Simon, kill and eat.’
8 “I said, ‘Absolutely not, Sovereign, since nothing unclean or common has ever entered my mouth!’
9 But the voice from the sky spoke again, ‘What Yehovah has cleansed you must not consider unclean.’ 10 This happened three times before everything was pulled back into the sky.”
11 Just then three men came who had been sent to me by Cornelius from Cesarea, and stood at the gate of the courtyard where I was staying. 12 The spirit told me to go with them without hesitation. These six friends also went with me and we entered the man’s house. 13 He told us how he had seen a spirit messenger stand in his house and say, ‘Send these men to the city of Joppa and have them send Simon who is called Cephas to you, 14 and he will tell you everything you need to know so that you can be rescued, you and your entire family.’”
15 When I began speaking, the 'special' spirit overshadowed them just like it did for us to begin with. 16 Then I remembered what our Sovereign had said, ‘John immersed in water, but you’ll be immersed in the 'special' spirit.’ 17 So if Yehovah gave the same gift to other ethnicities who believed in our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah, as he gave us, who was I to try interfering with the gift of Yehovah?
18 When they heard these things, they quieted down and they praised Yehovah saying, “Now Yehovah is also giving a changed mind leading to eternal lifeto other ethnicities!”
19 Those who were dispersed [Gr. diaspeiro] by the persecution that arose in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and even to the country of Cyprus and to Antioch, explaining the Word to no one except the Jews. 20 However a few men from Cyprus and Cyrene went up to Antioch and spoke with the Greeks announcing the Good News of our Sovereign Yeshua. 21 The power of Yehovah was with them, and many believed and turned to Yehovah.
22 This came to the attention of the people of the assembly in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw the dignity of Yehovah, he encouraged them all to remain resolutely faithful to our Sovereign. 24 He was a good man, full of the 'special' spirit and faith. Many people were added as followers of our Sovereign.
They Were Called Christians
25 Then 'Barnabas' left for Tarsus to look for Saul. 26 When he found him, he brought him with him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the assembly and instructed a great many people. Beginning in Antioch at this time, the disciples began to be called Christians.
27 At that time some prophets arrived there from Jerusalem. 28 One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted, by the spirit, that there would be a severe famine thruout the land of Israel [1]. That famine happened during the reign of Claudius Caesar. 29 So each of the disciples, according to their ability, decided to provide as much food as they were able for their friends who lived in Judea. 30 They did this by sending it in charge of Barnabas and Saul to the elders.
[1] See why this should say “The land of Israel” rather than “The world”, using the keyword dearth.
Acts 12
Herod’s Persecution
1 About that time King Herod arrested some of the people of the assembly, intending to abuse them. 2 He killed John’s brother James with a sword. 3 When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he decided to arrest Simon Cephas also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4 When he arrested him, he put him in prison, handing him over to sixteen soldiers to guard him. He intended to hand him over to the Jewish people after the Passover.5 While Simon was in custody in the prison, the assembly continued praying to Yehovah on his behalf.
6 The night before he was to be handed over, Simon was sleeping between two soldiers and he was bound with two chains, while others were guarding the prison gates. 7 Suddenly Yehovah’s spirit messenger stood over him and a light illuminated the entire building, and he smacked him on the side to awaken him, and told him, “Get up immediately.” Then the chains fell from his hands.
8 The spirit messenger told him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals”, so he did. Then he told him, “Throw your coat around you and follow me.” 9 He followed him out of the prison, not realizing that what had been done by the spirit messenger was a reality. He thought he was 'experiencing' a vision. 10 After they passed the first and second guard posts, they came to an iron gate [1] and it opened for them automatically [Gr. automatos]. When they got out and passed the first street the spirit messenger left him.
11 When Simon realized what had happened he said, “Now I know for certain that Yehovah sent His spirit messenger and rescued me from the 'clutches' of King Herod, and from what the Jews were plotting against me.”
12 And after further thought, he went to Mary’s house, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many of the friends were gathered for prayer. 13 He knocked on the courtyard gate and a girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 When she recognized Simon’s voice, she was so overjoyed that she 'forgot'to open the door. She ran back and told everyone, “Simon is standing outside the door!”
15 They told her, “You’re out of your mind.” But she insisted that it was so. Then they said, “Perhaps it is his Messenger.” 16 Simon kept knocking on the door, so they went out and saw him and were amazed. 17 He motioned to them with his hand to be quiet, then he came in and told them how Yehovah had led him out of the prison. Then he said, “Tell James and our friends about this.” Then he left and went somewhere else. 18 In the morning there was a frenzy over what had happened to Simon.
Herod Struck Down
19 After Herod had made a thoro search for him and didn’t find him, he interrogated the guards, and sentenced them to death. Then he left Judea and stayed for a while in Caesarea. 20 Because Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, they gathered and came to him in unison. Having persuaded Blastus, the king’s aide for help, they asked for cultivated land [2], because the food supply for their country came from of Herod’s kingdom.21 On the appointed day, Herod put on his royal robes, sat down on the royal seat and made a public statement to them. 22 All the people started shouting, “This is the voice of an aloha, not a mortal.” 23 Because he didn’t praise Yehovah, a spirit messenger of Yehovah immediately struck him down. He was eaten by worms and died.
24 Aloha’s Good News continued to be proclaimed and spread.
25 After Barnabas and Saul completed their service, they returned from Jerusalem to Antioch. They brought John with them, who was also called Mark.
[1] The Greek adds “leading to the city”. [2] See why this says “cultivated land” instead of “Peace.” Keyword cultivated.
Acts 13
Barnabas and Saul Are Chosen
1 Now there were several prophets and teachers in the assembly in Antioch: Barnabas, and Simon called Black, and Lucius from Cyrene, and Menaen who grew up with the guardians of Herod the Tetrarch, and Saul. 2 While they were fasting and worshiping Yehovah, the 'special' spirit told them, “Appoint Saul and Barnabas for Me to do the work that I called them for.” 3 After they had fasted and prayed, they laid hands on them and sent them away.Bar Shuma the Sorcerer
4 After being sent out by the 'special' spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed as far as Cyprus. 5 When they arrived in Salamis, they announced the Word of Aloha in the Jewish synagogues. John was there to assist them.
6 After they had traveled over the whole island, as far as the city of Paphos, they found a Jewish sorcerer, a false prophet named Bar-Yeshua. 7 He was with the proconsul, an intelligent man named Sergius Paulus. The proconsul sent for Saul and Barnabas, because he wanted to hear the Word of Aloha. 8 This sorcerer, Bar Shuma, (whose name means magician in Arabic), opposed them because he wanted to turn the proconsul from the faith. 9 But Saul, who is also called Paul, was filled with the 'special' spirit, and he looked intently at him 10 and said, “Man, you are full of deceit and evil, you are a son of the Devil and an enemy of everything righteous. Will you never stop misrepresenting the righteous ways of Yehovah? 11 The Sovereign’s hand is on you. You’ll be blind for a while, unable to see the light of day.” Immediately a cloud of darkness overcame him and he went around asking for someone to take him by the hand.
12 When the proconsul saw what happened, he was astonished, and he believed the Sovereign’s doctrine. 13 Paul and Barnabas set sail from the City of Paphos and came to Perga, a city in Pamphylia. John left them and returned to Jerusalem. 14 They left Perga, and arrived in Antioch, a city in Pisidia. They went into a synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down. 15 After reading from the Torah and the Prophets, the elders of the synagogue sent for them and said, “Men, countrymen,if you have any words of encouragement [or admonition], address the people.”
16 Paul got up, gesturing with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you others who fear Yehovah, listen. 17 The Aloha of our people chose our ancestors and made them great and multiplied them during their stay in the land of Egypt and with an uplifted arm He brought them out of it. 18 For a period of about forty years, He fed them like a nurse, in the wilderness. 19 He destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan and gave them their land for an inheritance. 20 For four hundred and fifty years He gave them judges, down to the time of the prophet Samuel. 21 Then they asked to have a king, and Yehovah gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man from the tribe of Benjamin during those forty years. 22 After removing him, He empowered David to be their king, and He testified about him and said, “I have found David the son of Jesse to be a man 'who thinks as I do.' He’ll do whatever I want.” 23 From his descendants, Yehovah brought Israel a Life Giver, Yeshua, as He promised. 24 Before He came, He sent John to herald the immersion of changed minds to everyone in Israel. 25 While John was finishing his course he asked, ‘Who do you think I am? I’m not the One. Understand that I’m not worthy to untie the sandals of the One coming after me.’
26 Fellow countrymen, descendants of the family of Abraham, and those of you who fear Yehovah, the message of eternal life has been sent to you. 27 The people of Jerusalem and their leaders didn’t understand Him or the Writings of the Prophets that are read every Sabbath, but they condemned Him, fulfilling everything that was prophesied. 28 While they found no grounds for His death, they urged Pilate to have Him killed anyway. 29 After they fulfilled everything that was written about Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb, 30 but Yehovah raised Him from the dead. 31 For many days He appeared to those who had come up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, and they are now His witnesses to the people.
32 We are bringing you the Good News about the promise made to the patriarchs. 33 Yehovah has fulfilled the promise for us, their descendants, by raising Yeshua back to life, as it is written in the second Psalm, “You are My Son, today I have caused You to exist as My Son.” 34 Yehovah raised Him from the dead, never to return there and see decay, as He said, “I’ll give you the 'Cherished' One of faithful David.” 35 He also says in another 'Psalm', “You haven’t allowed Your 'Cherished' One to see decay.”
36 After serving Yehovah’s purpose during his generation, David fell asleep and joined his predecessors, and underwent bodily decay. 37 But the One Yehovah raised didn’t undergo bodily decay. 38 So friends, I want you to know that thru this Man being announced to you, your sins can be pardoned, as if they had never been committed, 39 and thru Him everyone who believes is pardoned in every regard, in a way that you could never be pardoned by the Torah of Moses. 40 So pay attention to the things written in the Prophets so that they don’t happen to you. 41 “Look, you nitwits, be amazed and cease to exist, because I’m going to accomplish some work in your days that you won’t believe, tho someone were to explain it to you” [1].
Paul and Barnabas Teach on the Sabbath
42 As 'Paul and Barnabas' were leaving, the Jews strongly urged them to talk about these same things with them on the following Sabbath. 43 When the synagogue meeting was finished, many of the Jews followed them, as well as converts who feared Yehovah. They conversed with them and persuaded them to persevere in the benevolence of Yehovah.
44 The next Sabbath, almost the entire population of the city assembled to hear the Word of Aloha. 45 When the Jews saw the large assembly, they were filled with jealousy and spoke out against the things that Paul was saying, and blasphemed.
46 Paul and Barnabas speaking boldly, without holding anything back said, “We were obligated to proclaim the Word of Aloha to you first, but since you rejected it and decided that you aren’t worthy of eternal life, we’re now going to turn to the other nations. 47 This is what our Sovereign commanded us, as the Scriptures say, ‘I have made you a light to all nations so that you can bring eternal lifeto the remotest parts of the earth.’” 48 When those of other ethnicities heard this, they were delighted and praised Yehovah. Those who believed were chosen for eternal life.
49 The Word of the Sovereign was explained to everyone in that region. 50 But the Jews stirred up the leaders of the city and some influential religious women, and stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of the region. 51 When they left, they shook the dust from their feet as a protest against them, and went to the city of Iconium. 52 Yet the disciples were completely filled with joy, and with the 'special' spirit.
[1] This is a quote from Habakkuk 1:5. The entire 3rd chapter of Habakkuk is about Judgment Day. But for years the envoys thought that the end of the age was very near.
Acts 14
Violence Attempted in Iconium
1 They went into a Jewish synagogue in Iconium and spoke in such a way that many of the Jews and Greek speaking Jews believed. 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up some people of other ethnicities, persuading them to mistreat the friends. 3 Yet they remained there a considerable time, speaking boldly about the Sovereign, and He confirmed the message of His dignity by the signs and miracles that he did thru them. 4 The entire city was split into two factions. Some sided with the Jews, and some with the envoys. 5 A plot was devised by those of different ethnicities and by the Jews and their political leaders to mistreat them and then stone them to death. 6 When they found out about it, they escaped to the cities of Lycaonia and Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding villages 7 where they continued to spread the Good News.8 There was a man who lived in the city Lystra who couldn’t use his feet. He’d been crippled from birth and had never walked. 9 He was listening to Paul speak. When Paul saw him, he could see that he had the faith to be healed. 10 So he called to him in a loud voice, “In our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah’s name, I tell you, stand to your feet.” Then he sprang up, stood, and then walked.
11 The people gathered there when they saw what Paul had done, and shouted in the 'Lycaonian' language, “The alohee [gods] have assumed human form and have come down to us.” 12 They called Barnabas ‘the Lord of the Gods’ [Aramaic Mare Alohee] and Paul, Hermes, because he was the main speaker [the word] [1]. 13 The shrine of the priest of ‘the Lord of the Gods’ [Zeus/Jupiter] was just outside of the city. He brought bulls and garlands to the gates of the court where they were staying, intending to offer sacrifices to them. 14 But when Barnabas and Paul heard about it, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd lamenting, 15 “Men, what are you doing? We’re 'only' frail mortals like yourselves, we’re bringing the Good News to you so that you’ll turn from these useless things to the living Aloha, who made the skies and earth and seas and everything in them. 16 In previous generations He allowed every nation to go their own way, 17 yet He left evidence 'of His existence' and sent help from the sky by sending the rain, allowing fruit to grow in the proper seasons, and filled them with cheer [2] and gladness.” 18 Even after saying this, it was still difficult to prevent the people from offering sacrifices to them.
Paul Stoned
19 But some Jews from Iconium and Antioch arrived and turned the people against them. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead. 20 But when the disciples gathered around him, he got up and went back to town. The next day he left with Barnabas, and they traveled to the town of Derbe.
21 As they were heralding to the inhabitants of the city, they made many disciples. Then they returned to the towns of Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 22 establishing the spiritual lives of the disciples and encouraging them to persevere in the faith, and saying, “It is thru much tribulation that we enter Yehovah’s Kingdom.” 23 They appointed [3] elders for them in every assembly, and with prayer and fasting they presented them to our Sovereign who they believed in. 24 After they had gone thru the region of Pisidia they came to Pamphylia. 25 After they had presented the message of the Sovereign in the city of Perga, they went down to Attalia.
26 Then they sailed back toward Antioch where they had been entrusted by the dignity of the Sovereign with the work they had accomplished. 27 When they arrived, they gathered the entire assembly together and told them everything that Yehovah had done thru them, and that He had opened a door of the faith to every nation. 28 And they stayed with the disciples for a long time.
[1] Hermes was a Satanic counterfeit of “The Word.” [2] See why this should say “cheer” instead of “food.” Search for the keyword “cheer.” [3] The Greek is literally “elect by a show of hands.”
Acts 15
Conflict Over Circumcision
1 Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the friends, “Unless you are circumcised, as required by the Torah, you can’t have eternal life.” 2 Paul and Barnabas 'considered this an' insurrection and vehemently argued with them. As a result, Paul and Barnabas and others with them went up to the envoys and elders in Jerusalem because of this debate about the Torah. 3 The assembly sent them on their way and they traveled all the way thru Phoenicia and the Samaritan territory, narrating the account of the conversions among other nationalities, causing celebration among the friends! 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the assembly and the elders, and the envoys, and they explained in detail everything that Yehovah had done thru them. 5 Some of the people who had come from the sect of the Pharisees, but who now believed in Yeshua got up and said, “It is necessity for you to circumcise them as required by the Torah of Moses.”Conference in Jerusalem
6 The envoys and elders met to look into the matter. 7 After much discussion, Simon got up and said, “Men and friends, you know that since the earliest days, Yehovah chose me to bring the Good News to other ethnicities so that they could believe. 8 Yehovah, who knows every mind, confirmed that He accepted them by giving them the 'special' spirit, just as He did to us. 9 He made no distinction between them and us [1] because He purified their minds by their faith. 10 Now why are you testing Yehovah by putting a yoke [2] around the necks of the disciples that neither our ancestors or we could carry ♦? 11 We believe that we will be rescued by the dignity of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah, just as they are.”
12 The whole assembly was silent and listened to Paul and Barnabas as they related how Yehovah had, by their hands, done signs and miracles among those of other nations. 13 When they finished speaking, James got up and said, “Men and friends, listen to me. 14 Simon has explained to you how Yehovah has begun to select a People for 'Himself' [Literally: for His name.] 15 This is in agreement with what the Prophets said. As it is written: 16 ‘After these things I’ll return and rebuild the tabernacle of David in the same place [3] where it was leveled. I will rebuild by excavating the ruins and setting it up again, 17 so that the survivors of humanity will search for the Sovereign, including those from every nation who call on My name, says the Sovereign who will do all of these things.’ 18 His aspirations have been known about for eternity.
19 So my judgment is that we shouldn’t oppress those who are just separating themselves from the nations and have been converted to Yehovah. 20 Instead, we should write to them, warning them to abstain from the defilement of food offered to idols and from sexual infidelity, and from strangled animals, and from blood. 21 BECAUSE in every city, from our earliest generations, Moses has had heralds in the synagogues who read His words every Sabbath [4].
22 Then the envoys and elders and everyone in the assembly chose some of their men and sent them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Jude who was called Barsabas, and Silas, men who were leaders among the friends. 23 They wrote this letter to them: ”From the envoys, elders and friends, to our friends in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia and friends of other nationalities, greetings.
24 We have heard that some have forsaken our assembly and disturbed you with their words. 25 So after considering the matter while we were together, it seemed good to all of us to choose some men and send them to you with our dear Paul and Barnabas, 26 men who have risked their lives for the sake of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah’s name. 27 So we have sent Jude and Silas so that they can tell you the same things personally. 28 It was acceptable with the 'special' spirit and with us not to lay upon you any greater burden than these preliminary requirements: 29 You must abstain from offering zebakim to idols, and from blood, and from eating strangled animals, and from illicit sex. If you avoid these things, you’ll do well. Remain faithful in the Sovereign.”
30 So the men were sent off, and when they arrived in Antioch, they called together the assembly and delivered the letter. 31 Once they read it, they were very happy and encouraged. 32 Jude and Silas gave them a long and encouraging talk, strengthening the friends, because they were also prophets. 33 After spending some time there, the friends sent them back to the envoys in peace. 34 [6] 35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch along with many others, teaching and announcing the Word of Aloha.
Paul and Barnabas Disagree
36 After a few days, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit the friends in every city where we proclaimed the Word of Aloha to see how well they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, who was also called Mark, 38 but Paul was unwilling to take him with them because he had deserted them when they were in Pamphylia, and hadn’t gone on with them to the work. 39 As a result of this disagreement they went their separate ways. Barnabas took Mark and they sailed to Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left after the friends had entrusted him to Yehovah’s care. 41 He traveled thru Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the assemblies.
[1] There was never meant to be “Jewish believers” and “gentile believers” with differing teachings. The oral law or Talmud is a rabbinical Jewish commentary on the Torah that bound the people with many contrived restrictions. [2] The Council met to see if men of other nationalities needed to be circumcised as soon as they learned of this Way to eternal life thru Yeshua. The decision at the Jerusalem council was to only put four conditions on these “seekers.” This allowed them to begin learning in the synagogues (v.20-21). The Jewish rabbi’s were teaching that Yehovah would give people eternal life solely by obeying the Torah. [Attention Cooper: #One: Just Bible references OR #Two: 10 Commandments Necessary for Salvation] This is the yoke that no one could bear (Romans 3:20, 28, Galatians 2:16-17). This is exactly what Yeshua brought out when He told the Jewish authorities (John 5:10) and the Jewish people who were expecting eternal life strictly thru Torah observance without faith. Yeshua said in John 5:39, “You search the Scriptures because you believe that there is eternal life in them for you, yet those same Scriptures testify about Me!” [3] The Greek is literally “in the midst rebuild.” [4] The prospective converts, former pagans, were expected to begin learning “in the synagogues” “Every Sabbath”, without coercion. [5] Some newer Greek texts add, “yet Silas was of the opinion that he should remain there longer.
Acts 16
Timothy Accompanies Paul and Silas
1 'Paul' went to the city of Derbe and to Lystra, and there was a disciple there named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish lady whose father was a Hellenist. 2 All of the disciples in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3 Paul wanted to take him with him, so he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, since they all knew that his father was a Hellenist. 4 As they traveled from town to town, they showed them the regulation that the envoys and elders in Jerusalem had written. 5 So the assemblies were established in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.6 They traveled thru the regions of Phrygia and Galatia, but the 'special' spirit prohibited them from proclaiming the Word in Asia Minor. 7 When they came into the region of Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but Yeshua’s spirit [1] didn’t allow them. 8 After they bypassed Mysia, they went down to the region of Troas. 9 In a vision [2] one night, a man from Macedonia appeared to Paul. He stood pleading with him, “Come to Macedonia and help us.” 10 As soon as Paul had seen this vision, we immediately decided to leave for Macedonia, because we were convinced that our Sovereign had called us to announce the Good News to them.
11 We sailed from Troas straight to the island of Samothrace, and on the following day we sailed to the city of Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, the principal city of Macedonia, a Roman colony. We stayed in the city for several days.
Lydia Immersed on the Sabbath
13 On the Sabbath day we went outside of the gate of the city to the bank of a river, because we saw a place frequently used for prayer there. When we were seated, we began talking with the women who had gathered there. 14 A woman named Lydia from the city of Thyatira was there. She was a dealer in purple goods. She feared Yehovah, and the Sovereign opened her mind and she listened to what Paul said. 15 She was immersed as well as her household. She encouraged us saying, “If you are really persuaded that I believe in our Sovereign, then come and stay in my house.” She was very persuasive.
Paul Shuts Down a Business
16 'Once' when we were going to the place of prayer, a girl possessed by “the spirit of Python” [see footnotes] met us. She made a lot of money for her masters by her divination. 17 She followed Paul and us crying out, “These men are the servants of Yehovah, who resides in the highest regions, and they are announcing to you the Way to eternal life.” 18 She kept doing this for many days. Paul became quite annoyed, so he told the spirit, “I command you in Yeshua Messiah’s name to come out of her.” And it left her instantly.
19 When her masters realized that their anticipated profits had vanished, they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them off to the authorities in the public square. 20 They brought them before the army commanders and authorities of the city and said, “These men are disturbing our city. They’re Jews, 21 and they’re teaching customs that we as Romans aren’t allowed to accept or practice.”
22 A large mob gathered to oppose them. Then the army commanders tore their clothes off, and ordered them to be scourged. 23 After a severe scourging, they threw them into prison and ordered the prison warden to guard them under tight security. 24 Once he got this order, he threw them into the inner part of the prison and secured their feet in the stocks.
Paul Rescues a Prison Warden
25 At midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and praising Yehovah, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was an earthquake so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken. Immediately all of the doors opened and everyone’s chains fell off. 27 When the prison warden woke up and saw that the doors of the prison were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he assumed that the prisoners had escaped, 28 but Paul shouted to him very loudly, “Don’t harm yourself, we’re all here.”
29 He lit a lamp, and rushed in trembling, and fell down at Paul and Silas’ feet. 30 He brought them out and asked, “Sovereigns, what must I do to have eternal life?” 31 They said, “Believe in the name of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah and you’ll be rescued, you and your household.” 32 They explained the Word of the Sovereign to him and to all the members of his household. 33 He took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds, and he was immersed immediately, he and everyone in his household. 34 He took them and brought them into his house and set a table for them, and he was filled with joy, 'having accepted' the faith of Yehovah, he and everyone in his house.
35 In the morning the soldiers sent officials to the warden with the order: “Release those men.” 36 When the warden heard about it, he went in and told Paul, “The officials have sent orders that you are to be released. So come on out and go in peace.” 37 But Paul told him, “They have scourged us, innocent men and Romans, for all the world to see, and have thrown us into prison, and now they want to let us out secretly? Absolutely not! Have them come and personally escort us out.”
38 The officials went and told the soldiers what 'Paul said'. They were terrified when they heard that they were Romans, 39 So they came and apologized to them and escorted them from the prison and asked them to leave the city. 40 When they left the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, and after visiting the friends, they encouraged them and then left.
[1] The other reference to Yeshua’ spirit is in Philippians 1:19. [2] or “A wakeful ecstasy”
Acts 17
Paul Teaches in Amphipolis
1 'Paul and Silas' traveled thru the cities of Amphipolis and Apollonia, and came to Thessalonica where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 Paul, as usual, went in with them and for three Sabbaths he discussed [Gr. dialegomai] the Scriptures with them, 3 explaining and proving that the Messiah was to suffer and then rise from the dead. He said, “This Yeshua who I’m announcing is the Messiah.” 4 Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, including many Hellenists who feared Yehovah, and quite a few influential women.5 But the jealousy of the Jews was aroused, so they rounded up some rabble rousers from the marketplace and formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house, intending to hand them over to the mob. 6 When they didn’t find them there, they dragged Jason and the friends who were there before the city authorities, yelling, “These are the men who have troubled the entire empire, and now they are here 7 and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They all defy Caesar’s authority, saying that there is another King, one named Yeshua.” 8 The leaders of the city and all the people were alarmed when they heard these charges. 9 But after they took bail from Jason and from the friends, they let them go.
Open Minded Bereans
10 The friends immediately sent Paul and Silas away that night to the city of Berea, and on their arrival they went into a Jewish synagogue. 11 The Berean Jews were more open minded than the Jews in Thessalonica. They eagerly listened to the message from them every day, and examined the Scriptures to see if these things were true. 12 Many of them believed, including many distinguished Hellenist men and women.
13 When the Jews of Thessalonica learned that Paul was announcing the Word of Aloha in the city of Berea, they went there as well, continually agitating the crowd and stirring them up. 14 The friends sent Paul all the way to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed in the city. 15 The men who escorted Paul went with him all the way to the city of Athens. And when they left him, they took a letter from Paul addressed to Silas and Timothy, saying that they should come to him as soon as possible.
Paul and the Philosophers
16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was deeply disturbed because he saw that the entire city was full of idols. 17 He conversed [not preached] in the synagogue with the Jews and with others who feared Yehovah, and he spoke in the marketplace with those who gathered there daily. 18 Also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. Some were asking, “What does this word monger want?” Others said, “His proclamations are about foreign gods, because he brings the people Good News about Yeshua and His resurrection.” 19 They took him to the court house, called the Areopagus [Mars hill] and said, “Tell us about this new doctrine that you have been teaching. 20 You’ve sown some unusual concepts for us to hear, and we want to know what they mean.” 21 All of the Athenians and the foreigners living there were totally preoccupied with sharing new ideas.
22 So Paul stood in the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that in every way you worship + many demons [Gr. daimon]” [1], 23 because as I was walking around observing your places of worship, I encountered an altar with this inscription, “TO THE UNKNOWN [Gr. agnostos] [2] DEITY.” So the One who you worship without knowing Him is the One I’m announcing to you, 24 because the Creator who made the world and everything in it—Sovereign of Heaven and earth, doesn’t live in man made temples. 25 Humans don’t tend to His needs—He has no needs. He’s the One who gives everyone life and breath. 26 From one 'man' [blood] He made all of humanity, intending that they inhabit the entire surface of earth. He has defined their epochs by His decree, and defined limitations on their civilization 27 in order to orchestrate our finding out about Yehovah by searching, reaching for Him, inspired by His creations [3], tho He isn’t far from any one of us. 28 Because of Him we live and move and exist, as one of your own poets has said, “We are His descendants.”
29 So we, Yehovah’s descendants, shouldn’t think that the one true Aloha is like gold, silver or stone—something sculptured by the imagination and craftsmanship of people. 30 Yehovah has ended [4] the time of ignorance, and now He is commanding all of humanity, every single person everywhere to change the way they think. 31 He has established a fixed Judgment Day [5] for everyone on earth, with righteousness, by the Man He has designated, and has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.
32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them ridiculed him, while others said, “We’ll listen to you about this some other time.” 33 So Paul left them. 34 Some of them joined him and believed. Among them was Dionysius, one of the judges of the Areopagus and a woman named Damaris and a number of others.
[1] “Agnostos” simply means “unknown” in Greek. The ancient Greeks set up altars for a possible “agnostos” god—just in case. Today’s agnostics aren’t that concerned. [2] Not “idols” as Lamsa renders here. The word here is “shaida”, or demons as Etheridge and Murdock (and the Greek) correctly render it. [3] The Greek omits, “by His creations.” [4] The Greek says “took no notice”, instead of “ended” or “made to pass away.” [5] Daniel 12:1-3, John 5:28-29
Acts 18
Aquilla and Priscilla
1 When Paul left Athens, he went to Corinth. 2 He met a Jewish man there named Aquilla, a native of Pontus who had recently arrived from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius Caesar had deported all the Jews who lived in Rome. So 'Paul' went to visit them. 3 Because they had the same trade, he stayed with them and they worked together as talete [1] makers. 4 He conversed [Gr. dialegomai] in the synagogue every Sabbath, persuading both Jews and heathens.5 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul’s dialog was interrupted because the Jews opposed him, and they blasphemed as he testified to them that Yeshua is the Messiah. 6 He shook his garments and told them [2] “From now on I’m blameless, I’ll deal with the other ethnicities.”
7 He got out of there went to the home of a man named Titus, who revered Yehovah, whose house was next to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the synagogue leader, believed in our Sovereign, he and his entire family, and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were immersed.
9 The Sovereign told Paul in a vision, “Don’t be afraid, speak out! Don’t be silent, 10 No one is able to harm you because I’m with you. I have many people in this city.” 11 So 'Paul' stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the Word of Aloha.
12 When Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews rose up together against Paul and brought him before the tribunal. 13 They said, “This man is persuading people to worship Yehovah in ways contrary to the Torah.”
14 When Paul was about to speak, Gallio told the Jews, “If your accusation involved some wrongdoing or fraud or a serious crime, it would be reasonable to listen to you, 15 but since it involves questions about doctrine or names or about your Torah, you must take care of that yourselves, because I refuse to judge such matters.” 16 Then he ran them out of his tribunal. 17 All the heathens seized Sosthenes, an elder of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal, but Gallio didn’t care about that.
Paul Returns to Antioch
18 After staying there for quite a while longer, Paul said goodbye to the friends and set sail for Syria. Priscilla and Aquilla went with him, after he shaved his head in Cenchrea because of a vow [3]. 19 They arrived in Ephesus, and Paul went into the synagogue and conversed with the Jews. 20 They asked him to stay with them, but he couldn’t be persuaded. 21 He told them, “It is an absolute necessity that I celebrate this coming feast in Jerusalem [4]. If it pleases Yehovah, I’ll visit you again. Then he left Priscilla and Aquilla and set sail to Ephesus. 22 When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the assembly, and then went on to Antioch.
23 After he had been there several days, he began systematically visiting everyone in the region of Galatia and Phrygia, establishing all the disciples.
24 A Jew named Apollos arrived in Ephesus. He was a native of Alexandria, a very eloquent man who was very knowledgeable of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the ways of the Sovereign. With spiritual fervor he conversed and taught accurately about Yeshua, tho he knew nothing other than the immersion of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquilla and Priscilla heard him, they took him to their home and showed him the Way of the Sovereign more completely.
27 When 'Apollos' wanted to go to Achaia, the friends 'encouraged' him, and wrote to the disciples asking them to welcome him. By going, he greatly assisted everyone who believed, by the benevolence of Yehovah. 28 He reasoned very convincingly with the Jews in front of the assembly, proving to them from the Scriptures that Yeshua is the Messiah.
[1] The Greek says tent maker. The Aramaic is disputed. It could be talete maker or even saddle maker according to “The Way” publications (that discourage quotation), tho Murdock and Etheridge opted for tent. [2] Strangely, the Greek has Paul speaking even more fervently: “Your blood is on your own heads.” Word sequences in v.5 and v.6 vary. [3] Numbers 6:9,18 [4] The others feasted locally.
Acts 19
Paul in Ephesus
1 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled thru the upper regions to Ephesus. He asked the disciples who he found there, 2 “Did you receive the 'special' spirit when you believed?” They replied, “We haven’t heard anything about a 'special' spirit.” 3 So he asked them, “Then what were you immersed into?” They replied, “John’s immersion.” 4 Paul told them, “John immersed people with an immersion for changing minds—he told them to believe in the One who was to come after him, namely, in Yeshua (Jesus) Messiah.” 5 After they heard this, they were immersed in the name of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah. 6 Paul laid his hand on them, and the 'special' spirit came on them, and they began speaking in different languages and prophesying. 7 There were twelve men in all.8 Paul went into the synagogue, and vigorously debated [Gr. dialegomai] the Scriptures persuasively for three months about the Kingdom of Yehovah. 9 Some of them were hardened, refusing to believe, and spoke evil of the Way of Yehovah before the assembly. So Paul left them, and separated the disciples from them. He had daily discussions [Gr. dialegomai] with them in the school of a man named Tyrannus. 10 This went on for two years until everyone who lived in Asia Minor, both Jews and Arameans, had heard the Word of Aloha.
11 Yehovah brought about extraordinary miracles by the hand of Paul. 12 Even clothing he had worn, napkins and scraps of clothing he had touched were taken to the sick, and they recovered from their diseases, even demons left them.
13 There were also some wandering Jewish exorcists who wanted to cast out unclean spirits in our Sovereign Yeshua’s name, by saying, “We command you to come out in the name of Yeshua, who Paul announces.” 14 There were seven sons of a Jewish leader of the priests named Sceva who were doing this. 15 One evil demon said [1] to them, “Yeshua I know well, and Paul I know, but who are you?” 16 Then the man with the evil demon jumped on them and overpowered them, and threw them down. They fled out of the house naked and wounded.
17 When all the Jews and Arameans who lived in Ephesus found out about this they were terrified, and our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah’s name was held in high honor. 18 Many of those who believed came and acknowledged their sins and confessed everything they had done. 19 Many who practiced the magic arts gathered up their books, brought them together and burned them in front of everyone. They estimated the cost of the books at fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the faith of Aloha was gaining strength and spreading.
21 Afterward Paul was determined to make a circuit thru all of Macedonia and Achaia, and then go to Jerusalem. He said, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” 22 He sent two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, into Macedonia while he stayed in Asia Minor for a while longer.
23 During this time there was a lot of commotion about the Way of Yehovah.
Silver Shrines for Artemis
24 There was a silversmith there, named Demetrius, who made silver shrines for Atemis, bringing the artisans of his trade large profits. 25 He called together all the artisans of his trade, and those of related trades, and told them, “Men, you know that our income depends on this business. 26 You’ve seen and heard how this Paul has persuaded and turned away, not only the citizens of Ephesus, but also many people thruout all of Asia Minor, by saying that the gods aren’t made by human hands. 27 Not only is our occupation being slandered and discredited, but the reputation of the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be ruined, just as the goddess of all Asia Minor herself. The one all nations worship will be despised.”
28 When they heard this they were infuriated and they began shouting, “Great is the Ephesian.” 29 The whole city was in an uproar, and 'a mob' quickly gathered in the theater. They grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus, the Macedonians who were Paul’s coworkers, and dragged them along. 30 Paul wanted to go into the theater, but the disciples held him back. 31 Even some public officials who were friends of his sent messages to him urging that he not risk his life by going into the theater.
32 The mob ekklesia in the theater was in great confusion, some yelled out one thing, and some another. Many of them didn’t even know why they were there. 33 The Jewish people who were there appointed one of their men, a Jew named Alexander. He got up and motioned with his hand for silence, because he wanted to make a defense to the crowd, 34 but they, knowing that he was a Jew, all started to shout in unison for about two hours, “Great is the Ephesian Artemis.”
35 The mayor of the city appeased them, by saying, “Men of Ephesus, which of you men doesn’t know that the city of Ephesus is devoted to the worship of the great Artemis, and her image that fell down from heaven? 36 So since no one can deny these things, you should quiet down and not do anything rash. 37 You’ve brought these men here when they haven’t robbed our pagan churches [2] or blasphemed our goddess. 38 So if Demetrius and the men of his trade have a complaint with anyone, the courts in the city are open, and there are officers, they should bring charges against each other there. 39 And if you need anything else, it can be resolved in a lawful ekklesia. 40 We are now in danger of being accused of attempted insurrection, since we don’t have a real reason for our gathering today. This commotion is totally inexcusable.” 41 After saying these things he dismissed the mob [ekklesia].
[1] The Lamsa version substitutes “the insane man said”. [2] Hierosulos means “robber of the churches.” This is the only place in the Testimony of Yeshua where the William Tyndale translation used the word “church”—a word that really means a pagan temple.Acts 20
Paul Visits Macedonia
1 When the uproar subsided, Paul sent for the disciples, and comforted them and kissed them before leaving for Macedonia. 2 He traveled thru the region and spoke many words of encouragement before going to the country of Greece, 3 where he stayed for three months. The Jews planned to ambush him just as he was about to go to Syria, so he considered returning to Macedonia. 4 Sopater from the city Berea accompanied him as far as Asia Minor, as well as Aristarchus and Secundus who were from Thessalonica, and Gaius who was from the city of Derbe, and Timothy from Lystra, and Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia Minor. 5 They went ahead of us, and waited for us in Troas. 6 We sailed from the Macedonian city of Philippi during the Days of Unleavened Bread and sailed to Troas in five days, where we remained for seven days.First of the Sabbaths
7 Then on the first of the Sabbaths, when we were gathered together, Paul had dialog [Gr. dialegomai] with them, because he was going to leave the next day, and he continued his dialog until midnight. 8 There were many lamps burning in the upper room where we were assembled. 9 A young man named Eutychus was sitting in a window and listening during Paul’s dialog with them. He sank into a deep sleep, and as he slept he fell from the third floor. When they picked him up he was dead. 10 Paul went down and bent over him and embraced him and said, “Don’t be alarmed, he’s still alive.” 11 When he went back up, he broke bread and 'ate' and conversed until dawn. Then he left by land. 12 They took the young man home alive, and were very relieved.
13 'The rest of us' boarded the ship and sailed to the port of Thesos, where we were going to pick up Paul as he had arranged, since he had planned to travel there by land. 14 But when he met us at Thesos, we took him on board a ship and went on to Mitylene. 15 The next day we sailed from there toward the island Chios. The following day we arrived in Samos, and stopped at Trogyllium, and on the day following that we arrived at Miletus. 16 Paul had decided to bypass Ephesus so that he wouldn’t be delayed there, because he was hurrying, if possible, to celebrate the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem.
17 From Miletus he sent messengers to Ephesus to convene the elders of the assembly in Ephesus. 18 When they arrived he told them, “You know that from the first day I entered Asia Minor I’ve been with you, 19 laboring for Yehovah in great humility and with tears amid the trials that came to me by the plots of the Jews. 20 I never avoided announcing anything to you that would be advantageous to you spiritually, I’ve taught you publicly and in houses, 21 declaring to both Jews and Arameans the importance of changing their minds and turning to Yehovah, and having faith in our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah.
22 Now I’m compelled by the spirit to go to Jerusalem, and I don’t know what will happen to me there, 23 except that the 'special' spirit assures me in every town that imprisonment and suffering awaits me. 24 Yet I don’t place any value on my life other than to finish my course, and the service [Gr. diakonia] that I have received from our Sovereign Yeshua of telling others about the Good News of Yehovah’s dignity.
25 I also know that none of you who have traveled with me heralding Yehovah’s Kingdom will ever see me again. 26 So I declare to you today, for the record, that I’m innocent of the shed blood of any of you. 27 I have never failed to declare to you everything that Yehovah wants you to know. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock that the 'special' spirit has made you 'shepherds' of. See that you feed the Messiah’s [1] assembly that He has preserved with His own blood. 29 I know that after I’m gone ferocious wolves will come in among you and they’ll have no mercy on the flock. 30 Also, some of your own men will rise up and oppose the true path in order to lure disciples into following them. 31 So be alert, and remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you, day and night, even with tears.
32 I’m now entrusting you to Yehovah and His dignified message. He is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance with all the 'special' people. 33 I never coveted anyone’s silver, gold or clothes. 34 You know that I worked with my own hands to provide for my own needs and for those who were with me. 35 In every way I showed you that it’s our duty to work, so that we can help the weak. We should remember the words of our Sovereign Yeshua, because He said, “The giver is more blessed than the receiver.”
36 After he finished speaking, he fell to his knees and prayed, as did everyone with him. 37 Everyone was crying as they embraced him and kissed him. 38 They were especially sorrowful because he said that they would never see him again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
[1] The Peshitto, an earlier but incomplete Aramaic Testimony, avoids a couple of later “corrections” made by Western Christianity in the Peshitta and in the Greek. It is only logical that this is referring to Yeshua’s own blood, not “the blood of God”.
Acts 21
Paul Warned About Jerusalem
1 After we parted ways with them, we set a straight course to the island of Cos. The next day we reached Rhodes, and from there Patara. 2 We found a ship there heading to Phoenicia, so we boarded and set sail. 3 After sighting Cyprus and passing it on our left, we sailed on to Syria, from there we landed at Tyre, since the ship was to unload her cargo there. 4 We located some disciples, so we stayed with them for seven days, and they, by the spirit, told Paul every day not to go to Jerusalem. 5 After a few days we started on our way, and they, their wives and their children all clung to us and accompanied us until we were outside of the city where they all knelt down on the sea shore and prayed. 6 We kissed [1] each other and then boarded the ship and they went back home.7 We sailed from Tyre and arrived at the city of Ptolemais. We visited the friends there and stayed with them for one day. 8 The next day we left and came to Cesarea. We stayed in Philip the 'assembly planter’s' [2] house, who was one of the seven. 9 He had four virgin daughters who were prophetesses.
10 After we had been there for several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 He came to us and took Paul’s belt and tied his own feet and hands and said, “The 'special' spirit says, ‘This is how the Jews in Jerusalem will tie up the man who owns this belt, and they’ll hand him over to the heathens [Gr. ethnos].”
12 When we heard this, we and the local people begged him not to go to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul asked, “Why are you crying and crushing me emotionally? I’m not only ready to be tied up, but even to die in Jerusalem in our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah’s name.” 14 When we couldn’t persuade him, we said, “May the will of Yehovah be done.”
15 A few days later we packed up and went up to Jerusalem. 16 Some disciples from Caesarea came with us along with a friend, one of the early disciples named Mnason, who was from Cyprus. We were guests in his house.
17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the friends gladly welcomed us. 18 The next day when all the elders were present we went in with Paul to visit James. 19 After we greeted them, Paul related everything to them that Yehovah had done among the nations thru his service.
20 When they heard about it they praised Yehovah. They told him, “Friend, you see how many tens of thousands there are in Judea who have believed, and all of them are zealous for the Torah.” 21 But they had heard that you are teaching all the Jews who are scattered among the nations to abandon Moses by telling them not to circumcise their children and not to 'live by' the requirements of the Torah. 22 Now because they’ve heard that you have come, 23 do what we tell you. We have four men who have vowed to purify themselves. 24 Take them and go and purify yourself with them and pay the expenses to shave their heads, so that everyone will know that what they heard about you isn’t true, and that you live in obedience to the Torah. 25 As for those of other ethnicities [Gr. ethnos] who have believed, we have written that they must abstain from offering zebakim [sacrifices] to idols and from sexual infidelity and from strangled animals and from blood [3] [4].
Paul Arrested
26 So Paul took the men the next day and was purified along with them. Then he went into the Temple with them, signifying to them the completion of the days of the purification, until offering a zebak for each of them.
27 When the seventh day arrived, the Jews from Asia Minor saw him in the Temple, and they stirred up the people against 'Paul' and grabbed him, 28 and shouted, “Men of Israel, help. This is the man who teaches against our people everywhere and against the Torah and against this place, and he has also brought heathens into the Temple and has made this 'cherished' place Levitically unclean.” 29 They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they assumed that he had gone into the Temple with Paul.
30 The whole city was in chaos, and everyone gathered together, grabbed Paul and dragged him out of the Temple and they immediately closed the gates. 31 While the crowd was trying to kill him, it was reported to the high commander of the regiment that the whole city was in an uproar. 32 Immediately he took a centurion and many soldiers and they rushed them. When they saw the commander and the soldiers they quit beating Paul.
33 The high commander came up to him and grabbed him and ordered him to be secured with two chains. Then he asked him who he was and what he had done. 34 People from the mob shouted various accusations against him. Due to the uproar he couldn’t determine what the truth was, so he ordered that he be taken to the fortress. 35 When Paul reached the stairs, the soldiers had to carry him because of the violence of the crowd. 36 The crowd followed behind shouting, ”Do away with him!”
Can You Speak Greek?
37 When he was about to be taken into the fortress, Paul asked the high commander, “Will you allow me to speak with you?” He asked him, “Can you speak Greek? 38 Aren’t you the Egyptian who recently caused a rebellion and lead four thousand cutthroats out into the desert?” 39 Paul replied, “I’m a Jew from Tarsus, a native of the well known city of Tarsus in Cilicia. Please allow me to speak to the people.” 40 So with his permission, Paul stood on the stairs, and gestured with his hand for them to be quiet, then he said to them in Hebrew:
[1] The Greek says “saluted” instead of “kissed.” [2] “Euaggelistes”: This is one of three places where this form of the word “evangel” (Good News) appears in the Greek. Religious jargon calls them Evangelists. They were “assembly planters” (or “church planters” as described in Pagan Christianity), carrying the Good News to places where it was previously unknown. Philip appears to have traveled from city to city heralding the teachings (Acts 8:4,40 & 21:8). Judging from the case of Philip, assembly planters didn’t have the authority of envoys or the gift of prophecy or the responsibility of elders. (See also Ephestians 4:11, 2 Timothy 4:5). [3] The vast majority of passages in the Majority Greek texts, (as in the King James version) are very similar to the original Aramaic. However there is a very egregious corruption that crept into the Majority texts very early on that was recopied into thousands of other copies of the later texts. The oldest texts, the ones that most modern (Wescott and Hort versions) versions defer to are literally littered with problems, yet because of their age they were spared this worst of all forgeries: most of the modern Bibles have this one right, by mere happenstance! The Aramaic didn’t suffer that attack. [4] Consider the footnotes and links back in Acts 15.
Acts 22
Paul’s Defense
1 Countrymen and fathers, listen to the defense I’m presenting to you. 2 When they heard him addressing them in Hebrew [1] they were even quieter, so he continued, 3 “I’m a Jew, born in Tarsus Cilicia, and brought up in this city. I was educated at the feet of Gamaliel with exactness in the Torah of our ancestors, being zealous for Yehovah in the same way that you are. 4 I persecuted this Way to death. I chained up both men and women, throwing them into prison. 5 The high priest and all the elders can attest to this. I received letters from them to take to our Pharisee brothers in Damascus authorizing me to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to receive capital punishment.6 Then as I was approaching Damascus, at noon, a sudden blaze of light from heaven shone around me. 7 I fell to the ground and I heard a voice saying to me, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 8 I asked, “Who are you Sovereign?” And He said to me, “I’m Yeshua the Nazarene who you are persecuting.” 9 The men who were with me saw the light, but couldn’t hear the voice that spoke to me. 10 I said, “Sovereign, what should I do?” The Sovereign said, “Get up and go to Damascus, and there you’ll be told everything that you’ll be commanded to do.” 11 Since I couldn’t see anything because of the brilliance of the light, the men who were with me took me by the hand led me into Damascus.
12 A man named Ananias came to me, a righteous man, obedient to the Torah, and highly regarded by all the Jews living there. 13 He said, “Saul, my friend, open yours eyes.” Instantly my eyes were opened and I could see him. 14 He said, “The Aloha of our ancestors has chosen you to understand His will, and to see the Righteous One and to hear His own voice. 15 You’ll be a witness for Him to all of humanity about everything that you have seen and heard. 16 So what are you waiting for? Get up and be immersed, and be cleansed from your sins as you call on His name.”
17 So when I returned to Jerusalem, I was praying in the Temple and went into an ecstatic state of wakefulness [Gr. ekstasis]. 18 I saw Him and He told me, “Hurry out of Jerusalem, because they won’t accept your testimony about Me.” 19 I said, “Sovereign, they are well aware of how active I was in the synagogues imprisoning and beating those who believed in You. 20 And when they were shedding the blood of Your martyr Stephen, I was standing there doing what his killers asked, by guarding the coats of the people who were stoning him.” 21 But He told me, “Leave, I’m sending you far away to herald to the other nations.”
22 They listened to Paul until he said this, but then they began to shout, “Get rid of this guy, he shouldn’t be allowed to live on earth!”
23 As they were yelling, they threw aside their clothing and threw dust into the air. 24 The high commander gave orders to bring him into the fortress, and he ordered that he should be interrogated by scourging so that he could find out why the people were yelling at him like that. 25 As they were stretching him out with leather straps, Paul asked the centurion who was standing there, “Is it legal for you to scourge a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been tried?”
This Man is a Roman!
26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the high commander and asked him, “What are you doing? This man is a Roman.”
27 The high commander came to him and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He answered, “Yes.” 28 The high commander replied, “I acquired Roman citizenship at a considerable cost.” Paul replied, “I was born into it.”
29 Immediately those who were intending to scourge him suddenly let him go. The high commander was afraid when he learned that he was a Roman because he had stretched him out for scourging.
30 The next day he wanted to know exactly what the accusation was that the Jews brought against him, and he ordered his chains to be removed and ordered the high priests and the entire Sanhedrin to convene. He brought Paul down and had him stand in front of them.
[1] The Greek would apparently indicate that this is one of ten places that should say “Aramaic” instead of “hebrew.”
Acts 23
The Plot to Kill Paul
1 Then Paul looked straight out at the Sanhedrin and said, “Brothers, I have lived with a clear conscience before Yehovah to this very day.” 2 Ananias, the priest, ordered the men who stood near him to strike Paul on the mouth. 3 Paul said to him, “Yehovah will hit you later, you whitewashed wall! How can you sit there and judge me by the Torah, while violating the Torah by ordering me to be struck?”4 Those standing by asked, “You dare vilify the high priest of Yehovah?” 5 Paul told them, “Brothers, I wasn’t aware that he was the high priest, because it’s written, ‘You’ll not curse the ruler of your people.’”
6 Because Paul knew that some of the people in the Sanhedrin were Sadducees and some were Pharisees, he called out, “Men, my brothers, I’m a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee, and I’m on trial because of my anticipation of the resurrection of the dead.” 7 After he said this, an angry quarrel between the Pharisees and Sadducees broke out and the assembly was divided. 8 (The Sadducees contend that there is no resurrection or spirit messengers or spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge all of these.)
9 There was a great uproar. Some Torah teachers of the party of the Pharisees got up and fiercely argued with them saying, “We find nothing wrong with this man. If a spirit or a Messenger conversed with him, what’s wrong with that?” 10 When the situation started becoming violent, the high commander was afraid that they might tear Paul to pieces, so he sent Romans to take him away from them by force and bring him into the fortress.
11 The following night our Sovereign appeared to Paul and told him, “Be strong because just as you have been witnessing for Me in Jerusalem, you must be My witness in Rome.”
12 The next morning several of the Jews gathered together and swore that they wouldn’t eat or drink until they had killed Paul. 13 More than forty people had sworn this oath. 14 They went to the priests and elders and said, “We have sworn with a solemn oath that we won’t eat anything until we have killed Paul.” 15 So you and the Sanhedrin should ask the high commander to bring him to you on the pretext that you honestly want to investigate his conduct. We are prepared to kill him before gets here.
16 But Paul’s sister’s son heard of this plot, so he went into the fortress and told Paul. 17 Paul called one of the centurions and told him, “Take this youth to the high commander because he has something to tell him.” 18 So the centurion took the young man and introduced him to the high commander and said, “Paul the prisoner called me and asked that I bring this youth to you because he has something to tell you.”
19 The high commander took the young man by the hand took him aside and asked him, “What do you have to tell me?” 20 The young man said, “The Jews are about to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to the Sanhedrin, pretending that they want to learn something more about him. 21 Don’t believe them because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him, and have taken an oath that they won’t eat or drink until they’ve killed him, and yes, they are ready and waiting for your consent.”
22 The high commander dismissed the young man after cautioning him, “Don’t let anyone know that you told me this.”
23 Then he called two centurions and told them, “Get two hundred Romans ready to go to Caesarea, as well as seventy cavalry and two hundred spear men, and have them ready to leave at the third hour [9:00] tonight. 24 Also provide a pack animal for Paul to ride, and take him safely to Governor Felix.”
25 He wrote a letter and gave it to them that said: 26 “From Claudius Lysias, to his Excellency Governor Felix. Greetings! 27 The Jews seized this man and were about to kill him, but I came with Romans and rescued him. Then I learned that he was a Roman. 28 I wanted to ascertain the charge that they accused him of, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin. 29 I found that their accusations had to do with questions about their Torah, and that there was no charge against him worthy of bonds or of death. 30 When I learned of a secret plot by the Jews against him, I immediately sent him to you. I have directed his accusers to bring their charges against him to you. Goodbye.”
31 Then the Romans, as ordered, took Paul during the night and brought him to the city of Antipatris. 32 The next day the cavalry dismissed the infantry, their associates, so that they could return to the fortress. 33 They brought him to Caesarea, and they delivered the letter to the Governor and handed Paul over to him. 34 After he read the letter, he asked him which province he was from. When he learned that he was from Cilicia, 35 he told him, “I’ll hear what you have to say when your accusers arrive.” And he ordered him to be kept in Herod’s Praetorium.
Acts 24
Ringleader of the Nazarenes
1 Five days later, Ananias the high priest came down with some elders and with an attorney named Tertullus and brought charges to the Governor against Paul. 2 When he had been called in, Tertullus preceded his accusation by saying, “For many years have we lived in peace because of you, and many reforms are being made for this nation under your administration, 3 and we all acknowledge it with profound gratitude, your Excellency Felix. 4 But so as not to detain you any further, I beg you to grant us a brief hearing.5 We have found this man to be an assassin [Gr. “A pest”] who stirs up sedition among all the Jews thruout the Empire. He is a ringleader of the sect [1] of the Nazarenes. 6 He even wanted to defile our Temple, but we arrested him. [2] We wanted to judge him according to the Torah, 7 but Lysias the high commander came and violently took him away, out of our hands, 8 He ordered his accusers to come before you. If you’ll interrogate him, you’ll be able to find out from him everything we accuse him of.”
9 The Jews supported his accusations, claiming that these things were true.
10 Then the Governor motioned to Paul, indicating that he should speak. Paul replied, “I know you to have been a judge over this nation for many years, so I’ll gladly present my defense. 11 You can 'easily verify' that it has only been twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12 They didn’t so much as find me debating with anyone in the Temple, and certainly not gathering a 'mob' in their synagogues or in the city. 13 They are unable prove any of these accusations against me. 14 Yet I certainly acknowledge that in accordance with the Way that they refer to as a sect, I do serve the Aloha of my ancestors and believe everything written in the Torah and in the Prophets. 15 I have a hope in Yehovah, as do they, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the righteous and the wicked. 16 That’s why I always try to have a clear conscience in relation to Yehovah and humanity.
17 After many years I returned to the people of my own nation to distribute alms and to present an offering. 18 After I had ceremonially purified myself, these men found me in the Temple without any crowd or rioting, tho some Jews from Asia Minor raised an uproar. [3] 19 They should be standing here with me before you making whatever accusations they want. 20 Or else the men here should explain what wrong they found when I stood before the Sanhedrin [Gr. sunedrion]. 21 They could accuse me of one statement. As I stood among them I shouted, “I’m on trial today because of my anticipation of the resurrection of the dead.”
22 Then Felix, because he was very familiar with the Way, postponed their meeting by saying, “When the high commander comes, I’ll give your case a hearing.” 23 He ordered a centurion to keep Paul in custody, but to see that none of his friends were prevented from caring for his needs.
24 After a few days Felix and Drusilla, his Jewish wife, sent for Paul and they listened to what he had to say about faith in the Messiah. 25 Their dialog concerned righteousness and self control and the future Judgment Day. Felix became alarmed and said, “Go away for now, and when I have an opportunity I’ll summon you.” 26 He really hoped that Paul would offer him a bribe. So he sent for him often and conversed with him.
27 After two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but because Felix had wanted to do the Jews a favor, he left Paul in prison.
[1] “Sect” and “heresy” are the same word in Greek. [2] Most modern translations, based on the shoddy Westcott and Hort texts, omit part of verse 6, all of 7 and part of verse 8. They have no verse #7 indicated. The Aramaic and the more reliable English translations, based on the Majority aka Byzantine texts are complete here. [3] The Greek omits that the “Jews from Asia” raised an uproar.
Acts 25
Paul Appeals to Caesar
1 Festus arrived in Caesarea, and after three days he went to Jerusalem, 2 where the high priests and the Jewish leaders presented their accusations against Paul. 3 They were asking 'Festus' as a favor to summon him to Jerusalem, because they were plotting an ambush to kill him along the way. 4 But Festus replied, “Paul is in custody in Caesarea, and I’ll be going there soon myself. 5 So those of you who are able should come with us and make your accusations against the man.”6 When he had been there eight to ten days, he went down to Caesarea. The next day he sat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought in. 7 When 'Paul' arrived, the Jews who had come from Jerusalem surrounded him and began bringing a number of serious charges against him, but none they could prove.
8 Meanwhile, Paul replied, “I haven’t 'broken any laws' in regard to the Torah of the Jews or regarding the Temple or regarding Caesar.”
9 But Festus, because he wanted to do the Jews a favor, asked Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me on these charges?” 10 Paul replied, “I’m standing before Caesar’s tribunal where I should be tried. I haven’t committed any offenses against the Jews, as you are well aware. 11 If I had committed a crime or done anything worthy of death, I wouldn’t beg to be pardoned from death. But if none of the things that they accuse me of are true, no one should offer me as a zebak [sacrifice] for entertainment. I appeal to Caesar.”
12 Then, after conferring with the council, Festus said, “You have appealed to Caesar, and to Caesar you will go.”
13 After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea for a social visit with Festus. 14 When they had been with him a few days, Festus told the king about Paul’s case. He said, “There is a man here who Felix left as a prisoner. 15 When I was in Jerusalem, the high priests and the Jewish elders told me about him and asked me to condemn him as a favor.
16 I told them, “It isn’t the custom of the Romans to sentence a person gratuitously to be killed. His accuser must appear and accuse him to his face, so he has an opportunity of defending himself against the accusation that has been brought against him.” 17 So when I got here, I took my seat on the tribunal the very next day, and summoned the man to be brought in. 18 His accusers stood up with him, but they weren’t able to substantiate any criminal charge against him—just as I had expected. 19 They were debating with him about things pertaining to their 'religion' and about Yeshua, who died, but who Paul says is alive. 20 Because I wasn’t well acquainted with their controversy, I asked Paul if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges. 21 But when Paul made an appeal to be held over for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered that he be held in custody until I could send him to Caesar.
22 Agrippa said, “I would like to hear the man.” Festus said, “Tomorrow you’ll hear him.” 23 And the next day Agrippa and Bernice arrived with much fanfare and went into the courthouse accompanied by military officers and the leading men of the city. Festus gave the order, and Paul was brought in. 24 Festus said, “King Agrippa, and everyone present with us, you see here the man who all the Jews in Jerusalem, as well as here, appealed to me about, shouting that he should die. 25 Yet upon investigation, I found that he has done nothing deserving of death. But because he requested to remain in custody for a hearing before Caesar, I have ordered that he be sent to Rome. 26 I have nothing definite to write to Caesar about him, so I wanted to bring him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that when his case has been heard, I’ll have something to write. 27 It would be absurd to send a prisoner without specifying any charges against him.”
Acts 26
Saul before He Was Paul
1 Agrippa told Paul, “You have permission to speak on your own behalf.” So Paul, motioned with his hand, and began presenting his defense: 2 “I consider myself fortunate that you are the one hearing my defense against all the accusations of the Jews today, king Agrippa, 3 especially since you are familiar with all of the controversies and customs [Gr. ethos] of the Jews. So I ask that you listen to me patiently.4 The Jews know, if they would admit it, the kind of life I lived from 'birth' in my own nation and in Jerusalem. 5 They’ve known for a long time, if they would admit it, that I lived according to the 'strictest' doctrinal paradigm of the Pharisees. 6 I now stand on trial for believing the promise that Yehovah made to our ancestors. 7 This is the promise that our twelve tribes expect to see fulfilled, praying for it diligently day and night. It is because of this very anticipation, king Agrippa, that the Jews are accusing me. 8 What do you think? Shouldn’t we believe that Yehovah will raise the dead?
9 At first, I was convinced that I should do everything I could to oppose Yeshua the Nazarene’s name. 10 I was doing this in Jerusalem. And by the authority I received from the high priests, I threw many of the 'chosen ones' [saints] into prison and when they were being condemned to death, I cast my vote to condemned them. 11 I viciously tortured them in every synagogue, and I tried to force them to blaspheme Yeshua’s name. In my furious rage against them I also went to cities other than Jerusalem to persecute them.
12 While on one of these missions to Damascus, with authorization and a commission from the high priests, 13 at midday, 'my' king, while on the road I saw a light brighter than the sun, beaming from the sky onto me and on everyone with me. 14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice asking me in Hebrew, “Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting Me? It will be difficult for you to kick against he cattle prods.”
15 Then I asked, “Who are you Sovereign?” Then our Sovereign told me, “I’m Yeshua the Nazarene who you are persecuting.” 16 He told me, “Stand on your feet because I have appeared to you for the very purpose of appointing you to be a servant and a witness of your seeing Me now, and of your seeing Me in the future. 17 I’ll protect you from the Jewish people and from the other people who I’m sending you to, 18 to open their eyes so that they can turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to Aloha, and receive complete forgiveness from their sins, and an inheritance with the 'cherished' believers thru faith in Me.”
19 So, King Agrippa, I didn’t disobey the Heavenly vision, 20 but I proclaimed this starting in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and in all the villages of Judea, and after that to other nations so that they too could have a change of heart and turn to Yehovah, and do works consistent with changed minds. 21 This is why the Jews grabbed me in the Temple and tried to kill me. 22 Yehovah has helped me to this very day, and now I stand testifying to both rich and poor, yet saying nothing beyond what the Prophets and Moses said—the very things that they said would happen— 23 namely, that the Messiah would suffer and become the first to be resurrected from the dead and that He would proclaim light to the Israelite people and to every other ethnicity.
24 When Paul was making his defense, Festus shouted loudly, “Paul, you are out of your mind. Too much study has caused you to go mad.”
25 Paul replied, “I’m not mad, Your Excellency Festus, I’m speaking words of truth and righteousness. 26 King Agrippa, you are well acquainted with these things. That’s why I’m speaking so freely to you, because I’m convinced that not one of these things has escaped your notice since they weren’t done in secret. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you believe.”
Agrippa, Almost a Christian
28 King Agrippa said, “Within this short time you’ve almost persuaded me to become a Christian!” 29 Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I 'pray' to Yehovah that not only you, but everyone listening to me today were as I am, except for these chains.”
30 The king stood up, and with him the governor and Bernice and the people who were sitting with them. 31 After they left, they discussed it together and agreed, “This man has done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.” 32 Agrippa told Festus, “The man could have been set free if he hadn’t appealed to Caesar.”
Acts 27
Paul Sets Sail For Rome
1 Festus ordered that he be sent to Caesar in Italy. So he handed Paul and some other prisoners over to a centurion named Julius, from the Augustan Regiment. 2 We set sail on a ship from the city of Adramyttium, heading toward the ports along the coast of Asia Minor. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from the city of Thessalonica boarded the ship and went with us. 3 The next day we arrived at Sidon, and 'Julius' treated Paul with kindness, and allowed him to visit his friends so that they could provide for his needs. 4 We put out to sea, sailing on the sheltered side of Cyprus because the winds were against us. 5 We sailed across the open sea off Cilicia and Pamphylia, and landed in Myra, a city in Lycia. 6 There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy, and put us on board. 7 It was difficult sailing, but after many days, just as we made it down from the isle of Cnidos, the wind wouldn’t allow us to continue on a straight course, so we sailed on the sheltered side of Crete, off Cape Salmone. 8 Sailing past it was quite difficult. We finally arrived in a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lassa.9 We lost so much time that it had become too dangerous for sailing, and the Day of the Fast [1] was already over, so Paul warned them, 10 “Men, I can see that during our voyage there is going to be danger and considerable loss, not only for the cargo and the ship, but our lives are in danger as well. 11 But the centurion gave more credence to the pilot and the owner of the ship than to what Paul said. 12 Since that harbor wasn’t fit to winter in, the majority favored setting sail, hoping to reach a southern harbor in Crete called Phoenix and spend the winter there.
Typhoon
13 When the southern breeze began to blow, they thought they could 'safely make it' to Phoenix, so we began to sail around Crete. 14 But before long a typhoon called the Typhonic Euroclydon swept down against us. 15 The ship was whirled around by the storm and we couldn’t sail into the wind, so we gave up and let her drift. 16 Even as we drifted under the shelter of a small island called Cauda, we were barely able to control the skiff [Gr. skaphe]. 17 After hoisting it on board, we undergirded the ship with cables to strengthen it. But because we were afraid of running aground we lowered the sail and continued to drift. 18 The next day we took such a violent battering from the storm that we threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. 19 On the third day, they even grabbed the ship’s tackle and threw it overboard. 20 When we couldn’t see the sun or the stars for many days, and the storm continued to rage, we lost all hope of being saved.
21 After going without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them and said, “If you’d listened to me men, we wouldn’t have sailed from Crete, and this loss and danger would have been avoided. 22 But now I urge you not to panic, because not one person will die. Only the ship will be destroyed. 23 A Messenger of Yehovah, who I belong to and who I serve, appeared to me last night. 24 And he said to me, “Don’t fear Paul, because you are yet to stand before Caesar, and now Yehovah has granted you the lives of everyone sailing with you.” 25 So have courage men, because I believe Yehovah, and it will be exactly as I was told. 26 But we will run aground on an island.
27 After fourteen days we were still drifting thru the Adriatic sea. At midnight the sailors suspected that we were approaching land. 28 They let down the sounding lead to a depth of twenty fathoms. A little later it was fifteen fathoms. 29 Fearing that we’d be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for morning. 30 Attempting to abandon the ship, the sailors lowered the skiff into the sea, under the pretense of laying out anchors from the bow. 31 But when Paul saw them, he told the centurion and the soldiers, “If they don’t stay in the ship, you won’t be saved.” 32 Then the soldiers cut the ropes that held the skiff to the ship and set it adrift.
33 Even before dawn, Paul was urging them all to eat. He said, “Because of the danger it has been fourteenth days since you’ve eaten. 34 So I strongly encourage you to eat something to help you survive, since not one of you will lose a single hair on your head. 35 After saying that, he took some bread and thanked Yehovah in front of everyone, and he broke it and began to eat. 36 They were all encouraged and they began to eat as well. 37 There were 276 of us on board. 38 When they had eaten what they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat overboard.
39 In the morning, the sailors didn’t recognize the coast, but they saw an inlet on the beach where they hoped to run the ship aground. 40 They cut the anchors and left them in the sea. Then they untied the ropes that held the steering oars and hoisted a foresail to the breeze and headed for the beach. 41 The ship struck a sandbar between two deep channels of the sea and ran aground too soon. The bow was stuck and couldn’t be moved, while the stern was shattered by the force of the waves.
42 The soldiers would have killed the prisoners to keep them from swimming ashore and escaping, 43 but the centurion kept them from doing it because he wanted Paul to escape. So he ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and swim ashore. 44 He ordered the rest to follow on planks and on other timbers from the ship. So everyone escaped to shore safely.
[1] The public fast is specified in Leviticus 23:27 and celebrated yearly on the Day of Atonements, on the tenth of the month of Tisri (September/October). That time of year sailing was usually dangerous due to storms.
Acts 28
Paul on Malta
1 Later we learned [1] that the island was called Malta. 2 The barbarians who inhabited it showed us remarkable kindness and lit a fire and invited us all to warm ourselves due to the relentless rain and cold at the time. 3 As Paul gathered a bundle of dry sticks and laid them on the fire, a poisonous snake driven by the heat came out of it and bit his hand. 4 When the barbarians saw it hanging from his hand they said, “Undoubtedly this man is a murderer. Tho he was rescued from the sea, justice won’t allow him to live.” 5 But Paul shook his hand and the snake fell off into the fire and he wasn’t harmed. 6 The barbarians expected him to suddenly swell up or drop dead on the ground. But after they watched him for a long time and saw that he wasn’t harmed, they changed their 'minds' and said that he was a god.7 There were properties there belonging to a man named Publius, who was the governor of the island. He cheerfully welcomed us into his house for three days. 8 Publius’s father was suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went to him and prayed and laid his hand on him and healed him. 9 After this, everyone else on the island who was sick came to him and was healed. 10 They honored us in many ways, and when we were ready to sail, they gave us supplies.
Arrival in Italy
11 Three months passed before we set sail in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered on the island. It had the Twin gods [Castor and Pollux] as its figurehead. 12 We stopped at the city of Syracuse and stayed there for three days. 13 From there we circled around and reached the city of Rhegium. The next day a favorable south wind began to blow, and in two days we arrived at Puteoli, a city in Italy. 14 We found some friends there and they invited us to stay with them. We stayed for seven days, and then we headed for Rome. 15 When the friends from Rome heard of our arrival, they came out to greet us from as far as the village of Appii Forum and from as far as the Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked Yehovah and was encouraged. 16 When we arrived in Rome, the centurion allowed Paul to live wherever he wanted, with a soldier who guarded him.
17 Three days later, Paul invited the Jewish leaders to meet with him. When they gathered, he told them, “Men and brothers, altho I had in no way done anything against our people, or the Torah of our ancestors, I was arrested and chained in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. 18 After they questioned me, they wanted to let me go because there was no reason for putting me to death. 19 But when the Jews objected, I had to appeal to Caesar, but not because I had any accusations against my people. 20 That’s why I invited you here, so that I could see you and explain these things to you, since I’m wearing this chain for the hope of Israel” [the awaited Messiah].
21 They replied, “We haven’t received any letters from Judea about you, and none of our brothers who have come from Jerusalem have said anything critical about you. 22 But we would like to hear what your views are, because we know that people everywhere are speaking out against this doctrine” [2].
23 They set a date to meet him, and a large number of people gathered where he was staying. From morning till evening he expounded to them about Yehovah’s Kingdom, persuasively explaining to them about Yeshua from the Torah of Moses and from the Prophets. 24 Some of them were convinced by what he said, while others refused to believe. 25 They left him, disagreeing among themselves after Paul told them, “The 'special' spirit was precisely right in speaking about your ancestors thru the prophet Isaiah: 26 “Go to these people and tell them, ‘You’ll hear but you won’t understand, and you’ll see but you won’t comprehend, 27 because these people are feeble minded, and hearing is burdesome for them. They’ve closed their eyes, otherwise they would see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their minds and turn to Me and I would forgive them.’” 28 But understand that every other nation will be offered the hope of a ransom payment [redemption], and they’ll listen. 29 [A] 30 Paul rented a house at his own expense and lived in it for two years. He welcomed anyone who came to see him. 31 He continued heralding Yehovah’s Kingdom and courageously taught about our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah without being hindered.
Completion of the Act[ion]s of the envoys, that is the history.
[1] The Greek says “after they had escaped.” [2] The Greek translates this as either sect or heresy. Lamsa completely warped this verse. I only spot checked Lamsa. [A] “verse 29”, “after he said this, the Jews left, and there were great discussions among them” isn’t in the MSS, or in any of the earlier editions (or the early Greek copies), and the later editions place it in the margin.
Compare the Testimony of Yeshua with the 1851 Murdock or the 1849 Etheridge Versions of “The Testimony of Yeshua” (The ‘New Testament’).
James 1
To the Twelve Tribes
1 From “James” [Yakub, “Jacob”], a servant of Yehovah and of our Sovereign Yeshua (Jesus) Messiah, to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion [Gr. diaspora] among the nations. Greetings [1].2 You should consider it a joy, my friends, when you encounter many and varied trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Allow perseverance to perfect her work so that you can become complete and perfect, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you needs wisdom, you should ask Yehovah for it. He gives generously to everyone and doesn’t find fault with them. 6 But you must ask in faith, not wavering, because anyone who hesitates is like the waves of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 A person [Gr. anthropos] like that shouldn’t expect to receive anything from Yehovah. 8 A man who wavers is unstable every step of the the way.
9 The friend in humble circumstances should rejoice in their high station, 10 and the rich in their humiliation, because they’ll 'fade' away like flowering herbs. 11 Because when the sun rises with its scorching heat and dries up the foliage, its flowers fall off, and its beauty is destroyed. That’s how the rich fade away amid their 'trivial distractions'.
Trials Precede the Crown of Life
12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, so that after he has passed the test, he’ll receive the crown of life that Yehovah has promised to those who love Him.
13 No one being tempted should say, “I’m being tempted by Yehovah”, because Yehovah can’t be tempted by evil, and He doesn’t tempt anyone to sin. 14 Everyone is tempted when they are seduced by their own cravings. They take the bait and are trapped. 15 Then when these cravings have conceived, they produce sin, and when sin has matured, it produces death.
16 My dear friends, make no mistake, 17 every good and perfect gift comes down from above, from the Father of Heavenly lights who is immutable, without even a shadow of change. 18 He chose to give us life by the Messenger of truth, so that we could be the firstborn [2] of His created beings.
19 My dear friends, everyone should be quick to listen and slow to speak, and even slower to get angry, 20 since human anger doesn’t produce the righteousness of Yehovah. 21 So after ridding yourselves from all filthiness, and an abundance of wickedness, humbly accept the Word that is being implanted in our nature, that is able to save your lives.
The Law of Liberty
22 We must act on the [implanted] Word and not merely be listeners deceiving ourselves. 23 If anyone merely hears the Word but doesn’t act on it, they’ll be like someone who sees their face in a mirror, 24 and fixates on how they look, but then goes away and forgets what kind of person they are. 25 But anyone who looks into the perfect Torah of liberty, and doesn’t forsake it, isn’t someone who hears something only to forget it. Instead, they act on the Word and they’re blessed in their work.
26 If anyone thinks that they are serving Yehovah, but they can’t control their tongue, they are deceiving themselves, their display of service is worthless. 27 Pure and 'dedicated' service to Yehovah the Father means visiting the fatherless and widows in their distress, and keeping yourself unstained by the world.
[1] And you thought that Yehovah lost track of “The lost ten tribes!” [2] “Firstfruit” in Greek can mean either “firstborn” (firstling) or “firstfruit/s”, but it makes more sense for people to be born than to grow on trees.
James 2
The Sin of Favoritism
1 Friends, don’t claim to practice the magnificent faith of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah while showing favoritism. 2 Suppose a man wearing gold rings or fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man with shabby clothing comes in. 3 If you pay special attention to the one wearing fine clothing, and tell him, “Sit in this prominent place”, but you say to the poor man, “Stand over there”, or “Sit here by my footstool”, 4 aren’t you discriminating and biased by evil motives?5 Listen my dear friends! Hasn’t Yehovah choosen the poor of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the Kingdom that Yehovah promised to those who love Him? 6 But you have insulted the poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you and drag you into court? 7 Don’t they blaspheme the honorable name that you bear?
8 If you actually fulfill the Torah of Yehovah according to the Scriptures, “You will love your neighbor as yourself”, you’ll do well. 9 But if you show favoritism, you’re sinning, and you are exposed by the Torah as Torah breakers, 10 because whoever obeys the whole Torah, yet fails in one point is guilty of violating the whole Torah! 11 The One who said, “You must never commit adultery” also said, “You must never murder.” So if you don’t commit adultery, but you murder, you have still become a Torah breaker.
12 So speak and act like people who are going to be judged by the Torah of liberty. 13 There will be judgment without mercy for anyone who doesn’t show mercy. But by mercy you’ll be raised above judgment.
Faith Without Works is Dead
14 What is the use, friends, if a man says, “I have faith”, but he doesn’t have any works? Can his faith resurrect him to life? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is poorly clothed and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace! Stay warm, and eat well.” If you don’t provide for their bodily needs, what good is that? 17 So faith all by itself, unaccompanied by works, is dead.
18 But someone might argue, “You have faith and I have works.” Show to me your faith without any works, and I’ll show you my faith by my works! 19 So you believe that there is one Aloha [God]. Good for you, but the demons also believe that, and tremble.
20 Don’t you realize, you spiritually destitute person, that faith without works is dead! 21 Wasn’t Abraham our ancestor proven righteous by works in offering his son Isaac on an altar? 22 You see that faith enabled his works, and as a result of works, his faith was perfected. 23 The Scripture was fulfilled that said, “Abraham believed in Yehovah, and this is why he was considered to be righteous.” He was even called Yehovah’s friend. 24 So you see that people are deemed to be righteous by works, and not by faith alone.
25 In the same way Rahab the harlot was justified by works when she welcomed the messengers [spies] and sent 'their enemies' off in a different direction. 26 A body without the spirit is dead, just as faith without works is dead.
James 3
The Defiling Tongue
1 Friends, not many of you should become teachers, knowing that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all make mistakes in many ways. Someone who doesn’t make mistakes in his speech is a perfect man, able to control his whole body.3 We put bits into the mouths of horses to make them submissive to us, and we can turn their whole body around. 4 And when strong winds drive huge ships, they are also turned around by a small rudder at the whim of the helmsman. 5 The tongue is also a small thing that boasts of great things, and little sparks set ablaze huge forests. 6 The tongue is also a fire, and the sinful world is like a forest. The tongue is one of our body parts that defiles our whole body, and it inflames successive generations that roll on like a wheel, and is itself set on fire. [1]
7 All kinds of animals and birds and reptiles in the sea and on land have been subjected to human nature. 8 But no one has been able to tame the tongue. It’s an unrestrained evil thing, full of deadly poison.
9 With it we bless the Sovereign and Father, and with it we curse people who were made in Yehovah’s image. 10 From the same mouth comes curses and blessings. friends, this should not be the situation. 11 Can both fresh and 'salt' water flow from an artesian well? 12 Or friends, can a fig tree produce olives, or a vine produce figs? So 'salt' water can’t accompany fresh. [2]
13 Which of you has wisdom and understanding? You should show it by good conduct [works], in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy or self-promoting partisanship seeking control, don’t be arrogant about it or deny the truth. 15 This heart doesn’t come down from above, it is worldly, rationalistic and demonic. 16 Wherever there is envy and self-promoting ambition, there is also disorder and every kind of evil.
17 But the wisdom that comes from above is pure and peaceful, gentle and submissive, full of compassion and good 'deeds', without partiality and pretense. 18 The fruit of righteousness is sown in cultivated land [3] by peacemakers.
[1] The Greek adds “in Gehenna.” [2] In this instance I believe that the Aramaic to English translation is weak. Presumably the Aramaic’s 'bitter' water is salt water. Greek doesn’t imply that salt water can’t be distilled into “sweet”, [Gr. glukus gloo-koos’] or fresh. [3] See why this says “cultivated land” instead of “Peace.” Keyword cultivated.
James 4
Resist Satan
1 Where do the disputes and conflicts among you come from? Don’t they come from the lusts at war within you? 2 You want things that aren’t yours, so you murder. You are envious but don’t get what you want, so you fight and quarrel and you still don’t have anything because you don’t ask for it! 3 And when you do ask, you don’t get anything because you ask with the wrong motives, so you can squander it on your passions.4 You adulterers, don’t you know that befriending this hostile world is being in opposition to Yehovah? Anyone who wants to befriend this world is an enemy of Yehovah. 5 Or do you think there is no reason why the Scriptures say, “The human spirit [1] living in us 'is filled' with envy”? 6 But our Sovereign has given us more dignity. So he “the Psalmist” says, “The Sovereign humbles the arrogant, but gives merciful kindness to the humble.”
7 Submit yourselves to Yehovah. Resist Satan and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to Yehovah and He’ll come close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and dedicate your minds, you ambivalent. 9 Be miserable and mourn aloud. Turn your laughter into mourning and your joy into sorrow. 10 Humble yourselves before Yehovah and He will exalt you.
Don’t Slander the Torah!
11 Friends, don’t slander each other, because anyone who slanders another believer or condemns another believer slanders the Torah and judges the Torah. If you judge the Torah you aren’t obeying the Torah, you’re judging it. 12 There is one Torah giver and Judge, the One who creates life or destroys it. So who are you to be judging your neighbor?
13 But what is our response to those who say, “Today or tomorrow we’ll go to such and such a city and stay there a year, doing business and making money.” 14 They don’t know what will happen tomorrow. What is our life? It’s a vapor that appears for a little while and then disappears. 15 They should be saying, “If Yehovah wants it and we live, we will do this or that.” 16 They brag in their arrogance. All such bragging is evil. 17 A person who knows what is right, but doesn’t do it is guilty of sin.
[1] Job 32:8 But there is a spirit in mortal humanity, and the breath of the Conqueror Aloha [God] gives us consciousness.
James 5
Stinking Rich
1 You rich people, cry and moan about the misery that is coming your way. 2 Your wealth is spoiled and stinking and your clothing is moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and your silver are tarnished, and their tarnish will be a testimony against you, and it will eat your body. You’re accumulating fire [1] for yourselves for the last days. 4 The wages you refused to pay the laborers who harvested your fields cries out, and the cries of the harvesters has reached the ears of Yehovah the Commander. 5 You’ve lived in luxury on earth, living for pleasure, fattening yourselves for the day of slaughter. 6 You’ve condemned and murdered the righteous who weren’t resisting you.7 But friends, be patient until the arrival of the Sovereign. Be like the farmer who waits for the precious harvest of his ground, patiently waiting for the early and the latter rain. 8 Be just as patient, and 'stand firm', because the arrival of our Sovereign is near. 9 Friends, don’t complain about each other, or you’ll be condemned since the Judge is standing at the door!
10 Friends, take for example the prophets who spoke in Yehovah’s name. They patiently endured suffering unjustly. 11 We consider those who have endured suffering blessed. You’ve heard of the patience of Job and you’ve seen the results of what Yehovah did for him, because Yehovah is merciful and compassionate.
12 But above all friends, don’t swear, either by Heaven or by earth, or with any other oath. Your Yes” should be “Yes”, and your “No”, “No”, or you could be condemned.
Call For the Elders
13 If any of you are suffering you should pray. Anyone who is cheerful should sing psalms. 14 If anyone is sick, they should call for the elders [2] of the assembly, and they should pray for them, anointing them with olive oil in our Sovereign’s name. 15 The prayer of faith will restore the sick to health, and Yehovah will raise them up from their death bed, and if they’ve committed any sins, the sins will be disregarded. 16 Confess your shortcomings to each other, and pray for each other, so that you can be healed, because there is great power [Gr. energeo] in the prayers of righteous people.
17 Elijah was also a man with feelings and passions like ours. He prayed that it wouldn’t rain on the land, and it didn’t 'rain' for three years and six months. 18 He prayed again and the sky produced rain and the land produced its crops.
19 Friends, if one of you strays from the Way of truth, and someone brings them back, 20 they should understand that whoever turns a sinner from their wandering will rescue their lives [psyche, Gr: psuche] from destruction and cover a great many sins.
[1] The Greek says the rich are accumulating “treasure”, not “fire”, for the last days. Care to bet on that? [2] The primary meaning of elders isn’t an office or rank, they are recognized “olders”, older and wiser in the faith.
End of the letter of James the envoy.
1st Peter 1
Peter Writes the Diaspora
1 From Peter, an envoy of Yeshua (Jesus) Messiah, to the Select pilgrims who are dispersed [Gr. diaspora] in Pontus and Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 who have been selected by the foreknowledge of Yehovah the Father, and set apart by the spirit to obey Yeshua Messiah, and be sprinkled with His blood. May dignity and peace be yours in abundance!3 Praise be to Yehovah, the Father of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah, who in His great mercy has engendered [begotten] us again to the expectation of real life, thru the resurrection of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah, 4 and to an indestructible inheritance, undefiled and unfading that is reserved for you in Heaven, 5 while you are preserved by the power of Yehovah and by faith, for the eternal life that awaits you and will be unveiled in the last days. 6 With it you’ll rejoice forever, tho at the present time you must endure the various trials that come your way, 7 so that the proof of your faith that is much more precious than refined [1a] gold is proven genuine [tested] by fire, for eminence, honor and splendor, when Yeshua Messiah appears. 8 You haven’t seen Him, yet you love Him, and in His faith you have great joy and indescribable praise, 9 so that you can receive compensation for your faith—everlasting life, 10 the very favor that the prophets inquired about when they were prophesying about the favor [“Grace”: Gr.Goddesses] that was to be given to you. 11 They tried to determine the exact time that the Messiah’s spirit, dwelling in them, was referring to, and when His predicted suffering was to occur and the splendor that followed. 12 And everything that they were searching for was revealed to them, because they were not inquiring for themselves, but they were prophesying those things for us, things that are now revealed to you by those who have announced the Good News by the 'special' spirit sent from Heaven, things the spirit messengers also want to look into.
13 So be mentally prepared and wide awake, and wait with confidence for the joy that will come to you when our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah is finally revealed to the world. 14 As obedient children, don’t conform to the former lusts that you 'once did' in ignorance. 15 Be 'devout' in everything you do, just like the One who called you by name is 'devout'. 16 Because it is written, “Become 'dedicated', just as I am 'dedicated'.”
17 If you call Him “Father”, who impartially judges everyone according to their behavior, live your lives in reverent fear as travelers in a foreign land. 18 You know that the ransom from your worthless lifestyles, inherited from your ancestors, wasn’t paid for with corruptible [corrupting?] [1b] silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of the Messiah, the spotless and unblemished Lamb. 20 He was predestined for this before the foundation of the world, and this former mystery has been made apparent for you at the end of the age. 21 Thru Him you have believed in Yehovah, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him honor, so that your faith and hope could be in Yehovah.
22 Since you have purified your minds by obedience to the truth, and are filled with unbiased love, you must love each other with a pure and perfect mind, 23 not being regenerated [begotten again] with a destructible heredity, but with an indestructible one, by the living Word of Aloha who lives forever. 24 Mortal humanity is like grass, and all its beauty is like flowers in the fields. The grass dries up and the flowers fade away, 25 but the Word of Aloha remains forever. This is the Good News message that is announced to you.
[1a,b] The Greek says that gold is perishable or corruptible, even tho the same verse says it can even withstand fire. Gold is purified (Zechariah 13:9) and tested (Revelation 3:18) in fire! In verse 18 there is another word that can be translated as either “perishable” or “corruptible”, but it has to do with human corruption. Precious metals are neither perishable or corruptible, but people who sin to acquire it are both corruptible & perishable.
1st Peter 2
A Living Stone
1 So stop making evil plans or any kind of deception, pretense, jealousy or any kind of slander. 2 Like newborn babies, crave the pure milk of the Word, so that you can grow up and live, 3 if indeed you have gotten a taste of Yehovah’s goodness.4 As you come to Him, a living Stone that humanity has rejected, but selected by Yehovah and precious, 5 you are also like living stones being built into a spiritual Temple [1], and 'dedicated' priests who present spiritual zebakim [sacrifices], acceptable to Yehovah, thru Yeshua Messiah. 6 The Scriptures say, “I am laying in Zion a chosen and precious Stone for the cornerstone, and no one who believes in Him will be put to shame!” 7 Those of you who believe are honored, but for those who don’t believe, “He is a stumbling stone 8 and an offending Rock.” They continue to stumble because they refuse to believe. Their destiny awaits.
9 But you are a Select race, officiating as priests of the Kingdom, a 'chosen' nation [2], an assembly redeemed to proclaim the virtues of the One who called you by name out of darkness and into His precious light. 10 Once you were not considered a people, but now you are the people of Yehovah. You hadn’t experienced mercy, but now mercy is being poured out on you!
11 Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and foreigners to separate yourselves from all carnal desires, because they war against your consciousness” [psyche, Gr: psuche]. 12 Your behavior should be obviously commendable to everyone, so those who are slandering you can see your good behavior and praise Yehovah in the day of probation [3].
13 Be submissive to human authority for Yehovah’s sake, whether to kings because of their authority 14 or to judges, because he sends them to punish offenders and to commend those who do right. 15 This is Yehovah’s will, so that by your good behavior you’ll muzzle the mouths of the fools who don’t know Yehovah. 16 Live like free people, but not like those who use their freedom as a cover for their wickedness, but as the servants of Yehovah. 17 Respect everyone, love your friends, fear Yehovah and honor kings.
18 Those of you who are servants, submit to your masters with respect, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh and offensive. 19 Yehovah favors those who, for the sake of conscience, withstand unfair treatment. 20 But what credit would they deserve if they withstand punishment when they have sinned? But if you do well, and withstand unfair treatment, Yehovah considers that commendable. 21 This is why you were called, because the Messiah also suffered for us as a role model, so that you could follow in His steps. 22 He never sinned, nor did He ever deceive anyone. 23 When He was insulted, He didn’t insult in return, and He suffered without threatening, but committed everything to the One who judges righteously. 24 He took all of our sins and He lifted them in His body to the cross, so that we could die to sin and live 'as a result of' His [4] righteousness, because you are healed by His bleeding wounds. 25 You had wandered like sheep, but you have now returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your lives.
[1] The fact that, spiritually, we are “The Israel of Yehovah” (Galatians 6:16), rebuilt right now, does not diminish from the fact that all of physical Israel will be rebuilt, as Yeshua prophesied in Matthew 16:18! [2] This is one place where translators don’t mess up and use the word “gentile.” [3] Etheridge translated it as “probation.” The Greek word means “investigation, inspection or visitation”, and it could be rendered “advent.” It’s used four times in the Bible. Once for Yeshua’s first public arrival—Luke 19:44, once concerning His second public arrival (“visitation”)—1 Peter 2:12, and twice the word has been used to create “The office of a bishop”—Acts 1:20 and 1 Timothy 3:1. [4] The Greek says “righteousness” rather than “His righteousness”, entirely missing the point!
1st Peter 3
Wives be Submissive
1 In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your husbands, so that by your pleasing behavior, you might more easily win over those who have not obeyed the Word, 2 when they see that you conduct yourselves with reverence and ‘modesty’ [1]. 3 Your adornment shouldn’t be 'skin deep' [outward], consisting of elaborately braided hair, or gold trinkets, or expensive clothing. 4 Instead, clothe yourselves with an inward beauty, with a gentle and quiet spirit, ornamentation that is precious to Yehovah. 5 This is how the 'cherished' women of old who trusted in Yehovah adorned themselves, being submissive to their husbands 6 just like Sarah was obedient to Abraham, and called him master, and you are her daughters by doing good and not allowing anything to terrify you.Husbands, Value Your Wives
7 Likewise husbands, live with your wives with advanced knowledge. Value them as delicate vessels, because they will inherit the gift of eternal life with you, so that your prayers won’t be hindered.
8 In summary, you should all be in harmony, and be sympathetic with those who suffer, being affectionate with each other, compassionate and kind. 9 Don’t pay people back with evil for evil, or exchange abusive criticisms. Instead, you should bless. That’s why you were called, so that you can inherit a blessing. 10 So whoever chooses live life and see better days should keep their tongue from evil and their lips from being deceitful. 11 They must turn away from evil and do good, they must seek peace—run after it, 12 because Yehovah watches over the righteous, and He is always ready to listen to them. But Yehovah opposes the wicked.
Don’t Fear Threats
13 Who will harm you if you are zealous about doing good? 14 But even if you were to suffer due to righteousness, be glad. Don’t be afraid or shaken by those who threaten you. 15 Dedicate your 'lives' to the Sovereign, the Messiah. Always be prepared to answer everyone who inquires of you a reason for the joyful expectation that lies within you, yet with gentleness and seriousness, 16 with a clear conscience, so that when someone severely criticizes you, as they do evil people, they will be ashamed for having falsely accused your good conduct in the Messiah. 17 It is far better for you to suffer for doing good things, (if that is Yehovah’s will) than for doing evil things. 18 The Messiah died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, so that He could bring you to Yehovah. His body died, but His spirit was empowered with life. 19 He heralded to the spirits [1] who were imprisoned in sheol [2], 20 those who disobeyed long ago in the days of Noah, when Yehovah in extreme patience, commanded an ark to be made. He was hoping that they would change their ways, but only eight people entered it and survived the water during the flood. 21 Symbolically, water of immersion [baptism] now rescues you, (not when you wash dirt from your bodies, but when you answer to Yehovah with a pure conscience) by the resurrection of Yeshua Messiah, 22 who was taken up to Heaven and is on the right hand side of Yehovah with spirit messengers and rulers and powers under His authority.
[1] This only usage to the word “modesty” in the Bible, originally had nothing to do with clothing. [2] Did Yeshua visit “souls” or “spirits”? The best distinction to this often misunderstood difference is that a soul is “ a living being whose life resides in the blood” That should rule out humans here since they return to their maker! [3] The Greek doesn’t mention sheol.
1st Peter 4
Living and Dead Both Judged
1 So since the Messiah suffered for you in His physical body, you should arm yourselves with the same heart, because everyone who has died physically is finished sinning [1]. 2 So from now on, while still in the body, don’t live for sinful human passions, but for the will of Yehovah. 3 You spent enough time in the past pursuing heathen desires, living in unbridled lust, drunkenness, carousing around in pagan feasts, worshiping demons. 4 Now they blaspheme you in amazement because you don’t run with them in riotous living as in the past! 5 They have to answer to Yehovah, who will judge both the living and the dead. 6 This is why the those who are dead [2] have heard the Good News! so that they can be judged like those still in their physical bodies, and live in the spirit realm with Yehovah.7 The end state of everything is approaching, so be sound minded and alert in your prayers. 8 Above all else, have intense love for each other, because love covers a great number of sins. 9 Be compassionate to strangers without any reluctance. 10 You should all serve each other with the gifts that you have from Yehovah, as good stewards of the various spiritual kindnesses of Yehovah. 11 Whoever speaks must speak the Words of Yehovah, and whoever serves should serve with the ability that Yehovah has given them, so that in everything you do, Yehovah will be clothed with splendor, thru Yeshua Messiah. Splendor and honor belongs to Them forever and ever. Aw-main'.
Don’t be Surprised by Trials
12 Beloved, don’t be surprised by the trials that happen to you, as if something strange has happened, because these things are meant to test and refine you. [3] 13 Rather, rejoice as you participate in the sufferings of the Messiah, so that you can rejoice when His splendor is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the Messiah’s name, you should be glad, because Yehovah’s magnificent spirit rests on you. 15 But none of you should suffer as a murderer or as a thief or as a troublemaker. 16 Yet if someone suffers as a Christian [4], they shouldn’t be ashamed, but they should praise Yehovah in this respect; 17 because it is time for judgment to begin, and it will begin in Yehovah’s household [5], and if it begins with us, what will be the end state of those who don’t obey the Good News of Yehovah? 18 If the righteous barely enter life, 'what chance' do the spiritually destitute and sinners have?
19 So those who suffer according to the will of Yehovah should dedicate themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
[1] The Greek translations unanimously say: “A person who has suffered physically no longer sins”, but we all know that isn’t right. [2] Many modern Bibles insert “now dead” rather than just “dead” into this verse to avoid the many interpretations given to this verse in the past. 1 Peter 3:19 often is referenced. Both Aramaic and Greek just say they were dead. [3] The phrase “Because these things are meant to test and refine you” is not in the Greek. [4] The terms Christian and Nazarene were coined by unbelievers as derogatory terms for the disciples of Yeshua. The three places where Christian/s are used in the Testimony are always in the context of being used derogatively—in this instance with persecution. [5] Probably a reference to Ezekiel 9:4-7.
1st Peter 5
Don’t Domineer the Flock
1 I appeal to the elders among you as a fellow elder, and a witness of the sufferings of the Messiah who will share in His majesty when it is revealed: 2 Take care of Yehovah’s flock that has been entrusted to you. Feed them spiritually, not because you must, but because you want to, not for personal gain, but with all of your 'being', 3 not by domineering the flock, but by being good examples for them. 4 When the Sovereign Shepherd appears, you’ll receive a magnificent crown from Him that will never fade away.5 Young people, be submissive to your elders and clothe yourselves with humility, because Yehovah opposes the arrogant but gives favor to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves under Yehovah’s powerful hand so that He can elevate you in due time. 7 Throw all of your anxieties on Yehovah, because He cares for you.
8 Stay alert and on guard, because Satan your adversary is like a roaring lion, walking around looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him and be firm in the faith, because you know that your friends thruout the world are experiencing the same kinds of suffering.
10 But the Aloha of dignity has called us by name into His eternal magnificence by Yeshua Messiah. And after we have suffered for a little while, Yehovah will strengthen, stabilize and establish us in Him forever. 11 Praise, dominion, and honor belongs to Him forever and ever. Aw-main'.
12 Sylvanus, our faithful friend, is hand delivering these few things [1] that I have written to you. As a means of persuasion, I would testify that it is Yehovah’s genuine good will, so remain standing firmly in it.
13 The Select assembly in Babylon greets you, as does Mark, my son. 14 Greet each other with a kiss 'of friendship'. Peace to all of you who are in the Messiah. Aw-main'.
[1] The Lamsa Translation inserts that this letter is “my [Peter’s] opinion”, despite it saying “It is Yehovah’s genuine good will” in the next breath.
End of the first letter of Peter the envoy
2nd Peter 1
Add Faith to Virtue
1 From Simon Peter, a servant and envoy of Yeshua Messiah, to those who have received equally precious faith with us, thru the righteousness of Our Sovereign and Life Giver, Yeshua Messiah.2 May dignity and peace be yours in abundance thru your recognition of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah 3 as the One who gives us everything we need for heavenly [Gr. theios] power and life by revering Aloha, thru recognition of the One who has called us by name into His own splendor and virtue, 4 revealing very great and precious promises, so that by them you can become sharing partners in the devout nature [Gr. theios] of Yehovah, as you escape the corruption of the lusts that are in the world.
5 Make every effort to add faith to your virtue, and to virtue, knowledge, 6 and to knowledge, perseverance; and to perseverance, patience; and to patience add reverence to Aloha; 7 and to reverence to Aloha, brotherly affection, and to brotherly affection, love. 8 If you have these qualities, and they are increasing, they will keep you from being lazy or ineffective in your knowledge of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah. 9 Anyone who lacks these things is blind or nearsighted [myopic, Greek: myopazo], and has forgotten the cleansing of their [Gr. autos] former sins.
10 So friends, be extremely careful to make your invitation and selection secure by your good works. By doing this, you’ll never fall away. 11 This is how you can be granted a 'welcome' entrance into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Master and Life Giver, Yeshua Messiah.
12 This is why I’m continually reminding you of these things, altho you know them well, and are grounded in this truth. 13 I believe that the right thing to do, as long as I’m in this body, is to stir your memories 14 since I know that the demise of my body is imminent, as our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah has shown me. 15 I’ll be careful to ensure that after my departure you’ll always have with you a written memorial [copy] of these things, 16 because we didn’t 'create' cleverly crafted fables when we told you about the power and arrival of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah—we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 When He received honor and praise from Yehovah the Father, a voice came to Him from the splendid beauty of His Majesty that said, “This is the Son I love very much, I’m delighted with Him.” 18 We personally heard the same voice from Heaven as He heard it, while we were with Him on the 'incomparable' mountain.
Pay Attention to Prophecy
19 More importantly, we have the certain teaching of prophecy, and you’ll do well if you pay attention to it as you would a light shining in a dark place, until the dawn of day, when the sun [1] illuminates your inner beings. 20 You already know that no prophecy in Scripture 'comes with' an explanation of its own text, 21 because prophecy never originated by human will, but 'Select' men from Yehovah spoke as they were moved by the 'special' spirit.
[1] The Greek says the Morning-star: Lucifer! See Revelation 2, footnote 6.
2nd Peter 2
Destructive Heresies
1 There have been false prophets in the world, and there will also be false teachers among you who will introduce destructive heresies [1], and contradict the Sovereign who bought them and bring on themselves swift and eternal destruction. 2 Many will follow their wicked ways, and because of these deceivers, the Way of truth will be blasphemed [Gr. blasphemeo]. 3 In their greed and with carefully formed arguments, they’ll buy and sell you. Yet their condemnation that was determined in the distant past is still in force, and their utter destruction won’t be 'caught' sleeping.4 If Yehovah wasn’t lenient with the angels who sinned, but imprisoned ['tartarooed'] [2] them in chains of darkness reserved for a painful judgment, 5 and wasn’t lenient with the original world, but rescued Noah, a herald of righteousness and his family of eight when He brought a flood on the world of the wicked, 6 and burned up the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and condemned them with an upheaval, making them an example for the wicked people who would live after them, 7 and rescued righteous Lot, who was tormented by the filthy conduct of the Torahless, 8 (because that righteous man living among them was distressed in his righteous consciousness [psyche, Gr: psuche] every day, by seeing and hearing about their Torahless deeds), 9 then Yehovah knows how to rescue those who fear Him from suffering, but He’ll reserve the wicked for Judgment Day to be tormented, 10 and especially those who follow the mortal lusts of defiling passions and despise government. Daring and arrogant, they are unfazed as they blaspheme, 11 yet spirit messengers far greater than they in might and valor don’t bring blasphemous condemnation against them. 12 But they are like instinctively illogical [Gr. a’logos] animals who are born to be butchered and destroyed, blaspheming things they don’t even understand. They will die in their own corruption.
13 These people will be compensated for their injustice, because their idea of fun is carousing during the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, reveling in laziness and devoted to pleasure [3]. 14 They are always 'looking for' adulterous opportunities and never ending sins, enticing unstable minds, their own minds disciplined in greed, they are cursed children. 15 They’ve abandoned the right way and wandered astray in the way of Beor’s son Balaam, who loved the wages of wickedness, 16 who was reprimanded for breach of Torah by a dumb donkey, who spoke like a man and restrained the madness of the prophet.
Flamboyant Speeches
17 They are dry wells, clouds driven by a storm whose destiny is darker than night. 18 They make flamboyant speeches devoid of truth. They seduce people thru sexual desire, who have almost escaped from those going astray. 19 They promise liberty, while they themselves are slaves to corruption, because whatever overcomes a person is what enslaves them. 20 If after they’ve escaped the world’s corruptions by the knowledge of our Sovereign and Life Giver, Yeshua Messiah, they are again entangled in them and overcome, their latter state [Gr. eschatos, i.e. eschatology] will be worse than their previous one. 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to know it and turn back from the 'cherished' Commandments that were handed to them. 22 'They prove' the proverb true: “A dog returns to its vomit, and the swine that was washed returns to wallowing in the manure.”
[1] Sect and heresy are the same word in Greek. [2] Tartaroo is actually a Greek verb! That’s about the only accurate thing to be found in a lexicon, since verbs simply aren’t nouns! So I ‘doubly verbalized’ tartaroo into ‘tartarooed’ to make a point. These angels will burn during the Judgment (Deuteronomy 32:22-24), but they aren’t burning now. The Aramaic brings out the fact that they are in “sheol” (1 Peter 3:19)! Revelation 9:14 says they are in the Euphrates river, while verse 11 calls their place of restraint ‘the abyss’! An abyss is usually a very cold and wet place. [3] The Greek ‘says’, “while they feast with you”, but I don’t think you’d eat with these people!
2nd Peter 3
Skeptics in the Latter Days
1 Beloved, I’m now writing a second letter to you, again to stir your disciplined minds with an admonition, 2 so that you’ll remember the prophecies of the 'chosen' prophets and the Commandments of our Sovereign and Life Giver, delivered by the envoys.3 As you know, skeptics will come in the last days mocking the truth, only governed by their own evil desires, 4 asking, ”'What happened to' the promise of His coming? Ever since our ancestors fell asleep, everything remains just like it was from the beginning of creation.” 5 They deliberately ignore that the Heavens have existed since antiquity, and that the continents rose up from the water, and are sustained by water, by the Word of Aloha, 6 and that by means of this same water, the previous world was covered again and destroyed. 7 The Heavens and the earth that now exist are preserved by His Word, and awaiting the fire of Judgment Day, and the destruction of the wicked.
8 But dear friends, don’t forget this one thing: A day to Yehovah is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like a day [1]. 9 Yehovah won’t delay in keeping His promises, as some leaders delay theirs. No, He is being patient for your sake, because He doesn’t want anyone to be destroyed, but that everyone should have a change of heart.
Thieving False Ministers
10 Yet the Day of Yehovah will come like a thieving false minister in a time of moral stupidity and darkness [2], when the Heavens will suddenly pass by [3] with a great noise, and the former things will be dissolved by being set on fire, and the surface of the earth and the things being done on it won’t be found [4].
11 Since all these things will be dissolved [5], what kind of people should we be in sincere conduct, and reverence, 12 anticipating and desiring the coming of the Day of Yehovah, when the heavens being tried in the fire will be dissolved [or unfastened, set free], and the former things being ignited will melt? 13 But we’re looking forward to a New Heavens and a New Earth as He promised, where the righteous live.
14 So, friends, as you are looking forward to these things, see to it that He finds you at peace, without spots and blameless. 15 Consider the patience of the Sovereign as an opportunity for redemption, just as our dear friend Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you. 16 He writes about these things in all his letters, tho they are somewhat difficult to understand, that those who are ignorant and unstable pervert, as they do with the rest of the Scriptures [6] to their own destruction.
17 So, dear friends, since you already know these things, guard yourselves so that you aren’t carried away by the errors of the Torahless, and fall from your secure position. 18 But continue to grow in dignity, and in the knowledge of our Sovereign and Life Giver Yeshua Messiah, and of Yehovah the Father [7]. The majesty is His, both now and for the rest of eternity. Aw-main'.
[1] This is an obvious clue referring to the 6,000 year plan (that likely ends in the year 2032/2032)! [2] Perhaps too much is being read into the figurative explanation of this “thief in the night” passage, but who doesn’t equate the darkness of night with evil? [3] “Parerchomai” could also refer to when the New Heavens will “come near, come forward, arrive.” [4] The Greek manuscripts say that the earth (land) “will be burned up” instead of “won’t be found.” Revelation describes widespread environmental damage, but not utter destruction. Malachi 4:5-6 predicts that Elijah will come and prevent the earth’s being “annihilated.” Matthew 24:29 describes the same type of cosmic events described here as following the Tribulation, and that is precisely when the Day of Yehovah begins. Isaiah 51 closely parallels this. [5] Very destructive, seemingly “end of the world” sounding language, including the earth being “dissolved” is also found in Isaiah 24:19-23: “The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. 20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard ... ” (KJV), during the Day of Yehovah (the “lord”)—just before the “millennium.” [6] “The Scripture/s” here are determined contextually to be the Hebrew writings, as in the other 51 places in the Testimony. The Greek word “graphos”, translated “scriptures” is an ordinary Greek word meaning anything in writings, it shares the same Greek root word as pornography (“writing about prostitutes”)! This verse compares Paul’s inspired writings with the older (Hebrew) writings, as being of equal importance. “The Testimony of Yeshua” (Jesus) is the inspired name for the so-called “New Testament”. [7] The Greek omits “And of Yehovah the Father.”
End of Peter’s Second Letter.
Compare the Testimony of Yeshua’s Version of this book with the 1851 Murdock Translation and/or the 1849 Etheridge Version.
1st John 1
The Word of Life
1 The 'One' who existed from the beginning, 'who' we heard and saw with our own eyes, and even touched with our hands, we announce to you. 'He' is the Word of Life. 2 The life was made visible and we have seen Him and are witnesses reporting to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us. 3 Our message that we declare to you is what we have seen and heard, so that you can have fellowship with us. Our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Yeshua (Jesus) Messiah. 4 We write these things to you, so that the joy 'we share' will be complete.5 This is the message that we have heard from Him and declare to you, that Yehovah is light, and nothing about Him is dark. 6 If we say that we have a relationship with Him, but we live in darkness, then we are lying and not living in the truth. 7 But if we live in the light, as He is in the light, we have a relationship with each other, and the blood of Yeshua His Son cleanses us from all of our sins.
8 If we say that we have no sins, we deceive ourselves, and we’re not being truthful. 9 But if we confess our sins, He can be relied on to forgive our sins, and cleanse us from all of our unrighteous actions. 10 If we claim that we haven’t sinned, we’re calling Him a liar, and His Word isn’t in us.
1st John 2
Commandments and Liars
1 My new converts, I’m writing this to you so that you won’t sin. But when anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Yeshua Messiah, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning zebak [sacrifice] for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the entire world.3 In this way we can sense that we know Him, if we obey His Commandments. 4 Anyone who says, “I know Him”, but doesn’t obey His Commandments is a liar—not a person of truth. 5 But those who continually obey [present tense, active] His Word, have truly perfected the love of Yehovah. That’s how we can be sure we’re in harmony with Him. 6 Anyone who claims, “I 'comply with' Him”, is obligated to live as He lived.
7 Friends, I haven’t written any new Commandment for you, but an old Commandment that you’ve had from the beginning, and the old Commandment is the Word you’ve already heard. 8 'Yet it is seemingly' a new commandment for you. It’s a truth that exists in Him and in you, because the darkness is fading and genuine light is already shining.
9 Anyone who says they are in the light, but hates a brother [or countrymen] is still in the dark. 10 Anyone who loves their brother remains in the light, and won’t trip anyone up. 11 But anyone who hates their brother is in darkness, living in darkness, and they don’t know where they are going because darkness has blinded their eyes. 12 New converts, I write to you because your sins are forgiven for His name’s sake. 13 Father’s, I write to you because you’ve known the One who has existed from the beginning. Young men, I write to you because you’ve overcome the wicked one. New converts, I’ve written to you because you’ve come to know the Father. 14 Fathers, I have written to you because you’ve known the One who was from the beginning. Young men, I’ve written to you because you are strong, and the Word of Aloha lives in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.
15 Don’t love this world or anything in it, because anyone who loves this world doesn’t have the love of the Father in them. 16 Everything in the world—the carnal cravings, the cravings for things we 'see', and prideful materialism isn’t from the Father, but from the world itself. 17 The world is being led away, along with its cravings, but anyone who does the will of Yehovah lives forever!
18 My new converts, it is the end time, and you’ve heard that a false Messiah was to arise, and now there are many false Messiahs. That’s how we know it’s the end time. 19 They left our assembly, but they didn’t really belong with us, because if they’d been with us, they’d have stayed with us. But they left us, and that in itself proves that they didn’t belong with us.
Antichrist
20 But you have been anointed by the 'Cherished' One, and you can distinguish between people [1]. 21 I haven’t written to you because you don’t know the truth, but because you know it, and because lies don’t come from the truth. 22 Who is a liar 'more than' someone who denies that Yeshua is the Messiah? That person is a false Messiah“antichrist”. Anyone who denies the Father also denies the Son. 23 Whoever rejects the Son doesn’t have the Father either [2]. Whoever acknowledges the Son also acknowledges the Father.
24 Make sure that what you heard from the beginning remains in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains with you, then you’ll stay with the Father and the Son. 25 This is what He promised us—eternal life.
26 I have written these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 If the anointing that you received from Him remains in you, then you won’t need anyone to teach you [3]. Since the anointing is from Yehovah, it teaches you everything and it is true, with no falsehood 'mixed' in. Remain in it as He taught you.
28 Now, my new converts, remain in Him, so that when He appears we won’t cower in His presence, but can confidently face Him at His coming.
29 If you know that He is righteous, then you also know that whoever lives righteously 'belongs to' [4] Him.
[1] The Greek says “You know everything” instead of “You can distinguish between people.” [2] “Anyone who acknowledges the Son, also acknowledges the Father”, is in the Aramaic but not in the Majority Greek, tho virtually every Greek to English translation includes it. It appears to be an unintentional omission that was perpetuated in thousands of newer Greek copies. The oldest Greek is riddled with errors, but some predate this one. [3] You don’t need any liars (verse 22) or any deceivers (verse 26). [4] The Greek ‘says’ “born of Him.”
1st John 3
The World Doesn’t Know Us
1 You see the kind of love that the Father has for us—He has called us His sons, and made us so. The world doesn’t know us [yet], because it has never known Him. 2 Dear friends, we’re now Yehovah’s children, but it isn’t clearly understood what we’re to be, but we know that when He returns, we will be very similar to Him, and we will see Him just as He is. 3 Everyone who has this expectation in Him purifies themselves, just as He is pure.Sin is Torahlessness
4 Everyone who practices sin is violating the Torah, because all sin is violating the Torah. 5 You know that He came to take away our sins, and He is totally sinless. 6 No one who stays with Him keeps on sinning, and anyone who sins hasn’t seen Him or known Him.
7 New converts, don’t let anyone deceive you. Anyone who lives righteously [1] is righteous, just as the Messiah is righteous. 8 Anyone who practices sin belongs to Satan, because Satan was a sinner from the beginning. Because of this, Yehovah’s Son came so that He could destroy everything Satan has done. 9 Anyone who has been begotten [page 39] [engendered]] by Yehovah can’t practice sin, since His germ [of eternal life] is in him. He can’t practice sin [page 33] because he has been begotten [2] by Yehovah. 10 This is how the children of Yehovah are plainly distinguished from the children of Satan. Anyone who doesn’t live righteously and doesn’t love their 'fellow believers' doesn’t belong to Yehovah.
11 This is the Commandment that you have heard from the beginning, that you should love each other. 12 Not like Cain who belonged to the Wicked One, and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own works were wicked and his brother’s actions were righteous! 13 Friends, don’t be surprised that the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love 'one another'. Anyone who doesn’t love their 'fellow believer' is still dead. 15 Anyone who hates their 'fellow believer' is a murderer, and you know that no murderer can have eternal life remaining in them.
16 This is how we understand His love for us, because He gave up His life for us, and we should also give up our lives for our 'fellow believers'. 17 If someone has this world’s resources, and sees 'another believer'; in need, but shows no compassion—how could the love [3] of Yehovah remain in them? 18 My new converts, let’s not love each other in words and in speech only, but in works and in truth. 19 This is how we can be assured that we’re on the side of truth, and reassure ourselves of it before He comes [4]. 20 But if our conscience condemns us, how much greater is Yehovah than our conscience? He knows everything!
Because We Obey His Commandments ...
21 Dear friends, if our conscience doesn’t condemn us, we can 'have confidence' in the presence of to Yehovah. 22 We receive from Him whatever we ask because we obey His Commandments and do what pleases Him. 23 This is His Commandment: that we believe in His Son Yeshua Messiah’s name [5] and love each other as He has commanded us [6]. 24 Anyone who obeys His Commandments remains in Him. We know by this that He remains in us, by the spirit that He has given us.
[1] The righteous must be able to pass the Duck Test! [2] Begotten can mean anything from conception to actual birth. But once a literal second birth takes place, at the resurrection, we will be able to fly like the wind! (John 3:4-8) [3] See why “love” is better than the Greek “bowels.” Keyword bowels. “The Greek word properly denotes the upper viscera; the heart, the lungs, the liver. It is applied by Greek writers to denote those parts of victims which were eaten during or after the sacrifice.”—Barnes’ Notes on the Bible [4] The Greek copies say “before Him”, rather than “before He comes.” [5] This is demonstrated by obedience to the first four Commandments. [6] This is demonstrated by obedience to the last six Commandments
1st John 4
Love, the Acid Test
1 Dear friends, don’t believe every spirit [1], but scrutinize the spirits as to whether they are from Yehovah, because many false prophets/teachers 'wander' the world. 2 This is how the 'special' spirit can be recognized: every spirit that admits that Yeshua Messiah has come in the flesh is from Yehovah. 3 Any spirit that doesn’t admit that Yeshua Messiah has come in the flesh isn’t from Yehovah, but he is of the spirit of the false [Gr. “Anti”] Messiah who you have heard is coming, and is already in the world.4 But you, new converts, belong to Yehovah, and you have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than those who are in the world. 5 They are worldly, so they talk like the world and the world listens to them. 6 But we belong to Yehovah, and anyone who knows Yehovah will listen to us, and anyone who doesn’t belong to Yehovah won’t listen to us. This is how we discern the spirit of truth from the spirit of error.
7 Dear friends, we must love each other because love is from Yehovah, and whoever loves is engendered by Yehovah and knows Yehovah, 8 because Yehovah is love, and whoever doesn’t love doesn’t know Yehovah. 9 This is how Yehovah’s love was revealed to us: Yehovah sent His unique Son into the world, so that we could live because of Him. 10 This is love, it was not that we loved Yehovah, but that Yehovah loved us and sent His Son as the atoning zebak [sacrifice] for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since Yehovah loved us so much, we should also love each other. 12 No one has ever seen Yehovah, but if we love each other, Yehovah remains in us, and His love is being perfected in us.
13 This is how we know that we remain in Him, and that He remains in us—He has given His spirit to us. 14 We have seen and proclaim that the Father has sent His Son as the Life Giver of the world. 15 Whoever openly declares that Yeshua is Yehovah’s Son—Yehovah remains in him and he remains in Yehovah. 16 We have come to know and trust the love that Yehovah has for us, because Yehovah is love, and whoever remains in love remains in Yehovah. 17 This is how His love is perfected in us, so that we can 'be confident' on Judgment Day, because we are like He was in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, because perfect love dispels fear. There is a penalty for fear, and anyone who is fearful isn’t completely perfected in love.
19 So then we love Yehovah because He loved us first. 20 Anyone who says, “I love Yehovah”, when they hate a fellow believer is a liar. If someone doesn’t love their friends who are visible, how can they love Yehovah who is invisible? 21 We have received this Commandment from Him—whoever loves Yehovah must also love their fellow believer.
[1] The Lamsa version arbitrarily replaces “spirit” with “prophecy” in the first three verses.
1st John 5
Obey His Commandments
1 Anyone who believes that Yeshua is the Messiah has been begotten by Yehovah [page 45], and anyone who loves the Begetter [the Father] also loves the One begotten of Him. 2 This is how we know that we love Yehovah’s children: when we love Yehovah and obey His Commandments. 3 This 'demonstrates' the love of Yehovah, that we obey His Commandments, and His Commandments aren’t burdensome. 4 Whoever is begotten of Yehovah overcomes the world, and this is the victory that overcomes the world—our faith. 5 Who can be victorious over the world other than those who believe that Yeshua is Yehovah’s Son?6 Yeshua Messiah is the One who came by the water and the blood, not by water alone, but by water and blood. The spirit testifies because the spirit is always objective. 7 [1] 8 So there are three witnesses that testify, the spirit, the water, and the blood, and these three are in agreement. 9 If we accept what people say, how much greater is what Yehovah says? And this is what Yehovah has spoken of—He has spoken of His Son. 10 Whoever believes in Yehovah’s Son has internalized His message. And whoever doesn’t believe Yehovah has declared Him to be a liar by not believing what Yehovah revealed about His Son. 11 And the message is that Yehovah has given us eternal life, and this life is found in His Son. 12 Anyone who has the Son has life, and anyone who doesn’t have the Son doesn’t have life.
Knowing That You Have Eternal Life
13 I’ve written this to those who believe in the name of Yehovah’s Son, so that you’ll know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the assured confidence that we have toward Him: Whenever we ask for anything in accord with His will, He listens to us. 15 And since we know that He hears our requests, we can be sure that we have what we ask Him for.
16 If anyone sees their friend 'commit' a sin that doesn’t result in death, they should ask Aloha, and life will be given to them, so long as their sin isn’t deadly. There is a deadly sin, and I’m not saying that we should pray about that. 17 All unrighteousness [violation of the Torah] is sin, yet there are sins that aren’t fatal.
18 We know that no one who is begotten by Yehovah continues to sin, because the One who was born of Yehovah guards them, and the Wicked one can’t touch them. 19 We know that we belong to Yehovah, while the whole world is asleep under the sway of the Wicked one. 20 And we know that Yehovah’s Son has come and has given us understanding so that we can know the True One, and so that we can belong to the True One, and be in union with His Son Yeshua Messiah. He is the true Aloha and eternal life. 21 My new converts, refrain from serving images [idols].
[1] The Peshitta (Aramaic) as well as almost all Greek manuscripts omit the fraudulent 1 John 5:7. This is a corrupted added “verse” to many translations to support a Trinity. Murdock added it in brackets. Etheridge simply translated the Peshitta.
End of the first letter of John the envoy
2nd John
Love = Commandments
1 From the Elder, to Kuria and her children who I love in the truth, and not just me, but everyone who knows the truth, 2 because of the truth that lives in us and will be with us forever:3 May dignity be with you, and good will and peace, from Yehovah the Father, and from our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah, the Father’s Son, in truth and love.
4 I was very glad to have found some of your children living in the truth, just as the Father has commanded us. 5 Now I implore you, Kuria, not as tho I’m writing a new commandment to you, but only what we have had from the very beginning, that we should love each other. 6 This is love, that we live by the Commandments. This command has been heard from the beginning, and we should live by it.
Avoid Deceivers
7 Many deceivers have gone out into the world who don’t confess that Yeshua Messiah came in the flesh [that is, fully human]. 'Such a person' is a deceiver and antichrist. [1] 8 Be careful that you don’t lose what you have earned, so that you can be fully compensated. 9 Anyone who abandons the faith and doesn’t stay with the doctrine of the Messiah doesn’t have Yehovah in Him. But those who remain in His doctrine have the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you, and doesn’t bring this doctrine, don’t welcome them into your house or even greet them, 11 because anyone who greets [encourages] them shares in their evil work.
12 There are many things I could write to you about, but I prefer not to use paper and ink because I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy can be complete.
13 The new converts of your chosen sister greet you. May dignity be with you. Aw-main'.
[1] John uniquely adopted “antichristos” from the Greek in this verse. All other references in the Peshitta actually refer to a “false Messiah.”
End of John’s second letter
3rd John
Diotrephes vs. Demetrius
2 Dear friend, I pray that in every way you’ll prosper and be in good health, just as your consciousness [psyche, Gr: psuche] is prospering. 3 I was very glad when our friends came and told me about your integrity, and how you live by the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my new converts live in the truth.
5 Dear friend, you’re faithful in whatever you do for our friends, and especially when they are strangers. 6 They have spoken of your love before the whole assembly. You are good to them in a manner pleasing to Yehovah [1]. 7 They went out for the sake of His name, taking nothing from the pagans. 8 We should welcome these people so that we can work together for the truth.
9 I wrote to the assembly, but Diotrephes, who loves to be in charge, won’t accept us. 10 So when I come, I’ll call attention to what he is doing and the evil accusations he’s making about us. And as if that were not enough, he doesn’t welcome the friends we send, and he stops those who want to welcome them and banishes them from the assembly.
11 Dear friend, don’t go along with this evil behavior, but do what is good. Anyone who does good for the benefit of others is of Yehovah, but anyone who does evil has no perception of Yehovah. 12 Everyone speaks highly of Demetrius, within the assembly, and even the truth itself. We also attest to this, and you know we speak the truth.
13 I have many things I could write to you about, but I’d rather not write them to you with ink and pen. 14 But I hope to see you soon and talk face to face. Peace be with you. Friends I wish you well. Greet each of my friends by name.
[1] The Greek has the Assembly doing good by sending them on a trip.
End of John’s third letter
Compare the Testimony of Yeshua with the 1851 Murdock or the 1849 Etheridge Versions of “The Testimony of Yeshua” (The ‘New Testament’).
Jude
Stealth Apostates
From 1 Jude, a servant ofYeshua (Jesus) Messiah, and brother of James. To those who are invited and loved by Yehovah the Father, and kept safe by Yeshua Messiah.2 May mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance!
3 Dear friends, while I take great pains to write to you of our common eternal life, I need to write to you, urging you to earnestly contend for the faith that was once entrusted to the 'chosen ones', 4 because some men have crept in among you unnoticed, who from the beginning were prophesied to be condemned, wicked men, replacing the dignity of Yehovah with unbridled lust, and denying the only Sovereign Aloha, and our Sovereign, Yeshua Messiah.
5 I want to remind you, tho you all know it, that Yehovah, after first rescuing the people from Egypt, later destroyed those who didn’t believe. 6 He has held the angels who disregarded their prime directive, and abandoned their assigned place with chains [Gr. ‘eternal chains’] in concealed darkness, awaiting the great Judgment Day. 7 Like Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities that in a similar way were given over to illicit sex, having committed 'homosexual acts' [unnatural + flesh], are lying beneath the aftermath of an ages old fire, and condemned to judgment.
8 In the same manner, these sensual dreamers contaminate their very flesh, despise government and blaspheme the majestic ones. 9 But Michael, the leading Messenger, while contending with the Accuser over the body of Moses, didn’t venture to bring a blasphemous accusation against him, but said, “Yehovah will rebuke you.” 10 But these people blaspheme things that they don’t even understand. They have the 'mentality' of animals. In all of these things they corrupt themselves.
11 Too bad for them, they’ve followed in the way of Cain, and as Balaam did, they’ve lusted for money and died, just like those in Korah’s rebellion.
12 They are the ones who wreck your 'celebration of the Yeshua’s Supper', feasting without reverence. They are clouds without rain, blown around by the wind; like fruit trees that fail to produce fruit, deserving death twice, and being ripped out by the roots. 13 They are raging waves of the sea, their very foaming shows their shame, wandering asteroids [Gr. aster], being reserved for the deepest darkness forever.
14 Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied of these things when he said, “Yehovah is coming with millions of His 'chosen ones' [saints] 15 to judge all the wicked and to convict them of all the wicked things they’ve committed, including all the harsh things that those destitute of awe towards Yehovah have spoken.” 16 They are malcontents who complain about everything. They live to satisfy their cravings. They say shocking things and flatter people to make a profit.
17 Dear friends, remember the predictions of the envoys of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah, 18 because they told you that in the end times there would be scoffers dedicated to satisfying their wicked cravings. 19 They are people who cause divisions, sensual people who don’t have the spirit.
20 But dear friends, continue to renew yourselves in your 'incomparable' faith thru the 'special' spirit while you pray. 21 Let’s remain in Yehovah’s love while we wait for the mercy of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah to bring our eternal life. 22 [1] Rescue some of them from the fire. 23 And when they’ve had a change of heart, have compassion on them, with fear, hating even the clothing stained by carnality.
24 To the One who is able to keep you from stumbling and keep you unblemished, and to present you before the presence of His Majesty with great joy 25 to the only Aloha, our Life Giver, thru Yeshua Messiah our Sovereign, be splendor and dominion and honor and grandeur, both now and in every age. Aw-main'.
[1] The Greek somewhat juxtaposes verses 22 & 23.
End of the letter of Jude the envoy, brother of James and Joses.
Romans 1
Invitation By Yeshua
1 From Paul, a servant of Yeshua (Jesus) Messiah, invited, sent with orders and dedicated to the Good News of Yehovah 2 that He had promised long ago thru His Prophets in the 'Cherished' Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son Yeshua [Jesus], who was ‘born’ [ginomai, 1096] a physical descendant of David’s family. 4 He was acknowledged by His Resurrection to be the Son of Yehovah, by power and by the 'special' spirit, when He arose from the dead—Yeshua Messiah, our Sovereign. 5 We have received His dignity and have been commissioned to bring about obedience to the faith in His name in every nation. 6 You are also among those invited by Yeshua Messiah.7 To everyone in Rome, loved by Yehovah, and invited to be faithful. May the peace and dignity of Yehovah our Father and our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah be yours.
8 In the first place, I give thanks to my Aloha thru Yeshua Messiah on behalf of you all, because your faith is heard of thruout the world. 9 Yehovah, who I serve with my spirit in spreading the Good News [evangelizing] of His Son, attests to how constantly I mention you in my prayers. 10 And I pray that an opportunity will be opened for me by the good will of Yehovah to visit you.
11 I’m longing to see you, to give you the gift of the spirit [Gr. charisma], so that you can be established 12 and comforted together by our mutual faith. 13 Friends, I want you to know that I have often wanted to come to you, (tho I’ve been hindered so far) so that I can reap a harvest in your vicinity, as has happened among the other ethnicities [Gr. ethnos].
Duty Bound to Spread the Good News
14 I’m duty bound to everyone, Arameans and “barbarians” [Gr. barbaros], the literate and the illiterate, 15 to spread the Good News to them. I’m also eager to bring the Good News to everyone in Rome.
16 I’m not ashamed of the Good News, because it is the power of Yehovah that leads to eternal life for everyone who believes in Him, whether to the Jews first, or to every other ethnicity, 17 because in it the righteousness of Yehovah is revealed, from faith to faith, as the Scriptures say, “The righteous will live by faith.”
18 Yehovah’s anger is revealed from Heaven against all the unrighteousness and depravity of people who censor and vilify the truth. 19 An awareness of Yehovah has been revealed to them, because Yehovah has revealed it to them. 20 The invisible attributes of Aloha [God] have been visible to the intellect since the creation of the cosmos [Gr. kosmos], because the physical creation reveals His eternal power as the Supreme Being, leaving them no excuse.
Moronic Theories
21 They have [1] some knowledge of Yehovah, but they don’t praise Him or appreciate His Transcendence, but have 'accepted' moronic [Gr. moraino] theories until their minds are darkened—void of understanding. 22 While they claim to be sophisticated philosophers and orators [Gr. sophos], they are morons. 23 They exchange the magnificence of the immortal Aloha for images in the likeness of mortal human beings and images of birds and mammals and reptiles on the earth. [2]
24 This is why Yehovah has 'abandoned' them and the filthy cravings of their minds, so they could dishonor their own bodies between themselves. 25 They exchange the truth of Yehovah for lies, and worship and serve the creation rather than the Creator, who will be praised for uninterrupted aeons [Gr. aion]. Aw-main'.
26 That’s why Yehovah allows their venereal diseases [3], since even their women exchange their natural sexual passions for unnatural ones. 27 Similarly, their men abandon their natural sexual passion for women, and burn with cravings for each other, men committing shameful naked acts with other men, and experiencing a personal penalty for their perversion.
28 And since they don’t see fit to acknowledge Yehovah, Yehovah has 'abandoned' them to their counterfeit mentality, bent on doing what they shouldn’t. 29 They are full of every kind of wickedness, illicit sexual intercourse, bitterness, hatred and covetousness, envy, murder, strife, deceit and depraved thoughts. 30 They slander, they hate Yehovah, they vilify, they’re arrogant pretenders who invent new forms of sin, destitute of reason, disregarding their parents, 31 promise breakers, lacking natural affection, without peace and totally merciless. 32 Altho they know Yehovah’s judgment, and that they deserve to die, they not only do these things anyway, but befriend others who do them.
[1] The situation described in the following verses should not be considered as being in the past, the situation has only gotten worse since the first century. The Greek aorist tense has no direct English equivalent, but I have used a smattering of present tense renderings thru the last 12 verses. Every version I looked at “optimistically” translates the following verses in the past tense. [2] The idolatry of verse 23, particularly in the context of vs. 20-22, has strong parallels with the theory of evolution. [3] See why this refers to diseases rather than “vile passions.” Keyword: compassion.
Romans 2
People Who Judge Will be Judged
1 So people have no excuse when they pass judgments against 'others', because by judging others you pass judgment against yourself, because those of you who judge them have reverted [1] to your old ways. 2 We understand that Yehovah’s judgment is objective regarding those who revert to committing such things. 3 How do you reconcile passing judgment against those who practice such things, when you have reverted to committing them yourself? Do you think you’ll escape Yehovah’s judgment? 4 Do you scorn the wealth of His integrity, His tolerance and the opportunity that He is giving you? Don’t you know that Yehovah’s benevolence should lead you to change the way you think and act?5 But because of the stubbornness of your unchanging minds, you are hoarding a cache of punishment for the day of punishment, when Yehovah’s righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 He’ll compensate everyone in direct proportion with their behavior (works). 7 Those who persevere in good behavior, and search out praise, honor and immortality, He will give eternal life, 8 but for those who are self-promoting partisans seeking control, refusing to uphold the truth, and who obey wickedness, there will be passionate anger and fury. 9 Tribulation and extreme suffering is reserved for everyone who is evil, starting with the Jews, but also every other ethnicity. 10 Yet praise, honor and peace of mind is granted to everyone who is a good servant, beginning with the Jews, but also ever other ethnicity. 11 Yehovah does not show partiality.
12 Anyone who sins without the Torah will also die without the Torah. When anyone wanders from the Torah of Yehovah, their judgment will be determined by the Torah. 13 It’s not those who hear the Torah who Yehovah deems righteous, rather, those who obey the Torah will be deemed righteous. 14 SO WHEN PEOPLE OF OTHER ETHNICITIES [“GENTILES”] WHO DON’T HAVE THE TORAH INSTINCTFULLY DO WHAT THE TORAH REQUIRES, THEY, WHILE NOT UPHOLDING THE TORAH, ARE ESSENTIALLY THEIR OWN TORAH [2]! 15 THEY DEMONSTRATE BEHAVIORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TORAH, BECAUSE IT IS WRITTEN IN THEIR HEARTS—WHILE THEIR CONSCIENCES ALSO BEAR WITNESS. THE DECISIONS OF THEIR CONSCIENCE ARE EITHER A LEGAL ACCUSATION OR A LEGAL DEFENSE EXCUSING THEM 16 ON THE JUDGMENT DAY, WHEN YEHOVAH WILL JUDGE THE SECRET BEHAVIOR OF HUMANITY, AS MY GOOD NEWS DECLARES THRU YESHUA MESSIAH.
17 But if you call yourselves Jews, and rely on the Torah, and boast about belonging to Yehovah, 18 because you know what He wants, and discern the distinctions between good and evil because you have heard the instructions of the Torah, 19 and you are convinced that you can guide the blind and be a light for those who are in spiritual darkness, 20 and teach the ignorant, and teach the young, and appear to be knowledgeable of and objective about the Torah— 21 then as you teach others, you 'fail to' teach yourselves? You publicly proclaim that people must not steal, yet you steal? 22 You say, “People must not commit adultery”, yet you commit adultery? And you abhor the stench of idols, yet you plunder their churches [3]? 23 You who are exuberant about the Torah, does your violating the Torah insult Yehovah Himself? 24 Yehovah’s name is blasphemed by every ethnicity because of you, just as it is written!
25 Circumcision is truly advantageous if you live by the Torah, but if you are a Torah breaker, you are essentially a circumcised heathen.
Are the “Unsaved” Lost?
26 So if an uncircumcised man takes care not to violate the Commandments of the Torah, wouldn’t his not being circumcised be regarded as circumcision? 27 Won’t the uncircumcised, who by their own natural strength are essentially living by the Torah condemn those of you who even with the Torah and the rite of circumcision still violate the Torah?28 No one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is true circumcision visible in the flesh. 29 A man is only a Jew if he is one inwardly, whose circumcision is in his mind, by the spirit, not by the letter, whose commendation isn’t from men, but from Yehovah.
[1] See why the word “revert” should be used in verses 1-3. Keyword revert. [2] Matthew 25:31-46 explains who the proverbial sheep and goats are on Judgment Day, for those in total ignorance of Yeshua. [3] The Greek word “Hierosuleo” is translated as “to rob a temple.” Yet the root word, “hierosulos” is accurately translated as “robber of the churches.” This is in agreement with William Tyndale’s use of the word “church”—a word that he only used in reference to a pagan temple!
Romans 3
Not One Person is Righteous
1 So then, what advantage is there in being Jewish? What value is there in being circumcised? 2 Much in every way! Primarily because they were entrusted with the Words [1] of Yehovah.3 If some of them didn’t believe, have they by their unbelief nullified Yehovah’s faith? 4 Certainly not! Yehovah will be proven truthful even if everyone else is a liar, as the Scriptures say, “So that You can be deemed righteous in Your words and triumph when they judge You.”
5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of Yehovah, what will we say? Is Yehovah unrighteous when He inflicts punishment? (Speaking from a human perspective.) 6 Certainly not! Otherwise how will Yehovah judge the world? 7 But if the truth of Yehovah has been furthered by a falsehood of mine, to His majesty then why am I still being condemned as a sinner? 8 Or should we confirm the claim, (that some have blasphemously claimed that we say), “We will do evil things so that good things will result?” The condemnation of those who would argue this is just!
9 What then, are we superior? Not at all. We have already established that both Jews and Arameans are under sin! 10 As the Scriptures say, “Not one person is righteous, not even one.” 11 No one understands, no one searches for Yehovah. 12 They’ve all strayed from the path en masse and degenerated. None of them does good—not even one. 13 Their throats are like open graves and their tongues are used to deceive. The venom of the asp is 'on' their lips. 14 Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. 15 Their foot soldiers [2] are swift to shed blood. 16 Destruction and misery are the road they travel. 17 They don’t know the road to peace. 18 They see no reason to fear Yehovah.
19 Yet we know that whatever the Torah says applies to those of us who are under “in the realm (sphere) of” the Torah community, so that every mouth will be silenced and so that the whole world will be liable for punishment from Yehovah.
20 So no one is justified by practicing the Torah in His sight—yet the Torah reveals what sin is!
21 But now the righteousness of Yehovah is revealed without [benefit of] the Torah, and the Torah and the Prophets confirm it! 22 The righteousness of Yehovah by faith in Yeshua Messiah is for everyone and on everyone who believes in Him. No distinction is made, 23 because everyone has sinned and fallen short of Yehovah’s magnificence. 24 We are rendered righteous freely by His dignity thru the redemption that is in Yeshua Messiah— 25 who Yehovah has predetermined to be an appeasing zebak [sacrifice] thru faith in His blood, due to our past sins. 26 We have an opportunity because Yehovah, who in His patience gave us a demonstration of His righteousness, 'because He is' righteous, and so people who have the faith of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah could become righteous.
27 Can we brag? Bragging is eliminated. By what law, by obeying the Torah? No, but by the Torah of faith. 28 So we conclude that people can be made righteous without being “in the realm (sphere) of” the Torah. 29 Is He the Aloha of the Jews only, and not of every other ethnicity? Most certainly every ethnicity, 30 since there is one Aloha who justifies the circumcised by faith, and the uncircumcised by the same faith. 31 Then do we abolish the Torah by faith? Absolutely not. On the contrary, we uphold or sustain the authority of the Torah.[3].
[1] “oracles” is a common mistranslation of the Greek logion, a word related to logos (word), that simply refers to the Scriptures here. Oracles are words “inspired by the gods. As such it is a form of divination”—Wikipedia. Divination is condemned in Deuteronomy 18:10. [2] See why this says “foot soldiers” Keywords “foot soldiers.” [3] Commentaries about the benefit of being “in the realm of” the Torah.
Romans 4
Abraham Became Righteous by Faith
1 So what should we say about the most prominent patriarch, Abraham, did he discover anything in the flesh [circumcision] 2 If Abraham was made righteous by his actions, he had bragging rights, yet not before Yehovah. 3 What do the Scriptures say? That “Abraham believed Yehovah [1], and it was credited to him as righteousness.””4 Yet when someone works, their compensation isn’t considered to be a favor but an obligation. 5 Yet for the person who doesn’t earn by work, but only believes in the One who makes sinners righteous, their faith is credited as righteousness. 6 David also spoke about the blessings of the person who Yehovah credits [or accounts: commentary] as righteous apart from works. 7 He said, “Blessed are those whose violations of the Torah [lawlessness] are forgiven, and whose sins are covered”, 8 and, “Blessed are those whose sins Yehovah will not take into account” [2].
9 So is this declaration of being blessed only for the circumcised [3], or for the uncircumcised? We say that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. 10 So when was it credited to him? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. 11 He received circumcision as a distinguishing sign and seal of the righteousness of his faith that he had prior to his being circumcised, so that he could become the father of every uncircumcised man who believes, so that they to can be counted among the righteous. 12 He was the ancestor of the circumcised, and not only to those who were circumcised, but also to those who are following in the footsteps of the faith that our ancestor Abraham had prior to his circumcision.
13 The promise to Abraham and to his descendants that he would inherit the world was not by the Torah, but thru the righteousness of his faith. 14 If only those who ‘were given’ the Torah are heirs, then faith would be useless and the promise [4] is annulled. 15 The Torah brings about legal punishments, and where no Torah exists, there can be no Torah violations.
Justified By Faith
16 So the promise is based on faith. Our justification is a matter of dignity. The promise is guaranteed to all of his descendants, not just for those who 'were given' the Torah, but also for those who share the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. 17 As the Scriptures say, “I have established you as the founding father of a commonwealth of nations” in the presence of Yehovah, who you have believed in, who restores the dead to life and refers to things that don’t exist yet as if they did.
18 Under hopeless circumstances he expected to become the founding father of a commonwealth of nations, as the Scriptures say, “You will have many descendants.” 19 Without becoming weak in faith, even considering his nearly dead body, {since he was a hundred years old), and Sarah could not have children. 20 He didn’t doubt Yehovah’s promise, as someone lacking faith, but he was strong in faith, and praised Yehovah, 21 and was convinced that Yehovah was able to bring about what He had promised. 22 This is why “It was credited to him as righteousness.” 23 That his faith was 'credited to him as righteousness' was not written for his sake alone, 24 but also for us, because we will also be credited as righteous, we who believe in the One who raised our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah from the dead. 25 He was condemned to death because of our sins and was raised to life so that He could declare us free from guilt.
[1] The Hebrew actually names Yehovah, while the existing second century Greek and Aramaic quotations substituted Theos/Aloha. [2] Does this mean that Torah observance is unnecessary? Long story short, James 2:21 says, “Wasn’t Abraham our ancestor made righteous by works in offering his son Isaac on the altar?” There is a relationship between belief and works. James continues in verse 17, “So faith alone, without works, is dead.” ... 22 “Don’t you see that his faith was aided by his works, and that by works his faith was made complete?” ... 24 “So you see that people are declared to be righteous by works, and not by faith alone.” [3] Circumcision is a sign for Israelites, and those purchased by Israelites. (Genesis 17:9-15). Isaiah 49, especially in vs. 22-23 illustrates that there will be many other nations in the Millennial Kingdom whose people will be distinct from Israel—not “marked” as Israelites. [4] Genesis 18:18 says, “Since Abraham will surely become an important and innumerable nation, and every nation on earth will be blessed because of him?”Romans 5
Trials Produce Patience
1 So because we have been made righteous by faith, we have peace with Yehovah, thru our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah. 2 Thru Him we have gained access by faith into this favor, so that we can stand and celebrate in the dignity of the magnificence of Yehovah. 3 Not only that, but we also rejoice in our trials, because we know that trials produce patience, 4 and patience, experience, and experience, hope. 5 Expectation doesn’t shame us because the love of Yehovah is diffused in our minds by the 'special' spirit that has been given to us.Messiah Died for Sinners
6 In our time, because of our weakness, Messiah died for sinners.
7 Rarely would someone die for a [Greek: righteous] wicked person [1], tho for the righteous, some quickly dare to die.
8 But Yehovah demonstrated His love for us by the fact that Messiah died for us while we were sinners.
9 How much more will He rescue us from wrath, now that we’re being made righteous by His blood?
10 If when we were adversaries, we were reconciled to Yehovah by the death of His Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be rescued by His life?
11 Not only this, but we also rejoice in Yehovah, thru our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah, because we have now obtained reconciliation thru Him.
12 So just as sin entered the world thru one man, and death thru sin, now death is passed on to all of humanity, because we have all sinned. 13 Prior to when the Torah was written, sin was in the world, tho no record was entered on our account because there was no Torah. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in any way, like the deliberate transgression of the Torah [instruction]
by Adam, who was the pattern of the One who was to come.15 But the pardoning of sin isn’t like the fall from righteousness, because if many died due to the fall of one, how much more will the dignity of Yehovah and His pardoning of sin overflow for many, because of one Man—Yeshua Messiah? 16 The effect of the pardoning of sin has a far greater effect than that of the one who sinned. The judgment of the one offense led to condemnation, but the gift leading to life deems us righteous. 17 If, because of the offense of one individual, death reigned, how much more will those who receive the abundance of His dignity and the gift of righteousness reign as kings in life by means of one Man—Yeshua Messiah.
18 So as a result of the offense of one man, condemnation reached everyone, but because of the righteousness of one Man, acquittal will be offered leading to life for everyone. 19 Because of the disobedience of one man, many became sinners, but because of the obedience of one Man, many become righteous.
20 When the Torah was given, sin increased, and when sin increased, dignity increased even more. 21 As sin reigned, bringing death, dignity can reign in righteousness, bringing eternal life thru our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah.
[1] See why it really says “wicked” rather than “righteous” (The Greek mistakenly says someone would rarely die for a righteous person—an obvious mega blunder!) “See this link” on page 72. History is filled with heroes dying for their fellow soldiers and others.
Romans 6
Immersion Symbolizes Death
1 What should we conclude? Should we continue to sin so that dignity can increase? 2 Absolutely not. If we’re people who died to sin, how can we still live in it? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who have been immersed into Yeshua Messiah have been immersed into His death? [1] 4 So thru our immersion we were buried with Him in death, so that just as Yeshua Messiah arose from the dead into the splendor of His Father, we too should live a new kind of life.5 If we have been 'planted' in a way resembling His death, then we will also be resurrected as He was. 6 We know that the old 'us' was crucified with Him so that the corpse of sin could be eliminated—that way we’re no longer servants to sin. 7 Anyone who has died is set free from sin.
8 So then, if we’re dead with the Messiah, we believe that we will live with the Messiah. 9 We know that Messiah rose from the dead, and will never die. Death no longer has any power over Him. 10 When He died, He died once [2] to annul sin’s power, and in living He lives for Yehovah.
11 So you should also consider yourselves dead in regard to sin, and alive to Yehovah, thru our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah. 12 So don’t allow sin to reign in your mortal body, so that you give in to its lusts. 13 And don’t allow any part of your body to be an instrument of sin, but present yourselves to Yehovah, as if you have already been raised from the dead, and allow every part of your body to be an instrument for the righteousness of Yehovah. 14 Sin won’t have dominion over you, because you aren’t under secular law, but under dignity.
15 So should we sin because we aren’t under secular law, but under dignity? Absolutely not. 16 Don’t you know that if you offer yourselves to someone as bondservants, you serve them as their servants, whether it is of sin or whether it is of righteousness [3]? 17 But thanks to Yehovah, you who were once the servants of sin are now deeply dedicated to the form of doctrine that you were entrusted with. 18 When you were liberated from sin, you became the servants of righteousness.
Eternal Life is a Gift
19 I am speaking to you in secular terms because of your weakness and carnality. As you once surrendered your bodies to impure motives without the Torah, so now present your bodies as servants of righteousness and dedication. 20 When you were the servants of sin, you were 'unhindered' by righteousness. 21 What benefit did you get from the things that you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death. 22 But now that you have been liberated from sin, and have become servants of Yehovah, you benefit by being set apart, and the end result [aim or purpose] [4] of that is everlasting life! 23 The compensation for sin is death, but the gift of Yehovah is eternal life, thru our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah.
[1] into a watery grave [2] Most modern Greek translations add “for all” here; not so with the older translations or the Aramaic. The addition appears to me to contradict Hebrews 9:15 [3] The Greek says, “either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?” [4] Just as in the Aramaic, the Greek word telos means “The last event or thing in a series of events”, or the “end result”, “aim” or “purpose.” Another place that this word is used is in chapter 10, verse 4–usually translated “Christ is the end of the Law.” Yet the Law [Torah] is no more ending than eternal life is ending. Similarly, “The end of the Lord”, in James 5:11, certainly doesn’t mean that Yehovah will be terminated.
Romans 7
An Illustration from Marriage
1 Friends, don’t you know (since I’m writing to those who know the Torah) that the Torah has authority over people as long as they live? 2 For example, a woman is bound to her husband by the Torah as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies she is freed from the Torah concerning her husband. 3 If while her husband is alive, she appears in public clinging to another man, she would be considered an adulteress, but if her husband dies she is freed from the Torah, relevant to marriage, and would not be an adulteress, tho she is with [1] another man.4 Now friends, you have also died in regard to the Torah via the body of Messiah, so that you can belong to another [“all one body”] via a resurrection from the dead and yield fruit for Yehovah. 5 While we were ordinary sensuous beings, sinful emotions that are in violation of the Torah were active in our members yielding the fruit of death. 6 But now we have inactivated the death penalty of the Torah and are dead to the things that seized us, so that we can serve in the newness of the spirit from now on, and not in the old heart of the letter.
Is the Torah Sinful?
7 So what should we say? Is the Torah sinful? Absolutely not, because I would never have understood what sin is without the Torah! I wouldn’t have understood covetousness, if the Torah hadn’t said, “You must not covet.” 8 So because of the Commandment[s], sin strategically attacked, and the result was every kind of lust, because without the Torah, sin is dead. 9 In the past, I had lived without the Torah, but when I became familiar with the Commandment[s], sin came to life and I died, 10 and I found that the Commandment[s] 'that were intended to bring' life, 'were leading' to death. 11 Sin strategically attacked due to the Commandment[s], it seduced me and then killed me. 12 So the Torah is virtuous, and the Commandment[s] are virtuous and righteous and good!
13 Did something good kill me? Absolutely not! But sin resulted in my death so that it could be seen for what it is, by means of the virtuous Torah, so that sin could be even more condemned by the Commandment[s].
We Know That the Torah is Spiritual
14 We know that the Torah is spiritual, but I’m carnal and sold into the bondage of sin. 15 I don’t understand the things that I do, and what I want to do I don’t do. Instead, I do the things that I hate. 16 If I do what I don’t want to do, I admit that the Torah is right. 17 So it is no longer I doing those things, it is the sin that resides in me. 18 I know that in me, that is in my mortal state, nothing good lives. I want to do good but I’m unable to carry it out. 19 I don’t do the good that I want to do. The bad that I don’t want to do is what I keep on doing. 20 If I do what I don’t want to do, I’m no longer the one who is doing it, but it is the sin that is living in me.
21 So I find it to be a principle [law] [2]of conscience—when I want to do good, evil is always nearby. 22 I rejoice in Yehovah’s Torah with my conscience, 23 but I see another standard [law] in my body that wars against the standards of my conscience, and it makes me a captive to the standards of sin that exists in my members. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 I thank Yehovah, because of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah, I’ll be rescued. So in my conscience I truly serve Yehovah’s Torah, but in my mortal state, sin is the law I serve.
[1] “marriage”, used repeatedly in this context in other Bible versions, isn’t exactly the topic, fidelity is. The actual Greek word for marriage is “gameo.” [2] When we see “nomos” (law) not preceded by “the”, in the Greek, it virtually always means a law other than the Torah, unless the context already makes it clear.
Romans 8
Yeshua’s Death and Ours
1 So there is no condemnation for those in Yeshua Messiah who aren’t guided by human nature [1], 2 since the Torah of the life-giving spirit, in Yeshua Messiah, has liberated you from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the Torah was powerless to do, due to the weakness of mortals, Yehovah did by sending His own Son, made like a sinful mortal because of our sins, so that in His mortal state He could condemn sin. 4 That way the righteous requirements of the Torah could be carried into effect in us, since we’re not living like other mortals, but by the spirit.5 Sensuous mortals are only aware of the things pertaining to their earthly nature, but those who are spiritual contemplate spiritual things. 6 Having a mortal heart leads to death, but a mind set on spiritual things leads to life and peace. 7 Because a mind set on mortal things is in opposition to Yehovah, because such a mind doesn’t subject itself to the Torah of Yehovah—its impossible. 8 Those who are mortal minded can’t please Yehovah.
9 However you aren’t mortal minded, but spirit minded if 'Yehovah’s' spirit truly lives in you. Anyone who doesn’t have the Messiah’s spirit doesn’t belong to Him. 10 But if the Messiah is in you, your bodies are as good as dead because of sin, yet your spirits are alive because of righteous thinking and behavior. 11 If the spirit of the One who raised our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah from the dead lives in you, then the One who raised our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah from the dead will also revitalize your mortal bodies by His spirit that lives in you.
Becoming Yehovah’s Children
12 Friends, we are indebted, but not to human nature. We don’t need to live by that nature. 13 If you live by your sinful nature, you’ll die. But if you put to death mortal practices by the spirit, you’ll live. 14 Those who are led by Yehovah’s spirit are Yehovah’s children. 15 You haven’t received the spirit of bondage to fear again, but you have received the spirit of adoption to sonship [2], so that we now cry “O Elohim, our Elohim.” 16 The spirit herself [3] bears witness to our spirit that we’re Yehovah’s children. 17 If we are children, then we are heirs, Yehovah’s heirs and companion heirs of the inheritance with Yeshua Messiah, so that if we suffer with Him we’ll also share His splendor. 18 I conclude that the sufferings of the present time can’t even be compared with the splendor that will be revealed in [not “to”] us. 19 The entire creation is hoping and waiting for the appearance of Yehovah’s children. 20 The creation was subjected to futility, not by its own choice, but because of the One who subjected it [4] in anticipation. 21 So the creation itself will be liberated from the bondage of corruption into the marvelous liberty of Yehovah’s children.
22 We know that the entire creation is groaning and suffering in birth pains, up to the present time. 23 Not only the creation, but also those of us having the firstfruit of the spirit also groan within ourselves, waiting anxiously to become His children, winning back our bodies from sin. 24 We live in anticipation. But anticipation that is seen isn’t anticipation, because if we saw it, how could we anticipate it? 25 But if we anticipate something unseen, we’re patiently awaiting it.
26 So the spirit also aids our weakness, because we don’t know what to pray for as we should, but the spirit itself intercedes for us with inexpressible sighs. 27 The explorer of our minds knows the thoughts of 'our' spirit and intercedes for the 'chosen ones' [saints] in harmony with Yehovah’s will. 28 We know that He brings everything into synergy [Gr. sunergeo], resulting in good for those who love Yehovah, those who were predestined to be invited [5]. 29 He knew 'us' in advance, indeed He predestined 'us' to be similar to His Son, so that He could be the firstborn [eldest] of many brothers. 30 Those who He predestined, He called, and those He called, He declared free from guilt, and those He declared free from guilt, He will honor and make renowned.
31 What should we say about this? If Yehovah is for us, who can be against us? 32 If He didn’t spare His own Son, but gave Him up for all of us, then why wouldn’t He give us everything along with Him? 33 Who could bring an accusation against Yehovah’s chosen? Yehovah declares us free from guilt. 34 Who could condemn us? Messiah died and has arisen and is on the right hand side of Yehovah and personally intervenes for us. 35 What could separate us from Messiah’s love? Could suffering or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or a sword? 36 The Scriptures say, “We die daily for Your sake and we’re thought of as sheep for the slaughter.”
37 In all of these things we’re victorious, because of the One who loved us. 38 I’m convinced that neither death nor life nor fallen arch angels nor authorities nor powers nor anything present nor anything in the future 39 nor height or depth nor anything else in all creation can separate us from the love of Yehovah that is in our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah.
[1] Many Greek texts add, “But after the spirit.” [2] “Huiothesia” is a compound Greek word usually translated as “adoption.” But it is literally “huios” + “tithemi”,—“son making” or “children making.” He’s our Father, not our stepfather! [3] “Likewise in Hebrew thought, Ruach Ha Kodesh was considered a voice sent from on high to speak to the Prophet. Thus, in the Old Testament language of the prophets, She is the ['cherished'] spirit of indwelling [purification] and creativity and is considered as having a feminine power. “He” as a reference to Spirit has been used in theology to match the pronoun for [Yah], yet the Hebrew word ruach is a noun of feminine gender [just as “she” is in Aramaic]. Thus, referring to the ['cherished'] spirit as “she” has some linguistic justification. Denoting Spirit as a feminine principle, the creative principle of life, makes sense ... ”—J. J. Hurtak, PhD [4] “The creation was made subject to vanity—Abuse, misery, and corruption. By him who subjected it—Namely, [Yehovah], Genesis 3:17, 5:29. Adam only made it liable to the sentence which [Yehovah] pronounced, yet not without hope.”—Wesley’s Notes [5] As in Matthew 22:14, “Many guests are invited [Gr. kletos], but few have chosen to participate.”
Romans 9
Only the Called and Chosen Will be Saved
1 I tell the truth in Messiah, without misrepresentation, and my conscience confirms it for me by means of the 'special' spirit. 2 I have deep sorrow and unending anguish. 3 I have even wished that I could be pledged to destruction and separated from Messiah for the sake of my mortal minded countrymen, 4 who are descendants of Israel, sons of Aloha with preeminence and the covenants, given the Torah and the Levitical service and the promised blessings. 5 The Messiah is descended from the patriarchs. He is Aloha over all, in human form. Praises and blessings belong to Him forever and ever. Aw-main'.6 It’s not as tho the Word of Aloha has actually failed, since not everyone descended from Israel is part of Israel, 7 nor are they all Abraham’s descendants, even tho they are descended from Abraham, because it was said, “Your descendants will be named after Isaac” [1]. 8 That is, it’s not the physical descendants who are the children of Yehovah, but the children of the promise are considered the descendants. 9 This is how the promise was stated, “I’ll come at the specified time and Sarah will have a son.”
10 Not only that, but Rebekah became pregnant by our ancestor Isaac. 11 Yet before her children were born or had done anything good or evil, Yehovah’s selection [of Israel] was revealed in advance, not by works, but by the One who calls [2]. 12 She was told, “The older son will serve the younger.” 13 Just as it is written in the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau.” 14 What should we infer? Is Yehovah unfair? Absolutely not! 15 Look, He told Moses, “I’ll have mercy on anyone I want to have mercy on, and I’ll have compassion on anyone I want to have compassion on.”
16 So it doesn’t depend on who is willing, or who is 'in the race', but on Yehovah’s mercy. 17 In the Scriptures, He told the Pharaoh, “This is why I have aroused you from sleep [3], so that I could demonstrate My power thru you, and so that My name would be proclaimed in all the world.” 18 So He helps those in affliction when He wants, and He hastens the obstinance of others.
19 You might ask, “Why does He still blame us? Who could resist His will?” 20 So man, who are you to talk back to Yehovah? Can something a potter molds ask 'him', “Why have you made me this way?” 21 Doesn’t the potter have the right to use the same lump of clay to make some pottery of higher value and some of lesser value?
22 What if Yehovah, wanting to demonstrate His anger and make people aware of His power, after having endured so much, poured out His anger on the vessels of His anger that were ready for destruction [4], 23 and poured His mercy on the vessels of mercy that were prepared in advance for splendor, 24 including those of us who are called, not just the Jews, but those of other ethnicities [Gr. ethnos] as well. 25 As He said in Hosea, “I’ll call those who were not ‘My people’, ‘My people’, and will be merciful [5] to those I haven’t been merciful to. 26 And in the very 'region' [Hosea 1:5-11] where they were told, ‘You are not My people’, there they’ll be called ‘the children of the living Aloha.’”
Only a Tiny Fraction of Israel Will Survive
27 Isaiah proclaimed about the descendants of Israel, “Tho your people Israel are like grains of sand on the seashore, only a few survivors will return. Righteous destruction is necessary. 28 The Sovereign will carry out his decree on the 'region' with speed [6] and finality. 29 Just as Isaiah predicted, “If Yehovah of the armies of Israel had not left a few survivors behind, we would have been like Sodom and Gomorrah.”
30 What should we conclude? Why, that the other ethnicities who weren’t pursuing righteousness have now attained righteousness—righteousness resulting from faith! 31 But Israel, pursuing the Torah of righteousness, hasn’t attained the Torah of righteousness. 32 Why? Because they didn’t seek it by faith, but as if it were by secular law. So they stumbled over the Stumbling Stone. [7] 33 The Scriptures say, “Look, I’m bringing a Stone to Zion that people will trip over—a Rock who offends them, and no one who believes in Him will be ashamed.”
[1] Saxons can be translated “sons of Isaac.” [2] Yehovah didn’t actually choose Israel, He chose Abraham. This is why He chose one nation to reveal His truth to first. The issue here isn’t Yehovah predestining people for eternal life, it is about predestining Abraham’s descendants for a job. Israel’s “works” had nothing to do with their selection (however Abraham’s did). See Why Did [Yehovah] Choose Israel? (page 1) [3] “I aroused you from sleep”: Yehovah used the Pharaoh’s inherent evil, as if arousing it from sleep, thus ending Israel’s brutal captivity on His own timetable. [4] Some have assumed that Yehovah is unjust in judging people after reading vs 18-22, but the context presupposes sin. In the case of Pharaoh, Yehovah ‘set the stage’, and the actors ‘did what comes naturally’, resulting in the timetable being sped up, as well as their opportunity for judgment. Consequently, people became quite aware of His power. Hopefully it was a deterrent for others! Note that Yehovah showed “extreme patience.” He’ll only endure so much. Some take “ready for destruction” to mean they were created just to be destroyed. Not so, but as on any (non hybrid) crop there will be some unfruitful plants, some moderately fruitful and some very fruitful. [5] The Greek says “love”. [6] Verses 27-28 are a reference to Isaiah 10:22-23. Eretz in Hebrew (the source of the reference usually means land or region, not earth. The entire context of Romans 9 is about Israel, not the planet. [7] The Greek says “love.” [8] 1 Peter 2:6-8
Romans 10
Messiah is the Goal of the Torah
1 Friends, my passionate desire, and my prayer to Yehovah for them [Israel] is that they may have eternal life. 2 I can assure you that they are zealous for Yehovah, but not based on precise and correct knowledge. 3 They don’t understand the righteousness of Yehovah, so they try to reason out their own righteousness, rather than submitting themselves to Yehovah’s righteousness. 4 The Messiah is the end goal [1] of the Torah, a means of righteousness for everyone who believes in Him.5 Moses wrote about the righteousness that comes from the Torah. He said, “Whoever obeys these 'unchanging rulings and judgments' will live because of them.” [Leviticus 18:5] 6 But the righteousness based on faith says, “You shouldn’t ask yourself, ‘Who will ascend to Heaven and bring the Messiah down’” 7 or, ‘Who will descend into the abyss [Gr. abussos] of sheol and bring the Messiah up from the dead?’ 8 But what does it say? “The answer is 'on your lips' and in your mind. That is the message of faith that we proclaim.” 9 If you openly acknowledge our Sovereign Yeshua (Jesus), and believe with all your being that Yehovah has raised Him from the dead will will live. 10 People who believe in Him with all their being are made righteous, and verbally professes Him will live [forever]. 11 As the Scriptures say, “No one who believes in Him will be dishonored.” 12 There is no distinction between Jews and Arameans, because there is only one Aloha over them all, who has limitless blessings for anyone who calls on Him. 13 Whoever calls on Yehovah’s name will be saved!
How Can They Hear Without Heralds?
14 But how can they call on Him if they haven’t believed? Or how can they believe in Him if they haven’t even heard His name? Or how can they hear without heralds? 15 How can they herald unless they’re sent? As the Scripture says, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the Good News!”
16 But not everyone has heard the Good News. Because as Isaiah said, “Yehovah, who has believed our instructions?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing is thru the Word of Aloha. 18 But I ask, ”Why haven’t they heard? Their message has gone out to the entire earth, and their words to the ends of the earth!” 19 So I ask, “Didn’t Israel understand?” First, Moses said, “I’ll provoke you to jealousy by a people who were not previously a people. By a disobedient [2] people I’ll provoke you to wrath.”
20 Isaiah boldly said, “I was seen by those who weren’t even looking for Me, and I was found by those who weren’t even asking about Me.” 21 But He said to Israel, “All day long, I have reached out My hands to a quarrelsome and disobedient people.”
[1] The context here indicates “aim, purpose or goal”, whether translating from Aramaic, as Murdock did with “aim”, or the Greek, as linked. [2] The Greek says: “unintelligent, without understanding, stupid.”
Romans 11
The Remnant of Israel
1 So I ask, has Yehovah rejected His people? Absolutely not. I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 Yehovah hasn’t rejected the people who He predestined. Don’t you know what the Scriptures say about Elijah when he complained to Yehovah about Israel? He said, 3 “Yehovah, they’ve killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars. I’m the only one left, and they’re trying to kill me.” 4 And what was revealed to him, “I have kept 7,000 people for Myself who have never bowed down to worship Baal [the lord]!” 5 It is the same today, a remnant have been rescued—selected by dignity. 6 But since it is by dignity, it isn’t by works, otherwise, dignity isn’t dignity. And if by works, it isn’t by dignity, otherwise works aren’t works.Their Spirits Are Stupid!
7 What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking, but the Select [Strong’s #] obtained it, and the rest of them were 'spiritually' blind [1]. 8 As it says in the Scriptures, “Yehovah [2] declared [3] their spirits stupid [Aramaic spiritum stupidum]—eyes that won’t see and ears that won’t hear, to this very day. 9 And David said, “Their table should become a snare, and their compensation should be a stumbling block. 10 Their eyes should be darkened so that they can’t see, and their backs should always be bent over under a yoke.
11 So I ask, have they stumbled beyond recovery? Certainly not! Rather, by their stumbling, eternal life has come to every ethnicity, stirring their zeal. 12 If their stumbling results in the enrichment of the world, and their loss results in an abundance for the Nations [Gr. ethnos], then how much greater will their inclusion be?
13 I’m speaking to those of you of other nations, since I’m an envoy to the nations, and I honor my service, 14 hoping that I can provoke some of my own countrymen to rivalry and rescue some of them. 15 If their rejection results in reconciliation of the world, then what will their conversion be but life from the dead? 16 If the firstfruit is 'Select', then the rest are also. If the root is 'select', the branches are also.
Branches Broken Off
17 If some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive branch have been grafted in their place, and you are now sharing in the nourishment provided by the roots of the olive tree, 18 then don’t ridicule the branches. If you ridicule them, you aren’t supporting the root, even tho the root is supporting you. 19 Should you say, “Branches were cut off so that I could be grafted into their place.” 20 Granted, they were cut off because they didn’t believe, while you stand fast thru faith. But don’t be arrogant, be afraid! 21 If Yehovah didn’t spare the natural branches, He might not spare you either.
22 Consider the kindness and the severity of Yehovah: severity toward those who fell; but to you, kindness, provided you remain in His kindness. Otherwise, you’ll be broken off as well. 23 Likewise, if they [Israel] turn from their unbelief, they will be grafted back in again, because Yehovah is able to graft them in again. 24 If you were a branch cut from a wild olive tree, and were, against your nature, grafted into a garden cultivar tree, how much easier would it be for the original branches to be grafted back into the garden cultivar!
25 Friends, so that you won’t be presumptuous, I want you to know of this hidden mystery—that a degree of spiritual blindness has overtaken Israel until the full complement of nations can come in, 26 and then all of Israel will be saved [alive]. As the Scriptures declare, “A Savior will come from Zion and turn Jacob [the “lost” ten tribes] from sinfulness.”
Then They Will Have My New Covenant
27 “And THEN [4] they will have My [NEW] COVENANT, after I have forgiven their sins.” 28 Now in regard to the Good News, they are enemies as far 'as you are concerned', but in regard to selection for favor, they are loved for the sake of their ancestors. 29 Yehovah will never withdraw His gift or His calling. 30 Just as you were once disobedient to Yehovah, but now have received mercy because of the disobedience of Israel. 31 In the same way, 'Israel' is disregarding the mercy that you have, but they will also be shown mercy [5]. 32 Yehovah has locked up everyone in the prison of unbelief, so that He can have mercy on everyone.
33 O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of Yehovah! No one can secondguess His decisions. His ways are beyond scrutiny. 34 Who has known Yehovah’s mind? Who became His counselor? 35 Who has first given Him anything, so as to receive payment in return? 36 Everything [the universe] is from Him, everything is by Him and everything is thru Him. Praise and blessing are His forever and ever. Aw-main'.
[1] How did the KJV and the Webster Version come up with the Aramaic ‘blind’, instead of the Greek ‘hardened’, here and in 2 Corinthians 3:14? [2] The quote from Deuteronomy 29:4 actually says ‘Yehovah’, while the Greek and Aramaic quotations say ‘Theos/Aloha’. [3] Deuteronomy 29:2-4 explains that the blind stupidity of Israel was despite the fact that they were given great signs and wonders. The old adage about leading a horse to water, but not being able to make it drink seems to apply. Young’s Literal interprets this to mean “declared” them stupid, rather than “making” them stupid. [4] The house of Israel and the house of Judah have not lived under a Covenant since the ancient captivity, but that is about to change (Jeremiah 31:31-34)! The Greek totally obscures the matter of timing by substituting “this” for “then”! See The New Covenant—Soon to be Implemented! [5] Plan A was for Israel to teach the nations about the Torah—not the other way around! Deuteronomy 4::5-13
Romans 12
Renewing Your Mind
1 I urge you friends, thru the mercy of Yehovah, to present your bodies as a living zebak [sacrifice], 'pure' and acceptable to Yehovah as a logical [Gr. logikos] service. 2 Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renovation of your minds, so that you can discern what Yehovah’s good and acceptable and complete will is.We’re All Parts of Yeshua’s Body
3 Because of the dignity given to me, I tell everyone not to think more highly of yourselves than you really are, but have honest thoughts, because Yehovah has given everyone a measure of faith. 4 Just as there are many parts in a body, and none of the parts do the same thing. 5 So collectively we’re one body in the Messiah, and all the parts are connected to each other. 6 Yet we have different gifts based on the dignity given to us. If yours is prophecy, use it in proportion to your faith. 7 Others offer various services [Gr. diakonia] to others, while teachers are dedicated to teaching. 8 If it is encouraging, commit yourself to encouraging others. If it is giving, give generously. If it is being a moderator [1] be diligent. If it is helping people in need, be cheerful.
9 Your love should be perfectly sincere. But hate wicked things; stick with good things. 10 Be affectionate [Gr. philostorgos] with each other and love your friends [Gr. philadelphia]. Take the lead in showing honor to each other. 11 Don’t be slow when work is needed. Be fervent in spirit, serving Yehovah, 12 elated in your anticipation, patient under persecution, constant in prayer. 13 Take care of the needs of the 'chosen ones' [saints]. Be kind to strangers.
14 Bless those who persecute you, bless them don’t curse them. 15 Celebrate with those who are celebrating, cry with those who are crying. 16 Think of your friends as your equals. Don’t be arrogant, rather, associate with the humble. And don’t think of yourselves as wise.
17 Don’t repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to be a good example for everyone. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with everyone. 19 Friends, don’t do your own avenging, but await Yehovah’s wrath, because it is written that Yehovah says, “If you don’t avenge yourselves, I’ll avenge you.” 20 If your adversary is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink. In doing these things for him you’ll heap coals of fire on his head. 21 Don’t be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.
[1] Proistemi is a compound Greek word that literally means—“before” & “to cause or make to stand”, ie “in the presence of others, in the midst, before judges, before members of the Sanhedrin”—OBGL.
Romans 13
Be Law Abiding Citizens
1 Everyone should obey the governing authorities. There is no authoritity that isn’t from Yehovah. The existing authorities have been established by Yehovah. 2 So whoever opposes “the establishment”, opposes what Yehovah has established, and anyone who opposes them will be judged. 3 Judges aren’t a terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. If you don’t want to be afraid of their authority, then do good and they’ll commend you. 4 He is the “deacon” of Yehovah for your good. But if you do evil, be afraid, because he isn’t wearing a sword for nothing, he is a “deacon” of Yehovah, and a punishing avenger for those who commit crimes. 5 So it is necessary for you to obey, not only to avoid punishment, but also for conscience’ sake.6 This is why you pay annual taxes, because they are the public servants of Yehovah who attend to these things. [1] 7 So give everyone what you owe them: tax-money to who tax-money is due, tolls to who tolls are due, fear to who fear is due, and honor to who honor is due.
8 Owe nothing to anyone except for mutual love, because anyone who loves their fellow man fulfills the Torah. 9 It also says: “You must not murder”, and “You must not commit adultery”, and “You must not steal”, and “You must not covet.” [2] And if anyone considers the other classes of commandments, they are summarized with this statement, “You must love [Gr. agapao] your acquaintances as yourself.” 10 Love never does anything harmful to an acquaintance, because love is the fullfilling [3] of the Torah.
Wake Up!
11 You should also know that it is 'the point in time' when we should awaken from our sleep, because our eternal life is nearer to us than when we first believed. 12 The night is almost over and the day will soon be here. So let’s toss aside the works of darkness and clothe ourselves with the armor of light. 13 Let’s live decently in the light of day, and not be carousing around or drunk or sleeping around or jealous or quarrelsome. 14 Instead, clothe yourselves with our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah, and forget about your mortal desires.
[1] See why this is sarcasm! The Bible never endorses human governments; it prophecies the abolition of them. [2] Matthew 19:16-19 [3] According to The Online Bible Greek Lexicon the word for “fulness” is like filling the cargo hold of a ship. It’s that full.
Romans 14
Matters of Conscience
1 Reach out 'your' hand to anyone weak in the faith, and be consistent in your reasoning. 2 One person believes that they can eat any 'food', while someone who is weak is a vegetarian. 3 The person who eats meat shouldn’t look down on the person who doesn’t eat meat, and the person who doesn’t eat meat shouldn’t judge the person who eats meat, because Yehovah welcomes them. 4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? If they stand, they stand to Yehovah, and if they fall, they fall to Yehovah. But they’ll assuredly stand, because Yehovah has the ability to establish them.5 One person chooses one particular day [to fast], while another chooses any day. Everyone should be fully convinced in their own mind. 6 The person who favors one day, favors it for Yehovah, and the person who doesn’t favor that day doesn’t favor it for Yehovah. And the person who eats, eats to Yehovah, and gives thanks to Yehovah, and the person who doesn’t eat, doesn’t eat to Yehovah, and gives thanks to Yehovah. 7 None of us live 'for' ourselves, and none of us die 'for' ourselves. 8 If we live, we live for Yehovah, and if we die, we die for Yehovah. So whether we live or whether we die, we’re Yehovah’s.
9 This is why the Messiah died and came back to life, and arose—so that He could be Sovereign of the dead and of the living! 10 Why do you judge your fellow believers, or why do you consider your fellow believers to be worthless? We must all stand before the judgment seat of Messiah. 11 As it is written in the Scriptures, Yehovah says, “As surely as I live, every knee will bow to Me, and every tongue will praise Me.” 12 So then each of us must answer to Yehovah for ourselves.
Vegetarians
13 From now on let’s not judge each other. Instead, decide to never set out a stumbling block in your fellow believers way. 14 I’m perfectly convinced by our Sovereign Yeshua that nothing is defiled by itself, but anyone who believes that something is defiled, it is defiled for the person who thinks it’s defiled. [1] 15 If a friend is distressed because of your food, then you are no longer living by love. Don’t destroy anyone who the Messiah died for with your food. 16 And never allow what you regard as good to be blasphemed. 17 Yehovah’s Kingdom isn’t about food and drink, it’s about righteousness, peace and joy in the 'special' spirit. 18 Anyone who serves Messiah in these things is pleasing to Yehovah and accepted by people.
19 So let’s earnestly pursue peace and the things that mutually build up character! 20 Don’t ruin the work of Yehovah because of meat. Certainly all kinds of things are pure, but it is evil if your eating becomes an obstacle for others. 21 The right thing to do is to avoid eating the flesh of animal zebak [sacrifice], drinking wine or doing anything that might cause another believer to stumble [2].
22 Do you have a personal conviction? Keep it between yourself and Yehovah [3]. A person is blessed who doesn’t condemn themselves by the things that they prove to be genuine. 23 Anyone who has doubts will be punished if they eat anyway, because they didn’t eat in faith. Anything that isn’t based on faith is sin.
[1] “Defiled” means offered to idols or even handled or sold by “gentiles.” While “unclean”, when related to food, has to do with Leviticus 11. [2] The Greek adds, “or offends or makes weak.” [3] On the other hand, should someone ask, “Always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks you for an explanation about the expectation of your faith, with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15).
Romans 15
The Scriptures Were Written For Us
1 We who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not just pursue our own pleasure. 2 Each of us should please our friends in good things, promoting mutual growth, 3 because Messiah didn’t please Himself either. As it is written in the Scriptures, “The insults of those who insult you fell on Me.” 4 The 'Scriptures' were written long ago for our instruction [1a], so that thru perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we can have hope.5 May the Aloha of perseverance and encouragement allow you to live in harmony with each other, in Yeshua Messiah, 6 so that with one mind [unity] and one voice you can honor Yehovah, the Father of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah.
7 So welcome each other patiently, just as Messiah welcomed you into the magnificence of Yehovah. 8 Now I tell you that Yeshua Messiah was a 'deacon” to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of Yehovah, in order to confirm the promise made to the patriarchs. 9 So every nation can praise Yehovah for His mercies toward them. As it is written in the Scriptures, “I’ll acknowledge you among the nations, and I’ll sing psalms to Your name.” 10 He also said, “Every nation should celebrate with His people.” 11 He also said, “Every nation praise Yehovah! Every nation extol Him.” 12 He also said, “There will be an offspring of Jesse who will arise and rule every nation, and every nation will trust Him.”
13 May the Aloha of our expectations fill you with continual joy and peace, because you trust in Him, so that you’ll overflow with abundant anticipation thru the power of the 'special' spirit.
14 Now friends, I’m convinced that you are also filled with goodness and full of 'considerable' knowledge and capable of instructing each other. 15 Yet friends, I have written rather boldly to you to remind you of the favor that Yehovah gave me, 16 doing the Temple-work of Yeshua Messiah to the nations, offering the Good News as a priest of Yehovah, so that the zebak [sacrifice] presented—the nations themselves, will be acceptable and dedicated by the 'special' spirit.
17 So I take pride in doing things for Yehovah because of Yeshua Messiah. 18 Yet I don’t dare speak of anything except what the Messiah has accomplished thru me, in bringing the nations to obedience by words and actions, 19 thru powerful signs and wonders, and by the power of the 'special' spirit, so that from Jerusalem I have traveled all around, as far as Illyricum and have fulfilled [caused to abound] Messiah’s Good News. 20 I was careful not to proclaim the Good News where the Messiah’s name was already known, so as not to build on someone else’s foundation. 21 As it is written in the Scriptures, “Those who haven’t heard of Him will see Him, and those who haven’t heard will understand” [1b]. 22 This is why I have been prevented from coming to you so many times.
The Entire Region Heard the Good News
23 But now, since there are no more unreached places in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, 24 I’m on my way to Spain. I hope to see you while passing thru, and that you’ll accompany me there after I have enjoyed visiting with you for a while. 25 But now I’m going to Jerusalem to serve [Gr. diakoneo] the 'chosen ones' [saints] there. 26 The friends in Macedonia and Achaia wanted to make a contribution to the 'chosen ones' in Jerusalem who are in need. 27 They wanted to do this because they were indebted to them. Since the nations have come into fellowship with them in spiritual things, they in turn are indebted to serve them in 'material' things. 28 So when I have finished this and have 'made sure of' the delivery of the fruit, I will visit you on my way to Spain. 29 I know that when I come to you, I’ll come with plenty of blessing from the Good News of Messiah.
30 Friends, I call on you for our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah and by the love of the spirit, to strive with me in prayers to Yehovah on my behalf. 31 Pray that I can escape from the unbelievers in Judea, and that the assistance that I carry to the 'chosen ones' in Jerusalem will be well received, 32 so that if it’s Yehovah’s will, I can come to you with joy and be refreshed with you. 33 May the Aloha of peace be with you all. Aw-main'.
[1a,b] A quote from Isaiah 52:15 in reference to Isaiah 53
Romans 16
Paul Greets His Friends
1 I commend our sister Phoebe to you, a 'deacon' in the assembly in Cenchrea. 2 I ask that you’ll welcome her as a fellow servant 'of' our Sovereign in a manner worthy of the 'chosen ones', and that you would assist her with anything she might ask you for, because she has assisted so many, including me.3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my coworkers in the service of Yeshua Messiah. 4 They’ve risked their own necks for me. I’m grateful to them, and not only I, but also all the assemblies of the other nations. 5 Give my greetings to the assembly that meets in their house. Greet my dear Epenetus who was the firstfruit [first convert] of Achaia in Messiah. 6 Greetings to Mary, who has worked so much with you. 7 Greetings to Andronicus and Junia, my relatives who were in prison with me and are well known by the envoys and were believers in Messiah before me. 8 Greetings to Amplias, my dear friend in the service of our Sovereign. 9 Greetings to Urbanus, a coworker in the service of Messiah, and my dear Friend Stachys. 10 Greetings to Apelles, selected to 'work for' our Sovereign. Greetings to the members of the family of Aristobulus. 11 Greetings to Herodion, my relative. Greetings to the members of the family of Narcissus, who 'work for' our Sovereign. 12 Greetings to Tryphena and Tryphosa, who work in the service of our Sovereign. Greetings to my dear friend Persis, who worked diligently 'for' our Sovereign. 13 Greetings to Rufus, selected in the service of our Sovereign, also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. 14 Greetings to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the friends who 'meet' with them. 15 Greetings to Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all of the 'chosen ones' who 'meet' with them. 16 Greet each other with the kiss of the 'chosen ones'. All the assemblies of Messiah greet you.
Watch Out For Trouble Makers
17 I urge you, friends, to watch out [1] for those who cause divisions and scandals [Gr. skandalon] contrary to the doctrine that you have learned, and avoid them. 18 Such people are not serving our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah, rather they feed their own stomachs. By eloquently prepared oratory [2] they deceive the minds of naive people. 19 But your obedience is known to everyone, and I’m full of joy for you. But I want you to be sophisticated [Gr. sophos] about good things and naive about evil things.
20 The Aloha of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The good will of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah be with you. 21 Timothy, my fellow worker, sends you his greetings, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my relatives. 22 I Tertius, who wrote down this letter for Paul, greet you in Yehovah. 23 Gaius, host to me and to the entire assembly, greets you as does Erastus, the city treasurer, and Quartus a friend [A].
25 Now to Yehovah, who is able to establish you according to my Good News that is heralded concerning Yeshua Messiah thru the revelation of the mystery that was hidden from all ages past, 26 but is now finally revealed by the Scriptures of the prophets, and by the commandment of the everlasting Aloha, so that all nations can believe and be obedient to the faith 27 of the only One who is wise. Splendor belongs to Him thru Yeshua Messiah forever and ever: Aw-main'. ”24” The dignity of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah, be with you all. Aw-main'.
[1] KJV says “mark.” [2] Listening to eloquent public orators (sophists) was a popular form of entertainment in Greek culture. These celebrities were well paid. Constantine made professional oratory the norm as a way to increase the attendance in the massive church buildings that he built, replacing interactivity. Sophistry evolved into “giving sermons.” Sermons later fell out of use, under Catholicism, until the Protestant Reformation. [A] In the Aramaic, the “24th verse” is at the end of the letter.
End of the letter to the Romans, that was written from Corinth and sent by Phebe, a faithful servant.
Compare the Testimony of Yeshua with the 1851 Murdock or the 1849 Etheridge Versions of “The Testimony of Yeshua” (The ‘New Testament’).
1 Corinthians 1
Called, Selected, Set Apart
1 Paul, called and sent by Yeshua (Jesus) Messiah, by the will of Yehovah; and Sosthenes, a friend, 2 to the assembly of Yehovah in Corinth, selected [Strong’s #] as 'the chosen' [saints], and set apart for Yeshua Messiah by the will of Yehovah: 3 May dignity be with you, and peace, from Yehovah our Father, and from our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah.4 I thank Yehovah continually on your behalf for the dignity of Yehovah that is given to you in Yeshua Messiah, 5 that in everything you are enriched by Him, in everything you say and in all your knowledge, 6 even as the testimony of Messiah was confirmed among you, 7 so you aren’t deprived in any of His gifts, but are waiting for the appearance of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah, 8 who will stabilize you to the very end, so that you can be blameless on the Day of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah. 9 Yehovah, who has called you by name into the fellowship of His Son, Yeshua Messiah, our Sovereign, is faithful.
No “Denominations” Among You
10 I implore you friends, in our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah’s name to all have one doctrine, so that there are no schisms [Gr. schisma] among you, but that you’ll become perfectly of one mind, and of one way of thinking. 11 Friends, members of Chloe’s household have reported to me that there is some strife among you. 12 I’m telling you that one of you says, “I’m of Paul”, and another says, “I follow Paul”, and another says, “I follow Apollos”, and another says, “I follow Cephas”, and another says, “I follow the Messiah.”
13 Now was the Messiah divided? Or was Paul crucified for you? Or were you immersed in Paul’s name? 14 I thank Yehovah that I didn’t immerse any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one would say that I immersed in my own name. 16 I also immersed the household of Stephanas, but beyond that, I don’t know that I immersed anyone else. 17 The Messiah didn’t send me to immerse, but to proclaim the Good News, not with supreme intelligence, because the cross of the Messiah could be deprived of force.
18 The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those of us who are being rescued, it is the power of Yehovah. 19 The Scriptures say, “I’ll destroy the sophistication [Gr. sophia] [1] of the sophists [Gr. sophos].”
20 Where is the sophist? Or where is the Torah teacher? Or where is the skeptic of this world? Look, hasn’t Yehovah shown that the world’s sophistry is moronic [Gr. moraino]? 21 In the wisdom of Yehovah, because the world couldn’t come to know Yehovah by its wisdom, it pleased Him to preserve those who believe by the “foolishness” of heralding. 22 The Jews ask for signs, and the Arameans demand wisdom. 23 Yet we herald the Messiah as crucified—a stumbling block to the Jews and “foolishness” to the nations, 24 but to those of us who are invited, both Jews and Arameans, the Messiah is the power of Yehovah and the true knowledge of Yehovah. 25 Because the “foolishness” of Yehovah is more sophisticated [Gr. sophos] than humanity, and the “feebleness” of Yehovah is stronger than humanity.
“Morons” Were Chosen
26 Consider your own invitation friends, that not many of you are eloquent speakers (according to worldly people), and not many of you are influential, and not many of you are from notable families. 27 But Yehovah has chosen the “morons” [Gr. moros] [2] of the world to shame the sophisticated, and He has chosen the “weaklings” of the world to shame the strong, 28 and He has chosen the “commoners” of the world and “no accounts” and those who are “nothing” to unemploy those who are “something”, 29 so that no mortal would be praised in His presence. 30 But you belong to Him in Yeshua Messiah, who has become wisdom from Yehovah for us, and righteousness and dedication, and deliverance— 31 so that as the Scriptures say, “Anyone who boasts should boast in Yehovah.”
[1] Listening to eloquent public orators (sophists) was a popular form of entertainment in Greek culture. These celebrities were well paid. Constantine made professional oratory the norm, as a way to increase the attendance in the massive church buildings that he built—replacing interactivity. Sophistry evolved into giving sermons. Sermons later fell out of use, under Catholicism, until the Protestant Reformation. [2] Paul isn’t belittling the faithful, or Yehovah, he’s using sarcasm. He is referring to what the world thinks of us—“morons”, “weaklings”, “no accounts”, “commoners” and “nothing.” We will “unemploy” them by filling their leadership positions in the Kingdom.
1 Corinthians 2
The Spiriyual Mind
1 Friends, when I came to you, I didn’t announce the mysteries [1] of Yehovah to you with magnificent speech or sophistry. 2 I didn’t pretend to understand anything except Yeshua Messiah, and Him crucified. 3 I came to you with considerable fear and trembling. 4 My teaching and my heralding were not with the persuasiveness of human sophistry, but with a demonstration of the spirit and with power— 5 so that your faith wouldn’t arise from human sophistry, but from the power of Yehovah.6 But we do have sophisticated discussions with those striving for perfection—not the sophisticates of this world, or the authorities of this world who will be eradicated. 7 Rather, we speak the sophistication of Yehovah as a mystery that was kept secret, something Yehovah predestined before the world came into existence, for our splendor. 8 None of the leaders of this world knew about it, because had they known they wouldn’t have crucified the Sovereign of splendor. 9 As the Scriptures say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the greatly prepared things that Yehovah has for those who love Him.”
But Yehovah has revealed them to us by His spirit, because the spirit examines everything, even the deepest things of Yehovah. 11 Who knows a person’s character other than the person’s own spirit within them? Similarly, no one knows Yehovah’s character, except the 'special' spirit. 12 Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the spirit that is from Yehovah, so that we can understand the gifts that are given to us freely by Yehovah. 13 We don’t describe these things with words of human sophistry, but with words given to us by the spirit, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 Mortal humanity doesn’t grasp spiritual things because they are seemingly foolishness to them. They don’t understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But a person with the spirit evaluates everything, yet 'unbelivers' can’t evaluate them. 16 Who understands the mind of Yehovah, so that they can instruct Him? But we have the mind of the Messiah.
[1] The Greek says “testimony” instead of “mysteries.”
1 Corinthians 3
“I’m of Paul”
1 Friends, I could not converse with you, as with spiritual people, but as mortal minded, as with babes in the Messiah. 2 I gave you milk rather than solid food because you weren’t ready for it then, and you still aren’t ready. 3 You are still mortal minded. There are rivalries among you and strife and divisions, aren’t you mortal minded, living as humanity [Gr. anthropos]? 4 When one of you says, “I follow Paul”, and another says, “I follow Apollos”, aren’t you mortal minded?5 Who is Paul, or who is Apollos, but the 'deacons' who helped you to believe, as Yehovah has granted His gift to each of you? 6 I planted and Apollos watered, but Yehovah produced the growth. 7 Not that the one who planted is 'important', or the one who watered, because Yehovah produced the growth. 8 The one who planted and the one who irrigated are equal, each will receive their compensation in proportion to their labor. 9 We labor with Yehovah, and you are Yehovah’s cultivated field and Yehovah’s building.
10 According to the dignity of Yehovah that was given to me, I laid the foundation like a skilled architect, and another builds on it, but each of you should see how He builds on it. 11 No one can lay another foundation that differs from what is laid—Yeshua Messiah. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or stubble, 13 their work will be exposed to view, because the Judgment Day will expose it, and it will be tested by fire. The fire will reveal everyone’s work, what kind it is. 14 The builder whose work survives will receive his compensation. 15 The one whose work is burned up will be injured, yet they’ll survive by coming thru the fire.
16 Don’t you know that you are the Temple of Yehovah, and that the 'special' spirit lives in you? 17 If anyone destroys the Temple of Yehovah, Yehovah will destroy them, because the Temple of Yehovah is dedicated to Aloha, and you are that Temple.
18 Don’t fool yourselves. If any of you believes that you are sophisticated in this world, you should become a “moron” so that you can really become sophisticated. 19 The sophistication of this world is moronic [moria] to Yehovah, because it is written, “He catches the sophisticated in their own false wisdom.” 20 Again, Yehovah knows that the inward thoughts of the sophists are useless. 21 So no one should boast about humanity, because everything is yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the cosmos or life or death or things present or things to come—everything belong to you. 23 And you are the Messiah’s, and the Messiah is Yehovah’s.
1 Corinthians 4
We’re Managers
1 Everyone should consider us to be the managers of the houshold of the Messiah, and managers of the mysteries of Yehovah. 2 Now every manager is required to be recognized as faithful. 3 But to me it is of little consequence if you investigate me as the accused, or anyone else, because I don’t even judge myself. 4 (I’m not guilty of anything that I’m aware of, yet I’m not made righteous by my own appraisal, because Yehovah is my Judge.) 5 So don’t pronounce judgments before the specified time, until Yehovah comes, who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and expose the thoughts of people’s minds. Then everyone will have their commendation from Yehovah.6 Friends, I have used these things about myself and Apollos as an illustration for your sakes, so that you can learn from our example not to think of anyone beyond the Scriptures, so that no one will inflate their egos by comparing themselves to others. 7 Who differentiates you? What do you have that you didn’t receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as if you didn’t simply receive it?
8 Now you are satiated and rich, and you have reigned like kings without us! And I wish you were reigning so that we could reign with you. 9 I’m of the opinion that Yehovah has displayed us, the envoys last, doomed to death, since we have become exhibits to the world, to the spirit messengers and to humanity. 10 We are called fools because of the Messiah, but you are intelligent in the Messiah! We are feeble but you are strong! You are lauded, we’re condemned. 11 Even now we hunger and thirst, we’re naked [Aramaic, Greek] and mistreated and we wander around. 12 We are exhausted, working with our own hands. Being reproached, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure. 13 They revile us and we comfort them. Right now we’re considered the filth of the world, to be purged for everyone.
14 I don’t write these things to shame you, but to instruct you as dear children. 15 Tho you have thousands of guardians in the Messiah, you don’t have many fathers, because in Yeshua Messiah, I have fathered you by announcing the Good News. 16 So I admonish you to imitate me! 17 This is why I sent Timothy, my dear son to you, who is faithful in Yehovah, so that he can remind you of my ways in the Messiah, just as I teach in all the assemblies.
18 Now some of the “lofty ones” act as if I wouldn’t dare come to you. 19 Yet I’ll come to you soon, if Yehovah is willing, and I won’t consider what the “lofty ones” are saying, but what power they have. 20 Yehovah’s Kingdom isn’t by words, but by power. 21 What do you prefer? Should I come to you with a rod or with love and a gentle spirit?
1 Corinthians 5
Sexual Immorality Among You
1 It is reported that there is sexual immorality [porneia] among you, and such sexual immorality as isn’t even mentioned among the heathens, that a son would even take his father’s wife. 2 Instead of bragging about it, shouldn’t you have mourned in order that the one who did this would be removed from among you? 3 While I’m far from you physically, I’m present with you in spirit, and have already, as if present, judged the one perpetuating this behavior. 4 You should all gather together in our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah’s name, and I’ll be with you in spirit, together with the power of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah, 5 so that you hand this kind of person over to Satan for the destruction of his body, so that perhaps his spirit can be preserved in the Day of the Sovereign Yeshua Messiah. [1]Celebrate the Feast
6 Your bragging isn’t good. Don’t you know that a little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough? 7 Clean out your old leaven so that you can be a new batch of dough, as you are unleavened. The Messiah, our Passover, was offered in our place. 8 So let’s celebrate the Feast, not with the old leaven or with the leaven of wickedness and bitterness, but with the unleavened bread of purity and dedication.
9 I wrote to you by letter not to befriend a male prostitute. 10 But I don’t mean with the male prostitutes who are in the world or with the greedy or predators or idol worshipers, otherwise you would have to leave the planet. 11 But now I have written to you not to befriend anyone who calls himself a friend who is a male prostitute or greedy or worships money or those who use abusive language or a drunkard or an extortioner—don’t even share a meal with those kinds of people.
12 What business do I have judging those on the outside? But you must judge those within the body 13 and remove the wicked ones from among you, (Yehovah judges those outside).
[1] This is the same “Day” as ““the Day of Yehovah”.1 Corinthians 6
Lawsuits Among Believers
1 Dare any of you, if you have a dispute with a friend, take it to an unjust secular judge and not before the 'chosen ones' [saints]? [1] 2 Don’t you know that the 'chosen ones' will rule the world? [Who even knows this?] And if you’ll rule the whole world, are you unfit to make judgments about trivial matters? [2] 3 Don’t you know that we will sit in judgment over angels, not to mention the temporary things of life? 4 If you have a dispute about a worldly matter, have those who are considered the least in the assembly make the judgment! 5 Shame on you if you think that there isn’t even one person capable of judging between friends! 6 Still, friends litigate against friends—and that before unbelievers!The Wicked Won’t Inherit the Kingdom
7 So you condemn yourselves by litigating against each other. Why not prefer to chance suffering wrong? Why not prefer to be defrauded? 8 But you commit wrong yourselves and you even cheat your friends.
9 Don’t you know that the unrighteous won’t inherit Yehovah’s Kingdom? Don’t be deceived, no male prostitutes or idolaters or adulterers or effeminate men or sodomites 10 or greedy people or thieves or drunkards or those who use abusive language or predators will inherit Yehovah’s Kingdom. 11 Some of you have been these things, but you have been washed and made pure and righteous in our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah’s name by the spirit of Aloha.
12 Everything is in my power, but not everything is helpful for me. Everything is in my power, but nothing should overpower me. 13 Food is for the belly and the belly is for food, but Yehovah will do away with them both. The body isn’t for illicit sex, but for Yehovah, and Yehovah for the body. 14 Yehovah has empowered our Sovereign and He’ll also raise us up by His power. 15 Don’t you know that your bodies are members [parts] of the Messiah? Will someone take away a member of the Messiah and then make it a member of a prostitute’s body? Absolutely not! 16 Don’t you know that whoever unites with a prostitute is one body with her? As it is said, “The two will be one body.” 17 Anyone who unites themself with Yehovah is one spirit!
18 Flee illicit sex. Every other sin that humanity commits is outside of their body, but anyone who commits illicit sex sins against their own body. 19 Don’t you know that your body is the Temple of the 'special' spirit that [not who] is in you, that you have received from Yehovah? You aren’t your own. 20 You were bought with a price. So praise Yehovah with your body and your spirit. They belong to Yehovah.
[1] Evidence of Paul’s sarcasm in Romans 13:1-3. [2] Details: Isaiah 66:20-241 Corinthians 7
People Should Marry
1 Concerning the things that you wrote to me about, it is honorable for a man to abstain from a woman. [1a] 2 But due to illicit sexual intercourse [Gr. pornea], each man should have his own wife and each woman should have her own husband. 3 The man should give his wife the conjugal duty that is due her, as also the woman should to her husband. 4 The woman doesn’t have complete authority over her body, but her husband, just as the man doesn’t have complete authority over his body, but the wife. 5 So don’t deprive each another, except when you both consent, when you devote yourselves to fasting and prayer, then cohabit together again, so that Satan won’t tempt you because of the lack of self control of your body. 6 I say this to weak people, but not as a mandate. 7 I wish that everyone could be like me in purity, but everyone is endowed with their own spiritual gift from Yehovah, one in this, another in that.8 I say to those who don’t have wives and to widows, that it is better for them to remain as I am. 9 If they can’t endure it, they should marry, because it is better to take a wife than to burn with passion. 10 To those who have wives I will pass this along—not from me, but from Yehovah—that the woman shouldn’t leave her husband. 11 If she does leave, she should either not remarry or be reconciled to her husband, and the man shouldn’t send his wife away.
12 To the rest, I say—not I but Yehovah—that if there is a brother who has a wife who doesn’t believe and she wants to live with him, he shouldn’t send her away. 13 A woman who has an unbelieving husband who wants to live with her shouldn’t leave her husband. 14 The husband who doesn’t believe is 'blessed' by the wife who believes and the wife who doesn’t believe is 'blessed' by Yehovah by the husband who believes, otherwise their children would be impure, but presently they are pure.
15 If the unbeliever wants a divorce, they should divorce. A brother or sister isn’t enslaved in such cases, because Yehovah has called us to peace. 16 How do you know, 'as a' wife, whether you’ll keep your husband from perishing? Or you husband, how do you know whether you’ll keep your wife from perishing?
17 Everyone should live out the allotment that Yehovah has given them, and everyone as Yehovah has invited them. I have taught this in all the assemblies. 18 When a circumcised person is called, he shouldn’t revert to being uncircumcised, and when someone uncircumcised is called, he shouldn’t be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing, nor is uncircumcision [2], but obeying Yehovah’s Commandments is. 20 Everyone should continue in the state they were called from. 21 If you were called as a servant, don’t let it trouble you. But if you can be freed, choose freedom rather than servitude. 22 Anyone who is called by Yehovah as a servant has been released from servitude by Yehovah, similarly, anyone called who was born free is the Messiah’s servant. 23 You are bought with a price, so don’t become the servants of others. 24 Friends, everyone should continue with Yehovah in whatever state they were called.
25 Concerning virginity, I have no instruction from Yehovah, but I’ll give my counsel as a man who has obtained mercy from Yehovah and is trustworthy. 26 I think it is best, because of the impending crisiss, for a person to remain as they are. 27 Are you bound to your wife? Don’t try to be divorced. Are you divorced from a wife? Don’t seek a wife. 28 If you marry, you don’t sin. And if a marriageable woman is given in marriage to a husband, she isn’t sinning. But those in these circumstances will suffer physical tribulation [1b], and I would spare you.
29 Friends, I tell you that time is running out, so those who have wives should live as if they had none, 30 and those who are mourning as if they weren’t mourning, and those who celebrate as if they weren’t celebrating, and those who buy as if they hadn’t acquired, 31 and those preoccupied with this world, not becoming dependent on it, because the sensations of this world are disappearing.
32 I would prefer for you to be free of distractions since the man who doesn’t have a wife concentrates on the things of Yehovah—how he can please Yehovah. 33 A married man is busy caring for the things of this world, about how he can please his wife. 34 There is also a difference between a wife and an unmarried woman. The unmarried woman can concentrate on things pertaining to Yehovah, so that she can be pure in her body and in her spirit. But the married woman thinks of things pertaining to the world, and how she can please her husband. 35 I’m telling you this to help you, I’m not laying a snare for you, but I’m stressing that you should remain dedicated to Yehovah, without distractions.
36 If a man feels he isn’t doing what is right for his virgin daughter, because she is passing her prime of life, and he hasn’t given her in marriage, and he feels obligated to change this, he should do what he wants, he’s not sinning by allowing her to marry. 37 The man who has firmly determined in his own mind, with no imposing circumstances, can do as he wants, he has the power of free will, so that the man who keeps his virgin daughter single does well. 38 So the man who gives his virgin daughter in marriage does well, and the man who doesn’t give his virgin daughter in marriage does even better.
39 A woman, while her husband lives, is bound by the Torah, but if her husband sleeps [in death], she is free to marry whoever she wants, yet only in Yehovah. 40 She will be happier, in my judgment, if she remains as she is. And further, I’m of the opinion that I have the 'special' spirit.
[1a,b] Some of the advice of the next few chapters was given strictly because the persecution of the Great Tribulation was thought to be imminent, as mentioned here and in 10:11, and persecution had certainly begun. But later, after the envoys realized that they were mistaken about the timing, they reversed their advice: (1 Timothy 5:14).
[2] Literally becomming an Israelite during the diaspora, long after age eight days of age does not compare with obeying the commandments. In the millennium, most people will not be Israelites.1 Corinthians 8
Food Offered to Idols
1 Concerning zebakim [sacrifices] given to idols, we know that everyone has knowledge, but knowledge can make people arrogant, while love builds us up. 2 If anyone thinks that they are knowledgeable, then they don’t know anything about what they should know. 3 If someone loves Yehovah, Yehovah knows them.4 Now about eating food left over from pagan zebakim, we know that an idol represents nothing in the world, and that there is no other Aloha but the One. 5 Tho there are what are called elohee [Heb: elohim, gods] in the expanse of the sky and on earth, (as there are many false Aloha and masters), 6 yet for us there is one Aloha the Father. Everything exists by Him, and we exist for Him, and one Sovereign, Yeshua Messiah. Everything, including we ourselves exists because of Him.
7 Not everyone has this knowledge because there are some who even now struggle with idolatry in their memory. They believe they are eating food as an actual zebak to an idol, and because their conscience is weak, it is defiled. 8 Food doesn’t bring us near Yehovah, we don’t excel if we eat it, nor are we left behind if we don’t.
9 Be careful that your freedom of choice doesn’t somehow become an obstacle for the weak. 10 If someone happens to see you, someone knowledgeable, eating in an idol’s church, won’t their conscience, if they are weak, encourage them to eat an animal zebak [sacrifice]? 11 Should a weak brother who the Messiah died for be destroyed because of your knowledge? 12 When you sin against your friends and wound the consciences of the feeble, you sin against the Messiah. 13 So if what I eat is an obstacle for a friend, I won’t ever eat meat again, in order to keep a friend from stumbling.
1 Corinthians 9
Support for the Envoys
1 I’m a free man, right? I’m an envoy, right? Haven’t I seen Yeshua Messiah, our Sovereign? Aren’t you the result of my work for Yehovah? 2 If I haven’t been an envoy to others, at least I have been one to you, and you are the proof of my commission.3 This is my defense to those who would interrogate me: 4 Don’t we have the right to eat and drink? 5 Don’t we have the right to travel with a sister, a wife, just like the other envoys, and the brothers of our Sovereign, and like Cephas? 6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who don’t have the freedom to stop working to earn our living?
7 Who goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and doesn’t eat the fruit? Who tends sheep but doesn’t eat the produce of his flocks? 8 Is it only by my human judgment that I say these things? Doesn’t the Torah say the same thing. 9 It is written in the Torah of Moses, “You must never muzzle a bull that is threshing grain.” Is Yehovah only concerned about bulls? 10 Isn’t it apparent that He said it for our sake? Indeed it was written for our sake because the plowman should plow with expectation, and the thresher also expects a share of the crop. 11 If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much to ask if we harvest our physical necessities from you? 12 If others have expectations from you, shouldn’t our expectations be even greater? Yet we have not exercised our rights, but we’d put up with anything rather than hinder the Good News of the Messiah.
13 Don’t you realize that those who serve in the Temple are fed by the Temple, and those who serve at the altar are given a portion of what is on the altar? 14 So in the same way, Yehovah has arranged for those who proclaim His Good News to earn their living by His Good News.
15 I haven’t exercised any of these rights, and I’m not writing so that anyone would do this for me, because it would be better for me to actually die than have anyone deprive the force of my “bragging” and make it useless. 16 If I announce the Good News, I have nothing to brag about, because I have an obligation to do it. But pity me if I don’t announce the Good News! 17 If I announce it voluntarily, I’m compensated, but if I’m unwilling to do it, the administration is still entrusted to me. 18 So what is my compensation? It is the satisfaction of announcing the Good News without cost, without demanding the compensation that belongs to those who announce the Good News.
19 Tho I was born free, I’ve made myself a servant to everyone, so that I can gain many. 20 With the Judean Jews, I was living as a Judean Jew, so that I could win over the Judean Jews, and with others obeying secular law I was as living under secular law, so that I could win over those obeying secular law. 21 To those living without the Torah, I was able to relate to someone without understanding the Torah, (altho I’m not without Yehovah’s Torah, indeed I’m bound to the Torah of the Messiah), so that I can gain those who are without the Torah. 22 I appeared to the weak, as weak, so that I could win the weak. I was everything to everyone, endeavoring by all means to rescue everyone [1]. 23 I’m doing this for the sake of the Good News, so that I can participate with you in its fulfillment.
24 Don’t you know that all the runners in a stadium run, but only one is the winner? So run to win! 25 Everyone who enters an athletic contest is well disciplined in every regard. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we, one that is imperishable. 26 So that is how I run, but not with an uncertain goal. That is how I box, not like someone shadow boxing. 27 Like a boxer with many bruises, I slave away, so that I won’t be considered a counterfeit after I have heralded to others!
[1] The Greek says “save some.” But in the Aramaic it says that Paul attempted to “rescue everyone” from their sins, all the while knowing that even he could possibly fall away, and “Be considered a counterfeit” (v.27).
1 Corinthians 10
The Rock in the Wilderness Was the Messiah
1 Friends, I want you to know that all of our ancestors were under the cloud and they all passed thru the sea, 2 and they were all immersed by Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and they all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and they all drank the same spiritual drink because they drank from the spiritual Rock that attended them, and that Rock was the Messiah. 5 Yehovah wasn’t pleased with most of them and they fell dead in the wilderness.6 Now these things have become examples for us, so that we won’t crave evil things like they did. 7 Nor should we be idolaters as some of them were, as the Scriptures say, “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to play.” 8 Nor should we commit sexual immorality as some of them did, and in one day 23,000 fell. 9 Nor should we tempt the Messiah as some of them did, and were destroyed by serpents. 10 Nor complain as some of them did, and die by the will of the One who destroyed them.
11 All of these things that happened to them are an example for us, and were written as a lesson for those of us WHO HAVE COME TO THE END OF THE AGE. 12 So if you think you are standing securely, be careful not to fall. 13 No temptation has come on you that isn’t common to humanity. Yehovah is faithful and He won’t allow you to be tested more than you are able to stand, but will provide a way of escape so that you can endure it.
14 So dear friends, flee from idolatry. 15 I’m speaking to the wise, so judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of thanksgiving that we bless, isn’t it the fellowship of the blood of the Messiah? And the loaf of bread [1] that we break, isn’t it the fellowship of the body of the Messiah? 17 Since there is one loaf of bread, we are all one body, and we are all 'nourished' by the same loaf.
18 Look at 'physical' Israel, aren’t those who eat the zebakim [sacrifices] brought into fellowship with the altar? 19 So what am I saying? Is an idol anything? Is an idol’s zebak anything? No. 20 Pagans present their zebak to demons and not to Yehovah. And I don’t want you to associate with demons. 21 You can’t drink the cup of our Sovereign and the cup of demons, and you can’t fellowship at our Sovereign’s table and at the table of demons. 22 Are we trying to provoke our Sovereign to rivalry? Are we stronger than He is?
23 Everything is in my power [2], but not everything is beneficial. Everything is in my power, but not everything builds a foundation. 24 No one should only seek their own benefit without also seeking the benefit of others.
25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without any questions for conscience’ sake, 26 because the earth is Yehovah’s and everything in it.
27 If an unbeliever invites you for a meal, and you would like to go, eat whatever is set before you without asking questions for conscience’ sake. 28 But if someone tells you, “This was offered to idols”, don’t eat it for the sake of the one who told you, for conscience’ sake. 29 I’m not talking about your conscience, but the other person’s. But why should my liberty be limited by someone else’s conscience? 30 If I’m thankful for what I eat, why should I be criticized for what I’m thankful for?
31 Whether you eat, or drink, or you do anything else, do everything for the splendor of Yehovah! 32 Don’t offend the Jews or the Arameans or the assembly of Aloha. 33 Just as I strive to accommodate everyone, not seeking what is beneficial for me, but what benefits the many, so that they can be rescued.
[1] This was not unleavened bread because it was Yeshua’s Supper-Preparation Day for the Passover the next day. That’s why the Greek specifies it was a loaf of risen bread [as in Matthew 4:3 & 14:17]: “from airo; bread (as raised) or a loaf—(shew-)bread, loaf.” It was as thick as a man’s thumb, easily broken not cut, as opposed to the unleavened bread (azumos) that is used the following night at Passover.
[2] The Greek says, “Everything is lawful for me”, rather than, “Everything is in my power.” The literal Greek would contradict vs. 6-14, and many other verses. Murdock’s “Everything is in my power” makes more sense, since he wasn’t advocating that raping and pillaging were “lawful.”1 Corinthians 11
“Head Coverings?”
1 Imitate me, just as I imitate the Messiah.2 Now I commend you friends for remembering me in everything, and for retaining the instructions precisely as I taught them to you.
3 I want you to know that the head of every man is the Messiah, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of the Messiah is Yehovah.
4 Every man who prays or prophecies with anything hanging down from his head [long hair?] dishonors his head.
5 Every woman who prays or prophecies with her head uncovered dishonors her head. She is the same as a [lesbian] woman who has her head shaved.
6 If a woman isn’t covered she should be sheared, but if it is shameful for a woman to be sheared or shaved, she should be covered.
7 Indeed, the man is morally obligated not to veil his head because he is the image and magnificence of Yehovah, but the woman is the magnificence of the man.
8 The man didn’t come from the woman, but the woman from the man.
9 Nor was the man created for the woman’s sake, but the woman for the man’s sake.
10 This is why a woman is morally obligated to have a symbol of power/authority [Aramaic Shultono] on her head, because of the spirit messengers. [1]
11 Nevertheless, the man isn’t independent of the woman, nor is the woman independent of the man, in Yehovah.
12 Just as the woman was from a man, so men are here because of women, and everything is from Yehovah.
13 Judge for yourselves, is it becoming for a woman to pray to Yehovah with her head uncovered? [2]
14 And doesn’t nature teach you that if a man’s hair grows long it dishonors him?
15 But when a woman has long hair it’s her pride and joy, since her hair was given to her instead of a cloth covering [tallit?].
16 But if anyone wants to dispute these things, we don’t have an established custom, nor does the assembly of Aloha [3].
17 But giving these instructions isn’t to praise you, because you haven’t made any progress—you’ve deteriorated! 18 First of all, when you gather as a assembly, I hear that there are divisions among you, and this is sure to happen. 19 Of course there must be sects [heresies] among you, so that those of you who are genuine can be recognized. 20 When you gather together, you eat and drink inappropriately for the Messiah’s Day [4]. 21 Because some of you eat your supper too soon, some go hungry while others get drunk. 22 What! Don’t you have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the assembly of Aloha and shame those who have nothing? What should I tell you? I certainly won’t commend you for this!
23 I have received from our Sovereign the same thing that I relayed to you, that our Sovereign Yeshua (Jesus), on the night He was betrayed, took a loaf of bread [5], 24 and blessed and broke it and said, “Take this and eat it, this is My body that is broken for you, do this to remember Me by.” 25 So, after they had eaten it, He then took the cup and said, “This cup is the New Covenant in My blood, do this, as often as you drink it, to remember Me by.” 26 Every time you eat this loaf of bread and drink from this cup, you commemorate the death of our Sovereign UNTIL He returns [6].
27 So anyone who eats the Sovereign’s bread and drinks from His cup who isn’t worthy of it is guilty of the blood of the Sovereign and of His body. 28 “But scrutinize yourselves! Each of you should scrutinize your own genuineness before eating this bread and drinking from this cup, 29 because anyone who eats and drinks from it unworthily, eats and drinks condemnation on themselves by not discerning the Sovereign’s body. 30 This is why many of you are diseased and sickly and many have died. 31 If we judge ourselves, we won’t be summoned for judgment. 32 But when we’re judged by our Sovereign, we’re being chastised so that we won’t be condemned with the world.
33 So friends, when you gather to eat, wait for each other. 34 Anyone who is hungry should eat at home so that you won’t gather for condemnation. As for the other issues, I’ll resolve them when I come.
[1] Paul appears to be warning of what happened to the “fallen angels” who refused to submit to authority.
[2] Ancient Corinth was the Los Vegas on steroids of the ancient world. When Paul was conversing with the local assembly members there, is it surprising that he might address temple prostitution with women “praying” in the nude, whether sarcastically or literally? [3] An alternative explanation of the intent of verses 2-16 can be found here. [4] The Greek says “supper” rather than “day.” [5] Thayer’s Lexicon counts: “bread (71), loaf (2), loaves (23), meal (1).” Strong’s is brief but to the point: “bread, loaf. From airo; bread (as raised) or a loaf -- (shew-)bread, loaf.” As opposed to the unleavened bread (azumos) that is used the following night at Passover. [6] While the “lord’s Supper” will not be commemorated after He returns, the Passover will be celebrated, as prophesied in Ezekiel 45:21, a millennial reign chapter, as will the Feast of Tabernacles, as prophesied in the very evident millennial chapter of Zechariah 14, verses 16-21 in particular. See Did Yeshua’s Supper” Replace the Passover?1 Corinthians 12
Spiritual Gifts
1 Concerning spiritual gifts, my friends, I want you to know 2 that you have been pagans, and have been, without exception, carried away by mute idols. 3 I want to let it be known that no one speaking by the 'special' spirit says, “Yeshua is accursed”, and no one can say that Yeshua is Yehovah!, except by the 'special' spirit.4 Now there are different gifts for different people, but only one spirit. 5 There are different ways of serving [Gr. diakonia], but only one Sovereign. 6 There are distinctive types of work, but Yehovah produces everything in everyone.
7 Everyone of us has seen the results of the spirit, bringing it all together. 8 To one the spirit gives wisdom in their speech, and to another the same spirit gives knowledgeable speech, 9 to another the same spirit gives faith, to another the same spirit gives the gift of healing, 10 and to another miracles, another prophecy, another can distinguish between spirits, another speaks various languages, and another can interpret languages. 11 But one spirit does all of these things and she [1] distributes to everyone as she determines.
All One Body
12 Just as a body has many parts, and all of the many parts of the body still form a single body, so it is with the Messiah. 13 Similarly, all of us have been immersed into one body by one spirit, whether Jews or Arameans, whether slaves or free, and we were all allowed a drink into one spirit.
14 The body isn’t one part, but many. 15 If the foot says, “Because I’m not the hand, I’m not part of the body”, would that make it any less a part of the body 16 If the ear says, “Because I’m not the eye, I’m not part of the body, is it because of that not part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how would it hear? If it were all ears, how could it smell? 18 But as it is, Yehovah has placed every part of the body where He wants it. 19 If we were all one part, how could we have a body? 20 But now we’re many parts, but still one body.
21 The eye can’t say to the hand, “You aren’t needed”, and the head can’t say to the feet, “You aren’t needed” [2]. 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable. 23 The members of the body that we regard as less honorable are given more honor, and the unpresentable members are indispensable. 24 Our shapely members have no need of honor, because Yehovah has created a structure, a body, and given more honor to the part that is “inferior”, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, and every part should have equal concern for the other parts. 26 This way, when one part is in pain, every member sympathizes, and if another part is praised, every part is praised.
27 Now you are the body of the Messiah, each member is one of the constituent parts of a whole. 28 Yehovah has placed in His assembly, first envoys, after them prophets, after them teachers, then miracle workers, after them some with the gift of healing, helpers, leaders [3], and those who speak the languages of various nations. 29 Are they all envoys? Are they all prophets of the Scriptures? Are they all teachers? Are they all miracle workers? 30 Do they all have the gift of healing? Do they all speak in various languages? Do they all interpret? 31 On the other hand, if you want to pursue the superior gifts, I’ll show you a more excellent way.
[1] Aramaic assigns gender to inanimate objects etc, as many languages do. the 'special' spirit is feminine in Aramaic and Hebrew. In Greek, “autos” can be translated as “he, she or it.” Trinitarians opt for “he.”
[2] When a “minister” banishes a “hand” or a “foot”, is that “minister” really part of the body? [3] If this is a pecking order then “leaders” are way down on the list.1 Corinthians 13
The Love Chapter
1 If I could speak in every language of humanity and of the spirit messengers, but didn’t have love, I would be like resounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I were to have the gift of prophecy, and if I understood every mystery and knew everything, and if I had supreme faith, so that I could move mountains, but lacked love, I would be nothing. 3 If I were to donate everything I owned to feed the poor, and if I were to allow my body to be set on fire [keyword: burn] as a martyr, but lacked love, it would be of no benefit at all!4 Love perseveres patiently and is kind, love doesn’t burn with envy, love doesn’t boast, it’s not conceited 5 and doesn’t act unbecomingly, doesn’t seek its own way, it’s not easily provoked, and doesn’t have a bad nature. 6 It finds no pleasure in violating the Torah, but rejoices with others in the truth. 7 It endures every threat, and is persuaded of every conviction, with limitless anticipation and perseverance.
8 Love will never end. But prophesying will come to an end, and language will no longer stir us, and some knowledge will vanish. 9 We have limited knowledge, and our prophecy has limits. 10 But when everything is finished, then the limitations will vanish. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I reasoned like a child, and I thought like a child, but when I became a man I was put aside childish things. 12 We now see as if in a hazy mirror, but in the future we’ll see Them face to face. Presently what I know is incomplete, but in the future I’ll have thoro knowledge, just like Yehovah has thoro knowledge of me.
13 For these three things will never change: faith, expectation [hope] and love, but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 14
The Gift of Languages
1 Earnestly endeavor to acquire love, and be zealous in the pursuit of the gifts of the spirit, particularly prophecy [empowered instruction]. 2 Anyone who speaks in a foreign language isn’t talking to people, but to Yehovah, because no one understands what is said, yet in the spirit they speak mysteries. 3 But the person who prophecies speaks to us to build us up, and to persuasively instruct and comfort us. 4 The person who speaks in a foreign language helps himself grow, but the person who prophesies builds the assembly. 5 Now I wish that you all spoke foreign languages, but even more that you could prophesy, because the person who prophecies is of greater help than the person who speaks in a foreign language, unless there is interpretation, with interpretation the assembly is built up.6 Now, friends, if I were to come to you speaking in other languages, how would I benefit you unless I spoke to you of some truth new to you, or advanced knowledge, prophecy or doctrine? 7 Even lifeless things that emit sounds such as a pipe or a harp, how can we determine what is being played if they don’t make distinctive sounds? 8 If a shofar produces an obscure sound, then who would prepare for battle? 9 In a similar way, if you speak in a foreign language without interpretation, how will anyone know what you said? You’ll just be blowing into the air. 10 Of course there are many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them are insignificant. 11 Yet if I don’t understand the language, I’ll seem like a barbarian to the speaker, and the speaker will seem like a barbarian to me. 12 Similarly, since you’re zealous for the spiritual gifts to build the assembly, strive to excel in them.
13 The person who speaks in a foreign language should pray for the ability to translate. 14 If I were to pray in a foreign language, my spirit would pray but my mind wouldn’t benefit. 15 So what should I do? I’ll pray with my spirit, but I’ll also pray with my understanding, and I’ll sing with my spirit, but I’ll also sing psalms with my understanding. 16 Otherwise, if you praise in the spirit, how could someone 'from an outsider’s viewpoint'; say “Aw-main'” to your giving of thanks, because they don’t understand what you said? 17 You are giving thanks well enough, but the other people aren’t benefiting.
18 I thank Yehovah that I speak in foreign languages more than any of you. 19 But in an assembly, I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a foreign language.
20 Friends, don’t be childish in your thoughts, but when it comes to evil, be like children, and in your thoughts be mature. 21 In the Torah it says, “Foreign oppressors will speak to this nation in another language and they still won’t listen to Me, says Yehovah [Isaiah 28:11-12].”
22 So instantaneously learning a language is a miracle, not for the believer, but for the unbeliever. But prophecy isn’t for the unbeliever, but for the believer. 23 So if the whole assembly gathers, and they are all speaking in foreign languages and “new” people come in or those who don’t believe, won’t they say, “These people are crazy?” 24 But if you are all prophesying and “new” people or unbelievers come among you, they’ll be convicted of sin after examining everything you say. 25 What had been hidden from their minds is no longer hidden from them, then they’ll fall facedown and worship Yehovah and say, “Yehovah is truly among you.”
26 So I tell you friends that when you assemble, whoever has a psalm should speak, as well as anyone who has a doctrine, and whoever has a revelation, and whoever has a foreign language, and whoever can interpret. Every type of thing should be done to build us up. 27 If anyone speaks in a foreign language, two should speak or at most three, and they should speak in succession and have someone to interpret. 28 If there is no one to interpret the language, they should remain silent in the assembly and speak in privacy to Yehovah.
... two to three should speak, and afterward the others should evaluate!
29 As for prophets [engaging in inspired speech], two to three should speak, and afterward the others should evaluate [1]. 30 If someone else sitting there can disclose a point that was previously unknown, then the one [2] speaking should be kept in silence for a time. 31 You can all take your turn prophesying, so that everyone can learn by practice. Everyone can give and receive consolation and encouragement. 32 You see, the rational spirit of the prophets cooperates with other prophets. 33 Yehovah isn’t the author of confusion, but of peace, as in every assembly of the 'chosen ones' [saints]. 34 “Your women should remain silent in public gatherings. They aren’t allowed to speak out, they must be submissive, as the Roman law [3] says. 35 If women want to be informed about any subject, they should ask their husbands at home, because it is unbecoming for women to speak in a gathering” [4]. 36 What! [KJV sensed the context] Did the Word of Aloha originate with you? Are you Corinthians the only people it has reached?
37 If any of you think that you are a prophet or that you are spiritual, then you should acknowledge that the things that I write to you are the Commandments of Yehovah. 38 If anyone is ignorant of this, they can remain ignorant.
39 So friends, desire the ability to prophesy, and don’t forbid anyone from speaking in foreign languages. 40 But everything should be done with decency and in regular succession.
[2] While “protos” is usually translated as “first”, it is established in the previous verse that there should be two to three speaking. So one of the speakers on that particular Sabbath would be required to “be kept in silence” if another person believed that rendering his judgment, after the person currently speaking was finished might be to late. This appears to be a course correction. Of course a “one man show” giving a sermon would never allow this. See The Bible Never Mentions Sermons [3] The Torah has no such law. [4] In verses 34 and 35, Paul is sarcastically quoting what he heard from a Corinthian “brother”, just before blasting the idea in verses 36 and 37. The Torah (Law) has no gag orders! If ancient languages had quotation marks, the controversy surrounding vs 34-35 would not exist. “The Cultural Background: The writings of Greek philosophers provide external documentation informing us of the mindset that permeated the ancient city of Corinth. In Greek society, women were clearly held in low regard. For example, Plato (424-347 BC) ascribed to the inferior status of women by stating: “It is only males who are created directly by the gods and are given souls.” Aristotle (384-322 BC) added, “women are defective by nature” because “a woman is as it were an infertile male,” and males command superior intelligence. Under existing Roman family law, the father had complete household authority. A husband could punish his wife in any way including killing her, and he could make love to other women with impunity.” Compare to 1 Corinthians 11:4.1 Corinthians 15
The Resurrections
1 Friends, I want you to know that the Good News that I heralded to you, and that you acknowledged, and that has established you, 2 will result in your life—if you hold firmly to the message I heralded to you, otherwise your belief was worthless.3 I delivered to you the primary teachings that I was given, that the Messiah died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried and that He was resurrected on the third day, according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, and afterward by the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by more than five hundred friends at once, many of them still alive, yet some of them have died. 7 Then James saw Him, and later all of the other envoys. 8 Last of all, I saw Him, as if I were born prematurly [stunted].
9 I’m the least of the envoys. I’m not even worthy of being called an envoy because I persecuted the assembly of Aloha. 10 But by Yehovah’s dignity I am what I am, and His dignity toward me didn’t prove to be wasted, because I worked even more than all the others,—yet not I, but the dignity of Yehovah that was with me. 11 So whether it was I or someone else, this is what we announced and what you believed.
12 Now if we announce that the Messiah has been raised from the dead, why do some of you claim that there’s no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead then the Messiah hasn’t been resurrected. 14 If the Messiah hasn’t been resurrected then our heralding is worthless and your faith means nothing. 15 Also, we would even be proven to be false witnesses about Yehovah, because we testified on Yehovah’s behalf that He raised the Messiah, if in fact the dead aren’t resurrected. 16 If the dead don’t rise, then the Messiah hasn’t risen either. 17 If the Messiah hasn’t been raised, your faith is worthless and you are still without hope in your sins. 18 And no doubt those who have already died in the Messiah have been destroyed. 19 If our hope in the Messiah is for this lifetime only, then we’re the most miserable people in the world!
20 But now the Messiah has risen from the dead and has become the first person [firstfruits] born [1a] from the dead. 21 Since one man brought about death, so another man brought about the resurrection of the dead. 22 Everyone dies because of Adam, but in contrast because of the Messiah everyone will be restored to life, 23 but everyone in their order, Messiah was the firstfruit [1b]. Later, at His [2] coming, those who are the Messiah’s [will be restored to life]. 24 Then the end of these events [3] comes, when He’ll have handed over the Kingdom to Yehovah the Father, when every ruler and every government and every powerful force will have been overthrown. 25 For 'Yeshua' must rule until He vanquishes all of His enemies. 26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death. 27 He has put everything under 'Yeshua’s' command. But when He said that everything is under His command, this certainly excludes the One who authorized Him. 28 Now when everything is under His command, then the Son Himself will yield the command to the One who authorized Him, so that Yehovah will be 'absolutely supreme'.
29 Otherwise, what will they do who are immersed for the sake of the dead, if the dead don’t rise? Why are they immersed for the dead? 30 And why are we continually being endangered? 31 Friends, I face death daily. This is as certain as my pride in what our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah has done in you. 32 If, as people reason, I was thrown to wild animals in Ephesus [4], what would I gain if the dead don’t rise? “Let’s eat and drink because tomorrow we die.”
33 Don’t be deceived, “Evil communication corrupts good minds.” 34 You should be sober minded and righteous, not wandering from righteousness. There are some of you who don’t know Yehovah. I say this to your shame!
35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? And what kind of body will they return with?” 36 Foolish man! The seed you sow won’t germinate unless it dies first. 37 What you sow isn’t the body that will be, but a naked seed of wheat or barley or another grain. 38 Yehovah furnishes the body He intended. Each seed produces its own body. 39 Not every body is alike. People have one kind of body, animals have another, birds have another, and fish have yet another. 40 There are bodies in the Heavenly realm and in the terrestrial, but the splendor of the celestial ones is one thing, and the earthly ones is another. 41 The magnitude of the sun is unique, as is the brightness of the moon and the stars. Each star differs from the other stars in apparent magnitude [5].
42 It is the same with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, but what is raised will never decay. 43 They are sown in dishonor, they rise in brightness, they are sown in weakness, they’ll rise in power, 44 it is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a physical body and there is a spiritual body.
45 And so is it written: “Adam, the first man, came into existence as a mortal soul.” [6] The second Adam became a spirit who restores life. 46 The spiritual isn’t first, but the physical and then the spiritual. 47 The first man came from the dust of the earth, the second man was the Sovereign from the Heavens. 48 Just as Adam’s kind was made of earth, so the others of his kind are made of earthly material, and just as 'Yeshua' is, who is from in the Heavenly realm, that is how the Heavenly realm is [7]. 49 As we have borne the likeness of the man made of earth, we’ll also bear the likeness of the One from the Heavenly realm.
Resurrection Wins!
50 Friends, I tell you that flesh and blood can’t inherit the Kingdom of the Heavens, nor can the perishable inherit perpetuity. 51 See, I’ll explain a mystery to you, we won’t all die, but we’ll all be transformed! 52 In the smallest possible fraction of a second [Gr. atomos], while the last [seventh] shofar [8] is sounding, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be transformed! 53 This perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and this mortal must be clothed with immortality.
Death Loses!
54 So when this perishable is clothed with the imperishable, and this mortal is clothed with immortality, THAT IS WHEN the written Word will be accomplished: “Death is devoured in victory. 55 O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?”56 Now the sting of death is sin and the dynamic power of sin is the Torah. 57 But thanks be to Yehovah who gives us the victory thru our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah.
58 So dear friends, be steadfastly immovable and always prolific in the work of the Sovereign, since you know that your harsh work isn’t in vain in the Sovereign.
[1a,b] “Firstborn” is the exact equivalent of “firstfruit” as used in the Tanak, and can just as easily be understood as “firstborn” (firstling), since we aren’t picked from trees. While resurrection to physical life certainly has Biblical precedent, Yeshua is the only person ever resurrected to eternal life. (John 3:13). [2] Or this could be translated as “Their coming.”, as in Daniel 7. [3] “The end” of the age, the sixth millennium, is mentioned several times in Daniel 11 and 12 and Matthew 24. The end of the fourth age is mentioned in Hebrews 9:26. [4] The Greek says: “If I have fought with wild animals.” [5] The point is that in the Everlasting Kingdom we will all be unique individuals with varying degrees of “brightness”! [6] See Ezekiel 18:4,20. [7] We will be like the messengers, see Matthew 22:30. [8] See Revelation 8:6.
1 Corinthians 16
The “Sunday Morning” Collection?
1 Concerning the relief money for the 'chosen ones' saints] in Jerusalem, you should follow the procedure I gave to the assemblies in Galatia. 2 After the first of the Sabbaths everyone should lay aside a stockpile at home for this charitable journey, so that the collecting is finished when I come. 3 Then I’ll send those you choose as being worthy with a letter to carry your bounty to Jerusalem. 4 If it is best that I go as well, I’ll travel with them.5 I’ll come to you when I travel thru Macedonia since I’m about to pass thru Macedonia. 6 Perhaps I’ll stay with you awhile, or winter with you so that you can accompany me to my destination. 7 I’ve decided not to see you now, just passing thru, because I hope to spend some time with you if Yehovah permits me. 8 I’ll remain in Ephesus until Pentecost 9 because a great door has opened for me that is full of opportunities, but there are many adversaries.
10 If Timothy comes to you, see that he has nothing to worry about while with you, because he does the work of Yehovah, just as I do. 11 No one should despise him, but send him on his journey in peace so that he can accompany me, because I’m waiting for him with our friends.
12 Friends, concerning Apollos, I begged him and the friends to visit with you, but he decided not to visit now, but when he has an opportunity he’ll visit you.
13 Watch and stand firm in the faith, be brave, be valiant. 14 Everything that you do should be done with love.
15 Friends, you know that the members of the family of Stephanas were the first 'converts' in Achaia, and that they’ve dedicated themselves to serving the 'chosen ones', and I urge you 16 to heed [1] such people, and anyone who labors with us and helps us. 17 I rejoice at the arrival of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they’ve made up for what you were deficient in. 18 They’ve refreshed my spirit and yours. Give recognition to such men.
19 All the assemblies in Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla 'send their' greetings in the Sovereign, as does the assembly in their house. 20 All the friends greet you. Greet one another with a kiss 'of friendship'. 21 This greeting is from me, Paul, in my own hand writing. 22 Whoever doesn’t love our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah is rotten meat [2]. Our Sovereign will come [3]! 23 May the dignity of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah be with you. 24 I love you all, in the Messiah, Yeshua. Aw-main'.
[1] The Greek says “obey.”
[2] An opportunity to love Yeshua is implied. Paul was certainly providing that opportunity. [3] Maranatha is Aramaic for, “our Sovereign will come.”End of the first letter to the Corinthians that was written in Philippi of Macedonia, and sent by Timothy.
Compare the Testimony of Yeshua with the 1851 Murdock or the 1849 Etheridge Versions of “The Testimony of Yeshua” (The ‘New Testament’).
2 Corinthians 1
Encouragement and Tribulation
1 From Paul, an envoy of Yeshua (Jesus) Messiah, by the will of Yehovah, and from Timothy our brother, to the assembly of Aloha in Corinth and to all the 'chosen ones' [saints] everywhere in Achaia.2 May loving kindness and peace be yours, from Yehovah our Father and from our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah.
3 Praise Yehovah, the Father of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah, the Father of mercies, and the Aloha of all encouragement, 4 who encourages us in all our afflictions, so that we’re also able to encourage those who are being oppressed with the kind of encouragement that we ourselves are encouraged with by Yehovah. 5 As the sufferings of the Messiah overflows in us, our encouragement also overflows thru the Messiah. 6 Even tho we’re oppressed, it is for your encouragement and for your eternal life that we’re oppressed, and when we’re encouraged, it’s so you’ll be encouraged and you’ll be energized, and able to endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is certain, because we know that if you are partners in the sufferings, you’ll also share in our consolation [1].
8 Friends, we want you to know about the tribulation we had in Asia Minor, because we were oppressed beyond description, beyond our strength, and had given up all hope of life itself. 9 We had resigned ourselves to death, so that our confidence wouldn’t be in ourselves, but in Yehovah who raises the dead, 10 who rescued us from imminent death, and we hope that He’ll rescue us again 11 with the help of your prayers on our behalf, so that His gift to us would be a favor done for many people, and many would praise Him on our behalf.
12 Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that is by honesty and purity, and by the dignity of Yehovah, and not due to the wisdom of mortals. This is how we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially towards you. 13 We are writing nothing to you that differs from what you can read and are thoroly acquainted with [in the Scriptures]. And I trust that you’ll remain thoroly acquainted with them to the very end [2]. 14 As you are somewhat aware, we are your cause for celebration, as you are ours, on the Day of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah.
15 Confident of this, I wanted to come to you so that you could receive twice as much dignity. 16 My plan had been to pass your way into Macedonia, and come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you accompany me to Judea. 17 So when I was considering this, was I perhaps being careless or was I acting entirely worldly, so that coming from me you would hear “Yes, yes” but then “No, no?”
18 Just as Yehovah is faithful, our word to you was not both “Yes” and “No.” 19 Yehovah’s Son, Yeshua Messiah, who was heralded to you by us, namely by me, by Sylvanus and by Timothy was not Yes” and “No”, but with Him it was “Yes.” 20 All of the promises of Yehovah in Him, in the Messiah, are “Yes.” And so thru Him we can say “awmain” to the splendor of Yehovah. 21 Now it is Yehovah who establishes us with you in the Messiah, and has anointed us, 22 and has set His seal on us, and has given us the downpayment of His spirit in our minds.
23 I call on Yehovah as a witness for myself, that I didn’t come to Corinth in order to spare you. 24 Not that we dominate your spiritual convictions, but we’re companions of your joy, because it is by your spiritual convictions that you are established.
[1] The Greek word paraklesis means, “consolation, comfort, solace, that which affords comfort or refreshment”, “So the Rabbis call the Messiah the consoler, the comforter).”
[2] This statement should rattle every Torah breaking person to the bone!2 Corinthians 2
The Offending Brother
1 I determined by myself that I wouldn’t return to you in sadness. 2 If I were to make you sad, who would make me joyful other than those I had made sad? 3 I wrote this very thing to you, fearing that when I came, the people who I should bring joy to would make me sad, but I’m convinced that my joy is the same joy as yours. 4 I wrote those things to you in much distress and mental turmoil, with many tears, not to cause you sorrow, but so that you would know the great love I have for you.5 If anyone has caused grief, they haven’t only grieved me, but to a degree all of you, so I won’t be overly burdensome to you. 6 The punishment coming from many of you is enough for him. 7 On the other hand, you should disregard his offenses and encourage him, because such a person might be consumed with overwhelming grief. 8 So I encourage you to confirm your love for him. 9 This is why I wrote to you before, so that I could determine by a trial whether you would be obedient in everything. 10 Anyone you pardon I’ll also pardon, because anything that I pardon someone of, is pardoned for your sakes in the presence of the Messiah, 11 otherwise Satan could take advantage of us, because we know his tactics.
12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas proclaiming the Good News of the Messiah, and a door was opened to me by the Sovereign, 13 there was no relief in my spirit because I didn’t find my brother Titus, so I said goodbye and went to Macedonia.
14 But we thank Yehovah who always allows us to triumph in the Messiah, and dispenses the fragrance of His knowledge everywhere. 15 Those of us who live, and in those of us who die are a sweet fragrance to Yehovah because of the Messiah. 16 To some we are the stench of death leading to death, and for others the fragrance of life leading to life. Who is worthy of these things? 17 We aren’t like the hucksters who profit by diluting the Word of Aloha, but as men of sincerity, commissioned by Yehovah, we speak thru the Messiah in the presence of Yehovah.
2 Corinthians 3
The New Covenant, Our Hope
1 Should we introduce ourselves again? Do we, as others, need diplomas to present to you? Or do we need for you to issue diplomas for us? 2 You are our documentation, engraved in our minds, known and read by everyone. 3 You are the documentation of the Messiah that we attend to, not written with ink but by the spirit of the living Aloha, not on tablets of stone but on the mortal tablets of the mind. 4 This is the kind of confidence that we have in the Messiah towards Yehovah. 5 Not that we have sufficient ability to think anything of ourselves, but our competency is from Yehovah, 6 who has qualified us to be ministers of the New Covenant [1], not in the letter, but in the Spirit, because the letter kills, but the spirit produces life.7 Now if the service that brought death, that was engraved in letters on stone, was so brilliant that Israel’s descendants couldn’t even gaze at Moses’ face [Exodus 34:29] due to the remaining brilliance on his face, 8 then won’t the service that brings the spirit be even more brilliant? 9 If there is brilliance in the ervice ‘that pronounces’ condemnation, how much more does the ervice of justification exceed it in brilliance? 10 For what was adorned in luster had no luster in this regard, in comparison with this that excels in brightness. 11 If what is being inactivated [condemnation, v.11] is brilliant, how much more brilliant must 'redemption' be that lasts forever? 12 So because we have this hope, we speak without any reservations.
The Spiritual Blindness of Israel
13 We aren’t like Moses who threw a veil over his face, so that Israel’s descendants couldn’t even gaze at the remnant of the glow that ended. 14 But they’ve been blinded [2] in their understanding to this very day, when the Ancient Covenant [“Old Covenant”] [3] is read, because their veil hasn’t been lifted, nor is it apparent to them that the veil was severed [Matthew 27:51] by the Messiah. 15 To this day when Moses [Torah] is read, the veil is still standing in their minds. 16 Yet when one of them is converted to the Sovereign, the veil that completely surrounds them is taken away. 17 Now the Sovereign Himself is the spirit. And where the Sovereign’s spirit is there is liberty. 18 All of us with unveiled faces, reflecting like mirrors the brightness of the Sovereign, are undergoing a metamorphosis [Gr. metamorphoo] [4] into His likeness, from our brightness to His brightness, just like the Sovereign’s spirit.
[1] In the Kingdom when our “metamorphosis” (v.18) is complete, we will minister the New Covenant to those who survive the end of the age, whose minds are “veiled” (v.15). In the “fine print” of the New Covenant contract (Jeremiah 30-31), in the verse immediately following the promise to Israel & Judah of a “new heart” (31:33), it promises that no ones minds will be confused (veiled) about Yehovah “Because they’ll all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them.”
[2] How did the KJV and the Webster translations come up with the Aramaic ‘blind’, instead of the Greek ‘hardened’ here and in Matthew 1:7? [3] The “Ancient (Old) Covenant” is found in Exodus 20-23. In Exodus 24:3 “Ancient Israel” accepted it. [4] This is like a worm being changed into a butterfly. When the process is finished we will literally be born again!2 Corinthians 4
The Spiritual Blindness of Israel
1 Because of this, we don’t become exhausted by the service we have received because of the mercy we have experienced. 2 We have renounced the secrets of shamefulness, and we don’t 'live' by specious knowledge [1], nor do we corrupt the Word of Aloha. But by a clear statement of the truth we strive to commend ourselves in the presence of Yehovah to every human conscience. 3 So if our Good News is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 those whose minds the aloha [god] of this age [or world] has blinded so that they don’t believe, otherwise the radiance of the Good News of the Messiah (who is the likeness of Yehovah) would dawn on them. 5 We aren’t heralding about ourselves, but the Messiah Yeshua, our Sovereign, and as for ourselves, we’re your servants for Yeshua’s sake. 6 Because Aloha who commanded light to shine thru the darkness”, has personally shone in our minds, so that we would be illuminated with the knowledge of the splendor of Aloha in the presence of Yeshua Messiah.Persecution and Perseverance
7 We have this treasure in a fragile vase of clay, so that the surpassing greatness of the power would be from Yehovah, not from us. 8 We are pressured in every way but not abandoned, we’re harassed but not condemned. 9 We’re being persecuted but not forsaken, we’re being struck down but we’re not being killed. 10 We continually bear in our bodies the death of Yeshua, so that the life of Yeshua will also be apparent in our bodies. 11 If those of us who are alive are handed over to death for Yeshua’s sake, then Yeshua’s life also becomes apparent in our mortal bodies. 12 So death works for us, but life works for you.
13 So having the same spirit of faith, (as the Scriptures say, “I believed, so I have spoken”), we also believe, and so we also speak. 14 We know that the One who raised our Sovereign Yeshua will also raise us BY [not with] Yeshua, and will stand beside us with you. 15 Everything is for your benefit so that dignity reaches more and more people, to the magnificence of Yehovah.
16 Because of this we won’t become exhausted, because altho our outer self is perishing, our inner self is renewed daily. 17 The distress of the present time, tho very small and light [2], is preparing us for magnificence, for eternity. 18 We don’t contemplate the things that are visible, but the things that are invisible, because the things we can see are temporary, but the things we can’t see are eternal.
[1] This is a condemnation of both mystery religions and gnosticism.
[2] The Greek says “for a moment” instead of “tho very small and light.”2 Corinthians 5
Physical Bodies are Temporary Shelter
1 We know that if our earthly home, our human body, is destroyed, we will still have a building made by Yehovah, a house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens. 2 Because of this we sigh, longing to be clothed with our new dwelling place from the Heavens. 3 When clothed, we won’t be found naked. 4 While we’re here in this human body, we sigh under its burden, yet we don’t want to throw off our mortal clothing, we want to be better clothed so that our mortality will be immersed in real life. 5 Yehovah is the One who prepares us for this very thing, and has given us His spirit as a downpayment.6 So we know with confidence that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with our Sovereign, 7 because we live by faith rather than by outward appearances. 8 This is why we’re confident and would prefer to leave this body and live in our own country with our Sovereign. 9 We earnestly strive, whether we’re present or absent to please Him, 10 because we will all stand before the Messiah’s judgment seat, [2] so that each of us will receive compensation for what we have done while in the body, whether honorable or wicked.
11 So because we know that our Sovereign strikes terror, we persuade people to believe. Our 'motives' are quite apparent to Yehovah, and I hope you understand them as well. 12 We aren’t building our own credibility for you, rather, we’re giving you an opportunity to commend us to those who are superficially sincere, but lacking in real character. 13 If we appear to be amazing, it is for Yehovah, and if we appear of more moderate passions, it is for you. 14 The love of the Messiah limits us to one determination: if One died for everyone, then everyone died. 15 He died for everyone so that those who live wouldn’t live for themselves, but for the One who died for them and rose again.
16 So from now on we don’t think of anyone 'as mere mortals', and tho we have known the Messiah in mortal form, we no longer know Him that way. 17 So whoever 'belongs to' the Messiah is a new creation, the old things are past, new things have come [Etheridge]. 18 Everything has been made new [1] by Yehovah who has restored [3] us to Himself by the Messiah and has given us the the job of serving others for their restoration. 19 Thru the Messiah, Yehovah was reconciling the world to Himself by His majesty, so He hasn’t taken our sins into account, but He has placed in us the Word of reconciliation. 20 Now we’re ambassadors for the Messiah, and it is as if Yehovah was calling you aside thru us. So on behalf of the Messiah, we long for you to be reconciled to Yehovah. 21 He has made the One who knew no sin to become sin, so that we could be the righteousness of Yehovah thru Him.
[1] The Greek lacks “made new.”
[2] Commentary is mostly clarifying. But there’s this. [3] We all begin life with a clean slate, that is everyone is born with their name written in the Book of Life. Names aren’t added to the book. Yet sin can jeopardize your destiny, and eventually cause your name to be erased.2 Corinthians 6
Don’t Be Unequally Yoked
1 As we work with you, we encourage you so that the dignity of Yehovah that you have taken in hand won’t become empty handed. 2 He has said, “In an acceptable time [1] I have heard you, and in a day of life I have helped you.” Now is an acceptable time! Now is a day of salvation!3 Don’t set out any obstacles for anyone in any way, so there won’t be any fault finding with our service. 4 In every way we would present ourselves to be the servants of Yehovah, in patient enduring, in afflictions, in calamities, in distresses, 5 in scourgings, in imprisonment, in chaos, in troublesome work, in sleeplessness, and in hunger, 6 by purity, by knowledge, by perseverance, by integrity, by the 'special' spirit, by sincere love, 7 by speaking the truth, by the power of Yehovah, by the weapons of righteousness on the right hand on the left, 8 amid honor and dishonor, amid praise and defamation, as deceivers, yet true, 9 as unknown, yet we’re well known, as dieing, but look, we’re alive, as scourged but not killed, 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing, as destitute, yet enriching many, as possessing nothing, yet having everything.
11 O you Corinthians, we have spoken openly to you and we embrace you in love. 12 We aren’t withholding our love from you, but you’re withholding your love from us [2]. 13 I speak as if you were my children, asking in return that you open up your love towards me.
14 Don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers. What does righteousness have in common with Torah breaking [Gr. anomos]. What association does light have with darkness? 15 What agreement does the Messiah have with Satan? What commonality does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement does the Temple of Yehovah have with demons? You are the Temple of the living Aloha, as it is said, “I’ll live with them and walk with them and be their Aloha, and they’ll be My people.” 17 Come out from among them and separate yourselves, says Yehovah, and don’t cling to anyone unclean, and I’ll welcome you 18 and be your Father, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Almighty Sovereign.
[1] “An acceptable time” is a synonym for Jubilee Year. Yeshua was announcing a Jubilee year on the Day of Atonements, the time of year when the upcoming Jubilee was announced. But it was the first phase (Luke 4:19). Actually His crucifixion marked Jubilee #80 (year 4000). His return will be on Jubilee #120 (Year 6000). This quote begins in Isaiah 49:8, but the rest of the chapter describes Yeshua’s entire end-time plan!
[2] See why “love” is better than the Greek “bowels.” Keyword bowels. “The Greek word properly denotes the upper viscera; the heart, the lungs, the liver. It is applied by Greek writers to denote those parts of victims which were eaten during or after the sacrifice.”—Barnes’ Notes on the Bible2 Corinthians 7
Outward Warfare, Inward Terror
1 Beloved, seeing that we have these promises, let’s cleanse ourselves from every defilement of our bodies and spirits, and let’s perfect our purity in the fear of Yehovah.2 Friends, be patient with us. We haven’t treated anyone unjustly, we haven’t corrupted anyone, we haven’t taken advantage of anyone. 3 I don’t say this to condemn you because, as I said before, we treasure you. We’ll die together and live together. 4 I speak very freely about you and have great pride in you, and I’m filled with encouragement. Great joy abounds in me in all of our persecutions.
5 Since we came to Macedonia there has been no rest for our bodies. We suffered in many ways. Outwardly there was warfare, inwardly there was terror. 6 But Yehovah, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the arrival of Titus, 7 not merely by his arrival but also by the encouragement that he received from you. Because he told us of your love toward us [Gr. “me”] and your grief and your zeal on our behalf. When I heard about it I was overjoyed!
8 Altho I saddened you with my letter, I no longer regret it, tho I did regret it, because I see that that letter, tho it briefly saddened you, 9 brought me joy, not because you were sorry, but because your sorrow resulted in a changed mind, because your sorrow was a pure sorrow and you sustained no harm from us in any way. 10 Sorrow regarding Yehovah leads to a changed mind, and that leads to eternal life, with no regrets, but sorrow over worldly things results in death. 11 Look at the very thing that you were distressed about for the sake of Yehovah, the diligence it produced in you, the reasoned arguments, the righteous indignation, the reverence, the love, the zeal, the earnest desire! And in every way you have shown that you are now pure in that matter. 12 Even tho I wrote to you, it wasn’t for the sake of the one who acted unjustly, or for the sake of the one who was treated unjustly, but that you would understand our earnestness toward you before Yehovah.
13 So we were comforted, and with our encouragement we were even more joyful, because of Titus’ joy, because you refreshed his spirit. 14 I have expressed praises about you, and I haven’t been embarrassed by anything. And since everything we told you was true, the praises we expressed to Titus also proved to be true. 15 His affection for you has increased when he considers the submission you showed for his council, and how you welcomed him with hospitality, reverence and anxiety. 16 I’m very pleased to have full confidence in you in every regard.
2 Corinthians 8
Abounding With Dignity
1 Friends, we want you to know about the dignity that Yehovah gave to the assemblies in Macedonia. 2 During great trial and persecution there was an abundance of joy, and the depth of their poverty was only exceeded by the richness of their generosity. 3 I can attest that according to their ability, and even beyond their ability, they willingly volunteered, 4 they persuasively urged us to share in the bounty and contributions of the 'chosen ones' [saints]. 5 Not only as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Sovereign and then to us by the will of Yehovah. 6 So we urged Titus to finish the compassionate work that he had begun with you in the same way. 7 As you abound in everything, in faith, in doctrine, in knowledge, in perseverance, and in our love towards you, you should also abound in dignity.8 I’m not demanding this of you, but by the prompting of others, I want to prove the sincerity of your love. 9 You know the goodness of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah, that tho He was rich, yet for your sakes He became destitute, so that by His being destitute you could become rich.
10 I urgently advise you that it would be mutually beneficial for you to help, since you intended to a year ago—not just intended to, but were already doing. 11 So do what you intended to do, so that what you eagerly wanted to do will be accomplished, to the best of your ability. 12 If there is a willingness, a person is acceptable according to what they have, not according to what they doen’t have.
13 I definitely don’t mean for others to be relieved while you have hardship, 14 but so there will be equality at this time, your abundance will supply their needs and their abundance will supply your needs, bringing about equality. 15 As the Scriptures say, “He who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little didn’t do without.”
16 Thankfully, Yehovah put into Titus’ mind this same diligence for you. 17 He accepted our admonition, and because he was very anxious, he willingly set out to visit you. 18 With him we sent our friend whose commendation regarding the Good News 'has spread thru' all the assemblies. 19 Not only that, but he had also been expressly elected by the assemblies to accompany me with the same dignity that we serve—to the magnificence of Yehovah and the declaration of your zeal. 20 We are careful to see that no one will find fault with us in regard to the bountiful collection that we’re distributing. 21 We give forethought to maintaining an honorable reputation, not only in the presence of Yehovah, but also in public.
22 We also sent with them our friend who has consistently proved to be diligent in many things, and is now particularly diligent because of the great confidence he has in you. 23 So if Titus is inquired about, he is my associate and assistant on your behalf. Concerning our other friends, they are envoys of the assemblies to the Messiah’s splendor. 24 So show them in the presence of all the assemblies a demonstration of your love, and of our pride in you.
2 Corinthians 9
Sowing and Harvesting
1 Concerning our serving the 'chosen ones', it is unnecessary for me to write to you, 2 because I know the willingness of your minds, and I spoke well of you to the Macedonians, and Achaia was ready a year ago, and your zeal has stirred many. 3 Yet I sent the friends to prevent the praises that we spoke about you, in regard to this matter, from proving useless, and also so that you, as I said, would be prepared. 4 Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you) would be embarrassed for our having done so much bragging about you. 5 So I thought it necessary to encourage these friends to come to you ahead of me, so that they could prepare the blessing that you were advised about long before to have ready, as truly being a matter of blessing, and not a matter of greediness.6 Remember this: anyone who sows sparingly will also harvest sparingly, and anyone who sows generously will also harvest generously. 7 Everyone should contribute what they themselves choose, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because Yehovah loves a cheerful giver. 8 Yehovah is capable of causing His goodness to overflow toward you, so that you’ll always have enough for every situation, and it will overflow into all of your good works. 9 As the Scriptures say, “He has scattered everywhere and given to the poor, and His righteousness will continue forever.”
10 Now the One who supplies seed to the sower and bread for your food, will greatly proliferate the seed you sow, and cause the fruit of your righteousness to grow, 11 so that you’ll be enriched by everyone who is not self seeking, resulting in our thankfulness to Yehovah.
12 When we supply others at our own expense, this not only supplements the needs of the 'chosen ones' but it completes our thanksgiving to Yehovah. 13 While our character is tried by our distribution of charity, they praise Yehovah because you “practice what you preach” concerning the Good News of the Messiah, because you generously share with them and with everyone else, 14 and because they pray for you with much love, due to the transcending dignity of Yehovah in you. 15 Thank Yehovah for His indescribable gift!
2 Corinthians 10
Elitist Group Thinkers
1 Now I, Paul, plead with you with the gentleness and kindness of the Messiah—I who keep a low profile in person and seem quite bold towards you when absent. 2 Nevertheless I beg you to understand that when I come, I won’t appear cheerful. I’m confident that I won’t keep a low profile with the people who think that we live our lives like sensuous mortals. 3 Even tho we exist in mortal form, our warfare isn’t against mortal beings. 4 Our armaments for warfare aren’t those of mortals, but those of the power of Yehovah, so that we can destroy fortified strongholds. 5 We refute imaginary suppositions, the towering structures that would rise up [1] against the knowledge of Yehovah, and captivate our every thought into obedience to the Messiah. 6 We are prepared to execute judgment on anyone who disobeys, once you have become obedient.7 Are your perceptions superficial? When someone is persuaded that they belong to the Messiah, they should realize that they belong to the Messiah, just like we do. 8 Even if I were to boast somewhat more about the judicial authority that our Sovereign has given to us, I shouldn’t be ashamed, because He gave it to us to build you up, not to tear you down. 9 Yet I hesitate, because I don’t want to frighten you away by my letters, 10 because some of you say, ”His letters are weighty and powerful, but when he appears in person [Gr. parousia] he is weak and his articulation is dreadful.” 11 Those who say these things should consider this—that what we say in our letters when absent is what we do when present.
12 We wouldn’t dare consider ourselves to be an elite class, or side with the decisions [see root words] of those who band together. They set their own standards. And because they are “group thinkers” [2], their unanimous opinions count for nothing. 13 We won’t pretentiously boast about things that we can’t prove. Instead, we’ll limit our comments to what Yehovah has given to us—to a standard that should even reach as far away as you. 14 It isn’t as tho we were overstepping our limits when we came to you, because we reached all the way to you in Corinth with the Good News of the Messiah. 15 We aren’t bragging beyond proper limits about the work done by others, but we do hope that as your faith grows, you’ll come to appreciate that we’re within the limits of our sphere of influence, 16 and we will be encouraged, as we spread the Good News in the regions far beyond you, without bragging about things already accomplished by someone else. 17 The person who is exuberant should be exuberant in Yehovah. 18 It isn’t the person who highly recommends himself, but the person who the Sovereign highly recommends.
[1] It appears that the Tower of Babel was implied.
[2] “The symptoms of Groupthink are clear. The ‘illusion of invulnerability’ happens when a group thinks that they can’t go wrong. Confidence among the members of the group is remarkably high and is reflected in the decisions that they make (Keil 1). A ‘belief in inherent morality of the group’ occurs when the group thinks tremendously of their morality.”2 Corinthians 11
Avoid Preachers for Hire!
1 I want you to be patient with me a little so that I can talk simplistically, but nevertheless, bear with me. 2 You see, I have a burning zeal for you—a pure zeal. I have promised you in marriage to a Husband as a chaste virgin. I want to give you away to the Messiah myself [1], 3 because I’m afraid that just as the serpent deceived Eve with his chicanery, in a similar way your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity of the Messiah. 4 Because if someone comes to you proclaiming another Yeshua—one we hadn’t proclaimed, or should you receive a different spirit than the one you received, or a different Good News than the one you accepted, you could easily be persuaded! 5 I don’t believe that I’m inferior to the envoys who are considered the greatest. 6 Even tho I may not be a trained speake, I’m not lacking in knowledge. We make this quite evident to you in every way. 7 Did I actually commit an offense by humbling myself so that you could be elevated because of my proclaiming the Good News of Yehovah to you freely? 8 I robbed other assemblies by taking wages from them to serve you. 9 When I came to you and was needy, I wasn’t a burden to any of you, because the friends who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. In every way I refrained from being a burden to you, and I’ll continue to do so. 10 As long as I have the truth of the Messiah, my exuberant profession will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia. 11 Why? Because I don’t love you? Yehovah knows.12 I’ll continue to do what I do so that I can thwart the tactics of those who are plotting an opportunity to be considered our equals in the things that they brag about.
13 They are false envoys, dishonest hirelings impersonating envoys of the Messiah. 14 It’s no wonder, because if Satan impersonates a Messenger of light, 15 it’s no great surprise if his 'deacons' impersonate servants of righteousness, whose end state is a consequence of their works [what they actually do].
You Put Up With Fools
16 Again I say, no one should think of me as a fool. But at the very least accept me as a fool so that I can rejoice a little. 17 What I’m saying now, I don’t say as being from our Sovereign, but as in folly in this matter of rejoicing. 18 Because many revere physical matters, so I’ll also “revere” them: 19 You gladly put up with fools, considering them to be wise! 20 You tolerate someone who would enslave you, someone who would devour you, someone who would kidnap you, someone who lords it over you, and someone who slaps your face. 21 I’m talking as if I were contemptible. I’m talking as if we were feeble minded. So wherever others speak presumptuously, I’ll be presumptuous.
22 If they are Hebrews, so am I, or if they are Israelites, so am I. If they are the descendants of Abraham, so am I. 23 If they are servants of the Messiah, (again speaking presumptuously) I’m superior to them. I have worked harder than they have, been wounded more, been in prison many more times, and faced death many times. 24 I was scourged by the Jews five times, each time with forty stripes, minus one. 25 I was beaten with rods three times. Once I was stoned. I was shipwrecked three times. I spent a day and a night in the sea with no ship in sight. 26 Frequently traveling, endangered by rivers, endangered by robbers, endangered by my countrymen, endangered by heathens. I have been endangered in cities, I have been endangered in the desert, endangered in the sea, endangered by false brothers, 27 in intensely troublesome work, in sleeplessness, in hunger and thirst, frequently fasting, cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I have my daily concerns for all the assemblies. 29 Who is weak without me being weak? Who is offended without me being burned?
30 If I must brag, I’ll brag about my weaknesses. 31 May Yehovah, the Father of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah be blessed forever and ever. He knows that I’m not lying. 32 In Damascus, the commander of the army of Aretas the king patrolled the city of the Damascenes trying to catch me. 33 They let me down the wall from a window in a basket and I escaped from his hands.
[1] This is NOT a commendation for “the Bride of Christ”! With Paul’s confidence that the end was near, an interpretation of v.3-4 and 18-20 etc. is: “You nitwits will fall for any crazy message presented with charisma! I hope to at least help you make ‘second string’, so that you can survive the Tribulation in the flesh (Zechariah 10:9-10), bury the dead (Ezekiel 39:11-16), be married to the land of Israel (Isaiah 62:4-5) and rebuild its cities (Isaiah 61:4)—since your ineptness appears to disqualify you from being immortal Kings and Priests in the Kingdom!”
2 Corinthians 12
Vision of Paradise
1 It is no doubt unprofitable for me to exult myself, so I continue with the visions and revelations of our Sovereign. 2 I knew a man 'who belonged to' the Messiah fourteen years ago—whether bodily or whether out of his body, I don’t know—Yehovah knows. He was snatched to the third region of Heaven. 3 I know that this man—whether in his body or out of his body I don’t know, Yehovah knows— 4 was snatched to Paradise and heard words too pure for anyone to repeat. 5 I’ll exalt Him but I won’t exalt myself, except about my infirmities. 6 If I wanted to tell stories, they wouldn’t be without reasons, because I tell the truth. But I’ll refrain out of concern that some might think of me above and beyond what they actually see and hear from me.7 To insure that I wouldn’t exalt myself, because of the superiority of the revelations, I was given a thorn in my flesh, an “angel” from Satan, to repeatedly strike me so that I wouldn’t become arrogant. 8 I asked my Sovereign three times to make my problem disappear. 9 He told to me, “My dignity is sufficient for you, because My power is perfected in weakness.” So I’ll gladly 'emphasize' Him with my weakened body, so that the power of the Messiah can reside in me. 10 So I prefer to be weakened and impaired and distressed and persecuted, even in dire calamity for the Messiah’s sake, because when I’m weak, then I’m strong. 11
Look, I appear to the public as foolish in my worship because you compelled me. You should have been commending me, because I was in no way inferior to the envoys who excel the most, altho I’m no one. 12 The miracles of the envoys were done among you with all perseverance, miraculous wonders and powerful works. 13 In what respect were you inferior to the rest of the assemblies, except that I didn’t bother you for help? Pardon me for this wrong [1].
14 Now I’m ready to visit you for a third time, and I won’t be a burden to you because I don’t want your things, ‘I want’ you! Children shouldn’t have to provide for their parents, but parents should provide for their children. 15 I’ll cheerfully spend both my money and myself for you. Do you love me less because I love you so much? 16 Tho I didn’t bother you for help, perhaps by being cunning I snared you by deceit? 17 Or perhaps it was by someone I sent to you that I took advantage of you? 18 I asked for Titus, and with him I sent some other friends. Did Titus take anything from you? Didn’t we conduct ourselves in the same spirit? Didn’t we follow the same path?
19 Again, do you think that we should give a full accounting to you? Everything that we say is before Yehovah, and by the Messiah. Beloved, everything that we do is for the sake of building you up. 20 I’m very afraid that when I arrive I won’t find you in a desirable condition, and I’m afraid that you won’t find me to your liking. I’m afraid that there will be strife, contention, anger, self-promoting partisans seeking control, defamation, secret slandering, arrogance, and instability. 21 Perhaps when I come to you, my Aloha will humble me and I’ll have to lament over the many who have sinned and haven’t repented of their profligate living, their sexual perversions, and the immortality that they have practiced.
[1] This verse no doubt means that the Corinthians would have been more blessed had Paul “burdened” them by allowing them to financially assist him in his endeavors.
2 Corinthians 13
Are You Counterfeits?
1 This is the third time that I have prepared to come to you. By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word will be established. 2 I’ve told you before, and I’m telling you again (as well as twice in person), that even tho I’m absent, I’m writing to those who have sinned, as well as the others, that if I come again I won’t hold back. 3 Since you demand proof that the Messiah speaks thru me, someone who hasn’t been weak with you, but powerful among you. 4 Tho He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the dynamic power [Gr. dunamis] of Yehovah. We are also weak with Him, yet we will live with Him by the power of Yehovah that is among you.5 Decide for yourselves whether you are in the faith. Prove your own authenticity [Gr. dokimazo]. Don’t you recognize by yourselves that Yeshua Messiah is in you? And if He’s not, you are the counterfeits [Gr. adokimos]! 6 But I trust that you’ll discern that we’re not counterfeits. 7 I pray to Yehovah that there won’t be any evil in you, not so that we’ll be proven to be genuine, but so that you’ll be doing good things, even if we were proven to be counterfeits! 8 We can do nothing against the truth, we are for the truth. 9 We are glad when we’re weak and you’re strong. We also pray that you’ll strive for perfection. 10 I’m writing these things while away, because if I were present I might seem too abrasive. I want to use the authority that my Sovereign has given me to strengthen you, not tear you down.
11 Finally friends, goodbye. Be perfected and encouraged. May harmony and peace be with you, and the Aloha of love and of peace will be with you. 12 Greet each other with a kiss 'of friendship'. 13 All the faithful welcome you. 14 May the peace of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah, and the love of Yehovah, and the contributing help of the 'special' spirit be with you all. Aw-main'.
End of the 2nd letter to the Corinthians, that was written in Philippi and sent by Titus.
Compare the Testimony of Yeshua with the 1851 Murdock or the 1849 Etheridge Versions of “The Testimony of Yeshua” (The ‘New Testament’).
Galatians 1
Reject the Counterfeit Message
1 From Paul, an envoy, not from men or by men, but by Yeshua (Jesus) Messiah and Yehovah His Father, who raised Him from the dead, 2 and all the friends who are with me, to the assemblies in Galatia.3 May dignity be with you, and peace from Yehovah the Father and from our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah, 4 who gave Himself for our sins so that He could deliver us from this evil world, according to the will of Yehovah our Father. 5 Praise to Him forever and ever. Aw-main'.
6 I’m shocked by how quickly you’ve turned from the Messiah who invited you by His dignity to another “good news” [or message], 7 a non existent hope, yet people do 'exist' who would wreak havoc on you, hoping to turn you from the Good News of the Messiah. 8 But if we, or an angel “from Heaven” were to herald to you any message, other than what we have, they’ll be rotten meat. 9 As I just said, I’ll say again, if anyone proclaims to you anything other than the Good News you have already accepted, consider them rotten meat.
10 Am I now seeking the favor of people, or of Yehovah? Do I want to please people? If I were still trying to please people I wouldn’t have become a servant of the Messiah.
11 Friends, I want you to know that the Good News I announced didn’t come from people. 12 I didn’t accept it or learn it from others, but I got it by a revelation from Yeshua Messiah.
Paul’s Former Way of Life?
13 You’ve heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I persecuted the assembly of Yehovah greatly, destroying it. 14 I went much farther in Judaism than many of my contemporaries who were of my nation, and was peculiarly zealous for the written teachings handed down from my ancestors. 15 But when it pleased the One who set me apart from my mother’s womb, and called me by His dignity 16 to reveal His Son by me, so that I could proclaim Him to the nations, I didn’t immediately consult with any human being, 17 nor did I go to Jerusalem to those who were envoys before me, but I went to Arabia before returning to Damascus.
18 After three years I went to Jerusalem to see Cephas, and I remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I didn’t see the other envoys, except for James, our Sovereign’s brother. 20 Of the things that I’m writing to you about, I assure you before Yehovah that I’m not lying. 21 After that I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 The assemblies in Judea that were in the Messiah didn’t know me personally. 23 They only heard that the one who had previously persecuted them was now proclaiming the Good News that he had previously been destroying! 24 So they praised Yehovah for what had happened to me.
Galatians 2
Paul, Messenger to the Nations
1 After fourteen years I went to Jerusalem again with Barnabas, and I took Titus with me. 2 I went up by revelation and explained to them the Good News that I herald to the nations, and I privately explained it to some who I chose to, in order to avoid by any means, imperiling the doctrine by moving too rapidly and leaving empty handed. 3 Also Titus, who was with me, an Aramean, was not compelled to be circumcised [1]. 4 However, false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Yeshua Messiah, in order to make us slaves. 5 We didn’t tolerate enslavement to them for even an hour, so that the truthfulness of the Good News would remain with you.6 Those who were believed to be special, (I don’t care what they were because Yehovah 'has no favorites—and those who seemed to be their spokesmen were nothing special to me either. 7 But on the contrary, they saw that the Good News of the uncircumcised was entrusted to me, just as the circumcision was entrusted to Cephas [Peter]. 8 The One who energized [Gr. energeo] Cephas and commissioned him to the circumcision also energized me in the great commission to all of the other ethnicities [Gr. ethnos]. 9 James, Cephas and John, who were considered to be pillars, when they perceived the dignity that was given to me, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we could labor among the other ethnicities as they did among the circumcision [2]. 10 But they did expect us to remember the poor, and I certainly have endeavored to do that.
11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I confronted him to his face because he was at fault. 12 Because before certain ones came from James, he ate with the other ethnicities, but when they came, he timidly withdrew himself and became exclusivistic, because he was afraid of the circumcision proponents. 13 The rest of the Jews sided with him in this regard, so that even Barnabas yielded to their favoritism.
14 When I saw that they weren’t acting consistently with the truly “Good News”, I asked Cephas in front of everyone, “If you, being a Jew, live like Arameans, and not like the Jews do, why do you insist that the converts of other ethnicities live like the Jews do?”
15 We are Jewish by birth, not sinners from other ethnic backgrounds, 16 yet we know that people aren’t declared to be righteous by sectarian law but by faith in Yeshua Messiah. We have also believed in Yeshua Messiah in order to be declared righteous by faith in the Messiah, and not by sectarian law [3]. No human being will be declared righteous by obeying sectarian law.
17 If we, while trying to be declared righteous by the Messiah, have also been found to be sinners ourselves, does that mean that Yeshua Messiah is a 'deacon' of sin? Absolutely not! 18 If I were to rebuild the things I had demolished, I would make it apparent that I have evaded the Commandment. 19 By the Torah, I died to the Torah, so that I can live for Yehovah. 20 I’m crucified with the Messiah. From now on it is no longer I who lives, but the Messiah lives in me, and the mortal life I now live, I live by faith in Yehovah’s Son, who loved me and gave Himself for me. 21 I don’t disregard the dignity of Yehovah. Because if righteousness is attainable thru sectarian law, then the Messiah died for nothing.
[1] In order to understand the book of Galatians, it is absolutely imperative to read commentary on the book by someone who understands the Hebraic thought of the first century, such as What Was Yeshua’s View of the Torah? or Is God’s Law Done Away?.
[2] The Israelite faithful are obligated to obey the entire Torah (“law of Moses”) whenever applicable, see Galatians 5:3 below. The world called these Jewish believers “Nazarenes” in the first centuries. The Jerusalem council decided that those from the other nations weren’t required to be circumcised in order to learn in the synagogues (Acts 15, particularly verse 21) while considering this Way of life. The Torah was always intended to reach the other nations (Deuteronomy 4:1-8). But almost immediately these (usually geographically separated) non Jewish people began to be called Christians by the world. They were destined to become the multinational spiritual “Israel of Yehovah” (Galatians 6:12-16), but Constantine and others largely destroyed it, leaving the fullness of the dream for the age to come. [3] Nomos, the generic Greek word for “law”, can refer to “The Law” (the Torah) or any other “law.” The sense is determined by the context, but secular law is not preceded by the Greek equivalent of “THE.” The KJV inserts an unitalicized “the” here, but it isn’t in the Greek.Galatians 3
Abraham, Father of the Faithful
1 O you ignorant Galatians! Who has enraptured you? Yeshua Messiah has been vividly portrayed to you as if crucified before your very eyes! 2 I would like to understand something about you. Did you receive the spirit by obeying the Torah, or thru obedience to faith? 3 Are you so ignorant that having begun in a spiritual way, you would now end in a human way? 4 Have you endured such sufferings for no reason? Surely it wasn’t for nothing! 5 5 So does the One who gives you the spirit and who works miracles among you, do these things thru Torah obedience, or by your obedience to faith?6 Similarly, Abraham believed Yehovah, and because of this he was accredited as righteous. 7 So you know that those who are faithful are the children of Abraham. 8 Yehovah knew beforehand that the nations would be made righteous by faith. He previously announced it to Abraham, as the 'Cherished' Scriptures say, “All nations will be blessed thru you.” 9 So those who are convicted of the truth are blessed with faithful Abraham.
10 Those who depend on obeying the Torah are under a curse, because it is written, “Whoever doesn’t practice everything written in the Torah is cursed.” [1 John 3:4-7] 11 It is apparent that no one becomes righteous before Yehovah by Torah obedience alone, because it is written, “The just must live by faith.” 12 Now the Torah isn’t faith based, still, whoever acts on the things written in it will live because of them. 13 But the Messiah has redeemed us from the curses specified [1] in the Torah [Deuteronomy 11:28], by being cursed for us (because the Scriptures say, “Everyone who is hung on a tree is cursed.”) 14 This occurred so that the blessing of Abraham would be brought about for the other nations thru Yeshua Messiah, so that we could receive the promise of the spirit thru faith.
15 Friends, I’m speaking in human terms, when a human contract is made and signed in public, no one does away with it or changes anything in it. 16 Now a promise was made to Abraham and to his Descendant. He was not told to your descendants—many of them, but to your one Descendant, that being the Messiah. 17 What I am saying is this: the covenant that was previously confirmed by Yehovah, in the Messiah, can’t invalidate a covenant that was established four hundred and thirty years [2] later and cancel the promise. 18 If the inheritance 'could be received' due to Torah observance alone, it would not have been a promise, but Yehovah gave it to Abraham as a promise.
19 So why the Torah? It was to accompany [see root word] the promises in order to define violations, until the Descendant came, the One who the promise voluntarily involved. And the Torah was given by spirit messengers thru a Mediator. 20 Now a mediator isn’t necessary for one person, but Yehovah is only one.
21 So is the Torah a substitute for the promise of Yehovah? Absolutely not! If a law could have been written that would restore our lives, certainly righteousness would have come about by a law. 22 The Scriptures show that everyone is trapped by sin, and that the promise, dependent on faith in Yeshua Messiah would be given to those who believe.
23 But before faith came, we were solely guided by the Torah, while we were waiting for the faith that was to be revealed. 24 So the Torah was a guardian/bodyguard to bring us to the Messiah, so that we could later be rendered righteous by faith. 25 But now that faith has come we aren’t under guardians [3].
26 You are all the children of Yehovah by faith in Yeshua Messiah. 27 Those who have been immersed into the Messiah have put on the fine clothing of the Messiah. 28 There are no Jews or Arameans, no slaves or free-born, no males or females, because you are all one in Yeshua Messiah. 29 If you are the Messiah’s, then you are descendants of Abraham, and heirs as promised.
[1] The lexicon uses the words imprecation and malediction—obscure words for a “spoken curse.”
[2] “The 430 years referred to here probably began when Abraham was called, and when the promise was first made to him. Assuming that as the timeline, it appears that the 430th year was when the covenant was re-established after the gold calf incident nearly derailed the whole plan, as mentioned in Exodus 34:10. [3] Plural in Aramaic. Keyword: tutors, deflating an antinomian (anti Torah) argument. Students learn reading, writing and arithmetic under parents, teachers or guardians. Once grown, they are no longer under teachers, but they use the skills they learned for survival! Once you have matured, and are no longer under guardians, you continue to practice what you learned. Also, “did you ever hear of an occasion in all of the history of man in which a guilty person was acquitted, and then as soon as he was acquitted, they did away with the law, or the laws, that he broke? No. That only happens in false theology.” You might do a word search on this topic here, using the key word “REB”, for more on this topic.Galatians 4
Sons, Not Servants
1 What I’m saying is that an heir, as long as he is a child, is no better off than a servant, even tho he owns everything, 2 because he is under guardians and stewards until the time prearranged by his father. 3 Similarly, while we were children, we were servants to the cultural teachings of the world. 4 But when the right time came, Yehovah sent out His Son who was 'born' of a woman, who was herself subject to the Torah, 5 in order to purchase the freedom of all who were subject to the Torah, so that we could receive recognition as sons! 6 Because you are sons, Yehovah has sent the spirit of His Son into your minds, who cries, “O Elohim, our Elohim.” 7 So you are no longer servants, but sons, and since you’re sons, you’re also of Yehovah, thru Yeshua Messiah.8 Nevertheless, when you didn’t know Yehovah, you were servants of alohee [elohim, gods] that don’t even exist. 9 But now, since you have known Yehovah, or rather, have been known by Yehovah, how could you turn back to weak and beggarly concepts and want to be servants again! 10 You carefully observe Roman days and months, seasons and years! 11 I’m afraid for you! Perhaps the hard work I spent on you was wasted.
12 I beg of you friends, become like me, because I have been [not am] like you. You did me no wrong. 13 You know that when I first brought you the Good News, I was weakened by illness. 14 Tho my bodily condition was a trial for you, you didn’t despise or reject me. Rather, you welcomed me as a messenger from Yehovah, even as Yeshua Messiah. 15 But what happened to your positive statements? I can attest to the fact that if it were possible you would have dug out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I become your enemy by speaking the truth to you?
17 The people teaching you have a burning zeal towards you, but they are the ones who aren’t well! They want to shut you up, so that you’ll be zealous for them! 18 It’s good to always burn with zeal about good things, not just when I’m here with you. 19 You are my children, but I’ll suffer birth pains all over again for you until the Messiah takes form in you. 20 I long to be with you now and change my tone of voice, because you baffle me.
The Two Covenants
21 Tell me, you who want to be under sectarian law, don’t you hear and obey the Torah? 22 The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by the free woman. 23 The one by the slave woman was conceived in the normal physical way, but the son by the free woman was in fulfillment of a promise.
24 This is allegorical. It represents the two covenants, Hagar is the one from Mount Sinai who produced bondage. 25 Now Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to present day Jerusalem, and is serving in bondage, she and her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above, in the sky [1] represents the free woman. She is our motherland. 27 The Scriptures say, “Be joyful childless women, those of you who can’t have children. Begin to shout aloud, you who haven’t felt the pains of child birth, because the deprived woman will have more children than the married woman.
28 Friends, we, like Isaac, are children of the promise. 29 Just as before, the son who was conceived naturally persecuted the son who was conceived spiritually. This is still happening now. 30 But what do the Scriptures say? Send away the bondwoman and her son, because the son of the bondwoman must not share the inheritance with the son of the free woman. 31 So then, friends, we aren’t the sons of the bondwoman but the sons of the free woman.
[1] A careful reading of vss. 22-27 shows that the slave woman “corresponds to present-day [first century] Jerusalem” and the original “old” covenant that was still operating within the Temple, while the free woman represents the coming New Jerusalem “above” and the coming New Covenant!
Galatians 5
Circumcision
1 So persevere in your freedom from servitude [see root word] that the Messiah has liberated us from, and never be entangled with a yoke of bondage again.2 Listen! I, Paul, am telling you that if you undergo circumcision, the Messiah is of no benefit to you [1]. 3 Again, I testify to anyone who becomes circumcised, that he is obligated to obey the entire Torah [“Law of Moses”] [2]. 4 If you are seeking justification by just obeying the Torah, you have renounced the Messiah. You’ve fallen from dignity. 5 We, thru the spirit that comes from faith, are patiently awaiting and confidently expecting the fulfillment of our hope. 6 In the Messiah Yeshua, circumcision will not empower you, nor will being uncircumcised, but the faith that is perfected by love will!
7 You were running a good race. Who beat you back and blocked your way, so that you were no longer convinced of the truth? 8 The deceptive persuasion is certainly not from the One who called you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough. 10 Because of Yehovah, I’m convinced that you’ll adopt no inharmonious views. And the one agitating you will bear his condemnatory sentence, whoever he is. 11 Friends, if I were still heralding circumcision, why would I be persecuted? Has the perceived scandal [Gr. skandalon] of the cross ceased? 12 I wish that those insurrectionists would castrate themselves!
13 Friends, you have been called into freedom. But don’t allow your freedom to be an opportunity for your physical nature, but by love serve one another. 14 The entire Torah can be encapsulated into one statement, “You must love everyone you encounter as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour each other, be careful that you aren’t consumed by each other.
16 So I say live by the Spirit, and never carry out the cravings of your mortal nature. 17 The physical nature craves what the spirit opposes, and the spirit craves what the physical nature opposes. The two are opposite of each other, so you are never doing what you want to. 18 But if you are led by the spirit, you aren’t under sectarian law [3].
19 Now the workings of our physical nature are obvious: adultery and other kinds of illicit sex, profligate living, unbridled lusts, 20 idolatry, witchcraft, pharmakeia, self-promoting partisans seeking control, rivalry, rage, hunger for power, divisions, sectarianism, 21 envy, murder, drunkenness, carousing, and anything like that. Those who perpetrate these things, as I have told you before and am telling you again, won’t inherit Yehovah’s Kingdom.
22 But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, perseverance, kindness, fidelity, 23 humility and patience. There are no laws against these. 24 Those who belong to the Messiah have crucified their physical nature, with all of its passions and desires. 25 So we should live in the spirit, and we should prosper in the spirit. 26 Let’s not become arrogant, challenging and envying each other.
[1] As a requirement for having eternal life, you can either obey the entire Torah perfectly, and never sin even once, that is, be saved by your own perfect works like Yeshua did, OR come under His dignity. Living a sinless life is the only way to avoid the death penalty imposed by the Torah, without Yeshua, without His zebak (sacrifice). But since no one has ever done that, or ever will, then we shouldn’t pretend that we’re earning eternal life by trying to obey the whole Torah perfectly. If we come under this delusion then we’re attempting to gain eternal life by legalism, and are no longer relying on Yehovah’s dignity. Still, you must make an effort because “Faith without works is dead”, James 2:20. Still, how brightly we shine in eternity IS determined by how we live now! (1 Corinthians 15:41-42)
[2] This was no longer even possible after the Temple was destroyed in 70 AD, because any particular laws having to do with zebakim [sacrifices] and the priesthood had to be temporarily suspended until the time described in Ezekiel chapters 40-48. [3] The phrase under the law is a reference to the laws made by the various Jewish sects. That phraseology is apparent from its specific usage in the dead sea scrolls.Galatians 6
“Somebodies” And “Nobodies”
1 Friends, should one of you be caught deviating from righteousness, then you who are spiritual should retrieve them in a spirit of gentleness. But be careful so that you aren’t overly tested as well. 2 Bear each others burdens, so that you can fill the Messiah’s Torah to the brim [see root word]. 3 When someone thinks that they are “somebody”, they are really a “nobody”, and they are deceiving themselves. 4 Everyone should scrutinize their own behavior so that later they’ll have a genuine reason for their exuberance from within, but don’t scrutinize others. 5 Everyone must carry their own load.6 Anyone who learns from hearing the Word should share anything of value with their teacher.
7 Don’t deceive yourselves. You can’t get away with ridiculing Yehovah, because whatever you plant is what you’ll harvest. 8 Those who plant carnal things will harvest destruction from carnality, but those who plant spiritual things will harvest everlasting life from the spirit. 9 Don’t get tired of doing commendable things, because at His right time we will harvest if we don’t become exhausted. 10 So now, while we have the opportunity we should work at doing good things for everyone, but particularly for those of the family of faith.
11 Look at the size of the lettering I have written to you with my own hand [1].
12 Those who are overly concerned with the physical realm will urge you to become circumcised, but just so they won’t be persecuted because of what happened to the Messiah on the cross. 13 Even those who are circumcised aren’t obeying the Torah, but they want you to become circumcised so that they can brag about your flesh. 14 But as for me, I won’t brag, except about what happened on the cross of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah. By this the world has been essentially crucified, and I to the world. 15 In Yeshua Messiah, circumcision does not empower anyone, nor the lack of circumcision, but a new conversion [2] does. 16 Peace be on those who walk straight—who walk the line, and mercy on the Israel of Yehovah.
17 From now on no one should trouble me, because I carry the scars of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah on my body.
18 Friends, may the dignity of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah be with your spirits. Aw-main'.
[1] He is thought to have been visually impaired—his “thorn in the flesh.”
[2] While the Greek ktisis has other applications, it certainly has this doctrinal application: “after a rabbinical usage (by which a man converted from idolatry to Judaism was called)”—in essence being converted again. End of the Letter to the Galatians, that was written from Rome.Compare the Testimony of Yeshua with the 1851 Murdock or the 1849 Etheridge Versions of “The Testimony of Yeshua” (The ‘New Testament’).
Ephesians 1
Greetings from Paul
1 From Paul, an envoy of Yeshua (Jesus) Messiah by the will of Yehovah, to the people in Ephesus who are 'chosen ones' [saints] believing in Yeshua Messiah.2 Peace be with you and dignity from our Father, and from our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah.
3 Blessed is Yehovah, the Father of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing of the spirit in the Heavenly realm by the Messiah. 4 He chose us before He laid the foundation of the world [1], so that we could become 'pure' and without blemish before Him. In love 5 He predetermined that we would belong to Him, making us sons [2] thru Yeshua Messiah, anticipating what He has determined will be done: 6 so that the commendation of His magnificent dignity would be highly honored, that He poured on us by His Beloved One. 7 He paid our ransom and forgave our sins by His blood, due to the abundance of His loving kindness 8 that was lavished on us in great wisdom, and with complete spiritual understanding. 9 He revealed to us the secret of what He had determined to do, that He had already determined would be done. [3] 10 He is managing the affairs of His household until the time comes when everything is fulfilled, then everything can be unified again by the Messiah—things in Heaven and things on earth.
11 We have obtained our inheritance because to Him, as He predetermined according to His good will and purpose concerning everything that He had determined would be done, 12 so that those of us who were first to believe in the Messiah would be able to honor His magnificence. 13 You’ve also heard the true doctrine about Him, and that is the Good News of your eternal life, and you have believed in Him, and have been sealed with the 'special' spirit that was promised. 14 That spirit is the downpayment of our inheritance, until the redemption of those who are given eternal life to the praise of His majesty.
15 Also, since I first heard of your faith in our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah, and of your love towards all of the 'chosen ones', 16 I have not ceased giving thanks for you, and I’m remembering you in my prayers, 17 so that Yehovah, the magnificent Father of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah will give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation—precise knowledge of Him. 18 Your understanding is being enlightened so that you’ll understand the hope of His invitation and know about the abundant magnificence of His inheritance for the 'chosen ones', 19 and what the excellence of the majesty of His power is for those of us who believe, according to the efficiency of the strength of His power. 20 He brought this about in the Messiah after raising Him from the dead, and seating Him by His right side in the Heavenly realm, 21 high above every government, authority, power and ruler, and above anyone who could be named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 He is in control of everything under His feet, and He has entrusted Him with supremacy over His assembly 23—that being His body—making the Perfecter perfect, everything in every way.
[1] He chose to call some, but there is no evidence that He had specific individuals in mind. This is called “free moral agency.” This is comparable to Ezekiel 20:5, where Yehovah said “on the day when I CHOSE Israel ... and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt ... ” Yet this was over four centuries after He chose to bless the descendants of Israel. The individuals were being chosen in “real time.”
[2] You aren’t adopted into Yehovah’s family, you must be “born again” into the family as sons! “Adoption” is the “presumed compound”—based solely on tradition. [3] Like aspiring parents, He planned to have children. But He didn’t say that He knew specifically which of us would be born again.Ephesians 2
All Raised Together
1 Also, Yeshua perfects those of you who were dead in sins and offenses— 2 the way you lived before, in the way this world has been for ages, in the ways of the tyrannical power of the atmosphere, the spirit that is empowering the descendants of the disobedient ones. 3 We also used to behave like them. In our physical cravings we did as we pleased, and mentally we were children 'deserving' wrath, just like the rest. 4 But Yehovah has abundant mercy, and because of His great love for us, 5 even tho we were essentially dead because our sins, He has restored us all to life to accompany the Messiah, and has rescued us by His dignity. 6 He’ll raise us all up together and seat us with Him in the Heavenly realm [1], in Yeshua Messiah, 7 so that in the ages to come, He can show the magnitude of the wealth of His dignity, and His kindness towards us thru Yeshua Messiah. 8 It is by His dignity that we’re rescued thru faith, and this isn’t your own doing, it’s the gift of Yehovah, 9 not due to works, to prevent anyone from bragging. 10 We are His 'masterpiece', created in Yeshua Messiah to do the good works that Yehovah previously prepared for our 'way of life'.11 So remember that you came from foreign nations. You were called “The uncircumcised” by those who are called “the circumcised”, being the work of human hands in the flesh. 12 At that time you were separated from the Messiah and alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and aliens to the promised covenant, you had no hope and you were essentially the atheists [Gr. a-theos: without theos] of the world. 13 But now, thru Yeshua Messiah, those of you who were far away are now close, by the blood of the Messiah.
14 He is our peace, and He has made both [Israel and the other nations] one by tearing down the wall that was between them. 15 Having destroyed with His own body the hatred of the law of prescribed rules [Strong’s #] contained in public decrees [Gr. dogma], so that He could create in Himself one new man, and make peace. 16 He completely reconciled both to Yehovah into one body thru the cross that He put their hostility to death with. 17 He came and proclaimed peace to those of you who were far away, and to those nearby— 18 because there is access to the Father for both thru Him by one spirit.
19 So you aren’t foreigners without citizenship, rather, you are fellow citizens with the 'chosen ones' [saints] and belong to the family of Yehovah. 20 You are the finished structure built on the foundation of the envoys AND the prophets, and Yeshua Messiah has become the cornerstone of the building. 21 Both parts of the building are being assembled together because of Him, as it becomes a Temple dedicated to Yehovah. 22 You are also being built into a dwelling place for Yehovah by the spirit.
[1] Compare to 1 Thessalonians 4:17, “Then, we who are still alive, having survived, will be carried away together with them into the clouds to meet our Sovereign in the expanse. And we will be with our Sovereign forever.” This is the same expanse Elohim mentioned in Genesis 1:14-17, “Then Elohim said, “There should be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night. They’ll signal 'Appointed Festivals', days and years. 15 They’ll serve as lights in the expanse of the sky to provide light for the earth”, and it happened. 16 Elohim made the two great lights—the greater light to dominate the day, and the lesser light to dominate the night. He also made [or restored] the planets. 17 Elohim set them in the expanse of sky to provide light for the earth ...
Ephesians 3
Secrets Now Revealed
1 This is why I, Paul, am a bondsman [1] of Yeshua Messiah, for your sake.2 Surely you have heard of my responsibility for proclaiming the dignity of Yehovah that was given to me on your behalf, 3 and how by a revelation, hidden understandings were revealed to me, as I have already written to you about briefly. 4 So as you read this, you’ll be able to grasp my understanding as it flows together about the secrets of the Messiah 5 that weren’t revealed to prior generations of humanity, as it has now been revealed to His 'chosen' envoys and to His prophets by the spirit, 6 so that the nations should be fellow heirs in His inheritance, partakers of His body[2] and the promise revealed thru Him by the Good News, 7 of which I have become a 'deacon' in regard to the gift of the goodness of Yehovah that was given to me by the exercise of His power. 8 To me, the least of all the 'chosen ones', this dignity has been given, so that I could announce to the nations the unsearchable wealth of the Messiah, 9 and bring to light for everyone the mysterious plan that was hidden for ages by Yehovah, the Creator of everything. 10 Now the intention is that thru the assembly, the wisdom of Yehovah will become known to the leaders and authorities in the “Heavenly realm” [3]. 11 He arranged this plan in ages past and carried it out by Yeshua the Messiah our Sovereign, 12 who gave us the freedom of speech [Strong’s #] to access Him confidently in faithfulness. 13 So I pray that I [4] won’t be discouraged because of my pressing trials on your behalf, because they are for your honor.
14 And I bow my knees to the Father of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah, 15 from whom the whole family in Heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 asking that He would grant you, according to the wealth of His magnificence, inner strength and great power by His spirit. 17 May the Messiah live in your minds by love thru faith. Then, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may you be able to explore, with all the 'chosen ones', what the height and depth and length and breadth is, 19 and have the transcending knowledge of the Messiah’s love, and be filled to the brim with the abundance of Yehovah.
20 Now to the One who is able by His almighty power to do even more for us than we ask for or think of, according to His power that works in us, 21 He’ll be praised in His assembly, because of Yeshua Messiah for all time and eternity! Aw-main'.
[1] See why “bondsman” is far better than “prisoner.” Keyword prisoner.
[2] Both the Etheridge and Murdock translations say “His body” while the Greek translations always say “the body” or “one body”. My speculation is that this was to supply a “proof text” to the idea that the body is “Messiah’s Bride?” the Bride of Christ” rather than the Bridegroom! Especially note chapter 5, verse 30! Interestingly, the Greek ends this verse with “Christ Jesus” rather than “Him”. [3] Clarke’s Commentary makes a case for this being an idiom for political and spiritual leaders. I could see this—with a heavy dose of sarcasm. [4] Greek translations say “You” instead of “I.”Ephesians 4
One Body, One Spirit
1 So as a bondsman of our Sovereign, I implore you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received, 2 having much humility and serenity and great patience, while remaining tolerant of each other in love. 3 Endeavor to maintain the unity of the spirit, being bound together in peace, 4 becoming one body and one spirit, just as you are called into one hope 'at' your calling. 5 There is one Sovereign, one faith, one immersion, 6 and one Aloha [God], everyone’s Father, over everything, and in all of us.7 Dignity is given to each of us in proportion to a determined measure of the gift of the Messiah. 8 That’s why it says, “He went up to the highest place and took captivity captive, and gave 'us' gifts.”
9 Now what does “He went up” imply, other than He had also gone down to the interior parts of the earth?
10 The One who had gone down is the same One who went up high above all the heavens, so that He could fulfill everything.
11 He surely gave us envoys, prophets, 'assembly planters', shepherds [1] and teachers,
12 to equip the 'chosen ones' [saints] for the work of serving others—for building up the body of the Messiah
13 UNTIL [2] we all become unified in the faith and in the knowledge of Aloha’s Son—one complete man, measuring up to the full standard of maturity, completely filled with the Messiah.
14 This is so that we won’t be immature—tossed and turned as if by waves and blown away by the strong winds of treacherous doctrines, playing dice against skilled people who “cheat” in order to lead you astray!
15 We should be established in our love, so that everything in us will progress in the Messiah, who is the head.
16 He is precisely fitting all of the body parts together so that every connection is assisted by supernatural energy [Gr. energeia], each member being precisely measured so that the growing body itself is built up thru love.
17 So I tell you, as a witness for the Sovereign, that from now on you should no longer live like other people [Gr. ethnos] do, with no understanding of the truth.
18 As for understanding, they are in the dark—excluded from the life of Aloha, because of their ignorance and their blinded intellects.
19 They’ve lost all hope, and they’ve given themselves over to sensuality. They practice every kind of sexual perversion without restraint.
20 But you didn’t learn about the Messiah that way
21 if you have truly listened to Him and learned His ways, since the truth is in Yeshua.
22 You have learned that you should lay aside your old self, it is corrupted with desires that deceive you,
23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind
24 You should be clothed with the new man who is created by Aloha, in righteousness, dedicated to the truth.
25 So throw off your practice of lying. Everyone should tell the people they encounter the truth, because we belong to each other.
26 Be angry without sinning. Don’t let the sun set while you’re still angry.
27 Don’t give the devil a foothold.
28 Thieves should no longer steal, instead, they should do manual labor, doing honorable things with their own hands, so that they’ll have something to share with those in need.
29 No rotten words should come out of your mouth, but rather, anything that is honorable and useful for building people up, so that it will convey dignity to those who hear.
30 And don’t grieve the 'special' spirit of Aloha that seals you until the day when your ransom is paid off.
31 Get rid of your bitterness, anger, wrath, loud moaning, and slandering, along with every type of hatred.
32 Be kind to each other, and be compassionate and pardon each other, as Aloha has pardoned us thru the Messiah. [1] Pastor is a purely Latin word used once in the KJV. I’m not sure why non Catholics would use it. Poimen is translated as “shepherd” 17 times in the KJV, and this one place as “pastors.” “The tasks of a Near Eastern shepherd were:—to watch for enemies trying to attack the sheep—to defend the sheep from attackers—to heal the wounded and sick sheep—to find and rescue lost or trapped sheep—to love them, sharing their lives and so earning their trust.”
Ephesians 5
Live as Children of Light
1 Imitate Yehovah, as His dear children. 2 Live in love, just as the Messiah also loved us and has given Himself up for us as a bloodless offering, and a blood zebak to Yehovah, as a fragrant aroma.3 Don’t allow sexual sin or any impurity or greed to ever be mentioned among you, those things certainly aren’t for the 'chosen ones', 4 or obscenities, or foolish talk, or insults, or abusive talk—things that aren’t appropriate. Instead of these, thankfulness! 5 You know very well that any man who is a male prostitute or an impure person or who is greedy [idolizing wealth], has no inheritance in the Kingdom of the Messiah and of Yehovah. 6 Don’t allow anyone to deceive you with their meaningless 'sermons'. It is because of these things that the anger of Yehovah comes on the children of disobedience. 7 So don’t play around with them.
8 You used to be darkness, but now you are light, belonging to Yehovah. So live as the children of light. 9 The fruit that light produces is entirely good and righteous and truthful. 10 So search out what is pleasing to Yehovah. 11 Have nothing to do with the unfruitful works of darkness. Rather, expose them for what they are. 12 The things that they do in private are highly detestable to even mention. 13 Everything becomes visible once it’s exposed to the light. Light reveals everything. 14 That’s why it says, “Wake up sleeper! Rise from the dead, and the Messiah will illuminate you.”
15 Be sure to pay attention to the details, unlike the foolish. 16 Like the wise, make the most of your opportunities, because these are evil times. 17 So don’t be foolish, but understand what Yehovah’s will is. 18 Don’t get drunk on wine and loose control, but be filled with the spirit. 19 Speak to each other in psalms and spiritual songs, wholeheartedly singing and offering praise to Yehovah. 20 Always give thanks to Yehovah the Father, on behalf of everyone, in our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah’s name.
21 Be submissive to each other out of reverence for the Messiah.
Wives and Husbands
22 Wives, be submissive to your husbands, as you are to Yehovah. 23 Because the husband is the head of the wife, just as the Messiah is the head of the assembly, [1] He Himself being the Life Giver of His body. 24 And as the assembly is subject to the Messiah, so wives must be submissive to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as the Messiah loved His assembly and delivered Himself to death for it, 26 so that He could dedicate it, and cleanse it by washing it in water, and by the written Word. 27 Then He could present it [Aramaic and Greek] to Himself as a radiant assembly, not stained or wrinkled, or anything like that—pure and unblemished. 28 Similarly, husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies. A man who loves his wife loves himself. 29 No one ever hated their own body. Instead, they nourish and cherish it, as the Messiah does for the assembly. 30 We are parts of His body [2]—His very flesh and bones. 31 That is why a man should leave his father and mother and be “glued” to his wife, and the two will become one body. 32 This is still a great secret. I’m talking about the Messiah and His assembly. 33 Every husband must love his wife as he loves himself, and wives should respect their husbands.
[1] If we learn to be submissive to Yeshua in this life, then we will teach His ways in the Kingdom and people will be submissive to us, as Isaiah 30:20 says: “Yehovah may give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction. But your teachers [yes, it’s plural] won’t be hidden any longer. You’ll see your teachers with your own eyes.”
[2] E.W Bullinger clearly understood all of this. It’s far better to be a part of the Bridegroom than the Bride!Ephesians 6
Children and Parents
1 Children, obey your parents in Yehovah, because it’s the right thing to do. 2 The first Commandment with promise is this, “Honor your father and your mother” 3 so that everything will go well for you, and you can have a long life on earth.4 Parents [1], don’t cause your children to be angry, but bring them up in the discipline and doctrine of Yehovah.
5 Servants, obey your human masters with fear and trembling and with sincere sentiments, as when you obey the Messiah, 6 not just while you’re being watched, as if you were only pleasing men, but be like servants of the Messiah who are doing Yehovah’s will. 7 Serve them with enthusiasm, peacefully, as if you were serving Yehovah, and not merely people. 8 You know that for every good deed you do, Yehovah will compensate you, whether you are servants or freeborn.
9 Sovereigns, treat your servants the same way. Pardon their faults [2], because you know that you have a Sovereign in Heaven, and He doesn’t show favoritism.
10 Finally, friends, increase your strength in Yehovah, relying on the great power of His ability: 11 Put on the full armor of Yehovah, so that you’ll be able to withstand the stratagems of the Accuser. 12 We aren’t only fighting against flesh and blood, but against governments and authorities, and with the owners of this dark world, and with the evil spirits who are under heaven. 13 So put on the full armor of Yehovah so that you’ll be fully prepared to meet the Wicked one and remain unharmed. 14 Take a stand! Fasten the truth around you like a belt and put on the breastplate of righteousness 15 and shield your feet with the Good News of peace. 16 In addition, take the shield of faith so that you’ll be able to quench all of the fiery darts of the evil one. 17 Also take eternal life as your helmet, and take the sword of the spirit, which is the Word of Aloha [the Tanak]. 18 Pray with unceasing prayer and requests in the spirit, and in your prayers be continually alert and pray for all the 'chosen ones', 19 and ask on my behalf that the right words will be given to me when I 'speak' so that I cam fearlessly reveal the mystery of the Good News 20 that I’m an ambassador in chains, and declare it freely as I should.
21 So that you’ll know what is happening to me, and how I’m doing, Tychicus, a dear friend and a faithful servant of Yehovah will tell you everything. 22 This is why I sent him to you, so that you would know what is going on with me and so that he would encourage you.
23 Peace be with you friends, and love with faith, from Yehovah the Father, and from our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah. 24 May dignity be with everyone who sincerely loves our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah. Aw-main'.
[1] The Greek says “Fathers.”
[2] The Greek says, “Don’t threaten them.”End of the letter to the Ephesians, that was written in Rome, and sent by Tychicus.
Compare the Testimony of Yeshua with the 1851 Murdock or the 1849 Etheridge Versions of “The Testimony of Yeshua” (The ‘New Testament’).
Philippians 1
Until the Day
1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Yeshua (Jesus) Messiah: To all the 'chosen ones' [saints] who belong to Yeshua Messiah in Philippi, including the elders and servants.2 May you be given dignity and peace from Yehovah our Father and from our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah.
3 I thank Yehovah every time I remember you. 4 Whenever I pray for you all, I do it with joy, 5 because of your participation in spreading the Good News, from the first day you heard it until now.
6 I am convinced of this, that the One who began the good work within you all will personally go on to perfect it right up until the Day of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah. 7 It is only right for me to feel this way about you because you’re constantly on my mind. You are my partners in loving kindness, whether I am in prison or defending the truth of the Good News. 8 Yehovah is my witness, how I yearn for you with the deep affection of Yeshua Messiah.
9 I pray that your love will continue to grow with precise knowledge and spiritual insight, 10 so that you can recognize what is genuine, and be pure and blameless in [1] the Day of the Messiah, 11 being filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes thru Yeshua Messiah, to the splendor and praise of Yehovah.
Imprisoned For the Messiah
12 Now I want you to know, friends, that it turns out that what I have gone thru has actually driven the Good News forward. 13 As a result, it has become quite well known at the Roman imperial headquarters, and to everyone else, that my imprisonment is for the cause of the Messiah. 14 Most of our friends in the service of our Sovereign have far more courage due to my imprisonment, and are speaking Yehovah’s Message fearlessly and bolder than ever. 15 Some actually herald out of envy and rivalry, but others do it out of good will, 16 and in the love of the Messiah, knowing that I have been appointed to defend the Good News. 17 But those who herald the Messiah from motives of rivalry and selfish ambition are attempting to cause me distress while I’m in prison. 18 Yet I have been elated, and continue to be elated [2], because either way, whether by false or true motives, the Messiah is heralded.
19 I know that it will result in my deliverance, thru your prayers and the gift of Yeshua Messiah’s spirit. 20 I eagerly hope and expect that I will never have anything to be ashamed of, but with resolute boldness will continue, now as always, to exalt the Messiah in my body, either by my life or by my death. 21 Because for me, living is for the Messiah, and if I die, I 'win'. 22 If I continue to work in this physical life, it will produce more results. I don’t know which I prefer. 23 I’m in a tight squeeze. I want to be set free [3] so that I can be with the Messiah, because that would be far better for me. 24 But for your sakes, it is more important that I stay in my body. 25 I am convinced that for now I’ll continue with you for your joy and for the progress of your faith 26 Then when I visit you again, your great joy in Yeshua Messiah alone can increase thru me.
27 You should live your lives as good citizens, in a manner worthy of the Good News of the Messiah, so that whether I come and see you again, or whether I am far away, I can hear about you and know that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, playing together to win [see root: athleo] by the faith that the Good News brings. 28 Never be afraid of the opposition. Your fearlessness is certain evidence for them of their impending destruction—and eternal life for you. 29 You have had the privilege granted to you on behalf of Yehovah, not only to believe in the Messiah, but also to suffer for His sake. 30 You are experiencing the same conflict that you once saw me having, and now hear that I still have.
[1] “In” not “until” (tho “until” is more likely in the Greek). The early 'chosen ones' believed that they were nearing the Day of Yehovah. For example, in Acts 2:16, on the Day of Pentecost, Cephas (Peter) said, “This is what the prophet Joel (2:28-30) was talking about.” He then proceeded to equate the miraculous “tongues of fire” of the day to to the dreadful Day of Yehovah chapter.
[2] The Greek begins this sentence with: “What then?” [3] Paul’s next conscious moment after death is with Yehovah on Judgment Day, (John 5:21-29).Philippians 2
Yeshua Set Aside His Splendor
1 So if you have any comfort in the Messiah or any comfort in love, if there is any fellowship of the spirit, or any consolation and sympathy, 2 then make my joy complete by having the same attitude and sharing the same love, the same spirit and the same mind. 3 Don’t do anything thru partisanship or conceitedness, but with true humility everyone should think of your acquaintances as being better than yourself. 4 None of you should only be concerned about your own interests, but also be concerned about the interests of your acquaintances.5 You should have the same sentiments as Yeshua Messiah did.
6 Altho He was in the form of Yehovah, He didn’t consider His equality with Yehovah to be a prize to grasp tightly onto [1].
7 So He divested Himself, and took on the form of a 12 So friends, as you have always listened to and obeyed Yehovah, not only when I was near you, but now that I am far from you—continue in the necessary work to make sure of your own eternal lives, with fear and trembling,
13 because Yehovah Himself is creating within you both the desire and the ability to bring about the good things you want to do. [2]
14 Do everything without complaining and arguing,
15 so that you’ll be innocent and untainted as the sincere children of Yehovah, appearing to them as heavenly lights, living in a wayward and crooked world,
16 holding out to them a message of life. Then I will have great joy on the Day of the Messiah. I won’t have run in vain or have worked for nothing.
17 And even if my blood is to be poured out as a zebak [sacrifice] for your faith, I’m glad and celebrate with you all.
18 So you should also be glad and celebrate with me.
19 But I anticipate that the Sovereign Yeshua will soon send Timothy to you, so that I can also be encouraged by getting news of you,
20 because I have no one else like him who takes a genuine interest in your welfare.
21 Everyone is preoccupied with their own concerns, and not those of Yeshua Messiah.
22 But you know of Timothy’s tested character, and like a son with his father, he has served with me in furthering the Good News.
23 So I hope to send him to you soon, as soon as I’ve seen how things go with me,
24 and I’m confident that Yehovah will send me to visit you soon.
25 But now, circumstances deem it necessary for me to send Epaphroditus to you, my friend, coworker and fellow soldier, and your 2 Watch out for dogs, watch out for people who do evil, watch out for the flesh cutters,
3 because we are the truly circumcised, who serve Yehovah in the spirit and praise Yeshua Messiah. We don’t rely on the flesh.
4 Yet I could rely on the physical, because if anyone thinks that his reliance could be on the physical level, I could do so more than he.
5 I was circumcised on the eighth day, I’m a descendant of Israel, I’m from the tribe of Benjamin, I’m a 'pure-blooded' Hebrew. As for obeying sectarian law, I was a Pharisee;
6 as for zeal, a persecutor of the assembly; and as for obedience to sectarian law, I was faultless.
7 But the things that I had considered to be assets, I now consider to be detriments, because of the Messiah.
8 I still consider them all to be detrimental because of the superiority of the knowledge of Yeshua Messiah, my Sovereign, for whose sake I’ve given up everything, and consider it to be dung, so that I can gain the Messiah,
9 and be found with Him, since my own righteousness is no longer derived from sectarian law, rather, it comes thru faith in the Messiah, that is, the righteousness that comes from Yehovah.
10 I want to know Yeshua, and the power of His resurrection, and to share in His sufferings, even becoming like Him in His death,
11 in the hope that I can be raised from the dead.
12 It’s not as tho I’ve already taken the prize or crossed the finish line, but I run striving to take the prize, since Yeshua Messiah has striven to grab hold of me.
13 Friends, I don’t imagine that I have taken it yet. But this one thing I know, I’m forgetting the things behind me and reaching forward for what lies in front of me.
14 I run straight for the goal so that I can secure the prized invitation of Yehovah from above, thru Yeshua Messiah.
15 So then, all of us who are mature should consider these views, and if you have any different views, Yehovah will also clarify that for you.
16 However, so that we all arrive, let’s stay on the same course, and have the same heart.
17 Friends, imitate me, and pay close attention to those who follow the pattern you have seen in us.
18 There are many who conduct themselves otherwise, as I have often described to you, and I’m telling you now, with tears, that they are enemies of the cross of the Messiah.
19 Their end state is total destruction [1], their bellies are their aloha, their version of splendor is infamy and their thoughts are limited to things on earth.
20 But our preoccupation is with Heaven. It is from there that we are awaiting the Life Giver, our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah.
21 He will transform our lower status bodies so that we will have the same outward appearance [see root words] as His own magnificent body, using the same supernatural power that puts everything else under His control. [1] This destruction is complete annihilation. To demonstrate this, check out how the root word (apollumi) is used in virtually all 92 instances in a lexicon. 2 I urge Euodias and Syntyche to be of one mind, thru Yehovah.
3 I also urge you, my true colleague, to help the women who worked hard with me in proclaiming the Good News, together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are recorded in the Book of Life.
4 Always rejoice in Yehovah. I repeat, rejoice!
5 Your humility should be recognized by everyone. Our Sovereign is near.
6 Don’t be anxious about anything, but in every situation, let Yehovah know about your needs thru prayer, asking with thankfulness.
7 And Yehovah’s peace that surpasses all of our perceptions will stand watch over your minds and your thoughts thru Yeshua Messiah.
8 Finally friends, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is reputable, whatever is commendable, anything virtuous and anything worthy of celebration—think about those things.
9 Keep doing the things that you have learned and accepted as true, and heard or seen in me, and the Aloha of peace will be with you.
10 I rejoice greatly in Yehovah, now that you have resumed caring for me, just as you used to care for me, tho you haven’t had the opportunity lately.
11 Yet I’m not saying this because I’m in any need, because I’ve learned to be satisfied independent of external circumstances.
12 I know what it is to be reduced to humble circumstances, and how to live with abundant furnishings. I have experience with all kinds of things, whether fullness or hunger, being left with much or being left behind in the race.
13 I am empowered to do anything thru the Messiah who strengthens me.
14 It was good of you to share in my troubles.
15 You Philippians also know that from the time I first brought you the Good News after I left Macedonia, not one of the assemblies helped me in regard to receiving or giving, except for you.
16 Even while I was in Thessalonica, you sent me relief a couple of times.
17 Not that I want your generosity, rather, I want to see your 'harvest' increased.
18 I have enough of everything—more than enough, I am overflowing now that I have received from Epaphroditus what you sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable zebak [sacrifice] that is truly pleasing to Yehovah.
19 May Yehovah fully provide for all of your needs from His great wealth of splendor in Yeshua Messiah.
20 Praise and honor belongs to Yehovah our Father for ages and ages. Aw-main'.
21 Greetings to every 'chosen one' and coworker of Yeshua Messiah. The friends who are with me send their greetings.
22 All of the 'chosen ones' greet you, especially the members of Caesar’s household.
23 May the good will of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah be with you all. Aw-main'. End of the letter to the Philippians that was written in Rome and sent by Epaphroditus. Compare the Testimony of Yeshua with the 1851 Murdock or the 1849 Etheridge Versions of “The Testimony of Yeshua” (The ‘New Testament’). 3 We continually thank Yehovah, the Father of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah, and pray for you,
4 ever since we heard of your faith in Yeshua Messiah and of your love for all the 'chosen ones',
5 because of the expectation of good reserved for you in Heaven that you heard before in the true message—the Good News
6 that has come to you, just as it is growing and yielding 'a harvest' in the entire world, as it has been doing among you since the day you first heard of it and really understood the dignity of Yehovah.
7 You learned [about the Good News] from Epaphras our fellow servant. He is your faithful servant of the Messiah,
8 and he told us about your love that is inspired by the spirit.
9 This is why from the day we first heard of you, we have never stopped praying for you, asking that you be filled with a precise knowledge of Yehovah’s will, as well as supreme wisdom and spiritual understanding,
10 and that you would live a righteous lives pleasing to Yehovah, with all of your good works, and produce so that your lives will be worthy of Yehovah, with all of your good works, and yield an increase in the knowledge of Yehovah.
11 May you be empowered with every kind of ability, by the splendor of His dominion, with much patience and perseverance,
12 joyfully thanking the Father who has qualified you to share in the 'chosen ones’s' inheritance in Light.
13 Yehovah has rescued us from the dominion of darkness, and brought us into the Kingdom of His dear Son.
14 He has paid our ransom and released us from the bondage of sin [1].
15 He looks like the Aloha who is never seen, and is the firstborn of all living beings. [2]
16 He created everything [3] in the heavens and on earth, everything seen and everything unseen, including thrones, governments, rulers and authorities—everything was created thru Him and by [4] Him.
17 He existed before anything else, and thru Him everything came together.
18 He is also the head of the body, the assembly, and the first person born from the dead. This way He could be first in everything.
19 Yehovah was pleased to have the entirety of His presence residing in Him,
20 and establish harmony in the universe thru Him, and for Him to make peace by the blood of His cross, whether they are the inhabitants [5] of earth or Heaven.
21 You used to be alienated and have hostile attitudes, because of your evil behavior.
22 But now He has reconciled you by His human body and thru His death, so that He could bring you into His presence, 'pure', faultless and above reproach,
23 as long as you continue to firmly hold onto your convictions, and you don’t abandon the assurance of the Good News that has been heard thruout the whole creation under Heaven, that I, Paul, became a 'deacon' of.
24 I find joy in the suffering that I endure for you. In my body I am filling in whatever is lacking in the Messiah’s afflictions, on behalf of His body, that is, the assembly.
25 I am a 'deacon' commissioned to overseeing the household of Yehovah, entrusted for your benefit to make the Word of Aloha fully known,
26 specifically, the mystery that was hidden for ages and generations, but is now revealed to His 'chosen ones'.
27 Yehovah wanted to reveal the vast wealth and splendor of this mystery thruout the nations, namely, that the Messiah who is in you is the anticipation of our splendor.
28 We publicly proclaim the complete knowledge, warning and teaching everyone, so that we can present everyone to Father in their finished state, thru Yeshua Messiah.
29 This is why I work so hard, striving with the aid of the supernatural power given to me. [1] Some versions add: “thru His blood”, based on a few relatively late Greek manuscripts. 6 So since you have accepted Yeshua Messiah our Sovereign, 'live your lives for' Him
7 with your roots firmly planted and growing in Him and establishing yourselves in the convictions instilled in you, abounding in thanksgiving.
8 Be careful not to let anyone make you naked slaves [1] by philosophy [Gr. philosophia] and by empty deceptions and humanly devised rituals—the religious training of the world, rather than conforming with the Messiah.
9 The fullness of Aloha’s transcendence is living in bodily form.
10 Belonging to Him makes you complete, because He is the head of every magistrate and authority.
11 And in Him you have been circumcised with the circumcision not done by hand, when you threw off your sinful nature by the Messiah’s circumcision.
12 You’ve been buried with Him by immersion. As a result you’ve been raised up together from physical death [2] since you believed in the power of Yehovah, who raised Him from the dead.
13 You were spiritually dead and in an uncircumcised physical state, yet He’ll cause us all to live together again with Him, because He has forgiven all of our sins [3].
14 By His mandate He blotted out the RECORD-BOOK OF SINS [4] that was against us, and removed it from among us and nailed it to His cross.
15 By yielding His body [5] He showed contempt for the rulers and the authorities, and put them to shame.
16 So don’t let anyone pronounce judgments against you about eating and drinking, or about various aspects of the Feast days, New Moons and Sabbaths
17 that foreshadow things in the future, but [or “except for”] the body of Messiah [6].
18 Don’t let anyone’s desire to degrade your mind subject you to bondage, so that you subject yourselves to the religious practices of 'angels', while they elaborate about gods that they haven’t really seen, being arrogantly inflated in their carnal thoughts,
19 rather than holding onto the Head, the One who frames and constructs the whole body with joints and ligaments, and grows as Yehovah causes it to grow.
20 If you’ve died with the Messiah to the predominant false teachings of the world, then why are you submitting to its rules as if you were still living in the world?
21 “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”
22 All of these abusive 'notions' will perish. They are the commandments and doctrines of men.
23 These bogus 'notions' appear to reflect humility and deep respect for Yehovah, but it is ascetic severity, and nothing of any real value against carnal indulgences. [1] The Aramaic says “naked”, the Greek refers to “slavery”, with nakedness likely being implied. 5 Put to death your worldly 'impulses': illicit sex, impure motives, depraved passion, lust and greed, which itself is idolatry.
6 Because of these things, Yehovah’s anger is coming on the works of disobedience [1].
7 These are things that you used to do when it was your way of life.
8 But now you must rid yourselves of these things—angry and heated outbreaks, wickedness, blasphemy and obscene speech.
9 Don’t lie to each other. Get rid of the old you with all your wicked practices.
10 Cloth yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in the image of your Creator!
11 Your new self isn’t Jewish or Hellenistic, circumcised or uncircumcised, Aramean or Barbarian, slave or free, but the Messiah is everything, and is in all of us.
12 So as Yehovah’s selected and dearly loved 'chosen ones', clothe yourselves with compassion, tenderness, kindness, humility, composure, and patience.
13 Be tolerant of each other. Pardon and restore each other, and if anyone has a complaint against someone, you must pardon them just like the Messiah pardoned you.
14 In addition to all of these, add love, because it 'binds everything together' in perfection.
15 Allow the peace of the Messiah to direct your minds, since this is why you were called into one body, and give thanks to the Messiah.
16 Allow His Word to remain in you as a treasure, with great wisdom and intelligence. Teach and admonish each other with psalms, and sing hymns and spiritual songs to Yehovah.
17 And whatever you do, in speech or actions, do it in our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah’s name, and give thanks thru Him to Yehovah the Father.
18 Wives be submissive to your husbands. This is appropriate for Yehovah’s women.
19 Husbands love your wives, and don’t become irritated with them.
20 Children obey your parents in everything, because this pleases Yehovah.
21 Father’s, don’t exasperate your children or they’ll become discouraged.
22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do, not only when they are looking, like those who aim to please people, but with the sole purpose of revering Yehovah.
23 Whatever you do, do it with your whole being, as something done for Yehovah rather than for people.
24 You know that you’ll receive compensation from our Sovereign, an inheritance, because you serve Yehovah [2] the Messiah.
25 But those who hurt others will be paid back proportionately, and without any partiality. [1] See why this has nothing to do with “children.” Keyword children. 2 Keep praying, and stay alert as you do it, and overflowing with gratitude.
3 Pray for us, so that Yehovah will open a gate for the Word, to tell the mystery of the Messiah, for whose sake I have been imprisoned,
4 so that I can reveal it as clearly as I should.
5 Behave wisely toward those who are outside of the faith, and make the best use of every opportunity.
6 Your speech should always be kind, seasoned with salt as it were, so that you’ll know how to answer everyone.
7 Tychicus, who is a dear friend, a trusted servant [Gr. diakonos] and a fellow servant of our Sovereign will be telling you about everything that is happening with me.
8 I sent him to you so that you’d know how we’re faring, and for your peace of mind.
9 He is coming with Onesimus, a faithful and dear friend who is from your region. They’ll tell you what is happening with us.
10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends his greetings, as does Barnabas’s cousin Mark. You’ve received instructions about him. If he comes, welcome him.
11 Yeshua, called Justus, also sends greeting. They are the only 'Jewish converts' who have been working with me for Yehovah’s Kingdom, and they’ve been a comfort to me.
12 Epaphras, who is also from your region sends his greetings, a servant of the Messiah who is always laboring for you in prayer, so that you’ll be firmly established and fully confident in the entire will of Yehovah.
13 I can assure you of his zealousness [Gr. zelos] for you, and for everyone in Laodicea and in Hierapolis.
14 Our dear friend Luke the physician greets you, as does Demas.
15 Give my greetings to our friends in Laodicea, Nymphas and the assembly that meets in his house.
16 After you have all read this letter, then have it read by the Laodicean assembly, and you should read the letter I’m sending to Laodicea.
17 Tell Archippus, “Be vigilant in the ervice that you received from Yehovah, and complete it.”
18 I, Paul, am writing this greeting in my own handwriting. Remember my imprisonment. May His dignity be with you. Aw-main'. End of the letter to the Colossians, that was written from Rome and sent by Tychicus. Compare the Testimony of Yeshua with the 1851 Murdock or the 1849 Etheridge Versions of “The Testimony of Yeshua” (The ‘New Testament’). 2 We continually give thanks to Aloha for you all, and constantly mention you in our prayers,
3 and in the presence of Yehovah the Father, we remember your works of faith and labors of love, and your enduring anticipation of our Sovereign Yeshua.
4 Friends, we know of your selection, and that Yehovah loves you.
5 The Good News that we brought to you wasn’t by words alone, but with power and with the 'special' spirit and with genuine persuasion. You also know what kind of men we were when we were with you for your sake.
6 You followed our example, and that of our Sovereign, after you welcomed the Word amid severe persecution, with joy from the 'special' spirit,
7 so that you set an example for all of the believers in Macedonia and Greece.
8 The Word of our Sovereign has resounded from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in Yehovah has become known everywhere, and we don’t need to say anything about you.
9 They talk about how you welcomed us, and how you turned to Yehovah from the worship of idols to worshiping the living and true Aloha,
10 awaiting His Son from Heaven, Yeshua Himself, who He raised from the dead, who rescues us from the wrath to come. 7 We were as gentle as a mother caring for her children.
8 We loved you, and not only wanted to give you Yehovah’s Good News, but also our very lives, because you were so dear to us.
9 Friends, you should remember that we worked hard night and day 'to earn a living' so that we wouldn’t be a burden to any of you, as we proclaimed the Good News of Yehovah to you.
10 You are witnesses, as is Yehovah, of how purely and justly and blamelessly we dealt with all the faithful.
11 You know that we treated each of you the way a father treats his own children, comforting and encouraging you.
12 And now we’re urging you to live lives worthy of Yehovah, who has called you into His Kingdom and His splendor.
13 This is why we never stop giving thanks to Yehovah, so that the Word of Aloha that you received from us isn’t like accepting human words, but are actually Aloha’s Word that works so well in you and in everyone who believes.
14 Friends, you who 'belong to' Yeshua Messiah have become like the assemblies of Yehovah in Judea, in that you endured the same sufferings from your fellow countrymen, as they did from the Jews
15 who killed our Sovereign, Yeshua Messiah, and persecuted their own prophets as well as us. They are displeasing to Yehovah and are the enemies of all of humanity.
16 They forbid us to speak to other ethnicities so that they can be rescued. They are always filling their 'stockpile' of sins. Furious punishment will precede their termination!
17 Friends, we have been separated from you for a short while, (in visible presence, but not in our thoughts), but we are trying very hard to see you face to face again because of our intense longing.
18 We wanted to come to you, I Paul, twice already, but Satan hindered me.
19 What is our hope and our joy and the crown of our rejoicing, unless it’s you, in the presence of our Sovereign Yeshua at His coming?
20 You are our majesty and our joy. 6 But now Timothy has returned to us from 'visiting' you, and told us the good news about your faith and your love, and that you still have fond memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we long to see you.
7 So friends, because of your faith we have been comforted amid all of our distress and trouble.
8 And now we can really live, as long as you are standing securely with Yehovah.
9 'How can we thank' Yehovah enough for all the joy that we 'experience' because of you,
10 other than by making requests before Yehovah, night and day, that we could see you face to face, and perfect whatever is lacking in your faith?
11 May Yehovah Himself, the Father of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah, make a straight path from us to you,
12 and increase your love for each other and everyone else, just as we love you.
13 He’ll build your character, so that you’ll be faultlessly 'pure', in the presence of Yehovah our Father AT THE COMING of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah with all His 'chosen ones' [saints]. 3 It is Yehovah’s will that you remain dedicated, and that you stay away from any sexual immorality,
4 and that each of you would know how to control your 'body' in dedication and honor,
5 not craving what is forbidden like heathens who don’t know Yehovah.
6 You don’t dare take advantage of or defraud your friends in this matter, because Yehovah avenges these things, as we specifically told you about.
7 Yehovah didn’t call you into uncleanness, but into dedication.
8 So anyone who disregards these things isn’t disregarding man, but Yehovah, who has given you the 'special' spirit.
9 Now concerning the love of our friends, you don’t need for me to write to you, because you are inherently taught by Aloha to love each other.
10 In fact, you are already doing so to our friends thruout Macedonia. But friends, I would encourage you to be even more exuberant.
11 Strive to live quietly, and mind your own business and work with your own hands, as we admonished you,
12 so that your way of life will be respected by those outside of the assembly and you won’t be dependent on anyone.
13 And friends, I want you to know that you shouldn’t mourn over those who have fallen asleep [1] like other people who have no hope.
14 Because if we believe that Yeshua died and rose again, we should also believe that Yehovah will bring those who have fallen asleep in Yeshua with Him.
15 We declare this to you by the Word of Aloha’s own authority, that we who survive and are alive when our Sovereign returns will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep [into the Kingdom].
16 Our Sovereign will 'personally' come down from Heaven with a mandate, and with a voice like the chief Messenger and with Yehovah’s shofar, and the dead who 'belong to' the Messiah will rise first!
17 Then, we who are still alive, having survived, will be carried away together with them into the clouds to meet our Sovereign in the expanse. And we will be with our Sovereign forever.
18 So comfort each other with these words. [1] Until Judgment Day the dead are essentially “sleeping”, awaiting their judgment. 4 But you, friends, aren’t in darkness. That Day won’t catch you off guard like a thieving false “minister”,
5 because you are all sons of the light, and sons of the day. You aren’t sons of the night or sons of darkness.
6 So let’s not sleep like everyone else does, but let’s stay awake and be sober.
7 Because those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.
8 But those of us who are sons of the day should be rational, and put on the mail-coat of faith and love, and for a helmet the expectation of eternal life,
9 because Yehovah hasn’t destined us to wrath, but to obtaining eternal life by our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah,
10 who died for us, so that whether we’re awake or asleep, we can live together with Him.
11 So continue to comfort each other and help to strengthen each other as you’ve been doing.
12 Friends, we ask you to recognize those who labor among you, and preside over you in our Sovereign, and instruct you,
13 and highly regard them with abundant love, because of their work, and live in harmony with them.
14 Friends, we encourage you to admonish offenders, comfort the timid, encourage the weak, and be patient with everyone.
15 Be careful to never repay evil with evil, but always 'seek opportunities for' doing good to each other and towards everyone else.
16 Always be joyful
17 and never stop praying.
18 Be thankful for everything, because that is Yehovah’s will for you thru Yeshua Messiah.
19 Don’t put out the spirits fire.
20 Don’t despise prophesies.
21 Analyze everything and hold tightly onto everything beneficial.
22 Run away from anything that even appears to be wicked.
23 May the peace of Aloha make you entirely 'dedicated', and may your whole spirit, consciousness [Gr. psuche—psyche], and body be preserved without blemish until the royal arrival of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah.
24 The One who calls you is faithful, and He’ll continue to be.
25 Friends, pray for us.
26 Greet all of our friends with a kiss 'of friendship'.
27 I solemnly commission you, by Yehovah, to read this letter to all of the 'chosen ones'.
28 May the dignity of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah be with you. Aw-main'. [1] or “like a thief in the night” End of the FIRST Letter to the Thessalonians, written from Athens and sent by Timothy. Compare the Testimony of Yeshua with the 1851 Murdock or the 1849 Etheridge Versions of “The Testimony of Yeshua” (The ‘New Testament’). 2 Good will and peace be with you, from Yehovah our Father, and from our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah.
3 Friends, we’re always obligated to give thanks to Yehovah for you, as we should, because your faith is continuing to grow, and your love for one another keeps on growing.
4 So we delight in telling everyone in the assemblies of Yehovah about you—about your faith and patience, amid all of the persecution and trials that you are enduring.
5 This is evidence of Yehovah’s righteous judgment, and that you appear to be worthy of His Kingdom, because you are suffering so much for it.
6 It is right for Yehovah to compensate those who are persecuting you now with tribulation as well!
7 Those of us who are suffering tribulation now, He’ll cause to live again [1] with us, at the revelation of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah from Heaven, with a powerful array of His spirit messengers.
8 He’ll execute vengeance with burning fire [2] on those who don’t pay attention to Yehovah, and refuse to heed the Good News of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah.
9 Their sentence is condemnation—eternal destruction, being banished from the presence of Yehovah and from the splendor of His power,
10 when He comes to be honored by His 'chosen ones' [saints], and to be held in admiration by His faithful ones. That is the Day when our testimony (that also concerns you) will be believed.
11 This is why we continually pray that Yehovah will make you worthy of your calling [invitation], and instill in you a strong desire to do good things, and the works of faith with power,
12 so that our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah’s name will be praised thru you, and you thru Him by the dignity of Yehovah and our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah. [1] The Aramaic is in agreement with 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 about the dead being raised! The Greek translations only promise “rest”, “relief” or “repose” at this most critical time, but up to hundreds or even thousands of years in the grave should be enough rest! 5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you, I told you these things?
6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he’ll appear at the right time.
7 The Mystery of the Torah breaker is already at work, but it is only being held back for now, until that which [3] is restraining is taken out of the way.
8 Then finally THE Torah breaker [Gr. anomos] will arrive, who our Sovereign Yeshua will terminate ‘with a single breath’ at His return.
9 His coming is by the supernatural work of Satan, with great power, miracles and deceitful illusions,
10 using every kind of lawlessness action to deceive those who are dying, because they refused to love the truth that could rescue them.
11 This is why Yehovah will send the superhuman power of deception to them, so that they could believe the lie.
12 Then anyone who refuses to believe the truth and delights in injustice will be summoned for judgment.
13 Dear friends of our Sovereign, thanks are always due to Yehovah, from us on your behalf, because Yehovah has chosen eternal life for you from the beginning, by our being purified by the spirit, and by our belief of the truth.
14 These are the ones who Yehovah called thru our Good News, so that you could share in the splendor of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah.
15 So friends, stand firm and persevere in the body of instructions [teachings, commandments] that you have been taught, whether by spoken word or by written message.
16 May our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah Himself, and Yehovah our Father, who has loved us and given us the consolation of eternity and something good to anticipate thru His dignity,
17 'give you peace of mind' and establish you in every good word and in every good work. [1] The root word for this assembly means “to bring together to others already assembled.” Following this special assembly, the barriers of time and space will be gone. 6 And friends, we command you in the name of [by the authority of] our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah, to back away from every professing friend who lives in wickedness, rather than by the body of instructions that you received from us.
7 You know how you should follow our example. We didn’t 'live our lives' wickedly while with you,
8 and we didn’t eat anyone’s food without paying for it, rather, we worked night and day so that we wouldn’t be a burden to any of you.
9 It wasn’t because we have no right, but so we could set a personal example for you to follow.
10 While we were with you, we also gave you the principle that anyone who won’t work, shouldn’t eat either.
11 We hear that some of you are 'living' in wickedness, and do nothing of any real value.
12 For people like that, our declaration and encouragement by the authority of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah, is that they are to work quietly and eat their own food.
13 Friends, you must never get tired of doing what is good.
14 If anyone doesn’t acknowledge these written instructions, then avoid them—keep no company with them, so that they’ll be ashamed.
15 Yet don’t treat them like an enemy, but warn them as a friend.
16 May Yehovah the Peacemaker give you continual peace in every sense. May Yehovah be with you all.
17 I, Paul, send this shlomo [greeting, Aramaic for shalom] to you in my own handwriting. It is a distinguishing mark in all of my letters.
18 Friends, may the dignity of Yeshua Messiah be with you all. Aw-main'. End of the Second letter to the Thessalonians that was written from Laodicea of Pisidia and sent by Tychicus. Compare the Testimony of Yeshua with the 1851 Murdock or the 1849 Etheridge Versions of “The Testimony of Yeshua” (The ‘New Testament’). 5 To which of the spirit messengers did Yehovah ever say, “You are My SON, today I have become your Father”, or, “I’ll be His Father and He’ll be My Son?”
6 And when bringing the Firstborn into the world He said, “All of the spirit messengers of Yehovah must worship Him.”
7 But of the messengers He said, “He makes His messengers like wind [or spirit] and His servants like flames of fire [2].
8 But of the Son He said, “Your throne, O Yehovah, is for all eternity, and the scepter of Your Kingdom is a scepter of righteousness.
9 You’ve loved righteousness [3] and hated Torah breaking, so Yehovah, your Aloha, has anointed you with the oil of joy [4] far more than your fellow Israelites [5].
10 He also said, “In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth, and the Heavens are the work of Your hands.
11 They’ll be put out of the way entirely, but you will remain forever, they’ll all wear out like clothing.
12 You’ll fold them up like a garment and they’ll be transformed—exchanged for another! [6] But you’ll remain as you are and your years will be endless.”
13 To which of the spirit messengers did He ever say, “Sit by My right hand side until I make Your enemies a footstool under Your feet?”
14 Aren’t they all spirits who serve Him—who are sent out to serve on behalf of those who will inherit eternal life? [1] Paul thought that he was living in the “last days”, also termed “latter days.” The prophecies in the Tanak using these terms include the seven year period alluded to in Daniel, plus “A day of vengeance, a year of payback settling the dispute over Zion.” (Isaiah 34:8)—eight years. 5 It is not the spirit messengers [angels] who will be assuming responsibility in the future world that we’re talking about.
6 As the Scriptures say, “What is the human race that you are aware of us, or a human son [1] that You would visit us?
7 You have made us for a little while lower than Elohim [Quoted from Psalm 8:5-6] and crowned us with splendor and honor, by putting everything [on earth] under 'our' control” [Lit: feet].” When giving control of everything to us, You left nothing outside of our control. But we have yet to see everything [the universe] under our control.
9 But now we see Someone who was made slightly inferior to Aloha, 'namely' Yeshua Himself, because of His suffering and His death was 'crowned' with majesty and honor. For Aloha Himself, by His mercy, 'experienced' death for everyone [A].
10 It was appropriate that the One responsible for everything, who is the reason that everything exists, would bring many children into His majestic realm by means of the Pioneer of their eternal life being perfected, by undergoing suffering.
11 The One who sets us apart, and those who are already set apart are all from one family. So He isn’t ashamed to call them 'brothers and sisters'.
12 As He said, “I’ll announce Your name to My brothers and sisters, I’ll praise you within the assembly.”
13 In addition, “I’ll confide in Him”, and, “Here I am with the children Yehovah has given Me!”
14 Since the children all shared a flesh and blood existence, He too shared in these very things, so that by His death, He could [ultimately] destroy the one who possessed the power of death, namely Satan,
15 and liberate those who were slaves all of their lives due to their fear of death.
16 He didn’t take on the nature of Elohim [2], rather, He took on the 'nature of a descendant of Abraham.
17 So He had to be made like His brothers and sisters in every way to become a compassionate and faithful High Priest in everything pertaining to Yehovah, in order to make atonement for the sins of the people.
18 Since He personally suffered and has been tested, He is able to help others who are being tested. [1] This would appear to be an ordinary man in verse 6, but as this link explains, it is usually a reference to the Messiah. 7 Because the 'special' spirit has said, “Today, if you hear HIS voice,
8 don’t be 'hard headed' and anger Him like the rebels did during the time of testing in the wilderness
9 where your ancestors tested Me and scrutinised My works for forty years.
10 So I was disgusted with that generation and said, ‘These are people whose minds invariably go astray, and they haven’t learned My ways.’
11 So I swore in My anger that they would never enter My place of rest.
12 See to it friends that no wicked unbelieving mind is found in any of you, turning you away from the living Aloha.
13 But examine yourselves daily until the day that is called THAT DAY, so that none of you will be hardened by the deceptiveness of sin.
14 We remain partners with the Messiah if we stay the course in our resolution from the beginning to the end.
15 As it says, “Today, if you hear His voice, don’t anger Him by being 'hard headed'.”
16 But who was it who heard and angered Him? Wasn’t it virtually everyone who Moses led out of Egypt.
17 Who was He disgusted with for forty years, other than the ones who had sinned and whose corpses fell in the wilderness?
18 And who did He swear would never enter His place of rest, but those who refused to believe?
19 So we see that they were unable to enter because they didn’t believe! [1] There are many instances of the pre incarnate Yeshua sharing the name Yehovah! 12 The Word of Aloha [Yeshua] is living and active and more penetrating than any double edged sword, even severing between the consciousness [psyche, Gr: psuche] and the spirit, piercing between the joints and the marrow and the bones [Aramaic], and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of our minds.
13 There is no creature capable of hiding from Him. Everything is openly exposed for Him to see. He’s the One we must answer too.
14 So since we have such a great High Priest, Yeshua Messiah, Yehovah’s Son, who has ascended to Heaven, we should persevere in openly acknowledging Him.
15 We don’t have a High Priest who is unable to relate to our weaknesses, but one who was tempted in every possible way as we are, and still didn’t sin.
16 So we should approach the throne of His dignity with determination, so that we can receive mercy and find His dignity in the time of affliction. [1] Yeshua and the English “Joshua” are both derived from the Hebrew name “Yehoshua.” The Aramaic here is Yeshua, not Joshua—as was also the name in Nehemiah 8:17! 7 Also, during the time that He was a physical being, He offered up prayers and appeals with intense cries and tears to the One who was able to revive Him from death, and He was heard.
8 Even tho He was the Son, He still learned to be obedient by the fear [3] and sufferings He endured.
9 So once He was perfected, He became the source of our eternal life for everyone who obeys Him.
10 He was designated by Yehovah the High Priest who resembles [Aramaic] Melchizedek.
11 Now, concerning Melchizedek, we have a lot to say that is difficult to explain, because you are hearing impaired!
12 By now you should be teachers due to all the time you spent learning. But now you need to be reeducated, beginning with the very first lines 'of the first chapter' of Yehovah’s Scriptures! You need milk rather than solid food.
13 Anyone who subsists on milk is unacquainted with the teachings of righteousness, because they are infants.
14 But solid food belongs to the mature, who due to practice have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. [1] The Greek lacks “humble himself.” 4 But those who have already descended into immersion [1] and have savored the gift from the Heavenly realm, and have received the 'special' spirit,
5 and have experienced the wonderful Word of Aloha and the powers of the age to come—
6 and then fell away [2] can’t be renewed a second time to a changed mind. That is like PERSONALLY crucifying Aloha’s Son all over again, and exposing Him to open shame.
7 The arable land that drinks in the rains that so frequently fall on it, producing valuable crops for those who farm it, are blessed by Yehovah.
8 But if it only produces thorns and briers it’s worthless and close to being cursed. It will end up being burned.
9 But friends, even tho we say these things, we’re convinced that better things await you, things pertaining to eternal life.
10 Yehovah isn’t unjust. He won’t forget your works and the love that you have displayed in His name, seeing that you have served and continue to serve the 'chosen ones' [saints].
11 We want every one of you to continue to be diligent, to fully assure your expectations to the very end
12 so that you won’t 'lose out' [3], but instead zealously imitate those who, by their fidelity and patience have become heirs of the promises.
13 When Yehovah made the promise to Abraham, because there was no one greater than Himself to swear by, He swore by Himself,
14 and said, “Assuredly I’ll bless you and I’ll increasingly multiply your 'descendants'.”
15 So he was patient and obtained the promise.
16 Men swear by someone greater than themselves. And every time a controversy occurs, an oath always puts an end to it.
17 So Yehovah, being quite willing to assure the heirs of the promises that His promises are irreversible, 'confirmed' it with an oath,
18 so that thru two unchangeable things (and it is impossible for Yehovah to lie), we who have fled to Him for refuge can have strong encouragement to hold on tightly to the promise set before us.
19 It’s like an anchor that holds our consciousness [psyche, Gr: psuche] firmly in place, a hope that enters the 'cherished' place behind the veil
20 where Yeshua has entered as our Forerunner for us, and has become a Priest forever who resembles [Aramaic] Melchizedek. [1] The Greek says, “Those who have once been enlightened”, instead of “Those who have already descended into immersion.” This corruption greatly diminishes the importance of immersion, just as was brazenly done in chapter 10:32. 11 So if perfection was attainable by means of the Levitical priesthood (because on that basis the people received the Torah), then why was another Priest still required who resembles [Aramaic] Melchizedek? Because he said, “He will be like Aaron.”
12 When a transfer in the priesthood takes place, then there must also be a transfer in the law. [2].
13 The One we’re talking about was born into another tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar.
14 It is apparent that our Sovereign arose from Judah, from a tribe that Moses never said anything about concerning the priesthood.
15 This is even more evident from His saying that another Priest will arise who resembles Melchizedek,
16 who didn’t become a Priest due to a law based on ancestry, but due to the power of an indestructible life.
17 He declared about Him: “You are a Priest forever who resembles [Aramaic] Melchizedek” [Psalm 110:4].
18 The change that was made in the previous rule was made because it was ineffective and because it was unprofitable.
19 The Torah alone perfected nothing, but bringing in a more excellent hope, IN ADDITION TO what has already been brought in [3] did. This is even better because it allows us to approach Yehovah.
20 He confirmed it to us with an oath.
21 They became priests without an oath, but He became one by an oath to the One who said to Him by David [4], “Yehovah has sworn, and won’t change His mind, ‘You are a Priest forever who resembles Melchizedek.’”
22 By all of this, Yeshua became the sponsor of a more excellent covenant.
23 There were many priests because they were mortal. They weren’t allowed to live on.
24 But this Man, because He 'lives' forever, holds a permanent priesthood that will never be passed on to a successor.
25 He is capable of offering eternal life to those who come to Yehovah thru Him, because He lives forever and intercedes for them.
26 This is the kind of Priest we need to stand before us, one pure, innocent and unstained, one separated from wickedness, and elevated higher than Heaven,
27 One who doesn’t need to offer daily zebakim [sacrifices] like the [Aaronic] high priests, first for his own sins and then for the sins of the people. He only did this once, when He offered Himself up.
28 The Torah appoints weak humans as priests, but the oath that came after the Torah was written, appoints the Son, who has been made perfect forever. [1] This is where Paul could have said “yous guys need to start tithing to us”. But of course he never did. This seems to be the only Torah statute that Christian preachers endorse, but it only pertains to Levitical priests in the Temple—a practice soon to be resumed: Ezekiel chapters 40—48! 7 If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second one.
8 Finding fault with THEM He said, “The time is coming, says Yehovah, when I’ll enact a New marriage Covenant with the House of Israel and with the House of Judah.
9 It won’t be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors during the time when I took them by the hand and led them out of the land of Egypt, because they didn’t remain loyal to My covenant and I neglected them, declared Yehovah.
10 But this is the covenant that I’ll make with the household of Israel after that time, says Yehovah, I’ll put My Torah in their minds—inscribing it on their innermost being. I’ll be their Aloha [God is a generic title] and they’ll be My people.
11 No one [in Israel] will teach doctrine to their fellow citizens [evangelize] or ask a brother, “Do you know Yehovah” [no witnessing to anyone], because they’ll all know Me, from the youngest of them to the oldest [1],
12 because I’ll be merciful regarding their unrighteousness and I won’t call their sins to mind.”
13 When He [Yeshua] mentioned the New Covenant, He was 'declaring' that the first one was obsolete and about to be repealed, and what was obsolete and failing will soon disappear. [1] People love to force fit one condition of Israel’s New Covenant into the here and now, citing verse 33 about the “new heart”, pretending that at least this one verse from Jeremiah 31 has been fulfilled—without considering the many simultaneous terms of the New Covenant, such as quoted in verse 11 above. But all of the fine print of the New Covenant is detailed in Jeremiah chapters 30-31. Every other reference to the New Covenant in the Bible references the detailed specifications in Jeremiah. 6 The priests continually enter the outer tabernacle to perform their services [4].
7 The high priest enters the inner part of the tabernacle only once a year, alone, and with the blood that he offers for himself and the sins of the people.
8 By this the 'special' spirit indicates that the way into the Most 'Cherished' Place was hidden, as long as the first tabernacle was still standing.
9 This is an illustration for today, when both the meal offerings and zebakim being offered are unable to 'clear' the conscience of those who are offering them.
10 These things only deal with food and drink and various kinds of washings that are mortal regulations, set up until the time when things are set right.
11 But the Messiah who came was a High Priest of the good things to come, and He entered the greater and perfect tabernacle that wasn’t made by human hands and wasn’t part of this creation.
12 He didn’t enter with the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the 'cherished' place just once with His own blood and obtained our eternal deliverance from the death penalty.
13 If the blood of goats and calves and the ashes of a heifer * sprinkled on those who are Levitically unclean makes them 'clean', and cleanses their mortal bodies,
14 then how much more will the blood of the Messiah, who thru the eternal spirit offered Himself without blemish to Yehovah, cleanse our consciousness from dead works so that we can serve the living Aloha?
15 This is the reason He became the Mediator of the New Covenant—so that by means of death He could become the ransom payment for those who are breaking [1] the first [original] covenant, so that those who are called to the eternal inheritance can receive the promise.
16 When there is a last will and testament, it follows that the one who made it will die.
17 It only goes into effect when someone has died. It doesn’t take effect as long as the person who made it is alive.
18 That is why even the first covenant wasn’t put into effect without blood.
19 When Moses had spoken every regulation to all the people, according to the Torah, Moses took the blood of a heifer with some water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the Scroll and all the people.
20 He told them, “This is the blood 'that confirms' that the covenant that Yehovah has made with you is binding.”
21 Similarly, he sprinkled blood on the tabernacle and on all of the implements of the service,
22 because according to the Torah, about everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there can be no pardoning of sins.
23 It was necessary for these copies of things from the Heavenly realm to be purified with these things, but the Heavenly counterparts themselves are cleansed with far better blood zebakim than these.
24 The Messiah didn’t enter into the 'cherished' place made by human hands that is a mere copy of the true 'cherished' place, rather, He entered Heaven itself to appear in the presence of Yehovah for us.
25 Nor was it necessary for Him to offer Himself often, the way the high priest enters into the 'cherished' place every year, with blood that is not his own.
26 Otherwise He would have to have suffered many times since the beginning of the world. But now, at the end of the age, He has offered Himself once as a zebak [sacrifice] to abolish sin.
27 And just as people are destined to die once, and after their death comes Judgment [Day],
28 so the Messiah was also offered once, and personally placed on the altar to bear the sins of many, and He’ll appear a second time, not to bear sin, but for the eternal life of those who expect Him. [1] Most of this description, including the first covenant comment and comments in chapter 10 are better rendered in the present tense (despite modern translations), because there were Temple services until 70 AD, and the Jeremiah 31 covenant is still future! 5 So when He was coming into the world, He said, “You didn’t want zebakim and meal offerings, but You’ve 'equipped' [clothed] Me with a body!
6 You have never wanted burnt zebakim to atone for sins.”
7 Then I said, “I have come to do Your will, as it is written about Me in the very first books, O Yehovah!”
8 In 'this passage' he said, “You have never wanted zebakim and meal offerings that are offered 'as required by' the Torah”,
9 Later He said, “I have come to do Your will, O Yehovah!” So He is taking away the first so that He can establish the second!
10 By His will we are dedicated by the zebak of Yeshua Messiah’s body, offered a single time.
11 Every high priest stands and serves daily, repeatedly 'offering' the same zebakim that are never enough to purge the guilt of sins.
12 But this High Priest offered one zebak for sins and sat down at the right hand side of Yehovah forever.
13 Since the time He was offered He has been waiting for His enemies to be set like a footstool under His feet.
14 By a single zebak He has perfected for all time those who are now 'chosen'.
15 the 'special' spirit also confirms this to us, by saying,
16 “This is the covenant that I will give them after those days, says Yehovah, I’ll put My Torah into their minds and inscribe it on their inner beings.”
17 And I’ll no longer remember their Torah breaking and their sins.
18 Now when there is a complete pardoning of sins, an offering for sin is no longer required.
19 So friends, we can confidently enter the 'cherished' place by the blood of Yeshua,
20 by a new way of life that He has initiated 'for' us, thru the veil, that is His flesh.
21 And since we have a High Priest who has authority over Aloha’s house,
22 let’s draw near with sincerity, in full assurance of faith, with our minds sprinkled and cleansed from evil thoughts, and our bodies washed in pure water.
23 Let’s persevere in the hope we profess without wavering, because the One who made the promise is faithful.
24 Let’s consider ways to motivate each other to show love and to do good works,
25 not forsaking our assembling in synagogues [Gr. epi-sunagoge] together, as some habitually [Gr. ethos] do, but encourage each other increasingly more as you see the Day of Yehovah approaching [1].
26 If we deliberately sin after having received a correct knowledge of the truth, then there is no longer a zebak for sins—
27 just the terrifying expectation of judgment, and a raging fire that consumes the adversaries.
28 Anyone who disregarded the Torah of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
29 How much more severe do you think the punishment will be for someone who has trampled on Yehovah’s Son, and thought that the blood of the covenant that made Him unique was just like the blood of anyone else, and has blasphemed the spirit of compassion?
30 We know the One who said, “Retribution is Mine, and I will pay them back”, and also, “Yehovah will judge His people.”
31 It’s a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living Aloha!
32 Remember the earlier days after you were first immersed [2] when you endured great conflict and suffering.
33 You were made a public spectacle and sided with people who endured these things.
34 You sympathized with people in prison and you cheerfully endured when your goods were seized, knowing that you have in yourself a more valuable possession in Heaven that is permanent!
35 So don’t throw away your boldness, because it will be greatly compensated.
36 You really need patience so that you can do Yehovah’s will and receive the promise.
37 “Soon, very soon, the One who is coming will arrive, and He will not be delayed.
38 The righteous will live by My [3] faith, but if anyone defects [Aramaic defectus], My consciousness [psyche, Gr: psuche] will have no pleasure with them.”
39 But we aren’t hesitant people headed toward destruction, rather, we live in faith, gaining possession of our inner selves. [1] As Paul mentioned in his opening statements (Chapter 1:2), he believed that he was living in the “last days.” This influenced much of what he said, particularly since he thought that the New Covenant with Israel was about to be implemented (Hebrews 9, and 10:16-18 above). Only a tiny minority are converted now, so until the Kingdom arrives we must still announce the Good News and be His witnesses, until Hebrews 8:8-10, especially verse 10, is really fulfilled. 3 By faith we understand that the planets were framed by the Word of Aloha, and that the things we see originated from things that are invisible.
4 By faith Abel offered Yehovah a better zebak than Cain did, and because of it we have confirmation that he was righteous. Yehovah gave the confirmation by accepting his zebakim [sacrifices], and as a result, tho 'Abel' is dead [John 3:13], 'Abel' is still spoken of. [1]
5 By faith Enoch was transferred [or changed] and didn’t 'experience' death, he simply vanished, because Yehovah had transferred him. Before He transferred him, he was commended as having pleased Yehovah.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Yehovah, because anyone who comes to Yehovah must believe that He exists, and that He compensates those who diligently search for Him.
7 By faith when Noah was told of things as yet unseen, he reverently built an ark to save his family, and by doing so he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, heard that he was to leave home and go to a place where he would receive an inheritance, so he went out not knowing where he was going.
9 By faith he went to live in the land that was promised to him, as in a foreign land, and lived in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who also inherited the same promise,
10 because he was looking forward to the city with permanent foundations [2], whose architect [Gr. technites] and builder is Yehovah.
11 By faith Sarah also, who was sterile, was given the ability to have children, even tho she was past the time of 'life' for this, and gave birth because she firmly believed that the One who had made the promise was trustworthy.
12 So from one man who was failing from old age, descendants were born as numerous as the stars in the heavens, and as countless as grains of sand on the seashore.
13 They all died in faith without receiving what was promised [3a], but they saw it [singular in Aramaic: the city] from a distance, and were jubilant about it, acknowledging that they were foreigners and aliens [still] on the earth.
14 Those who say such things make it clear that they are looking for a city of their own.
15 If they had wanted the city that they left, they had the opportunity to return.
16 Yet it’s apparent that they wanted a better city than that, namely, the one that’s in the Heavenly realm [3b]. So Aloha [Yeshua] was not ashamed to be called their Aloha, because He has prepared a city for them [John 14:2-3].
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, his only begotten [unique] son who he had received by a promise, and laid him on the altar,
18 even tho he had been told [by Yehovah], “Thru Isaac your descendants will carry on your name. [4]
19 He had thought to himself that it was within Yehovah’s ability to raise him from the dead, and he did get him back in a figurative sense.
20 By faith Isaac promised blessings to Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.
21 By faith, as Jacob was dying, he blessed each of Joseph’s sons, bowing in worship as he leaned on the top of his staff.
22 By faith, when Joseph was dying he was aware of the exodus of the descendants of Israel and gave them instructions 'about burying' his bones.
23 By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they weren’t afraid of the king’s edict.
24 By faith, when Moses 'grew up', he refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
25 He chose to suffer along with Yehovah’s people, rather than enjoy the temporary pleasures of sin.
26 He considered that being insulted for the Messiah’s sake [5] was a greater treasure than all of the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead for his compensation.
27 By faith he left Egypt, unafraid of the king’s anger, and he persevered just as if he saw the invisible Yehovah.
28 By faith they performed the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the One who was destroying the firstborn wouldn’t approach them.
29 By faith they crossed the Red Sea, like anyone would on dry land, but the Egyptians were drowned when they dared to 'try' it.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.
31 By faith Rahab the prostitute didn’t die with those who were disobedient, because she welcomed the scouts in peace.
32 Why should I say more? I don’t have enough time to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephtha, David, Samuel, and the prophets,
33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, brought about justice, obtained promises, and shut the mouths of lions.
34 They quenched the relentless forces of fires, escaped from the edge of swords, were healed of diseases, became valiant in battle, and overthrew the camps of enemies.
35 Women received their children by a resurrection from the dead. Others were put to death during torture, not even hoping to be rescued [6], so that they could secure a better resurrection.
36 Others endured being mocked and whipped, while others were chained and imprisoned.
37 Some were stoned, others were sawn in half, others were killed by the edge of swords, others roamed around clothed in sheep and goat skins. They were poor, oppressed and mistreated.
38 The world was not worthy of them, yet they wandered in deserts and mountains, or hid in caves and fissures in the earth.
39 None of these honorable witnesses received the promised blessings,
40 since Yehovah had determined that it is better that they not be made perfect and complete beings without [ahead of] us. [1] Search for the phrase “is spoken of”. 4 You haven’t yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood in the fight against sin.
5 You’ve forgotten the admonition that tells you, as if you were children, “My Son, don’t disregard Yehovah’s discipline or 'give up' when He disciplines you,
6 because Yehovah disciplines everyone he loves, and severely whips [figurative: scourges] the children He acknowledges as His own.”
7 So endure the discipline, because Yehovah is dealing with you as His own children. For what son is there whose father doesn’t discipline him?
8 But if you aren’t disciplined 'like the rest of us', then that is evidence that you’re aliens and not children.
9 When our human fathers disciplined us we respected them, so shouldn’t we be even more submissive to our Spiritual Fathers [2] and be rescued?
10 They disciplined us for a short time the way that they wanted to, but Yehovah disciplines us for our benefit, so that we can share in His 'majesty' [root word].
11 No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. But later it produces a harvest of peace and righteousness for those who have gone thru the exercise.
12 So strengthen your weak hands and your trembling knees,
13 and straighten out the wheel ruts in your path so that your lameness won’t get worse, but be healed.
14 Pursue peace with everyone, as well as dedication. Without those, no one will see Yehovah.
15 See to it that none of you are falling behind in the dignity of Yehovah, to prevent some root of bitterness from springing up and troubling you, and defiling many others.
16 See to it that none of you are prostitutes/adulterers/fornicators [Gr. pornos], or are profane like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.
17 You know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected because he never found an opportunity for undoing what he had done, altho he earnestly searched for it with tears.
18 You haven’t come to the mountain ablaze in fire, or to darkness and gloom and storm,
19 or to the sound of the shofar, and the sound of the voice that caused those who heard to leave, so as not to hear anything more being spoken to them.
20 They couldn’t bear hearing the command: “Even if an animal approaches the mountain, it must be stoned.”
21 The sight was so terrifying that even Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”
22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living Aloha, to the Jerusalem that’s in the Heavenly realm, to the assembly of tens of thousands of spirit messengers,
23 and to the festival assembly of the firstborn whose names are recorded in Heaven, and to Yehovah, the Judge of everyone, and to the spirits of the righteous who are perfected [Yeshua wouldn’t even admit to being good: Luke 18:19]
24 and to Yeshua, the Mediator of the New Covenant, and to the sprinkling of His blood that reveals better things than 'the blood' of Abel.
25 See to it that you don’t reject the One who speaks with you. If those who ignored the one who spoke with them on earth didn’t escape, how much less will we if we ignore the One who speaks to us from Heaven,
26 whose voice shook the earth. But now He has promised, “Once more, I’ll not only shake the earth, but the heavens as well.”
27 By His saying, “Once more”, it indicates another major rearrangement of the things that can be shaken, because they were created in such a way that the things that can’t be shaken will remain.
28 So since we’re receiving a Kingdom that’s unshakable, let’s hang onto His loving kindness, so that we can serve and please our Aloha with reverence and fear,
29 because our Aloha is a consuming fire. [1] The Greek says despising the shame. 4 Marriage is honorable in every way, and the marriage bed is undefiled, but Yehovah will judge the sexually impure and adulterers.
5 Your minds should be free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, because Yehovah Himself has said, “I’ll never abandon you or 'forsake' you.”
6 We should confidently be saying, “Yehovah helps me. I will not be afraid. What can people do to me?”
7 Remember your guides who have spoken the Word of Aloha. Consider how their lives turn out, and imitate their faith.
8 Yeshua Messiah is the same, yesterday, today and forever!
9 Don’t get carried away with strange and diverse doctrines. It’s good for our 'inner selves' to be strengthened with dignity rather than meats, because people who have lived that way [with “diverse doctrines”] haven’t benefited.
10 We have an altar that those in the Tabernacle have no right to eat from.
11 The high priest brings the blood of animals into the 'cherished' place as an zebak for sin, but the bodies are burned outside the camp.
12 That’s why Yeshua, in order to set His people apart with His own blood, suffered outside the city.
13 So let’s also go outside of the assembly [1] and endure being discredited with Him,
14 because we have no permanent city here, but we are looking for 'the city' that is to come.
15 Let’s continually offer zebakim [sacrifices] of praise to Yehovah thru Him, that is, by the 'praises of our lips' that give thanks to His Name.
16 Don’t forget to do good and share with the poor [2]. With these kinds of zebakim we can please Yehovah.
17 Confide in your guides, and listen to them [3] because they’re watching over you, and they’re people accountable to Aloha for their council. They should be able to do it with joy rather than anguish, because that wouldn’t be to anyone’s advantage.
18 Pray for us, because we’re certain that our consciences are clear, and we intend to keep living honorably in every way.
19 I especially ask this of you, so that I can return to you sooner.
20 May the Aloha of peace who raised the great Shepherd of the flock from the dead by the blood of the EVERLASTING COVENANT [See Ezekiel 37:26], namely Yeshua Messiah, our Sovereign
21 prepare you for every good work so that you can do His will, and produce in you the things that will please Him, thru Yeshua Messiah. Splendor belongs to Him forever and ever! Aw-main'.
22 I ask that you bear with me friends, and patiently consider this admonition, because I have only written a few words to you.
23 You should know that our friend Timothy has been released, and if he comes soon, we’ll both see you.
24 Greet all your guides and all the 'chosen ones' [saints]. Everyone in Italy sends their greetings.
25 May His favor be with you all. Aw-main'. [1] This would better read “outside of the assembly”, than “outside of the camp (since the camp was long gone), in the context of v.12, where Yeshua left the hypocritical “church”/camp/assembly/city of Jerusalem, and was crucified outside of the city for being in a different spiritual ‘camp’! Compare the Testimony of Yeshua with the 1851 Murdock or the 1849 Etheridge Versions of “The Testimony of Yeshua” (The ‘New Testament’). 3 When I was on my way to Macedonia, I called you aside and asked that you remain in Ephesus and relay a message demanding that certain people not teach deviating doctrine,
4 and not 'fall for' [1] myths and endless tales about genealogies that serve no purpose other to create controversies rather than promote the faith [conviction of the truth] of Yehovah.
5 Now the aim and purpose [2] of the Commandments is love, coming from a pure inner being and from a clear conscience, and from genuine conviction [faith].
6 But some of these people have drifted away and have turned to peddling nonsense.
7 They want to be Torah teachers, yet they don’t understand what they’re talking about or anything about their bold assertions.
8 Now we know that the Torah is good when someone lives in accordance with the Torah,
9 and we know that the Torah wasn’t laid down [3] for righteous people, but for the lawless, the rebellious, the wicked, the sinful, the dishonest, the impure and for those who strike their fathers and strike their mothers and for murderers
10 and fornicators and homosexuals and slave traders and liars and perjurers and anything else that is contrary to sound doctrine,
11 according to the magnificent Good News of the blessed Yehovah that I have been entrusted with.
12 I thank the One who empowered me, our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah, who considered me trustworthy, and appointed me into His service,
13 even tho I used to blaspheme and persecute and injure people, yet I received mercy, because I did it in ignorance [4] and unbelief.
14 The dignity of our Sovereign overflowed toward me, along with faith and brotherly love that is found in Yeshua Messiah.
15 Here is a trustworthy statement worthy of complete acceptance: Yeshua Messiah came into the world to rescue sinners, and I’m the primary example.
16 But this is why He had mercy on me, so that by me, the primary example, Yeshua Messiah could display His great patience, as an example for those He is yet to persuade into eternal life.
17 Now to the eternal King, incorruptible, and invisible, the only Aloha [God], be honor and praise forever and ever! Aw-main'.
18 My son Timothy, this is the announcement that I’m entrusting you to announce, according to the inspired predictions about you, so that 'armed' with them you can fight the good fight,
19 holding onto faith and a clear conscience, because those who have thrown them aside have become destitute of faith,
20 like Hymenaeus and Alexander who I have handed over to Satan so that hopefully they’ll learn not to blaspheme. [1] The literal Aramaic is, “throw themselves into.” 8 I want people everywhere to pray, lifting up 'pure' hands without anger and disputes.
9 Also, women should be dressed with proper clothing, with decency and propriety, not with ornately braided hair or with gold or pearls or expensive clothes,
10 but rather by means of good works, as would be expected of women who claim to have reverence for Yehovah.
11 Women should be accustomed to a life of working at home, and not meddling in the affairs of others, and being submissive.
12 I don’t allow a woman to teach, or usurp the authority of men, rather, she should live as a homemaker [3].
13 Adam was formed first, and then Eve.
14 Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and stepped over the line.
15 Yet women will live [be kept safe and sound] by raising children [4] if they remain in the faith and in love and in dedication and in chastity. [1] The Aramaic explains the relationship between Yeshua and His Father. The Greek says “one Theos”, rather than “one.” 8 Similarly, servants of the assembly should be pure in character, not double talkers or addicted to wine or in love with dishonest gain.
9 They should hang onto the mysteries of the faith with a clear conscience.
10 They should be tested first. Then, if they prove to be blameless, they can serve.
11 Their wives should also be chaste and sensible, faithful in everything, and they shouldn’t be gossips.
12 These servants should only have one wife, and should manage their own children and household well.
13 Those who serve well gain an excellent reputation by their unreserved bold speech [1] about the faith of Yeshua Messiah.
14 I’m writing these things to you, even tho I hope to come and see you soon,
15 but in case I’m delayed, I want you to know how you should conduct yourself in Yehovah’s house, which is the Assembly of the Living Aloha—the pillar and the foundation of the truth.
16 The mystery of righteousness that was revealed in a 'human body'; is truly great: that was revealed in the flesh, vindicated by the spirit, seen by spirit messengers, proclaimed among the nations, believed in the world and taken up to Heaven in splendor. [1] “Ministers for hire” virtually always fear losing their jobs more than freely expressing any particular truth about the Kingdom that conflicts with their official orthodoxy. Freedom of speech can’t exist in incorporated churches with their teachings carved in stone. 6 If you teach these things to your friends, you’ll be a good servant of Yeshua Messiah, being educated in the lessons of the faith and by the sound doctrines that you’ve been taught.
7 But you should shun foolish old wives tales and concentrate on being righteous.
8 Exercising the body has a temporary benefit, but righteousness is of value in every way, promising benefits in this lifetime and in the one to come.
9 This is a trustworthy statement deserving of unquestioned acceptance.
10 That is why we’re working so hard and are discredited so much, because we trust in the living Aloha who is the Life Giver of all humanity, especially of those who believe. [4].
11 You must teach these things and insist on them.
12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but be an example for the believers in your speech and conduct and in love, faithfulness and purity.
13 Until I come, be diligent in [Scripture] reading, prayer [5] and doctrine.
14 Don’t neglect the gift that is in you, that was given to you thru with prophecy, and the hand-laying [Aramaic sim-yado] of the elders.
15 Meditate on these things and immerse yourself in them, so that it will be obvious to everyone that you’re making progress.
16 Pay close attention to yourself and to your doctrine, and persevere in them, because by doing so you’ll save your life and the lives of those who listen to you. [1] The Greek omits “by a false appearance”, but it’s a pretty sure bet that there will be a fake “second coming of Jesus Christ.” 3 Honor widows who are truly widows.
4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they should first learn to show kindness to their own households by repaying their parents, because that is what pleases Yehovah.
5 A widow who is really a widow, and alone, is someone whose hope is in Yehovah, and she is dedicated to prayers and appeals, night and day.
6 But a widow who lives for pleasure is the living dead.
7 Give these instructions so that they’ll have good reputations.
8 If anyone doesn’t provide for their own family, and especially for those of the household of faith, they have rejected their faith and are worse than an unbeliever.
9 Widows put on the list should be no less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one man,
10 having a reputation for good works, having raised children, having been hospitable to strangers, having washed the feet of the 'chosen ones' [saints], given relief to the distressed and having dedicated herself to good things of every kind.
11 But keep younger widows off of the list, because their feelings about serving the Messiah would be divided, and they’ll 'focus on' being remarried.
12 They would incur mild judgment for having rejected their first pledge.
13 They also learn how to be lazy, wandering from house to house. They’re not only lazy, but they chatter endlessly, doing worthless things and saying things they shouldn’t.
14 I would like to see the younger women get married and have children and manage their homes, rather than allow the adversary any opportunity to ridicule them.
15 Some of them have already been sidetracked, following Satan.
16 If any believing man or woman [1] has needy relatives who are widows, they should support them and not allow them to be a burden on the assembly, so that there will be enough for widows who are really in need.
17 The elders who moderate [2] well should be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who carry the burden of teaching the Word and doctrine,
18 because the Scriptures say, “Don’t muzzle a bull while it is threshing grain”, so a laborer deserves his wages!
19 Don’t consider an accusation against an elder unless it is confirmed “by two or three witnesses.”
20 Those who wander from the Torah should be reprimanded in front of everyone, so that the rest of the people will be afraid to sin.
21 I solemnly call on you in Yehovah’s presence, and before our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah and His select spirit messengers, to be careful not to violate these teachings, and not allow your thoughts to be preoccupied by anything, and do nothing out of favoritism for anyone.
22 Don’t hurredly lay hand[s] on anyone, and don’t participate in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
23 From now on, don’t just drink water, but drink a little wine for the sake of your stomach and for your recurring ailments.
24 Some people’s sins are quite evident, leading them to the 'seat' of judgment, but there are some whose footsteps aren’t traceable until later.
25 Just as the good deeds of some are obvious, those that aren’t won’t be hidden forever. [1] The Aramaic, and the Majority texts of the Greek manuscripts, and the English versions translated from them, include “men and women” in this verse. 3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and refuses to agree with the wholesome instructions of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah and to doctrine reverential to Aloha,
4 they are conceited and don’t understand anything. Their craving for arguments and controversies about words are mentally imbalanced, giving rise to envy, quarreling, slander, a wicked mentality
5 and useless conflicts with others. Their intellects are corrupt and deprived of the truth. They think that true reverence is a money making 'scheme'. Avoid such things.
6 But we profit greatly from our reverence of Yehovah. We don’t need anything else!
7 We brought nothing into the world and we know that we can’t take anything out of it.
8 As long as we have food and clothing we should be satisfied.
9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many lusts that are foolish and harmful, that plunge them in destruction and ruin,
10 because the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. And there are some who, craving it, have strayed from the faith and brought much grief on themselves.
11 But you, O man of Aloha, must flee from these things and pursue righteousness and equity, faithfulness, love, patience and humility.
12 Fight in the good battle for your faith and take hold of eternal life. This is why you were called, and have declared your honorable testimony before many witnesses.
13 In the presence of Yehovah, who gives life to all, and before Yeshua Messiah who declared His honorable testimony before Pontius Pilate, I insist that
14 you obey this command spotlessly and blamelessly until the appearance of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah.
15 At the right time, 'Yeshua' will reveal who the blessed and only Sovereign is, the King of kings and Master of masters
16 who alone has 'immortality', living in unapproachable light, who no one has ever seen or even can see. To Him be honor and dominion forever and ever. Aw-main'.
17 Impress on the rich of the world not to be arrogant, or trust in their wealth, where there is no security, but on the living Aloha who richly gives us everything we enjoy.
18 They should do good works, be rich in noble deeds, be ready to share and willing to fellowship,
19 so that they store up for themselves a good foundation for the future, so they can take possession of real life.
20 Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you and avoid discussing useless topics such as the antithetical [Gr. antithesis] theories of pseudoscience,
21 because those who promote them have deviated from the faith. May His dignity be with you. Aw-main'. End of the first letter to Timothy, that was sent out from Laodicea. Compare the Testimony of Yeshua with the 1851 Murdock or the 1849 Etheridge Versions of “The Testimony of Yeshua” (The ‘New Testament’).
2 to Timothy my dear son, may dignity, mercy and peace be granted to you from Yehovah our Father and from our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah.
3 I thank Yehovah who I serve with a clean conscience the way my ancestors did, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.
4 I remember your tears and I really want to see you, so that I can be filled with joy.
5 I’m reminded of your genuine faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I’m fully convinced it’s in you as well.
6 So I’m reminding you to rekindle the gift of Yehovah that’s in you thru the laying on of my hands,
7 because Yehovah hasn’t given us a cowardly spirit, but one of power, love and self-discipline.
8 So don’t be ashamed of the Testimony of our Sovereign or of me His bondsman [1], rather, endure the hardships associated with the Good News thru the power of Yehovah,
9 who has rescued us from perishing and called us with a supernatural invitation not because of what we’ve done, but because of His own dignity that was given to us thru Yeshua Messiah before the time [Gr. chronos] of eternity [or “the worlds”].
10 And now it’s been plainly revealed by the appearance of our Life Giver, Yeshua Messiah, who has abolished death [2] and brought real life and immortality into plain view thru the Good News.
11 For this I’ve been appointed a herald, an envoy, and a teacher of the nations.
12 That’s why I suffer these things. But I’m not ashamed, because I know the One I have believed in, and I’m certain that He is quite capable of safeguarding 'what has been entrusted to me' [Aramaic ‘my deposit’] until the day He returns.
13 Contemplate the wholesome doctrines that you’ve heard from me with the conviction and love that comes from Yeshua Messiah.
14 Guard the good deposit via the 'special' spirit that lives in us.
15 You are aware that everyone in Asia minor has deserted me, including Phygellus and Hermogenes.
16 May our Sovereign grant mercy to the family of Onesiphorus, because he often took care of me, and wasn’t ashamed of the chains of my imprisonment.
17 On the contrary, when he came to Rome he diligently searched for me 'until he' found me.
18 May he [Onesiphorus] find our Sovereign’s mercy when that day comes. You are very well aware of how he served me in Ephesus. [1] See why “bondsman” is far better than “prisoner.” Keyword prisoner. 8 Remember that Yeshua Messiah was raised from the dead. He was the prophesied descendant of David, according to my Good News
9 that I suffer for, even being put in chains like a criminal, but the Word of Aloha is not imprisoned.
10 So I endure everything for the sake of the Select, so that they can also obtain eternal life thru Yeshua Messiah with eternal splendor.
11 This is a trustworthy saying: If we died with Him we will also live with Him.
12 If we endure, we will also reign with Him. But if we disown Him, He’ll also disown us.
13 Even if we don’t believe Him, He remains faithful, because He can’t reject Himself.
14 Remind everyone of these truths and 'warn' them before Yehovah not to argue over trifling matters, subverting [Gr. katastrophe] those who hear.
15 Endeavor to present yourselves as 'genuine and perfect' [Gr. dokimos] 20 In a stately mansion there aren’t only articles of gold or silver, but also wooden items and ceramics. Some of them are extraordinary, but some are 'quite ordinary'.
21 If someone cleanses themselves of these latter, they will become a valuable instrument, dedicated, useful for Yehovah’s service, and fully equipped for every good work.
22 Run away from youthful lusts and run toward righteousness, conviction, love, and peace in the company of others who call on Yehovah with pure thoughts.
23 But avoid moronic [Gr. moros] debates that exclude instruction, because you know that they breed quarrels.
24 A servant of Yehovah shouldn’t fight, but should be kind to everyone, able to teach, and tolerant of being wronged,
25 gently refuting the errors of opponents in the hope that Yehovah might allow them to change the way they think and act so that they can come to a full knowledge of the truth,
26 and come to themselves,, and escape from Satan’s snare after having been held captive by him to do whatever he wants. 6 Some of these men creep from house to house, captivating feeble minded women who are burdened by their sins and swayed by all kinds of cravings.
7 They are always “learning” but never coming to a correct knowledge of spiritual truth.
8 These men oppose the truth just like Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, men with corrupted intellects—counterfeits with regard to faith [true convictions].
9 They won’t get very far before their stupidity becomes apparent to everyone, just like Jannes and Jambres’ stupidity became apparent.
10 But you have thoroly examined my doctrine, my way of life, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, my endurance,
11 and how I was persecuted and suffered in Antioch, in Iconium and in Lystra—the persecution I endured. Yet Yehovah rescued me from it all.
12 'Indeed' anyone whose life is dedicated to Yehovah, 'and belongs to' Yeshua Messiah will be persecuted.
13 But wicked people and impostors will grow worse and worse in wickedness, deceiving and being deceived themselves.
14 But you must continue in the things you have learned and found to be true, because you know who you learned it from,
15 and that from your childhood you were taught from the 'Cherished' Writings, 'things' that can give you the wisdom to obtain eternal life, thru faith in Yeshua Messiah.
16 Every Scripture [1] [literally, ‘writing’] that was written by the spirit is profitable for doctrine for proving convictions, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,
17 so that a person of Aloha can become 'very adept' and accomplished in every good work. [1] It is apparent that the Scriptures leading to eternal life mentioned in vss. 15-16 are referring to the Tanak, mistakenly called the “Old Testament”, since all 50 other references to Scripture/s in the Testimony of Yeshua refer to it, including a twisted interpretation of 2 Peter 3:16. Same goes for “The Word of God” (Elohim). No reference to “The Word of God” includes the Testimony of Yeshua. Look them up! 6 My blood is about to be offered. The time of my departure is coming.
7 I’ve fought a good fight, I’ve finished my race. I’ve remained faithful.
8 So from now on a crown of righteousness is awaiting me, that our Sovereign, the righteous Judge will compensate me with on that Day, and not only me, but everyone who longs for His return.
9 Make every effort to come to me immediately,
10 because Demas has left me. In love with this present age, he went to Thessalonica; Crispus went to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.
11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he will be helpful for me in this particular service.
12 I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.
13 When you come, bring the book case [2] that I left in Troas with Carpus, the codices [books] and especially the parchment scrolls.
14 Alexander the coppersmith showed bitter hostility towards me. Our Sovereign will compensate him commensurate with his works.
15 You should also beware of him. He’s been strongly opposed to our message.
16 At my first defense, no one sided with me, they all abandoned me. I hope that this isn’t held against them.
17 But my Sovereign stood with me, and strengthened me so that I could finish publishing the proclamation [see root of proclamation], so that every nation could hear it. I was rescued from the mouth of the lion.
18 My Sovereign will rescue me from every evil 'plot' and bring me life in the Heavenly realm. Splendor belongs to Him for ever and ever! Aw-main'.
19 Send my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila and Onesiphoros and family.
20 Erastus stayed over in Corinth, and I left Trophimus in the city of Miletus because he was sick.
21 Make every effort to arrive before winter. Eubulus greets you, as does Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the friends.
22 May our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah be with your spirit. May His good will be with you. Aw-main'. [1] Euaggelistes: This is one of three places where this form of the word “evangel” (Good News) appears in the Greek. Religious jargon calls them evangelists. They were “assembly planters” (or “church planters” as described in Pagan Christianity), carrying the Good News to places where it was previously unknown. Philip appears to have traveled from city to city heralding the teachings (Acts 8:4, 40 & 21:8). Judging from the case of Philip, assembly planters didn’t have the authority of heralds, the gift of prophecy or the responsibility of elders. (See also Ephesians 4:11) End of the Second Letter to Timothy, that was written in Rome. Compare the Testimony of Yeshua with the 1851 Murdock or the 1849 Etheridge Versions of “The Testimony of Yeshua” (The ‘New Testament’). 4 To Titus, a true son in our common faith. May good will and peace be yours from Yehovah our Father, and from our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah our Life Giver.
5 I left you in Crete so that you could straighten out the things that still require attention, and establish elders in every city as I directed you.
6 They must be above reproach, be married to only one wife and have believing children who aren’t known for having wild lifestyles or being rebellious.
7 An elder must be blameless, a custodian of Yehovah who isn’t self centered. He must not be stubborn or irritable or prone to anger or a wino or violent or make money in shameful ways.
8 He should be hospitable to strangers, appreciate what is good, be sensible, equitable, kind and self-controlled.
9 He must be careful with the teachings of the trustworthy Word, so that he’ll be able to encourage others by his wholesome teachings, and refute those who contradict it.
10 There are many rebellious people who are uttering nonsense and deceiving people, especially those of the circumcision.
11 They must be silenced, because they’re ruining whole families, teaching things they shouldn’t for the sake of 'dishonest' gain.
12 One of their own prophets said, “Cretans are always liars, dangerous animals, and lazy gluttons.”
13 This is an accurate 'quotation'. So refute them sharply so that they can be sound in the faith.
14 Don’t pay attention to Jewish fables or to the commandments of men who hate the truth.
15 To the pure, everything is pure, but to the corrupt and unbelieving, nothing is pure. Their very minds and consciences are corrupted.
16 They claim to know Yehovah, but they disown Him by their works, they are detestable and disobedient. As for good works, they are counterfeits. 3 Likewise admonish the older women to show their reverence to Yehovah by their behavior. They must not be slanderers or enslaved to wine, but be teaching good things,
4 teaching young women to havespecial affection for their husbands and to love their children,
5 to be sensible and sincere and taking good care of their households, and being submissive to their husbands, so that no one blasphemes the Word of Aloha.
6 Similarly, insist that the young men be sound minded.
7 Always be a role model in regard to every kind of good works. Your teaching should be sincere and pure
8 words that no one can condemn, so that our opponents will be ashamed at having nothing offensive to say about us.
9 Servants should always obey their masters and strive to please them, not being argumentative
10 or robbing them. Instead, they should show complete loyalty so they can make the doctrine of Yehovah our Life Giver attractive in every way.
11 The life giving kindness of Yehovah has appeared to all humanity,
12 and it teaches us to renounce wickedness and the cravings of this world and to live sensibly in this world and in righteousness, and in great awe of Yehovah,
13 anticipating our blessed hope and the epiphany [Gr. epiphaneia] from heaven of the splendor of the great Aloha AND our Life Giver [1], Yeshua Messiah,
14 who gave Himself for us so that He could liberate us from our lawless condition and cleanse a new people [2] for Himself who are zealous for doing good works.
15 You must teach, emphasize, and imprint these things on their minds, systematically and authoritatively. Don’t allow anyone to disregard you. [1] As in the Aramaic, the KJV worded this correctly from the Greek, unlike most modern versions, to include both Father and Son returning to earth together! As in Daniel 7:9-14, tho it is hotly contested by commentators. 3 We also used to be reckless and disobedient and deceived, enslaved to various cravings, and living with lusts and envy. We were hateful ourselves and hated each other
4 until the kindness and compassion of Yehovah our Life Giver appeared [Gr. epiphaino]—
5 not as a result of the righteous things we’ve done, but due to His mercy. He gave us life by a regenerative washing and the renewing of the 'special' spirit,
6 that He poured out on us so abundantly thru Yeshua Messiah our Life Giver,
7 so that we can be declared righteous by His kindness and become heirs, anticipating eternal life
8 This is a trustworthy saying, and I would strongly advise you to accept these things, so that those who have believed in Yehovah will commit themselves to good works. These things are good and beneficial for everyone.
9 But avoid moronic [Gr. moros] controversies and stories about genealogies, and debates and arguments with religious teachers [1], because they are a useless waste of time.
10 After a first and second admonition, have nothing further to do with a heretic,
11 because as you know, a person like that is warped, sinful and self-condemned.
12 As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, be sure to join me in Nicopolis, because I have decided to spend the winter there.
13 Do everything you can to help Zenas the Torah teacher and Apollos on their journey, so that they’ll have everything they need.
14 Our people should also learn to do good works during times of emergency, so that they won’t be unproductive.
15 Everyone with me sends their greetings. Greet the faithful who love us. May His dignity be with you all. Aw-main'. [1] The issue has nothing to do with “the Torah” (the Law), rather, the context is about arguing with “scribes” (religious teachers!) Look it up here in the Etheridge or Murdock translations. End of the letter to Titus that was written in Nicopolis and sent by Zenas and Apollos. Compare the Testimony of Yeshua with the 1851 Murdock or the 1849 Etheridge Versions of “The Testimony of Yeshua” (The ‘New Testament’). 3 May dignity be with you, and peace from Yehovah our Father, and from our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah.
4 Philemon, I continually thank Yehovah for you, and remembered you in my prayers,
5 'and have' from the first time that I heard about your faith and love for our Sovereign Yeshua and for all of the 'chosen ones' [[saints].
6 I pray that the sharing of your faith will yield productive results in works and in a precise knowledge of all the good things you have in Yeshua Messiah.
7 I have received much joy and encouragement from your love [1a] because you have refreshed the 'chosen ones'.
8 That is why I have 'enough' confidence in the Messiah to order you to do the right things,
9 yet for love’s sake, I’m appealing to you instead. I, Paul, an old man as you know, and now also a bondsman [2] for Yeshua Messiah,
10 appeal to you on behalf of my son Onesimus, who I have 'been like a father to' during my 'imprisonment'.
11 Once he was useless to you, but now he will be very useful both to you and me.
12 I have sent him back to you. Welcome him as if he were my son.
13 I wanted to keep him with me, and he would have helped me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the Good News,
14 but I wouldn’t do this without consulting you because I was afraid that his service would seem to be compulsory rather than voluntarily.
15 Perhaps he left you for a little while so that you could keep him forever.
16 From now on he won’t be a servant, but more than a servant, a dear friend of mine, and much more to you both in physical matters and in our Sovereign!
17 So if you are in fellowship with me, welcome him as you would me.
18 If he has wronged you or owes you anything, charge it to my account.
19 I, Paul, have written this in my own handwriting, I’ll repay you (not to mention that you owe me your very lives).
20 Yes friends, do me a favor 'for' our Sovereign’s sake. Refresh my love [1b] in the Messiah.
21 I’m confident that you’ll hear and do what I wrote to you, and I know that you’ll do even more than I ask.
22 Meanwhile, get a guest room ready for me to stay in, because I hope that due to your prayers I’ll be returned to you.
23 Epaphras, a fellow captive with me in Yeshua Messiah, greets you,
24 and Mark and Aristarchus and Demas and Luke, my coworkers.
25 Friends, may the good will of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah be with your spirit, Aw-main'. [1a,b] See why “love” is better than the Greek “bowels.” Keyword bowels. “The Greek word properly denotes the upper viscera; the heart, the lungs, the liver. It is applied by Greek writers to denote those parts of victims which were eaten during or after the sacrifice.”—Barnes’ Notes on the Bible End of the letter to Philemon that was written from Rome and sent by Onesimus. Compare the Testimony of Yeshua with the 1851 Murdock or the 1849 Etheridge Versions of “The Testimony of Yeshua” (The ‘New Testament’). 4 From John to the seven assemblies [churches] in Asia. Good will and peace to you from the One who is, and who was, and who is to come, from the seven spirits who are before His throne,
5 and from Yeshua Messiah, the faithful Witness, the Firstborn from the dead and the Ruler of the kings of the earth, who has loved us and released us from our sins by His blood,
6 and has made us a priestly kingdom [Aramaic Malkutho koknoitho] for Aloha and His Father. To Them belongs praise and power, forever and ever. Aw-main'
7 He is coming with 8 “I am the Alaph and the Tau [Aramaic], says Yehovah Elohim [Yeshua], who is and was, and is to come, the Sovereign”. 9 I John, your friend and your partner in the tribulation and suffering [4] that are ours in Yeshua Messiah, was on the island called Patmos, because of the Word of Aloha and the Testimony of Yeshua Messiah.
10 I found myself transitioning into the spirit realm on the Day of Yehovah [5], and I heard a loud voice behind me like a shofar that said,
11 “Write what you are seeing in a document and send it to the seven assemblies: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”
12 I turned around to look at the voice that spoke to me, and as I turned I saw the seven gold menorahs,
13 and among the menorahs, someone, 'perhaps' [6] the Human Son, wearing a robe down to His feet, and wearing a gold sash around His chest.
14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow. His eyes resembled flames of fire.
15 His feet resembled refined brass, glowing in a furnace, and His voice was like the waves on the sea.
16 He had seven stars in His right hand a sharp two edged sword came from His mouth. His face was like the sun shining full strength.
17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as tho dead. He laid His right hand on me and said “Don’t be afraid, I am the First and the Last,
18 the living One. I was dead, but look, I’m alive forevermore! Aw-main'. And I have the keys [nails] of death and sheol.
19 So record what you have already seen, the things that presently are, and the things that are going to happen after this.
20 As for the mystery about the seven stars that you saw in My right hand, and the seven gold menorahs: The seven stars are the spirit messengers of the seven assemblies, and the seven menorahs are the seven assemblies.” [1] The “Word of Yehovah” is what Tertullian was first to call the “Old Testament”, in a move to make it appear obsolete, while the “Testimony of Yeshua”, the name that John used six times, is what Tertullian renamed “New Testament”. 4 Yet I have some things against you. You have forsaken your first love.
5 So remember the 'height' you have fallen from and make amends. Do what you did at first, because unless you make amends for your sins, I WILL COME TO YOU SUDDENLY [Aramaic] and I’ll remove your menorah from its place!
6 But you have this in your favor, you hate the works of the Nicolaitans that I also hate.
7 To anyone 'listening', listen to what the spirit says to the assemblies. To anyone who is victorious, I’ll give fruit to eat from the Tree of Life [1] that’s in the paradise of Aloha.’”
8 To the messenger of the assembly in Smyrna, write: The First and the Last [2]now lives, says:
9 ‘I know your works, your suffering and your poverty, but you are rich, despite the blasphemy coming from those who say that they are Jews, but are really from the cabal [3] of Satan.
10 Don’t fear the things you are about to suffer! Look, the Accuser is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you’ll suffer tribulation for ten days. But be faithful until death, and I’ll give you the crown of life.
11 To anyone 'listening', listen to what the spirit says to the assemblies. Anyone who is victorious will never be harmed by the second death.’
12 To the messenger of the assembly in Pergamos, write: The One with the sharp double-edged sword, says,
13 I know your works, and where you live—where Satan’s throne is, and that you hold firmly to My name. You didn’t deny My faith in the days when there was conflict with My faithful witness [4] who was martyred among you [5] where Satan lives.
14 But I have some things against you, because some of you there cling to the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block in front of the descendants of Israel, so that they would eat the zebakim [sacrifices] of idols and commit sexual immorality.
15 Also, some of you cling to the doctrine of the Nicolaitans.
16 So amend your ways, or I WILL COME TO YOU SUDDENLY and wage war against them [the Nicolaitan overlords] with the sword of My mouth.
17 To anyone 'listening', listen to what the spirit says to the assemblies. I’ll give anyone who is victorious 'some' hidden manna to eat, and I’ll give them a white stone with a new name written on it that no one knows except for the person who receives it.
18 To the messenger of the assembly at Thyatira, write: Aloha’s Son, whose eyes are like flames of fire and feet like burnished brass, says:
19 I know your works, love, faith, service and endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first.
20 But I have a complaint against you. You tolerate that woman Jezebel who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she deceives My servants into sexual immorality and into eating things offered to idols.
21 I gave her time to change her ways, but she didn’t want to turn away from her sexual immorality.
22 I’ll throw 'Jezebel' on a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her will suffer GREAT TRIBULATION[NASB] unless they turn from her evil ways!
23 I’ll strike her children dead and ALL THE ASSEMBLIES WILL KNOW [6] that I’m the One who searches the 'minds' and hearts. I’ll compensate each of you commensurate with your works.
24 But as for the rest of you in Thyatira, everyone who hasn’t accepted this doctrine, everyone who hasn’t learned the so-called profound things of Satan, I won’t burden you with anything else.
25 But hold tightly onto what you have UNTIL I COME [7].
26 To those who are victorious, persevering in My works TO THE END, I’ll give authority over the nations.
27 They’ll rule them with an iron scepter, and they [their enemies] will be shattered like clay jars, just as I 'Myself' have received authority from My Father.
28 I’ll give them the Morning Star [8].
29 To anyone 'listening', listen to what the spirit says to the assemblies. [1] Which of the promises made to the 7 assemblies could you live without? You must have all 7! John further clarified who could eat from the Tree of Life in Chapter 22:14. The Tree of Life is only for those who obey the Commandments! 4 Yet you have a few good names in Sardis who haven’t defiled their clothing. They’ll walk with Me in white because they are worthy.
5 Anyone who is victorious will wear white clothing, and I will never blot their names from the Book of Life. I’ll acknowledge their names before My Father and before His messengers.
6 To anyone 'listening', listen to what the spirit says to the assemblies.”
7 To the messenger of the assembly in Philadelphia, write: “The One who is 'chosen', who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens, says:
8 I know your works. See, I have placed an open door [2] in front of you that no one can shut, because you have a limited strength and you’ve obeyed My Word and haven’t denied My name! [3]
9 I have something for those of the cabal of Satan who claim to be Jews and aren’t, but lie, I’ll make them come and kneel [4] before your feet, and realize that I love you!
10 Since you’ve patiently obeyed My Word, I’ll protect you from the time of testing that is about to overtake the entire inhabited world, to test those who live on the earth [5].
11 I AM COMING SUDDENLY! [6] Hold tightly onto what you have, so that no one takes your crown.
12 I’ll make anyone who is victorious a pillar in the Temple of Yehovah, and they’ll never be separated from the assembly, and I’ll write Yehovah’s name on them, and the name of New Jerusalem that will descend from the heavens from my Aloha, and My own new name.
13 To anyone 'listening', listen to what the spirit says to the assemblies.”
14 To the messenger of the assembly in Laodicea, write: “The Aw-main', the Witness, the Faithful, the True, the Originator of Yehovah’s creation, says:
15 ‘I know your works, that you are neither hot or cold. I wish that you were either cold or hot.
16 So because you are lukewarm, and aren’t either hot or cold, I’m about to vomit you from My mouth.’
17 You say, ‘I’m rich and I don’t need anything’, not realizing that you are sick [Aramaic], miserable, destitute, blind and naked!
18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, so that you’ll actually become rich, and buy white clothing from Me so that you can clothe yourself, and the shame of your nakedness won’t appear, and eye salve for yours eyes, so that you can see.
19 I admonish and discipline everyone I love. So be zealous and make amends.
20 I have been standing at the door knocking. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I’ll come in to them and eat with them, and they with Me.
21 Anyone who is victorious I’ll allow to sit with Me on My throne [7], even as I was victorious and sat down with My Father on His throne.
22 To anyone 'listening', listen to what the spirit says to the assemblies.” [1] While this word can be translated as simply “day” or hour”, the first meaning of hora is a certain definite time or season fixed by natural law and returning with the revolving year.” This is also how the Scriptural calendar, anchored by the spring barley harvest and visible New Moons is determined. The most important historical events (such as Passover and Pentecost) have occurred on these “annual times”, just as the prophetic events will occur on Israel’s 7 Apocalyptic Days! 6 In front of the throne was a sea of glass [2] shining like crystal. In the center near the throne and around the sides were four living beings 'covered' with eyes in front and behind.
7 The first living being resembled a lion, the second living being resembled a calf, the third living being had a face like a man, and the fourth living being resembled a flying eagle.
8 Each of the four living beings had six wings around them, and covered with eyes, inside and out. Day and night they never stop saying, “Cherished, cherished, cherished, Yehovah Aloha, the Sovereign, who was, and is, and is to come.
9 Whenever these living beings give praise and honor and thankfulness to the One who sits on the throne, to the One who lives forever and ever,
10 the twenty-four Elders fall down before the One who seated on the throne, and they worship the One who lives forever and ever. They toss their coronets before the throne and say,
11 “You are worthy, O Sovereign our Aloha, the Special One, to receive praise and honor and power, because You’ve created everything [the universe]. And because of Your will these 'things' were and are being created” [3]. [1] The Greek (and Lamsa) don’t mention the clouds. 6 I looked, and among the Elders stood a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, and it had seven horns and seven eyes. They are the seven spirits of Yehovah that are sent out into all the world.
7 He came and took the book from the right hand of the One who was seated on the throne.
8 When He took the book, the four living beings and the twenty-four Elders fell down in front of the Lamb, each of them having a harp and gold cups full of incense that are the prayers of the 'chosen ones' [saints].
9 They were singing a new song: “You deserve to take the book and to open its seals, because You were slain and have purchased us for Yehovah with Your own blood, out of every tribe and language and people and nation,
10 and You made them kings and priests for Yehovah, and they’ll rule as kings on the earth.”
11 I looked, and I heard as it were, the voices of many messengers around the throne, and the living beings and the Elders, and they numbered one-hundred million—many thousands of thousands.
12 They were saying with loud voices, “The Lamb who was slain deserves to receive power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, praise and blessings.
13 And He’ll be over everything created in Heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea and everything in them.” Then I heard the One who sat on the throne saying, “The Lamb is being given blessings, honor, praise and power forever and ever.”
14 The four living beings said, “Aw-main'!” Then the Elders fell down and worshiped. 3 When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living Being say, “Come.”
4 And another horse came out, a fiery red one, and the rider was given the power to take peace from the earth, so that people would kill each other, and a large sword was given to him.
5 When he had opened the third seal, I heard the third living being say, “Come and see.” So I looked and saw a black horse, and the rider had a balance beam scale in his hand.
6 I heard a voice from among the four living beings that said, “A choenix of wheat for a denarius, and three choenices of barley for a denarius, and don’t hurt the olive oil and the wine.”
7 When he broke open the fourth seal, I heard the fourth living being say, “Come and see.”
8 I looked, and there was a pale green horse, and the rider’s name was Death! Sheol [Greek: hades] followed behind him. He was given authority over a quarter of the earth to kill people with a sword [warfare], famines, 'epidemics', and death by the ravenous animals of the earth.
9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the bodies of those who had been slain because of the Word of Aloha [1] and for the Testimony of the Lamb [2] that they had.
10 They called out in a loud voice, “'Incomparable' and true Sovereign, how long will You wait before judging and avenging the inhabitants of the earth who shed our blood?”
11 They were each given a white robe and told that they must rest a little longer, until after the rest of their fellow servants and friends had been killed as they were.
[1] “The Word of Elohim in the (Hebrew) Scriptures—also identified with Yeshua in person, Revelation 19:13. 5 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed, 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000 from the tribe of Gad,
6 12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh,
7 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon, 12,000 from the tribe of Levi, 12,000 from the tribe of Issachar,
8 12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph, and 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed.
9 After this I saw an enormous crowd of people that no one could count, from every people, nation, tribe and language. They were standing in front of the throne and the Lamb, wearing white robes, and they were holding palms in their hands.
10 They were shouting, “eternal life to Yehovah, to the One who sits on the throne and to the Lamb!”
11 All the messengers stood around the throne with the Elders and the four living beings, and they bowed facedown in front of His throne and worshiped Yehovah,
12 and said, “Aw-main'. Blessing and praise and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to Yehovah forever and ever, Aw-main'.’”
13 Then One of the Elders turned and asked me, “Who are these people wearing white robes, and where do they come from?”
14 I said, “Friend, you know.” He replied, “These are the ones who are coming out [2] of the Great Tribulation. They’ve washed their clothes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15 That’s why they are in front of the throne of Yehovah, serving Him day and night in His Temple. [3] And the One seated on the throne will 'protect them under His shadow' [Aramaic nageen alihun, ‘shadow over them’].
16 They won’t hunger or thirst any more [4], nor will they be 'overcome' by the sun or burning heat,
17 because the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will feed them and lead them to springs of living water, and Yehovah will wipe every tear from their eyes.” [1] Who are the 144,000? Are they Catholics? Jehovah’s Witnesses? Jews? (OK 12,000 are), Mormons? Adventists: (“only symbolic”), or maybe these other guys? I currently believe that the 144,000 will be composed of 12,000 men and women from each of the 12 tribes, individually selected during the Second Exodus. It would seam that the individuals who will make up this group must be alive, in the flesh at the end of the age. And they will need to be physically protected from bodily harm until the full number are gathered and sealed. 2 I saw the seven messengers who stand before Yehovah, and they were given seven shofars.
3 Then another messenger came and stood by the altar. He held a gold censer, and he was given plenty of incense so that he could offer it with the prayers of all the 'chosen ones' on the gold altar in front of the throne.
4 The smoke of the incense along with the prayers of the 'chosen ones' rose up to Yehovah from the messenger’s hand.
5 The messenger took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it to the ground. There was thunder, lightning, loud voices, and the earthquake.
6 The seven messengers who had the seven shofars made preparations for blowing them.
7 The first blew his shofar, and there was hail and fire mixed with water [A], and these were thrown to the ground, and a third of the land burned, and a third of all the trees were burned, and all the green grass burned.
8 The second messenger blew his shofar, and something resembling a huge fiery mountain plunged into the sea, and a third of the sea turned into blood.
9 A third of all the sea creatures died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
10 The third messenger blew his shofar, and an asteroid [Gr. aster—not really a star] fell from the sky, burning like a torch. It fell on a third of the rivers and on the 'artesian' springs.
11 The name of the asteroid (?) is Wormwood, and a third of the water became polluted with wormwood. Many people died from the water because it had turned bitter.
12 The fourth messenger blew his shofar, and a third of the sun was darkened, as were a third of the moon and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened and a third of the day turned dark, and the night 'was even darker'.
13 Then I saw and heard an eagle with a blood red tail [B] flying directly overhead. It said in a loud voice, “Catastrophe, catastrophe, scourge [1] for those who live on earth, because of the blasts of the remaining shofars that the three messengers are about to blow.” [1] Greek “oye”, presumably from the Hebrew expression (and yes, it’s 3 times).
[A] The Greek says “blood.”
[B] The Greek says “Angelos” instead of “eagle with a blood red tail.” 7 The locusts resembled horses prepared for battle. On their heads were what looked like gold coronets, and their faces looked like human faces.
8 They had hair resembling women’s hair, and their teeth resembled lion’s teeth.
9 They had breastplates that appeared to be iron breastplates, and the sound of their wings was like the roar of a vast number of horses and chariots rushing into battle.
10 They had tails and stingers like scorpions, and with their tails they had the power to torment people for five months.
11 The king who ruled them is the angel of the abyss [Gr. abussos]. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek his name is Apollyon.
12 One scourge [woe] is past, but there are two more scourges coming!
13 The sixth messenger blew his shofar, and I heard a voice from the 17 While I looked at the horses within view, and at those who rode them, I saw that their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue [jacinth] and yellow [sulfur]. The horses had heads like lions. Fire, smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths.
18 A third of humanity was killed by these three plagues—by fire, smoke and by the sulfur that came out of their mouths.
19 The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails, because their tails were like snake heads that inflict injury.
20 The rest of humanity who weren’t killed by these plagues still didn’t change their ways, so as not to worship demons and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone and wood that can’t see or hear [4].
21 They had no regrets for their murder, pharmakeia, sexual immorality [Gr. porneia] or robbery. [1] The word tartaroo is actually a verb! That’s about the only reliable part of the lexicon reference that’s accurate (2 Peter 2:4). 5 The messenger I saw standing on the sea and the land raised His right hand toward Heaven
6 and swore by the One who lives forever and ever, who created the heavens and everything in them, and the land and everything on it, and the sea and everything in it, that no time remained.
7 When the time comes for the seventh messenger to blow his shofar, the mystery of Yehovah will be finished, just as He announced to His servants the prophets.
8 Then the voice that I heard from the sky spoke to me again. It said, “Go, take the small book that is open in the hand of the Messenger who is standing on the sea and on the land.”
9 So I went to the Messenger and asked Him to give me the small book. And He told me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.”
10 So I took the small book from the hand of the Messenger and ate it. It was as sweet as honey in my mouth, but after I had eaten it my stomach turned bitter.
11 Then He told me, ”John, you must prophesy again before many nations, ethnic groups, princes and kings.” [1] 7 When they have finished witnessing, the predatory beast [Aramaic “A beast of the tooth”] that comes up out of the abyss will wage war against them and kill them.
8 Their dead bodies will lie in the open street of the great city that is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt where their Sovereign was crucified.
9 And the people of various tribes and ethnicities and languages will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days and not allow their dead bodies to be buried.
10 Those who live on earth will rejoice over them and revel, and send presents to each other because the two prophets will have tormented the people who live on earth.
11 But after the three and a half days the breath of life from Yehovah entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror 'struck' everyone who saw them.
12 Then they heard a loud voice from the sky saying, “Come up here.” They went up into the sky in a cloud while their enemies looked on.
13 In the same hour there was a severe earthquake, and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the 'survivors' were terrified and praised Yehovah [the Greek adds “of heaven”].
14 The second scourge [woe] has passed, but the third scourge is coming in rapid succession!
15 The seventh messenger blew his shofar [6], and there were voices [the Greek adds “in heaven”] and thunder that said, “The kingdoms of the world have become the kingdom of Yehovah and of His Messiah, and They will reign forever and ever.”
16 The twenty-four Elders who are in the presence of Yehovah’s throne [7] who sit on their own thrones fell facedown and worshiped Yehovah,
17 and said, “We praise you, Yehovah Aloha the Sovereign, who is, and was, because You’ve assumed Your great power and have begun to reign.
18 The nations were angry, but Your anger has come, and it’s time for the dead to be judged, and for You to compensate Your servants the prophets, and the 'chosen ones' and those who fear Your name, both small and great, and to destroy those who are destroying the earth! [8]
19 The Temple of Yehovah in the sky was opened, and the ark of His covenant was visible inside His Temple. There was lightning and thunder and voices, an earthquake and huge hail. [1] Here John is actually told to measure the end time third Temple just prior to the Two Witnesses commission (v.3). The terms “measure”, “measured” and “measuring” combined are found dozens of times in reference to the Temple in Ezekiel 40-42. This would explain the previous verse (10:11): “John, you must prophesy AGAIN before many nations, ethnic groups, princes and kings.” Is he one of the two witnesses or one of their companions? Same goes for Elijah (Malachi 4:5-6). Does God Travel in Time? 5 She [Israel] 'had given' birth to a Son who is to rule all nations with an iron scepter. Her Child was quickly taken up to Yehovah and to His throne.
6 Then the woman fled into the wilderness where Yehovah had prepared a place for her, so that THEY [2] could nourish her for 1,260 days.
10 I heard a 'loud' voice from the sky say, “Now there is eternal life and power, and the Kingdom of Aloha, and the dominion of His Messiah, because the Accuser of our friends who accused them day and night before Aloha has been thrown down.
11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and because of their spoken testimony. They didn’t love their lives ‘so much that they wouldn’t 'risk' death’.
12 So the heavens should be joyful and those of you who live there [New Jerusalem]. Pity the land and the sea, because the deceiver has been cast down to you, filled with rage, knowing that his time is short.
13 When the Dragon saw that he had been cast to the ground, he persecuted the woman [again Israel] who had given birth to the Son.
14 The woman was given the two wings of a huge eagle so that she could fly from the presence of the serpent to her place in the wilderness, where she is nourished for a time, times, and half a time.
15 The Dragon spewed water from his mouth like a river toward the woman, attempting to sweep her away by the flood.
16 But the ground helped the woman. It opened its mouth and swallowed the flood that the Dragon had spewed from his mouth.
17 The Dragon was furiously angry with the woman, and he went off to make war with the rest of her offspring, those who obey the Commandments of Yehovah [the so-called “OT”] AND have THE TESTIMONY OF YESHUA [the so-called “NT”. So few of these would be Jews!] [1] This looks to be a bit more involved than just Yeshua being the first-born Son: Exodus 4:22 Then you can tell Pharaoh, ‘This is what Yehovah says, ‘Israel is My firstborn son ... This woman represents the re-birth of a nation in a Second Exodus (Isaiah 66—not just verse 8, as in 66:15 & 16!). These surviving Israelites are the remnant seed stock of the twelve tribed nation that was destined to bless the entire world (Genesis 12:1-3), we just never thought it would take this long. [A] COPY & PASTE: https://www.gbnews.com/media-library/king-charles-portrait.png?id=52237993&width=980 [B] COPY & PASTE: https://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/935dfda5464c.jpg 5 He was given a mouth to make 'bold' and blasphemous statements, and he was given authority to operate for forty-two months.
6 He opened his mouth in blasphemy against Yehovah, blaspheming His name and His tabernacle and those who live in Heaven.
7 He was given authority over the various tribes and ethnicities and languages and nations and he was 'allowed' to wage war against the cherished ones [saints], and to 'conquer' them.
8 Everyone who lives on earth, whose names are not [not ‘were not’] written in the Book of Life of the Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world will worship him. [meaning their names were erased!]
9 Anyone 'willing to listen' should listen.
10 If anyone is 'destined' for captivity, they will go into captivity. And if anyone is destined to be killed with a sword, they must be killed with a sword. This is where the perseverance and the faith of the 'chosen ones' is tested.
11 I saw another predatory beast rising out of the ground. He had two horns like a lamb but he spoke like the Dragon.
12 He exercised all the authority of the first predatory beast, and he caused the world and its inhabitants to worship the first predatory beast, whose fatal wound was healed.
13 He performed 'spectacular' signs, even causing fire to come down from the sky to the ground in front of people,
14 He beguiled those who live on earth [2] into erecting an icon [Gr. eikon] of the predatory beast who had recovered from the sword wound.
15 He [the second beast] was allowed to give life to the icon of the [first] predatory beast so that the icon of the beast could even speak and cause anyone who wouldn’t worship the icon of the predatory beast to be killed.
16 He 'forced' everyone, great and small, rich and poor, slave and free, to accept a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads,
17 so that no one could buy or sell anything unless they had the mark [insignia] naming the predatory beast or the number 'representing' his name.
18 This calls for wisdom. He who has understandinge should calculate the number of the predatory beast, because it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred and sixty and six. [3] [1] Murdock accidentally moved this phrase and made an 18th verse in chapter 12. (The original Etheridge version skewed all of the verse numbers.)
[2] The Greek adds: “Because of the signs that he was given to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who live on the earth.”
[3] What is generally translated as “six hundred and sixty-six” is written in first century Greek as chi, xi and stigma (intriguing!), whose numerical values are 600, 60 and 6 (not three sixes). 6 Then I saw another messenger [angel] flying thru the sky, who with blood [2] had the everlasting Good News to proclaim to everyone living on earth—every nation, tribe, language and people [3].
7 He said with a loud voice, “Worship Yehovah and praise Him, because His Day of Judgment has arrived. Worship the One who made the sky [singular] and the land, the sea and springs of water.”
8 Then another messenger, a second one, followed him and said, “Fallen, Babylon the Great has fallen! [4]. She has made every nation drink the wine of her passionate prostitution.”
9 Another messenger, a third one, followed them and said in a loud voice, “Anyone who worships the predatory beast and his icon and accepts his mark on their forehead or on their hand
10 will also drink the wine of Yehovah’s anger that is poured out undiluted into the cup of His anger and will be tormented with fire and sulfur [search word “hell”] in the presence of the messengers and the throne [5].
11 The smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever. There is no rest day or night [6] for those who worship the predatory beast and his icon.”
12 'This calls for' patient endurance by the 'chosen ones', who preserve [obey, guard] the Commandments of Yehovah AND the faith of Yeshua.
13 I heard a voice from the sky say, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Sovereign from now on!” “Yes”, says the spirit. “They’ll rest from their hard work, and the record of their deeds will accompany them.”
14 Then I looked, and there was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was Someone who looked like the Human Son with a gold crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand!
15 Then another messenger came out of the Temple and called with a loud voice to the One seated on the cloud [7].
16 He swung his sickle over the land and the land was harvested.
17 Then another messenger came out of the Temple in the sky [8], also having a sharp sickle.
18 Yet another messenger came from the altar, who had authority over fire. He called out loudly to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters from the vineyard of the land, because the grapes of the land are ripe.”
19 The messenger swung his sickle across the land and harvested the vintage of the land and threw the grapes into the winepress of the great Yehovah’s wrath.
20 The grapes were trampled in the winepress outside of the city, and blood flowed [9] up to the horses’ bridles for 1,600 stadia. [1] The vast majority of the Greek texts, the ones the KJV is based on, omit Yeshua’s name from being on our foreheads! Compare to Revelation 3:12. 5 After this I looked and the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony in the sky was opened.
6 The seven messengers who had the seven plagues came out of the Temple wearing clean 'bright' linen and wearing vests around their chests with gold 'thread' [Exodus 39:2-3] .
7 One of the four living Beings gave the seven messengers seven gold bowls full of the rage of Yehovah, who lives forever and ever.
8 The Temple was filled with smoke from the magnificence of Yehovah and from His power, and no one could enter the Temple until the seven plagues of the seven messengers were finished. [1] The “Sea of glass”, described as “like crystal” in Revelation 4:6, is the same as the “icy crystal” “expanse” (“the expanse of heaven supporting WATERS above”) of Ezekiel 1:22. 2 The first one went and poured his bowl on the land, and severly painful sores appeared on the people who had the mark of the predatory beast and who worshiped his icon.
3 The second messenger poured his bowl on the sea, and it became like the blood of a dead person, and every living creature [soul] in the sea died.
4 The third messenger poured his bowl on the rivers and the springs of water, and they turned into blood.
5 Then I heard the messenger in charge of the water say, “You are the righteous One, who is and who was, because You’ve brought these judgments.
6 They shed the blood of the 'chosen ones' and the prophets, and now You’ve given them blood to drink, because they deserve it.”
7 I heard voices from the altar saying, “Yes, Sovereign Yehovah the Almighty, Your judgments are true and righteous.”
8 The fourth messenger poured his bowl on the sun, causing it to scorch people with fire.
9 People were scorched with 'fierce' heat, and they blasphemed Yehovah’s name, who had control over the plagues, but they didn’t change their ways and praise Him.
10 The fifth messenger poured his bowl on the throne of the predatory beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness, and people gnawed their tongues in anguish.
11 They blasphemed the Aloha of Heaven because of their pain and ulcers, but didn’t change their wicked behavior.
12 The sixth messenger poured his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water dried up to prepare a passage for the kings from the rising sun [2].
13 I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming from the mouth of the Dragon and from the mouth of the predatory beast and from the mouth of the false prophet.
14 They are the spirits of demons who perform signs, going out to all the kings of the “inhabited” world, to gather them to the battle of the great [Judgment] Day of Yehovah Almighty [3].
15 I [Yeshua] will come as stealthily as a thieving false minister! Anyone who is cautiously prepared and keeps their clothes on is blessed because they won’t walk around naked, exposing their shame.
16 They [Aramaic] [the demons, see Gill’s] gathered them to the place that in Hebrew is called Har Megiddo [“Armageddon”] [4].
17 The seventh messenger poured his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came from the Temple, from the throne, that said, “It is finished!”
18 There was lightning and thunder and voices, and there was a 'powerful' earthquake like nothing that has ever happened since people have inhabited the earth, such a widespread earthquake, and such magnitude!
19 The great state was split into three parts. The 'premier' state of the nations fell. Yehovah remembered to 'make' Babylon the Great drink from the cup filled with the wine of His furious wrath.
20 Every island vanished, and the mountains disappeared.
21 'Huge' hailstones a talent in weight [55 pounds] fell from the sky onto people, and they blasphemed Yehovah because the plague of hail was so 'severe'. [1] The Greek adds “from the Temple.” 3 He led me in the spirit realm into the wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a red predatory beast that was 'covered' with names of blasphemy. It had seven heads and ten horns.
4 The woman was wearing purple and scarlet, and was adorned with gold, precious stones and pearls, and she had a gold cup in her hand that was full of detestable idolatrous things, and the filthiness of her prostitution [Gr. porneia] that she polluted the earth with.
5 A mysterious name was written on her forehead: “Babylon the Great, the Mother of Prostitutes, and all the foul idolatrous things [highly detestable things] in the world.”
6 I saw that the woman was intoxicated with the blood of the 'chosen ones', and with the blood of the martyrs of Yeshua. When I saw her, I was amazed, greatly amazed.
7 The messenger asked me, “Why are you amazed? I’ll tell you the mystery of the woman and of the predatory beast with seven heads and the ten horns that carries her.
8 The predatory beast that you saw who was, and is not, is 'destined' to reascend before long from the bottomless pit and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth will be amazed (everyone whose names are not written in the Book of Life [1] that was written from the creation of the world), when they see the predatory beast that was, and is not, and yet is coming.
9 “Here is 'an explanation' for someone who is wise. Those seven heads 'represent' the seven mountains that the woman sits on.
10 There are seven kings. Five of them have fallen, one exists now [Rome], and the other hasn’t come yet, but when he comes, he will only remain for a little while.
11 The predatory beast that was, and is no longer, is the eighth king, out of time with the seven, and 'headed for' destruction.
“12 The ten horns that you saw 'represent' ten kings who haven’t taken royal power yet, but they take authority as kings with the predatory beast for one hour [or season].
13 They have one purpose—they’ll give their power and jurisdiction to the predatory beast.
14 They’ll wage war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, because He is Sovereign of masters and King of kings, and those with Him were invited, chose to participate, and remained faithful.”
15 He told me, “The flood [or water] that you saw, where the prostitute sits 'represents' nations, and crowds of people of various ethnicities [Gr. ethnos] and languages.
16 The ten horns [ten kings] that you saw and the predatory BEAST will hate the prostitute [Babylon, v.5]. They will strip her naked, eat her flesh, and 'set' her remains on fire.
17 Yehovah has given them the idea to carry out His intentions by acting in unity, and giving their kingdom to the predatory beast until Yehovah’s prophetic words are carried out.
18 The woman who you saw 'represents' the 'exalted' city-state that holds dominion over the kings of the earth.” [1] The Greek seemingly says “were not”, as virtually every translation from it says. The Aramaic says “Are not.” But names are in the Book of Life unless they are blotted out. Revelation 3:5; Exodus 32:33; Deuteronomy 29:20. Weymouth may be the only translator who understood this verse—that it doesn’t contradict the other verses about the Book of Life. His version says, “Whose names are not in the Book of Life, having been recorded there ever since the creation of the world.” The Weymouth was freshly translated from the Greek in the nineteenth century, without reference to previous versions. It wasn’t simply a revision of the Tyndale, like virtually every other Greek translation appears to be. 4 I heard another voice from the sky saying, “COME OUT OF HER MY PEOPLE [1] so that you don’t participate in her sins, and 'suffer from' her plagues.
5 Her sins have 'piled' up to heaven, and Yehovah has remembered her wicked behavior.
6 Pay her back the way she has paid others, 'only' repay her double, proportionate to her deeds. Pour her a double from her bowl of Cocktail [lit: mixture].
7 Give her the same degree of torture and sorrow as she gave herself promiscuity. Because she said to herself, ‘I sit enthroned as queen, I’m no widow and I’ll never be grieved.’
8 So in one day her scourges will come—death, mourning and famine. She’ll be burned to the ground, because our Sovereign Yehovah who judges her is valiant.
9 The kings of the earth who committed prostitution with her, reveling in her luxury, will cry and mourn and wail over her when they see the plumes of smoke of her burning
10 as they stand in the distance, frightened by the Refiner’s fire saying, ‘How terrible, how terrible it is for the great and mighty state of Babylon! Your crisis [Gr. krisis] appeared in a single moment!’
11 The merchants of the earth will mourn over her, since no one can buy their cargo anymore—
12 no more cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk and scarlet cloth, various aromatic woods, articles made of ivory, no more articles made of very costly wood, brass, iron, marble,
13 Ceylon cinnamon, spikenard, aromatics, ointments, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour, wheat, bulls, sheep, horses, chariots, slaves and human bodies [souls (spare parts?)]. 14 The fruit that you craved has abandoned you. Everything delicious and splendid has died, and the merchants will never find them again.
15 The merchants who had become rich from her will stand in the distance, terrorized by her torment, crying and mourning,
16 and saying, ‘How terrible, how terrible it is for the great state! She wore fine linen, purple and scarlet stuff, and gilded with gold, gemstones and pearls,
17 and in one hour all of this wealth has been destroyed’ [2]. Every captain and every navigator sailing anywhere, mariners, anyone making their living from the sea stood in the distance.
18 When they saw the plumes of smoke rising from her flames, they cried, ‘What other state is like this great state?’
19 They threw dust on their heads, and they wept and mourned as they cried out, ‘How terrible, how terrible it is for that great state where everyone who had ships in the sea became rich from her wealth, because in a single hour she has been laid waste!’
20 Celebrate over her, Heaven, and you messengers and envoys and prophets, because Yehovah has condemned her for you!”
21 A messenger picked up a stone like a giant millstone, and threw it into the sea and said, “This is how violently the great state of Babylon will be thrown down, and it will never be found again.
22 The 'sound' of musicians playing harps and flutes and trumpets will never be heard in you again. No craftsman of any trade will ever be found in you again. [3]
23 The light of a lamp will never shine in you again, and the voices of a bridegroom and bride will never be heard in you again. Your merchants were the most influential men on earth, and every nation was seduced by your pharmakeia.
24 The blood of prophets, the 'Select', and everyone who has been murdered on the earth was found in her.” [1] But this is not saying that you are in the wrong “Church” (tho you might be). What it is saying is that if you live in the modern nation of Babylon—FLEE! This is as literal as the rest of the book. It means escape from the modern antitype of Babylon—or die. The last time that Israel was conquered by Babylonians, was it, by figurative Babylonians or literal ones? 4 The twenty-four elders and the four beasts fell down and worshiped Yehovah, sitting on the throne saying, “Aw-main'! Hallelujah”!
5 A voice came from the throne that said, “Praise our Aloha, all of His servants, and everyone who fears Him, small and great.”
6 Then I heard what 'sounded like' a huge gathering of ordinary people, a 'sound' reminiscent of raging water and a voice like 'booming' thunder shouting, “Hallelujah! Our Sovereign Yehovah the Sovereign reigns.
7 Let’s rejoice and be exuberant and praise Him, because the Marriage Feast of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.
8 She was given fine linen clothing to wear, bright and pure, because fine linen represents the righteousness of the 'chosen ones'.
9 He told me, “Write this, ‘Those who are called to the Marriage Feast [1] of the Lamb are blessed.’” Then he told me, “These are the true words of Yehovah.”
10 I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said, “Don’t do that! I’m a fellow servant, I’m your brother who also holds to THE TESTIMONY OF YESHUA [His ‘written statements’]. Worship Yehovah, because THE TESTIMONY OF YESHUA is spirit inspired prophecy [2] [or ‘the spirit of prophecy’].”
11 I saw the sky open up, and a white horse appeared, and its rider is named Faithful and True. He judges righteously and wages war.
12 He has eyes are like flames of fire, and on His head are many gold coronets [crowns without arches] with names inscribed on them [3], but the name written on Him had been unknown in the past except to Him.
13 He is arrayed with a vest sprinkled [4] with blood, and His name is the Word of Aloha.
14 The armies of Heaven [5] followed Him on white horses arrayed in fine linen, pure and shining white.
15 A sharp double edged sword proceeds from His mouth, so that with it He can strike down the nations. He’ll rule the nations with a royal scepter of iron, and He treads the winepress of the fierce anger of Yehovah the Supreme.
16 He has written on His robe and on His thigh the title: “KING OF KINGS AND SOVEREIGN OF SOVEREIGNS.”
17 I saw a messenger standing in front of the sun, and he shouted to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather for the great supper of Yehovah,
18 so that you can eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of captains of thousands, the flesh of valiant men, the flesh of horses and their riders, the flesh of everyone both free and slave, those of little status and the highly esteemed.”
19 I saw the predatory beast and the kings of the earth and their warriors. They had gathered to wage war with the One seated on the white horse and with His army.
20 The predatory beast was captured along with the false prophet who performed miraculous signs 'on his behalf'. By these signs he deceived those who had accepted the mark of the predatory beast [not the link’s last paragraph] and who worshiped his statue. [6] They were both cast as still breathing mortals into the lake of fire ablaze with sulfur.
21 The rest were killed by the sword of the One riding on the horse, by the sword that came from His mouth, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. [1] This is no ordinary supper! As Strong’s 1173 and the Aramaic allow for—especially since it happens on the Eighth Day!
[2] The Greek does not mention that names were inscribed on all of the diadems.
[3] Tense-Perfect: “describes an action which is viewed as having been completed in the past” (as in the YLT). Passive voice. See Revelation 14:1.
[4] The Greek says dipped (bapto, as in baptize—totally immersed) instead of sprinkled. A prototype of blood on garments, such as lamb’s blood from the wave sheaf offering representing Yeshua returning to His Father after the resurrection in Leviticus 8:29-30 is sprinkled, not dipped. Was this a deliberate move to break the Lamb/Wave Sheaf connection?
[5] Matthew 16:27; Matthew 25:31; Mark 8:38); Luke 9:26).
[6] Now that Tim Cohen has identified the statue, we don’t have to wonder what it is. The Greek word is “eikoni” = English icon, statue, idol etc. 4 I saw thrones, and those who were seated on them, and judicial authority was given to them, and I saw the bodies of those who were beheaded for THE TESTIMONY OF YESHUA [the ‘NT’] Philippians 3
Sectarian Detriments
1 Finally friends, remain joyful in service to our Sovereign. It is no trouble for me to write the same 'warnings' again, because they make you more cautious.
Philippians 4
Not One Assembly Helped Paul
1 So my dear friends who I love and long for, you are my joy and my crown! So stand firm in Aloha, my beloved!
Colossians 1
We Pray For You Continually
1 Paul, an envoy of Yeshua (Jesus) Messiah by the will of Yehovah, and Timothy our friend,
2 to those in Colossi, the dedicated 'chosen ones' in Yeshua Messiah. May the peace and favor of Yehovah our Father be with you.
He Created Everything
Colossians 2
Avoid the Religious Training of the World
1 I want you to know how severe the struggle is that I’m engaging in for those of you in Laodicea, and for the others who have not seen me 'face to face'
2 for their peace of mind, being united together by love, and attaining full assurance by a treasury of precise knowledge and understanding of the mysteries of Yehovah the Father, and of the Messiah.
3 In Him are stored up and hidden from view the entire treasury of wisdom and knowledge.
4 I’m telling you this so that no one will mislead you with lofty preaching.
5 Even tho I’m not actually with you, I’m with you in spirit and I’m delighted to see your discipline and the stability of your convictions toward the Messiah.
Ignore the World’s Judgments
Colossians 3
Get Rid of Your Old Habits
1 So if you have risen with the Messiah then strive for the 'realities' that are above, where the Messiah is seated at the right hand side of Yehovah.
2 Set your minds on the things that are above, not on earthly things.
3 You’ve died and your life is hidden with the Messiah, in unity with Yehovah.
4 When the Messiah appears who is our life, then you’ll also appear with Him in splendor.
Colossians 4
Keep Praying, Stay Alert
1 Masters, be equitable and fair with your servants. Keep in mind that you also have a Master in Heaven.
1st Thessalonians 1
Setting a Good Example
1 From Paul, Sylvanus and Timothy, to the Thessalonian assembly in unity with Yehovah the Father and our Sovereign Yeshua (Jesus) Messiah. May dignity be with you, and peace.
1st Thessalonians 2
Be as Blameless as We Were With You
1 Friends, you know our visit to you wasn’t a waste of time.
2 As you remember, we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, and even then amid great conflict we were emboldened to speak freely with confidence in our Aloha as we presented the Good News of the Messiah to you.
3 Our admonition didn’t spring from error or impure motives or fraud.
4 But Yehovah tested and approved us before entrusting us with His Good News, so we’re not speaking to please men, but to please Yehovah, who tests and approves our motives.
5 We have never used flattering oratory, as you know, or any pretext for greed, with Yehovah as our witness,
6 nor did we seek praises from any of you or anyone else, tho we could have made demands as envoys of the Messiah.
1st Thessalonians 3
Fond Memories
1 When we couldn’t stand it any longer, we resigned ourselves to being left behind in Athens,
2 and sent you Timothy our Friend and fellow servant of Yehovah in the service of the Good News of the Messiah, so that he could strengthen and encourage you in your faith,
3 so that none of you would be troubled by these trials, because you know that this is our destiny.
4 Even while we were with you, we warned you that you would be persecuted, and as you know it has already happened.
5 This is why when I could no longer stand the uncertainty, I sent him to learn about your faith, being afraid that the Tempter might have tempted you and that our endeavors might have been lost.
Don’t Mourn the Dead Like Everyone Else
1st Thessalonians 4
1 So friends, we ask you and strongly encourage you on behalf of our Sovereign Yeshua, to 'live your lives' in the way you learned from us, and strive to please Yehovah with ever increasing progress.
2 You know the instructions we gave you from our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah.
1st Thessalonians 5
Like a Thieving False Minister
1 But friends, concerning the time periods and the specified times of crisis, it is unnecessary for me write to you,
2 because you know for certain that the Day of Yehovah will come like a thieving false “minister” in the time of moral stupidity and darkness [1].
3 When people are saying, “Peace and security”* [2], then suddenly destruction will overtake them like the labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they won’t escape.
2nd Thessalonians 1
Be Worthy of the Kingdom
1 From Paul, Sylvanus and Timothy, to the Thessalonian assembly in unity with Yehovah our Father and our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah.
2nd Thessalonians 2
The Lie and the Man of Lawlessness
1 Friends, regarding the coming of our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah and our anticipated special assembly [1] with Him, we urge you
2 not to be shaken up or troubled by any messages or spirits or by a letter supposedly sent by us, 'claiming' that the Day of Yehovah is imminent.
3 Don’t let anyone deceive you with some scheme, because that Day won’t come prior to the apostasy [2] and a certain man of lawlessness appears—the son of destruction.
4 He is an adversary who exalts himself above every so-called “god” and anything religiously venerated. He’ll sit in Yehovah’s Temple and “prove” that he is Yehovah.
2nd Thessalonians 3
Authority of an Apostle
1 Friends, from now on pray for us, so that the Word of Aloha can spread rapidly everywhere and be praised the way it is with you,
2 and so that we will be rescued from wicked and evil people, since not everyone has faith.
3 But Yehovah is faithful and He’ll establish you and protect you from the Evil One.
4 And we have confidence in you thru Yehovah, that what we have relayed to you, you have done and will continue doing.
5 May Yehovah guide your inner selves toward loving Him and toward the patience of the Messiah [or “patiently waiting for the Messiah”].
Hebrews 1
Yeshua (Jesus) Created the Worlds
1 In ancient times Yehovah spoke with our ancestors in many ways and many forms thru the prophets.
2 But in these last days [1], He has spoken with us by His Son, who He appointed heir of all things [the universe]. Thru Him He created the worlds [Aramaic].
3 He brightly reflects His Fathers’ splendor and is essentially identical in His Being. He sustains the universe by the power of His Word. And He personally provided the purification to cover our sins, and sat down at the right hand side of His Majesty in the high places.
4 He is far superior to the spirit messengers, and He has inherited a name that is far superior to theirs.
Hebrews 2
We Will Rule the Universe!
1 So we should be exceedingly cautious regarding what we have heard, so that we don’t fall away,
2 because if the message delivered thru spirit messengers was confirmed, and everyone who heard it deliberately violated it and received a just compensation [punishment],
3 then how will we escape if we spitefully disregard the message of salvation—the things that were first of all proclaimed by our Sovereign Himself, and confirmed to us by those who heard Him,
4 while Yehovah joined in as a witness concerning them by signs, wonders, and by various miracles and by gifts of the 'special' spirit, distributed according to His will.
Children in the Majestic Realm
Hebrews 3
You Must Hang on to the End!
1 So, my 'chosen' friends, we who have 'been given' an invitation from the Heavenly realm should remain focused on Yeshua Messiah, the envoy and High Priest who we declare,
2 who was faithful to the One who appointed Him, as Moses was with His [Yehovah’s] entire household.
3 This Man is worthy of much more honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has far more honor than the house itself.
4 Every house has a builder, but Yehovah [1] is the One who built everything!
5 Moses was a faithful servant with the entire household, attesting to the things that He would reveal in the future,
6 but the Messiah as THE SON is over His house, and we are His house if we hang on to the end of our lives with determination and the triumph of anticipating Him [returning].
Hebrews 4
The People of Yehovah Celebrate the Sabbath!
1 Since the firm promise of entering His resting place is yet future, we should be afraid, because some of you could find yourselves left behind!
2 We have heard the Good News just as they did, but the message they heard didn’t benefit them because the people who heard it didn’t combine it with faith.
3 But those of us who have believed will enter the resting place. 'Even tho' He said, “As I have sworn in My anger, they won’t enter into My resting place” 'because' Yehovah’s workmanship has existed from the beginning of the world.
4 As he said about the s, “Aloha rested on the seventh day from all His works.”
5 Here again, He said, “They will never enter My resting place.”
6 So there was a certain place where everyone could have entered, but those who were the first to hear the Good News announcement didn’t enter because they couldn’t be persuaded.
7 So once again He appointed a specific day, after a long period of time. As was previously quoted from David, “Today, if you hear His voice don’t be 'hard headed'.”
8 Now if Yeshua [1], the son of Nun [Aramaic] had given them rest, He wouldn’t have later spoken of another day.
9 So it is established that the people of Yehovah are to celebrate the Sabbath [2].
10 Anyone who entered His rest ceased from their own undertakings [works], as Yehovah did from His.
11 So let’s strive to enter that resting place, so that we don’t fall dead like the others who weren’t persuaded.
Hebrews 5
Today I Became Your Father
1 Every human high priest is appointed on behalf of the people in matters relating to Yehovah, so that he can present meal offerings and zebakim [sacrifices] for sins:
2 and he can humble himself [1] and sympathize with the ignorant and erring, because he himself is also 'subject to' weakness.
3 This is why he is required to offer zebakim, not only for the people, but also for himself.
4 No one takes this honor upon himself. Yehovah must call him by name, just as Aaron was.
5 Similarly, the Messiah didn’t take upon Himself the honor of becoming the High Priest, but the One who appointed Him told Him, “You are My Son. Today I have become your Father.”
6 In another passage [Psalm 110:4] He said, “You are a Priest forever who resembles [Aramaic] [2] Melchizedek.”
Hebrews 6
The Basic Doctrines
1 So let’s go beyond the preliminary Word of the Messiah and move toward spiritual perfection. You don’t need to 'begin again' turning away from spiritually dead works and faith in Yehovah,
2 the doctrine of immersion [baptism], and the laying on of hands, and the resurrection from the dead, and of eternal judgment.
3 We will do this if Yehovah permits.
Hebrews 7
Melchizedek
1 This Melchizedek was King of Salem and Priest of the Highest Aloha. He met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him.
2 Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything that he had with him. First of all, 'Melchizedek’s name means “King of Righteousness”, and secondly, He is called Malek-Sholem, that is, “King of Peace.”
3 He had no father and mother written in the genealogies, no beginning of days and no end of life, resembling Aloha’s Son, 'Melchizedek's’ priesthood remains forever.
4 Now consider how great this king-priest was. Even the patriarch Abraham gave Him a tenth of the spoils from the top [best] of the heap [1] [Genesis 14:18-21].
5 The descendants of Levi who accept the priesthood have a permanent rule in the Torah allowing them to collect tithes from the people, that is, from their own brothers, ‘even tho’ they are also descendants of Abraham.
6 But this Man who isn’t listed in their genealogies received a tenth from Abraham and blessed the man who had received the promise.
7 Without any doubt the lesser man is blessed by the Greater.
8 'Now' mortal men receive the tithes, but 'in the prior case', the One who the Scriptures refer to [Melchizedek] is still alive!
9 We might say that even Levi, who received tithes, also paid a tithe thru Abraham
10 because 'Levi' hadn’t even been conceived by his father when 'Abraham' met Melchizedek.
Hebrews 8
The Mediator of a Better Covenant
1 The 'main point' is that we have a High Priest who is seated on the right hand side of the throne of the Majesty in Heaven.
2 He is the Temple priest of the 'cherished' place, the true Tabernacle that Yehovah built, not man.
3 Every high priest is required to give meal offerings and zebakim [sacrifices], and it was necessary for this One to have something to offer as well.
4 If He were on earth, He wouldn’t even be a priest, because there are priests here who offer the gifts prescribed by the Torah.
5 They serve as a pattern and shadow of their 'counterparts' in the Heavenly realm, just as Moses was told when he was about to build the tabernacle, “Be sure you make everything according to the pattern you were shown on the mountain.”
6 But now, Yeshua (Jesus) Messiah has been given a superior ministry since He is also the Mediator of a better covenant, one that was founded on better promises than the former.
A Second Covenant
Hebrews 9
First Covenant Details
1 The first covenant has [1a] regulations for the service [2] and an earthly 'cherished' place.
2 The tabernacle that is set up has an outer part. In it is the menorah [3] the table and the Bread of the Presence [showbread]. This is called the 'cherished' place.
3 But the inner tabernacle that’s within the second veil is called the Most 'cherished' place.
4 The gold censer and the ark of the covenant that were completely covered with gold had been in it, as well as the gold urn that contained the manna, Aaron’s staff that sprouted and the stone tablets that the covenant was written on.
5 Above it are the magnificent cherubim whose wings overshadow the place for the atonement. But there isn’t time to comment on each of the things in detail.
Mediator of the New Covenant
Hebrews 10
You’ve 'Equipped' Me With a Body!
1 The Torah, being a foreshadowing of the blessings to come, isn’t an exact likeness of the things themselves. So, altho the same zebakim [sacrifices] are offered every year, they can never perfect those who offer them.
2 If these zebakim could perfect them, they would have stopped the zebakim long ago. The worshipers, once cleansed, would no longer be troubled by a consciousness of sins.
3 But because of the zebakim, they are reminded of their sins every year.
4 Yet it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to purge sins.
Deliberate Sin
Hebrews 11
By Faith
1 Faith [belief in the truth] is living as if things presently anticipated were already a reality—being shown invisible things.
2 The ancients confirmed it quite well.
Hebrews 12
The Heavenly Realm
1 So since we have all these witnesses surrounding us like clouds, let’s throw aside the ever present encumbrances and sins, and let’s run the race we’re destined to with endurance.
2 Let’s look to Yeshua who has become the Pioneer and personification of our faith, who because of the joy set before Him, endured the cross, surrendered to [1] the shame, and is seated at the right hand side of Yehovah’s throne.
3 So consider how much He endured from sinners, from those who are their own adversaries, so that you won’t become discouraged or become tired and give up.
A Glimpse of the Future
Hebrews 13
Diverse Doctrines
1 You should keep on loving the friends.
2 Don’t forget to be kind to strangers, because this is how some have been privileged to entertain spirit messengers without even being aware of it.
3 Remember prisoners as if you were in prison with them, and remember those suffering adversity, since you yourselves are still 'made of' flesh.
1st Timothy 1
Don’t Fall For Myths
1 From Paul, an envoy of Yeshua (Jesus) Messiah, by the command of Yehovah our Life Giver and of the Messiah, Yeshua our hope,
2 to Timothy, my true son in the faith. Good will, mercy and peace from Yehovah our Father and the Messiah, Yeshua our Sovereign.
1st Timothy 2
Prayer and Thanks
1 First of all, then, I urge you to make requests to Yehovah: prayers, intercession and giving of thanks for all of humanity,
2 for kings and for everyone in authority, so that we can live our lives in peace and tranquility, with great reverence and honor for Aloha.
3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of Yehovah our Life Giver,
4 who wants everyone to be rescued from destruction and come to a precise knowledge of the truth.
5 Yehovah is One [1], and there is one Mediator between Yehovah and humanity, namely the man Yeshua Messiah,
6 who gave Himself as a ransom for everyone, a testimony that arrived at an opportune time! [2]
7 This is why I have been made a herald and an envoy. I’m telling the truth, this isn’t a deception, because I’m the teacher of the nations with convictions and objectivity.
1st Timothy 3
Reputable Elders
1 It is a true statement that if a man wants to be an elder, he desires a noble task.
2 Such an elder should be of unassailable character, he should be married to one wife, sensible, virtuous and orderly, hospitable to strangers and able to teach,
3 not addicted to wine or a violent person. He should be gentle rather than quarrelsome, and not in love with money,
4 someone who manages his own household well, with 'respectful' children who obey him.
5 If he doesn’t know how to manage his own family well, how can he care for of the assembly of Aloha?
6 He shouldn’t be a neophyte [neophutos] or he might become arrogant and fall under the same condemnation as Satan.
7 He should have a good reputation with those outside the assembly, so that he doesn’t fall into disrepute and into Satan’s snare.
1st Timothy 4
False Teachers
1 The spirit expressly says that in the latter times some will abandon their convictions of the truth and devote themselves to deceitful spirits and their demonic doctrines.
2 They’ll deceive BY A FALSE APPEARANCE [1], having their own consciences seared as if by a branding iron.
3 They will forbid marriages and require abstinence from meats [2] that Yehovah created to be used with thankfulness by those who believe and understand the truth.
4 Every animal that Yehovah created for food is good, and there is nothing that should be rejected if it is received with thankfulness,
5 because it is made special by the Word of Aloha [3] and prayer.
1st Timothy 5
Widows
1 Never reprimand an elder, but call him aside as if he were your father and treat younger men as your brothers,
2 and the older women as mothers, and the younger women as your sisters, with absolute purity.
Elders
1st Timothy 6
Teaching for Money
1 Anyone who is under the yoke of servitude should highly respect their masters to prevent Yehovah’s name and His doctrine from being blasphemed.
2 Those who have believing masters should be respectful toward them, because they are their friends. They should be even more obedient, because they are truly faithful and worthy of love. They should benefit from the services of their servants. You should teach and encourage these things.
2nd Timothy 1
Don’t be Ashamed of Yeshua’s Testimony
1 From Paul, an envoy of Yeshua (Jesus) Messiah, by the will of Yehovah, according to the promise of life that is by Yeshua Messiah,
2nd Timothy 2
We Will Also Reign
1 So my son, be strong thru the dignity of Yeshua Messiah.
2 Everything that you’ve heard from me thru many witnesses you should entrust to competent people who are capable of teaching others as well,
3 as a good soldier of Yeshua Messiah endures the suffering.
4 No man who serves as a soldier becomes entangled in the affairs of the world—so that he can please the person who enlisted him.
5 And no one who participates in the games is crowned unless they play by the rules.
6 The farmer should be the first to enjoy the fruit of his labor.
7 Consider what I’m saying. Yehovah will give you wisdom in everything.
Avoid Moronic Debates
2nd Timothy 3
Diverse Doctrines
1 But realize this, that in the last days fiercely difficult times will come.
2 People will be self centered, money loving, pretentious, egotistical, blasphemous, disobedient to their own people [Gr. parents], ungrateful, irreligious, wicked,
3 inhumane, non committal, brutal, despising those who are good,
4 traitors, rash, arrogant, and loving pleasure more than the love of Yehovah.
5 They have something resembling the true worship of Yehovah, but are far from Yehovah’s power [Gr. its power]. Avoid them!
Live By the Scriptures!
2nd Timothy 4
Proclaim the Word
1 I implore you in the presence of Yehovah and our Sovereign Yeshua Messiah, who will judge the living and the dead when His Kingdom appears,
2 to proclaim the Word spontaneously, when the opportunity arrives, and even when it doesn’t! Correct and admonish with the utmost patience and careful instruction.
3 The time is coming when they won’t listen to sound doctrine, but because of their cravings they’ll surround themselves with preachers who will tickle their itching ears!
4 They’ll reject the truth and turn to fiction.
5 But you must be vigilant in everything, endure hardships, and do the work of an ‘assembly planter’ [1], fully carrying out your ministry.
I’m About to Die
Bring the Parchments!
Titus 1
Establish Elders in Every City
1 From Paul, a servant of Yehovah and an envoy of Yeshua (Jesus) Messiah, 'advancing' the faith of Yehovah’s Select, and their knowledge of the truth that leads toward Aloha,
2 in the anticipation of eternal life, that Yehovah, who is always truthful, promised before eternity itself began.
3 At the right time, He revealed His message by the announcement of heralds, the mandate that I was entrusted with from Yehovah our Life Giver,
Titus 2
Temperance
1 You must speak things consistent with sound doctrine.
2 Teach the older men to be temperate, sober-minded, pure, and sound in faith, in love and in patience.
Titus 3
Avoid Heretics
1 Remind people that they must be submissive and obedient to rulers and government officials, and be ready to do every good work.
2 Don’t blaspheme anyone or be argumentative, but be gentle and show courtesy to everyone in every circumstance.
Philemon 1
Welcome Onesimus
1 From Paul, a captive of Yeshua Messiah, and our friend Timothy. To our dear coworker Philemon,
2 and to our dear Apphia, and to Archippus a fellow laborer, and to the assembly that meets in your house.
Revelation 1
Past, Present or Future? In Hebrew, Aramaic and the Greek: (sorry about the “once saved” part) translations, the tenses are not at all the same as in English. Relative time is determined by the context. Very frequently events that have obviously never happened are worded as if they have already happened, entirely due to the different mode of thinking in these ancient writings. It’s too bad so few translators ever adjust contextually. The entire book of Revelation is an accounting of what is about to happen. I have taken some extra measures to clarify the timing in Revelation. Obviously much of Revelation is John telling what he had just seen.
Commentary
The Revelation of Yeshua (Jesus) Messiah, that Yehovah gave to Him to show to His servants—certain events that must of necessity soon take place, in a fixed position in time: [minute 49.50]. He revealed these events by sending His messenger to His servant John.
2 He was a witness to the Word of Aloha and to the Testimony of Yeshua Messiah [1] about everything he saw [2].
3 Anyone who reads this is blessed, as is anyone who hears the words of this prophecy and obeys the things that are written in it, because the time is imminent [3].
the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Yes, Aw-main'.
The Testimony of Yeshua
Revelation 2
Ephesus, I May Come to You Quickly
1 Write this to the messenger of the assembly in Ephesus: “This is the message of the One who holds everything, including the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven gold menorahs, says:
2 I know your works, your toil and your endurance. I know that you can’t tolerate the wicked, and that you have tested those who claim to be 'apostles' and aren’t, and you’ve found them to be liars.
3 You’ve persevered and endured burdens because of My name, and haven’t grown weary.
Smyrna in Tribulation
Pergamos, I May Come to You Too
Thyatira Will Suffer Great Tribulation
Revelation 3
Sardis, I May Come to You
1 To the messenger of the assembly in Sardis, write: “He who has the seven spirits of Yehovah and the seven stars says, I know your works, you’re name [or reputation] 'means' that you are alive, but you’re dead.
2 Wake up and preserve the things that remain and are about to die, because I’ve found your works to be lacking in the sight of Yehovah.
3 Remember the way you received and heard, and obey those teachings and make amends. If you don’t wake up, I WILL COME TO YOU like a thieving false 'minister' and you won’t know which annual time [1] I’ll come to you.
Philadelphia, I’ll Protect You
Laodicea, I’m About to Vomit You!
Revelation 4
A Sea of Glass
1 After this, I looked and saw an open door in the sky! The first voice that I heard was like a shofar talking with me. It said, “Come up here and I’ll show you the things that must happen after this.”
2 Instantly, I was in the spirit realm and a throne 'appeared' in the sky, and Someone was seated on the throne!
3 The One sitting there resembled a jasper stone and sardonyx. And encircling the throne was a rainbow 'amid' clouds [1] with an emerald 'hue'.
4 Around the throne [Aramaic Kursio, a seat of state] were twenty-four thrones, and on those thrones I saw twenty-four Elders who were dressed in white clothing, with gold coronets [crowns without arches] on their heads.
5 Lightning flashes and rumbling thunder were coming from the throne, and seven flaming menorahs were burning in front of the throne. These are the seven spirits of Yehovah.
Revelation 5
The Lamb is Worthy
1 I saw a book in the right hand of the One who sat on the throne. It had writing on the inside as well as on the back side, and it was sealed with seven seals.
2 I saw a mighty messenger announcing in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?”
3 No one in Heaven above or on earth or under the earth was able to open the book or even look inside it.
4 I cried and cried because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look inside it.
5 One of the Elders said to me, “Stop crying. Look! The Lion from the tribe of Judah, the offshoot [descendant] of David has been victorious, He’ll open the book and its seven seals!
Revelation 6
The First Five Seals
1 I watched as the Lamb broke open one of the seven seals. And I heard one of the four living beings say with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.”
2 I looked, and there was a white horse, and its rider held a bow, and a crown was given to him. He went out as a conqueror to conquer.
When the Sixth Seal Opens—the Day of Yehovah—“Their Wrath” Begins)
12 I watched as He broke open the sixth seal, and there was a huge earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of hair, and the full moon turned blood red. [3]
13 Stars from the heavens fell to the ground [See footnote on Isaiah 34:4] like unripe figs falling from a fig tree when it is shaken by a strong wind.
14 The sky recoiled like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was 'shaken' out of place.
15 The kings of the earth, the nobles, the commanders of thousands, the rich men, the men of valor and all the servants and free men hid themselves in caves and among rocks in the mountains,
16 and they said to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of the One sitting on the throne AND from the wrath of the Lamb,
17 because The Great Day of Their anger has come, and who is able to 'survive' that?” [Isaiah 34:4,8]
Revelation 7
The 144,000
1 After all of this I saw four messengers standing on the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that no wind could blow on the land or the sea or on the trees.
2 Then I saw another messenger coming up from the direction of the rising sun. He had the seal of the living Aloha, and he called out loudly to the four messengers who were allowed to harm the land the sea,
3 He said, “Don’t harm the land or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the foreheads of the servants of Yehovah.” [1]
4 Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000, sealed from every tribe of Israel:
An Enormous Crowd
Revelation 8
Seventh Seal Broken
1 When 'the Lamb' broke open the seventh seal, there was silence in Heaven for about half an hour.
Revelation 9
The Bottomless Abyss
1 The fifth messenger blew his shofar, and I saw a star in the sky fall to the ground. He [the “star”] was given the key to the bottomless abyss.
2 He opened the bottomless pit and smoke came out of the pit, like smoke from a blast furnace. The smoke from the pit darkened the sun and the air.
3 Locusts came out of the smoke and onto the land, and they were given power like earthly scorpions have.
4 They were forbidden to harm the remaining grass on the ground, or any green plants, or any trees, but only the people who didn’t have Yehovah’s seal on their foreheads.
5 They weren’t allowed to kill anyone. They were only allowed to torture them for five months. Their agony was like the pain of a scorpion when it stings someone.
6 In those days people will look for death, but they won’t find it, they’ll long to die, but death will elude them.
Four Deadly Angels Released
four horns of the gold altar that was in front of Yehovah
14 say to the sixth messenger who had a shofar, “Release the four angels that were 'tartarooed' [1] at the great river Euphrates.”
15 The four angels were released. They had been awaiting this very hour, day, month and year [2] to kill a third of humanity.
16 The number of cavalry troops was two hundred million [3]. I heard their number.
Revelation 10
The Small Book
1 I saw another mighty Messenger [Yeshua] come down from the sky surrounded by a cloud, with a rainbow over His head. His face was like the sun and his legs [1] like pillars of fire.
2 He had a small book opened in His hand. He set His right foot on the sea and His left foot on the land.
3 He shouted with a loud voice like a roaring lion. When He shouted, the seven thunders began to speak.
4 When the seven thunders had spoken, I was about to record it, but I heard a voice from the sky say, “Seal up the things that the seven thunders said, and don’t record those things.”
John Must Prophecy Again!
Revelation 11
John Measures the Temple
1 Then I, John, was given a measuring reed like a staff, and a Messenger standing by and said, “Get up and measure the Temple [1] of Yehovah and the altar and those who worship there [2].
2 But leave out the courtyard outside of the Temple, don’t measure it, because it has been given to the other nations, and they’ll trample the 'cherished' city underfoot for forty-two months.
3 I will give power to My The Two Witnesses [3]. They’ll prophesy for 1,260 days [4], wearing sackcloth.
4 They are the two olive trees and the two menorahs [5] standing in the presence of the Aloha of the world.
5 When someone wants to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies—when someone wants to harm them they must be killed in the same way.
6 These Witnesses have the power to shut up the sky, to keep rain from falling during those days [Gr. “of prophecy”], and they have power over bodies of water to turn them into blood, and to strike the land with any disaster as often as they want.
The Third Catastrophe
Revelation 12
The Woman in the Wilderness
1 'Amazing imagery' was seen in the sky: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. [Genesis 37:9]
2 Being pregnant [1], she cried out from birth pains and agony about to give birth.
3 Another sign appeared in the sky, an enormous fiery red dragon [A][B] [Gr. drakon] that had seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems were on his head.
4 His tail 'swept' away a third of the stars [angels, Revelation 9:1] in the sky and cast them to the ground. The Dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that as soon as she had given birth he would devour her Son.
The Dragon Cast Down
7 Then there was war in the sky, Michael and his messengers fought against the Dragon, and the Dragon and his angels waged war,
8 but they were 'defeated'. And there was no longer any place for them in heaven [the sky] [3].
9 The enormous Dragon was thrown down, the ancient Dragon who is called the Deceiver and the Adversary who seduces the entire inhabited world was thrown to the ground and his angels were thrown down with him.
Revelation 13
The Ten Horned Beast
1 As I stood on the sand of the sea [1], I saw a predatory beast [Aramaic “A beast of the tooth”] coming up out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on his horns and blasphemous names on his heads.
2 The predatory beast that I saw was like a leopard. His feet were like a bear’s feet, and his mouth was like a lion’s mouth. The Dragon gave him his own power, his throne and incredible authority.
3 One of his heads seemed to be fatally wounded, but his fatal wound was healed. Virtually everyone on earth was amazed and 'followed' the predatory beast.
4 They worshiped the Dragon because he had given authority to this predatory beast, and they asked, “Who is like the predatory beast [who is his equal], and who can wage war with him?”
The Two Horned Beast, 666
Revelation 14
The 144,000 Now Sealed
1 Then I looked, and the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him were 144,000 who had His name [1] and His Father’s name written on their foreheads.
2 Then I heard a sound from the sky like massive waves of the sea, like the 'loud' 'rumble' of thunder. The sound I heard was like harpists striking their harps!
3 They were singing a new song in front of the throne and the four living Beings and Elders. No one was able to learn that song except for the 144,000 who were purchased [redeemed] from the earth.
4 They are the ones who haven’t defiled themselves with women, they are spiritual virgins. They are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. Yeshua (Jesus) has purchased them from humanity as the firstfruits of Yehovah and the Lamb.
5 They never 'tell' lies because they are as morally unblemished as Passover lambs.
Everyone Hears the Good News!
Babylon Has Fallen
Revelation 15
Messengers Prepare The Seven Bowl Plagues
1 Then I saw another 'spectacular' and amazing sign in the sky—seven messengers with the seven last plagues [heavy afflictions]. With these Yehovah’s rage is finished.
2 I saw a sea of glass [1] that seemed to be 'ablaze' with flames, and those who had been victorious over the predatory beast and over his icon [Gr. eikon] and over the number of his name were standing on the sea of glass, and they had the harps of Yehovah.
3 They were singing the song of Moses [2] the servant of Yehovah, and the song of the Lamb: “Your deeds are spectacular and marvelous, Sovereign Yehovah the Almighty. Your ways are just and true, O King of the ages [3].
4 Who won’t fear You Sovereign, and praise Your name, since You alone are 'peerless' and just. Every nation will come and worship in Your presence, because Your righteous acts have been revealed.”
Revelation 16
The Seven Bowl Plagues Unleashed
1 Then I heard a voice [1] saying to the seven messengers, “Go out and pour those seven bowls of the rage from Yehovah out on the earth.”
Revelation 17
The Woman Impostor Destroyed
1 Then one of the seven messengers who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I’ll show you the punishment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, [over a flood of people].
2 The kings of the earth have committed [economic/political/spiritual] prostitution with her, and the inhabitants of the earth have been intoxicated by the wine of her prostitution.”
Revelation 18
The Fall of Babylon
1 After these things I saw another messenger coming down from the sky. He had extraordinary authority, and the land was illuminated by his splendor.
2 He shouted with a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the Great. She has become a cavern of demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, a home of every 'unkosher' and highly detestable bird, and the home of every 'unkosher' and highly detestable predatory beast.
3 Every nation has drunk the wine of her rage, and the kings of the earth have participated in her prostitution. The merchants of the earth have become rich by her lust for power.”
Leave Babylon or Die There!
Revelation 19
Celebration in Heaven
1 Afterward I heard the loud voices of a large crowd in Heaven shouting, “Hallelujah! Deliverance, strength, praise and honor to our Aloha.
2 His judgments are true and righteous, because He has judged the 'infamous' prostitute who was corrupting the entire earth with her immorality, and has avenged the blood of His servants whose murders she handled.”
3 Again they shouted, “Hallelujah! Her smoke ascends forever and ever.”
The Marriage Banquet
The Word Returns to Fight
Revelation 20
Satan Gone For 1,000 Years
1 Then I saw a messenger descending from Heaven with a 'huge' chain in his hand, holding the key to the bottomless pit.
2 He seized the Dragon, that ancient serpent who is the Deceiver [Gr. Devil] or Satan, who seduced the whole world [1], and restrained him for a thousand years [2].
3 He threw him into the bottomless pit and closed it up and sealed him securely so that he couldn’t seduce the nations any longer until the thousand years were finished. But after that he’ll be released from bondage for a little while.
Judgment Day