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SCRIPTURES
Chapter 18
Yeshua appoints twelve apostles – Miriam appointed over seven women – Yeshua chooses
the seventy and gives instruction – “Take no thought for what you shall eat or drink”
– On entering the house of strangers – The salt of the earth and the candle which
cannot be hid – God shall give you words to speak – The disciple is not above his
master – The true vine – Constant in and out of season – Be not of this world – When
the Spirit of Truth is come – If you love me, keep my commandments – You cannot serve
two masters – Parable: The House Built On Sand – Love one another
1 When Yeshua was come unto the mount, he gathered about him his disciples which numbered some one hundred souls, and he called and anointed twelve men to be as apostles;
2 For he desired that they be with him always in the ministry, and that he might send them forth throughout all the land to preach the coming of the kingdom.
3 And he set over the twelve Simon, which he surnamed Cephas, for he was constant and ever faithful unto the Lord; and with him also did Yeshua appoint James and John the sons of Zebedee.
4 And having completed this, he called before all the disciples his mother, and he anointed her with precious oil and gave her authority whereby she might appoint seven women to be as ministers unto the Lord.
5 And afterwards, he called also seventy disciples, both of men and of women, and ordained them, saying:
6 “I have not chosen you, but you have chosen me; for this cause are you elected to preach the coming of the kingdom throughout all Judea, Samaria, and Perea.
7 For I tell you truly, you shall not have completed all your journey till I am come again among you.
8 For yet a little while shall you not see me, for I go forth to do according to my Father’s will and, in a little while, you shall see me come again.
9 And if it so be that I go away, yet shall I send to dwell upon you the Holy Spirit which comes from above.
10 And if the Spirit be given you, then shall you reprove all Israel because they believed not on him whom God has sent.
11 Go you, therefore, two by two unto every city and place, that you may prepare all Israel for the coming of the Son of Man.
12 For I tell you that the field is great and ready for harvest, but the laborers are few: pray you therefore unto the Lord of harvest that he might send forth yet other laborers into the field.
13 And unto whatsoever city or place you go, carry you neither purse nor script, neither take you other raiment or shoes; for your Heavenly Father knows of what you have need.
14 I say unto you, therefore, take no thought for what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, or yet again for the body, what you shall put on. For is not your life more than food or drink, and is not the body more than raiment?
15 Consider the birds of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap nor gather into barns; yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much better than they?
16 For which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
17 And why take you thought overmuch for raiment sake? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not as you do, neither do they spin:
18 And yet I tell you that even Solomon amidst all his glory was not arrayed as one of these.
19 If God, therefore, has so clothed the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you?
20 Therefore, take no thought, saying: ‘What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, With what shall we be clothed?’
21 For after all these things do the scribes and Pharisees seek: for your Father knows already that you have need of these things.
22 But seek you first the kingdom of God, and in his righteousness dwell, then shall all these things be added unto you.
23 Take no thought for tomorrow: for tomorrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the trouble thereof.
24 Go you, therefore, throughout all the land declaring aloud, saying: ‘Behold, the kingdom of Heaven draws near.’
25 And into whatsoever house you enter, say: ‘The peace of God be upon this house.’
26 For in my name are you sent forth to declare from the rooftops the word which you received of me; for freely have you received of me, therefore, give freely unto all which ask of you.
27 Heal the sick, comfort the sorrowing, and prove yourselves steadfast in all things whereunto God has called you.
28 And into whatsoever city or place you enter, inquire concerning all those who would receive with gladness the word which is come from above.
29 And into whatsoever house you shall enter, if it be worthy, then shall your peace dwell upon it;
30 And in that house shall you remain, eating and drinking such things as they shall give: for the laborer is worthy of his hire.
31 But if the house be unworthy, then let your peace return unto you and go you unto another place.
32 For whosoever will receive not with gladness the word which is come from above, then when you are gone out of that house or city, shake their dust from off your feet as a testimony against them.
33 I tell you truly, that it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of visitation than for that city.
34 You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, wherewith then shall anything be salted? Behold, it is good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men.
35 You are the light of the world. A city which is set on a hill cannot be hid; neither do men light a candle to put it under a basket; but rather on a candlestick, and, behold, it gives light unto the whole house.
36 Let your light so shine before men that they might see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.
37 Behold, I send you forth as sheep among the wolves; be you therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
38 Beware of scribes and Pharisees: for they shall deliver you up to the councils and will scourge you in the synagogue.
39 And when you are brought before the accuser to give account, take no thought for what you shall speak; for your defense is of God, and in the very hour of your need shall you speak forth the wisdom of heavenly things.
40 For of your own accord do you speak not, but it is the Spirit which comes from above that gives utterance, making wise the simple.
41 Blessed are you, therefore, when men shall persecute you for righteousness sake, for unto you is the kingdom of God given.
42 Blessed are you, when men shall hate you and when they shall separate you from their company as a thing accursed, and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my name’s sake.
43 Rejoice and be you comforted, for great is your reward in the kingdom of the Father; for in such manner did their fathers receive the prophets which came before you.
44 Did I not tell you from the beginning that the disciple is not above his master, neither is he that is sent greater than he which sent him?
45 For, behold, if they have declared the master of the house possessed of demons, how much more shall they accuse them which are come out from him?
46 Fear not the rulers of men which are able to kill the body, but which are not able to kill the soul; for he which sends you forth is greater than all.
47 For I tell you truly that no sparrow falls to the ground except that your Father is first made all aware.
48 Fear not, therefore, those which are able to destroy the body, for you are of greater worth than many sparrows.
49 These things have I spoken beforehand that you might not be offended against me, for the time is come when you shall be cast from both synagogue and temple, and they which kill you will think that they do God some great service.
50 Know you, therefore, that if they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
51 All these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not the one whom God has sent.
52 For if I had not come and spoken unto them, then would their sins be hidden still, but now is the word revealed unto the children of men, and they which sin have no cloak wherein to hide the evil thing.
53 For I tell you truly, that there is nothing covered that shall not be made known, and nothing hid that shall not be published abroad.
54 Therefore whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father which is in Heaven.
55 And whosoever shall deny me before men, him also will I deny before my Father which is in Heaven.
56 For your authority is come from me, even as I am come from the Father.
57 Therefore, as you are my disciples, abide in me even as I abide in the one that sent me.
58 For I tell you truly, that I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine dresser.
59 And every branch which does not bear fruit he takes away; and every branch that bears fruit he prunes, that it may bring forth still greater fruit.
60 Abide, therefore, in me and I in you. For no branch can bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the true vine which is come from above; neither can you bear fruit of yourselves except that you first abide in me.
61 I am the vine, you are the branches. Whosoever abides in me bears much fruit, for this promise have I given you from above, that they which are faithful shall be made heir to all things.
62 But if you abide not in me, then are you cast down as a branch and withered away; and of your place shall no man know seeing that you are without root in the earth.
63 But if you abide in me, and my words abide in you, then shall you ask whatsoever you will in my name, and it shall be done according to your word.
64 Be you therefore constant in season and out of season, ever bringing forth fruit in righteousness unto the Father which called you.
65 For in this is my Father made rich in delight, that you should bring forth an abundance of fruit; for you are my disciples.
66 Know you, therefore, among yourselves that I have not chosen you, but that you have chosen me. For this cause have I called and elected that you should go forth bearing much fruit.
67 And such fruit as you shall bring forth unto harvest, even therein shall you be glorified; for this cause is it given that whatsoever thing you shall ask of the Father in my name, even that shall he give unto you.
68 And if it should be that the world hate you, then be you comforted; for the world hated me before it hated you.
69 For if you were of this world, then would the world love you, being numbered among its own.
70 But because you are not of this world, having of your own accord chosen that which is come from another, the world hates you and persecutes you unto death.
71 Many things have I yet to speak unto you, but you cannot bear them now.
72 But when the Spirit of Truth is come upon you, then shall you hear in the ear and speak from the lips the words which are come from God.
73 For the Spirit which is come from above will guide you into all truth; for whatsoever thing the Spirit shall hear from above, even that shall she speak unto you for wisdom’s sake.
74 If you love me, then keep my commandments. For why will you call unto me, saying: ‘Lord, Lord’, and do not the things which I say?
75 For which of you can mount two horses at once, or stretch forth two bows together? In like manner can no man serve two masters.
76 For either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will honor the one and scorn the other. You cannot serve together both God and Mammon.
77 Whosoever, therefore, shall hear my words to do them, the same will I liken unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock.
78 And the rains came, and the flood rose up and the winds blew and beat upon the house, and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock.
79 But whosoever hears the words which I speak to do them not, the same will I liken unto a foolish man which built his house upon the sand.
80 And the rains came, and the flood rose up and the winds blew and beat upon the house, and great was the fall of it; for it was built upon the sand, having no sure foundation.
81 Be you, therefore, wise among yourselves and build upon that foundation which is come from God; for I am the rock upon which you build, having delivered you from the wind, and the rain, and the storm.
82 If you will keep my commandments, then shall you abide always in my love.
83 For even I, having come from above, keep my Father’s commandments and abide in his love forever.
84 These things have I spoken unto you for your sake, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
85 And this commandment give I unto you, that you love one another even as I have loved you.
86 For even as the Father has loved me, even so have I loved you. Abide, therefore, in my love and depart not from it.”
YESHUA 18