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SCRIPTURES
Chapter 28
The widow who gave all she had – Through the eye of a needle – On giving alms to
the poor – Woe unto the rich – On prayer – Forgiveness and prayer and fasting – Caiaphas
tries to arrest Yeshua – “Who is your Father that we might know him?” – A greater
witness than John – The witness of Moses – Contentions arise over who Yeshua is –
Guards fail to arrest Yeshua, Caiaphas angered
1 In the month of Adar when the feast of Purim was come, Yeshua came again unto Jerusalem.
2 And going in unto the temple, he sat down by the treasury and he beheld how the people brought forth their tithes and offerings.
3 And they which were rich came dressed in fine robes and wearing all manner of precious ornaments, being adorned in rich fragrances and oils; and they cast much into the treasury.
4 But there came a certain widow dressed in rags and taking from her apron, she gave unto the temple two small coins of copper.
5 And Yeshua seeing this spoke unto his disciples, saying: “I tell you truly that this woman has given more than all they which are rich.
6 For they which are rich give from their abundance a pittance only, to be seen of men; but this woman has given from her poverty all which she has.
7 I tell you, therefore, that her gift is accepted of God; but they which are rich, having cast in much, even their gifts has your Heavenly Father rejected altogether.
8 For they which are rich shall hardly enter into the kingdom of God, for they are filled with pretenses, and all their pride shall avail them nothing.
9 Whosoever has ears to hear, let them hear; for this word have I from the Father which sent me.
10 It is easier for the camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
11 For just as the fish of the sea can find for themselves no dwelling place in the airs above, even so shall they which are rich find for themselves no dwelling place in the presence of God, for the poor have they scorned continually.”
12 Now when the disciples heard this they were astonished, and they spoke among themselves, saying: “Who then can be saved, seeing that all men desire to be rich?”
13 But the Lord spoke unto them, saying: “Fret not yourselves because of this saying; for with God all things are possible.
14 Take heed, therefore, that you perform not your alms to be seen of men, lest you be given no reward from your Father which is in Heaven.
15 And when you go about doing service unto the poor, sound neither trumpet nor cymbal before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets; for such as these seek after the praise and glory of men only. I tell you truly, they have their reward.
16 But when you do alms, let not the left hand know what the right hand is doing, that all your alms might be done in secret before men.
17 And your Heavenly Father which sees all things in secret shall reward you openly, adding upon you blessing for blessing.
18 For whosoever would give unto the poor a blessing in alms, even he shall receive in abundance from God a double portion.
19 Give then unto the poor and it shall be given unto you again in good measure, being pressed down and shaken together, and running over with abundance, evensomuch that you shall have no room to receive.
20 For with the same measure that you give unto another, even so shall it be measured unto you again from above.
21 Blessed, therefore, are they which are humble in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God; and blessed are they which are meek, for they shall inherit a goodly land.
22 Blessed are they which mourn, being weighed down continually for poverty’s sake, for I tell you truly that they shall be comforted.
23 But woe unto you that are rich, despising the poor, for you have received your consolation.
24 Woe unto you that are filled with food and drink today, for tomorrow your house shall some other devour unto themselves, and you shall be filled with hunger only.
25 Woe unto you which today laugh and dance about, for on the morrow shall you weep and lament, and there shall come forth no man to save you.
26 Woe unto you and beware, when all men shall speak well of you; for so did their fathers unto the false prophets.”
27 So taught the Master and as they were leaving the temple, they passed by several Pharisees which were praying aloud; and the Lord, taking offense against them, spoke unto his disciples aloud, saying:
28 “When you pray, be not as the hypocrites are, for they love to pray publicly in the synagogues and on street corners that they might be seen of men. I tell you truly, they have their reward.
29 But whensoever you pray enter secretly into your closet and when you have closed the door, then shall you draw nigh unto your Father which is in Heaven.
30 And your Father which sees and hears secretly all which you do, even he shall reward you openly.
31 And when you pray, use not vain repetitions as the scribes and Pharisees do; for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking, yet of them has all Heaven grown weary these many years.
32 Be not, therefore, like unto them; for your Heavenly Father knows already the things of which you have need, even before you should ask him.”
33 When the disciples heard this they marveled, and one asked the Lord, saying: “My Lord, how then ought we to pray?”
34 And he answered them, saying: “After this manner pray you always: Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be your name.
35 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth even as it is in Heaven.
36 Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, even as we forgive our debtors.
37 And let us not enter into temptation but deliver us from evil: For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
38 Hear now and be wise lest all your prayers avail you nothing. For if you forgive men their trespasses, then shall your Heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses also.
39 But if you forgive not men their trespasses, then shall your Heavenly Father not forgive you your trespasses either.
40 Moreover when you fast, be not as the hypocrites who go about with sad faces and beating upon their bosom to be seen of others.
41 For they make mournful the whole countenance without that they might appear unto men to fast. I tell you truly they have their reward.
42 But whensoever you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that you may not appear unto men as one which fasts; but commit your fast unto the Father in secret only, and the Father which sees in secret shall reward you openly.”
43 Now when the scribes and Pharisees which stood nearby heard these things, they were offended; and going in unto the High Priest they told him all which the Master said.
44 And one of the priests spoke unto Caiaphas, saying: “What shall we do concerning this man, for each day that he speaks we are further undone?
45 For except we act quickly against him all Israel will follow after him and unto us shall they not give heed, having been seduced and led astray by this Galilean.”
46 But Caiaphas spoke unto them all, saying: “I will bring him unto us privately, that we might examine him for ourselves; then shall we find against him some charge worthy of death.”
47 And calling forth the officers of the guard, he commanded that they should go and bring Yeshua unto the chief priests and elders.
48 Now in the courtyard of the temple did Yeshua speak forth unto the multitudes, and all which heard marveled at the beauty of his speech.
49 And some of them which heard, spoke, saying: “Who is this man, for never have we heard any man speak as this man speaks.” And one answered them, saying: “It is Yeshua of Nazareth who is come again unto Jerusalem.”
50 And others, being troubled because of him, said: “Behold what manner of doctrine this man teaches. How shall we understand it, for he teaches contrary to all the scribes and Pharisees.”
51 When Yeshua heard these things, he spoke, saying: “My doctrine is not my own but is come from the one which sent me.
52 If you would do the will of my Father, then would you know of the doctrine, whether it be from God or whether I speak of myself only.
53 For he that speaks of himself only seeks the increase of his own glory.
54 But he that seeks after the glory of the one which sent him, he it is which is true, and there can be found in him no unrighteousness.”
55 And a certain scribe asked him, saying: “Who then is your Father that we might know of him?”
56 And he answered them, saying: “All things which are come from above has the Father given unto me; and of the Son no man knows except the Father first reveal it unto him.
57 Neither can any man know of the Father except the Son. He it is that makes known the Father even as the Father makes known the Son.
58 I tell you truly that the Son can do nothing of himself, but whatsoever thing the Father does, even so does the Son likewise.
59 For the Father loves the Son and reveals unto him all which the Father does;
60 And greater works than these shall he make known, that you may see with your eyes and hear with your ears what no man has seen before.
61 For as the Father quickens the dead unto life again, even so shall the Son quicken all those who believe in him.
62 Behold, my Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment unto the Son.
63 For it is expedient that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. And he that honors not the Son, how then shall he honor the Father which sent him?
64 Whosoever has ears to hear, let them hear; for I tell you truly that whosoever hears my words to believe in me, the same is passed from death unto life; and in the presence of the Father shall he dwell forever.
65 Of myself I can do nothing. But whatsoever thing the Father would reveal unto me, that thing I do.
66 And if it so be that I should judge another, then is my judgment true, for I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father which sent me.
67 And if I bear witness of myself only, then is my witness false. Yet is there another which bears witness of me, whose witness is true above all others.
68 For you yourselves did go unto the wilderness to see John and to hear him, and he bore witness of me.
69 He was a burning and shining light, and for a season did all Israel rejoice in his light till you killed him.
70 Yet have I a greater witness than that which is come from John, for the works which the Father has given me to do bear witness that I am come from God.
71 And my Father bears witness of me, but his voice you will not hear, nor at any time will you see him.
72 His word have you not in you, for you believe not in the one whom he has sent.
73 Search the scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life, but they are they which testify of me. Why then will you not come unto me that you might live?
74 From men I receive no honor, for I know your hearts that you are corrupt, and the love of God is not in you.
75 For I came in my Father’s name and you would not receive me. Yet if another should come in his own name, him you receive with gladness.
76 How then shall you believe, seeing that you seek honor one from another; while yet you seek not the honor which is come from God alone?
77 Think not, therefore, that I shall accuse you before the Father; for there is one already which accuses you, even Moses in whom you trust.
78 For had you believed in Moses, then would you have believed in me also; for he wrote concerning me.
79 But if you believe not his writings, how then shall you believe in my words?”
80 These then are the words which Yeshua spoke and many believed in him, saying: “Of a truth this man is the very Anointed One which is come to save us.”
81 But others which believed, said: “How can this man be the Anointed One seeing that the scriptures say that he which is promised shall come from the seed of David in Bethlehem?
82 Say only that he is a prophet and we will believe in him.” But the first replied unto the second, saying:
83 “If there should come some other Messiah will he do greater works than that which this man doeth?” And there arose a division among the people because of him.
84 And the Pharisees, seeing that all the people would believe in him, grew fearful, and one spoke unto him, saying:
85 “We were not born of fornication as you were; for we have but one who is our Father, even God.”
86 And Yeshua spoke again unto them, saying: “If God were truly your Father, then would you love me; for I am come from the midst of him.
87 Why will you not understand my words, and for what cause have you set your hearts against me?
88 Surely are you come from your father the devil, for the things of your father only will you do.
89 For he was a murderer from the beginning and in him was there found neither truth nor light, but death only.
90 And though I should speak unto you the truth, yet will you not believe; for my words you will not hear.
91 Whosoever is come from God, the same will hear the words of God. You, therefore, cannot hear them for you are not come from God.”
92 And Yeshua, after he had said these things, departed from the temple, and they which believed in him, being many, marveled among themselves, saying:
93 “Behold, what manner of man this is that he should speak boldly unto those which sit in power.
94 Surely he is the Anointed One, for see how they fear him and will not so much as lift their finger against him.”
95 Now when the Lord was gone again unto the city, there came unto Caiaphas the officers of the guard, trembling.
96 And seeing them approach, Caiaphas inquired of them, saying: “Where is the Galilean? Have you hidden him beneath your robes? Why have you not brought him unto me?”
97 And they answered him, saying: “By what means could we lay hold of him seeing that all the people love him? For no man ever spoke like this man.”
98 And Caiaphas grew angry against them, saying: “What! Would you also become his disciples?” And the officers answered him not a word.
99 And Caiaphas called aloud throughout the whole sanctuary, saying: “Have any of the Sanhedrin believed in him?”
100 But they which were of the temple dared not to answer him, and from that day did Caiaphas plot continually against the Master, that he might lay some charge against him.
YESHUA 28