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SCRIPTURES
Chapter 6
Yeshua returns to Nazareth – Reading from Isaiah – “Is this not Joseph’s son?” –
Yeshua rebukes the elders – Parable: The Lord of the Vineyard – Nazareth rejects
Yeshua – Yeshua and his family – James becomes a disciple – Yeshua preaches from
Simon’s boat – Miracle of catching fish – Conversion of Simon – Fishers of men
1 So Yeshua being beloved of the Father and filled continually with the power of the Holy Spirit, returned again unto Galilee of the nations.
2 And there went before him the fame of all his doing in Judea, and in all the regions round about did there stir a great commotion because of him.
3 And entering alone at night, he came again unto Nazareth, even the place of his youth, and going in unto his mother’s house, he gathered about him all his brethren, and he forewarned them concerning those things which he should do.
4 Now on the morrow, Yeshua and his brethren entered the synagogue, for it was Sabbath, and there came unto him his disciples.
5 And the elders seeing the Master among them, gave to him the book of Isaiah to read unto the people.
6 And taking the book, he read unto all who were gathered there, saying: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has appointed me to preach good tidings unto the poor;
7 He has sent me to make whole the brokenhearted, to set at liberty all them that are bound; to open the prison doors whereby the captives might be set free.
8 To proclaim aloud the acceptable year of the Lord, even a day of recompense; to comfort all who mourn and are heavy laden, to give unto them that lament, beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for weeping, and the garment of praise for sackcloth and heaviness;
9 That they might be as a tree of righteousness whose limbs never wither, being planted by the hand of the Lord; that in the waste places of the earth there might flow in the desert, streams of living water.”
10 And closing the book, he gave it again unto the elders, and seeing that every man looked upon him, being transfixed by his countenance, he said: “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your hearing.”
11 And they which heard were astonished and they reasoned among themselves, saying:
12 “Is this not Joseph’s son, even he whose brothers dwell here among us? How, then, can he be the very Anointed One seeing that he has come from the midst of us?”
13 Turning, therefore, unto Yeshua they inquired of him, saying: “How can this thing be? What say you of yourself?”
14 And he answered, saying: “O you of little faith, ever seeking but never able to find: What shall be said of this generation?
15 For when John came preaching the kingdom of Heaven, you believed; and all Israel was filled with expectation.
16 But now is the kingdom of Heaven come even to the very door, and you will not believe. You foolish people, well was it written of you this saying:
17 Forasmuch as this people draw near to me with their mouths, and with their lips do honor me, yet have they removed their hearts far from me, having been taught by the precepts of men and not of God.
18 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder:
19 And the wisdom of their wise men shall vanish away, and the understanding of the prudent shall avail them nothing.
20 Hear now and be wise: for I tell you truly that no prophet is accepted in his own country.
21 For there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah the prophet, when the heavens were sealed three years and six months, and great famine made desolate the whole land.
22 But unto none of them was Elijah sent except unto a woman that was a widow in Sarepta, a city by the coast of Tyre and Sidon.
23 And because she would be gracious unto the prophet in that day, she was blessed above all others, for when her son was thought dead, yet was he restored again unto life.
24 And there were many lepers in Israel in the days of Elisha the son of Shaphat, yet were none made clean again except Naaman the Syrian.
25 Why then will you not believe, O Israel, the coming of the one promised? or, Why will you be angry seeing that the kingdom of Heaven is come near unto you?
26 For if any man say: ‘I am a son of Abraham’, who will be offended? And if another say: ‘Behold, I am a Roman’, who will be troubled because of him?
27 Or, if some other shall say: ‘I am a Greek, or, a Gentile, or, a slave, or, a freeman’, who will take offense because of these things?
28 But if there should come among you one who says: ‘Behold, I am from God and have come unto the children of men to bless and instruct’, then will all men be offended because of him.
29 For this cause did your fathers persecute the prophets of old. Unto what, therefore, shall I liken you?
30 Wherewith shall you learn wisdom, seeing that you are the sons of them which killed the prophets?
31 Hear then this parable and consider deeply: For there was a certain rich man who planted a vineyard of goodly grapes, sweet and pleasing above all others, and he lent it out to certain farmers for profit.
32 And when the day of harvest was come, he sent servants to bring unto him a portion of the fruits therefrom.
33 But when the farmers saw the servants approaching, they took counsel among themselves concerning what they should do, for they would that they might take the whole harvest unto themselves alone.
34 Wherefore, they seized the servants and did beat them sorely, evensomuch that one perished. And the servants returned unto their lord and told him all which had happened.
35 And the Lord of the vineyard called forth other servants and these, too, did the farmers beat and kill.
36 Then did the Lord of the vineyard think to himself, saying: ‘I will send unto them my own son, surely they will have regard for him, seeing that I have made him heir to all things?’
37 How then shall these wicked men receive the son of their Lord? Shall they beat and kill him also? And if it so be that they should do evil unto the son, what then shall the Lord of the vineyard do unto such as these?
38 Shall not the Lord recompense unto every man according to his works? Then shall the Lord of the vineyard lend out his vineyard unto others more worthy than the first, that he might receive unto his treasury an abundance of harvest.
39 Why then will you not believe seeing that the kingdom of Heaven has come nigh unto you? Search, therefore, the scriptures that you may learn wisdom.
40 For the stone which the builders rejected has God appointed the chief cornerstone.
41 Therefore, I say unto you that except you believe on the one whom God has sent, then shall the kingdom of God be taken from you and given unto another people, who will bring forth unto the Lord a harvest of goodly things.”
42 Now when they heard these things spoken, they grew angry with Yeshua and would that they might cast him from among them, yet did his brethren and disciples guard the way round about him, and no man dared to lay a hand on him, for many believed in him.
43 And Yeshua, being heavy-hearted because of unbelief, drew himself unto a solitary place, and sending his disciples away, he commanded that they should wait for him by the waters of the sea.
44 And the Master dwelt alone in the hills of Galilee, communing always with the Father, being comforted by the angels of Heaven.
45 And after he had been gone many days into the wilderness, there came unto him his brethren, for they desired that he should not depart from them;
46 For Miriam their mother would have again her eldest son, seeing that he was a joy and a light unto the whole house.
47 But Yeshua said unto them: “You ask me what you know not; for I am called to preach unto every city, both in Israel and without, the coming of the kingdom of Heaven.”
48 And James the son of Alpheus spoke unto him, saying: “My Lord, I will forsake all things to follow after you, for I know that you are the very Anointed One of God, even the hope of Israel.”
49 And Yeshua answered him, saying: “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air their nest, but the son of man has nowhere to lay his head. How then shall you follow me seeing that I have taken nothing to myself?”
50 And James answered him, saying: “My Lord, if I might but follow after you, I shall possess all things.”
51 And hearing this, Yeshua smiled and placing his hand upon him, spoke, saying:
52 “Come then, and tarry not. For whosoever shall follow after me shall be made witness to all things. And whosoever shall stand apart from me, shall increase to themselves a multitude of burdens.
53 For I shall reveal unto you what no eye has seen and what no ear has heard, nor any hand touched, neither entered into the heart of any man from the beginning of the world.”
54 So spoke the Beloved unto his brethren, and sending them home again, he went unto Capernaum;
55 And there gathered unto him upon the way a multitude of people desiring to hear the words which he should speak, or perchance see some miracle.
56 And when he came to the borders of the sea, Yeshua saw on the shore two boats and men tending their nets beside them.
57 And entering into one of the boats, he entreated that Simon should cast him a little way from the land. And sitting down, he taught the multitude from the boat.
58 And when he had finished teaching, he said unto Simon: “Cast off into the deep, and there let down your nets; for there awaits for you a multitude of fish.”
59 But Simon answered him, saying: “Are you a fisherman also? Behold, we have labored all the night long, and have taken nothing.”
60 Now his brother, Andrew, even he who followed after the Master in Judea and Nazareth, spoke unto Simon, saying:
61 “Come, brother, and let us obey with joyful hearts the words of the Master. For this is he of whom I spake.”
62 So they set out for the deep, and letting down their nets, received a multitude of fish, evensomuch that the nets would burst for the weight of them.
63 And crying with a loud voice, Simon beckoned unto his partners who sat mending their nets upon the shore.
64 And they leaped into their boat and joining with Simon and Andrew, they filled both boats, evensomuch that they began to fear of sinking.
65 And when they came again unto the shore, Simon and Andrew, and their partners James and John the sons of Zebedee, knelt before the Master to worship him.
66 And Simon spoke, saying: “Depart from me, O Lord, for I am a sinful man and am not worthy of this blessing.”
67 And Yeshua, being filled with compassion, spoke unto Simon, saying: “Do not be afraid, Simon. For what sin can separate the son from the Father if it so be that he should turn his heart from doing evil?
68 Come now and follow me, and I will make you fishers of men; that in my Father’s kingdom you might have great reward.”
69 And Simon and Andrew, James and John gave unto others the care of their boats, and forsaking all else, followed after the Master from that day forth.
YESHUA 6