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SCRIPTURES
Chapter 7
Simon’s mother-in-law is healed – The grace and goodness of Yeshua – Parable: The
Wedding Feast – Parable: The Fish Net – True circumcision – “On what day shall the
kingdom of Heaven come?” – “Break apart the wood, and I am there” – Zebedee rebukes
Yeshua for stealing his sons – The true Father of men – Let the dead bury the dead
– The fame of Yeshua spreads – Herod desires to see Yeshua
1 Now Simon entreated that the Lord should enter his house and going in there came and knelt before him, Joanna, the wife of Simon;
2 For she desired that the Master put forth his hand to heal her mother, for she was sick with fever.
3 So Yeshua went unto Cleophas, Simon’s mother-in-law, and seeing her upon the bed, took her by the hand and sang to her the songs of her youth.
4 And the entire house became filled with light and singing, making merry the wounded heart; and Cleophas rose from her bed, being healed, and she did minister unto the whole house.
5 And the word went throughout all Capernaum concerning the healing of Cleophas and, in the eventide, there gathered about the house a multitude of the sick and infirm.
6 And Yeshua, being filled with compassion towards all men, comforted them with tender affection.
7 And many wept at the gracious words which he spoke, being restored again unto a perfect joy. And returning to their own homes, they gave thanks of all which he said and did.
8 But a certain scribe who would believe, seeing that Yeshua would heal even the Gentiles, spoke unto him, saying:
9 “If you are truly of God, why then have you laid your hand upon the heathen, seeing that they are not of Abraham’s seed and have no part with us?”
10 And Yeshua, looking round about him, said: “Whosoever has ears to hear, let them hear and be wise:
11 For the kingdom of Heaven is like unto a king who prepared for his son a wedding feast.
12 So he sent his servants unto those who professed with their lips to love and serve the king, and he bid them come to the wedding feast; but they would not, having busied themselves with many things.
13 And the king, hearing this, sent forth other servants more urgent than the first, saying:
14 ‘Tell those whom I have chosen that the feast is yet ready: For I have prepared my table with all manner of goodly things, and I do wait for them. Come, therefore, to the wedding feast and with me rejoice.’
15 But when the servants spoke the king’s message unto those whom he had invited, some turned again to their own ways, one to his field and another to his merchandise.
16 Yet others grew angry with the servants and they seized them and beat them sorely, and some they killed.
17 When the king heard these things, he was heavy of heart and calling unto his servants, he said:
18 ‘Behold, the wedding feast which I have prepared is ready and the son and bride approach.
19 Go, therefore, unto the highways and byways and unto whatsoever person you meet, whether citizen or stranger, invite them to the feast of the king.
20 And I shall recompense unto the first according to their works, for they were quick to honor me with their lips, but in their hearts were they filled with all manner of wickedness.’
21 So the servants went forth into the highways and byways of the kingdom, and they gathered unto the feast a multitude of guests, whether citizen or stranger;
22 And as many as would come rejoiced in the presence of the king and his son, being filled to overflowing with an abundance of goodly things.
23 Hear again this other also, for the kingdom of Heaven is like unto a net which certain fishermen cast into the sea, and they gathered therein a multitude of fish of every kind.
24 And when they had filled their boats to overflowing, they came again unto the shore, and sitting down they took for themselves all the fish which were good, and the rest did they cast again into the sea.
25 So shall it be in that day when the angels gather unto the Father all those that are worthy of great glory;
26 For they shall separate the righteous from the unrighteous, and the righteous shall dwell continually with the Father.
27 And the unrighteous shall he cast again unto life, that they might journey yet a little while upon the way.
28 For the Father is not willing that any should perish, being forsaken and without hope.
29 For I tell you truly, that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of Heaven.
30 For the promise of Abraham did God establish in righteousness, and if any man will cleave unto the good, forsaking evil altogether, then shall he become as the seed of Abraham, being circumcised in his heart already.
31 How then shall circumcision of the flesh prove profitable if the heart be filled with all manner of corruption?
32 For if circumcision were profitable unto exaltation, then would your fathers beget you circumcised already from your mother’s womb.
33 For the true circumcision which comes from above is born in the Spirit unto good works, and not in the flesh only.”
34 So spoke Yeshua unto all who would hear, and one of his disciples asked him, saying:
35 “My Lord, tell us truly: On what day shall the kingdom of Heaven come?”
36 And he answered him, saying: “Hear then and understand, for the kingdom comes not according to the expectations of men.
37 For many will say: ‘Look, here is the kingdom’, or, ‘Look, there is the kingdom’, but the kingdom which the Father has prepared is come already to the earth and you do not see it.
38 I am the light which came from above. Whosoever shall abide in me shall never know darkness, and the mysteries of Heaven shall unfold before you, revealing all things.
39 For I tell you truly, that before your father Abraham was, I am. Unto what place, therefore, shall you look except the Father be revealed in you?
40 Break apart the wood, and I am there. Lift up the stone to look beneath, even there shall you find me.
41 For wheresoever the wind shall breathe, bowing low the lilies of the field, even there shall you find the Father dancing away upon the hills, and waving his hands upon the trees.”
42 So spoke the Beloved unto those gathered round about him. And when he had finished speaking, many were astonished at his doctrine and were filled with wonder, saying:
43 “From what place came this man’s wisdom, for he teaches not as the scribes and Pharisees do?”
44 Now on the morrow while yet the Master taught in the house of Simon, there came Zebedee the father of James and John.
45 For when he heard that they had forsaken all things to follow the Nazarene, he grew hot with anger and finding his sons in the presence of the Lord, he demanded of them an accounting.
46 And when they declared again their desire to follow after the Lord, forsaking all other things, the father turned unto Yeshua, saying:
47 “What manner of man would rob a father of his sons? For God did give unto me both James and John, that they might inherit unto themselves the fruits of their father’s labor. Why, therefore, have you stolen away their hearts from me?”
48 When he heard these things, Yeshua spoke unto the man, saying: “Is it not said among you that you are the children of God?
49 If you, therefore, be a child of God, and these two be the children of God also: How then can you be the father, seeing that you are all the children of one Father?
50 For I tell you truly that the time now is when there is come a Father which is preferred above all others, and unto him shall the children of men come seeking, that they may possess a fullness of heavenly things.
51 For this cause shall a man be set at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother; and a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.
52 Will you think, therefore, that I am come to bring peace unto the earth? I came not to bring peace, but a sword instead.
53 Whosoever, therefore, shall love father or mother more than me, the same is not worthy of the Father which is come from above;
54 And whosoever shall love son or daughter more than me, the same shall deny to themselves the Father which is come unto the children of men.
55 And whosoever will not forsake all things to follow after me, the same is not worthy of me.
56 For what profit shall these inherit to themselves concerning all your labors, if it so be that they should lose the birthright which is found in Heaven only?”
57 And Zebedee, hearing this, grew all the more angry, and he went unto Bethsaida, cursing and murmuring against the Master.
58 Now when John saw that his father went away angry, he spoke unto Yeshua, saying:
59 “My Lord, let me go and stay with my father till he die, then shall I follow after you.”
60 But he answered him, saying: “Come, follow me, and let them which are dead already bury their own dead.
61 For who will sew a patch of new cloth onto an old garment? For when it is washed and put in the sun, the new cloth will pull away from the old, and the tear is made worse than before.
62 Or, which of you will pour new wine into old wineskins? For if you do this thing, behold, the old wineskins do burst and the new wine is spilled out upon the ground.
63 Therefore, if you would preserve new wine, then shall you pour it in new wineskins and forsake the old ones altogether; then shall you preserve the new wine till you drink it.”
64 These then are the words which were taught in the house of Simon in Capernaum, and many believed.
65 And after certain days Yeshua journeyed throughout the towns and villages of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and in the fields concerning the coming of the kingdom of Heaven.
66 And many came seeking him, from all Galilee and Perea, from the cities of Decapolis and Judea did there come a multitude of people.
67 And there was among them, Judas of Kerioth who was come from Jerusalem, and he was of the Sicarii, and there was with him, Thomas Zelotes.
68 And the fame of Yeshua filled all Galilee, and Herod, dwelling yet in Jericho, for it was winter, was filled with foreboding because of him; for many said that he was John risen from the dead again.
69 And Herod called together all his counselors and said: “Who is this man of whom all Israel speaks? For John the Baptizer have I killed.
70 Who then is this man, who by the power of his word alone would restore sight to the blind and cause that the lame should walk, and the lepers to be made clean again?” And Herod desired greatly to see for himself the Nazarene.
71 For since the death of John was the king filled with fear, being unable to sleep. And many thought to bring Yeshua unto the king that he might heal him.
72 But Yeshua, knowing these things, went unto the city of Bethsaida in the kingdom of Philip the brother of Herod Antipas, and there rested a little while.
YESHUA 7