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SCRIPTURES
Chapter 8
Yeshua enters the house of Matthew – Yeshua criticized for eating with sinners –
Only the sick need a physician – “Behold, a gluttonous man” – Judging righteously
– A good tree brings forth good fruit – Digging up the roots of evil – Matthew: What
must I do to have eternal life? – Yeshua forgives Mary Magdala – “Come, follow me”
1 In Bethsaida-Julias did the Master preach the coming of the kingdom, and many believed in him, both Jews and Gentiles.
2 And departing from there he entered a boat and came again unto Capernaum, and there came out to meet him a certain tax collector whose name was Matthew.
3 And he entreated that the Lord should come and eat at his house, and entering in, the Master and certain of his disciples did eat.
4 And there was gathered also unto the feast a host of publicans, sinners, and Gentiles. And when these heard the words of the Lord towards them, they were filled with wonder, for he was gracious unto the very least.
5 But when the scribes and Pharisees heard that Yeshua sat at table with publicans and sinners, they came and asked the disciples which stood outside the house, saying:
6 “Why does your master eat with publicans and sinners? If he be the Promised One of Israel, why then will he defile himself for the sake of these unrighteous?”
7 And one of the disciples, when he heard this, entered into the house and told the Lord all which the Pharisees spoke.
8 And Yeshua, speaking to all who were gathered there, said: “Why will you be offended because of them which are without mercy? For they that are whole need not a physician, but only they which are sick.
9 And the physician, putting forth his hand, restores to life the one that perishes;
10 While they which declare themselves whole already, are filled with death, for inwardly are they made full of all manner of corruption and deceit.
11 Go you, therefore, and learn what the scriptures say: O Ephraim, what shall I do unto you? O Judah, what shall I do for your sake?
12 For all your faithfulness is like the morning cloud swiftly passing, and like the early dew it goes away.
13 For I, the Lord, desire mercy more than sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
14 Unto what shall I liken this present generation? For you are become as children sitting in the market place, calling unto their play fellows, saying:
15 ‘We have played unto you our music, and you will not dance; we have revealed unto you our tears, and you have not lamented.’
16 For John came neither drinking nor eating, having abstained from the joys of the body, and the scribes and Pharisees declared unto the people, saying: ‘He is possessed of demons.’
17 But when the Son of Man is come eating and drinking, they say: ‘Behold, a gluttonous man, a winebibber full of drunkenness, a friend of publicans and sinners.’
18 Why, therefore, will you trouble yourselves for their sakes? For I am come to call sinners to repentance, that they might turn again unto God.
19 What have I to do with those who would proclaim already their own righteousness, seeing that they are made dull of hearing.
20 Did you not know that wisdom is justified of her children? Judge righteously, lest you yourselves be judged also.
21 For after whatsoever manner you judge another, you shall be judged again; and unto whatsoever measure you appoint unto the fallen, it shall be measured unto you also.
22 You judge according to the flesh, after the rudiments of men and not of God; yet will I judge no man.
23 And yet if I would judge the ways of men, then would my judgment be true: for I judge not of myself, but the Father who sent me, even he would make sure the judgments of the Lord. For of this has the prophet spoken:
24 For he shall not judge after the seeing of the eye only, neither reprove after the hearing of the ears alone. But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity the meek of the earth.
25 So shall the judgments of the Lord be, and if any man hear my words and believe not, behold, I judge him not.
26 For I came not into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world and to cleanse it of all unrighteousness.
27 For whosoever shall reject the coming of the Anointed One, and receives not the words which I shall speak, even he shall have one who judges righteously, even the Father which cometh from above.
28 For I have not spoken of myself only, but the Father which sent me, even he gave me authority to both speak and do according to his will.
29 And I know that all his words are as life everlasting. Whatsoever I speak, therefore, even therein shall the will of the Father be fulfilled unto righteousness.
30 Why will you, therefore, judge the splinter which is found in your brother’s eye, and consider not the beam which is in your own?
31 For how will you say to your brother: Let me pull the splinter from your eye, when you are made blind by the beam in your own eye?
32 You hypocrite, go first and cast out the beam which is in your eye, then shall you see clearly the splinter in your brother’s eye to cast it out.
33 Beware, therefore, the leaven of the scribes and Pharisees, which leaven is hypocrisy. For you know yourselves how that a little leaven gives rise to the whole lump altogether.
34 Beware of false shepherds who come to you in sheep’s clothing, being filled with smooth speech, making merchandise the word of God; for inwardly they are ravenous wolves full of gluttony.
35 For you shall know them by their fruits. Will a man gather grapes from bushes of thorns, or gather figs from thistles?
36 Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth only bitterness.
37 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither will a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
38 Wherefore, by their fruits you shall know them, whether they be good or evil, bitter or sweet.
39 And every tree which the Father has not planted, even that tree shall he uproot altogether, and cast away as a thing defiled.
40 For there is nothing hidden that shall not be made known, neither anything in secret kept that shall not be published abroad.
41 For I tell you truly, that as long as the inward parts of the bowels be hid, a man lives. But if they are come out of a man, being exposed to the light, even that man shall die.
42 Even so is it with the tree that spreads forth its branches in the sun, for if the roots be hidden in the earth, it is nourished and made alive continually.
43 But if the root thereof be exposed, behold, it withers and it is good for nothing except to be burned.
44 Therefore, be wise and consider deeply the ways of God. For as long as the roots of evil be hid from the world, it is made strong and lives continually in the affairs of men.
45 But if the root of evil be exposed to the light, evensomuch that all men should see it, behold, it is destroyed, being withered and of no effect.
46 Why, therefore, will you not learn wisdom? For the ax has God laid already at the root of the tree.
47 For he shall not cut the tree above the root, seeing that it will but sprout forth again;
48 But he shall dig up the roots thereof, and when they are exposed, even every one, then shall he cut the tree and great shall be the fall.
49 Therefore, if you would exceed the righteousness of scribes and Pharisees, then let each man dig down to the root of that evil which is in them, and when they have found it, even then let him pull it out of his heart by the very root.
50 Then shall evil die within you, having no effect, while yet the good remains, and you shall abide forever in the bosom of the Father, having been made righteous even as he is righteous.
51 But if you will not do this, then shall evil make firm its roots in you, revealing its image in your heart whereby you are made corrupt, and you shall have no place with God, being made desolate and without hope.”
52 Now when the whole house heard these things, they were filled with wonder, being pricked to the very soul, and Matthew spoke unto him, saying:
53 “Master, what good work shall I do that I might have eternal life? For even the works of God would I do.”
54 And he answered him, saying: “If you would do the works of God, then believe on him whom God has sent.
55 For this is the will of him that sent me, that whosoever shall believe in me unto good works, even that one shall have eternal life.
56 For it is the spirit which maketh alive, the flesh profits but little. The words which I speak unto you are spirit, and they are life.
57 Come you, therefore, unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden with a burden of care, and I will give you rest.
58 Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly of heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
59 For I tell you truly: that no man shall come unto me except that the Father draw him nigh, and whosoever shall come unto me, I will in nowise cast out.”
60 Now when he had said these things, there came from the shadows of the room, Mary of Magdala, a harlot made mad by familiar spirits. And she came and did kneel before the Lord, weeping many tears.
61 And he spoke to her, saying: “Daughter, your sins are forgiven you. Come now and rejoice, for this day are you made whole again.”
62 And she was healed in that very moment, being restored again unto a sound mind and a joyful heart, and she followed after the Master from that day forth.
63 And Matthew, being made witness to all these things, inclined his soul unto Yeshua; and turning to Chuza, Herod’s chief steward, he said:
64 “When first I bid him to my house, I thought to honor him, for all Israel speaks of him. But he, by his grace, has honored me beyond measure.
65 How then shall all these riches give me joy again, seeing that in the light of his word alone I am made alive?
66 For in the absence of his word is there a desert found, but in his speech is paradise revealed again unto man; for at the sound of his voice are all our dreams come alive, and like the wind he has carried us all unto God.”
67 Now on the day following was Matthew made busy counting taxes, and Yeshua, walking by, said: “Come, follow me.” And Matthew, forsaking all else, followed after him in the selfsame hour.
YESHUA 8