Testament of Matthew

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Note: This translation of the Testament of Matthew from the original Ancient Aramaic Texts of the Ancient Church of the East

1. The books of the birth of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

12. And after the Babylonian exile, to Jechoniah Shealtiel, to Shealtiel Zerubbabel;

16. To Jacob Joseph, husband of Mary, the Mary to whom was born Jesus*, who is called the Anointed One.*

17. Thus accordingly all the generations from Abraham to David [were] fourteen generations, and from David to the Babylonian exile [were] fourteen generations, and from the exile to [Jesus] Christ [were also] fourteen generations.

18. However, the birth of Jesus happened like this: as Mary his mother was engaged to Joseph, while they were not married, she was found to be with child through the holy Spirit.

19. Joseph, however, was a righteous man and did not wish to expose it. And he planned to secretly divorce her.

20. As he was thinking of this, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in his dream, and told him, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear taking Mary as your wife, because He that is born to her is of the holy Spirit.

21. "She will give birth then to a son, and his name will be called Jesus, for he will bring his people back to Life from their sins.

22. "All this took place then so that everything the Lord had said through the prophet may be fulfilled, that,

24. As Joseph rose from his sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and he took her as his bride.

25. And he did not have intercourse with her until she gave birth to the male son.* And she called him Jesus.

*1:16.2 Literal Aramaic title: "M'sheekhah," "Messiah" [common spelling in English,] or "Christ."

1. Then as Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, there came Magi from the East to Jerusalem;

2. And they said, "Where is the King of the Jews who was born? For we saw his star in the East and we have come to worship him."

4. He gathered all the leaders of the high priests and the scribes of the people and asked them where would the Messiah be born?

7. Then, Herod secretly called the Magi, and learned from them in which season the star appeared to them.

8. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and told them, "Go and investigate thoroughly about the boy, and when you find him, come and show me, so I too may go and worship him."

9. However, as they heard this from the king, they went away. And, behold, that star that they had seen in the East went before them, until it came just above where the child was.

11. And they entered the house and saw the child with his mother Mary, and they fell down, worshipped him and opened their treasures and offered him gifts, gold and myrrh and frankincense.

12. And it appeared to them in a dream, that they should not return to Herod, and they went to their country by another way.

13. Following their departure, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, and told them, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, because Herod has prepared to search for the boy to destroy him."

14. Joseph then rose, took the child and his mother, by night, and fled to Egypt,

15. And they stayed there until the death of Herod, so that what the Lord had said through the prophet may be fulfilled, when he said, "From Egypt I called out my son."

16. Then when Herod saw that the Magi laughed at him, he became furious and sent for all the boys to be killed in Bethlehem and all its districts, those from two years and under, according to the period designated by the Magi.

17. Then it was fulfilled, the thing that was told by the prophet Jeremiah, who said,

18. "A voice was heard in Ramtha, crying and loud wailing, Rachel weeping for her sons, and refusing to be consoled, Because they were no more."

19. However, when Herod died, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in Egypt,

20. And he told him, "Rise, take the little boy and his mother and go to the land of Israel, because those who sought the boy's life are dead."

21. And Joseph rose, took the little boy and his mother and came to the land of Israel.

22. However, as he heard that Archelaus became king of Judah in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And he saw in a dream that he went to the country of Galilee.

23. And he came and lived in the town called Nazareth*, so that what the prophets had said, came to be fulfilled, that "Victorious" he shall be called.

1. However, in those days, there came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judah,

3. For this is what prophet Isaiah had spoken of when he said, "The voice that calls in the wilderness, ' Prepare the path of the Lord, and lay out his avenues.' "

4. John, however, had camel's hair clothing and he tied a leather belt on his back and his food was locusts and honey of the wilderness.

5. Then, there came out to him [the people of] Jerusalem and all of Judea, and all the country surrounding the river Jordan,

6. And they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, as they confessed their sins.

7. However, as he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who showed you to run from the wrath that is coming?

9. "And do not expect and say to yourselves that, 'We have a father Abraham.' For I am telling you, God can produce from these stones children for Abraham.

10. "Behold, even now the ax lies against the root of the trees. Any tree therefore that does not produce good fruit, will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

11. "I am baptizing you with waters of grace, however, the one who is coming after me is mightier than me, whose shoes I am not worthy of removing.* He will baptize you by the holy Spirit and fire.

12. "He [who holds] the winnowing fan, in his hand and sifts his grain, and the wheat he gathers in his barns and the chaff he lets burn in the unquenchable fire."

14. However, John stopped him and said, "I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?"

15. Jesus however replied and told him, "Let it be, for this is decreed for us, for all righteousness to be fulfilled." And he allowed it.

16. Then as Jesus was baptized, at once he rose out of the water, and the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and settled upon him.

17. And, behold, the voice from heaven that said, "This is my beloved Son, by whom I am fulfilled!"

*3:11 Lit. Ar. idiomatic expression retained: "I am not worthy to be his servant."

1. Then Jesus was taken by the holy Spirit to the wilderness, to be tempted by the devil.

3. Then the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God tell these stones to become bread."

4. But he replied and said, "It is written, 'It is not by bread alone that a man lives, except by every word that issues from the mouth of God.' "

5. Then the devil took him to the holy city and stood him on the parapet of the temple,

6. And he told him, "If you are the Son of God, cast yourself down, for it is written, 'He will put His angels at your command and they will lift you on their hands, so your foot will not touch the stone.' "

7. Jesus told him, "Again, it is written, ...'You shall not tempt the Lord, your God.' "

8. Again the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory,

9. And he told him, "All these I will give you, if you fall down and worship me."

10. Then Jesus told him, "Be gone, Satan! For it is written, 'Your Lord God you shall worship and for him alone you shall work.' "

13. And he left Nazareth, and he came and lived in Capernaum on the edge of the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali;

15. "Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, the sea route, at the crossing of Jordan River; Revelation of God to the nations*

16."The nation that sat in darkness, saw a great light, And those that sat in the country, in the shadows of death, The light shined on them."

17. From then on Jesus began preaching and proclaiming, "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is approaching."

18. And as he walked on the shore of the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who was to be called Keepa* [Peter,] and Andrew, his brother, casting nets into the sea, for they were fishermen*,

19. And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you hunters of humanity."

21. And as he passed by there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the sailboat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and Jesus called them.

23. And Jesus went all around Galilee and taught at their synagogues and preached the Hope of the Kingdom, and healed every affliction and sickness of the people.

24. And his name was heard in all of Syria,* and they brought to him all those who were terribly sick with all kinds of diseases, and those who were racked by torment and the demon possessed, and the lepers and the paralytics; and he healed them.

25. And great crowds followed him from Galilee and from the Decapolis* and from Jerusalem and from Jordan and from Judea and from the crossing of the Jordan River.

*4:15 Lit. Ar. idiomatic figure of speech: here "Galilee," or "Galeela," in its correct transliteration, means "Revelation of God"

*4:18.1 Lit. Ar. name: "Keepa," which means "Stone" or "Rock." "Peter" from Greek translations.

*4:18.2 In Aramaic, the word "Hunt" is used both regarding the hunting of animals and the catching of fish.

1. As Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain and as he sat down, his disciples came to him.

6. "Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be satisfied.

10. "Blessed are they who are rejected for their righteousness for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

11. "Blessed are you when they criticize you and reject you and tell you every wicked saying Because of me, in falsehood.

12. "Be glad and rejoice that your reward is great in Heaven. For this is how they rejected the prophets before you.

13. "You are the salt of the earth. However, when salt becomes flat, with what do you salt it? It does not go with anything, except it is thrown out, and is trampled by man.

14. "You are the light of the world. A city built on a mountain cannot be hidden.

15. "And a lamp is not lit and placed under a bucket, except on a lamp stand, giving light to all those who are in the house.

16. "This is how your light will shine before humanity, So they can see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

17. "Do not expect that I came to retire the law or the prophets. I did not come to retire, except to fulfill.

18. "For amen I am telling you, that until heaven and earth pass away, Not one dot or one line shall pass away from the law, until all takes place.

19. "Whoever loosens thus one of these small commandments, And teaches according to humanity, the smaller he shall be regarded In the Kingdom of heaven. Then whoever observes And teaches these, shall be called great in the Kingdom of heaven.

20. "For I am telling you, if your righteousness Does not go beyond that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.

21. "You heard that it was told to the first people, 'You shall not kill, and whoever kills is condemned to trial.'

22. "However, I am telling you, whoever is angry with his brother unfairly, will be held accountable in trial. And whoever spits at his brother, is answerable before the congregation*. And whoever says, 'Lunatic*,' is condemned to hell fire.

23. "If you bring your sacrifices for offering like this, and there you remember that your brother Holds such a grudge against you:

24. "Leave your sacrifice on the altar there, Go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and make your offering.

25. "Reconcile with your enemy quickly, while still on the road, Lest not your enemy deliver you to the judge and the judge deliver you to the guard and you end up* in prison.,

26. "And amen I say to you, You will not leave there before you have given up your last penny.

28. "But, I am telling you, Whoever looks upon a woman lustfully, At once he has fornicated with her in his heart.

29. "If your right eye causes you to commit an offense, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For you are better off losing one of your members and not having your entire body thrown into hell.

30. "And if your right hand causes you to commit an offense, cut it and throw it away from you,

For you are better off losing one of your members and not having your entire body thrown into hell.

31. "It is said, 'Whoever divorces his wife should give her a letter of cause.,'*

32. "But, I am telling you, whoever divorces his wife because of an act of adultery, leads her to fornication.

33. "Again you heard that it was told to the first people, 'Do not lie in your oaths, As your oaths before the Lord will be nullified.'*

34. "But, I am telling you, do not take an oath in vain,* Neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God;

35. "Nor by earth, which is the rug under his feet; And neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of a great king.

36. "Nor by your head, should you swear, For you cannot turn* one hair black or white.*

37. "Except your words should be, 'Yes, yes' and 'No, no.'* Anything more is from the evil one.

39. "But, I am telling you, Do not rise up against evil*, Except whoever strikes you on the right side, turn to him the other.

40. "And whoever wishes to put you on trial, and take your shirt* from you, Leave him your cape too.

42. "Whoever asks you [for something,] give it to him; And whoever wishes to benefit from you, do not stop him.

44. "But, I am telling you, Like your enemy and bless those who curse you And do good to those who hate you and pray for those who exploit you and leave you bare;*

45. "So that you become the sons of your heavenly Father, He who makes his sun shine on the good and the wicked, And brings down the rain on the righteous and the abominable.

46. "For if you like those who like you, what are you to be compensated for? Do not even the revenue collectors do this?

47. "And if you greet your brothers only,* What good is that?* Do not the revenue collectors do this also?

*5:2.1 Lit. Ar. idiomatic expression retained: This idiomatic expression, is in the form that signals the inception of the Lordís teachings on earth. It implies, I believe, the redefinition of the universal Faith.

*5:2.2 Lit. Ar. idiomatic expression: "And he [thus] commences teaching them;"--an abrupt shift in tense from the past to the present, for emphasis, a typical grammatical construction and style in Aramaic.

*5:22.2 Lit. Ar. idiomatic figure of speech: "Mute," implying demonic possession.

*5:33 Lit. Ar. idiomatic construction: "You will conclude, however, to the Lord your oaths."

*5:36.2 Lit. Ar. idiomatic expression retained: No one can change their age, [except for the Lord.]

*5:37 Lit. Ar. idiomatic expression retained: meaning: Let your "yes" mean yes and your "no" mean no.

1. "However, scrutinize your charitable acts, so you do not do them to show off before people. Otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.

2. "When you do charity, do not blow your own horn,* As do the hypocrites in synagogues and market places, so as to be glorified before humanity. And amen I am telling you, they have received their recompense.

3. "You, however, when you do charity, let not your left [hand] know What your right [hand] is doing.

4. "So that your charity is unseen, And your Father, who sees the unseen, shall compensate you in the open.

5. "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, Who love to stand in the synagogues and the market place corners to pray, So as to be seen by humanity. And, amen, I am telling you, They have received their recompense.

6. "You, however, when you pray, Enter your home and shut your door, and pray to your Father unseen. And your Father who sees the unseen, will repay you openly.

7. "And when you pray, do not chant like the pagans, For they expect through babbling,* they will be heard.

8. "Thus do not imitate them, for your Father knows what you need, Before you ask for it.

9. "Therefore, this is how you shall pray: Our heavenly Father, hallowed is your name.

14. "For if you forgive human beings their faults*, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

15. "But if you do not forgive human beings, your Father will not forgive your faults also.

16. "However, when you fast, do not look* sour like the hypocrites, For they put on a different face for others,* to look like they are fasting. And amen I am telling you they have received their recompense.

18. "To appear as if you are not fasting, except to your Father in secret, And your Father who sees in secret, He will repay you.

19. "Do not set your treasures on earth, where rust and pestilence destroy, and where thieves dig and steal.

20. "Except, set your treasures in heaven, where neither rust nor pestilence destroy, And where thieves do not dig or steal.

22. "The beacon* of the body is the eye; If your eye is thus pure* your whole body is bright.

23. "But if your eye is wicked, your whole body is in darkness. If your light is thus murky, how much more your darkness!

24. "No human being can work for two masters. Either he hates the one or is kind to the other one, Either he respects the one or criticizes the other one. You cannot work for God and Mamounah*

25. "Therefore, I am telling you, do not concern yourself about what you will eat or what you will drink, Or upon your body, what you will wear. Is the being not more precious than food,* And the body more than clothing?

26. "Look at the birds of the sky, That do not sow or reap, and they possess no riches,* And your Father in Heaven satiates them. Are you not, behold, greater than them?

28. "And why do you concern yourself about clothing? Observe the shushanneh* of the field, where they grow, That do not toil and do not weave.

29. "I tell you, however, not even Solomon, in all his glory, Was arrayed like one of them.

30. "Then if that which grows one day in the field and is cast into the fire at once,

31. "Thus do not worry or say, 'What will we eat or what will we drink or what will we wear?'

32. "For all these things the people of the world want.Your Father in heaven knows, however, That all these things are sought by you also.

33. "Seek first, however, the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be granted to you.

34. "Do not worry then that morning is approaching, for the morning will have its own worries, There is enough evil in each day.

*6:24 Lit. Ar. idiom retained: "Uncle" or: the establishment, the social structure, government, security or wealth.

*6:25 Lit. Ar. idiomatic construction: "Was not the Soul greater than nourishment?"

*6:26 Lit. Ar. idiomatic construction: "And they do not delight in bundles [of harvest]" or: their contentment is not in having bushels of wheat.

2."For by the judgment that you judge, you shall be judged, And by the measure that you measure, you shall be measured.

3. "Why do you see the straw in your brother's eye, and the beam that is before* your eye you do not notice*?

4. "Otherwise, how can you tell your brother, 'Let me take the straw out of your eye,' and, behold, the beam in [front of] your eye?

5. "Hypocrites*, first, clear the beam from your eyes, and then it will be clear for you to take out the straw from your brother's eye.

6. "Do not give what is blessed to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample on them with their feet, and turn back and rend you.

7. "Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you will find. Knock and it shall be opened to you.

8. "For whoever asks, receives*, and [whoever] seeks, finds. And whoever knocks, it is opened to them.

9. "Or which man among you, when his son asks him for bread, why, does he hand him a rock?

11. "And if so, you who are wicked, know the performance of good deeds toward* your children, how much more your father in heaven shall bless* those who ask him?

12. "Whatever you wish that human beings do for you, likewise you also do for them, for this is 'the Law and the Prophets.'

13. "Enter through the narrow door, for* wide is the door, and broad is the path that leads to oblivion, and numerous are those who go that way.*

14. But it is the constricting door and the narrow path that lead to life everlasting, and few are those that find it.

15. "Beware of false prophets that come to you in sheep's clothing, but from inside they are ravenous wolves.

16. "By their fruit you will know them. Why, do they pluck grapes from wild brush, or figs from thorn bushes?

17. "Thus every good tree brings forth beautiful fruit. The bad tree brings bad fruit.

18. "Neither a good tree can bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree can bear good fruit.

21. "It is not whoever says to me, 'My Lord, my Lord,' who enters the Kingdom of Heaven, except whoever does the will of my Father in Heaven.

22. "Many will say to me on that day, 'My Lord, my Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name cast out demons and in your name perform great powers?'

23. "And then I will declare to them that, I never knew you, go away from me, workers of abomination.

24. "Whoever thus listens to these words of mine and performs them, will resemble the wise man who built his house on the rock.

25."And the rain came down and the floods* came and the winds blew and drove against that house and [the house] did not fall, for its foundation was placed on rock.

26. "And whoever listens to these words of mine and does not perform them, resembles the foolish man who builds his house on sand,

27. "And the rains came down and the floods came down and the winds blew and drove against the house

28. And as Jesus concluded these [teachings,] the crowds were amazed over his knowledge.

29. For he taught them like someone with authority and not like their scribes or the Pharisees.

2. And, behold, a leper came and worshipped him, and said, "My Lord, if it is your will, you can cleanse me."

3. And Jesus extended his hand and touched him, and said, "It is my will, be cleansed."* And in that very hour the leper was cleansed.

4. And Jesus told him, "Look, tell not one human being, except go show yourself to the high priests, and offer the sacrifice that Moses commanded in testimony."

6. And he said, "My Lord, my boy is laid up* in the house, bedridden* and suffering badly."

8. The centurion replied and said, "My Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof, except, just say a word* and my boy will be healed.

9. "For I am a man who is subject to authority also, and there are soldiers under my command,* and I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes and to the other, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my servant, 'Do this' and he does it."

10. As Jesus heard this, he showed wonder, and said to his followers, "Amen, I am telling you, not even in Israel I found such faith!

11. "I am telling you however, many will come from the East and the West and will dine with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven;

12. "But, the children of the Kingdom will go out gazing at darkness, and there will be crying and gnashing of teeth."

13. And Jesus told that centurion, "Go, according to your faith, you shall receive." And his boy was healed in that very hour.

14. And Jesus came to Simon's house and he saw his mother-in-law in bed with fever.*

15. And he touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and served them.

16. As it was evening, they brought before him many who were possessed by demons, and he cast out their demons by the word. And he healed all those who were terribly ill,

17. So that what the Prophet Isaiah had said would be fulfilled, who said that, "He shall heal our wounds and bear our sins."*

18. Then as Jesus saw the great crowds that surrounded him, he ordered them to go cross to the other side.

19. And there came a scribe and said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."

20. Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the sky their nesting places, but the Son of Man has no place to rest his head."

21. Another one of his disciples said to him, "My Lord, permit me to go first bury my father.*"

24. And behold, there was great turmoil in the sea, so that the waves covered [the ship] from view. However, Jesus was sleeping.

25. And his disciples came to wake him, and said to him, "Our Lord, deliver us, we are perishing."

26. Jesus told them, "Why are you frightened, O, little of faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the wind and the sea and there was great calm.

27. However, the people were amazed and said, "Who is this one, whom the winds and the sea obey?"*

28. And as Jesus came to pass into the country of the Gidrai, two demon possessed men who came out from the tombs saw him, so vicious were they that not a human being could pass by that road.

29. And they cried out and said, "What do we have against you, Jesus, Son of God?* Did you come here already* to torment us?"

31. The demons then implored him, saying, "If you cast us out, allow us to go to the herd of swine."

32. Jesus said to them, "Go." And at once they exited [the possessed men] and entered the swine, and the entire herd ran up the slope of the cliff and fell into the sea and died.

33. However the swineherd ran away and went to town and described everything that happened, and about the two possessed men.

34. And the whole town came out to him on the road. And as they saw him, they implored him to leave their district.

*8:17 Lit. Ar. id. construction: "That he shall fix our sores and our illnesses he will bear."

*8:21 Lit. Ar. idiomatic expression retained: "Then let me go and take care of my father until he is dead [and then I will follow you.]"

*8:27 Lit. Ar. id. expression: "Who is this that the winds and the sea obey him?"

2. And they brought to him a bedridden paralytic. And Jesus saw his faith, and he said to him, "Take courage,* my son, your sins are forgiven."

4. Jesus, however, knew their thoughts, and he said to them, "Why do you perceive wickedness in your hearts?

5. "For which is easier to say, that your sins are forgiven, or to say, 'Get up and walk?'

6. "So as you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins, he said to the paralytic, "Rise, pick up your bed and go to your home."

8. As the crowds saw this, they became frightened and glorified God, Who had given such authority to human beings.

9. And as Jesus crossed back from there, he saw a man sitting at the treasury, whose name was Matthew, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him.

10. And as there were people from the treasury at home, there came treasury clerks and many sinners, and dined with Jesus and his disciples.

11. And as the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your Master eat with treasury people and sinners?"

12. As Jesus heard it, however, he said to them, "The healthy do not need a physician, except those who are terribly ill.

13. "Go learn the meaning of, 'Mercy I seek and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call on the righteous, except the sinners."

14. Then there came to him John's disciples and said, "Why is it we and the Pharisees are fasting often and your disciples do not fast?"

15. Jesus told them, "Why, can the sons of the bridegroom party fast as long as the bridegroom is with them? However, there will come days when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they shall fast.

16. "No one wastes* a new patch on a worn-out garment, so it may not shrink more than the old garment and make the tear* bigger.

17. "And they do not pour* new wine into old wineskins*, so the sutures may not become unraveled and the wine spilled and the wineskins ruined. Except, the new wine is poured into new wineskins, and both are preserved."

18. As he was speaking with them , a leader [of the Jews] approached and worshipped him and said, "My daughter is dying right now, except come, place your hand over her and she will live."

20. And, behold, a woman, who had been losing* blood for twelve years, came near the hem of his clothing,

21. Since she said inside herself, 'Even though I only come near his clothing, I shall be healed.'

22. Jesus however turned, saw her and said, "Take courage, my daughter, your faith has given you Life." And the woman was healed as of that hour.

23. And Jesus came to the house of the leader and saw the singers* and the crowds making a commotion,

24. He said to them, "Stop this! The girl is not dead, except she is sleeping." And they laughed at him.

25. And as he put out the crowds, he entered and took her hand and the girl rose up.

27. And as Jesus was passing from there, two blind men caught up with him, crying out and saying, "Have mercy on us, son of David."

28. And as he came to the house, the two blind men approached him. Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I can do this?" They said to him, "Yes, our Lord."

29. Then he touched their eyes and said, "As you believe, so you shall have." And at once their eyes were opened.

32. And as Jesus went out, they brought to him a mute man who was possessed by a demon.*

33. And as soon as the demon was cast out, the mute man could speak, and the crowds were amazed, saying, "We have never seen anything like this in Israel!"

34. However, the Pharisees said, "By the head of demons, he is casting out demons."

35. And Jesus would go around all the towns and villages and teach in every synagogue, and he preached the hope of the Kingdom and healed every illness and every affliction.

36. However, as Jesus saw the crowds, he was merciful to them, since they were tired and laying down like sheep that have no shepherd.

1. And he called his twelve disciples, and he gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every affliction and illness.

2. He gave it to them, the twelve apostles whose names are these. First Simon, who is called the Keepa [Peter,] and Andrew his brother. And James, son of Zebedee and John his brother.

3. And Philip and Bartholomew and Thomas and Matthew the treasurer, and Jacob, son of Alphaeus, and Levi, who is called Thadeus,

5. These twelve Jesus sent out and he ordered them, saying, "Do not follow the way of heathens, and do not enter Samaritan towns.

8. "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers and cast out demons: freely you received, freely give.

10. "And do not [take] a jar for the trip and a pair of shirts [or extra] sandals and neither a staff, for the laborer deserves his keep.

11. "However, whatever town or village you enter, ask who is worthy in it, and stay there until you leave.

13. "And if the house is worthy, your peace will be upon it. However, if it is not worthy, your peace will return to you.

14. "Whoever does not receive you, however, or does not listen to your words, as you leave that house or town, shake the dust off your feet.

15. "And amen, I am telling you, it will be easier for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on Judgment Day rather than for that town.

16. "Behold, I am sending you as sheep among wolves. Be wise as serpents and pure as doves.

17. "However, be careful of certain people,* for they will betray you to the courts, and they will torment you in their synagogues,

18. "And they will submit you before governors and kings because of me, for their testimony and that of the nations.

19. "However, when they betray you, do not wonder how or what you will say, for it shall be given to you in that hour what you will say.

20. "For it is not you who will be speaking, except the Spirit of your Father that speaks through you.

21. "Brother will betray brother unto death then, and father his son, and children will rise against their parents, and will kill them.

22. "And you will be hated by every human being because of my name. Those who believe* until the end, shall Live.

23. "When they reject you in one town, run to another. For, amen, I am telling you, the towns of the house of Israel will not all submit until the Son of Man comes.

25. "It fulfills the disciple to become like his master and the servant like his lord. If they call the master of the house Beelzavow, so much so the children of the house.

26. "Do not be so afraid of them, for there is nothing secret, that is not revealed and nothing hidden, that will not become known.

27. "What I tell you in the dark, tell it in the light. And what you hear in your ears, preach it from the rooftops.

28. "And do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. However, fear more the one who destroys the soul and the body in hell.

29. "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And yet not one of them without the knowledge of your Father would drop to the ground.

32. "Thus whoever acknowledges me before humanity, I shall acknowledge them before my Father who is in Heaven.

33. "Whoever blasphemes against me before humanity, I shall deny them before my Father who is in Heaven.

34. "Do not expect that I have come to spread* peace over the earth. I did not come to spread peace, except destruction.

35. "For I came to turn* the man against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against the mother-in-law.

37. "Whoever values* father and mother more than me, is no use to me,* and whoever values son and daughter more than me, is not worthy of me.

39. "Whoever seeks himself, loses himself, and whoever loses himself because of me, finds himself.

40. "Whoever receives you, receives me. And whoever receives me, receives the One who sent me.

41. "Whoever receives a prophet in the name of a prophet, receives a prophet's recompense, and whoever receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man receives a righteous man's recompense.

42. "And whoever gives one of these small ones, who go by the name of disciple, a cup of water to drink, though it is only cold water, amen I am telling you, their recompense shall not be lost."

1. And so it was as Jesus concluded instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns.

2. However, when John heard in prison of the works of the Anointed One*, he sent through his disciples, and said to him,

5. "The blind see and the lame walk and the lepers clean and the mute hear and the dead risen and the poor full of hope.

8. "And if not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine garments? Behold, those who wear fine clothes, live in royal palaces.

9. "And if not, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Indeed! I am telling you, and more than a prophet!

10. "For this is the one of whom is written, that 'Behold, I am sending my angel before your face,* to lay out the path before you.'

11. "Amen, I am telling you, there never was born of women one who stood taller* than John the Baptist. However, the smallest one in Heaven, is greater* than him.

12. "From the days of John the Baptist until now,* the Kingdom of Heaven will be gained by austerity, and the disciplined shall win it.

14. "And if it pleases you to accept it, he was the Elijah who was destined to come.

16. "What does this generation resemble? It resembles the boys that sit in the market place, crying out to their friends,

17. "Saying, 'We sang for you and you did not dance, and we lamented for you and you did not mourn.'

18. "For John came neither eating, nor drinking, and they said, 'He is [possessed] by a demon.'

19. "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they said, 'Behold, a glutton and a wine drinker and the friend of revenue collectors. However, wisdom is proven righteous through its deeds."

20. Then Jesus began to reproach* those towns wherein many of his great powers were performed, but which had not repented. And he said,

21. "Woe to you, Chorazin, woe to you, Bethsaida. Since if in Tyre and Sidon were those mighty powers performed that were in you, they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes by now.

22. "Therefore, I am telling you, it will be easier* for Tyre and Sidon on Judgment Day than for you.

23. "And you, Capernaum, who until now had risen till heaven, you will be dropped down to sheol. Since if these powers were performed in Sodom, it would still be standing today.

24. "Therefore, I am telling you, it will be easier for the land of Sodom on Judgment Day, rather than for you."

25. And at that time*, replied Jesus and said, "I acknowledge your will, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and educated, and revealed them to children.

27. "Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father, and no one* knows the Son, except for the Father, also the Father no one knows, except for the Son, and to whom it pleases the Son to reveal Him.

28. "Come to me, all you mourners and carriers of burdens, and I shall give you peace.

29. "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, as I am easy* and gentle of heart, and you shall find peace in your souls.

1. At that time, Jesus was going around [some] farmlands on the Sabbath, and his disciples got hungry and began to squeeze the heads of grain and eat.

2. The Pharisees, however, seeing them, said to him, "Behold, your disciples are doing that which is not Lawful on the Sabbath."

3. He told them, "Did you not read what David did when he became hungry, and those that were with him,

4. "How he entered the house of God and ate the Lord's bread of offering, that which was neither Lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him?

5. "Or did you not read in Scriptures, that the high priests in the temple absolve the Sabbath and they are not cheating?

7. "Or if you knew what it meant, 'Mercy I desire, and not sacrifice,' you would not have held accountable those who were not cheating.

10. And there was a man whose hand was withered. And they asked him, saying, "Is it Lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" -- to accuse him.

11. However, he told them, "Which one of you that has a sheep and if it falls in a well on the Sabbath day, who will not get it out?

12. "And yet, how much more is a human being valuable than a sheep? Therefore, it is Lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

13. Then he said to the man, "Extend your hand." And he extended his hand, and it was restored as he said.

15. However, Jesus knew, and so he left from there, and great crowds followed him, and he healed them all.

22. Then they brought him someone who was mute and blind, and he healed him, so that the mute and blind spoke and saw.

23. All the crowds were amazed, saying that, "Why, is this not the son of David?"

24. The Pharisees who heard this, said then, "This one is not casting out demons, except it is Beelzevow, head of the demons."

25. Jesus, however, knew their thoughts, and said to them, "Every kingdom that divides against itself, becomes ruined. And every house and town that divides against themselves, shall not rise.

26. "And if Satan casts out satan, he becomes divided against himself. Then, how will his kingdom stand?

27. "And if I am casting demons by Beelzevow, by whom will they cast out your children's [demons]? Because of this they will become your judges.

28. "And if by the Spirit of God I am casting out demons, the Kingdom of God has approached you.

29. "Or else, can a man enter the house of a swordsman and steal his clothes, unless they tie up the swordsman beforehand and then rob his house?

30. "Whoever is not with me, is against me. And whoever does not congregate with me, will be utterly scattered.*

31. "Because of this I am telling you, that all sins and blasphemies may be forgiven to mankind; however, blasphemies against the Spirit shall not be forgiven to mankind.

32. "And whoever says a word against the Son of Man, may be forgiven. However, whoever speaks against the Spirit, shall never be forgiven, neither in this realm*, nor in the realm* that is destined [to come.]

33. "Either you are a beautiful tree and produce good fruit, or you are a bad tree and produce bad fruit. For a tree is known by its fruits.

34. "O, offspring of vipers, how can you speak of blessings when you are evil? For the mouth utters what the heart exudes.

35. "The good man produces blessings from a foundation of blessings, and the evil man produces evil from an evil foundation.

36. "For I am telling you, that for every idle word spoken by human beings, they will be answerable on the Day of Judgment.

37. "For according to your words you shall be blessed and according to your words you shall be held responsible."

38. Then, some of the scribes and Pharisees replied and said to him, "Educator, we would like you to show us signs."

"A wicked and adulterous generation wants signs, and no signs will be given it. Except for the sign of Jonah the prophet.

40. "For just as Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.

41. "The men of Nineveh will rise at Judgment with this generation and hold it accountable, for they repented by the preaching of Jonah, and behold one greater than Jonah is here now.

42. "The queen of the south will rise at Judgment with this generation and find it accountable, for she came from the ends* of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold one greater than Solomon is here.

43. "When a demonic* spirit leaves a human being, it goes around the places* where there are no waters, in search of rest, but it finds it not.

44. "Then it says, 'I will return to the house from where I left.' And as it comes [back] it finds it swept and warm and secure.

45. "Then it goes and fetches seven spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and reside there, and the end of that man becomes more evil than before.*"

46. While he spoke to the crowds, there came his mother and brethren, standing outside, and wishing to speak to him.

47. Someone said to him,* "Behold, your mother and brethren are standing outside, and they wish to speak with you."

48. However, he replied and said to the one who told him that, "Who is she my mother and who are they my brethren?"

49. And he pointed his hand toward his disciples and he said, "Behold, my mother and behold my brethren.

50. "Whoever does the will of my Heavenly Father becomes my brother and my sister and my mother."

*12:45 Lit. Ar. idiomatic construction retained: "That person ends up worse than before."

2. And great crowds gathered to him, so that he got up and sat in a boat, and the whole crowd gathered by the edge of the sea.

3. And he spoke to them a great deal and he said, "Behold, the sower went out to sow.

4. "And as he sowed, there was some [seed] that fell by the roadside, and the birds came and ate it.

5. "And some fell on rocky [ground,] where there was not much soil,and within the hour it shot up, for there was no depth of earth.

6. "Then as the sun settled on it, it heated up, and as it had no root, it dried up.

8. "And some other fell on good ground, and it bore fruit, some hundred fold, and some sixty fold and some thirty fold.

10. And his disciples came to him and said, "Why do you speak through analogies with them?"

11. He then answered and said to them, "You have been given the doctrine of the Kingdom of Heaven; however, to them it has not been given.

12. "For whoever have it, it shall be given to them generously.* And whoever do not have it, even what they have will be taken from them.

13. "Because of this I speak to them through analogies, because they are seeing and did not see, And they are hearing and did not listen, and did not understand.

14. "And Isaiah's prophesy applies to them, as he said, 'As for hearing, you do hear, and [yet] you do not comprehend, And as for seeing, you do see, and [yet] you do not understand.

15. " 'For this people's heart has become sluggish*, and their ears have become hard of hearing.* And they have squeezed their eyes, so as not to see with their eyes, And hear with their ears

16. "However, as for you, blessed are your eyes that see and your ears that hear.

17. "For, amen, I am telling you, that many prophets and saints yearned to see what you see,

19. "Whoever hears the manifestation of the Kingdom and does not study it, The evil one comes along and steals the manifestation that has been planted in their heart. This is the one that was sown by the roadside.

20. "The one that was sown on rocky [land] -- They hear the manifestation, and in that very hour accept it with joy.

21. "However, they have no roots in it, except they are seasonal, And when there is tribulation, Or rejection because of the manifestation, quickly they revert.

22. "However, the one that was sown in the thorns, was the one who hears the manifestation, And the pressure of this world and the crushing weight of wealth, Choke out the manifestation. And it is left without fruit.

23. "However, that which is sown in good ground, is the one that hears the manifestation and learns, And gives out fruit and serves, some a hundred fold, some sixty and some thirty."

24. He recounted other parables to them, and said, "The Kingdom of Heaven resembles a man that planted the good seed in his field.

25. "As the people slept, their enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat and went.

27. "And the servants of the master of the house approached him and said to him, 'Our lord, did you not plant the good seed in your field? Where did the weeds come from?'

28. "He then told them, 'The man who is the enemy did this.' His servants told him, 'Do you want us to go, pluck them out?'

29. "However, he told them, 'Let it not be, that as you pluck out the weeds, That you should also uproot the wheat.

30. " 'Let them grow up together until the harvest. And in the harvest season, I will tell the reapers,

first gather the weeds And tie them up in bundles, to be burned. The wheat, however, gather those for my barns.' "

31. He related another parable and told them, "The Kingdom of Heaven resembles a mustard seed, that a sower plants in his field.

32. "And that seedling is the smallest of all plants, however, when it grows it grows bigger than all the herbs,

33. He told another parable. "The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast that the woman took and buried in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened."

34. All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds through analogies, and without [the use] of analogies, he did not speak to them.

35. So as what the prophet said would be fulfilled, who said, 'I will open my mouth through parables and spout that which was hidden from before the foundations of the universe.'

36. Then Jesus left the crowds and came home. And his disciples gathered to him and said to him, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds and the field."

37. He then replied and told them, "He who planted the good seed would be the Son of Man.

38. "The field is the universe. The good seed then are the children of the Kingdom.

39. "The enemy then who planted them would be Satan. The harvest, however, becomes the conclusion of the universe. The reapers then are the angels.

40. "Just as they will pluck out the weeds and burn them in the fire, thus it will be at the end of the universe.

41. "The Son of Man will send his angels and they shall pluck out of his Kingdom all blasphemers and workers of abomination.

42. "And they will throw them into the fiery furnace. There will be crying and gnashing of teeth.

43. "And then the saints will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ear that hear, let them listen.

44. "Again, The Kingdom of Heaven is like the treasure that is hidden in a field, that which a man finds and covers up, And in his joy he goes out and sells everything that he has and buys that field.

45. "Again, The Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant man who searched for beautiful pearls.

46. "As he found one pearl that looked unique, he went and sold everything that he had and bought it.

47. "Again, The Kingdom of Heaven is like a net cast into the sea, and it pulls in a varied catch.*

48. "And as it becomes full, they pull it up to the shore. They sit, picking, And the good ones they throw into buckets and the bad ones they throw out.

49. "This is how it will be at the end of the universe. The angels will go out and pick the evil ones from between the righteous,

50. "And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, there will be crying and gnashing of teeth."

51. Jesus told them, "Did you understand all this? They said to him, "Yes, Our Lord."

52. He told them, "Because of this, every scribe who is discipled for the Kingdom of Heaven, Resembles the master of a house, who brings out of his benefaction* the new and the old covenants."

54. And he came to his town. And he taught them in their synagogues, until they were enlightened and said, "

55. "Where did he get his wisdom and powers? Was he not the son of a carpenter, was not his mother called Mary and his brethren Jacob, Joseph, Simon and Judas?

56. "And his sisters, were they not all with us? Where did he come up with all this?"

57. And they challenged him. However, Jesus told them, "No prophet is ever ignored like in his own town and his own house."*

*13:57 Lit. Ar. idiomatic construction: "There is no prophet that is belittled, except if in his town and his house."

2. And he said to his servants, "He is John the Baptist. He has risen from the grave. That is why powers are emanating from him."

3. for Herod had arrested John and bound him and thrown him into prison, because of Herodias, wife of his brother Philip.

5. And so he wanted to kill him and [yet] he was afraid of the people, for they had held [John] as a prophet.

6. But as it was Herod's birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before the banquet guests and flattered* Herod.

7. Because of it he swore oaths to her, that he would give her anything she asked for.

8. She, however, because she was instructed by her mother, said, "Give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter."

9. And she put the king in a tight spot. However, because of his oaths and his guests, he ordered that she be granted her wish.*

11. And they brought his head on the platter and gave it to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.

12. And his disciples came, took his corpse and buried him, and they came and showed Jesus.

13. As Jesus heard it, however, he left there by sail boat to a deserted area by himself. And as the crowds heard it, they followed him on land*, from the towns.

14. And Jesus came out and saw huge crowds, and he was merciful to them and healed their sicknesses.

15. As evening came, his disciples approached him, and said to him, "This is a deserted area, and the hour is late,* release the crowds of people, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves supplies."

16. Jesus said, however, "They do not need to go, you give them something to eat."

17. They told him, however, "We do not have anything, except for five loaves and two fish."

19. And he invited the crowds to dine, sitting on the ground, and he took the five breads and the two fish, and he gazed at heaven, and he blessed them and broke them and gave to his disciples, and those disciples divided them to the crowds.

20. And they all ate and were satisfied, and they took up the leftovers, filling twelve baskets.

21. However, those people that ate were like five thousand, besides the women and the young.

22. And he at once urged his disciples to board the ship and go ahead of him on the crossing, while he began to release the crowds.

23. And as he released the crowds, he went up the mountain to pray. And as it became dark, he was all by himself.

24. And the sail boat was a distance of many stadia from the land, as it was tossed violently by the waves, for the winds* were against it.

25. In the fourth watch of the night, Jesus came to them, as he walked over the waters.

26. And his disciples saw him walking over the waters and they were shaken, and said, "It is a false vision." And they cried out from fear.

27. Jesus then spoke with them and said, "Take courage,* it is I, do not be afraid."

28. And Keepa [Peter] replied, saying to him, "My Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you upon the water."

29. Jesus then said to him, "Come," and Keepa [Peter] descended from the sail boat and walked over the waters to come to Jesus.

30. And as he saw the heavy winds,* he succumbed and began sinking, and he raised his voice and said, "My Lord, save me!"

31. And at the right moment* Jesus extended his hand and caught him and said to him, "O, you of little faith, why did you become divided*?"

33. And those who were in the sail boat came, worshipping him, and said, "Truly, you are the Son of God."

35. And the people of that place recognized him, and they sent out to all the surrounding villages and they brought to him all those who were terribly ill.

36. And they wanted from him that they may merely touch the threads of his clothes only, and those who came to him were healed.*

*14:31.2 Lit. Ar. idiomatic expression retained: "Divide against yourself," or lose faith.

*14:36 Lit. Ar. idiomatic construction: "Those who neared healed," or those who touched him were healed.

2. "Why do your disciples forgo the ritual* of the priests and not wash their hands when they eat bread?"

3. Jesus replied and told them, "Why also you forgo the commandment of God for the sake of your ritual?

4. "For God said, Honor your father and mother, and whoever batters* his father or mother, will die [the final] Death.

5. "You, however, say, 'Whoever says to his father and mother, "My offering is that which you receive from me," is not* honoring his father or mother.'

6. "And you have disregarded the Manifestation of God for the sake of your rituals.

8. "This people honor me with their lips, though their hearts are very far from me.

9. "And through ignorance* they fear me, while teaching the knowledge of human commandments."

11. "It is not what enters the mouth that debases* the human being, except what comes out of the mouth, that is what debases the human being."

12. Then his disciples came to him and told him, Do you know that the Pharisees, who heard this manifestation took offense?"

13. However, he replied and told them, "Whichever plant that my Father in heaven did not plant, shall be uprooted.

14. "Let them be. They are the blind that rescue the blind; however, if the blind lead the blind, both of them fall in the pit."

15. Simon the Rock [Peter] replied and said to him, "Explain to us this parable."

17. "Do you not know that what enters the mouth, goes to the stomach, and from there is excreted at the cleansing?

18. "However, what emerges from the mouth comes from the heart, and that is what debases the human being.

19. "For from the heart come evil thoughts, adultery, murder, prostitution, robberies, false testimony, blasphemies.

20. These are what debase the human being. However, if people* eat without washing their hands, they are not debased.

22. And, behold, a Caananite woman from those districts came crying out, saying, "Be merciful to me, my Lord, son of David. My daughter is terribly bewitched."

23. However, he did not pay her attention.* And his disciples came asking him, saying, "She will begin yelling after us."

24. He replied and told them, "I have not sent forth, except for the sheep that have been lost from the house of Israel."

26. Jesus told her, "It is not well to degrade the bread of the children and throw it to the dogs."

27. However, she said, "Yes, my Lord, but even dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from the table of their masters and live."

28. Then Jesus told her, "O, woman, great is your faith! May it be as you wish." And her daughter was healed from that hour.

29. And Jesus passed from there, and came to the side of the Sea of Galilee, and he climbed the mountain and sat there.

30. And there came to him great crowds, having with them paralytics and blind and mute and depressed and many others. and they threw them at the feet of Jesus, and he healed them.

31. Those crowds were amazed as they saw the mute speaking and the depressed cheerful and the paralytics walking and the blind seeing, and they glorified the God of Israel.

32. However, Jesus called his disciples and said to them, "I will be merciful to this people*, that, behold, they have stuck with me three days and they have nothing to eat. And to send them off, fasting as they are, I do not wish it, as [I do not want them] to be weary on the road*."

33. His disciples said to him, "What bread have we in the wilderness, with which to satisfy all this crowd?"

34. Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" They said, "Seven, and a few tiny fish."

36. And he took the seven breads and the fish, and he glorified and broke them and gave to his disciples and his disciples gave to the crowds.

37. And they all ate and were satisfied, and they took up seven basketfuls of leftover pieces.

39. And as he released the crowds, he went aboard the sail boat and came to the district of Magadan.

1. And there came to him the Pharisees and the Sadducees, testing him, and asking him to show them a sign from heaven.

2. However, he replied and told them, "When evening comes,* you say that it is going to be sunny [tomorrow,] for the sky has turned red.

3. "And at dawn, you say, 'This is a wintry day, for the sky is light* red.' Hypocrites, you know how to discern the outlook of weather,* but the signs of this Age you are not able to discern.

4. "An evil and adulterous generation wants a sign and no sign shall be given it, except for the sign of Jonah the Prophet." And he left them and went away.

5. And as his disciples came to pass, they sought to partake of bread with them.*

6. He told them, however, "Look, be careful of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

7. However, they thought to themselves and said that we did not partake* of bread with them.

8. However, Jesus knew [what they were thinking,] and said to them, "Why are you thinking to yourselves, O, little of faith, because you took no bread?

9. "You have not learned until now? Do you not recall the five breads that [fed] the five thousand, and how many heaps you gathered?

10. "And do you not [recall] the seven breads that [fed] the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?

11. "How is it you did not understand that it was not about the bread that I was talking to you, except that you should be careful of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees?"

12. Then they understood that he was not telling them to be careful of the leaven of the bread, but the knowledge of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

13. And as Jesus came to the country of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples and said, "What do they say about me being the Son of Man?"*

14. They said then, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah and others say, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets."

16. Replied Simon the Rock [Peter] and said, "You are the Anointed One,* Son of the Living God."

17. Jesus replied and told him, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Yoanah*, that flesh and blood did not reveal it to you, except my Father in heaven.

18. I am also telling you that you are the Rock [Peter] and on this rock I am building my Church, and the doors of sheol cannot draw* it in.

19. "To you I give the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven and whatever you undo on earth, shall be undone in heaven."

20. Then he instructed his disciples not to tell any human being that he was the Anointed One.

21. And from then on Jesus began to show his disciples that he was destined to go to Jerusalem and receive great sorrow from the priests and the high priests and scribes, and be killed, and in the third day to be resurrected.

22. And Keepa [Peter] took him aside* and began yelling at him and saying, "Perish the thought,* that such a thing should befall you!"

23. However, he replied and said to Keepa [Peter,] "Get behind me, Satan, you are a stumbling block, you have no regard for [the word of] God, except [the opinion of] human beings."

24. Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to follow me, ...curse your being and pick up your cross and follow me.

25. "For whoever is enthralled* with his life, shall lose it, ...and whoever loses his life for my sake, shall find it.

26. "For what kind of thrill is it for a human being, ...if he gains the whole world yet loses himself, Or what then does a human being receive in exchange for his life?

27. "For the Son of Man was destined ...to come in the Glory of His Father with His holy Angels, And then repay every human being according to their deeds.

28. "Amen, I am telling you, ...that here are those human beings who rise again, That do not taste death until they see the Son of Man ...who comes in his Kingdom."

*16:13 Lit. Ar. idiomatic construction retained: "To whom do they compare my human nature?"

1. And after six days, Jesus took Keepa [Peter] and James and his brother John up a high mountain by themselves.

2. And he became transfigured before them, and his visage radiated like the sun, and his clothes turned white like an aura.

4. And Keepa [Peter] responded, saying to Jesus, "My Lord, it would be wonderful if we could just stay here. And if you like, I will make us three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah."

5. And while he was speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast its shadow over them, and, behold, a voice from the cloud, saying, "This is my beloved Son, by whom I am fulfilled, to him you shall listen."

6. And as the disciples heard, they fell upon their faces and were very frightened.

7. And Jesus drew near to them and touched them, saying, "Get up, do not be afraid,"

9. And as they were descending the mountain, Jesus instructed them, saying, "Tell no one* about this vision, until the Son of Man rises from the dead."

10. And his disciples asked him, saying to him, "Then why do the scribes say that Elijah is supposed to come first?"

11. Jesus replied and told them, "Elijah comes first so that everything is fulfilled.

12. "However, I am telling you that, behold, Elijah has come, and they did not know him, and they did to him whatever they pleased. Also the Son of Man is destined to receive sorrow from them."

13. Then the disciples understood that he was telling them about John the Baptist.

14. And as they came to the crowd, a man came to him and knelt before him, saying to him,

15. "My Lord, have mercy on me. My son is a paralytic and in terrible condition.* He is sometimes burning with fever and other times he is shivering as though he were immersed in water.*

17. Jesus replied and said, "O, faithless and mindless generation, until when shall I be with you? And until when shall I minister to you? Bring him here."

18. And Jesus rebuked him and the evil spirit came out of him and the child was healed from that hour.

19. Then the disciples came to Jesus by themselves and told him, "Why could not we heal him?"

20. Jesus told them, "Because of your lack of faith. For amen, I am telling you, that if you possess the faith of a mustard seed*, you will say to the mountain here to move from here and it will move and no harm will befall you.

22. As they were returning to Galilee, however, Jesus told them, "The Son of Man is destined to be betrayed by the hand of mankind.

23. "And they will kill him and on the third day he will rise," and they were much disappointed.

24. And as they came to Capernaum, there came those who collect twice as much money for the head tax,* to Keepa [Peter] and told him, "Your master does not pay the two coins?"

25. He told them, "Yes." And as Keepa [Peter] entered the house, Jesus came and said to him, "What happened to you,* the kings of the world collect their treasures and head taxes from whom, from their children or from the foreigners?"

26. Simon told him, "From foreigners." Jesus told him, "However, these are the children of the free.

27. "However, not to get them enraged, go to the sea and cast in a bait and the first fish that comes up, open its mouth and you will find money*, take it and give it on my behalf and yours."

*17:15.2 Lit. Ar. idiomatic construction: "For many seasons he falls in fire, and many seasons he falls in water."

1. At that hour, the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Who is great* in the Kingdom of heaven?"

3. And he said, "Amen, I am telling you, that if you do not go back and become like children, you shall not enter the Kingdom of heaven.

4. "Therefore, whoever becomes gentle like this child, he is the one who becomes great in the Kingdom of heaven.

6. "And whoever misleads one of these little ones who believes in me, deserves to have a donkey's mill hung on his head and be drowned at the bottom of the sea.

7. "Woe to the world* for the tribulations. It is necessary for the tribulations to come. Woe, to the man, however, by whose hand come the tribulations.

8. "If then your hand or foot leads you to commit an atrocity, cut it off and cast it away from you. For you are better off entering everlasting life a cripple, rather than whole, And not while having two hands or two feet

9. "And if your eye makes you commit an atrocity, cut it out and throw it away from you.

You are better off that you enter the everlasting life with one eye and not while you have two eyes you may fall in hell fire.

10. "See to it that you do not corrupt* one of these little ones. For I tell you their angels see the face of my Father in heaven at all times*.

12. "How do you see it? If a person has one hundred sheep, and he loses one of them, Will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountain and go searching for the one that is lost?

13. "And if he finds him*, amen, I am telling you, he is happy in him more than the ninety-nine that were not lost.

14. "Thus, there is no desire before your Father in heaven to lose a single one of these little ones.

15. "If your brother fools you, go and resolve it between yourselves, if he listens, you have gained a brother.

16. "And if he does not listen to you, get one or two [people,] so that every word is supported by two or three witnesses.

17. "If he does not listen to them also, tell the church. If he does not listen to the church either, you are dealing with a revenue collector and a pagan.*

18. "And, amen, I am telling you, that whatever you bind on earth, will be bound in heaven, And whatever you undo on earth, will be undone in heaven.

19. "Again I am telling you, if two of you are in agreement on earth regarding whatever you wish to ask, It shall be given to you from my Father in heaven.

21. "Then Keepa [Peter] approached him and said to him, "How many times* if my brother fools me, should I forgive him? Seven times?"*

22. Jesus said to him, "I am not telling you until seven, except until seventy times seven seven.*

23. "Because of this the Kingdom of heaven is ...like the man who wished to receive an accounting from his servants.

24. "And as he began to receive them, they brought him one who owed him a thousand talents.

25. "And as he did not have it to pay, his master ordered that he be sold, and his wife and children and everything that he had and pay up.

26. "And the servant fell down and worshipped him and said, "My lord, extend your grace* upon me,* and I will pay you back everything.

27. "And that servant's master took pity upon him and released him, and he forgave him his debt.

28. "However, that servant went out, and found a fellow servant that owed him a hundred dinars And he grabbed him and choked him and said to him, 'Give me what you owe me.'

29. "And his fellow [servant] fell at his feet, begging him and saying, 'Extend your grace* upon me and I will pay you back.'

30. "But he was not satisfied, except he went and threw him in prison, until he paid him what he owed him.

31. "And as their fellow [servants] saw what* happened, they became very displeased And they came and informed their master about everything that happened.

32. "Then his master called him and told him, 'O, wicked servant, I forgave you all that you owed, begging me,

33. " 'Was it not your duty to be merciful to your fellow [servant] as I was merciful to you?'

34. "And his master was angered and delivered him to the deliverers until he paid him back everything that he owed him.

35. "This is what my Father in heaven will do to you, if a person does not forgive his brother his foolishness, from the heart.

*18:8 Lit. Ar. idiomatic construction: "By the fire that to the [end of the] universe."

*18:17 Lit. Ar. idiomatic construction: "You have like a treasurer and like a pagan."

18:26.2 Lit. Ar. idiomatic expression retained: "Give me time," "let me live," or "let me breathe."

1. And as Jesus concluded these words, he took off from Galilee and came to the district of Judea, at the crossing of the Jordan river.

3. And the Pharisees approached him and tempted him and said, "If it is lawful for a person to divorce his wife for any reason."

4. He replied and told them, "Did you not read that he made them at the beginning of creation, male and female, did he not?

5. "And it said, because of this a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife and they become both one flesh.

6. "From then on they are not two, except one body. What God has thus united, a human being does not separate."

7. They told him, "Why did then Moses order that a divorce letter be given and divorcing her?"

8. He told them, "Moses, in response to the hardness of your hearts, allowed you to divorce your women, however, it was not so at the beginning of creation.

9. "However, I am telling you, whoever leaves his wife without a husband and takes on another, commits adultery, and whoever takes on a divorced woman, commits adultery.

10. His disciples said to him, "If there is such commitment between husband and wife, we should not get married."*

11. He told them, however, "This manifestation does not go down well* for everyone, except for the ones that it applies.*

12. "For there are celibates that were born from their mother's womb like this, and there are celibates who became celibate from humanity, and there are celibates who became celibate of their own free will,* for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever can do without it, let them be without it."

13. Then they brought him children so he would consecrate his hand over them and pray,* and the disciples yelled at them.

14. However, Jesus told them, "Let the children come to me and do not stop them, for it is for such as these that the Kingdom of Heaven has come."

16. And there came one offering himself and saying, "Benevolent educator, what good deeds shall I perform so I may have eternal life?"*

17. However, he told him, "Why did you call me benevolent? There is no one benevolent, except for One, God. If you wish to enter into Life [everlasting,] obey the commandments."

18. He said to him, "Which?" Jesus then told him, that you shall not kill, and you shall not fornicate and you shall not steal and you shall not testify in condemnation.*

20. That young man said to him, "All these I have obeyed since my childhood. What am I missing?"

21. Jesus said to him, "If you want to be mature, go sell your personal assets and give to the poor and you will have a place in heaven, and come, follow me."

22. However, when the young man heard this manifestation, (and) he went away sadly, for he had a great many personal assets.

23. Jesus then told his disciples, "Amen, I am telling you, the Kingdom of heaven is impenetrable for the rich person.

24. "Again, I am telling you, it is more plausible for the camel to enter the eye of the needle, rather than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God."

25. As the disciples heard that, they were very surprised and said, "Who can then attain eternal life?"*

26. Jesus gazed at them and told them, "For human beings this cannot be, but for God everything can be."

27. Then Keepa [Peter] replied and told him, "Behold, we left everything and followed you. What are we getting?"

28. Jesus told them, "Amen, I am telling you, that you who followed me, in the new realm*, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious Throne, there also you will sit on twelve chairs, and you will judge the twelve tribes of Israel.

29. "And every person who leaves his house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields, for the sake of my name, shall receive one hundred fold and attain Life everlasting*.

*19:13 Lit. Ar. idiomatic construction retained: "So he would bless them and pray over them."

*19:16 Lit. Ar. idiomatic figure of speech: "Life to [the end of] the universe."

1. "For the Kingdom of heaven resembles the man who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.

2. "He cut [a deal] with the laborers for the daily dinara, and he sent them to his farm.

3. "And he went out in three hours and saw others who were standing idle at the market place.

6. "And for their sake, he went out at the eleventh hour and found others standing idle, and he said to them, 'Why are you standing all day idle?"

7. "And they told him, 'No one* is hiring.' He told them, 'Go to the vineyard you too and you will receive what is due.'

8. "As it was evening, the lord of the vineyard said to his house master, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages.' And he began from the last until the first.

10. "And as the first ones came, they expected to get more, and they received each one dinara also.

12. "And they said, 'These last ones served one hour and you have made them equal with us who bore the burden of the day and its heat.'

13. "He replied and said to one of them, 'My friend, I am not treating you unfairly.* Did you not cut [a deal] for a dinara with me?

15. " 'Or is it not allowed me to do what I wish with what is mine? Or are you eyeing me disapprovingly since I am good?'*

16. "Thus, the last will be first and the first last, for many are called and few are chosen."

17. However, Jesus was destined to go up to Jerusalem, and he gathered the twelve disciples around himself, and to them only, and he said to them,

18. "Behold, I go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to chief high priests and scribes, and they will find him deserving of death,*

19. "And they will deliver him to the nations and mock him, and torture him and crucify him and on the third day he shall rise."

20. Then the mother of the Zebedee children approached him, together with her sons, and she worshipped him and she had something to ask of him.

21. He told her, "What do you wish?" She told him, "Say that these two sons of mine will sit one from your right and one from your left in your Kingdom."

22. Jesus replied, "You do not know what you are asking for. Can you drink the cup that I am destined to drink? Or be baptized the baptism with which I will be baptized?" They said, "We are."

23. He told them, "My cup you shall drink and the baptism by which I will be baptized, you shall be baptized, however, as for sitting from my right and from my left, it is not mine to give, except for those to whom it was given from my Father."

25. And Jesus called them and said to them, "You know that the leaders of the nations are their masters and their lords impose their authority over them.

26. "However, let it not be such between you, except whoever among you wishes to be a leader, let him minister to you.

28. "Thus the Son of Man did not come to be ministered to, except to minister and give his life in Salvation on behalf of many."

30. And, behold, two blind men sat on the edge of the road, and as they heard that Jesus was passing, they gave voice and said, "Have mercy on us, my Lord, son of David."

31. The crowds, however, yelled at them to be quiet. And they raised their voices even more and said, "Our Lord, have mercy on us, son of David."

34. And Jesus was merciful to them and touched their eyes, and in that very* hour their eyes were opened and they followed him.

*20:15 Lit. Ar. idiomatic construction: "Or is your eye withered that I am good?"

1. And as he drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage* by Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples.

2. And he said to them, "Go to the village opposite you, and at once you will find a donkey tied and a colt with it. Untie and bring them to me.

3. "And if anyone* says anything to you, tell him 'Our Lord wants them,' and at once they will send them here."

4. And this then all happened, so that what was told by the prophet would be fulfilled, who said,

5. "Tell the daughter of Zion, behold, your King comes to you, Gentle and riding on a donkey and on a colt, born carrier of burdens."

7. And they brought the donkey and the colt and they consecrated their garments on the colt and Jesus rode on them.

8. And most of the people* laid down their cloaks on the road. And others cut down branches from the trees and threw them on the road.

9. The people* that went before and after him, called out and said, "O'shanna* for the son of David,* Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, O'shanna in the Highest."*

10. And as he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was shaken, and they said, "Who is this?"

12. And Jesus entered the temple of God, and he ejected all those who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the plates of the money changers and the chairs of those who sold doves,

13. And he told them, it is written that, 'My house shall be called the house of prayer, you, however, have made it into a robbers' cave.' "

14. And the blind and the cripples approached him in the temple and he healed them.

15. As the chief high priests and the Pharisees saw the wonders that he performed, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, "O'shanna for the son of David," they were stunned.

16. And they told him, "Do you hear what they are saying?" Jesus told them, "Yes, have you never read that by the mouth of children and the young you will be glorified*?"

19. And he saw a fig tree on the way and he came to it and did not find anything, only leaves. And he said to it, "May you never bear fruit again."* And at once the fig tree withered.

20. And the disciples saw and were amazed and said, "How could the fig tree wither within an hour?"

21. Jesus replied and said to them, "Amen, I am telling you, if there is faith in you, and you do not equivocate, not only you can annihilate this fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain that it be taken and dropped into the sea, it shall be done.

22. "And whatever you ask for in prayer and you have faith, you will be granted*."

23. And as Jesus came to the temple, the chief high priests and priests of the nation approached him while he taught, and they told him, "By what authority do you do these things? And who gave you this authority?"

24. Jesus replied and told them, "I will also ask you about a manifestation, and if you tell me, I too will tell you by what authority I do these things.

25. "The baptism of John, where did it come from? Was it from heaven or was it from human beings?" They thought about it within themselves and said that, if we say it is from heaven, he will tell us, "And what was the reason* that you did not believe in it?"

26. And to say that, it was from human beings, they were afraid of the people*, for they all held John to be a prophet.

27. And they replied and said to him, "We do not know." Jesus told them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

28. "What do you think of this?* A man had two children, and he called the first one and told him, 'Son, go work in the vineyard today.'

29. "He replied and said, 'I do not want to,' but later he regretted it and went.

30. "And he went to the other one and told him likewise. He replied and said, 'I [will,] my lord,' and did not go.

31. "Which of the two did his father's will?" They said, "The first one." Jesus told them, " Amen, I am telling you, the revenue collectors and the prostitutes are ahead of you [as far as entering] the Kingdom of God.

32. "For John came to you by way of the high priesthood and you did not believe him. Revenue collectors and prostitutes, however, believed him. You, however, never saw it, so as to repent and believe him later.

33. "Listen to another parable. There was a man who was lord of a house, and he planted a vineyard by a stream,* and dug a cellar and built in it a winepress and entrusted it to workers and observed from a distance.

34. "As the fruit season arrived, he sent his servants to the workers, so as they may send him of the vineyard's fruit.

35. And the workers seized his servants and they beat some of them and stoned others and some they killed.

36. "And again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did to them likewise.

37. "At last then, he sent to them his son, while saying, 'Finally, they will be ashamed of my son.'

38. "The workers, as they saw the son, said between themselves, 'Here is the heir. Let us kill him and seize the inheritance.'

40. "Thus when the lord of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those workers?"

41. The said to him, "He will utterly destroy them, and entrust the vineyard to other workers, those who give him fruit in season."

42. Jesus told them, "Have you never read in the Book, that 'The stone rejected by the builders, became the chief cornerstone, ...it was thus the will of the Lord, and a miracle for our eyes to behold'?

43. "Because of this, I am telling you, that the Kingdom of God will be taken from you and be given to the nation that will produce fruits.

44. "And whoever comes against* this stone, will be torn asunder, ...and whoever it falls on, will be shattered."

45. And as the chief high priests and Pharisees heard his parables, they knew that he was talking about them.

46. And they wished to arrest him, and they were afraid of the crowd, because they accepted him as a prophet.

*21:9.2 Lit. Ar. idiomatic name retained: "Our Life-Giving Branch," or "Our Jesus," a clear mention here of the name of Jesus in the Old Testament Book of Isaiah.

*21:9.3 Aramaic idiomatic construction retained: the passage literally means: "Salvation for the son of David," a reference to Israel of God.

*21:9.4 Aramaic idiomatic construction retained: the title clearly states that Jesus is God.

*21:19 Lit. Ar. idiomatic construction: "Never will there be fruit in you to the [end of the] universe."

2. "The Kingdom of heaven resembles the man who was king, that gave a banquet for his son.

3. "And he sent servants to call the guests to the banquet and they did not wish to come.

4. "And again he sent other servants and said, 'Tell the guests, my feast is sumptuous, and I have killed my bulls and my calves and everything is delicious, come to the banquet.'

5. "They, however, were not impressed* and went off, one to his field and the other to his business.

7. "As the king heard it, he became angry, and he sent his forces and annihilated the killers and burned their cities.

8. "Then he said to his servants, 'The banquet is sumptuous and those who were invited were not willing to partake in it.

9. " 'Go out thus to the open roads and whoever you find, call them to the banquet.'

10. "And those servants went out on the roads and gathered everyone, the evil and the righteous, and filled the banquet house with diners.

11. "And the king entered to see the diners and saw a man who was not wearing the clothes for a banquet.

12. "And he said to him, 'My friend, how did you get in here, as you do not have the garments for a banquet?' He kept quiet, however.

13. "Then the king said to the servants, 'Tie his hands and feet and eject him out into the dark desert.' There will be crying and gnashing of teeth.

16. And they sent to him their disciples together with [members] of the house of Herod, and told him, "Educator, we know that you are sincere, and you earnestly teach the way of God, and you do not take sides against people,* for you do not take things at face value.*

17. "Tell us then, how do you see this? Should* we pay the head tax* to Caesar or not?"

18. Jesus, however, knew their evil [intentions] and said, "Why are you testing me?

21. They said, "Caesar's" He told them, "Give then [what belongs] to Caesar to Caesar and [what belongs] to God to God."

23. On that day the Sadducees approached him and said to him, "No dead come back to life," and they asked him.

24. And they told him, "Educator, Moses told us that if a person* dies, without having children, his brother takes his wife in marriage and brings up offspring for his brother.

25. "We have, however, seven brothers. The first one married the woman and died and since they did not have children, he left his wife to his brother.

26. "Likewise, the second one also did the same, also the third one, until the seventh of them.

28. "At the resurrection thus, whose wife would she be? For they all married her."

29. Jesus replied and told them, "You are searching since you do not know Scriptures, nor the power of God.

30. "For at the resurrection of the dead, nobody gets married, neither do women take on husbands, except they become like the angels of God in heaven.

31. "Regarding the resurrection of the dead, did you not read what was told to you by God, who declared:

32. "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, and he was not the God of the dead, except of the Living."

34. The Pharisees then, as they heard that he silenced the Sadducees, came together as one.

37. Jesus then told him, "That you love* your Lord God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind.

39. "And the second, that is like it, that you love your best friend* as yourself.

42. And said, "What do you say about the Anointed One?* Whose son is he?" They said, "The son of David."

43. He told them, "And how then did David call him by the Spirit 'Lord'? For he said,

44. "That 'The Lord said to my Lord, sit from my right, while I set your enemies under your feet.'

46. And no human being was found who could give him an explanation, and no human being from that day on dared questioning him again.

3. "Whatever thus they tell you to observe, observe and do it; however, do not do according to what they do. For they say it but do not do it.

4. "And they tie heavy cargo and place it on the shoulders of human beings, they who do not wish to touch those things even with their finger.

5. "And all their deeds are performed so as they may be seen by humanity. For they widen their pleats and lengthen the knots of their tassels,

6. "And they love* [to sit at] the head of the table at supper time and at the head of councils in synagogues,

7. "And [they love being wished] 'Peace' at market places and called 'Master'* by people.*

8. "You, however, call no one 'Master,' for One is your Master, you are all brothers.

10. "And call no one [absolute] 'Leader,' because One is your Leader, the Messiah.

12. "For whoever raises his stature,* becomes humble, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

13. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, who swallow the houses of widows, for the sake of extending your prayers. Because of this you will receive a greater judgment.

14. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. That you have shut out the Kingdom of heaven for humanity. For you do not enter yourselves, and those who would enter, you do not allow them to enter.

15. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. That you circle the sea and dry land to make someone a hero, and when it happens, you relegate him to Gehenna twice as fast as yourselves.*

16. "Woe to you, blind rescuers, who say that whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing, but whoever swears by the gold of the temple is obligated.

17. "O, ignorant and blind [individuals,] for which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?

18. "And [you say,] that whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing, but whoever swears by the offering on it is obligated.

19. "O, ignorant and blinded [individuals,] which is greater, the offering or the altar that sanctifies the offering?

20. "Whoever swears thus by the altar, swears by it and by everything that is on it.

22. "And whoever swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by the One who sits on it.

23. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. That you tithe with mint and dill and cummin, and have left out weightier issues of Law, Judgment, Grace and Faith. These that were your duty to perform and not neglect.

25. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, that you cleanse the outside of the cup and saucer, however, inside you are full of blasphemy and abomination.

26. "Blinded Pharisees, first cleanse the inside of the cup and saucer, so that the outside is also clean.

27. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, that resemble decorated tombs, from the outside looking beautiful, but on the inside full of bones of the dead and corruption.

28. "You also appear such to humanity from the outside, like you are righteous, and on the inside you are full of abomination and hypocrisy.

29. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, that you build the tombs of the prophets and memorialize the tombs of the righteous.

30. "And you say that even if we lived in the days of our forefathers, we would have not participated in shedding the blood of the prophets.

31. "Therefore, you testify against yourselves, that you are the children of those who killed the prophets.

33. "O, serpents, offspring of vipers, how will you run from the judgment of Gehenna?

34. "Because of this, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and exile them from town to town.

35. "Thus you shall be guilty of all the righteous blood that was spilt on earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous to the blood of Zechariah the blessed*, whom you killed between the temple and the altar.

36. "Amen, I am telling you, that all these things shall befall this generation.

37. "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killer of prophets and stoner of those sent to her as apostles, how many times* I wished to gather your children, as the hen gathers its chicks under its wings, but you did not want it.

39. "For I am telling you, you will not see me from now until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.' "

1. And Jesus left the temple to go, and his disciples came to show him the temple building.

2. He told them, however, "Behold, do you not see all these? Amen, I am telling you, Not one stone thus shall remain upon another without it being unravelled."

3. And as Jesus sat on the mountain, there came to him his disciples, and they were saying amongst themselves and to him "Tell us when will these things occur? And what is the sign that will reveal it to us and end the world?"

5. "For many will come in my name, saying that I am the Messiah, and many will be misled.

6. "You are destined to hear of hostilities and about wars. Look, do not be confused, and since not everything happens, except this is not yet the end.

7. "For a nation shall rise against nation and kingdoms against kingdoms, And there will be famines and genocide and earthquakes in place after place.

9. "Then they will deliver you to tribulations and they will kill you, And you will be hated by all nations because of my name.

10. "Then many will blaspheme and will hate one another, and betray one another.

14. "And this hope of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the universe, As testimony for all nations, and then the end shall come.

15. "When you see then the signs of corrupting desolation, that was spoken of by the prophet Daniel, Standing in the holy place, let the reader learn,

20. "Pray then that your exodus shall not occur in winter and not on the Sabbath.

21. "For there shall be great tribulation, such as there never was From the beginning of the universe until now,

22. "And if those days were not shortened, no flesh would live again. For the sake of the chosen then,

23. "Then if a human being tells you, 'Behold, here is the Messiah,' or 'There,' do not believe it.

24. "For there will rise false messiahs and false prophets, and they will give forth signs and wonders, as if to mislead even the chosen.

26. "If thus they tell you, 'Behold, he is in the desert,' do not go out there, Or that, 'Behold, he is in the inner chamber,' do not believe it.

27. "Then when lightening strikes from the East, and is seen in the West, thus will be the Coming of the Son of Man,

29. "At once then after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shine* And the stars shall fall from the sky and the powers of heaven shall move*.

30. "Then the symbol of the Son of Man will be seen in heaven, Then all the generations of the earth shall writhe and will see the Son of Man Coming on the clouds of heaven, together with great Power and Glory.

31. "And he will send his angels with a great trumpet call and they will gather his chosen from the four spirits, from the heads of heaven until their heads.*

32. "From the fig tree learn a metaphor, that as soon as its branches get longer And its leaves plentiful, you discern that Spring has arrived.

33. "Likewise, when you see all these, understand that I have arrived at the door.

34. "Amen, I am telling you, that this generation will not pass away, until all these things have been fulfilled.

36. "Of that day then, and of that hour, no human being shall know, Not even the angels of heaven, except the Father alone.

37. Just as in the days of Noah then, thus it will be the Coming of the Son of Man.

38. "Just as it was before the Flood, they ate and drank and married women And gave into marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark,

39. "And they did not know when the flood would come and take them all, Thus will be the Coming of the Son of Man.

41. "And two will be grinding in the mill, one will be fetched and one will be left.

42. "Hold the vigil thus, as you do not know at what hour your Master will come.

43. "This then you should know, that if the master of the house knew the watch During which the thief would come, he would not allow the thief to ransack his house.

44. "Because of this, you also rest assured, that in the hour that you did not anticipate,

45. "Who becomes the faithful and wise servant that the master sets over the members of his house,

48. "If the servant, who is wicked in his heart, says that, 'My master will come late,'

49. "And begins beating his kin, and goes about eating and drinking with drunkards,

50. "The master of the servant shall come on that day that he did not expect, and in the hour that he did not know,

51. "And he will tear him in two pieces, and set his portion with that of the hypocrites, where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth."

*24:31 Lit. Ar. idiomatic construction retained: "[Of the chosen,] from the highest one in heaven to the highest one above them."

1. "At that time the Kingdom of Heaven resembles the ten maidens* who set up their lamps and went out to meet the bride and the bridegroom.

6. "And in the middle of the night there was a cry, 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming, go out to meet him!'

8. "The foolish ones however said to the wise ones, 'Give us from your oil, that, behold, our lamps are going out!'

9. "There responded the wise ones and said, 'Perhaps it may not be sufficient for us and others, except go to those who buy and sell to others.'

10. "And as they went to buy, there came the bridegroom, and the ones that were fortunate* entered to the wedding feast, and the door was locked.

11. "Then later the other maidens also came and said, 'Our Lord, our Lord, open up for us!'

12. "He then replied and said to them, 'Amen I am telling you that I do not know you.'

14. "Like a man, before travelling, calls his servants and entrusts them with his assets.

15. "Someone he gives five talents, and someone two and someone one, each person according to that person's ability, and he leaves immediately.

16. "Then the one who got five talents, went and did business with them and earned five more.

19. "After a long time,* the master of those servants came back and asked for an accounting.

20. "And the one who got five talents came forth and presented five other ones and said, 'My lord, you gave me five talents, behold, I have earned five more on top of them.'

21. "His master told him, 'O, good and faithful servant, you were faithful with little, you shall be granted much.* Enter your master's feast.*'

22. "And the second one presented his two talents and said, 'My lord, you gave me two talents, behold, I have earned two more on top of them.'

23. "His master told him, 'O, good and faithful servant, you were faithful with little, you shall be granted much. Enter your master's feast.'

24. "Then the one who got one talent approached also, and said, 'My lord, I knew you were a hard* man, and you harvest that which you did not sow,* and gather that which you did not scatter.*

25. " 'And I was afraid and went and hid your talent in the ground. Behold, you got what is yours.'

26. "His master replied and told him, 'You wicked and irresponsible servant, you knew me, that I harvested what I did not sow and gathered what I did not scatter.

27. " 'It was your duty to throw my coin into the Offering and I would have come back and asked for what was mine together with its bounty.*

28. " 'Take thus the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents.

29. " 'For to the one who has it, more shall be given, and to the one who has it not, even what he has will be taken away from him.'

30. "And the idle servant was cast out into the dark desert, where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth.

31. "But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all his holy angels with him, then he shall sit on the throne of his glory.

32. "And there will gather before him all the nations, and he will choose them one by one, like the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

34. "That is when the King says to those from his right, 'Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom that was destined for you from the foundations of the universe.

35. " 'For I was hungry and you gave me to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me to drink. I was an outcast and you took me in.

36. " 'I was naked and you clothed me. I was ill and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me. '

37. "Then the saintly will say to him, 'Our Lord, when did we see you hungry and we fed you, or you were thirsty and we gave you drink?

38. " 'And when did we see you an outcast and we took you in, or when were you naked and we clothed you?

40. "And the King replied and told them, 'Amen, I am telling you, that whatever you do for one of these my little brethren, for me you have done that.'

41. "Then he will say also to those on his left, 'Go away from me you accursed to eternal fire, that is set for the Devil and his angels.

42. " 'For I was hungry and you did not give me to eat. I was thirsty and you did not give me to drink.

43. " 'I was an outcast and you did not take me in. And I was naked and you did not cloth me. And I was ill and in prison and you did not visit me.'

44. "Then they too shall reply and say, 'Our Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or an outcast or naked or ill or in prison, and we did not serve you?'

45. "Then he will reply and say to them, 'Amen, I am telling you, that whatever you did not do for one of these little ones, neither did you do it for me.'

46. "And they will go these to eternal* torment and the saintly to eternal life."

2. "You know that in two days, it is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered to be crucified."

3. Then the chief high priests and scribes and the priests of the nation gathered into the courtyard of the chief high priest, who is called Caiaphas,

4. And they conspired against Jesus, that they may seize him through false testimony and kill him.

5. And they said, "Not during the feast, so there would be no upheaval in the nation!"

7. There came the woman who had a small container of oil, worth a great deal, and she poured it out over the head of Jesus as he dined.

8. The disciples saw it, however, and they were displeased and said, "Why did she do this?

9. "For it was possible to sell this for much [money] and given it to the poor."

10. Jesus, however, knew and said to them, "Why do you bother the woman, she did me a fine service.

13. "And amen, I am telling you, that wherever is preached this Faith in me throughout the universe, this too shall be spoken of, the thing that she did as a memorial."

14. Then there went one of the Twelve who is called Judas Iscariot*, to the chief high priests,

15. And he told them, "What do you wish to give me and I will deliver him to you?" They set up for him thirty coins.

17. However, on the first day of the Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and said to him, "Where does it please you to eat the Passover?"

18. He told them then, "Go to someone* in the city and tell him, 'Our Lord said, My time* has arrived. I will celebrate the Passover with my disciples at [your place.]' "

21. And as they ate, he said, "Amen, I am telling you, that one of you will betray me."

22. And they became very sad and began saying, each one of them, "Is it me, Lord?"

23. He then replied and said, "The one who dips his hand with me [into the bowl] simultaneously, he will betray me.

24. "And the Son of Man goes to where it is written about him, however, woe to the man who betrays the Son of Man. He would be better off never to have been born."

25. Judas the Betrayer replied and said, "Why is it me, my Lord?" Jesus told him, "You said it."

26. As they ate, Jesus took the bread and blessed it and broke it and gave it to his disciples, and he said, "Consume it, this is my body."

27. And he took the cup and made the covenant and gave it to them and said, "Drink in fulfillment of it, all of you.

28. "This is my blood of the New Covenant*, that will be spilled on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.

29. "I am telling you then, that I will not drink henceforth of this fruit* of the vine, until the day in which I shall drink it with you anew in the Kingdom of God."

31. Then Jesus told them, "You will all be dismayed by me in this night. For it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd,

33. Keepa [Peter] replied and said to him, "Even if everyone* is dismayed by you, I will never be dismayed by you."

34. Jesus told him, "Amen, I am telling you, that in this night, before the rooster crows three times, you will swear against me."

35. Keepa [Peter] told him, "Even if I have to die with you, I will not swear against you." And all his disciples said likewise.

36. Then Jesus came with them to a place that is called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I go pray."

37. And he fetched Keepa [Peter] and both sons of Zebedee, and he began to feel sorrow* and depression.

38. And he said to them, "My soul is sorrowing to death. Stick with me then and hold the vigil."

39. And he stepped away a little,* and fell over his face, and he prayed and said, "My father, if it is possible, get me through this cup, however, not as I wish, except as you will."

40. And he came to his disciples and found them sleeping and he said to Keepa [Peter,] "You were not able thus to hold the vigil with me for one hour?

41. "Wake up and pray so as not to enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is failing."*

42. Again he went for a second time and prayed and said, "My father, if it is not possible for this cup to pass, except that I drink it, let it be according to your will."

43. And he came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy [with sleep.]

44. And he left them and went again to pray for the third time, and to Him the Manifestation he spoke.*

45. And then he came to his disciples and said to them, "From henceforth you can sleep and be restful, behold the hour has arrived, and the Son of Man will be betrayed into the hands of sinners.

47. And while he spoke, there came Judas the Betrayer, one of the Twelve, and with him a great crowd, together with swords and clubs, sent by* the chief high priests and the priests of the nation.

48. And he gave them a sign, Judas the Betrayer, and he said to them, "The one I kiss, it is him, seize him."

49. And he suddenly approached Jesus and said, "Peace, my Lord," and he kissed him.

50. However, Jesus told him, "Did you come for this, my friend?" Then they approached, threw their hands on Jesus and arrested him.

51. And, behold, one of them, who was with Jesus, extended his hand and broke out the sword and struck the servant of the chief high priest and took off his ear.

52. Then Jesus told him, "Put your sword back in its place. For all of these who took up the sword against me,* shall die by the sword.

53. "Or do you not expect that I can ask of my Father and He will raise me right now more than twelve legions of angels?

54. "How will then Scriptures be fulfilled [if it were] not that such was duly to occur?"

55. In that hour, Jesus said to the crowds, "As against a criminal did you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me? Every day, in the temple, I sat with you and taught, and you did not arrest me.

56. "However, this happened, so that the Books of the prophets be fulfilled." Then the disciples left him all and ran away.

57. And those that seized Jesus took him to Caiaphas, chief of the high priests, where the scribes and priests had gathered.

58. Simon Keepa [Peter,] however, followed him from a distance, until the courtyard of the chief high priest, and he entered and sat inside with the soldiers, to see the end.*

59. The chief high priests and priests and the entire synagogue, asked for witnesses against Jesus, so as to [condemn him to] death.

60. And none were found, and there came many paid witnesses*, finally however, two came forth.

61. And they said, "This one said that I can unravel the temple of God and in three days rebuild it."

62. And the chief high priest stood up and said to him, "You say nothing in reply to explain, why are they testifying against you?"

63. Jesus, however, remained silent. And the chief high priest replied and told him, "I swear you by the Living God to tell us if you are the Messiah Son of God."

64. Jesus told him, "You said it. I am telling you then, that henceforth you shall see the Son of Man sitting from the right of the Power and coming over the clouds of heaven."

65. Then the chief high priest tore his garments and said, "Behold, he blasphemed. As of now what do we need witnesses for? You have just heard his blasphemy."

67. Then they spat in his face and they pummeled him [with blows] and others beat him.

69. Keepa [Peter] sat outside in the courtyard, and a maiden approached him, and said to him, "You too were with Jesus the Nazarene."

70. He swore before all of them and said, "I do not know what you are talking about."

71. And as he went out to the entry way, another one saw him, and said to them, "This one too was there with Jesus the Nazarene."

73. And after a while, there approached him those who stood [around] and said to Keepa [Peter,] "Truly, you too are one of them, for even your speech reveals it."

74. Then he began to curse and swear that, "I do not know the man," and in that very hour the rooster crowed.

75. And Keepa [Peter] remembered the manifestation that Jesus had told him, that, "Before the rooster crows three times, you will swear against me," and he went outside and wept bitterly.

*26:37 Lit. Ar. idiomatic figure of speech: "Turn to wine," or "ferment as wine."

*26:29 Lit. Ar. idiomatic construction: "The spirit is [doing] good, the body however is saddened."

1. As it was early morning, the chief high priests and priests of the nation conspired on how to kill Jesus.

3. Then Judas the Betrayer, as he saw that he had betrayed Jesus,* he repented and went, brought back the thirty coins for the chief high priests and the priests.

4. And he said, "I have sinned in betraying innocent blood." They, however, said, "What is it to us?* Think whatever you want."*

6. The chief high priests, however, took the coins and said, "It is not lawful that he threw them into the offering, because they are the price of blood."*

7. And they conspired and bought with them a potter's field as a foreigners' cemetery.

9. Therefore, what was said by the prophet became fulfilled, who said that, "They set up thirty coins as the price of his blood, which they exacted from the children of Israel.

11. Jesus, however, stood before the governor, and the governor asked, saying to him, "Are you that King of Israel?" Jesus told him, "You said it."

12. And as the chief high priest and priests accused him falsely, he explained nothing in reply.

13. Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how much they are testifying against you?"

14. And he did not answer him, not even with one word. And [Pilate] was really amazed over it.

15. In every holiday, however, it was customary for the governor, to release one prisoner to the nation, whoever they wished.

17. And as they were gathered, Pilate told them, "Whom do you want me to release for you? Barabbas or Jesus, who is called the Messiah?"

19. As the governor sat at his podium, his wife sent for him and said, "Have nothing to do with that holy man,* for I have been in a nightmare all day because of him."

20. The chief high priests and priests incited the crowds to ask for Barabbas, Jesus however, they intended to kill.

21. And the governor replied and told them, "Which one of the two do you wish me to release?" They then told him, "Barabbas."

22. Pilate told them, "And what shall I do to Jesus, who is called the Messiah? They all said, "Crucify him."

23. Pilate told them, "For what evil did he commit?" They, however, cried out even louder, "Crucify him."

24. Pilate then noticed that nothing was being gained, except more uproar, he took water and washed his hands before the eyes of the crowd,* and he said, "Absolve me* of the blood of this holy man, you know what [you are doing.]"

25. And all the people replied and said, "His blood be upon us and upon our children."

26. Then he released to them Barabbas, and he scourged Jesus with lashes and delivered him to be crucified.

27. Then the governor's soldiers carried Jesus to the praetorium and all the horde gathered around him.

29. And they wove a wreath of thorns and placed it on his head, and [put] a reed in his right hand, and they kneeled down on their knees before him, and they mocked him, and they said, "Peace, King of the Jews."

30. And they spat at his visage, and they took the reed and beat him over the head.

31. And while mocking him, they took off his cloak and dressed him in his own garments and took him to be crucified.

32. And as they went out, they found a Cyrenian man named Simon, and they recruited him into carrying the cross.

33. And they came to the place that is called Golgotha*, which it translates to "The Skull."

34. And they gave him vinegar mixed with myrrh and he tasted it and did not wish to drink it.

37. And they placed above his head the reason for his death in writing, "This is Jesus, King of the Jews."

38. And they crucified with him two criminals, one from his right and one from his left.

40. And they said, "He was going to unravel the temple and rebuild it in three days, deliver yourself if you are the Son of God and come down from the cross!"

41. Likewise, also the chief high priests mocked him, together with the scribes and priests and Pharisees.

42. And they said, "Others he brought back to life, himself could he not bring back to life? If he is the King of Israel, let him come down from the cross now, so we can see and believe in him.

43. "He depended on God, let Him save him now, if He is pleased with him. Since he said that I am the Son of God."

44. Likewise also, the criminals who were crucified with him, they criticized him.

45. From the sixth hour, however, there came darkness upon the whole world, until the ninth hour.

46. And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice and said, "Eil, Eil, l'mana sh'wik-thani?"*

47. Some of the people who stood there, however, as they heard this, said, "He is calling Eiliyah*."

48. And at once* one of them ran and took up a sponge and filled it with vinegar and placed it on a reed and raised it to him.

51. And at once the front part* of the temple doors split* in two, from top to bottom, and there was an earthquake and the stones unraveled.

53. And they went out and after their rising, they entered the holy city and were seen by many.

54. The centurion, however, and those who were with them, who guarded Jesus, as they saw the earthquakes and the things that happened, became really scared and said, "Truly, this was the Son of God."

55. There were there many women, who looked on from a distance, those who had followed Jesus from Galilee. And they had ministered to him.

56. One of them was Mary Magdalene, and [one was] Mary the mother of James and Joses, and [one was] the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

57. While it was evening, there came a wealthy man from Arimathea*, named Joseph, so as to become a disciple also of Jesus.

58. And he approached Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, and Pilate ordered that he be given the body.

60. And he consecrated him in a tomb that was newly carved into stone, and they rolled a great stone and threw it against the entrance of the tomb and left.

61. Mary Magdalene was however there, and the other Mary, who sat opposite the tomb.

62. The next day, however, which was after the Preparation Day,* the chief high priests and the Pharisees gathered at Pilate's,

63. And they told him, "Our lord, we remembered that impostor used to say while he was alive that I shall rise after three days.

64. "Therefore, order it that they guard the tomb until three days, so that his disciples will not come in the night and steal him and tell the people that he rose from the grave, and for the last deception to end up even worse than the first."

65. Pilate told them, "You have security guards, go and keep watch whichever way you know how."

66. Then they went and watched the tomb and they sealed the stone together with the security guards.

*27:46 Original ancient Aramaic retained: " 'I AM,' 'I AM,' wherefore have you left me?" "Eil" is a title of God, "IS." It has not been translated in English as such, therefore I have used the more acceptable designation "I AM." Idiomatically, "Wherefore" implies destiny. "Sh'wik-thani" is the only correct transliteration, and it means "left me" in the sense of the purpose for which Jesus was left on the cross. It absolutely does not mean "forsaken" in this usage.

1. Then in the evening of the week when Sunday was coming to an end,* there came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, to see the tomb.

2. And, behold, there was a great earthquake, for the angel of the Lord came down from heaven and approached, rolled off the stone from the tomb and sat on [the stone.]

4. And from fear of him, those who guarded [the tomb] were shaken and they became like dead.

5. The angel replied and said to the women, "Do not be afraid. I know that you are seeking Jesus who was crucified.

6. "He is not here, for He has risen just as He said. Come and see the place where the Lord was consecrated.

7. "And go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead and, behold, He is ahead of you in Galilee, where you will see Him. Behold, tell the others."

8. And they went quickly from the tomb, in fear and great joy and they ran to tell his disciples.

9. And, behold, Jesus accosted them and told them, "Peace be unto you." They approached, hugged him and worshipped him.

10. Then Jesus told them, "Do not be afraid, except go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee and there they will see me."

11. However, as they left, some of the security guards came to the city and told the chief high priests everything that happened.

12. And they gathered with the priests, and they conspired, and they gave not a small amount of money to the security guards,

13. And they told them, "Say that his disciples came in the night and stole him while we were asleep.

14. "And if this is heard by the judge, we will pacify him, and we will hold you blameless."

15. Those who received the money, did as they were instructed, and this manifestation went out among the Jews until this day.

16. Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had promised them to be.

17. And when they saw him, they worshipped him. However, some of them had mixed feelings.*

18. And Jesus came near and spoke to them, and told them, "All power in heaven and earth has been given to me, and where my father sent me, I too send you.

19. "Go therefore teach all the nations,* and baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the holy Spirit,

20. "And teach them to observe everything I commanded you, and behold I am with you all the days, until the end of the universe, amen."

*28:19 Lit. Ar. idiomatic construction: "Go thus, make disciples of all nations."