The Author of Life Everlasting

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The Author of Life Everlasting

Chapter 4

For Every Tree is Known By It’s Fruits

And in those days, Yeshua retired to a mountain to pray; and he passed the night there, in prayer to Yahweh; and when the day dawned, he called his disciples whom he pleased; and they came to him; and he chose twelve to be with him, whom he would send out to preach, and who would have power to heal the sick, and to cast out unclean spirits, whom Yeshua named Apostles; Simon whom Yeshua named Cephas, and Andrew his brother, and James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot; and Yeshua descended with them, and stood in the plain; and a great company of his disciples, and a crowd of people assembled, from all Judah, and from Jerusalem, and from the seashore of Tyre and Sidon; who came to hear his discourse, and to be healed of their diseases; and they who were afflicted by unclean spirits; and they were healed; and the whole crowd sought to touch him because power proceeded from him, and healed them all; and he lifted his eyes upon his disciples, and said, “Happy are you poor; for the sovereignty of Yahweh is yours. Happy are you that hunger now; for you will be satisfied. Happy are you that weep now; for you will laugh. Happy are you, when men shall hate you, and repel you, and revile you, and cast out your names as base, for the son of man’s sake. Rejoice in that day and exult, for your reward is great in heaven; for so did their fathers to the prophets; but, woe to you that are rich; for you have received your consolation. Woe to you that are full; for you will hunger. Woe to you that laugh now, for you will weep and mourn. Woe to you, when men shall speak your praise; for so did their fathers to the false prophets; and to you who hear, I say; love your enemies, and do favors to them that hate you; and bless them that curse you; and pray for them that drag you with violence; and to him that smites you on your cheek, offer the other; and from him that takes away your cloak, keep not back your tunic. To everyone that asks of you, give you; and from him that takes your property, demand it not; and as you would that men should do to you, so do you also to them. For, if you love them that love you, what goodness is it in you? For even sinners love those that love them; and if you do good to them that do good to you, what goodness is it in you? For even sinners do the same; and if you lend to one from whom you expect recompense, what goodness is it in you? For sinners also lend to sinners, to receive adequate recompense; but love you your enemies, and do them good; and lend you, and disappoint the hope of no one; and great will be your reward, and you will be sons of Yahweh; for he is kind to the evil, and to the unthankful. Be you therefore merciful, as also your Father is merciful. Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; release, and you will be released. Give you, and it will be given to you; in good measure, pressed down, and running over, will they cast into your lap; for with what measure you measure, it will be measured to you. Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will not both fall into the ditch? No disciple is better than his teacher; for whoever is perfect, will be like his teacher; and why observe you the splinter that is in your brother’s eye, but regard not the beam that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, my brother, allow me to pluck the splinter from your eye; when, lo, the beam that is in your own eye, you regard not. Hypocrite? First cast the beam out of your eye, and then your vision will be clear to pluck the splinter from your brother’s eye. There is no good tree that bears bad fruits; nor a bad tree, that bears good fruits; for every tree is known by its fruits. Do men gather figs from thorn-bushes? So, neither do they pluck grapes from brambles. A good man, from the good treasure that is in his heart, brings out good things; and a bad man, from the bad treasure that is in his heart, brings out bad things; for, from the abundance of the heart, the lips speak; and why call you me, teacher, teacher, while you do not do what I say? Everyone that comes to me, and hears my words, and does them, I will show to whom he is like; he is like a man that built a house; and he dug and went deep, and laid the foundations on a rock; and when a flood occurred, the flood rushed upon that house, and could not move it, for its foundation rested on a rock; but he that hears and does not, is like a man that built his house upon the earth, without a foundation; and when the torrent rushed upon it, it fell immediately, and the ruin of that house was great.” And when Yeshua had finished all these discourses in the audience of the people, Yeshua entered into Capernaum.

And they came to the house; and the crowd assembled again, so that they could not eat bread; and Yeshua’s kinsmen heard, and went out to take him; for they said, “He is out of his reason.” And those Scribes that had come down from Jerusalem, said, “Beelzebub is in him; and by the prince of unclean spirits he expels unclean spirits.” And Yeshua called them, and said to them, by parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? For if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand; and if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand; and if Satan rise up against himself and be divided, he cannot stand, but is at an end. No one can enter the house of a strong man, and plunder his goods, unless he first bind the strong man; and then he may rob his house. Truly I say to you; all sins, and the blasphemies that men may utter, may be forgiven them; but whoever shall blaspheme against power, yea, the powerful power from of Yahweh, to him forever there is not forgiveness; but he is obnoxious to eternal judgment.” Because they had said, the power of an unclean spirit is in him; and his mother, and his brothers came, and, standing without, sent to call him to them; and the crowd were sitting around him, and they said to him, “Lo, your mother, and your brothers, without, call for you.” Yeshua replied, saying to them, “Who is my mother? And who are my brothers?” And he looked upon those who sat by him, and said, “Behold my mother? And, behold my brothers! For whoever shall do the pleasure of Yahweh, he is my brother, and my sister, and my mother.” And the servant of a centurion, who was dear to him, was very sick, and near to death; and he heard of Yeshua, and sent the elders of the Israelites to him, and requested of him that he would come, and save the life of his servant; and when they came to Yeshua, they entreated him earnestly, and said, “He is worthy that you should do this for him; for he loves our nation, and has also built us a house of assembly.” And Yeshua went with them; and when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent his friends to him, and said to him, “Sir, trouble not yourself, for I am not worthy that you should come under my roof; therefore I deemed myself not worthy to approach you myself; but speak the word only, and my young man will be healed; for I also am a man subjected to authority; and I have soldiers under my command; and I say to this one, go; and he goes; and to another, come; and he comes; and to my servant, do this; and he does it.” And when Yeshua heard these things, he admired him; and he turned, and said to the people that followed him, “I say to you, I have not found believing like this even in Israel.” And they that were sent, returned to the house; and they found the servant that had been sick, now well; and the following day, Yeshua went to a city called Nain; and his disciples were with him, and a great crowd; and as he approached the gate of the city, he saw a procession bearing a dead man, the only son of his mother, and she a widow; and a great company of the people of the city were with her; and Yeshua looked upon her, and had compassion on her; and he said to her, “Weep not.” And he went, and touched the bier; and they that bore him stood still; and he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” And the dead man sat up, and began to speak; and Yeshua delivered him to his mother; and awe seized all the people; and they glorified Yahweh, and said, “A great prophet has arisen among us, for Yahweh has looked upon his people.” And that saying respecting Yeshua went out through all Judah, and all the surrounding region.

And the disciples of John told John all these things; and John called two of his disciples, and sent them to Yeshua, to ask, “Are you he that comes, or shall we look for another?” And they came to Yeshua, and said to him, “John the Baptizer has sent us to you, to ask, are you he that comes, or shall we look for another?” And in that hour Yeshua healed many persons of their diseases, and of plagues, and of unclean spirits, and gave sight to many blind persons; and Yeshua replied, saying to them, “Go you, and tell John all that you have seen and heard; that the blind see, and the lame walk, and the leprous are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead arise, and to the poor good news is proclaimed; and happy is he that is not stumbled in me.” And when John’s disciples were gone, Yeshua began to say to the crowd, concerning John, “What went you into the wilderness to see? A reed agitated by the wind? Or if not; what went you out to see? A man clad in soft raiment? Lo, they that use splendid garments and luxuries, are in king’s palaces. Or if not; what went you out to see? A prophet? Yea, say I to you; and more than a prophet. I say to you, that no prophet, among those born of women, was greater than John the Baptizer; and yet the little one in the sovereignty of Yahweh, is greater than he.” And all the people that heard him, justified Yahweh, as they had been baptized with John’s baptism; but the Pharisees and Scribes rejected the good pleasure of Yahweh, against themselves; as they were not baptized by him. Yeshua said to them, “To what, therefore, shall I compare this generation? And to what are they like? They are like children, that sit in the marketplace, and call to their fellows and say; we have piped to you, and you did not dance; we have howled to you, and you did not weep; for John the Baptizer came, not eating bread, and not drinking wine; and you say, he has a unclean spirit. The son of man came; eating and drinking; and you say, behold, a gluttonous man, and a wine drinker, and one fond of tax collectors and sinners; but wisdom is justified by all her children.” And one of the Pharisees came, and asked Yeshua to eat with him; and Yeshua entered the house of the Pharisee, and reclined; and there was a woman in the city, who was a sinner; and when she learned that Yeshua reclined in the Pharisee’s house, she took an alabaster box of perfume, and stood behind him, at his feet and wept; and she began to bathe his feet with her tears, and to wipe them with the hair of her head; and she kissed his feet, and anointed them with the perfume; and when the Pharisee that invited him, saw it he thought within himself, and said, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who she is, and what is her reputation; for the woman that touches him is a sinner.” And Yeshua answered, saying to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” He said to him, “Say it, teacher.” Yeshua said to him, “There were two debtors to a certain creditor; the one owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty denarii; and as they had not the means of pay, he released them both. Which of them, therefore will love him most?” Simon replied, and said, “I suppose he to whom most was released.” Yeshua said to him, “You have judged correctly.” And Yeshua turned to the woman, and said to Simon, “See you this woman? I entered your house, and you gave me no water for my feet; but she has bathed my feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss; but this woman, since she came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with perfume; but she has anointed my feet with perfumed ointment. I therefore say to you, her many sins are forgiven her, for she loves much; but he, to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” And Yeshua said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven you.” And they that were reclining, began to say in themselves, “Who is this man, who forgives even sins?” And Yeshua said to the woman, “Your believing has given you life. Go, in peace.”

And after these things, Yeshua travelled about the cities and the villages, and proclaimed and announced the sovereignty of Yahweh; and with him were his twelve, and those woman who were healed of infirmities and of unclean spirits, Mary called Magdalena, out of whom went seven unclean spirits, and Joanna the wife of Chusa, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, who ministered to them of their property; and again Yeshua began to teach by the side of the lake; and when a great crowd was assembled about him, and people came to him from all the cities; so that he embarked and sat in a boat on the lake, and all the crowd stood on the land by the side of the lake; and he taught them much by parables; and in his teaching, he said, “Hear you; behold, a sower went forth to sow; and as he sowed; some seed fell on the side of the path, and was trodden upon; and a bird came, and devoured it; and other seed fell on a rock, so that it had not much earth, and it soon shot up because it had no depth of earth; but when the sun was up, it wilted, as it lacked moisture; and because it had not root, it dried up; and other seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yields no fruits; and other seed fell on good and fair ground, and sprung up and grew, and yielded fruits; some thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred.” Having said these things, he cried, “He that has ears to hear, let him hear.” And when they were by themselves, those with him, together with the twelve, asked him concerning this parable; and Yeshua said to them, “To you it is given, to know the mysteries of the sovereignty of Yahweh; but to others, it is spoken in parables; that, when they see, they may see and not see, and when they hear, they may hear and not understand; lest they should be converted, and their sins be forgiven them. Do you not understand this parable? And how will you understand all parables? But this is the parable, the seed is the word of Yahweh. The sower that sowed, sowed the word; and those by the side of the path, are they in whom the word is sown; and as soon as they have heard it, Satan comes, and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts, that they may not believe and live; and those sown upon the rock, are they who when they hear the word, immediately with joy receive it; but they have no root in them, and their believing is temporary, and in time of temptation they are stumbled; and when there is affliction or persecution as a result of the word, they are quickly stumbled; and those sown among thorns, are they that hear the word, and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the residue of other lusts enter in and choke the word, and it is without fruits; and those sown on good ground, are those who with a humble and good heart, hear the word, and retain it and with patience bring forth fruits, by thirties, and by sixties, and by hundreds. No one lights a lamp, and covers it with a vessel, or places it under a bed, but sets it upon a light-stand that all who come in, may see the light of it; for there is nothing hid, which will not be exposed; nothing covered, that shall not be uncovered; nor concealed, that shall not be known, and become manifest. Take heed what you hear, with what measure you measure, it shall be measured to you; and there shall more be given to you who hear. Take heed how you hear, for to him that has, will more be given; and from him that has not, even what he thinks he has, will be taken from him. So is the sovereignty of Yahweh, as if a man should cast seed into the ground, and should sleep and rise, by night and by day, and the seed should grow and shoot up, he knows not how; for the earth brings forth the fruit; first the plant, and subsequently the ear, and at last the complete wheat in the ear; and when the fruit is ripe, immediately comes the sickle, because the harvest has arrived. To what shall we liken the sovereignty of Yahweh? And with what parable shall we compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed which, when it is sown in the earth, is the least of all seeds sown on the earth; and when it is sown, it springs up, and becomes greater than all herbs, and produces great branches, so that birds can lodge under its shadow.” And Yeshua’s mother and his brothers came to him, and they could not speak with him, because of the crowd; and they say to him, “Your mother and your brothers stand without, and wish to see you.” And Yeshua answered and said, “My mother and my brothers, are they who hear the word of Yahweh, and do it” And by many such parables, parables such as they could hear, Yeshua discoursed with the people; and without parables he did not converse with them; but to his disciples, between himself and them, he explained everything.

On that day at evening, Yeshua embarked and sat in a boat, he and his disciples; and he said to them, “Let us pass over to the other side of the lake.” And they left the people, and took him away; and their were also with him other little boats; and while they were rowing, Yeshua fell asleep; and there was a great tempest and wind; and the waves beat upon the boat, and it was near being filled; and Yeshua was asleep on a pillow in the hinder part of the boat; and they came and awoke him, saying to them, “Teacher, teacher, care you not, that we are perishing?” And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said to the lake, “Cease; be still.” And they ceased, and there was a great calm; and he said to them, “Where is your believing? Why were you so fearful? And why have you not believing?” And they being in awe, wondered; they feared with great fear, and they said, one to another, “Who is this, that commands even the wind, and the waves, and the lake; and they obey him?” And they rowed on, and came to the country of the Gadarenes, which lies over against Galilee; and as he went out of the boat upon the land, there, met him from the place of the tombs, a man of the city, in whom had been an unclean spirit for of a long time; and he wore no clothing, and did not reside in a house, but among the tombs; and no one could confine him with chains; because, as often as he had been confined with fetters and chains, he had broken the chains and burst the fetters; and no one could subdue him, and had been driven by the unclean spirit into the desert; and continually, by night and by day, he was in the tombs, and cried and wounded himself with stones; and when he saw Yeshua at a distance, he ran and fell down before him; and cried out with a loud voice, and said, “What have we to do with you Yeshua, you son of Yahweh? I adjure you by Yahweh; I entreat of you, that you torment me not.” For Yeshua had said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit.” And Yeshua demanded of it, “What is your name?” And he replied to him, “Our name is Legion; for we are many.” Because many unclean spirits had entered into him; and they besought Yeshua, not to command them into the abyss; and he besought him much, that he would not send him out of the country; and there was there by the mountain a great herd of swine grazing; and the unclean spirits besought him, and said, “Send us upon those swine that we may enter them.” And Yeshua permitted them; and those unclean spirits went out, and entered the swine; and the herd, of about two thousand, ran to a cliff, and plunged into the lake, and were strangled in the water; and when they who tended them saw what had occurred, they fled, and told it in the city, and in the villages; and they came out to see what was done; and they came to Yeshua, and found the man, him in whom had been the Legion, now clothed, sober and modest, and sitting at the feet of Yeshua; and they were awed; and those who had seen it, told them how it occurred to him who had the unclean spirits, and also concerning the swine; and the whole throng of the Gadarenes requested Yeshua, that he would depart from their border; for great fear had seized them; and as Yeshua ascended the boat, the man from whom the unclean spirits had gone out, requested that he might continue with him; and Yeshua suffered him not, but said to him, “Go home to your people, and relate what Yahweh has done for you, and has compassionated you.” And he went away, and began to proclaim through all the Ten Cities what Yeshua had done for him; and they were all amazed.

And when Yeshua had passed by boat to the other side, great crowds again assembled about him as he was on the shore of the lake; for all were looking for him; and a man, whose name was Jairus, a chief of the synagogue, came, and, on seeing Yeshua, fell down at the feet of Yeshua, and besought him much to enter his house; and said to him, “My daughter is very sick; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will be healed, and live.” And Yeshua went with him; and a great company attended him, and pressed upon him; and a woman who had had a defluxion of blood twelve years, and who had suffered much from many physicians, and had expended all she possessed, and was not profited, but was even the more afflicted; when she heard of Yeshua, came up behind him in the press of the crowd, and touched the border of his garment; for she said, “If I but touch his garment, I shall live.” And immediately the fountain of her blood dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her plague; and Yeshua at once knew in himself, that power had issued from him; and he turned to the people, and said, “Who touched my clothes?” And when all denied, Simon Cephas and those with him, said to him, “Teacher, crowds press upon you, and say you, who touched me?” And he said, “Someone touched me; for I perceive, that power has issued from me.” And Yeshua looked around, to see who has done this; and the woman, fearing and trembling, when she saw that she had not escaped his notice, for she know what had taken place in her, came trembling, and fell down before him; and in the presence of all the people, she declared for what cause she had touched him, and that she was instantly healed; and Yeshua said to her, “Take courage; your believing has given you life; go in peace; and be you healed of your plague.” And while he was speaking, some domestics of the chief of the synagogue came, one came, and said to him, “Your daughter is dead; why therefore trouble you the teacher?” But Yeshua heard the word they spoke, and said to the father of the maid, “Fear not; only believe, and she will live.” And he suffered no one to go with him, except Simon Cephas, and James, and John the brother of James; and they came to the house of the chief of the synagogue; and Yeshua saw that they were in a tumult, and weeping, and howling; and he suffered none to go in with him, except Simon, and James, and John, and the father and mother of the maid; and he entered in, and all were weeping and wailing over her, and Yeshua said to them, “Why are you in a tumult and weep? Weep not; for the maid is not dead, but is asleep.” And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead; but Yeshua put them all out; and he took the maids father, and her mother, and those that accompanied him, and entered into where the maid lay; and he took the maids hand, and said to her, “Maiden, arise.” And her breath life returned, and she instantly arose, and walked; for she was twelve years old, and he directed them to give her food; and her parents were astonished with a great astonishment; and he enjoined it upon them much, to tell no one what had occurred; and he directed that they should give her to eat; and Yeshua departed from there and came to his own city, and his disciples attended him; and when the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue; and many who heard him were astonished, and said, “Where has he obtained these things? And, what wisdom is this which is given to him! And that such mighty works are done by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, and of Joses, and of Judas, and of Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they were stumbled in him; and Yeshua said to them, “There is no prophet who is little, except in his own city, and among his kindred, and at home.” And he could not there do even one mighty work, except that he laid his hand on a few sick, and healed them; and he wondered at the defect of their believing.

And Yeshua traveled over all the cities and the villages; and he taught in their synagogues, and proclaimed the tidings of the sovereignty, and healing every kind of sickness and disease; and when Yeshua looked on the crowds, he had compassion concerning them; because they were wearied and disperse, like sheep that have no shepherd; and he said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, and the laborers few. Entreat, therefore, the owner of the harvest, that he would send laborers into his harvest.” And Yeshua called his twelve to him, and began to send them forth, two and two; to proclaim the sovereignty of Yahweh, and he gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and sickness. These twelve Yeshua sent forth; and he command them, and said, “Go not in the way of the Gentiles; and enter not the cities of the Samaritans; but, go you rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel; and as you go, proclaim and say; the sovereignty of Yahweh has approached. Heal you the sick; cleanse the leprous; raise the dead; and cast out unclean spirits. Freely you have received; freely give. Take nothing for the journey; provide not gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses; nor a wallet for the journey, nor bread; neither have two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff. For the laborer is worthy of his food; and into whatever city or town you enter, inquire, who in it is worthy; and into whatever house you enter, there abide till you leave the place; and when you enter a house, salute the household; and if the house be worthy, your peace will come upon it; but if it be not worthy, your peace will return upon yourselves; and whoever will not receive you, nor hear your discourses, when you depart from that house or that town, shake off even the dust that is under your feet against them, for a testimony. Truly I say to you, that it will be comfortable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, rather than for that city. Behold, I send you forth as sheep among wolves. Therefore be you sagacious as serpents, and guileless as doves; and beware of men; for they will deliver you over to the tribunals, and will scourge you in their synagogues; and they will bring you before governors and kings, on my account, for a testimony to them, and to the Gentiles; and when they deliver you up, be not anxious how or what you shall speak; for it shall be given you in that hour what to say. For it is not you that speaks, but the power of your Father speaking to you; and brother shall deliver up his brother to death, and a father his son; and children shall rise up against parents, and cause them to die; and you shall be hated by everyone, on account of my name; but he that shall endure to the end, shall have life; and when they persecute you in one city, flee to another; for truly I say to you, you shall not have completed all the cities of the House of Israel, till the son of man shall come. No disciple is better than his teacher; nor a servant, than his master. It is sufficient for the disciple, that he be as his teacher; and the servant, as his master. If they call the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more the children of his family? Therefore, be not afraid of them; for there is nothing covered up that shall not be exposed; nor concealed, that shall not become known. Whatever I say to you in the dark, that speak you in the light; and what you have heard in your ears, proclaim you on the housetops; and be not afraid of them that kill the body, but cannot kill the soul; but be afraid rather of him, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? Yet one of them does not fall to the ground without your Father. As for you, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore, be not afraid; you are more important than many sparrows. Wherefore, whoever shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven. Think not that I have come to sow quietness in the land. I have not come to sow quietness, but conflict. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s foes will be the members of his household. He that loves father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that does not follow after me, is not worthy of me. He that preserves his life, shall lose it; and he that loses his life for my sake, shall preserve it. He that receives you, receives me; and he that receives me, receives him that sent me. He that receives a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man’s reward; and whoever shall give one of these little ones to drink a cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.” And the Apostles went forth and travelled about the villages and cities, and proclaimed that men should repent; and they cast out many unclean spirits, and many of the sick they anointed with oil, and healed them; and healed everywhere.