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SCRIPTURES
Chapter 33
The town of Ephraim honors Yeshua – The beggar and the harlot – Parable: The Seed
Which God Planted – Parable: The Yeast in the Bread – On feasting – You must give
mercy to receive mercy – Despise not the poor – Parable: The Master of the House
Who Locked the Doors – The last shall be first, and the first shall be last – Parable:
The Unattended Feast – Yeshua heals a crippled woman on Sabbath – Yeshua rebukes
the Pharisees
1 So Yeshua came up out of the wilderness by the sea and traveled unto Ephraim, and the chief rabbi, desiring to examine the Master according to the law, prepared a feast to receive him.
2 Wherefore, he called unto the feast the scribes and Pharisees dressed in fine robes, having their heads anointed with precious oil.
3 And the whole house made ready to receive the Lord, and they brought from the store houses the finest wines, and all manner of meats and herbs and costly spice.
4 And the Lord, going forth unto the house, passed a beggar dressed in rags, and he spoke unto him, saying: “Come and sup with me.”
5 And rising up, the man followed after the Lord; and yet a little way the Lord saw a harlot, and calling unto her he said: “Come and sup with me.”
6 Now there gathered unto the house the whole city, for all were anxious to see the Lord passing by; and going in unto the house, the chief rabbi sat the Lord in the best seat to honor him.
7 And the Master sat upon his right hand and upon his left, the harlot and the beggar; and all which saw marveled at the mercy of the Nazarene.
8 But the scribes and Pharisees murmured against the Lord because of it, and the Lord spoke unto all which sat at the feast, saying:
9 “Unto what is the kingdom of Heaven like? Unto what shall you compare it?
10 Behold, it is like unto a grain of seed which the Father planted in a garden upon the earth; and dressing it round about, it grew and became a great tree;
11 Evensomuch that birds of every kind did rest in the branches thereof.”
12 And the Lord, turning to the chief rabbi, said: “Unto what will you liken the kingdom of Heaven?
13 Behold, it is like the yeast which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal that she might make bread;
14 And going away she came again and, behold, the whole loaf was risen and made ready for the fire.
15 Whosoever would be accepted of God, let him hear and be wise; for by the law alone is no man justified, but by goodness only.
16 When, therefore, you would prepare a feast, call forth neither friends nor kinsmen, neither seek you the company of them which are rich and well clothed like unto yourselves.
17 For such as these will recompense you according to the rudiments of men and not after God.
18 But whensoever you would feast and make merry, call you forth the poor and the lost, the blind and the lame;
19 Then shall you be blessed from above; for they which are poor cannot recompense you anything.
20 And God, which sees all things, shall recompense you according to that joy which you have given unto another.
21 Take heed what you hear that you do them; for with whatsoever measure you give, it shall be measured unto you again.
22 And unto whatsoever measure you do according to the hearing of the word, unto you shall more be given.
23 Why then will you give offense unto God, for he has shown you already what is good and acceptable unto him.
24 For what has the Lord required of you, except that you do justly, and love mercy, and walk humbly with your God?
25 Despise not the poor which today are and tomorrow are all passed away unto God, lest they bring against you a strong accusation.
26 For if you would fulfill even the whole law, then love you every man his neighbor; then shall you be accepted of God, being richly girded round about with all tender affection.
27 But if you will have regard for one man over another for riches’ sake, then are you made guilty of sin, for you have judged unrighteously.
28 For if there come among you a man which is finely dressed in costly apparel, and there come also a poor man dressed in filthy rags,
29 Will you give favor unto him that is rich, saying: ‘Sit here in a good place that we may honor you?’
30 And will you speak unto the poor man, saying: ‘Stand you over there away from me, or come and sit here beneath my footstool?’
31 Behold, if you do these things then are you become as sinners having judged unrighteously between the rich man and the poor.
32 Whosoever has ears to hear let them hear: For though the poor be lowly and dressed in rags, yet has your Heavenly Father made them rich in faith exceeding.
33 Look you, therefore, upon my right hand and upon my left; for in such as these is the kingdom of Heaven made manifest.
34 Whosoever among you would keep the whole law, but offend in one point only, even you are become guilty of breaking the whole law altogether.”
35 Then spoke one of the Pharisees unto the Lord, saying: “Who then can be saved?”
36 And Yeshua answered him, saying: “Labor, therefore, that you may enter into life and not death; for many are there among you which would seek to enter in, but yet are you not able.
37 For I tell you truly that when the master of the house is come to shut the door and you stand without to knock upon it, saying:
38 ‘Lord, Lord, open the door unto us that we may sup with you.’ Then shall he answer in that day, saying: ‘Who are you that I should know you?’
39 And you shall say: ‘Lord, Lord, we are they which have eaten and drunk in your presence while yet you taught in all our streets.’
40 But the master of the house shall speak unto you, saying: ‘I tell you truly, I know not from whence you are come. Depart from me, you which work iniquity, for I never knew you.’
41 And in the kingdom of God shall you see feasting and making merry Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets with them;
42 But you yourselves shall the angels thrust out amidst great weeping and gnashing of teeth.
43 And many shall come from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south; and they, too, shall sit in the kingdom of God before you.
44 For I tell you truly that these which are last shall be first; and you which are first shall be made the very last.”
45 Now the chief rabbi, when he heard this, bowed his head and beat upon his bosom, saying: “Blessed is the man which shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.”
46 When the Lord heard this of him, he was filled with compassion, and turning to the whole house, he spoke, saying:
47 “There was a certain man which prepared a great feast, and he invited many, that they might come and sup with him.
48 And when the supper time was come, he sent his servants unto them which were bidden, saying: ‘Come, for all things are now made ready to receive you.’
49 But one by one, they which were invited made excuse and would not come.
50 And the man, when he heard this, commanded his servants, saying: ‘Go quickly into the streets of the city and bring unto me the poor and the lost, the blind and the lame. For, behold, the feast is even now made ready.’
51 And when the servants were come again, they spoke unto the man, saying: ‘Lord, we have done as you commanded. Yet is there room enough to spare for others also.’
52 And the man spoke unto the servants, saying: ‘Go out into the highways and hedges of the city, and whosoever you see, even that one bring hither unto me; for I have room enough in my house.
53 For yet I tell you truly that none of those men which I invited to the feast at the first shall come in unto me.’”
54 Now these are the words which Yeshua spoke in the house of the chief rabbi. And when the Sabbath was come, he entered into the synagogue to teach.
55 And as he was entering in, the Lord saw a woman which was crippled and bent with sorrow, having had an infirmity eighteen years.
56 And when the Lord saw her, he called that she might come unto him.
57 And when she came near, he laid his hands upon her, saying: “Daughter, be you healed from this day forth.”
58 And immediately she was made straight, and all the people rejoiced with her because of it.
59 But the Pharisees spoke with indignation against the Lord, saying: “There are six days in which a men ought to labor. In them, therefore, come and be healed, but not on the Sabbath.”
60 But the Lord rebuked the Pharisees, saying: “You hypocrites! Will not each of you on the Sabbath loose both the ox and the ass that they might drink and not suffer?
61 How much more then shall this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, be loosed from bondage on the Sabbath day also?”
62 And when he had spoken these things, the Pharisees were made ashamed and they repented before the Lord and all the people.
63 And from that day did all Ephraim give refuge unto the Master whensoever he came to dwell among them.
YESHUA 33