by Sarah Ruden
2 And look, they brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a stretcher. And Iēsous saw their trust and said to the paralyzed man, “Be brave, child! You’re absolved from your offenses.” 3 But look, some of the scholars said inwardly, “He’s blaspheming.”*84 4 But Iēsous, seeing what they were brooding over in their hearts, said, “Why are you brooding over such malignant things in your hearts? 5 What’s actually easier to say, ‘You’re absolved from your offenses’ or ‘Get up and walk around’?*85 6 So that you know the son of mankind has the power on earth to absolve people from their offenses”—then he said to the paralyzed man: “Get up, pick up your stretcher, and go along home.” 7 And he got up and went away to his home. 8 The crowds who saw it were filled with awe, and they glorified god for giving so much power to human beings.
9 And passing on from there, Iēsous saw a man sitting at the tax booth, and he was called Maththaios, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.*86
10 And it happened that as Iēsous was reclining at the table in the house, look, many tax-collectors and other wrongdoers had come and were reclining with Iēsous and his students. 11 And when the Farisaioi saw, they said to his students, “Why does your teacher eat with tax-collectors and other wrongdoers?” 12 And Iēsous, hearing this, said to them, “People who are strong and healthy don’t have any need for a doctor; no, it’s those who are unwell. 13 Be on your way, and learn what this means: ‘I want mercy and not a sacrifice.’ I didn’t in fact come to call people who are already within the law, but, instead, those who’ve gone wrong.”*87
14 Then Iōannēs’ students approached him, asking, “Why do we and the Farisaioi fast [often], but your students don’t fast?” 15 And Iēsous said to them, “The sons of the bridal hall can’t mourn while the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they’ll fast. 16 No one patches an old cloak with a patch made of unshrunken cloth. The reinforcement would pull away from the cloak, and an even worse tear would be made. 17 And people don’t put young wine into old wineskins; otherwise, of course, the skins would burst, and the wine would spill out, and the skins would be ruined. Instead, people put young wine into new wineskins, and both are safely preserved.”
18 Iēsous was still telling them these things when, look, a leader*88 came, prostrated himself to him, and said, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she’ll live.” 19 And Iēsous got up and followed him, and his students did the same.
20 But look, a woman who’d had blood flowing from her for twelve years came up behind and touched the hem of his cloak, 21 since she said to herself, “If I just touch the hem of his cloak, I’ll be cured.”*89 22 And Iēsous turned around, saw her, and said, “Daughter, be brave: your trust has cured you.” And from that hour, the woman was cured.
23 Then when Iēsous came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players, and the crowd in an uproar,*90 24 he said, “Out of here, all of you: the little girl isn’t in fact dead, only sleeping.” But they jeered at him. 25 When the crowd was removed, he went in and grasped her hand, and the little girl woke up. 26 Then talk of this went out to that whole land.
27 Then as Iēsous passed on from there, two blind men followed [him], yelling and saying, “Have pity on us, son of David!” 28 As he was going into the house, the blind men approached him, and Iēsous said to them, “Do you trust that I can do this?” They said to him, “Yes, lord.” 29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “It must be done for you as you trust it will.” 30 And their eyes were opened, but Iēsous snapped at them in warning, saying, “See that no one finds out about this.” 31 But they went and spread the word about him in the whole of that land.
32 After they had gone, look, people brought Iēsous a mute man possessed by a demon. 33 And after the demon was expelled, the deaf man began to speak, and the crowds were amazed, saying, “Nothing like this has ever appeared in Israēl before.” 34 But the Farisaioi said, “He expels demons through the power of their leader.”
35 Then Iēsous made a circuit of all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues and announcing the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every infirmity.
36 But when he saw the crowds, he was wrenched with pity for them, because they were harassed and beaten down, like sheep who have no shepherd.*91 37 At this point he said to his students, “The crop is a large one, but there aren’t many workers. 38 So ask the owner of the crop to send workers out into his crop.”
Chapter 10
1 Then, calling his twelve students to him, he gave them power over unclean spirits, so that they could expel them and cure every disease and every infirmity. 2 These are the names of the twelve envoys: first Simōn, who was called Petros, and Andreas his brother, and Iakōbos the son of Zebedaios, and Iōannēs his brother, 3 Filippos and Bartholomaios, Thōmas and Maththaios the tax-collector, Iakōbos the son of Alfaios, and Thaddaios, 4 Simōn the Kananaios, and Ioudas the Iskariōtēs, who actually handed him over.*92
5 Iēsous sent these twelve out, giving them orders by saying, “Don’t go down the road to other nations, and don’t enter any town of the Samaritai.*93 6 Instead, travel to the lost sheep of Israēl’s household. 7 And when you’re traveling, announce this message: “The kingdom of the skies has come near.” 8 Cure the ailing, wake up the dead, cleanse lepers, expel demons; you’ve taken for free, so give for free. 9 Don’t acquire gold or silver or copper coins in your belts, 10 don’t take a bag for your journey or two tunics or sandals or a staff: the worker deserves his food.*94 11 Whichever town or village you come to, ask who in it is deserving, and stay in his house until you leave the locale. 12 And when you go into the household, greet it kindly. 13 And if the household is deserving, your wish for peace will be realized for it. But if the household isn’t deserving, your wish for peace will turn back and be realized for you.*95 14 As for whoever doesn’t take you in hospitably or listen to what you have to say, when you go out of that house or town, shake off the dust on your feet.*96 15 Amēn I tell you, it will be easier for the land of Sodoma and Gomorra on the day of judgment than for that town.*97
16 “Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Be shrewd as snakes but innocent as doves.*98
17 “Watch out for people. They’ll hand you over to the governing councils,*99 and they’ll flog you in their synagogues. 18 And you’ll be brought before governors and kings because of me to give testimony to them and to the foreign nations. 19 But when they hand you over, don’t be worried about how to speak or what about. At that time, what you say will be given to you. 20 You yourselves, in fact, will not be the ones speaking; instead, it will be the life-breath of the father that’s speaking in you.*100
21 “One brother will hand another over to death, and a father will hand over his child, and children will rebel against parents and have them put to death. 22 And you’ll be hated by everyone because of my name. But whoever holds out to the end will be rescued.
23 “When they come after you in one town run for refuge to the next, since—amēn I tell you—you won’t reach the end of Israēl’s towns until the son of mankind comes.*101
24 “A student isn’t above the teacher, and the slave isn’t above his master. 25 It’s enough for the student to become like his teacher and the slave like his master. If they’ve called the head of the house Be’elzeboul, how much more will they bad-mouth the rest of those in his household!
26 “So don’t be afraid of them; nothing in fact is covered over that won’t be uncovered,*102 or hidden that won’t be revealed. 27 What I tell you in the darkness, say in the light, and what you hear whispered in your ear, spread the news of it from the roofs. 28 And don’t fear anything from those who kill the body but aren’t able to kill the life within it. Be afraid, instead, of the one who can destroy both the life and the body in ge’enna.*103 29 Aren’t two sparrows sold for a
n assarion?*104 But not one of them will fall to the ground without your father’s willing it. 30 But as for you, even the hairs on your head are all counted.*105 31 So don’t be afraid—you’re worth more than a whole flock of sparrows!
32 “Everyone who acknowledges me before human beings—I’ll acknowledge him before my father who is in [the] skies. 33 But whoever denies me before human beings—I’ll deny him before my father who is in [the] skies.
34 “Don’t suppose that I’ve come to bring peace to the earth; I’ve come not to bring peace, but a sword. 35 I’ve in fact come to divide a man from his father and a daughter from her mother and a bride from her mother-in-law; 36 and a person’s enemies will be members of his own household.
37 “Whoever loves his mother or father more than me doesn’t deserve me, and whoever loves his son or daughter more than me doesn’t deserve me.*106 38 And whoever doesn’t take up the stake he’ll be hung on and follow after me doesn’t deserve me. 39 Whoever’s found his life will lose it, whoever’s lost his life because of me will find it.
40 “Whoever welcomes you all welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet because he’s a prophet will get a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes an upright man because he’s an upright man will get a just man’s reward. 42 And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink, because he’s a student, amēn I tell you, he certainly won’t lose his reward.”
Chapter 11
1 And it happened that when Iēsous had finished giving these instructions to his twelve students, he went on from there to teach and spread the word in their towns.
2 Now Iōannēs, when he heard in prison about the work the Anointed One was doing, sent him a message through his students 3 to ask him, “Are you the one coming, or must we expect someone else?” 4 And Iēsous answered by saying to them, “Be on your way and take the news to Iōannēs of what you hear and see.
5 The blind see again and the crippled walk,
Lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear,
And the dead awaken and the destitute get good news.*107
6 So it’s a happy man who isn’t tripped up by me.”
7 As these people went on their way, Iēsous began to speak to the crowds about Iōannēs: “What did you go out into the wasteland to gape at? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 No? Then what did you go out to see? A man dressed in luxurious clothes? Take a look: those who wear luxurious clothes are in kings’ houses. 9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and somebody greater than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it’s been written:
‘Look, I’m sending my messenger ahead of you,
And he’ll build your road in front of you.’*108
11 “Amēn I tell you, among those born from women, no one greater than Iōannēs the baptizer has arisen. But the one with the least stature in the kingdom of the skies is greater than he is. 12 From the days of Iōannēs the baptizer until now the kingdom of the skies is assaulted, and its assailants try to seize it by force. 13 All the prophets and the law up to Iōannēs in fact delivered prophecies. 14 And if you want to accept it, he’s Ēlias who was to come.*109 15 Whoever has ears had better hear!
16 “Who should I say this generation is like? They’re like children sitting in marketplaces and calling to each other, 17 saying,
‘We played the flute for you—no dancing to the sound!
We sang the mourning song—your chests you didn’t pound!’*110
18 “When Iōannēs came, you know, he didn’t eat or drink, so they say, ‘He has a demon in him.’ 19 The son of mankind came, and he eats and drinks, so they say, ‘Look, this guy is an eater and a drinker of wine, a friend of tax-collectors and other wrongdoers.’ But wisdom is vindicated by the actual work she carries out.”*111
20 Then he began to criticize the cities in which most of his acts of power had been done, because they had not changed their thinking. 21 “You have it coming, Chorazin, you have it coming, Bēthsaïda, because if the acts of power that were done in you had been done in Turos or Sidōn, they would have changed their way of thinking a long time ago in burlap and ashes. 22 Yet I tell you, on the day of judgment it will be easier for Turos and Sidōn than for you. 23 And you, Kafarnaoum, you won’t be raised up to the sky, will you? No, you’ll go down to hades—because if the acts of power that were done in you had been done in Sodoma, the city would be there to this day. 24 Yet I tell you that for the land of Sodoma the day of judgment will be easier than for you.”*112
25 On that occasion, Iēsous responded by saying, “I give you all the credit, father, lord of the sky and the earth, because you’ve hidden away these things from clever and insightful people, but put them on display to babies.*113 26 Yes indeed, father, because this appeared as the right choice in your eyes. 27 Everything was given over to me by my father, and no one recognizes the son unless it’s the father, and no one recognizes the father unless it’s the son—and anyone to whom the son wishes to reveal him.*114
28 “Come here to me, everyone who is exhausted and loaded down, and I’ll give you rest. 29 Take my yoke on yourselves and learn from me, because I’m gentle and humble at heart, and you’ll find rest for your lives. 30 My yoke is easy on those beneath it, and the load I put on you is light.”
Chapter 12
1 On that occasion, Iēsous made his way through the grainfields on the sabbata; and his students were hungry and began to pluck the heads of grain and eat them. 2 And the Farisaioi, when they saw, said to him, “Look, your students are doing what’s forbidden to do on the sabbaton.” 3 But he said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he was starving—and the people with him were too— 4 how he went into god’s house and ate the loaves of presentation? He wasn’t permitted to eat them, and the people with him weren’t either; nobody was, except the priests. 5 Or haven’t you read in the law that on the sabbata the priests in the temple desecrate the sabbaton yet aren’t guilty? 6 But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7 But if you recognized the meaning of ‘I want mercy and not a burnt offering,’ you wouldn’t have condemned those who aren’t guilty. 8 The ruler of the sabbaton is in fact the son of mankind.”*115
9 And passing on from there, he came to their synagogue. 10 And look, there was a man with a withered hand, and they questioned him, saying, “Is it permitted to heal on the sabbata?” They were looking to bring a formal accusation against him. 11 But he said to them, “Would there be anyone among you who, if he had a single sheep and it fell into a pit on the sabbata, wouldn’t take hold of it and lift it out? 12 A person is worth so much more than a sheep! That means it’s permitted to do good on the sabbata.”*116 13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand!” And he stretched it out, and it was restored to soundness and was just like the other hand. 14 But after the Farisaioi went away, they formed a plot against him to destroy him.
15 But Iēsous, realizing this, withdrew from that place. But large [crowds] followed him, and he healed them all. 16 But he sternly insisted that they must not make him a public figure, 17 so that what was spoken through Ēsaïas the prophet, when he said this, could be fulfilled:
18 “Look, this is my servant, whom I chose,
My beloved one in whom my life has taken delight.
I will place my life-breath on him,
And he will proclaim judgment to the other nations.
19 He won’t squabble or yell,
And no one will hear his voice in the streets.
20 He won’t break a reed already damaged,
And he won’t snuff out a smoking wick
Until he brings judgment to its victory,
21 And the other nations will find hope in his name.”*117
22 Then a demon-possessed blind and mute man was brought to him, and he healed him, so th
at the mute man could now speak and see. 23 And all the crowds were stunned, and they said, “This can’t be the son of David, can it?”*118 24 But the Farisaioi, when they heard, said, “This man can only expel demons through the power of the demons’ ruler, Be’elzeboul.” 25 Knowing what was on their minds, Iēsous said to them, “Every kingdom that’s split in two and has the two pieces pitted against each other is turned into a wasteland, and every city or household that’s split in two and has the two pieces pitted against each other won’t remain standing. 26 And if satanas throws out satanas, he’s split in two, with the two pieces of him pitted against each other. So how will his kingdom remain standing? 27 And if I expel demons through the power of Be’elzeboul, through whose power do your sons expel them? For this reason, they’ll be your judges in deciding this matter. 28 But if through the power of god’s life-breath I expel demons, then god’s kingdom has arrived ahead of you. 29 Or how can anyone come into a strong man’s house and carry off his things, unless he ties up the strong man first? Only then can he plunder the house. 30 Whoever’s not with me is against me, and whoever isn’t gathering with me is scattering.*119
31 “For this reason I tell you, people will be pardoned from every sort of wrongdoing and blasphemy, except that they won’t be pardoned from blasphemy against the life-breath. 32 Even if someone speaks against the son of mankind, he’ll be pardoned, but if someone speaks against the holy life-breath, he won’t be pardoned, neither in this era or in the era that’s coming.*120
33 “Either assume the tree is good, and that its fruit is good too, or assume the tree is bad, and that its fruit is bad too, as the tree’s known by its fruit. 34 You viper hatchlings, how can you say excellent things when you’re useless? The mouth in fact says what overflows from the heart. 35 The excellent person takes excellent things from his excellent storeroom, but the useless person takes useless things from his useless storeroom. 36 I tell you that for every worthless thing people say, they’ll give an account on the day of judgment; 37 on the basis of the accounts you give, you’ll be acquitted, or on the basis of the accounts you give you’ll be condemned.”