The Life of Jesus

"Do not fear those who kill the body but are powerless to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who can destroy both soul and body in Gei-Hinnom.

Aren't sparrows sold for next to nothing, two for an assarion? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's consent.

As for you, every hair on your head has been counted.

So do not be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows.

"Whoever acknowledges me in the presence of others I will also acknowledge in the presence of my Father in heaven.

But whoever disowns me before others I will disown before my Father in heaven.

"Don't suppose that I have come to bring peace to the Land. It is not peace I have come to bring, but a sword!

For I have come to set

a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, so that a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.

Whoever loves his father or mother more than he loves me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than he loves me is not worthy of me.

And anyone who does not take up his execution-stake and follow me is not worthy of me.

Whoever finds his own life will lose it, but the person who loses his life for my sake will find it.

"Whoever receives you is receiving me, and whoever receives me is receiving the One who sent me.

Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive the reward a prophet gets, and anyone who receives a tzaddik because he is a tzaddik will receive the reward a tzaddik gets.

Indeed, if someone gives just a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my talmid -- yes! -- I tell you, he will certainly not lose his reward!"

After Yeshua had finished instructing the twelve talmidim, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns nearby.

Meanwhile, Yochanan the Immerser, who had been put in prison, heard what the Messiah had been doing; so he sent a message to him through his talmidim,

asking, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for someone else?"

Yeshua answered, "Go and tell Yochanan what you are hearing and seeing --

the blind are seeing again, the lame are walking, people with tzara'at are being cleansed, the deaf are hearing, the dead are being raised,y the Good News is being told to the poorz --

and how blessed is anyone not offended by me!"

As they were leaving, Yeshua began speaking about Yochanan to the crowds: "What did you go out to the desert to see? Reeds swaying in the breeze?

No? Then what did you go out to see? Someone who was well dressed? Well-dressed people live in kings' palaces.

Nu, so why did you go out? To see a prophet! Yes! and I tell you he's much more than a prophet.

This is the one about whom the Tanakh says, `See, I am sending out my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you.'