The Life of Jesus

After he had sent the crowds away, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night came on, and he was there alone.

But by this time, the boat was several miles from shore, battling a rough sea and a headwind.

Around four o'clock in the morning, he came toward them, walking on the lake!

When the talmidim saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost!" they said and screamed with fear.

But at once Yeshua spoke to them. "Courage," he said, "it is I. Stop being afraid."

Then Kefa called to him, "Lord, if it is really you, tell me to come to you on the water."

"Come!" he said. So Kefa got out of the boat and walked on the water toward Yeshua.

But when he saw the wind, he became afraid; and as he began to sink, he yelled, "Lord! Save me!"

Yeshua immediately stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and said to him, "Such little trust! Why did you doubt?"

As they went up into the boat, the wind ceased.

The men in the boat fell down before him and exclaimed, "You really are God's son!"

Having made the crossing, they landed at Ginosar.

When the people of the place recognized him, they sent word throughout the neighborhood and brought him everyone who was ill.

They begged him that the sick people might only touch the tzitzit on his robe, and all who touched it were completely healed.

Then some P'rushim and Torah-teachers from Yerushalayim came to Yeshua and asked him,

"Why is it that your talmidim break the Tradition of the Elders? They don't do n'tilat-yadayim before they eat!"

He answered, "Indeed, why do you break the command of God by your tradition?

For God said, `Honor your father and mother,' and `Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.'

But you say, `If anyone says to his father or mother, "I have promised to give to God what I might have used to help you,"

then he is rid of his duty to honor his father or mother.' Thus by your tradition you make null and void the word of God!

You hypocrites! Yesha`yahu was right when he prophesied about you,

`These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away from me.

Their worship of me is useless, because they teach man-made rules as if they were doctrines.'"

Then he called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand this!

What makes a person unclean is not what goes into his mouth; rather, what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him unclean!"