Israel's Blessing and the Promise Fulfilled

1. Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, and said, “My father and my brothers, with their flocks, their herds, and all that they own, have come out of the land of Canaan; and behold, they are in the land of Goshen.” 2. From among his brothers he took five men, and presented them to Pharaoh. 3. Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” They said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we, and our fathers.” 4. They said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live as foreigners in the land, for there is no pasture for your servants’ flocks. For the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now therefore, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.” 5. Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. 6. The land of Egypt is before you. Make your father and your brothers dwell in the best of the land. Let them dwell in the land of Goshen. If you know any able men among them, then put them in charge of my livestock.” 7. Joseph brought in Jacob, his father, and set him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. 8. Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How many are the days of the years of your life?” 9. Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred thirty years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.” 10. Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from the presence of Pharaoh. 11. Joseph placed his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. 12. Joseph nourished his father, his brothers, and all of his father’s household, with bread, according to their families. 13. There was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine. 14. Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the grain which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house. 15. When the money was all spent in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph, and said, “Give us bread, for why should we die in your presence? For our money fails.” 16. Joseph said, “Give me your livestock; and I will give you food for your livestock, if your money is gone.” 17. They brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for the horses, and for the flocks, and for the herds, and for the donkeys: and he fed them with bread in exchange for all their livestock for that year. 18. When that year was ended, they came to him the second year, and said to him, “We will not hide from my lord how our money is all spent, and the herds of livestock are my lord’s. There is nothing left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands. 19. Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants to Pharaoh. Give us seed, that we may live, and not die, and that the land won’t be desolate.” 20. So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for every man of the Egyptians sold his field, because the famine was severe on them, and the land became Pharaoh’s. 21. As for the people, he moved them to the cities from one end of the border of Egypt even to the other end of it. 22. Only he didn’t buy the land of the priests, for the priests had a portion from Pharaoh, and ate their portion which Pharaoh gave them. That is why they didn’t sell their land. 23. Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh. Behold, here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. 24. It will happen at the harvests, that you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four parts will be your own, for seed of the field, for your food, for them of your households, and for food for your little ones.” 25. They said, “You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.” 26. Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth. Only the land of the priests alone didn’t become Pharaoh’s. 27. Israel lived in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen; and they got themselves possessions therein, and were fruitful, and multiplied exceedingly. 28. Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were one hundred forty-seven years. 29. The time came near that Israel must die, and he called his son Joseph, and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please don’t bury me in Egypt, 30. but when I sleep with my fathers, you shall carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their burying place.” He said, “I will do as you have said.” 31. He said, “Swear to me,” and he swore to him. Israel bowed himself on the bed’s head. 1. After these things, someone said to Joseph, “Behold, your father is sick.” He took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 2. Someone told Jacob, and said, “Behold, your son Joseph comes to you,” and Israel strengthened himself, and sat on the bed. 3. Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, 4. and said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful, and multiply you, and I will make of you a company of peoples, and will give this land to your offspring after you for an everlasting possession.’ 5. Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you into Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh, even as Reuben and Simeon, will be mine. 6. Your issue, whom you become the father of after them, will be yours. They will be called after the name of their brothers in their inheritance. 7. As for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was still some distance to come to Ephrath, and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (also called Bethlehem).” 8. Israel saw Joseph’s sons, and said, “Who are these?” 9. Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” He said, “Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.” 10. Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he couldn’t see. He brought them near to him; and he kissed them, and embraced them. 11. Israel said to Joseph, “I didn’t think I would see your face, and behold, God has let me see your offspring also.” 12. Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth. 13. Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near to him. 14. Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn. 15. He blessed Joseph, and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has fed me all my life long to this day, 16. the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads, and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac. Let them grow into a multitude upon the earth.” 17. When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him. He held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18. Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father; for this is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.” 19. His father refused, and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also will become a people, and he also will be great. However, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his offspring will become a multitude of nations.” 20. He blessed them that day, saying, “In you will Israel bless, saying, ‘God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh’” He set Ephraim before Manasseh. 21. Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you, and bring you again to the land of your fathers. 22. Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.” 1. Jacob called to his sons, and said: “Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which will happen to you in the days to come. 2. Assemble yourselves, and hear, you sons of Jacob. Listen to Israel, your father. 3. “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength; excelling in dignity, and excelling in power. 4. Boiling over like water, you shall not excel; because you went up to your father’s bed, then defiled it. He went up to my couch. 5. “Simeon and Levi are brothers. Their swords are weapons of violence. 6. My soul, don’t come into their council. My glory, don’t be united to their assembly; for in their anger they killed men. In their self-will they hamstrung cattle. 7. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel. I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel. 8. “Judah, your brothers will praise you. Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies. Your father’s sons will bow down before you. 9. Judah is a lion’s cub. From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down, he crouched as a lion, as a lioness. Who will rouse him up? 10. The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs. To him will the obedience of the peoples be. 11. Binding his foal to the vine, his donkey’s colt to the choice vine; he has washed his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. 12. His eyes will be red with wine, his teeth white with milk. 13. “Zebulun will dwell at the haven of the sea. He will be for a haven of ships. His border will be on Sidon. 14. “Issachar is a strong donkey, lying down between the saddlebags. 15. He saw a resting place, that it was good, the land, that it was pleasant. He bows his shoulder to the burden, and becomes a servant doing forced labor. 16. “Dan will judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. 17. Dan will be a serpent on the trail, an adder in the path, That bites the horse’s heels, so that his rider falls backward. 18. I have waited for your salvation, Yahweh. 19. “A troop will press on Gad, but he will press on their heel. 20. “Asher’s food will be rich. He will produce royal dainties. 21. “Naphtali is a doe set free, who bears beautiful fawns. 22. “Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine by a spring. His branches run over the wall. 23. The archers have severely grieved him, shot at him, and persecuted him: 24. But his bow remained strong. The arms of his hands were made strong, by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, (from there is the shepherd, the stone of Israel), 25. even by the God of your father, who will help you; by the Almighty, who will bless you, with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies below, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb. 26. The blessings of your father have prevailed above the blessings of your ancestors, above the boundaries of the ancient hills. They will be on the head of Joseph, on the crown of the head of him who is separated from his brothers. 27. “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf. In the morning he will devour the prey. At evening he will divide the plunder.” 28. All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them and blessed them. He blessed everyone according to his blessing. 29. He instructed them, and said to them, “I am to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30. in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite as a burial place. 31. There they buried Abraham and Sarah, his wife. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah, his wife, and there I buried Leah: 32. the field and the cave that is therein, which was purchased from the children of Heth.” 33. When Jacob finished charging his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the spirit, and was gathered to his people. 1. Joseph fell on his father’s face, wept on him, and kissed him. 2. Joseph commanded his servants, the physicians, to embalm his father; and the physicians embalmed Israel. 3. Forty days were fulfilled for him, for that is how many the days it takes to embalm. The Egyptians wept for him for seventy days. 4. When the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to the house of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, 5. ‘My father made me swear, saying, “Behold, I am dying. Bury me in my grave which I have dug for myself in the land of Canaan.” Now therefore, please let me go up and bury my father, and I will come again.’” 6. Pharaoh said, “Go up, and bury your father, just like he made you swear.” 7. Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, all the elders of the land of Egypt, 8. All the house of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s house. Only their little ones, their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen. 9. There went up with him both chariots and horsemen. It was a very great company. 10. They came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and there they lamented with a very great and severe lamentation. He mourned for his father seven days. 11. When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, “This is a grievous mourning by the Egyptians.” Therefore its name was called Abel Mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan. 12. His sons did to him just as he commanded them, 13. for his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field, as a possession for a burial site, from Ephron the Hittite, near Mamre. 14. Joseph returned into Egypt—he, and his brothers, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father. 15. When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us, and will fully pay us back for all the evil which we did to him.” 16. They sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father commanded before he died, saying, 17. ‘You shall tell Joseph, “Now please forgive the disobedience of your brothers, and their sin, because they did evil to you.”’ Now, please forgive the disobedience of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18. His brothers also went and fell down before his face; and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19. Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20. As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is today, to save many people alive. 21. Now therefore don’t be afraid. I will nourish you and your little ones.” He comforted them, and spoke kindly to them. 22. Joseph lived in Egypt, he, and his father’s house. Joseph lived one hundred ten years. 23. Joseph saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation. The children also of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were born on Joseph’s knees. 24. Joseph said to his brothers, “I am dying, but God will surely visit you, and bring you up out of this land to the land which he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25. Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” 26. So Joseph died, being one hundred ten years old, and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

1. He arose from there and came into the borders of Judea and beyond the Jordan. Multitudes came together to him again. As he usually did, he was again teaching them. 2. Pharisees came to him testing him, and asked him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” 3. He answered, “What did Moses command you?” 4. They said, “Moses allowed a certificate of divorce to be written, and to divorce her.” 5. But Jesus said to them, “For your hardness of heart, he wrote you this commandment. 6. But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female. 7. For this cause a man will leave his father and mother, and will join to his wife, 8. and the two will become one flesh, so that they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” 10. In the house, his disciples asked him again about the same matter. 11. He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife, and marries another, commits adultery against her. 12. If a woman herself divorces her husband, and marries another, she commits adultery.” 13. They were bringing to him little children, that he should touch them, but the disciples rebuked those who were bringing them. 14. But when Jesus saw it, he was moved with indignation, and said to them, “Allow the little children to come to me! Don’t forbid them, for God’s Kingdom belongs to such as these. 15. Most certainly I tell you, whoever will not receive God’s Kingdom like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.” 16. He took them in his arms, and blessed them, laying his hands on them. 17. As he was going out into the way, one ran to him, knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” 18. Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except one—God. 19. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not give false testimony,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and mother.’” 20. He said to him, “Teacher, I have observed all these things from my youth.” 21. Jesus looking at him loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me, taking up the cross.” 22. But his face fell at that saying, and he went away sorrowful, for he was one who had great possessions. 23. Jesus looked around, and said to his disciples, “How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter into God’s Kingdom!” 24. The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus answered again, “Children, how hard is it for those who trust in riches to enter into God’s Kingdom! 25. It is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom.” 26. They were exceedingly astonished, saying to him, “Then who can be saved?” 27. Jesus, looking at them, said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God.” 28. Peter began to tell him, “Behold, we have left all, and have followed you.” 29. Jesus said, “Most certainly I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or land, for my sake, and for the sake of the Good News, 30. but he will receive one hundred times more now in this time, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land, with persecutions; and in the age to come eternal life. 31. But many who are first will be last; and the last first.” 32. They were on the way, going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus was going in front of them, and they were amazed; and those who followed were afraid. He again took the twelve, and began to tell them the things that were going to happen to him. 33. “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes. They will condemn him to death, and will deliver him to the Gentiles. 34. They will mock him, spit on him, scourge him, and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.” 35. James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came near to him, saying, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we will ask.” 36. He said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” 37. They said to him, “Grant to us that we may sit, one at your right hand, and one at your left hand, in your glory.” 38. But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” 39. They said to him, “We are able.” Jesus said to them, “You shall indeed drink the cup that I drink, and you shall be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; 40. but to sit at my right hand and at my left hand is not mine to give, but for whom it has been prepared.” 41. When the ten heard it, they began to be indignant towards James and John. 42. Jesus summoned them, and said to them, “You know that they who are recognized as rulers over the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43. But it shall not be so among you, but whoever wants to become great among you shall be your servant. 44. Whoever of you wants to become first among you, shall be bondservant of all. 45. For the Son of Man also came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” 46. They came to Jericho. As he went out from Jericho, with his disciples and a great multitude, the son of Timaeus, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the road. 47. When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out, and say, “Jesus, you son of David, have mercy on me!” 48. Many rebuked him, that he should be quiet, but he cried out much more, “You son of David, have mercy on me!” 49. Jesus stood still, and said, “Call him.” They called the blind man, saying to him, “Cheer up! Get up. He is calling you!” 50. He, casting away his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. 51. Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “Rabboni, that I may see again.” 52. Jesus said to him, “Go your way. Your faith has made you well.” Immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus on the way. 1. When they came near to Jerusalem, to Bethsphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, 2. and said to them, “Go your way into the village that is opposite you. Immediately as you enter into it, you will find a young donkey tied, on which no one has sat. Untie him, and bring him. 3. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs him;’ and immediately he will send him back here.” 4. They went away, and found a young donkey tied at the door outside in the open street, and they untied him. 5. Some of those who stood there asked them, “What are you doing, untying the young donkey?” 6. They said to them just as Jesus had said, and they let them go. 7. They brought the young donkey to Jesus, and threw their garments on it, and Jesus sat on it. 8. Many spread their garments on the way, and others were cutting down branches from the trees, and spreading them on the road. 9. Those who went in front, and those who followed, cried out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10. Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 11. Jesus entered into the temple in Jerusalem. When he had looked around at everything, it being now evening, he went out to Bethany with the twelve. 12. The next day, when they had come out from Bethany, he was hungry. 13. Seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came to see if perhaps he might find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14. Jesus told it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” and his disciples heard it. 15. They came to Jerusalem, and Jesus entered into the temple, and began to throw out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and overthrew the money changers’ tables, and the seats of those who sold the doves. 16. He would not allow anyone to carry a container through the temple. 17. He taught, saying to them, “Isn’t it written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations?’ But you have made it a den of robbers!” 18. The chief priests and the scribes heard it, and sought how they might destroy him. For they feared him, because all the multitude was astonished at his teaching. 19. When evening came, he went out of the city. 20. As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away from the roots. 21. Peter, remembering, said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered away.” 22. Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23. For most certainly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and doesn’t doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening; he shall have whatever he says. 24. Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you shall have them. 25. Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions. 26. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions.” 27. They came again to Jerusalem, and as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders came to him, 28. and they began saying to him, “By what authority do you do these things? Or who gave you this authority to do these things?” 29. Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30. The baptism of John—was it from heaven, or from men? Answer me.” 31. They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we should say, ‘From heaven;’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 32. If we should say, ‘From men’”—they feared the people, for all held John to really be a prophet. 33. They answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Jesus said to them, “Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.” 1. He began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a pit for the wine press, built a tower, rented it out to a farmer, and went into another country. 2. When it was time, he sent a servant to the farmer to get from the farmer his share of the fruit of the vineyard. 3. They took him, beat him, and sent him away empty. 4. Again, he sent another servant to them; and they threw stones at him, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. 5. Again he sent another; and they killed him; and many others, beating some, and killing some. 6. Therefore still having one, his beloved son, he sent him last to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7. But those farmers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8. They took him, killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. 9. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the farmers, and will give the vineyard to others. 10. Haven’t you even read this Scripture: ‘The stone which the builders rejected, the same was made the head of the corner. 11. This was from the Lord, it is marvelous in our eyes’?” 12. They tried to seize him, but they feared the multitude; for they perceived that he spoke the parable against them. They left him, and went away. 13. They sent some of the Pharisees and the Herodians to him, that they might trap him with words. 14. When they had come, they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you are honest, and don’t defer to anyone; for you aren’t partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? 15. Shall we give, or shall we not give?” But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why do you test me? Bring me a denarius, that I may see it.” 16. They brought it. He said to them, “Whose is this image and inscription?” They said to him, “Caesar’s.” 17. Jesus answered them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” They marveled greatly at him. 18. There came to him Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection. They asked him, saying, 19. “Teacher, Moses wrote to us, ‘If a man’s brother dies, and leaves a wife behind him, and leaves no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up offspring for his brother.’ 20. There were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and dying left no offspring. 21. The second took her, and died, leaving no children behind him. The third likewise; 22. and the seven took her and left no children. Last of all the woman also died. 23. In the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be of them? For the seven had her as a wife.” 24. Jesus answered them, “Isn’t this because you are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God? 25. For when they will rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26. But about the dead, that they are raised; haven’t you read in the book of Moses, about the Bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27. He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are therefore badly mistaken.” 28. One of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together. Knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the greatest of all?” 29. Jesus answered, “The greatest is, ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one: 30. you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. 31. The second is like this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32. The scribe said to him, “Truly, teacher, you have said well that he is one, and there is none other but he, 33. and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34. When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from God’s Kingdom.” No one dared ask him any question after that. 35. Jesus responded, as he taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? 36. For David himself said in the Holy Spirit, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet.”’ 37. Therefore David himself calls him Lord, so how can he be his son?” The common people heard him gladly. 38. In his teaching he said to them, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk in long robes, and to get greetings in the marketplaces, 39. and the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts: 40. those who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.” 41. Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and saw how the multitude cast money into the treasury. Many who were rich cast in much. 42. A poor widow came, and she cast in two small brass coins, which equal a quadrans coin. 43. He called his disciples to himself, and said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, this poor widow gave more than all those who are giving into the treasury, 44. for they all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, gave all that she had to live on.”

1. The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt. They have done abominable deeds. There is no one who does good. 2. Yahweh looked down from heaven on the children of men, to see if there were any who understood, who sought after God. 3. They have all gone aside. They have together become corrupt. There is no one who does good, no, not one. 4. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and don’t call on Yahweh? 5. There they were in great fear, for God is in the generation of the righteous. 6. You frustrate the plan of the poor, because Yahweh is his refuge. 7. Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When Yahweh restores the fortunes of his people, then Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.