Running from God, Learning His Mercy

1. Now Yahweh’s word came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2. “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach against it, for their wickedness has come up before me.” 3. But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of Yahweh. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid its fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of Yahweh. 4. But Yahweh sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty storm on the sea, so that the ship was likely to break up. 5. Then the mariners were afraid, and every man cried to his god. They threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone down into the innermost parts of the ship, and he was laying down, and was fast asleep. 6. So the ship master came to him, and said to him, “What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God! Maybe your God will notice us, so that we won’t perish.” 7. They all said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know who is responsible for this evil that is on us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. 8. Then they asked him, “Tell us, please, for whose cause this evil is on us. What is your occupation? Where do you come from? What is your country? Of what people are you?” 9. He said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear Yahweh, the God of heaven, who has made the sea and the dry land.” 10. Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, “What have you done?” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of Yahweh, because he had told them. 11. Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may be calm to us?” For the sea grew more and more stormy. 12. He said to them, “Take me up, and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will be calm for you; for I know that because of me this great storm is on you.” 13. Nevertheless the men rowed hard to get them back to the land; but they could not, for the sea grew more and more stormy against them. 14. Therefore they cried to Yahweh, and said, “We beg you, Yahweh, we beg you, don’t let us die for this man’s life, and don’t lay on us innocent blood; for you, Yahweh, have done as it pleased you.” 15. So they took up Jonah, and threw him into the sea; and the sea ceased its raging. 16. Then the men feared Yahweh exceedingly; and they offered a sacrifice to Yahweh, and made vows. 17. Yahweh prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. 1. Then Jonah prayed to Yahweh, his God, out of the fish’s belly. 2. He said, “I called because of my affliction to Yahweh. He answered me. Out of the belly of Sheol I cried. You heard my voice. 3. For you threw me into the depths, in the heart of the seas. The flood was all around me. All your waves and your billows passed over me. 4. I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’ 5. The waters surrounded me, even to the soul. The deep was around me. The weeds were wrapped around my head. 6. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains. The earth barred me in forever: yet have you brought up my life from the pit, Yahweh my God. 7. “When my soul fainted within me, I remembered Yahweh. My prayer came in to you, into your holy temple. 8. Those who regard lying vanities forsake their own mercy. 9. But I will sacrifice to you with the voice of thanksgiving. I will pay that which I have vowed. Salvation belongs to Yahweh.” 10. Then Yahweh spoke to the fish, and it vomited out Jonah on the dry land. 1. Yahweh’s word came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2. “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I give you.” 3. So Jonah arose, and went to Nineveh, according to Yahweh’s word. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey across. 4. Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried out, and said, “In forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown!” 5. The people of Nineveh believed God; and they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from their greatest even to their least. 6. The news reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7. He made a proclamation and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, “Let neither man nor animal, herd nor flock, taste anything; let them not feed, nor drink water; 8. but let them be covered with sackcloth, both man and animal, and let them cry mightily to God. Yes, let them turn everyone from his evil way, and from the violence that is in his hands. 9. Who knows whether God will not turn and relent, and turn away from his fierce anger, so that we might not perish?” 10. God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way. God relented of the disaster which he said he would do to them, and he didn’t do it. 1. But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. 2. He prayed to Yahweh, and said, “Please, Yahweh, wasn’t this what I said when I was still in my own country? Therefore I hurried to flee to Tarshish, for I knew that you are a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and you relent of doing harm. 3. Therefore now, Yahweh, take, I beg you, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.” 4. Yahweh said, “Is it right for you to be angry?” 5. Then Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made himself a booth, and sat under it in the shade, until he might see what would become of the city. 6. Yahweh God prepared a vine, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to deliver him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the vine. 7. But God prepared a worm at dawn the next day, and it chewed on the vine, so that it withered. 8. When the sun arose, God prepared a sultry east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah’s head, so that he fainted, and requested for himself that he might die, and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” 9. God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the vine?” He said, “I am right to be angry, even to death.” 10. Yahweh said, “You have been concerned for the vine, for which you have not labored, neither made it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night. 11. Shouldn’t I be concerned for Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred twenty thousand persons who can’t discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much livestock?”

1. Now after these things, the Lord also appointed seventy others, and sent them two by two ahead of him into every city and place, where he was about to come. 2. Then he said to them, “The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he may send out laborers into his harvest. 3. Go your ways. Behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. 4. Carry no purse, nor wallet, nor sandals. Greet no one on the way. 5. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’ 6. If a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. 7. Remain in that same house, eating and drinking the things they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Don’t go from house to house. 8. Into whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat the things that are set before you. 9. Heal the sick who are therein, and tell them, ‘God’s Kingdom has come near to you.’ 10. But into whatever city you enter, and they don’t receive you, go out into its streets and say, 11. ‘Even the dust from your city that clings to us, we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that God’s Kingdom has come near to you.’ 12. I tell you, it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city. 13. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. 15. You, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades. 16. Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me. Whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.” 17. The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” 18. He said to them, “I saw Satan having fallen like lightning from heaven. 19. Behold, I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will in any way hurt you. 20. Nevertheless, don’t rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” 21. In that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.” 22. Turning to the disciples, he said, “All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is, except the Father, and who the Father is, except the Son, and he to whomever the Son desires to reveal him.” 23. Turning to the disciples, he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things that you see, 24. for I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see the things which you see, and didn’t see them, and to hear the things which you hear, and didn’t hear them.” 25. Behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26. He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” 27. He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28. He said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live.” 29. But he, desiring to justify himself, asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” 30. Jesus answered, “A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31. By chance a certain priest was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32. In the same way a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33. But a certain Samaritan, as he traveled, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion, 34. came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, and gave them to the host, and said to him, ‘Take care of him. Whatever you spend beyond that, I will repay you when I return.’ 36. Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?” 37. He said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” 38. As they went on their way, he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39. She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. 40. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she came up to him, and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister left me to serve alone? Ask her therefore to help me.” 41. Jesus answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42. but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.” 1. When he finished praying in a certain place, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.” 2. He said to them, “When you pray, say, ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 3. Give us day by day our daily bread. 4. Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’” 5. He said to them, “Which of you, if you go to a friend at midnight, and tell him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6. for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him,’ 7. and he from within will answer and say, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give it to you’? 8. I tell you, although he will not rise and give it to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will get up and give him as many as he needs. 9. “I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you. 10. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. 11. “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he won’t give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? 12. Or if he asks for an egg, he won’t give him a scorpion, will he? 13. If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” 14. He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke; and the multitudes marveled. 15. But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons.” 16. Others, testing him, sought from him a sign from heaven. 17. But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. A house divided against itself falls. 18. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19. But if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore will they be your judges. 20. But if I by God’s finger cast out demons, then God’s Kingdom has come to you. 21. “When the strong man, fully armed, guards his own dwelling, his goods are safe. 22. But when someone stronger attacks him and overcomes him, he takes from him his whole armor in which he trusted, and divides his plunder. 23. “He that is not with me is against me. He who doesn’t gather with me scatters. 24. The unclean spirit, when he has gone out of the man, passes through dry places, seeking rest, and finding none, he says, ‘I will turn back to my house from which I came out.’ 25. When he returns, he finds it swept and put in order. 26. Then he goes, and takes seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the first.” 27. It came to pass, as he said these things, a certain woman out of the multitude lifted up her voice, and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts which nursed you!” 28. But he said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God, and keep it.” 29. When the multitudes were gathering together to him, he began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks after a sign. No sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah, the prophet. 30. For even as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will also the Son of Man be to this generation. 31. The Queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and will condemn them: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, one greater than Solomon is here. 32. The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, one greater than Jonah is here. 33. “No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, that those who come in may see the light. 34. The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore when your eye is good, your whole body is also full of light; but when it is evil, your body also is full of darkness. 35. Therefore see whether the light that is in you isn’t darkness. 36. If therefore your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly full of light, as when the lamp with its bright shining gives you light.” 37. Now as he spoke, a certain Pharisee asked him to dine with him. He went in, and sat at the table. 38. When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that he had not first washed himself before dinner. 39. The Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness. 40. You foolish ones, didn’t he who made the outside make the inside also? 41. But give for gifts to the needy those things which are within, and behold, all things will be clean to you. 42. But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, but you bypass justice and God’s love. You ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone. 43. Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues, and the greetings in the marketplaces. 44. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like hidden graves, and the men who walk over them don’t know it.” 45. One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying this you insult us also.” 46. He said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load men with burdens that are difficult to carry, and you yourselves won’t even lift one finger to help carry those burdens. 47. Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 48. So you testify and consent to the works of your fathers. For they killed them, and you build their tombs. 49. Therefore also the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send to them prophets and apostles; and some of them they will kill and persecute, 50. that the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; 51. from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary.’ Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation. 52. Woe to you lawyers! For you took away the key of knowledge. You didn’t enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in, you hindered.” 53. As he said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be terribly angry, and to draw many things out of him; 54. lying in wait for him, and seeking to catch him in something he might say, that they might accuse him. 1. Meanwhile, when a multitude of many thousands had gathered together, so much so that they trampled on each other, he began to tell his disciples first of all, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2. But there is nothing covered up, that will not be revealed, nor hidden, that will not be known. 3. Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light. What you have spoken in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops. 4. “I tell you, my friends, don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5. But I will warn you whom you should fear. Fear him, who after he has killed, has power to cast into Gehenna. Yes, I tell you, fear him. 6. “Aren’t five sparrows sold for two assaria coins? Not one of them is forgotten by God. 7. But the very hairs of your head are all counted. Therefore don’t be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows. 8. “I tell you, everyone who confesses me before men, him will the Son of Man also confess before the angels of God; 9. but he who denies me in the presence of men will be denied in the presence of the angels of God. 10. Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 11. When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, don’t be anxious how or what you will answer, or what you will say; 12. for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that same hour what you must say.” 13. One of the multitude said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14. But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” 15. He said to them, “Beware! Keep yourselves from covetousness, for a man’s life doesn’t consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses.” 16. He spoke a parable to them, saying, “The ground of a certain rich man produced abundantly. 17. He reasoned within himself, saying, ‘What will I do, because I don’t have room to store my crops?’ 18. He said, ‘This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns, and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19. I will tell my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.”’ 20. “But God said to him, ‘You foolish one, tonight your soul is required of you. The things which you have prepared—whose will they be?’ 21. So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” 22. He said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life, what you will eat, nor yet for your body, what you will wear. 23. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. 24. Consider the ravens: they don’t sow, they don’t reap, they have no warehouse or barn, and God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than birds! 25. Which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his height? 26. If then you aren’t able to do even the least things, why are you anxious about the rest? 27. Consider the lilies, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28. But if this is how God clothes the grass in the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith? 29. Don’t seek what you will eat or what you will drink; neither be anxious. 30. For the nations of the world seek after all of these things, but your Father knows that you need these things. 31. But seek God’s Kingdom, and all these things will be added to you. 32. Don’t be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. 33. Sell that which you have, and give gifts to the needy. Make for yourselves purses which don’t grow old, a treasure in the heavens that doesn’t fail, where no thief approaches, neither moth destroys. 34. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 35. “Let your waist be dressed and your lamps burning. 36. Be like men watching for their lord, when he returns from the marriage feast; that, when he comes and knocks, they may immediately open to him. 37. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord will find watching when he comes. Most certainly I tell you, that he will dress himself, and make them recline, and will come and serve them. 38. They will be blessed if he comes in the second or third watch, and finds them so. 39. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and not allowed his house to be broken into. 40. Therefore be ready also, for the Son of Man is coming in an hour that you don’t expect him.” 41. Peter said to him, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everybody?” 42. The Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the right times? 43. Blessed is that servant whom his lord will find doing so when he comes. 44. Truly I tell you, that he will set him over all that he has. 45. But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My lord delays his coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken, 46. then the lord of that servant will come in a day when he isn’t expecting him, and in an hour that he doesn’t know, and will cut him in two, and place his portion with the unfaithful. 47. That servant, who knew his lord’s will, and didn’t prepare, nor do what he wanted, will be beaten with many stripes, 48. but he who didn’t know, and did things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few stripes. To whomever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him more will be asked. 49. “I came to throw fire on the earth. I wish it were already kindled. 50. But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! 51. Do you think that I have come to give peace in the earth? I tell you, no, but rather division. 52. For from now on, there will be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. 53. They will be divided, father against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against her mother; mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.” 54. He said to the multitudes also, “When you see a cloud rising from the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and so it happens. 55. When a south wind blows, you say, ‘There will be a scorching heat,’ and it happens. 56. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you don’t interpret this time? 57. Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? 58. For when you are going with your adversary before the magistrate, try diligently on the way to be released from him, lest perhaps he drag you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. 59. I tell you, you will by no means get out of there, until you have paid the very last penny.”

1. I said, “I will watch my ways, so that I don’t sin with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me.” 2. I was mute with silence. I held my peace, even from good. My sorrow was stirred. 3. My heart was hot within me. While I meditated, the fire burned. I spoke with my tongue: 4. “Yahweh, show me my end, what is the measure of my days. Let me know how frail I am. 5. Behold, you have made my days hand widths. My lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely every man stands as a breath.” Selah. 6. “Surely every man walks like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain. He heaps up, and doesn’t know who shall gather. 7. Now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in you. 8. Deliver me from all my transgressions. Don’t make me the reproach of the foolish. 9. I was mute. I didn’t open my mouth, because you did it. 10. Remove your scourge away from me. I am overcome by the blow of your hand. 11. When you rebuke and correct man for iniquity, You consume his wealth like a moth. Surely every man is but a breath.” Selah. 12. “Hear my prayer, Yahweh, and give ear to my cry. Don’t be silent at my tears. For I am a stranger with you, a foreigner, as all my fathers were. 13. Oh spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go away, and exist no more.”