Chapter 6 - #Shema Statement of faith in One God (Deuteronomy 6:1-9)

translation JPSA, 2008 pocket edition

And this is the Instruction -

the Laws and the Rules -

that the Lord your God has 

commanded [me] to impart to you, 

to b observed in the land that

you are about to cross into

and occupy, so that you, your

children, and your children's

children may revere the Lord

your God and follow, as long as

you live, all his laws and 

commandments that I enjoin upon you,

to the end that you may long endure.

Obey, o Israel, willingly and faithfully,

that it may go well with and that you

may increase greatly [in] a land 

flowing with milk and honey, as the 

Lord, the God of your fathers, spoke to

you.

Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God,

the Lord alone.  You shall love the

Lord your God with all your heart,

and with all your soul, and with all

might.  Take to 

heart all these instructions with which

I charge you this day.  Impress them

upon your children.  Recite them when

you stay at home and when you are away,

when you lie down and when you get up.

Bind them as a sign upon your hand

and let them serve as a symbol on your

forehead; inscribe them on the doorposts

of your house and on your gates. 

Chapter 5 - Sermon on the Mount (GOSPEL Common English Bible: 2011 translation)

Gospel of Matthew, CEB Study Bible

General Editor: Joel B. Green

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up 

a mountain. He sat down and his disciples 

came to him.  He taught them, saying: 

Happy are people who are hopeless,

because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

Happy are people who grieve, because they 

will be made glad.

Happy are people who are humble, because

they will inherit the earth.

Happy are people who are hungry and thirsty for

righteousness, because they will be fed until

they are full.

Happy are people who show mercy, because

they will receive mercy.

Happy are people who have pure hearts,

because they will see God.

Happy are people who make peace,

because they will be called God's children.

Happy are people whose lives are harassed

because they are righteous, because

the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

Happy are you when people insult you and harass you

and speak all kinds of bad and false things about you, all

because of me.  Be full of you and be glad, because you

have a great reward in heaven.  In the same way, 

people harassed the prophets who came before you.

You are the salt of the earth.  But if salt loses its saltiness,

how will it become salty again?   It's good for nothing except

to be thrown away and trampled under people's feet.  You

are the light of the world.  A city on top of a hill can't be

hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under

a basket.  Instead they put it on top of a lamp stand, and

it shines on all who are in the house.  In the same way,

let your light shine before people, so they can see the

good things you do and praise your Father who is in

heaven.  Don't even begin to think that I have come to

do away with the Law (Torah) and the Prophets (Nebi'im).

I haven't come to do away with them but to fulfill them.

I say to you very seriously that as long as heaven and earth

exist, neither the smallest letter nor even the smallest stroke

of a pen will be erased from the Law until everything there

becomes a reality.  Therefore, who ever ignores one of 

the least of these commands and teaches others to do the 

same will be called the lowest in the kingdom of heaven.

But whoever keeps these commands and teaches people

to keep them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

I say to you that unless your righteousness is greater than

the righteousness of the legal experts of the Pharisees,

you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

You have heard that it was said to those who lived

long ago, Don't Commit Murder (Exodus, ch. 20,

verse 13), and all who commit murder will be in

danger of judgment.  But I say to you that everyone

who is angry with their brother or sister will be in

danger of judgment.  If they say to their brother or 

sister, 'You idiot,' they will be in danger of being

condemned by the governing council.  And if they

say 'You fool,' they will be in danger of fiery hell.

Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar and

there remember that your brother or sister has

something against you, leave your gift at the altar

and go.  First make things right with your brother

and sister and then come back and offer your gift.

Be sure to make friends quickly with your opponents

while you are with them on the way to court.  Other-

wise, they will haul you before the judge, the judge

will turn you over to the officer of the court, and

you will be thrown into prison.  I say to you in

all seriousness that you won't get out of there

until you've paid the very last penny.

You have heard that it was said, Don't commit

adultery (Exodus chapter 20, verse 14).

But I say to you that every man who looks at a 

woman lustfully has already committed adultery in 

his heart.  And if your right eye causes you to fall 

into sin, tear it out and throw it away.  It's better

that you lose a part of your body than that your

whole body be thrown into hell.  And if you right

hand causes you to fall into sin, chop it off and

thrown it away.  It's better that you lose a part

of your body than that your whole body go into hell.

It was said, Whoever divorces his wife, must

give her a divorce certificate (Deuteronomy

chapter 24, verse 1).  But I say to you that

whoever divorces his wife except for sexual

unfaithfulness forces her to commit adultery.

And whoever marries a divorced woman commits

adultery.

Again you have heard that it was said to those

who lived long ago: Don't make a false solemn

pledge, but you should follow through on

what you have pledged to the Lord (Leviticus

chapter 19, verse 12). But I say to you that you

must not pledge at all.  You must not pledge by

heaven, because it's God's throne.  You must not

pledge by the earth, because it's God's footstool.

You must not pledge by Jerusalem, because it's

the city of the great king.  And you must not

pledge by your head, because you can't turn

one hair white or black.  Let your YES mean yes,

and your NO mean no.  Anything more than this

comes from the evil one. 

You have heard that it was said, An eye for 

an eye and a tooth for a tooth (Exodus 

chapter 21, verse 24).  But I say to you 

that you must not oppose those who want to

hurt you.  If people slap you on your right

cheek, you must turn the left cheek to them as well.

When they wish to haul you to court and take your

shirt, let them have your coat too.  When they

force you to go one mile, go with them two.

Give to those who ask, and don't refuse them,

and don't refuse those who wish to borrow from you.

You have heard that it was said, You must love

your neighbor (Leviticus chapter 19, verse 18)

and hate your enemy (non-biblical origin). But

I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those

who harass you so that you will be acting as children

of your Father who is in heaven.  He makes the sun

rise on both the evil and the good and sends rain

on both the righteous and the unrighteous.  If you

love only those who love you, what reward do you

have?  Don't even the tax collectors do the same?  

And if you greet only your brothers and sisters,

what more are you doing?  Don't even the Gentiles

do the same?  Therefore, just as your heavenly

Father is complete in showing love to everyone,

so also you must be complete (Greek term 

teleios meaning "highest perfection").

Chapter 4: Love Poem (transl. Marcia Falk)

 The Song of Songs

1973 copyright translation

ISBN: 015-18377-8

Poem 15 (her setting to

verse of 4:1 - 7 (Kethubim)

How fine,

you are, my love,

your eyes like doves'

behind your veil

Your hair---

as black as goats

winding down the slopes

Your teeth ---

a flock of sheep

rising from the stream

in twos, each with its twin

Your lips ---

like woven threads

of crimson silk

A gleam of pomegranate

--- your forehead

through your veil

Your neck ---

a tower

adorned with shields

Your breasts ---

twin fawns

in fields of flowers

Until the day is over,

shadows gone,

I'll go

up to the hills

of fragrant bloom

How fine

you are, my love,

my perfect one

Chapter 3 - The Call of Moses / the Burning Bush revelation

From the TANAK (Hebrew Bible) the section of Narrative / Laws called in

Hebrew Shemot (transliterated) that means "Names" -- Exodus 3: 1 - 22 includes

the awesome account of the self-revelation of the Divine Name.  This translation

is from Jerusalem Bible (1966) and it includes a transliterated Yahweh that is

conveyed "I Am who I Am"

Moses was looking after the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law.

He led his flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to

Horeb (a.k.a. Sinai), the mountain of God.  There the angel of

Yahweh appeared to him in the shape of a flame of fire,

coming from the middle of a bush.  Moses looked; there was

the bush blazing but it was not being burnt up.  "I must go

and look at this strange sight," Moses said, "and see why

the bush is not burnt.  Now Yahweh saw him go forward to

look and God called to him from the middle of the bush.

"Moses, Moses!" he said.

"Here I am" he answered.

"Come no nearer.  Take off your shoes, for the place on

which you stand is holy ground.  I am the God of your

father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the 

God of Jacob."

At this Moses covered his face, afraid to look at God.

       And Yahweh said, "I have seen the miserable state

of my people in Egypt.  I have heard their appeal to be

free of their slave-drivers.  Yes, I am well aware of their

sufferings.  I mean to deliver them out of the hands of

the Egyptians and bring them up out of that land to a

land rich and broad, a land where milk and honey flow,

the home of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites,

the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites.  And now

the cry of the sons of Israel has come to me, and I have

witnessed the way in which the Egyptians oppress them,

so come, I send you to Pharaoh to bring the sons of Israel,

my people, out of Egypt."

     Moses said to God, "Who am I to go to Pharaoh and

bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?

     "I shall be with you" was the answer "and this is the

sign by which you shall know that it is I who have sent

you. . . After you have led the people out of Egypt,

you are to offer worship to God on this mountain."

      Then Moses said to God, "I am to go, then, to the

sons of Israel and say to them, "The God of your

fathers has sent me to you".  But if they ask me what

his name is, what am I to tell them"?

     And God said to Moses, "I Am who I Am.  This"

he added "is what you must say to the sons of Israel:

I Am has sent me to you".  And God also said to Moses,

You are to say to the sons of Israel: Yahweh, the God

of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac,

and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you".  This is 

my name for all time; by this name I shall be invoked

for all generations to come.  Go an gather the elders

of Israel together and tell them, "Yahweh, the God of

your fathers, has appeared to me -- the God of Abraham,

of Isaac, and of Jacob; and he has said to me:

I have visited you and seen all that the Egyptians are

doing to you.  And so I have resolved to bring you up

out of Egypt where you are oppressed, into the land of

the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites,

the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land where milk

and honey flow."  

They will listen to your words, and with the elders of Israel

you are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, "Yahweh,

the God of the Hebrews, has come to meet us.  Give us

leave, then, to make a three days journey into that

wilderness to offer sacrifice to Yahweh our God"  For

myself, knowing that the king of Egypt will not let you go

unless he is forced by a mighty hand, I shall show my power

and strike Egypt with all the wonders I am going to work

there.  After this he will let you go.

     I will give this people such prestige in the eyes of

the Egyptians that when you go, you will not go empty-

handed.  Every woman will ask her neighbour and the

woman who is staying in her house for silver ornaments

and gold.  With these you will adorn your sons and 

daughters; you will plunder the Egyptians.

Chapter 2 - Acts of the Apostles (NRSV update edition) - 2021

When the day of Pentecost had come,

they were all together in one place.

And suddenly from heaven there 

came a sound like the rush of a violent

wind, and it filled the entire house where

they were sitting.  Divide tongues, as of

fire, appeared among them, and a tongue

rested on each of them.  All of them were

filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak

in other languages, as the Spirit gave them

ability.

Now there were devout Jews from every people

under heaven living in Jerusalem.  And at this

sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered,

because each one heard them speaking in the

native language of each.  Amazed and astonished,

they asked, "Are not all these who are speaking

Galileans?  And how is it that we hear each of us,

in our own native language?  Parthians, Medes,

Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea

and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and

Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging

to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and

proselytes, Cretans and Arabs -- in our own

languages we hear them speaking about God's

deeds of power."  All were amazed and perplexed,

saying to one another, "What does this mean?"  

But others sneered and said, "They are filled with

new wine."

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his

voice and addressed them,

Fellow Jews and all who live in

Jerusalem, let this be known to you,

and listen to what I say.  Indeed, these

are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is

only nine o'clock in the morning.  No,

this is what was spoken through the

prophet Joel:

"In the last days it will be, God declares,

that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,

     and your sons and your daughters shall

     prophesy,

and your young men shall see visions,

and your old men shall dream dreams.

Even upon my slaves, both men & women,

     in those days I will pour out my Spirit,

     and they shall prophesy.

And I will show portents in the heaven above

     and signs on the earth below,

     blood, and fire, and smoky mist.

The sun shall be turned to darkness

     and the moon to blood,

     before the coming of the Lord's 

     great and glorious day.

Then everyone who calls on the name of 

the Lord shall be saved."

Fellow Israelites, listen to what I have to

say: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested

to you by God with deeds of power,

wonders, and signs that God did through

him among you,

as you yourselves know -- this man, handed

over to you according to the definite plan

and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and 

killed by the hands of those outside the law.

But God raised him up, having released him

from the agony of death, because it was 

impossible for him to be held in its power.

For David says concerning him,

I say the Lord always before me,

     for he is at my right hand so that 

     I will not be shaken;

Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue

     rejoiced; moreover, my flesh will live in hope!

For you will not abandon my soul to Hades

     or let your Holy One experience corruption.

     You have made known to me the ways of life;

     you will make me full of gladness with

     your presence.

Fellow Israelites, I may say to you confidently

of our ancestors David that he both died and

was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had

sworn with an oath to him that he would put one

of his descendants on his throne.  Foreseeing

this David spoke of the resurrection of the

Messiah, saying,

     He was not abandoned to Hades,

     nor did his flesh experience corruption.

This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us

are witnesses.  Being therefore exalted at the

right hand of God and having received from the 

Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has

poured out this that you see and hear.  For 

David did not ascent into the heavens, but

he himself says,

     The Lord said to my Lord,

     'Sit at my right hand

     until I make your enemies your footstool.'

Therefore let the entire house of Israel know

with certainty that God has made him both

Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.

NOW when they heard this, they were cut to the heart

and said to Peter and to the other Apostles, "Brothers,

what should we do?"

Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every

one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your

sins may be forgiven, and you will receive the gift

of the Holy Spirit.  For the promise is for you, for

your children, and for all those who are far away,

everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him."

And he testified with many other arguments and

exhorted them, saying, "Save yourselves from this

corrupt generation."

So those who welcomed his message were

baptized, and that day about three thousand persons

were added.  They devoted themselves to the

apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking

of bread and the prayers.

Awe came up on everyone because many wonders

and signs were being done through the Apostles.

All who believed were together and had all things

in common;  they would sell their possessions and

goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had

need.  Day by day, as they spent much time together

in the Temple, they broke bread at home and ate their

food with glad and generous hearts, praising God

and having the goodwill of all the people.  And day

by day the Lord added to their number those who

were being saved!

Acts of the Apostles chapter 2, verses 1 - 47

First Book (Tanak) -- JPS translation

Jewish Publication Translation (2008)

When God began to create heaven and earth --

the earth being unformed and void, with

darkness over the surface of the deep and

a wind from God sweeping over the water --

God said, "Let there be light"; and there

was light.  God saw that the light was good,

and God separated the light from the 

darkness.  God called the light Day and

the darkness He called Night.  And there was

evening and there was morning, a first day.

God said, "Let there be an expanse in

the midst of the water, that it may

separate water from water." God made

the expanse, and it separated the water which

was below the expanse from the water

which was above the expanse.  And it was so.

God called the expanse Sky.  And there

was evening and there was morning,

a second day.

God said, "Let the water below the sky

be gathered into one area, that the dry

land may appear."  And it was so.  God

called the dry land Earth, and the gathering

of waters He called Seas.  And God saw that

this was good.  And God said, "Let the earth

sprout vegetation: seed-bearing plants,

fruit trees of every kind on earth that

bear fruit with the seed in it." And it was

so.  The earth brought forth vegetation: seed-

bearing plants of every kind, and trees of

every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it.

And God saw that this was good.  And there

was evening and there was morning, a third day.

God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse

of the sky to separate day from night; they

shall serve as signs for the set times -- the

days and the years; and they shall serve as

lights in the expanse of the sky to shine

upon the earth."  And it was so.  God made

the two great lights, the greater light to dominate

the day and the lesser light to dominate the night,

and the stars.  And God set them in the expanse

of the sky to shine upon the earth, to dominate

the day and the night, and to separate light from

darkness.  And God saw that this was good.

And there was evening and there was morning,

a fourth day.

God said, "Let the waters bring forth swarms

of living creatures, and birds that fly above

the earth across the expanse of the sky."

God created the great sea monsters, and all the

living creatures of every kind that creep, which

the waters brought forth in swarms, and all the

winged birds of every kind.  And God saw that

this was good.  God blessed them, saying,

"Be fertile and increase, fill the waters in

the seas, and let the birds increase on the

earth." And there was evening and there was

morning, a fifth day.

God said, "Let the earth bring forth every

kind of living creature: cattle, creeping

things, and wild beasts of every kind."

And it was so.  God made wild beasts of every

kind and cattle of every kind, and all kinds

of creeping things of the earth.  And God saw

that this was good.  And God said, "Let us

make man in our image, after our likeness.

They shall rule the fish of the sea, the

birds of the sky, the cattle, the whole earth,

and all the creeping things that creep on

earth."  And God created man in His image,

in the image of God He created them; male

and female He created them.  God blessed

them and God said to them, "Be fertile and

increase, fill the earth and master it; and

rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky,

and all the living things that creep on the

earth."

God said, "See, I give you every seed-

bearing plants that is upon all the earth,

and every tree that has seed-bearing

fruit; they shall be yours for food.  And to all

the animals on land, and to all the birds

of the sky, and to everything that creeps

on earth, in which there is the breath

of life [I give] all the green plants for food."

And it was so.  And God saw all that He had made,

and found it very good.  And there was evening

and there was morning, the sixth day.

Chapters 1 - 35

Genesis 1

Acts of the Apostles 2

Exodus chapter 3

Song of Songs 4

Gosp.Matthew 5

Deuteronomy 6

Wisdom of Solomon 7

Epistle to the Romans 8

Isaiah 9

Ezekiel 10

Gosp.Luke 11

Epistle to the Hebrews 12

Judges 13

Gosp.John 14

First Corinthians 15

Gosp. Mark 16

Acts of Apostles 17

Jeremiah 18

Leviticus 19

Exodus 20

Gosp.John 21

Revelation 22

Psalm 23

Joshua 24

Gosp.Matthew 25

Acts of Apostles 26

Psalm 27

Gosp.Matthew 28

Psalm 29

Proverbs 30

Jeremiah 31

Genesis 32 

Deuteronomy 33

Exodus 34

Ben Sira 35