Hebrew Names Version HNV
The Message Bible MSG
1 Now it happened on the second Shabbat after the first, that he was going through the grain fields, and his talmidim plucked the heads of grain, and ate, rubbing them in their hands.
1
On a certain Sabbath Jesus was walking through a field of ripe grain. His disciples were pulling off heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands to get rid of the chaff, and eating them.
2 But some of the Perushim said to them, "Why do you do that which is not lawful to do on the day of Shabbat?"
2
Some Pharisees said, "Why are you doing that, breaking a Sabbath rule?"
3 Yeshua, answering them, said, "Haven't you read this, what David did, when he was hungry, he, and those who were with him;
3
But Jesus stood up for them. "Have you never read what David and those with him did when they were hungry?
4 how he entered into the house of God, and took and ate the show bread, and gave also to those who were with him, which is not lawful to eat except for the Kohanim alone?"
4
How he entered the sanctuary and ate fresh bread off the altar, bread that no one but priests were allowed to eat? He also handed it out to his companions."
5 He said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the Shabbat."
5
Then he said, "The Son of Man is no slave to the Sabbath; he's in charge."
6 It also happened on another Shabbat that he entered into the synagogue and taught. There was a man there, and his right hand was withered.
6
On another Sabbath he went to the meeting place and taught. There was a man there with a crippled right hand.
7 The Sofrim and the Perushim watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Shabbat, that they might find an accusation against him.
7
The religion scholars and Pharisees had their eye on Jesus to see if he would heal the man, hoping to catch him in a Sabbath infraction.
8 But he knew their thoughts; and he said to the man who had the withered hand, "Rise up, and stand in the middle." He arose and stood.
8
He knew what they were up to and spoke to the man with the crippled hand: "Get up and stand here before us." He did.
9 Then Yeshua said to them, "I will ask you something: Is it lawful on the Shabbat to do good, or to do harm? To save a life, or to kill?"
9
Then Jesus addressed them, "Let me ask you something: What kind of action suits the Sabbath best? Doing good or doing evil? Helping people or leaving them helpless?"
10 He looked around at them all, and said to him, "Stretch out your hand." He did, and his hand was restored as sound as the other.
10
He looked around, looked each one in the eye. He said to the man, "Hold out your hand." He held it out - it was as good as new!
11 But they were filled with rage, and talked with one another about what they might do to Yeshua.
11
They were beside themselves with anger, and started plotting how they might get even with him.
12 It happened in these days, that he went out into the mountain to pray, and he continued all night in prayer to God.
12
At about that same time he climbed a mountain to pray. He was there all night in prayer before God.
13 When it was day, he called his talmidim, and from them he chose twelve, whom he also named apostles:
13
The next day he summoned his disciples; from them he selected twelve he designated as apostles:
14 Shim`on, whom he also named Kefa; Andrai, his brother; Ya`akov; Yochanan; Pilipos; Bar-Talmai;
14
Simon, whom he named Peter, Andrew, his brother, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,
15 Mattityahu; T'oma; Ya`akov, the son of Halfai; Shim`on, who was called the Zealot;
15
Matthew, Thomas, James, son of Alphaeus, Simon, called the Zealot,
16 Yehudah the son of Ya`akov; and Yehudah from K'riot, who also became a traitor.
16
Judas, son of James, Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
17 He came down with them, and stood on a level place, with a crowd of his talmidim, and a great number of the people from all Yehudah and Yerushalayim, and the sea coast of Tzor and Tzidon, who came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;
17
Coming down off the mountain with them, he stood on a plain surrounded by disciples, and was soon joined by a huge congregation from all over Judea and Jerusalem, even from the seaside towns of Tyre and Sidon.
18 also those who were troubled with unclean spirits, and they were being healed.
18
They had come both to hear him and to be cured of their ailments. Those disturbed by evil spirits were healed.
19 All the multitude sought to touch him, for power came forth from him, and healed them all.
19
Everyone was trying to touch him - so much energy surging from him, so many people healed!
20 He lifted up his eyes to his talmidim, and said, "Blessed are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God.
20
Then he spoke: You're blessed when you've lost it all. God's kingdom is there for the finding.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now, For you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, For you will laugh.
21
You're blessed when you're ravenously hungry. Then you're ready for the Messianic meal. You're blessed when the tears flow freely. Joy comes with the morning.
22 Blessed are you when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from them and reproach you, and throw out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake.
22
"Count yourself blessed every time someone cuts you down or throws you out, every time someone smears or blackens your name to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and that that person is uncomfortable.
23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven, for their fathers did the same thing to the prophets.
23
You can be glad when that happens - skip like a lamb, if you like! - for even though they don't like it, I do . . . and all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company; my preachers and witnesses have always been treated like this. Give Away Your Life
24 "But woe to you who are rich! For you have received your consolation.
24
But it's trouble ahead if you think you have it made. What you have is all you'll ever get.
25 Woe to you, you who are full now! For you will be hungry. Woe to you, you who laugh now! For you will mourn and weep.
25
And it's trouble ahead if you're satisfied with yourself. Your self will not satisfy you for long. And it's trouble ahead if you think life's all fun and games. There's suffering to be met, and you're going to meet it.
26 Woe, when men speak well of you! For their fathers did the same thing to the false prophets.
26
"There's trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests - look how many scoundrel preachers were approved by your ancestors! Your task is to be true, not popular.
27 "But I tell you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
27
"To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst.
28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who insult you.
28
When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person.
29 To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other; and from him who takes away your cloak, don't withhold your coat also.
29
If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it.
30 Give to everyone who asks you, and don't ask him who takes away your goods to give them back again.
30
If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.
31 "As you desire that men should do to you, likewise do to them also.
31
"Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them!
32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
32
If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that.
33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
33
If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that.
34 If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much.
34
If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that's charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that.
35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of Ha`Elyon; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.
35
"I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You'll never - I promise - regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we're at our worst.
36 Therefore be merciful, Even as your Father is also merciful.
36
Our Father is kind; you be kind.
37 Don't judge, And you won't be judged. Don't condemn, And you won't be condemned. Set free, And you will be set free.
37
"Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults - unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don't condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you'll find life a lot easier.
38 "Give, and it will be given to you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will they give into your bosom. For with the same measure you measure it will be measured back to you."
38
Give away your life; you'll find life given back, but not merely given back - given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity."
39 He spoke a parable to them. "Can the blind guide the blind? Won't they both fall into a pit?
39
He quoted a proverb: "'Can a blind man guide a blind man?' Wouldn't they both end up in the ditch?
40 A talmid is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.
40
An apprentice doesn't lecture the master. The point is to be careful who you follow as your teacher.
41 Why do you see the speck of chaff that is in your brother's eye, but don't consider the beam that is in your own eye?
41
"It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own.
42 Or how can you tell your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck of chaff that is in your eye,' when you yourself don't see the beam that is in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck of chaff that is in your brother's eye.
42
Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's this I-know-better-than-you mentality again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your own part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.
43 For there is no good tree that brings forth rotten fruit; nor again a rotten tree that brings forth good fruit.
43
"You don't get wormy apples off a healthy tree, nor good apples off a diseased tree.
44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. For people don't gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.
44
The health of the apple tells the health of the tree. You must begin with your own life-giving lives.
45 The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil, for out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks.
45
It's who you are, not what you say and do, that counts. Your true being brims over into true words and deeds.
46 "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and don't do the things which I say?
46
"Why are you so polite with me, always saying 'Yes, sir,' and 'That's right, sir,' but never doing a thing I tell you?
47 Everyone who comes to me, and hears my words, and does them, I will show you who he is like.
47
These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on.
48 He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep, and laid a foundation on the rock. When a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it was founded on the rock.
48
"If you work the words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who dug deep and laid the foundation of his house on bedrock. When the river burst its banks and crashed against the house, nothing could shake it; it was built to last.
49 But he who hears, and doesn't do, is like a man who built a house on the eretz without a foundation, against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."
49
But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a dumb carpenter who built a house but skipped the foundation. When the swollen river came crashing in, it collapsed like a house of cards. It was a total loss."
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.