The Bible in Basic English BBE
Orthodox Jewish Bible OJB
1 And it came about that when Jesus had come to the end of giving these orders to his twelve disciples, he went away from there, teaching and preaching in their towns.
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1 And it came about when he finished giving directives to his Shneym Asar Talmidim, he moved on from there, exercising the ministry of moreh (teacher) and darshan (preacher, maggid) in their shtetlach.
2 Now when John had news in prison of the works of the Christ, he sent his disciples
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Now when Yochanan, in the beit hasohor (prison), heard of the maasei haMoshiach (works of Moshiach), he sent his talmidim to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach.
3 To say to him, Are you he who is to come, or are we waiting for another?
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They asked him, Tell us. Are you Hu Habah (He who comes) or is our chikiah (wait) to be for the Bias (Coming) of another?
4 And Jesus, answering, said to them, Go and give news to John of the things which you are seeing and hearing:
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And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach answered them, saying, Go give the report of what you see and hear to Yochanan:
5 The blind see; those who were not able to, are walking; lepers are made clean; those who were without hearing, now have their ears open; the dead come to life again, and the poor have the good news given to them.
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The ivrim (blind people) see, the pisechim (lame people) walk, the metzoraim (lepers) are cleansed, the chereshim (deaf people) hear, the mesim are made to stand up alive, and the aniyim (poor) have the Besuras HaGeulah preached to them. [Isa 35:5f; 61:1]
6 And a blessing will be on him who has no doubts about me.
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Ashrey (Happy) is the one who does not find a cause of michshol (falling, stumbling) in me [as Moshiach].
7 And when they were going away, Jesus, talking of John, said to all the people, What went you out into the waste land to see? a tall stem moving in the wind?
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As they were leaving, he began to speak to the multitudes about Yochanan, What did you go out into the midbar (wilderness) to see? A reed being shaken by the wind?
8 But what went you out to see? a man delicately clothed? Those who have fair robes are in kings' houses.
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What did you go out to see? Someone shtats (imposing, impressive) in appearance, attired in soft raiment? Hinei, the ones wearing soft raiment are in houses of melachim (kings).
9 But why did you go out? to see a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.
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But what did you go out to see? A Navi? Ken, I tell you. And one greater than a Navi.
10 This is he of whom it has been said, See, I send my servant before your face, who will make ready your way before you.
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This is he about whom it has been written, HINNENI SHOLEIACH MALACHI (Behold, I will send my messenger) before your face, UPINNAH DERECH LEFANAI (and he will prepare the way before me, [SHEMOT 23:20; MALACHI 3:1]).
11 Truly I say to you, Among the sons of women there has not been a greater than John the Baptist: but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
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Omein, I say to you, of those born of women, there has not appeared one greater than Yochanan of the tevilah of teshuva, yet the person with the least chashivut in the Malchut HaShomayim is greater than he.
12 And from the days of John the Baptist till now, the kingdom of heaven is forcing its way in, and men of force take it.
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From the days of Yochanan of the tevilah of teshuva until now, the Malchut HaShomayim has been under violent attack and the violent seize it with coercion.
13 For all the prophets and the law were in force till John.
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For all the Neviim and the Torah prophesied until Yochanan.
14 And if you are able to see it, this is Elijah who was to come.
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And, if you are willing it to be mekabel (accept, receive), he is the “Eliyahu,” who is to come [MALACHI 3:23].
15 He who has ears, let him give ear.
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The one having ears, let him hear.
16 But what comparison may I make of this generation? It is like children seated in the market-places, crying out to one another,
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But to what will I compare this generation? It is like yeladim sitting in the marketplaces, calling out to one another,
17 We made music for you and you did not take part in the dance; we gave cries of sorrow and you made no signs of grief.
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We played the chalil (flute) for you, but you did not dance; we sang a kina (lament, funeral dirge) for you, and you did not mourn.
18 For John came, taking no food or drink, and they say, He has an evil spirit.
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For Yochanan came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He has a shed.
19 The Son of man has come feasting, and they say, See, a lover of food and wine, a friend of tax-farmers and sinners! And wisdom is judged to be right by her works.
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The Ben HaAdam [Moshiach] came eating and drinking, and they say, Hinei! A zolel (glutton) and a shikkor (drunkard), a friend of mochesim (tax collectors) and choteim (sinners). Yet, Chochmah (Wisdom) is vindicated by her maasim.
20 Then he went on to say hard things to the towns where most of his works of power were done, because they had not been turned from their sins.
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Then he began to reproach the shtetlach (villages) in which were accomplished most of his gevurot (mighty deeds), because they did not make teshuva.
21 Unhappy are you, Chorazin! Unhappy are you, Beth-saida! For if the works of power which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have been turned from their sins in days gone by, clothing themselves in haircloth and putting dust on their heads.
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Oy l’chah (Woe to you!), Korazin! Oy l’chah, Beit Tzaidah! For if in Tzor and Tzidon were accomplished the gevurot that were accomplished among you, they would have made teshuva long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
22 But I say to you, It will be better for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judging, than for you.
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Nevertheless, I say to you, it will be more bearable for Tzor and Tzidon than for you on Yom HaDin.
23 And you, Capernaum, were you not to be lifted up to heaven? you will go down into hell: for if the works of power which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have been here to this day.
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And you, Kfar-Nachum, were you lifted up as far as Shomayim? You shall be brought down as far as Sheol [YESHAYAH 14:13,15]. For if in Sdom were accomplished the gevurot that were accomplished among you, Sdom would have a sheerit (remnant) today!
24 But I say to you that it will be better for the land of Sodom in the day of judging, than for you.
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Nevertheless, I say to you, it will be more bearable for the land of Sdom on Yom HaDin than for you.
25 At that time Jesus made answer and said, I give praise to you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have kept these things secret from the wise and the men of learning, and have made them clear to little children.
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At that time, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said, Modeh Ani, Avi, Adon HaShomayim vHaAretz, (I thank you, Father, L-rd of Heaven and Earth), because you hid these things from the chachamim (wise) and those with seichel, and to them they are nistar (hidden, esoteric), and you made a hisgalus (revelation) of them unto ollelim (infants).
26 Yes, Father, for so it was pleasing in your eyes.
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Ken, Avi, for thus it was pleasing in your sight.
27 All things have been given to me by my Father; and no one has knowledge of the Son, but the Father; and no one has knowledge of the Father, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will make it clear.
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All things were given to me by Avi, and no one has daas (knowledge) of HaBen except HaAv, nor does anyone have daas of HaAv, except HaBen, and anyone to whom HaBen chooses to unveil him.
28 Come to me, all you who are troubled and weighted down with care, and I will give you rest.
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Come to me, all you who are burden-weary and heavy laden, and I will give you Shabbos menuchah.
29 Take my yoke on you and become like me, for I am gentle and without pride, and you will have rest for your souls;
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Take my ol (yoke) upon you and learn from me, for I am anav (humble) and have shiflut (lowliness) in lev (heart), and you will find menuchah (rest, security [RUTH 1:9]) for your nefashot (souls, YIRMEYAH 6:16].
30 For my yoke is good, and the weight I take up is not hard.
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For my [Moshiach’s] ol (yoke) is easy and my burden is light. [See Mt 23:4]
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The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.