Thematic Bible: Satire


Thematic Bible



saying - Upon Moses' seat, have sat down, the Scribes and the Pharisees: All things, therefore, whatsoever they tell you, do and observe, - but, according to their works, do ye not, for they, say, and do not, perform. But they bind together heavy burdens, and lay upon men's shoulders, whereas, they, with their finger, are not willing to move them. read more.
But, all their works, they do, to be gazed at, by men, - for they make broad their amulets, and make large their fringes, And dearly love the first couch in the chief meals, and the first seats in the synagogues, And the salutations in the market-places, and to be called by men, Rabbi. But, ye, - do not be called Rabbi, - for, one, is your Teacher, and, all ye, are brethren; And, father, be none of you called, upon the earth, for, one, is your Father, the Heavenly; Neither be called leaders, for, your leader, is one, the Christ; And, the greatest of you, shall be to you, a minister; And, whoever shall exalt himself, shall be, abased, and, whoever shall abase himself, shall be, exalted, But alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because ye are locking up the kingdom of the heavens before men, - for, ye, are not entering, neither, them who are entering, suffer ye to enter. Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites: because ye compass sea and dry land, to make one convert - and, when it is done, ye make him a son of gehenna, twofold more than ye. Alas for you, blind guides! that say - Whosoever shall swear by the Temple, it is, nothing, but, whosoever shall swear by the gold of the Temple, is bound: Foolish and blind! for which is, greater, The gold, or the Temple that hath hallowed the gold? And, whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is, nothing, but, whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it, is bound: Blind! for which is greater, The gift, or the altar that halloweth the gift? He therefore that hath sworn by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all that is upon it; And, he that hath sworn by the Temple, sweareth by it, and by him who dwelleth therein; And, he that hath sworn by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him who sitteth thereupon. Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because ye tithe the mint and the anise and the cummin, - and have dismissed the weightier matters of the law - the justice, the mercy, and the faith; whereas, these, it was binding, to do, and, those, not to, dismiss. Blind guides! Straining out the gnat, but, the camel, swallowing. Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because ye cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, - while, within, they are full of plunder and intemperance. Blind Pharisee! cleanse, first, the inside, of the cup and of the dish, that, the outside thereof, may become, clean. Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because ye make yourselves like sepulchres whitewashed, which, outside, indeed, appear, beautiful, but, within, are full, of dead men's bones and all uncleanness, - Thus, ye also, outside, indeed, appear to men, righteous, but, within, are full, of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say - If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been their partners in the blood of the prophets: So that ye bear witness against yourselves, that ye are, sons, of them who murdered the prophets. And, ye, fill ye up the measure of your fathers! Serpents! broods of vipers! how should ye flee from the judgment of gehenna?

And they send forth unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, that they might, catch, him, in discourse. And, coming, they say unto him - Teacher! we know that, true, thou art, and it concerneth thee not about anyone, - for thou lookest not unto the face of men; but, in truth, the way of God, dost teach: - Is it allowable to give tax unto Caesar, or not? Should we give, or should we not give? But, he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them - Why are ye, tempting, me? Bring me a denary, that I may see it. read more.
And, they, brought one. And he saith unto them - Whose, is this image, and the inscription? And, they, said unto him - Caesar's. And, Jesus, said - the things of Caesar, render, unto Caesar, and, the things of God, unto God. And they were marvelling at him. And there come Sadducees unto him, - who, indeed say - Resurrection, there is none! and they were questioning him, saying - Teacher! Moses, wrote for us, that - If one's brother die, and leave behind a wife, and leave no child, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. Seven brethren, there were: and, the first, took a wife, and, dying, left no seed, - And, the second, took her, and died, not leaving behind seed, - and, the third, likewise, - And, the seven, left no seed; last of all, the woman also, died: - In the resurrection, - of, which, of them shall she be, wife? For, the seven, had her to wife. Jesus said unto them - Are ye not, for this cause, deceiving yourselves, knowing neither the Scriptures, nor the power of God? For, when, from among the dead, they rise, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like messengers in the heavens. But, as touching the dead, that they, do rise, - Have ye not read in the book of Moses, at the Bush, how God spake unto him, saying - I am the God of Abraham, and God of Isaac, and God of Jacob: - He is not a God of, dead, men, but of, living. Greatly, are ye deceiving yourselves. And one of the Scribes, coming near, hearing them discussing, seeing that, well, he had answered them, began to question him - Which is the chief commandment of all? Jesus answered - The chief is: Hear! O Israel, - The Lord our God, is, one Lord; Therefore shalt thou love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, - and with all thy mind; and with all thy strength. The second, is, this - Thou shalt love, thy neighbour, as thyself. Greater than these, other commandment, is there none. The Scribe said unto him - Well, Teacher! in truth, hast thou said - He is, One, and there is none other, than he; And, to love him, with all the heart, and with all the understanding, - and with all the might; and to love one's neighbour as one's self, is, abundantly more, than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And, Jesus, seeing him, that, with intelligence he answered, said unto him - Not far, art thoufrom the kingdom of God! And, no one, any longer, was daring to, question, him. And Jesus, answering, was saying, as he taught in the temple - How say the Scribes that, the Christ, is, Son of David? David himself, hath said, by the Holy Spirit, - The Lord, hath said unto, my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I put thy foes beneath thy feet. David himself, calleth him, Lord: whence, then, is he, his own soul? And, the great multitude, was hearing him gladly. And, in his teaching, he was saying - Beware of the Scribes, who desire, in robes, to be walking about, and salutations in the markets, And first seats in the synagogues, and first couches in the chief meals, - Who devour widows' houses, and, for a pretence, are long in prayer: these, shall receive a more surpassing judgment.

And the Lord said unto him: Now, ye, the Pharisees, the outside of the cup and of the tray, do make pure; but, your inward part, is full of plunder and wickedness. Simple ones! Did not, he who made the outside, the inside also, make? Notwithstanding, as to the things within, give alms, and lo! everything, is, pure unto you. read more.
But alas for you, the Pharisees! because ye tithe the mint, and the rue, and every garden herb, and pass by justice, and the love of God. But, these things, it was biding to do, and, those, not to pass by. Alas for you, the Pharisees! because ye love the first seats in the synagogues, and the salutations in the market-places! Alas for you! because ye are as the secret tombs: even the men that are walking above them, know it not. And, making answer, one of the Lawyers saith unto him, Teacher! these things, saying, us also, dost thou insult! And, he, said - And, for you, the lawyers, alas! because ye lade men with burdens hard to be borne, and, yourselves, with one of your fingers, touch not the burdens. Alas for you! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers slew them! Hence, witnesses, are ye, and find consenting pleasure in the works of your fathers: because, they, indeed, slew them, and, ye, are building, their tombs . For this cause, the Wisdom of God hath said - I will send forth, unto them, prophets and apostles, - and, some from among them, will they slay, and, some persecute: That the blood of all the prophets which hath been shed from the foundation of the world, may be sought out, from this generation, - From the blood of Abel, unto the blood of Zachariah who was destroyed betwixt the altar and the house; Yea! I say unto you - It shall be sought out from this generation. Alas for you, the lawyers! because ye took away the key of knowledge: yourselves, entered not, and, them who were entering, ye hindered. And, when, from thence, he came out, the Scribes and the Pharisees began, with vehemence, to be hemming him in, and trying to make him speak off-hand concerning many things, - lying in wait for him, to catch something out of his mouth.


Then prayed Hannah, and said, My heart hath leaped for joy in Yahweh, My horn is exalted in Yahweh, My mouth is opened wide, o'er my foes, Because I rejoice in thy salvation. There is none holy like Yahweh, Nay! there, is none, except Thee, Nor, is, there a rock, like our God. Do not multiply words, so loftily - loftily, Nor let arrogance proceed from your mouth, - For, a GOD of knowledge, is Yahweh, And, for himself, are great doings made firm. read more.
The bow of the mighty, is dismayed, - While, the fainting, are girded with strength; The sated, have, for bread, taken hire, But, the famished, have left off their toil, - So that, the barren, hath given birth unto seven, While, she that hath many sons, languisheth: Yahweh, doth kill, and make alive, - Taketh down to hades, and bringeth up: Yahweh, maketh poor, and enricheth, - Layeth low, yea exalteth; Raiseth, from the dust, the poor, From the dunghill, uplifteth the needy, To give them a dwelling with nobles, And, a throne of glory, to make them inherit. For, to Yahweh, belong the pillars of the earth, And he setteth thereon the habitable world. The feet of his loving ones, he doth guard, But, the lawless, in darkness shall be silent, - For, by strength, shall no man prevail. As for Yahweh, - they shall be shattered who contend with him, Over him, in the heavens will he thunder, Yahweh, will judge the ends of the earth, - That he may give strength to his King, And exalt the horn of his Anointed One.

and, unto Hannah, used he to give one portion, - howbeit, Hannah, he loved, although, Yahweh, had restrained her from having children. And her rival used even to cause her great vexation, for the sake of provoking her, - because Yahweh had restrained her from having children. And, thus, used she to do, year by year, whenever she went up to the house of Yahweh, thus, used she to vex her, - and she wept, and would not eat. read more.
So Elkanah her husband said to her - Hannah! wherefore shouldst thou weep? and wherefore wilt thou not eat? and wherefore should thy heart be sad? Am, I, not better to thee, than ten sons? And Hannah rose up, after she had eaten in Shiloh, and after she had drunk, - and, Eli the priest, was sitting upon his chair, by the door-post of the temple of Yahweh; and, she being in bitterness of soul, prayed unto Yahweh, and, wept sore.