^

Nyangumarta English Bible

Portions of the Holy Bible in English, translated to be a companion to the Nyangumarta Bible

copyright © 1980-2010 Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc.
Language: English

Bible translation copyright © 1980-2010 Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc. Reader Series (book XXC) copyright © 1996 Bible Society Australia. Bible overview (XXA) copyright © 1996 Mission Publications of Australia (PO Box 21, Lawson NSW 2783)

This translation is made available to you under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivatives license 4.0.

You may share and redistribute this Bible translation or extracts from it in any format, provided that:

You include the above copyright and source information.

You do not sell this work for a profit.

You do not change any of the words or punctuation of the Scriptures.

Pictures included with Scriptures and other documents on this site are licensed just for use with those Scriptures and documents. For other uses, please contact the respective copyright owners.

2020-12-20

ePub generated by Haiola 21 Feb 2024 from source files dated 31 Aug 2023

3402cf45-eb5a-5b2c-af7c-c10ed202123d

Genesis

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

35

Genesis

Copy for community checking - not fully consultant checked (Gen 1-5, 6-9 and 11 are consultant checked and have audio files)

1

GOD DID/MADE EVERYTHING (1:1—2:3)

1 At the first, long ago God made the sky and the ground. 2 That ground was just staying purposeless. Water was obscuring everything, water was covering everything. In every direction it was dark. His spirit was going above the water. 3 God said, “Become light!” After that it became light at his word. 4 When he saw it he said, “Good”. He separated the light and the darkness. 5 He named the darkness, 'night-that', the light he named, 'day-that'. After that it became night, after that it became dawn. Another day appeared/arrived.

6 Then he said, “Sky become, in order to separate the water and the clouds!” 7 That happened. The clouds went upwards, they left the water underneath. 8 That sky he named, 'sky-that'. After that it became night, after that it became dawn. Another day appeared.

9 Then he said, “Water go down, become in one place, dry ground appear, become visible!” That happened. The water went down, it left the ground visible. 10 That dry ground he named, 'country-that'. That big water he named, 'sea-that'. When he saw it he said “Good”. 11 After that he said, “Different kinds of trees appear and different kinds of green plants, with separate foods!” That happened. 12 From the ground different kinds of trees appeared, some with foods, some without, and different kinds of green plants appeared also, some with foods, some without. When he saw it he said “Good.” 13 After that it became night, after that it became dawn. Another day appeared.

14-15 Then he said, “Lights become above in the sky, in order to light the countryside. They should give light in the night and in the day. They should keep winter and summer straight.” That happened. 16 He made two big ones, the sun and the moon. The big one should make it light truly from dawn right up to evening. The small one should make it light truly in the night. He made the stars also. 17-18 He put them in the sky to light the countryside and also to separate the darkness and the day. When he saw it he said “Good.” 19 After that it became night, after that it became dawn. Another day appeared.

20 Then he said, “Many different kinds of water dwellers become in the water-holes and in the sea. Birds become to go above. [Birds: lit. 'winged things' — includes insects] 21 Then he made very big animals in the sea. He also made big and little fish of different kinds. In the rivers and water-holes he made different kinds of fish. And he made all the other water dwellers in the water-holes and seas. He made different kinds of winged creatures also. When he saw it he said “Good.” 22 He spoke well to them. He spoke to them all, “I will take care of you. You will truly become many, and many children you will have/care for truly.” 23 After that it became night, after that it became dawn. Another day appeared.

24 Then he said, “Different kinds of animals become on the ground, to live in the countryside, to go about on the ground, plains-dwelling animals and hills-dwellers, big ones and small ones!” That happened. 25 He made them all. When he looked at it he said “Good.”

26 After that he said, “We will make people like us. They will be boss for all the animals, and for all the fish and for all the winged creatures and for the ones that go on the ground.” 27 God made a man like him. He made a man and a woman. 28 He spoke well to these two, “You will control/have/take care of many children truly. Truly people will be everywhere, you (pl.) will be boss for all the animals. You will be boss for the fish and winged creatures and all animals and for all those that go on the ground. 29 I made different foods for you (all), all the foods from trees and green plants I am giving you. 30 For the animals and winged creatures and all the ones that go on the ground I made green plants with food. I left it for them.” 31 Truly he made the whole lot. When he had finished making them God looked at them all. He said, “Very good.”

Like that God made everything. He made everything in six days. After that it became night, after that it became dawn. Another day appeared.

2

1-3 This next day he did not make another thing. He said about that day, “Already I have finished making everything. I was working, now I have left off working. This day truly I did not make another thing. Because of that this day is different, without work. I have left off work for today.” [Avoiding word for 'rest', which also means 'sleep'.]

GOD PUT A MAN AT A REALLY GOOD WATER-HOLE (2:7-25)

7 Like this God made a/the person. He got dust from the ground. He made a man from that dust. Then he breathed in the nose of the man, then wind/breath from God entered the man. For that reason the man became alive. The name of that man was Adam.

8 After that in the country, in Eden, there God put a big water-hole/permanent camp, a truly good one. He put the man he had made at that water-hole. 9 At that water-hole he put different kinds of good trees. There were different kinds having very good food there. In the middle of the trees God put one tree. He named that tree, 'One That Keeps People Alive'. After a person eats from that tree he will live for ever, he will stay without death. He put another tree in the middle of the others, that was a thing associated with making knowledgeable. He named that tree, 'One That Teaches People About Good And Bad'.

15 At the water-hole in Eden he put that (previously-referred to) person to dig the ground and to care for the water-hole. 16 He said to him, “You can eat food from all the trees at the water-hole. 17 (Fruit) from one tree leave, do not eat it, from the tree which makes knowledgeable. I named it, 'One That Teaches People About Good And Bad'. From that tree don't eat. If you eat from that tree truly you will die.”

18 Then he said, “The man should not be alone. I will make a companion for him, he will be one with a companion.” 19-20 Already God had made all the animals and winged creatures from the ground. He brought them to the man to give them names. That man gave names to the animals and winged creatures and other creatures. They kept the names in accord with the man's word. Among them all there was not one like the man, a companion for him.

21 Then God put the man to sleep, he got a bone from the man's side, then he covered the hole with flesh. 22 From the bone he made a woman, he took her to the man. 23 Then the man said, “At last! This one is like me! He made her from my body. Her name is 'Woman'.”

24 Because of that God left us this track/pattern of behaviour. A/the man will leave mother and father and they will become one, he and his own wife. Truly those two will be one.

25 At the water-hole Eden that couple, Adam and his wife, were staying naked, they stayed well, naked, those two, without shame.

3

THOSE TWO DID NOT LISTEN TO GOD (3:1-24)

1 Among the other animals the snake was really clever. The snake asked the woman, “What did God say to you? 'You should not eat food from all the trees at the water-hole'? Like that did God say to you?” 2 The woman said to him, “We (two) can eat from some/the rest of the trees from the water-hole/camp. 3 God said to us, 'From one tree only, in the middle of the camp in the thick trees, from that do not eat food, and do not touch that tree for fear of dying'.” 4 The snake said to her, he lied, “You will not die. 5 If you eat (after eating) from that tree, you will become like God, knowing about good and about bad. God doesn't like that. To avoid that he said to you, 'Don't eat from that tree'.” With deceit the snake said to her, “Don't listen to God.” 6 The woman was looking at the food, looking with interest, it was good. She was thinking, “That food will make me knowledgeable.” The woman wanted to become knowledgeable, like God. Then she went to that tree, broke off food, ate it. She gave some to her husband. He also ate it. 7 They understood, they saw themselves that they were naked. Then they became ashamed. Because of that they made for themselves pubic covers from big leaves.

8 In the evening they heard the footsteps of God while he was walking at the water-hole. With fear they hid themselves among the trees on account of God.

9 God called to the man, “Where are you(sg)?” 10 He replied, “Yes, I heard you walking at the water-hole. I was naked. Because of that I was afraid, I hid from you. 11 God asked him, “How did you learn you were naked? From that tree, the One that Teaches People About Good and Bad, did you eat food from that?” 12 The man said to him, “You gave me this woman. She [emphasised] gave me (food) from that tree. I ate the food.”

13 God asked the woman, “What did you do?” She said to him, “The snake deceived me. I ate because of his word.”

14-15 God said to the snake, “You did very badly. In response I will truly do evil to you, not to the rest of the animals, only to you. On your stomach [emphasised] you will go. You will eat dust always. I will make you dislike the woman. I will make the woman dislike you. Your children and those of the woman will look at each other in anger. The/A child of the woman will truly bruise your head. You truly will bruise his heel.”

16 To the woman he said, “I will give you a lot of pain when you have a child. Knowing about pain when you have a child, continually you will long for a/the man. He will be a boss for you truly.”

17-19 Then God said to the man, “I told you not to eat that food. You didn't listen to me. Because of your wife's word you ate food from that tree. In response I will make the country bad. Spinifex and prickles and those sorts of things will appear. You will search for food always. You will dig hard for food, Every day you will be exhausted, you will sweat hard getting food to eat. (Lit., “Every day you will break, truly sweat will eat you.”) After dying you will become dust. I made you from the ground. From the dust I made you. After dying you will become dust again.

20 That man gave his wife the name Eve. She is the mother for us all.

21 Then God made clothes from animal skins for them, for Adam and his wife, God put them on them. 22 Then he said, “The man didn't listen to me, he already ate from the tree that makes knowledgeable. He is now like us, he knows/understands about good and bad. He might eat from that other tree, from the one that keeps alive. After that he will live always, he will stay without death. I will prevent him lest he eat.”

23 God sent those two from that water-hole in Eden. He sent them away to dig the ground, to put foods in the ground, to cause their foods to come up. 24 After that God put an angel [English word phonemicised] east of that water-hole, and a big cutting thing, like a big knife. The point of that big cutting thing was going in every direction, and it was flashing. God told that angel, “You are to stop the man/people from entering close to that tree, to that tree that keeps alive.”

4

CAIN KILLED ABEL (4:1-17, 25)

1 Adam and Eve went from that place Eden. After that Eve had a son. She said, “God has given me a son.” His name was Cain. 2 After that she had another son. His name was Abel.

The two became big. They became men. Abel used to care for sheep. Cain used to dig the ground. He used to put foods in the ground, they used to come up, he used to gather them.

3 Once Cain took food, he gave it to God. 4 His younger brother took a sheep, he killed it, he gave good parts to God. Abel pleased God. 5 Cain did not please him. Because of that Cain was (habitually) angry. His face changed (became different).

6 God said to him, “Why are you angry with me? Why did your face change towards me? You should not be sullen. 7 If you did right you would have been happy. You were doing badly. You should straighten yourself up to do good. If you do that you will make me happy. If you don't you will keep doing evil.” [Missed concept of need to resist temptation.]

8 Cain didn't listen to God. He kept on being sullen. Because of that he said to his younger brother, “Let's go somewhere a long way off.” They went off. Then Cain killed his younger brother.

9 Because of that God asked him, “Where is your younger brother?” The eldest one lied, “I don't know. I don't take care of him.” 10 God said to him, “You lied. You killed him. His blood is on the ground. You truly did badly. 11 In response I will do evil to you because of him/it. The ground will stay bad for you. 12 And foods will not come up for you. I will send you far off. With fear you will keep going to other places.”

13 Cain said to him, “You have made it extremely hard for me. 14 I will go about to other places. Perhaps someone will kill me.” 15 God said to him, “Whoever hits/kills you I will hit/kill him truly because of you.”

16 Because of that Cain went far off. He stayed eastwards a long way from Eden. They call that far country, 'He just keeps wandering around'. 17 His wife had a child named Enoch. Cain built a town. He named that town for his child, he named that town Enoch also. [4:18-24 omitted.]

25 After Abel died Eve had another child. She said, “Cain killed Abel. God in response has given me another child.” She named him Seth.

6

GOD SENT A BIG FLOOD (6:1—9:19)

1-7 After a long time there were many people. They scattered, they were everywhere. They all became really bad. They didn't listen to God. They kept on ignoring him. They kept talking to each other about how to do evil.

Because of that God said, “The people are all doing bad things. They are always thinking about how to do evil. When I made them they were good, now they have become very bad. Because of that I am broken-hearted (lit: 'my stomach is broken'). I will kill the evil doers, and the animals and birds also.”

8-10 Just one man pleased God. His name was Noah, he used to listen to God. He used to do good. He didn't do evil. He had three children, three males, their names were Shem, Ham, Japheth.

11-13 God said to Noah, “All the other people are living really badly. They ignore me, they don't listen to me. They are talking to each other all the time to do evil and they are hitting/killing each other. Because of that reason I will kill them all. 17 I will make a big flood for them. The big water will swallow them. You I will keep alive.

14-16 You make a really big boat for fear of the flood. The flood will carry it on top. Make it very big and long and wide. You will make it from wood. 18 You will enter it with your wife and your children and their wives. Gather animals and birds, cause them to enter the big boat. Collect them, animals, married-pair by married-pair, you will get different kinds pair by pair to make them enter the big boat. You will keep them alive from the flood. 21 And gather for them different foods. For yourselves also heap up food in the boat.”

22 Noah believed God. He made a very big boat, with wood he made it, long and wide. And he collected a large amount of different foods and put them in (the boat). Truly Noah did all in accordance with God's word.

7

1 After that God said to him, “Soon that big rain will fall. Hurry, get in the boat, you and yours. You (sg) alone are characterised by goodness, you alone have been listening to me. For that reason I will keep you and yours alive. 2-3 Take inside those (previously referred to) animals and birds. Put them in accordance with my word. Take birds, 7 pairs of one kind, 7 pairs of another kind, different kinds. And take tame animals the same way, 7 pairs. And of the remaining animals take pair by pair, different kinds. 4 I will send rain. It will really pour down, day after day. For 40 days truly. The big flood will kill those outside the boat.”

5 Noah entered the boat because of God's word. And he took his wife and children and their wives and the animals and birds. They all entered. 6 Then God shut the door.

10 After that a big rain fell. 11 And from under the ground a flood came bubbling up also. 12 Rain fell for 40 days. It was falling hard, it really poured, it kept on falling. 19-20 There was a really big flood. The water lifted the boat like flotsam, it stayed on top of the water. The flood completely covered the hills and trees. 21-23 The father and sons and their wives and the animals stayed alive in the boat. The flood killed the remaining animals and all the people, everything outside.

7:24—8:3 God was caring for those who were in the boat. He sent a wind. After that the flood abated. It was going down slowly for 4 months. They were staying in the boat a long time, they were waiting for the flood to go down.

8

4 After that the flood left the boat on top of the hills. It came to rest (lit: 'sat down') on top of the hills. The name of that hilly place was Ararat. 5 The flood was continuing to go down. After that, after 3 months, the heads of the hills appeared after being hidden by the water. The water kept going down.

6-7 After that, after one month, Noah sent out a crow. The crow was searching for dry ground and trees. He went away for good, he didn't return.

8-9 After that, after 7 days, Noah sent another creature, a dove. It was searching in vain for dry ground. Soon it returned to the boat. Noah stretched out his arm, the dove landed on his arm, Noah put him inside the boat.

10 Noah waited seven days. After that again he sent out the dove. 11 In the late afternoon it returned to the boat, it carried a leaf in its mouth. Noah said, “The water is really going down.”

12 After that, in seven days, Noah again tried out the dove. It went away for good, it did not return. It saw ground. 13 Noah waited one month.

After that he looked around. 14 Truly the ground was getting dry, the ground was hard.

15-17 Then God said to Noah, “You (pl) get down and make the animals and birds get down. They've got to scatter. They have to become many everywhere.” 18-19 Then they got down from the boat, Noah and his wife and children and daughters-in-law and the different kinds of animals and birds. 20 Noah heaped up stones. He got a few tame animals and tame birds to give to God. He killed them, on top of the stones he burned/cooked them, bones and all, completely dry, to ashes. They used to do that in the beginning, in order to please God.

21 In return God said to Noah, “Previously I made it bad for the whole earth because of the evil that people did. I won't do like that again. I know about people. From childhood they are thinking only about how to do really bad (things). I will not again kill people and all creatures truly because of the evil that people have done. I did it once. I won't do it again. 22 Now summer and winter will follow each other. Heat and cold will follow each other. Day and night will follow each other. Just like that they will be.”

9

1 God spoke kindly to Noah and his children. “You will have many children. They will be everywhere. 2 You will be boss for all the animals. They will be afraid of you. 3 Now I am giving them all to you to eat, the fish and animals and birds. Previously you only used to eat vegetable food. Now you can also eat meat. 4 You must not eat blood. When you eat meat, leave the blood without eating it. 5-7 You should not hit/kill a person. Be good to people. I made people like me. Because of that don't kill a person. If anyone hits/kills a person you(pl) will kill him in return.”

8-10 God spoke another word to Noah and his children, “I am giving you (pl) this word, for you and yours, and for all the animals and for everything on the ground. 11 Because of this word of mine I will not again hit/kill people and animals and other things by means of a flood. 12 It will stay like this from now on. I am giving you this word now. 13 I am putting that rainbow of mine in the clouds. 14-17 Whenever I send you clouds that have rain, I will put my rainbow in the clouds. Truly I will see that. When I see it, truly I will remember this word I am putting down for you today. That rainbow is a reminder for this word. This firm word of mine is for you (pl) and the animals, for everything on the ground. I will not kill everything with a flood. It will stay (the same) from now on.”

18-19 Those children of Noah, Shem, Ham and Japheth had children. From them all of us came. [NOTE: Chapter 10 has been omitted at this stage, because it would merely confuse and distract struggling readers.]

GOD CONFUSED THEIR TALK (9:28-29, 11:1-9)

28 After the big flood Noah lived a long time, 350 years. 29 He became 950 years old. After that he died.

11

1 After that for a long time people were talking just that one language. 2 They were going eastwards a bit at a time. They came to a big plain in the east. The name of that country was Shinar.

3-4 They ignored God's word. They said to one another, “Let's not spread out/scatter in all directions. Let's stay united. Let's stay right here, without roaming. Let's make a big camp, let's make a big hill-like (thing) also, extremely big upwards, right up to the sky. Everyone else will talk about us. They will say, 'Those people in Shinar are clever, they are truly smart'.”

They got mud, they made bricks, they baked them in the fire to make them hard, they made very many. Joining them they glued them with bitumen. They built, they built. (i.e., they kept building for a long time.)

5-6 God knew about them. He said, “I told them to spread out. They did not listen to me. They stayed united to do evil. They are staying in one group, they talk one language. They will do more and more evil. 7 Lest they do that I will confuse their language. They will talk different languages. Then they will not understand each other.”

8 God did that. He confused their talk. He made them spread out in every direction. They did not again make their big camp, and the really big hill-like (thing). They left it still unfinished. They left it forever. 9 The name of that camp was Babel. That word Babel says, 'They were forgetting the same language for each other.' They were puzzling about each other's talk. [11:10-26 omitted. 11:27-32 are in next file (tho' title of that indicates only “12-24”).]

YES. I WILL TELL YOU ALL ABOUT THAT LONG AGO MAN, ABRAM. (11:27-32)

27-28 A long time after that big flood a man appeared, his name was Abram. He was an inhabitant of that country Chaldea. He lived in the town named Ur. His father's name was Terah, his younger brothers were Nahor and Haran. (That Haran had children, a son named Lot, and two daughters named Milcah and Iscah.) While Terah was still alive Haran died in his country, in that town Ur. 29 Nahor and Haran's daughter Milcah got married. Abram and Sarai got married, those two. 30 Sarai could not have a child, she was staying without children.

31 After that Terah left that town. He took his son Abram, his daughter-in-law Sarai, his grandson Lot, just them. They were going westwards towards another country, Canaan. Partway they arrived at a town named Haran. They settled there for a long time. 32 While he was there Terah died in Haran. He was really old, he had many years, 205.

12

GOD TALKED TO ABRAM (12:1-3)

1 While Abram's father was alive God spoke to Abram, “You(sg) will ['you are to'; this future form is often used as a mild imperative, which the hearer has the option of disobeying] leave your country, you will leave your father's camp, you will leave the others. You will go to another country, later I will show you, after you arrive there I will tell you, 'This is that very country.' 2 I will give you very many grandchildren's grandchildren and those who come after them. I will make you a big boss, I truly will do good to you. 3 Some will do good to you, I will do good to them. Others will do bad to you, I will do bad to them. As a result of your mob I will do good to all people, in other countries everywhere.”

ABRAM WENT TO CANAAN (12:4-9)

4-5 After that Abram went in accordance with God's word. At that time he was old, he had 75 years. He took his wife Sarai, his younger brother's son Lot also, he took his animals and belongings. He took his men also, all his workers, he got them in that town Haran. They all went from Haran, they were going southwards, towards the country Canaan they were going. They were going for many days [lit. 'camps, camps they were going']. They arrived there, in Canaan.

6 They were going. Partway still in Canaan they rested near a big tree, they made a camp site at what's-its-name, near that tree named Moreh. That tree was near the town Shechem. (At that time Canaan's mob were still living in that country too.) 7 After that God appeared to Abram, he said to him, “This very country I will give to your grandchildren's grandchildren and those who come after them.” Because of that Abram gathered stones there, he made a heap. There he worshipped God [lit. 'from the stomach he praised him'].

8 After that they went southwards to the hilly country east of what's-that-place, Bethel. They made a camp east of Bethel and west of what's-that-place, Ai, there they put their tents. Again he gathered stones, he made a heap, there he worshipped God.

9 After that they were going southwards, camp after camp, they were going towards the desert.

ABRAM WENT TO EGYPT (12:10—13:1)

10 After that the country became dry, without water, without food. Abram and his animals were staying in a bad way. After that Abram and his mob left that country, they went westwards to that country, to Egypt, to make camp there.

11 As they were going Abram said to his wife, “Your face is beautiful. 12 Those men in Egypt will see you, they will desire you. Perhaps they will say to each other, 'That is his wife. We might kill the man, we will keep the woman alive.' 13 To avoid that you tell them, 'This is my older brother.' You will do that, they will not kill me, they will do good to me.”

14 They arrived in the country, in Egypt. The inhabitants of the land saw Sarai. They were thinking, “That woman's face is beautiful.” 15 Some important ones were looking at her, they liked her, they told their big boss, “Wow! That woman, Abram's younger sister, has a really beautiful face.” The boss said to them, “Bring that woman to me.” They took Sarai to him. 16 In return the boss gave Abram many sheep and cows and donkeys and camels and working people, men and women.

17 Sarai was stopping in the camp of the big boss. After that God made the boss and his mob sick. A very big sickness came on them. 18 After that the boss sent a message to Abram, “Come here.” He growled at him, “You did the wrong thing to me. You lied to me about your wife. 19 Why did you say, 'She is a younger sister to me'? Because of your word I took her for a wife. She is your wife. Take her! You two go for good!” 20 He told his men to send Abram right away.

13

1 After that Abram left Egypt. He took his wife and his own younger brother's son Lot, he took all his belongings. Going they all returned to the dry country of Canaan.

ABRAM RETURNED TO BETHEL (13:2-7)

3 Camp by camp they were going, they came back to that camp close to Bethel. 4 Right there earlier Abram gathered stones, he was talking to God. After returning he again really worshipped God. 2 At that time Abram had very many animals, sheep, goats, cattle, donkeys, camels, gold and money, anything. 5 Lot also was staying there, he had lots of animals and workers. 7b (There were also some inhabitants of that land there, Canaan's mob and Periz's mob.) 6 There were no end of animals on that country. Abram's workers and Lot's workers were seaching in vain for grass for the animals. 7a Because of that the workers of those two were looking at each other with anger.

ABRAM AND LOT SEPARATED (13:8-18)

8 Abram said to Lot, “We two are relatives. We two should stay without anger. My men and yours should stay without anger. 9 This country is big. You choose your country. You will go to that country, I will go in another direction.”

10 Lot looked around the country eastward, he saw a plain near the river, the name of that river was Jordan. That was good country, with plenty of water, in good condition all the way to Zoar, like the country Egypt. Two towns were in that plain, Sodom and Gomorrah. 11 Lot chose that very country. He went east. In that way Abram and Lot separated. 12 Abram stayed in Canaan country, Lot made camp on the plain, near the two towns, close to Sodom he made camp. 13 Those people in Sodom were disobeyers/ignorers of God. They were really bad.

14 After that God said to Abram, “From here look in every direction, northwards, southwards, eastwards and westwards. 15 All this country I will give you, for you and for your grandchildren's grandchildren and for those who come after them, forever. 16 I will look after them, they will become very many. (People) won't be able to name them. 17 I will give you all this country. You will go through this country, you will look at it.” Like that he told Abram.

18 After that Abram left that camp, he went to another camp, he was staying at the trees in Mamre, near the town Hebron. Again he heaped up stones, he worshipped God.

14

ABRAM RESCUED LOT (14:1-12)

1-4 Lot was staying in his camp on the plain, inside Sodom. After that people from the east, foreigners, gathered together, they came to hit the inhabitants near Sodom. One man from the east, named Kedorlaomer, was boss for his town, for Elam. That very one had earlier made himself boss for the people near Sodom. He forced them by fighting to give money. Those people near Sodom were giving him money for a long time, 12 years. At last they said to each other, “From now we won't give money to Kedorlaomer, we will withhold it. We will not listen to him.”

5-7 For that reason Kedorlaomer, that Elam boss from the east, and other bosses gathered together, from a few towns they gathered eastwards. They gathered their fighting men together. After that they all went to fight against the inhabitants near Sodom. They were going southwards, they avoided Sodom, that was west of them. They were going southwards, after that westwards, after that northwards, while going through the countries they were killing all the people. At last they came right to Sodom.

8-9 The bosses from those towns, from what's-their-names, Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim and Bela, those bosses gathered together their fighters, with weapons. They went to meet the ones from the east. In that valley, what's-its-name, Siddim, the people from around Sodom and the ones from the east were fighting.

10 In that valley there were many holes in the ground, with what's-its-name, with bitmumen. Those fighters from Sodom and Gomorrah ran away for fear of the fight. Some entered the holes, others ran to the hilly country.

11 After that those easterners took for themselves all the food and belongings from Sodom and Gomorrah. 12 They took Lot also, Abram's younger brother's son. They took Lot's belongings. They also took all the other people. They left to go to their own country.

ABRAM HIT THE EASTERNERS, HE GOT BACK LOT AND THE OTHERS (14:13-16)

13 At that time Abram was near Mamre's tree/s. Mamre and his two younger brothers, Eschol and Aner, were friends of Abram. One man ran from the fight, he came to Abram, he said to him, “Those fighters from the east took your brother's son, they took Lot with them.”

14 Abram when he heard that word gathered his fighting men. Those 318 went with Abram. They followed those (people) from the east. Mamre and Eschol and Aner also went. From behind they were following the easterners, they went a long way northwards, all the way to that country, to Dan. 15 In the night Abram split up his men, he spread them out. At that very time they hit the easterners hard, they caused them to run away for good, they chased them northwards to another country, towards Homah beyond what's-that-place, beyond Damascus. 16 After that Abram's men got back all the possessions of the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot and his possessions, the women and all the other prisoners. After that they all returned southwards.

ABRAM GAVE ANIMALS AND BELONGINGS TO MELCHIZEDEK (14:17-24)

17 As Abram was returning to the camp that Sodom boss went to meet him in the valley, named Shaveh valley. 18 Another man, named Melchizedek, also came to him there, he brought bread and wine for Abram. That Melchizedek was boss for that town Salem. From earlier he was also a ceremonial leader for God, for that Boss who is above.

19-20 This ceremonial leader Melchizedek said to Abram, “You know God. He is boss above. He is the one who made the sky and the ground and the sea and everything also. I am asking God that he will do good to you. Let us all praise God, the Boss above. He rescued you, for you he hit the fighters from the east completely.”

After that Abram from the belongings he brought back gave (some) to him. From 10 cattle he gave one, from 10 sheep he gave one, from everything in that way he gave animals and belongings to Melchizedek.

21 That Sodom boss said to Abram, “The belongings which have been brought back you will keep for yourself. I only want my people.”

22-23 Abram replied, “I will not keep your belongings, not any. God is Boss for all, he is the one who made everything, the sky and the ground and the sea also. I have already told God I will not keep your belongings, not even a little cloth. You might say, 'I truly gave Abram all his belongings.' 24 You might say like that. To avoid that I will not keep your belongings. Just food I will keep for my young men. These others I also took with me, Aner and Eschol and Mamre. Give belongings to those men.”

15

GOD APPEARED TO ABRAM (15:1-6)

1 After that God appeared to Abram in a dream. He said to him, “Abram, don't be afraid. I am the one who will look after you for ever. Truly I will give you great possessions.”

2 Abram answered him, “You are boss for everything. Why will you give me lots of possessions? Still I have no child. After I am dead my worker, that Eliezer, he is the one who will get my possessions. 3 You have not given me a child. My worker will get all my possessions.”

4 In reply God said to him, “Not your worker, not Eliezer, he will not get your possessions. Your own child, he is the one who will get your possessions.” 5 After that God took Abram outside, he said to him, “Look up, look at those stars. They are very many. You cannot count them [lit. 'cannot put names on them'], they are many. Your own grandchildren's grandchildren and those who come after them also will become very many. You will not be able put names on them, they will be very many.” Like that God spoke to him.

6 Abram listened, truly he believed God. Because of that God became happy with him.

GOD SPOKE TO ABRAM (15:7-21)

7 Again God spoke to him. “I am the one who earlier told you in the country Chaldea to leave your camp. You came here in accord with my word. This very land I will give you, it will be yours forever.” 8 Abram said to him, “God, you are the boss for everything. How will I know about that word, it is true?”

9 God replied, “Bring me animals, one bullock, one goat, one ram. Also bring me one dove and one pigeon.”

10 Abram brought those animals in accord with God's word. He killed them all. After that the bullock and goat and ram he split down the middle, he separated them. He did not split the birds down the middle. 11 Eagles came, they landed on the meat. Abram frightened them, they went away.

12 When the sun was setting Abram became deeply asleep. In a dream when he was asleep fear truly came on him. 15 God said to him, “Listen. You will become old, you will die in this country, they will put you in the ground in this country. 13 Later your grandchildren will go to another country. Not to their country, they will go to the country of foreigners. They will be right there for a long time, for 400 years. The inhabitants of that country will make them work hard, for no money, just for food. Truly they will keep your people for a long time in a very bad way. 14 After that in return I will hit those inhabitants. After that I will bring your people right back here, they will bring great possessions from that country. 16 They will stay in that country for 400 years, after that they will come back here. Not now I will give them this country. It is for later. Right now those people what's-their-name, Amu's mob, they are here. This is their country. Later they will become evil-doers, very bad. Right after that I will hit them, truly this country I will give to your people.” Like that God spoke to him.

17 After the sun set, when it had become dark, Abram saw two somethings, a smoking fire thing and something with a light, they were going in the middle of the pieces of meat. 18 At that time God spoke to him seriously, “Truly I will give this country to your people. The country from here in every direction I will give them, westwards all the way to the river in Egypt, eastwards all the way to the river, to the Euphrates river. 19-21 At present the land belongs to many others. I will take it away from them, I will give it to your grandchildren's grandchildren and those who come after them.” [The list of the people groups has been summarised by 'many others'.]

16

SARAH TOLD ABRAM, “SLEEP WITH MY WORKING WOMAN.” (16:1-6)

1 Abram was staying in that country, in Canaan, 10 years. He was still childless. That wife of his, Sarai, had not had a child. Sarai was keeping another woman from another country, from Egypt, a working woman for Sarai, her name was Hagar. 2 At that time Sarai said to Abram, “Husband, I am childless. God has withheld children from me. Take my working woman, take her for a wife, you two sleep together. Maybe she will have a child for me.” He replied, “Yes.”

3 After that Sarai gave that woman Hagar to Abram for a wife. 4 They slept together, Hagar and Abram. After that Hagar became pregnant. Because of that she became proud towards her boss, Sarai. “She is just nobody”, said Hagar.

5 After that Sarai became angry with Abram. “I gave you my working woman to keep in the camp. Now after becoming pregnant she has beome proud towards me. You are to blame. God will tell you, I am right.” 6 Abram said to her, “She is your worker, you are boss for her. Whatever you want with her, do that to her.”

After that Sarai was keeping Hagar in a bad way. Because of that Hagar ran away towards the desert.

GOD APPEARED TO HAGAR (16:7-16)

7 In that desert in dry country Hagar sat down near a spring. God appeared to her like an angel. 8 There he said to her, “Hagar, you are Sarai's working woman. Where have you come from? Where are you going?” Hagar replied, “I am running from my boss afraid.” 9 He said to her, “Return to your mistress, obey her. 10 I will give you very many grandchildren's grandchildren and those who come after them, you won't be able to count [lit 'name'] them, they will be very many. 11 You are pregnant, you will have a child, a boy. Yes, I heard you crying, for that reason you will name your son Ishmael. 12 When he grows up he will be a fighter against all people, they all will be fighters against him. He will be a solitary dweller.”

13 After that Hagar thought, “Truly it was God I saw, I am really alive, he did not kill me.” She named God, 'The One Who Habitually Sees Me'. 14 Because of that she named that well, “The Living One Sees Me”.

15 After that Hagar returned to Sarai. After that she had a child for Abram, a boy. 16 Abram had 86 years. At that same time Hagar had the child. Abram named him Ishmael.

17

ABRAM WILL BE FATHER FOR MANY (17:1-27)

1 Abram became old, having 99 years. After that God again appeared to him. He said to him, “I am the greatest [lit. 'I truly am another'], very strong. All others are weak alongside me. Listen to me, do the right thing always. 2 I will give you many grandchildren's grandchildren and those who come after them. That really true word I give you.” 3 Abram knelt down with his forehead on the ground.

God said to him, 4 “I am putting this my word down for you, truly you will be grandfather for many people. Your grandchildren's grand-children and those who come after them will spread out in many countries. 5 Therefore now I am giving you another name. From now your name will be Abraham. That name says, 'Father For Many'. 6 Yes, I will give you many grandchildren's grandchildren and those who come after them. They will spread out to many countries far and near. From them there will be some important bosses.

7 This word is for you and for the children who will come after you, it will be forever. I will be a father for all of you. 8 Yes, this country, they name it Canaan country, I will give to your grandchildren's grandchildren and those who come after them. Now you are staying in this country like a stranger. Later all this country will belong to your mob forever, I will be a father for them.

9-11 You and your mob who will come after you must believe my word forever. From now on you must cut [euphemism for 'circumcise'] all your (pl) males. When you do like that all people will know about you, you are my people. 12-13 When the little ones have 8 days you (pl) must cut them all. Your workers also you must cut. Perhaps a working person's male children will be born in your camp. You must cut them. Perhaps you will get with money workers from foreign countries. Those also you must cut. Like that you must do. 14 You must believe this word of mine. Those who don't believe me will not be my people. They ignore my word. Therefore I will not be a father for them.

15 This other word I am telling you (sg). Your wife, Sarai, she will have another name. From now you will not name her Sarai. You will name her Sarah. 16 I will do good to her, I will give you two a child, Sarah will give birth to a child. Sarah's descendents will become many. They will spread out in every direction, they will settle in different countries. Some from among them will become important bosses.”

17 Abraham knelt down, his forehead down on the ground. He laughed to himself, he said to himself, “I am very old, I have 100 years. How will I now become a father for my child? Sarah is old also, she has 90 years. How now will she give birth to a child?” 18 After that Abraham said to him, “God, perhaps you will do good to my child, Ishmael, to his descendants also you will do good.”

19 In reply God said to him, “Truly your wife Sarah, she will give birth to a child. You will name him Isaac. I will look after him, in accord with my word, him and his descendants. They will be my people forever. 20 You asked me to do good to Ishmael. Yes, I heard you. I will do good to him also, I will give him many people. He will have 12 sons. They will become important bosses. Their descendants will become many. 21 That Isaac, he is the one who will be mine forever. I will be Father to him. Sarah will give birth to him about this time in one year.” In that way God spoke to Abraham. 22 After he finished talking to Abraham God went away.

23-27 There were very many working men in Abraham's camp. Some he had earlier got with money, others earlier had grown up from infancy in his camp. On that very day Abraham gathered all the men in his camp, old ones and children. On that very day in accord with God's word Abraham cut all the men. Another person cut him also. At that time Abraham was an old man, he had 99 years. His son, Ishmael, had 13 years. Truly on that one day those two were cut, Abraham and his son, Ishmael.

18

GOD AND TWO ANGELS CAME TO ABRAHAM (18:1-15)

1 Fairly soon after that God again appeared to Abraham. Abraham was staying near the big trees at Mamre. The sun was above. In the heat he was staying in his tent, at the doorway. 2 He looked, he saw three men standing nearby.

Abraham stood up, he ran to them, he knelt down in front of them. 3 He said to them, “Do not go straight on. 4 Sit down here a while in the shade of the trees. I will get water for you, you can wash your feet. 5 Food also I will bring for you. After eating you will go.” They said to him, “Yes. Good.”

6 Abraham ran to the tent, he told Sarah, “Be quick! Get flour, cook damper for them.” 7 After that he went outside, he got a bullock, a young one, in good condition. He said to a worker, “Be quick! Kill this animal, cook it.”

8 After that was done Abraham took meat and milk and other things like that [no word for 'cheese'], he gave it to them. While the men were eating, Abraham was standing near the trees. 9 One of those men was really God. He spoke to Abraham, “Where is your wife, Sarah?” “She is in the tent.”

10 God said to him, “Truly after a year I will return, Sarah will give birth to a child, she will have a boy.”

Nearby, inside the tent, Sarah was listening. 11-12 She laughed to herself, she said to herself, “I am old, my husband also is old. I am very old, I cannot have a child.”

13 God said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say to herself, 'I am very old, I cannot have a child.'? 14 It is not a puzzle for me. Truly I will do in that way. I will return after a year, truly Sarah will give birth to a child.” In that way God spoke to Abraham.

15 With fear Sarah lied to him, “I did not laugh.” He replied, “Truly you laughed.”

ABRAHAM ASKED GOD ABOUT SODOM AND GOMORRAH (18:16-33)

16 After that those three (previously mentioned) stood up, they went, they were looking towards Sodom. Abraham was going along with them.

17 As he was going God was thinking to himself, “Those men in those two towns, the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, they are really bad. I might kill them dead forever. What shall I do, shall I tell Abraham I might do that? Yes I will tell him. 18-19 I chose Abraham, because of him I will do good to all people, in all countries. I will give him many grandchildren's grandchildren and those who come after them, his mob will become very many, they will become important bosses. Because of that Abraham will tell his mob to listen to me for ever, they will do the proper thing for ever. After they do like that I will do good to them in accordance with my word.”

20 After that he said to Abraham, “You know about those people in Sodom and Gomorrah. I have heard about them, they have continually been doing evil. 21 As a result of that word I will go, I will see. Perhaps that word I heard is true.”

22 After that those other two continued on towards Sodom. God and Abraham stood there.

23 Abraham said to him, “Perhaps some in Sodom do good, they might go in the straight way. How will you act? Will you kill those also. 24 Perhaps 50 inhabitants of Sodom are good. Will you kill all the inhabitants of Sodom? 25 You should not kill the good ones, only the bad ones you should kill. You should do only good.” 26 God replied, “For 50 who habitually do good I will not hit that town. I will just leave them all.”

27 Abraham said to him, “I'm nothing, I should not ask. 28 Perhaps there are only 45 habitually good ones in that town. How will you act? Will you kill everyone in the town?” “For 45 habitually good people I will not hit that town.”

29 Again Abraham said to him, “Perhaps there are 40 good ones there.” “For 40 good ones I will not hit that town.”

30 After that Abraham said to him, “Again I will ask you, please don't look at me with anger, perhaps there are only 30 good ones there.” “For 30 good ones I will not hit that town.”

31 Again Abraham was bold. “Perhaps there are only 20 good ones there.” “For 20 good ones I will not hit that town.”

32 After that Abraham said to him, “I will ask only once again. Please don't be angry with me. Perhaps there are 10 good ones there.” God replied, “Truly for 10 I will not hit that town.”

33 After that, after talking to Abraham, God went, Abraham returned to the camp.

19

TWO ANGELS CAMPED WITH LOT IN SODOM (19:1-29)

1 The other two continued on towards Sodom. God sent them, those two were angels. They arrived at the town at sundown.

At that time Lot, Abraham's younger brother's son, was sitting at the gate of the town. He saw those two, he went to meet them. He bowed to them with his face downwards. 2 He said to them, “Please come to my camp. You will wash your feet, you will stay in my house. In the morning you can go wherever you want to go.” They replied, “Don't worry. We will stay right here on the level area for the night.” 3 Lot continued to ask them to stay in his house. Therefore they went to his camp. He brought to them flat damper and various good foods. Those two were eating.

4 While those two were sitting there, Sodom men came to the house. There were young men and old, all the Sodom men, they were standing outside. 5 They called out to Lot, “Where are those two men who came to your house? Bring them to us!” Those Sodom men were truly sex-mad, they wanted those two.

6 Lot went outside, he shut the door behind him. 7 He said to them, “Don't do that sort of thing. It is very bad. 8 Listen. I have two daughters, young girls. They have not slept with a man. Let me bring those two daughters to you. Do to them whatever you want. Those two men are strangers, leave them. They came to my camp. Truly I should look after them.”

9 After hearing that word they became angry. “Go away! Go away! You came here from a long way off, now you will make yourself a boss for us. We will truly do bad to you.” They pushed Lot in another direction, they tried in vain to break his door.

10 After that those two angels pulled Lot inside the house, they shut the door. 11 After that they made those Sodom men blind, they could not see. In vain they were searching for the door.

12 The two said to Lot, “Who from your family are in this town? Children? Sons-in-law? Tell them they must leave this town. 13 Soon we two will truly burn all this town. God knows about the people here, they are very bad. He sent us here to burn everything completely.”

14 Lot went to his two sons-in-law, the ones his daughters were promised to, he said to them, “Soon God will burn this town completely. Run quickly from here lest you die!” They ignored him, they were thinking it was like a game, that he was only tricking them.

15 When it became first light the angels said to Lot, “Take your wife and two daughters, all of you run outside this town lest you die!”

16 Lot was ignoring them, he did not hurry. After that those two angels took him by the hand, they went quickly outside the town. (God had pity on Lot, therefore they did that.) 17 After that those two said to them, “Run, run! Do not look behind! Do not settle down partway on the plain. Run straight on to the hills lest you die!”

18-19 Lot replied, “You two with pity have been kind to me, you saved me. Listen to me. The hills are really far away. I can't run as far as there. I might die partway. 20 Do you see that town, that little town over there? I will run as far as there. I will be safe there.”

21 One said to him, “Yes. You (pl) go there. I will not burn that small town. 22-23 I will wait a little while for you. As soon as you arrive there I will burn the remaining country. Therefore run!” When the sun had just risen Lot and his two daughters arrived at that town. The name of that small town is Zoar.

24-25 After that God sent from the sky things like stones with fire, like that they hit those two towns, Sodom and Gomorrah. All the inhabitants died. God also hit the plain, the country became bad, without grass, without trees.

26 Lot's wife ignored the word from the two angels. She looked behind her towards Sodom, salt covered her. That woman died, salt covered her, it made her like a termite mound.

27 In the morning Abraham returned to that (previously mentioned) place, to the place where he was talking to God. 28 From the hills he looked toward the plain, towards Sodom and Gomorrah. Smoke was going up in that direction.

29 In that way God burned completely the plain and the two towns. Only Lot and his two daughters he sent away from Sodom lest they be killed. God listened to Abraham, he saved Lot.

LOT'S DAUGHTERS DID VERY BADLY (19:30-38)

30 Lot was afraid to stay in that small town, Zoar. He left there, he went to the hills. He and his daughters were staying in a cave. 31 One day the oldest one said to her younger sister, “Our father is old, we are without men. In this country there is truly not one man. 32 Let us give father wine to drink. After that, when he is drunk we will sleep with him. In that way we will have a child from our father.”

33 In the night they gave him wine. After he was drunk the eldest one went to him, she slept with him. Lot did not know that she had come and she had gone away. 34 On the next day the eldest one said to her young sister, “Last night I slept with father. Tonight we will again give him wine. After that you will sleep with him, you will have a child from him.

35 That night they again gave wine to their father. After that the youngest one slept with him. Lot did not know she had come and she hadgone away. 36 In that way Lot's two daughters became pregnant by their own father.

37 The oldest one gave birth to a child, a boy, she named him Moab. They called the ones who came after him Moab's mob. 38 The youngest one also gave birth to a child, a boy. She named him Ben-Ammi. They called the ones who came after him Amu's mob.

20

[Chapter 20 omitted at this stage.]

21

SARAH GAVE BIRTH TO A CHILD (21:1-7)

1-2 After that God's word for Sarah came true for her. Earlier he said to Abraham, “Your wife Sarah will give birth to a child.” In accordance with God's word she had a child, a boy. 3 Abraham named his child Isaac. That name says, 'He Laughs'. 4 After 8 days Abraham cut him in accordance with God's word. 5 At that time he was very old, he had 100 years.

6 Sarah was very happy, she laughed, “God made me happy. Others when they hear will be happy, they also will laugh. 7 Everyone was saying I would remain forever without a child for Abraham. Now I have given birth to a child for him after he is old.”

ABRAHAM SENT HAGAR AND ISHMAEL AWAY (21:8-21)

8 The child became big, he left the breast. After that Abraham told his workers to cook a lot of food for many people. After that they all came to Abraham's camp, they were eating that food, they were happy. 9 Ishmael, Hagar's son, in play was mocking Isaac. Sarah saw those two, she became upset. 10 She said to Abraham, “After you die my son, Isaac, he only will get your belongings. That other child, the working woman's child, he will not get your belongings. Send that working woman and her child right away.”

11 Sarah's word made Abraham upset. He did not want to send away his own child. 12 God spoke to him, “Don't be upset about Ishmael and his mother. Listen to Sarah, do in accordance with her word. Earlier I said to you that I will give you many grandchildren's grandchildren and those who come after them. From Isaac they will come. 13 Ishmael's grandchildren's grandchildren and those who come after them will be very many. He also is your child. Therefore I will do good to him also.”

14 In the morning at daybreak Abraham gave Hagar food and water. He put a water container on Hagar's shoulder. After that he sent the two of them away.

They were going about in the desert near what's-that-place, near Beersheba. 15 Their water ran out. After that Hagar left her son near a tree. 16 She went a little way off, she sat down. She said to herself, “Truly my son will soon die. I don't want to see that.” She was really crying for the child.

17 The lad was crying, God heard him. From the sky he called Hagar, “Hagar, do not be upset, do not be afraid. I heard the lad cry. 18 I will look after him. I will give him many grandchildren's grandchildren and those who come after them. Now go to him, take him by the hand, make him stand up.” Like that God spoke to her.

19 After that Hagar looked, God showed her water. She went there, she filled the water container, she took it to the lad, she gave him water.

20 Ishmael became big, God was caring for him. He became a hunter. 21 He was staying in the desert, in the country named Paran. His mother got a wife for him from Egypt. [21:22-34 omitted at this stage.]

22

GOD TESTED ABRAHAM (22:1-19)

1 After a long time God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Yes?” 2 He said to him, “Your own child, that Isaac, truly you love him. Take him, you two go to a far-off place, to the country Moriah. In the hills I will show you one hill/rock. Right there kill you own child, put his body on the fire, burn it to ashes. Do like that for me.”

3 At daybreak Abraham got up from sleep. He got firewood, he put it on a donkey. After that Abraham and two workers and Isaac went to that country, to Moriah they were going.

4 After two camps he saw that hill from far away. 5 He said to his two workers, “Stay right here, the donkey also. We two, the child and I, will go there, we will give an animal/meat to God. After that we will return to you two.”

6 Abraham put the firewood on Isaac's shoulder. Abraham carried the knife and the firestick. Then they went. 7 Isaac said to his father, “Father!” “Yes?” “We are taking firewood and a knife. Where is that sheep we will kill for God?” 8 Abraham said to him, “God himself will give us a sheep to burn.” After that they were going.

9 They arrived there, earlier God told Abraham about that place. Abraham gathered stones, he put the firewood on top, he did not light it. He tied up his son, he put him on top of the wood. 10 After that he picked up the knife to kill the child.

11 From the sky God called to him, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Yes?” 12 “Stop! Do not kill your son! I was just testing you. Earlier I told you, you will kill your son, you will give him to me. You did not withhold him from me. From that I know about you, you continually do what I tell you.” In that way God spoke to Abraham.

13 Abraham looked, he saw a ram close by, its horns were stuck in a tree, it could not pull itself out. He got that animal, he killed it for God. He did not kill his own child, he kept him alive in accordance with God's word.

14 After that Abraham named that hill “God Is A Giver”. Therefore right up till now they say, “On God's hill God will give to us.”

15 Again God called to Abraham from the sky. 16-18 “You listened to me, you did not withhold your own child from me. Therefore I will truly do good to you, I will give you many grandchildren's grandchildren and those who come after them. You know about the stars in the sky, they are very many. I am telling you now, I will also make your grandchildren's grandchilden and those who come after them very many. Some might dislike your mob, I will place your mob as bosses for those who dislike them. I will make it very good for your mob. All other people everywhere will say to me, 'God, you truly did good to Abraham's mob. Like that please do good to us also.' You trusted me. Therefore like that I will do good to you. I am putting down my word for you, that word will truly be for you forever.” In that way God spoke to Abraham.

19 After that Abraham and Isaac returned to the two workers. After that they went to Beersheba. Abraham was staying there. [22:20-24 omitted.]

23

SARAH DIED (23:1-20)

1-2 After that Abraham's wife, that Sarah, died. She was very old, having 127 years. She passed away there, at Hebron, in the country Canaan. Abraham cried for her. 3 After crying for her he went to the bosses of the town. (Those men were Hittites [lit. 'Yiti's-plural'].) Abraham talked to those people.

4 “You know me. I came from far away. This is not my country. I am like a stranger/foreigner. My wife has died. Please give me land, there I will put the dead one.”

5-6 “Yes, you choose a cave. You are an important boss. Choose a good cave, there you will put your wife. We will not withhold land from you.”

7 Abraham bowed down to them. 8 He said to them, “Please speak to the man, Zohar's son, Ephron. 9 You might ask him to give me a cave in what's-that-place, in Machpelah. That cave is on his land. I will give whatever money he wants for that. I will give the money here, you all will see. After that that cave will become mine.”

10-11 That man Ephron was sitting there among them. He told Abraham, while other men were listening, “Old man, I will give you that cave, that land close to the cave also. You will put your wife there. All the men here heard what I said.”

12 Again Abraham bowed down to the men of the land. 13 He said to Ephron, “No. I will give you money for that land. Take this money from me. After that that land will be mine, I will put the dead one there.”

14-15 That Ephron said to him, “Old man, please listen to me. I might ask you to give me 400 (pieces of) money, but no. I will give the land to you, just take it for no money. You should put your dead one in the cave.”

16 “No, I will truly give you the money.” Right then Abraham gave Ephron 400 (pieces of) money, in accordance with Ephron's word.

17-18 Therefore that cave in Machpelah became Abraham's, that land near the cave and all the trees on that land also. Those important bosses were watching. They all knew, Abraham got that land with money.

19 After that Abraham put his dead wife in that cave, in the cave at Machpelah, east of Mamre, in the country Canaan. 20 In that way that cave and land near the cave became Abraham's forever, for a grave.

24

A WIFE FOR ISAAC (24:1-67)

1 At that time Abraham was very old. God was looking after him well, he gave him animals and belongings in abundance, truly he did good to him.

2-4 One day Abraham called a man, an important worker of his. He was boss for all Abraham's other workers. He said to him, “You will go to bring a wife for my son. Truly do not bring a woman who is an inhabitant of this country. Certainly not. Go to my own country. Bring a wife for him from my family. Put your hand between my thighs, give me your true word, you will do like that in accordance with my word. You know about God, he is the one who made the sky and the ground. He will hear your word. If you ignore me, he will know about you.”

5 That worker replied. “That woman might not follow me. She might tell me 'Certainly not'. After that what shall I do? Should I take your son to your country?”

6 Abraham said to him, “Certainly not. You must not take my son there. 7 God, he is above, earlier he truly told me to leave my country. He gave me his true word, 'Truly I will give this country to your grandchildren's grandchildren and those who come after them.' He will send his angel ahead of you; he will show you a wife for my son. 8 That girl might say to you, 'I will not follow you, I will stay in my own country.' If she says that just leave her, return without her. Truly you must not take my son to that country to get a wife for him.”

9 After that that worker put his hand between Abraham's thighs, he gave him his true word, he said to him, “Truly I will do like that.”

10 After that that worker gathered possessions and gold and various things from Abraham's (belongings). If he should get a young girl, he would give (them) to that girl and her father and mother. After that he got 10 of Abraham's camels, he went towards that country, towards Mesopotamia. He was going camp by camp right to that town, to what's-that-place, Abraham's younger brother, Nahor, used to live there.

11 One day, at evening, he arrived near a well, outside a town. Water used to spring up there. He made the camels kneel near the well. The women from the town were coming there in the evening to get water.

12 He talked to God. “God, all the time my master Abraham obeys you. Truly you look after him, Please do good to him now. Show me a young woman for his son. 13 I am here near the water. Right now young women are coming here from the town for water. 14 I will ask one to give me a little water. She might tell me, 'Yes, here is water for you. I will bring water for your camels also.' The woman who says she should give water for the camels, she is the one who will be a wife for Isaac. Like that will you show me that young girl. If you do that, I will know about you, you are taking care of Abraham.”

15-16 Just as he was talking to God, Rebekah came, she was carrying a water container on her shoulder. That young girl had a beautiful face. She had not slept with a man. She did not have a promised one. (Her father's name was Bethuel. Bethuel's mother's name was Milcah, his father's name was Nahor. That Nahor was Abraham's younger brother.) Rebekah came down to the well, she filled the water container, she climbed back up.

17 The old man went quickly to meet her, he said to her, “Please give me a little water from the container.”

18 “Yes, old man, here is water for you.” Straight away she put the water container from her shoulder on to her hand, she poured water for him. He drank it. 19 After that the young girl said to him, “I will get water for the camels also, they will drink until they are satisfied.” 20 Straight away she poured water into the animals' drinking container. After that she hurried back to the well, she went down, again she scooped up water, she was bringing water for all the camels.

21 Quietly that old man was watching her, He was thinking to himself, “This young girl might be a wife for Isaac.”

22 The camels drank till satisfied. After that the old man gave the young girl a gold nose-thing, he put on her arms two gold arm-things also. 23 He said to her, “Who is your father? Perhaps I and my workers can sleep one night in your father's camp?”

24 She replied, “My father is Bethuel. He is Nahor's son, his mother is Milcah. 25 You can all stay in our camp. Our camp is wide. We have grass for your camels.”

26 The old man bowed face down to God, he worshipped him, he said to him, 27 “God, you are good. Thank you, you helped us. You gave your word to my master Abraham. Truly you kept that word. You brought me straight here, to my master's mob, to his own family.”

28 After that that young woman hurried to her mother's camp, she reported to them the old man's talk. 29-30 Rebekah's older brother, Laban by name, was there. He saw those two arm-things and the nose-thing. He heard his younger sister's talk. Then he hurried to the old man. He was standing near the well, close to the camels.

31 Laban said to him, “God is pleased with you. Do not stay here. Come, you will come to our camp. We have made ready for you and your workers. Your camels will rest there also.”

32 They all went to Laban's house. There Laban loosed the riding gear from the camels, he gave them grass. After that he brought water for the old man and the workers for them to wash their feet. 33 After that he brought food to the old man. The old man said to him, “Let me tell you why I came. After that I will eat.” “Yes, you will tell us why you came.”

34 The old man said to Laban and his father, “I am a worker of Abraham's. 35 God has truly done good to my master. He made him an important boss. He gave him many animals, sheep and goats and cattle and camels and donkeys. He gave him gold money, working men and women also.

36 Yes, when he was old his wife, Sarah, gave birth to a boy child for him. My master gave all his money and animals and belongings to that very son. 37-38 He said to me seriously, 'You will bring a wife for my son. Do not choose a young woman who is an inhabitant of this country, an inhabitant of Canaan. You will go to my father's country, you will go to my family's camp. From there you will get a wife for my son.' Like that my master told me.

39 I said to him, 'Perhaps that young woman will not follow me.' 40 He replied, 'God will send his angel ahead of you. That angel will show you a girl from my father's family. 41 They might say to you, “Certainly not. We will not give her as a wife for Abraham's son.” If they speak in that way just leave her, return without the young woman.' In that way Abraham spoke to me.

42 Today I arrived at the well near your town. I said to God, 'God, my master Abraham obeys you, he is in your mob. Now please do good to me. Show me that wife for Isaac. 43 I am here near the well. After the young women come for water I will ask one, “Give me a little water from your water container.” 44 Perhaps she will reply, “Yes, here is water for you. I will bring water for your camels also.” If she talks in that way she will be the wife for Isaac. Show me that very same young woman.'

45 While I was still talking to God, Rebekah came, she was carrying a water container on her shoulder. She got water. Then I asked her, 'Please give me water to drink.' 46 Quickly she lowered the water container, she said to me, 'Yes, here is water for you. I will bring water for your camels also.' After that I drank, she gave water to the camels also.

47 After that I asked her, 'Who is your father?' She said to me, 'My father is Bethuel. He is Nahor's son, his mother is Milcah.'

After that I put the nose-thing on the young woman, I put two arm-things on her arms. 48 God showed me the wife for Isaac from my master's own relatives. Therefore I bowed face downwards, I worshipped God, I said to him, 'Thank you. You have helped me.' 49 Yes, what will you say? Will you tell my master, 'Yes'? Will you give this young woman fo his son? If you don't I will do something different.”

50 Laban and Bethuel replied, “God has done this. This young woman will go. We won't prevent her going. 51 You will take Rebekah, you will all go. She will become the wife of your master's son in accordance with God's word.” 52 When he heard their word that old man, Abraham's working man, knelt down, he said to God, “Thank you. You have helped me.”

53 After that he gave Rebekah gold and good belongings. He gave Rebekah's brother and mother other good belongings also. 54 After that the old man and his workers ate food, they drank wine. They slept right there.

In the morning after getting up from sleep the old man said to them, “Today I will return to my master, I will take the young woman also.”

55 Rebekah's brother and mother replied, “Please wait a while! That young woman should stay here a little while, maybe for 10 days she will stay. After that we two will send you all away, the young woman also.”

56 He said to them, “God has done good to me. Now I should go soon to my master. Please don't prevent me.” 57 “Please wait. We will ask the girl what she will say.”

58 They called her. When she came they asked her, “Will you go with these people?” Rebekah answered, “Yes.”

59 After that they sent Rebekah to go with the old man and his workers. There was an old woman there, she earlier looked after Rebekah and raised her. They sent her also.

60 They spoke kindly to Rebekah. “Truly we want God to do good to you. We want your grandchildren's grandchildren and those who come after them to become very many. Some people might hate them, we want your mob to become bosses for those others who hate them.”

61 After that Rebekah and her working women climbed on camels, they followed the old man. In that way the old man transported Rebekah, he was returning to his master. 62 At that time Isaac was in the south of Canaan country, in the area of the water-hole, what's-its-name, Lahai-Roi. 63 One evening he was just walking around, away from his camp, he saw the camels coming.

64 From a long way off Rebekah saw Isaac, she got down from the camel. 65 She asked the old man, “Who is that man coming towards us?” “He is my master, Isaac.” Rebekah got a cloth for her face, she covered her face.

66 Then the old man reported everything to Isaac. 67 After that Isaac took Rebekah to a tent. That tent earlier was his mother's. He was sad after his mother died. Now Rebekah became his wife. Isaac truly loved her. Right after that he became happy, he was not sad for his mother.

25

ABRAHAM'S OTHER CHILDREN (25:1-6)

1 Abraham earlier took another wife. Her name was Keturah. [Earlier: Implied. Abraham was 137 when Sarah died. His fathering of children by Keturah must have been before 17:17, when Abraham was 99, and probably before Hagar and Abraham produced Ishmael, when Abraham was 85.] 2-6 Those two had 6 sons, their children. In that place they grew up. Their father gave them belongings. After that he sent them to another country, eastwards. He sent them away from Isaac. After that he gave all the rest to Isaac, whatever belongings he had.

ABRAHAM DIED (25:7-11)

7-8 Abraham was very old, having 175 years. After that he died.

9-10 His two sons Isaac and Ishmael put their father in a cave at Machpelah. Earlier that same cave used to belong to another. Abraham got it with money, a lot of money he gave Ephron for that cave and land. When his wife Sarah died Abraham put her in that cave. In that same cave now his two sons also put him.

11 After that God took care of Isaac. Isaac made his camp at the water-hole, what's that place, Lahoi-Roi. [25:12-20 omitted.]

REBEKAH GAVE BIRTH TO TWO CHILDREN (25:21-26)

21 Isaac and his wife were staying there a long time without children. Isaac asked God, “Will you give my wife a child.” God listened to him, afterwards his wife became pregnant. 22 She had two children in her womb. They were wrestling. Rebekah was upset. She asked God, “Why?” 23 God told her, “You will give birth to two males. The descendants of those two will argue with each other, they will separate from each other. The descendants of the youngest one will be strong, they will be bosses for the others.”

24 After that Rebekah gave birth to two children, males. 25 The oldest one appeared red and hairy. Therefore they named him Esau. 26 After that the younger one appeared. He was holding his older brother's heel. Therefore they named him Jacob. At that time Isaac was old, having 60 years.

ESAU ATE RED FOOD (25:27-34)

27 Those two Esau and Jacob became big, they became men. Esau was a hunter, he used to go out for meat. Jacob used to stay in the camp, he used to work for his father. 28 Esau used to bring meat for his father to eat. That is why Isaac used to like his eldest one. The mother used to like the youngest one.

29 One day Jacob was cooking food, red food, the name for that is lentil. Esau returned after having gone hunting. He was hungry. 30 He said to his younger brother, “I am hungry. Give me some of that red food.” (Because of that they gave him another name, Edom.) 31 Jacob replied, “Wait a bit! Tell me your true word. You are the eldest one. Later our father will die. After that you will be boss for us two. You will get the big lot of the belongings. I will get the small lot. Tell me I will be like the older brother. Tell me like that, after that I will give you food.” 32 Esau replied, “Without the food I might die. After that I will not get the belongings, I will not be older brother for you. That is just true. Give me some of that food!” 33 Jacob replied, “Give me a straight word. After that I will give you food.”

Esau thought to himself he should just stay not being boss for him, he was wanting to be without caring. He gave the word to him, “Yes, you can be like the older brother.” 34 Therefore Jacob gave him damper and red food. After that Esau ate, he drank, he went away without caring. [From 26:6-9 it is clear that at least part of 26:1-33 is a flashback which chronologically fits in between verses 20 and 21 of chapter 25, before Rebekah gave birth to the twins. We have bypassed it at this stage, but it is significant, in that it records God's passing on to Isaac of the promises made to Abraham, and of God's prospering Isaac for Abraham's sake.]

26

ESAU'S TWO WIVES (26:34-35)

34 Esau was 40 years old, he got two wives. Those two women were local inhabitants, from Hiti's mob. 35 Isaac and Rebekah were unhappy because of their daughters-in-law. The daughters-in-law made them really upset.

27

JACOB DECEIVED HIS FATHER (27:1-29)

1 When Isaac became old he became blind. One day he called for his oldest one, Esau, “Oldest one, come here!” “Yes, what?” 2 The father said to him, “Listen! I have become old. I might die anytime now. 3-4 While I am alive I will tell you a word, God will do this good thing for you. Listen to me, take your weapons for going hunting. Having killed, cook for me really tasty meat. When I have eaten it I will tell you the word in preparation for my death.”

5 While he was talking to Esau, Rebekah was listening to him. Esau went from the camp to go hunting. 6 After that Rebekah said to the youngest one, “I heard your father telling your older brother, 7 'Go hunting, having killed and returned, cook for me really tasty meat. When I have eaten I will tell you my good word, in preparation for my death.' That is how he spoke to your older brother.

8 You listen to me, youngest one. 9 Go, choose two small goats. When you have killed them bring them to me. On your behalf I will cook really tasty meat for your father, his favourite. 10 You will take that meat to your father. Then it will be to you he will tell the good word in preparation for his dying.”

11 Jacob said to her, “Listen to me. My older brother is hairy, I am smooth, without hair. 12 Father might touch me. After touching me he might realise I am the youngest one, he might realise I lied. I might make trouble for myself!” 13 His mother said to him, “Don't be afraid! Let the trouble come to me instead of you. Do what I say. Bring me two goats.”

14 Jacob listened to his mother. He killed two goats, he took them to his mother. She cooked really tasty meat for his father. 15 Then Rebekah got good clothes belonging to the eldest one, Esau's (clothes), she gave those garments to the youngest one. “Put these clothes on yourself.” 16 After that she got a few bits of skin from the goats, she put them on his hands and neck. 17 She gave Jacob the cooked meat and damper. “Take this food to your father.”

18 Then he took the food to his father, he said to him, “Father!” “Yes, who are you?” 19 Jacob lied, he said to him, “I am the eldest one, Esau. Having gone I have returned to you with meat, as you told me. Sit up now, eat this really tasty meat. After you have eaten tell me the word of how God will do good to me.” 20 Isaac said to him, “Wow! You got the meat quickly.” Jacob lying said to him, “Your boss, God, showed me the meat quickly.”

21 Isaac said to him, “You talk like someone else. Come here! After touching you I will know if you are telling the truth.” 22-23 After that he came close to him. His father touched him. The goat skin deceived Isaac. “You talk like Jacob, your hand is like Esau's.” 24 Wanting to be sure, his father asked him, “Are you really Esau?” “Yes, I am Esau.” 25 “Pass me that meat. After eating it I will tell you my word.” Jacob took the meat to him, he gave him something to drink also, red wine.

26 Then after eating Isaac said to him, “Come here to me, hug me.” 27 He came to him, he hugged him. Isaac smelled Esau's clothes. He said to Jacob, “My son, you smell like grass, you smell like grassy country, very pleasant. God has been looking after that country. 28 God will send rain for your country. Many foods will come up in all directions from the vegetation on your country. He will give you a lot of food and water to drink. 29 People from far away, from other countries will work for you, they will obey you. You will be boss for your younger brothers, your mother's children will kneel down at your feet. Some will hate you, they will ask God to do evil to you. In response God will do evil to them. Some will do good to you. In response God will do good to them.” In that way Isaac spoke to Jacob. Like that he said God would do good to him.

ESAU LEARNED ABOUT THE LIE (27:30-45)

30 After that Jacob went, he left his father there. Soon Esau returned from hunting. 31 He cooked tasty meat. After cooking it he took it to his father. “Father, sit up. Eat this meat from me. When you have eaten it you will tell me God's good word, God will do good for me.” 32 Isaac asked him, “Who are you?” “I am your eldest one, Esau.” 33 As soon as he heard Esau's word he trembled with fear. “Who, after killing meat, gave it to me? I finished eating the meat, all the meat. I gave my good word for him. Yes, God will do good to him in accordance with my word.” 34 As soon as Esau heard that word he became upset. Truly he cried loudly there. He begged his father, “Give your good word to me also!” 35 He said to him, “No, truly! I gave him my good word. Your younger brother deceived me for that word. I gave him my good word. I truly cannot give you that word.” 36 Esau said to him, “My younger brother is a deceiver of people. Jacob is a good name for him. Twice my younger brother has deceived me. He tricked me into saying he is like an older brother for me. He tricked you about God's word, you gave it to him, you did not give it to me. Will you give me also your good word. In that way God will do good to me also.”

37 Isaac said to him, “With what word can I talk to you, my son? I put your younger brother boss for you. His relatives will all obey him. I told him he will get much food and drink.” 38 Esau said to his father, “Give me a small good word! Tell me one good word!” He cried loudly.

39 His father said to him, “You will stay in poor country. Insufficient rain will fall on your country. 40 You will stay as a fighter there. Your younger brother will stay a boss for you. And later you will separate from him. After that he will not force you to work. That is the word I am giving you, son.”

41 After that Esau was thinking about his father's good word from God, his father gave it to Jacob. Therefore Esau did not like his younger brother. He was thinking, “Later my father will die. We will cry for him. After that I will kill my younger brother.” 42 Someone learned about that word of Esau's and told their mother. Rebekah called to the younger one, she said to him, “Your older brother will kill you dead. In response they will kill him also. I will be without children. 43 Listen to me, lest you die. Go from here. Go to another country, to what's-its-name, to Haran, to my older brother Laban. 44 Stay there with him for a while. 45 Later your older brother will forget about that lie of yours. After that he will feel good towards you without anger. Then I will send a message for you. I want you both to stay alive, not dying.” In that way Rebekah talked.

ISAAC SENT JACOB TO ANOTHER COUNTRY (27:46—28:5)

46 After that Rebekah said to her husband, “I do not like those two wives of Esau's. Maybe Jacob will choose a wife from this country, from Hiti's mob. If he does that I will not want to stay alive, I will die.”

28

1 Isaac called for Jacob, he talked kindly to him, “You choose a wife not from here, not from Canaan. 2 Go from here a long way to another country, to what's-the-place, to Mesopotamia. Go to the camp of what's-his-name, of Bethuel, your mother's father. Get for yourself a wife from right there, from your uncle Laban's family. 3 God will do good to you, he will give you many children, you (pl) will become very many. 4 God earlier made a promise to your grandfather Abraham, he told him, 'This country will be for your family for ever.' In accordance with that word he will give you this country. Now you are staying here like a stranger. Later God will give you this country forever.”

5 After talking like that Isaac sent Jacob far away. After that Jacob was going towards Mesopotamia, he was searching for his uncle Laban, in what's-that-place, in the country Aram. That Laban was the son of Bethuel. He was the older brother of Rebekah, the mother of Esau and Jacob. [28:6-9 has been omitted.]

GOD APPEARED TO JACOB IN A DREAM (28:10-22)

10 Jacob left that country Beersheba, he was going towards that town Haran. 11 After the sun went down he made his camp partway. He was sleeping with his head on a stone. 12 There in sleep he dreamed. He saw a what's-its-name, a thing for climbing. One end was on the ground, the other was in the sky. Some of God's angels were climbing, some were coming down. 13 There in the dream he saw God also, he was standing near the top of the thing for climbing. He said to Jacob, “I am God. I am the one who was looking after Abraham and Isaac, your grandfather and father. Those two also belong to me. This country where you are now sleeping I will give you, for you and your children. 14 You will get many grandchildren's grandchildren and those who come after them, very many indeed. They will spread out in all directions, west and east, north and south. As a result of your mob I will do good to all people in all countries. 15 I will be with you wherever you go. Later I will cause you to return to this country. I will not leave you, I will be with you. I will do for you what I said to you.” In that way God spoke to Jacob.

16-17 After that Jacob woke up from sleep. He was afraid. “Wow! God is here, I did not know, I was just sleeping. This camp makes me afraid. Wow! Truly this is God's camp, the gate that leads to his camp in the sky is right here!” 18 At daybreak Jacob got up from sleep. Then he got that stone, the one his head had been lying on, he stood that up, he poured oil on that stone. He did that to remind him God talked to him there.

19 He named that camp Bethel. That name says, 'God's House'. (Close to that camp there was a town, earlier they named it Luz.) 20 After that he said to God, “You told me you will be with me, you will care for me, you will give me belongings and food, 21 you will look after me, I will return to my father's camp. If you do like that for me, in exchange I will obey you whatever you tell me. 22 I will talk to you at this rock I stood up. If you give me 10 possessions, I will give you one in return.” Like that he talked to God.

29

JACOB AND LABAN (29:1-14)

1 After that he went from Bethel on foot. At last he came to them in another country, in the east. 2 After that he was looking around, truly he saw a well, a big stone covered it. There he saw a few groups of sheep, they were lying close to the water, they were waiting for water. 3 In the distance other people also were bringing their sheep, they were bringing them to the well. As soon as all had arrived at the water the people in charge of the sheep used to move that stone back. After giving water to the sheep they used to put that stone back to cover the well.

4 Jacob said to the people in charge (of the sheep), “Where is your camp?” They answered him, “We are from the town, from what's-its-name, from Haran.” 5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor's grandson?” “Yes, we know him.” 6 “Is he well?” “Yes, he is well. Look, that is his daughter, she is coming now with sheep.” 7 He said to them, “Listen. The sun is still above. Why are you bringing the sheep when the sun is above? Quickly give them water, then quickly take them to the grass.” 8 They replied, “We shouldn't give water yet, we will wait for the rest of the sheep. Truly after that we will move back this stone, when we have done that we will give them water.”

9 While they were still talking, Rachel arrived with her father's sheep. She was the one who used to look after them. 10 As soon as he saw Rachel and his uncle's sheep Jacob went to the well, he moved back that big stone from on top, he gave water to his uncle's sheep. 11 Then he hugged Rachel. 12 He said to her, “Your father is older brother for my mother. My mother is Rebekah.” Rachel ran to tell that word to her father.

13 After hearing that word Laban went quickly to his nephew. He hugged him, he took him to his camp. Jacob told him how he came from far away, from another country, his own. 14 Laban said to him, “You are my own nephew. Stay here with me.” Jacob stayed there, he worked for his uncle for one month.

JACOB WAS WORKING FOR HIS UNCLE SO THAT HIS UNCLE WILL GIVE HIM A WIFE (29:15-30)

15 After that Laban said to him, “You are my own nephew. You were just working for me. Now after working what shall I give you?” 16 Laban had two daughters. One was Leah, the other Rachel. 17 Leah's eyes were a bit bad. Rachel was very attractive. 18 Jacob was liking Rachel, he was wanting her for his wife. Therefore he said to Laban, “I will work for you for 7 years. After that you will give me Rachel as a wife.”

19 Laban said to him, “Yes. I will give this Rachel to you, not to others. Truly you will stay right here with me.” 20 After that he was working for his uncle for a long time, for 7 years. Truly he liked that girl. Therefore he was working, he was waiting 7 years, he was thinking it was like a few days he was working for that girl.

21 After that he said to his uncle, “I worked for you for 7 years. Quickly give me my promised one.” 22 Laban sent word to the people nearby to come to his camp. “We will all eat food for these two when they are joined, they will be man and wife.” Then his workers cooked a lot of food for them to eat. 23-25 After it became dark Laban brought Leah, Rachel's older sister, to Jacob, he said to him, “This one now is your promised one.” (Laban gave one working woman to Leah, her name was Zilpah.) That night Jacob slept with Leah. As soon as he woke up, he saw it was another, Leah. Then he became angry, he said to his uncle, “Why did you deceive me? I worked for you for another woman, for Rachel. Why did you give me Leah?”

26 Laban said to him, “This little one I will keep for you. The big one will be first. That is the way we do it. 27 Wait for just a little while. Let us complete 7 days for this one, after that I will give you her younger sister for a wife. After that you will work for me for 7 years for that little one.”

28 Jacob listened to Laban. “Yes, I will again work for you.” Then he was staying with Leah for 7 days, after that Laban gave him another wife, Rachel. 29 (Laban gave one working woman to Rachel, her name was Bilhah.) 30 Jacob slept with Rachel also. He loved Rachel a lot, he didn't care about Leah. For that wife Rachel he was again working for his uncle for 7 years.

JACOB'S CHILDREN (29:31—30:24)

31 God knew about Jacob, he did not love Leah. God was sorry for Leah, he gave her children. Her younger sister was staying without children. 32 Leah became pregnant. Truly she got a male child. She thought about God, “God felt sorry for me. He gave me this boy. Truly my husband will love me, I got this child for him.” So she named that eldest child Reuben.

33 After that she got another child, a male. “God knows about my husband, he does not love me, therefore God gave me another child.” So she named that child Simeon.

34 After that she got another child, a male. Then she said, “I gave my husband three male children. Now truly he will love me.” So she named that one Levi.

35 After that she got another child, a male. She said to God, “Thank you, God. I will praise you.” So she named that child Judah. After that she did not have any more children for a long time.

30

1 Rachel was staying without children. She was jealous of her older sister. She said to her husband, “Don't withhold children from me. Let us two get a child. If not I will die.” 2 Jacob after that became angry with his wife. “Don't look at me. Truly I am not like God. God is the one who has prevented you from having a child.” 3 Rachel said to Jacob, “That woman now, my worker, Bilhah. You two sleep together. She will get a child for me. That child will be mine.” Like that Rachel spoke to him.

4 After that Jacob slept with that working woman. 5 Bilhah became pregnant, she got a male child. 6 Rachel said, “I asked God if he would give a child for me. He listened to me, he gave me a male child.” So she named that child Dan.

7 Again that working woman became pregnant, then she got another child, a male. 8 Rachel said, “My sister and I have been struggling with each other because of children, I truly got this child, my sister did not prevent me.” So she named that child Naphtali.

9 Leah was thinking, “For a long time I did not give birth to a child. I will give my working woman to my husband. She will get a child for me.” 10 Therefore Zilpah gave birth to a male child for Jacob. 11 Leah said, “Very good.” So she named that child Gad.

12 After that Zilpah got another child, a male. 13 Leah said, “I am happy. Women will call me 'Happy One'.” So she named that child Asher.

14 It became summer for them. People were getting that food, what's-its-name, wheat. At that time Reuben, Leah's eldest one, went from the camp a long way. He saw that medicine from the desert, what's-its-name, mandrakes. He got some, he took them to his mother. Rachel asked her older sister, “Give me some of those mandrakes belonging to your child.” 15 Then Leah became angry with her. “You took my husband, now you are begging for what my child got, that medicine to make (a woman) pregnant.” Rachel replied, “Give me some of the mandrakes. In exchange you will sleep with our husband tonight.”

16 In the evening Jacob returned to the camp from far away after work. Leah met him. The she said to him, “Tonight we two will sleep together. I gave my sister some mandrakes my child got. Therefore she told me we will sleep together.” That night truly those two slept together. 17 God listened to Leah, after that she became pregnant. After that she got another child, a male. 18 Leah said, “I gave my working woman to sleep with my husband. After doing like that God gave me another male child.” So she named that child Issachar.

19 After that Leah got another child, a male. 20 She said, “God has done good to me. I have had 6 sons for my husband. Because I have done that he will say I am a real woman.” So she named that child Zebulun. 21 Later on she got another child, a female. She named that one Dinah.

22 For years and years Rachel had been begging God to give her children. At last he listened to her. 23 Truly she became pregnant, she got a child, a male. She said, “For years and years I was ashamed from being without children. Truly God gave me a child. They will not make me ashamed any more.” 24 She said, “Perhaps God will give me another son.” So she named that child Joseph.

JACOB WAS WORKING FOR HIS UNCLE SO THAT HE WILL GIVE HIM ANIMALS (30:25-43)

25 As soon as Joseph was born Jacob said to his uncle, “I will return to my own country. 26 Truly I worked for you for my wives (dual) and children. You know that. Now I will take them. Do not make me stay. I will go.” 27 Laban said to him, “Listen to me. I want you to stay here. As soon as you came from over there earlier God did good to me, he gave me many tame animals. I know about that by magic from above. Resulting from that I want you just to stay with me. 28 Name for yourself whatever you want, I will give you whatever, after that you will stay with me.”

29 Jacob said to him, “I have worked comepletely for you. I took good care of your animals. You know that. 30 You had a small number of animals. As soon as I came here they became many. I worked for you. Therefore God gave you lots of belongings. From now on I must take good care of my children.”

31-32 Laban asked him, “What shall I give you? Tell me.” Jacob replied, “Do not give me money. Wait, I will tell you. Today I will look at your animals, I will separate them. I will take the black sheep and the spotted and striped goats. Those particular ones. They will be mine, all the others will be yours. If you say yes, I will stay with you, I will take care of your animals for you. 33 Later you will see I do the right thing to you, I am not a deceiver for you. You will see those animals. Some will be black sheep, some will be spotted and striped goats. If you see other kinds you will know I stole them from you.” 34 Laban replied, “Yes, good. You will do like that.”

35-36 Laban deceived Jacob. That very day he took all the spotted and striped goats and all the black sheep, he told his sons, “Take all these goats and sheep over there far away, take care of them over there.” As a result of that word they took them 3 days' journey.

Then Jacob was taking care of all the rest of Laban's animals. 37 He broke different kinds of green trees/sticks. He trimmed those various small sticks finely to peel (them) down to the white parts. 38 He put those whittled sticks near the water. As soon as those animals came to the water they saw those sticks. When they came close to the water they used to mate. 39 When they mated they looked at those sticks. Then the sheep gave birth to black young, the goats gave birth to spotted and striped young.

40 After that he separated those young ones. He kept them for himself, he did not put them with Laban's animals. He put the oldish [= mature, matable] animals facing towards Laban's animals. [Laban's animals: The plain ones in Jacob's care, not the non-plain ones that Laban's sons had taken far away. 'Facing' here is taken to be a euphemism for 'mating them with'.]

41 Whenever the strong animals were mating Jacob put the sticks in front of them. 42 Whenever the weakish animals were mating Jacob did not put those sticks there. The young ones from the weak animals became Laban's. The young ones from the strong animals became Jacob's. 43 Because of doing that Jacob got for himself many sheep and goats. He was owning many camels and donkeys, and working men and women.

31

JACOB WANTED TO RETURN TO HIS COUNTRY (31:1-16)

1 After that Laban's sons were criticising Jacob. They said, “Jacob took all our father's animals. As a result of doing that he has many animals. They should be our father's.” Jacob heard about their critical words which they said. 2 Laban didn't like him. Jacob knew that.

3 After that God said to Jacob, “Go back to your father's country, to your own people, I will take care of you.” In that way God spoke to him. 4 At that time Jacob was staying a long way away from his camp with his animals. After that Jacob sent a word to his two wives, Rachel and Leah, to come to him. 5 As soon as they came he said to them, “Your father used to be good to me, now he is not. I know he does not like me. God has been taking care of me. He is the one who used to take care of my father, he has been taking care of me also.

6 You two know about me, I worked for your father a long time. 7 He lied to me many times about everything. God was preventing him from harming me. 8 Your father said to me, 'You will keep the black sheep in response to that work you've done.' After that those sheep gave birth to black offspring. Your father told me, 'You will keep the goats with spots and stripes in response to the work done.' After that those goats gave birth to young with spots and stripes. 9 God is the one who has been taking animals from your father, he has been giving them to me.

10 At the time the animals mated I had a dream. In that dream I saw that the male goats with spots and stripes were mating with the females, the other males did not mate. 11 In that dream God spoke to me, 'Jacob!' 'Yes, what?' 12-13 'I am God. Earlier I appeared to you at Bethel. There you stood up that rock for a reminder, and you poured oil on it for me, you told me, “I will listen to you.” I have been watching you. I know about Laban, he has been deceiving you. Look at those animals. The male goats with spots and stripes are mating, the other males are not mating. Now listen to me. Leave this country, go back to your own country.' In that way God spoke to me.”

14 Rachel and Leah listened to Jacob's word. They replied, “Our father will not give us anything from his. 15 He regards us as strangers. Earlier he gave us to you in exchange for work. As a result of that he got lots of belongings. From that now he has not kept anything. 16 God took the belongings from him, he has given them to you. Therefore those things whatever they are now belong to us two and our children. You listen to God. Do what he says to you.”

JACOB SECRETLY LEFT LABAN'S CAMP (31:17-21)

17-20 After that Jacob got his belongings in preparation for leaving. He did not tell Laban. Laban had earlier gone from his camp to cut the wool from his sheep. While Laban was far away Rachel stole her father's carved ones like Dreamtime-Beings.

After that Jacob got camels to carry his wives and children. He sent his animals ahead, sheep and goats and cattle and donkeys. Jacob and his wives (pl) and children left that camp of Laban's secretly. In this way he deceived his uncle. He went with fear straight towards the country Canaan.

21 He crossed the big river, what's-its name, Euphrates. He kept on going towards the hilly country, towards what's-its-name, in Gilead.

LABAN FOLLOWED THEM RAPIDLY (31:22-25)

22 After three days Laban heard Jacob had already gone. 23 Laban got some men, after that they followed Jacob. They followed him for 7 days towards the hilly country, in what's-its-name, in Gilead. 24 Partway along God spoke in a dream to Laban, “You just go to Jacob without fighting.”

25 Jacob and his children and wives had already camped in the hilly country. Then Laban and his men arrived near to Jacob, they made camp nearby.

LABAN AND JACOB REBUKED EACH OTHER (31:26-44)

26 Laban rebuked Jacob. “You deceived me. You took my two daughters, truly like two prisoners. Why did you do it like that? 27 Why did you go secretly? You should have told me in preparation for your going. We could have eaten food, we could have danced and sung, we could have been happy. I could have sent you away happily. 28 I could have hugged my daughters and grandchildren. Why did you prevent me, why did you take them without a word? Truly you did that deceptively. 29 Since that is the way you behave I truly might do harm to you. But no. Your father used to listen to God. That same God spoke to me in the night, he told me, 'You just go to Jacob without fighting.' Because he spoke like that to me I will just let you off. 30 You want to see your father. That's alright. Why did you steal my Dreamtime-Being-like things? That is very bad indeed!”

31 Jacob replied, “I was thinking about you, you could have taken these two from me. I was afraid. Because of that I went secretly. 32 I did not take your Dreamtime-Being-like things. Whoever of my mob took them, that person you should kill. Look at my possessions. Whatever you see of yours, point it out to us, to your men and mine. After that keep those for yourself.” Jacob did not know that Rachel in readiness to leave for Canaan secretly took her father's carved Dreamtime-Being-like-things. Because of that Jacob spoke in that way.

33 After that Laban entered Jacob's tent. He was searching for those Dreamtime-Being-like things. He didn't see those things there. After that he was searching in Leah's tent, he didn't see them there either. After that he went into the tent of those two working women. Nothing, there also unsuccessfully he was searching for them. After that he went to Rachel's tent.

34 Rachel had already hidden those Dreamtime-Being-like-things in a camel's saddle. After that she sat on that saddle. Her father was feeling around in Rachel's possessions, absolutely nothing, he did not see them. 35 Rachel spoke to her father, “I cannot stand up, (I am) in our women's way. Please don't be angry with me, that I am sitting here.” In that way Laban was unsuccessfully searching for his Dreamtime-Being-like-things.

36 Therefore Jacob then became angry with Laban, he rebuked his uncle. “I didn't do anything bad to you. Why did you pester me like that? What bad did I truly do to you? 37 You thoroughly shifted and looked through all my belongings. What possessions did you see that were yours? If you saw them put them here. These men, yours and mine, will see them. They will say whose those things are.

38 I stayed with you 20 whole years. I was taking care of your animals. In that time your sheep and goats stayed safe. They had many offspring. I did not eat your rams. 39 When wild dogs would bite dead your goats and sheep I did not take those dead ones to show you. No. I put in my sheep and goats in replacement of those dead ones of yours. When other people secretly took yours in the day or night you used to ask me to put (mine) for those. 40 Day after day I worked for you in the heat, many nights I truly stayed in the cold. Many times I stayed without sleep while I was caring for your animals.

41 I stayed with you 20 years. I worked for you 14 years for those two women, your two daughters. After that I worked for you for 6 years to get animals for myself. In those 20 years you deceived me many times. 42 You did not want to give me anything. God was taking care of me. He knows about me, I worked well for you, he knows about you, you made it hard for me. Therefore he rebuked you at night in a dream.” In that way Jacob spoke to him.

43 After that Laban answered him, “These two are my children, those children of theirs are my grandchildren. Those animals and other things you kept are mine too. You look! These are mine only. Perhaps I might keep my daughters and their children. No, I am just letting them go with you. 44 Yes. We two will talk to each other. Without hitting we will just stay, without hitting. We will heap up these stones in order to remind us.” In that way Laban spoke to him.

JACOB AND LABAN MADE A PROMISE TO EACH OTHER (lit. 'put down a word for each other') (31:45-55)

45 Therefore Jacob got a big stone, he stood it up. 46 Then he told his men, “You also get stones.” Truly they got them, they gathered them together near the big rock. After that they all ate food near that heap of rocks.

47 Laban named that heap in his language, 'A heap for reminding'. Jacob also named it 'A heap for reminding' in his language. 48 Laban said to Jacob, “This heap will remind us two of our word to each other. 49 After we separate you will go to your country, I will return to mine. After that God will watch us two.” That is why they also named that place Mizpah. That name says, 'Watching-place'.

50 Laban kept talking to him, “You might take other wives, you might leave these two daughters, you might hit them over there. I might not know. Listen to me. God is watching you. 51 You see this big rock I stood up and this heap I made. 52 Those stones will stay to remind us two about this promise we made. I will not go beyond this pile to fight you. You also will not come to fight me because of/for fear of this pile. 53 One of us two might ignore this word, God will know about him. Our two paternal grandfathers, Abraham and Nahor, used to obey him. Perhaps I might ignore that word. In that case truly that same one, God, he will hit me. Perhaps you might ignore that word. In that case truly that same one, God, he will hit you.” Like that Laban spoke to Jacob.

Jacob listened to Laban's word. He said to Laban, “That same God is the one my father Isaac used to obey, that God knows about me. I am keeping that word for you.” 54 After that Jacob got one of his animals and killed it to give to God. He asked his men and Laban's to eat food with him. After eating they slept at that stone for the night.

55 Early in the morning Laban got up from sleep. He hugged his grandchildren and his two daughters. After that he returned to his country.

32

JACOB WAS THINKING IN PREPARATION FOR MEETING HIS OLDER BROTHER (32:1-23)

1 As Jacob was going on towards his father's country, some of God's angels came to him. 2 When Jacob saw them he said to himself, “This is God's camp.” He named that country Mahanaim.

3 After that Jacob sent some men ahead to his older brother, to Esau, he was in that country Edom. 4 He told them, “Take this word to him, say to Esau, my boss, 'Your working man, Jacob, sent us to you. He was staying with Laban. He was there a long time. 5 Now he has cattle and donkeys and sheep and goats and workers, men and women. He sent you this word. Perhaps you will feel good towards him. Perhaps you will do something good to him.'#” He told his men, “You will talk like that to Esau.”

6 The men went to Esau in accordance with Jacob's word. After returning they said to Jacob, “We went to your older brother, we told him your word. He is coming, he will meet you. He is coming with 400 men.”

7 After hearing that word Jacob became very frightened. He separated his people into two groups. He separated his animals too. 8 He said to himself, “As soon as Esau comes to one mob he might kill them all, the other group will run away for safety.”

9 After that he talked to God, “You truly are God, you are the one who took care of my grandfather Abraham and my father Isaac. You said to me, 'Go back to your own country, to your own people. I will take care of you, I will keep you safe.' Like that you spoke to me. 10 Truly you have been doing good things for me. I am quite unimportant, just rubbish. Earlier when I left my country I crossed to the far side of this river, this Jordan river, I was just going with only a walking stick. Now I have returned with many animals and people. 11-12 I am afraid of my older brother Esau. He might kill us all, the children and their mothers. You told me, 'I will take care of you, I will give you many children and theirs will come after them.' Like that you spoke to me. God, now will you take care of us. Prevent Esau, he might kill us all dead.” In that way he spoke to God.

13 Jacob slept there one night. After that he chose some animals to give to his older brother. 14-15 He chose 200 female and 20 male goats, 200 female and 20 male sheep, 30 female camels and their young, 40 female and 10 male cattle, 20 female and 10 male donkeys. He separated those into different mobs to give to his older brother.

16 He said to his working men, “You go ahead of me, take these mobs of animals to Esau. Go one behind the other, fairly far apart, fairly far apart (from each other) you will travel.” 17 He said to the leading man, “As soon as my brother meets you he will ask you, 'Who is your master? Where are you going? Whose are those animals you are caring for?' 18 You will reply to him, 'These animals are Jacob's, your working man. He is sending them to his boss, to Esau. He is coming behind now.'#” That is what he told that man. 19 He told the others, “You (pl) also will say that to him, as soon as Esau meets you. 20 You tell him, 'Your working man Jacob is coming behind us.'#” Jacob was saying to himself, “Perhaps these animals will make Esau's feelings good towards me. Later he will see me, perhaps he will feel good towards me.”

21 When his men went with the animals Jacob stayed there. 22-23 In the night he took his belongings and his wives and children, they crossed the river Jabbok. He left them all on the far side. After that he went back. 24a He stayed there alone.

A STRANGER CAME TO JACOB AT NIGHT (32:24-32)

24b A man, a stranger, came to him. Those two wrestled each other (lit. 'tried to put each other on the ground'), unsuccessfully they were doing that right up to daybreak. 25 Jacob didn't give up, he kept holding the stranger. Therefore that one hit him on the hip and put it out of joint. 26 After that he said to Jacob, “It is becoming first light. Don't hold me. Leave me!” Jacob said to him, “You tell me whatever good you will do for me. If you don't I will keep holding you.” 27 That stranger asked him, “Who are you?” “My name is Jacob.” 28 That stranger said to him, “From now they will not name you Jacob. You have argued with God and with people, they have left you, you are still standing up. Therefore from now on your name will be Israel.” 29 After that Jacob asked him, “And who are you?” He said to him, “Don't ask, you can't talk in that way to me. Now I will do good to you.” Like that he spoke to Jacob. Then he left Jacob there, he went away.

30 Jacob said to himself, “I saw God's face. Wow! He didn't kill me.” Because of that Jacob named that camp Peniel. That name says, 'God's Face'. 31 Right at that time the sun was coming up. Jacob left that country, he was going along limping after being hit on the hip. 32 Because of that story Israel's mob after they kill an animal do not eat the muscle from the hip. They remember that long ago God hit Jacob right on the hip.

33

ESAU CAME, HE MET JACOB (33:1-20)

1 After that Jacob looked, Esau was coming to him with 400 men. He put his children with their own mothers. 2 He put the two working women and their children in the lead. Near those two he put Leah and her children, behind he put Rachel and her child Joseph. 3 He went ahead, he met his brother. As he was going towards Esau he was bowing his head down 7 times. 4 Then Esau in response ran to him, there those two hugged each other. They were crying with each other, they saw each other with happiness.

5 After that Esau was looking around, truly he saw the women and children. “Who are these you are bringing?” “Those are the children God gave me.” 6 Then the two working women and their children came close, they bowed their heads down in front of Esau. 7 After that Leah and her children came close, they also bowed their heads down in front of Esau. Then Rachel and her child Joseph also came close, they also bowed their heads down in front of Esau.

8 Then Esau asked, “Those animals I saw, why did you send them?” Jacob said to him, “Those are for you. As a result of my giving them you might feel good towards me.” 9 “No, I have enough, younger brother. Keep them for yourself.” 10 Jacob said to him, “Truly you were being good to me. You did not stay angry with me. Therefore I am very happy to see you. Please take those animals for yourself. 11 God was doing good to me, he gave me many things. Take those animals for yourself.” Like that Jacob said to him. Esau replied, “Truly I will take them.”

12 After that Esau said to him, “Let's we two go together, I will go ahead.” 13 Jacob said to him, “My children are only weak, they should go not fast. My animals, the sheep and goats and cattle, have their little ones, I musttake care of them. After going a long way in one day they might die. 14 You go ahead of me. I will come slowly behind with this lot. Later I will come to your camp in Edom.” 15 Esau said to him, “Yes, I will leave these men with you, you will come behind.” Jacob replied, “Take your men. I just want you to feel good towards me.”

16 After that Esau left his younger brother, he went back south to his country, to Edom. 17 Jacob did not continue on towards Edom. He stopped partway, at what's-its-name, at Succoth. There he made a house for himself, he made bough shades for the animals also. Therefore now they name that camp Succoth. That name says, 'Bough Shades'.

18 After that Jacob and his mob left that Succoth, they went west. They arrived at a town, at Shechem, in the country, in what's-its-name, in Canaan. He made his camp near the town. 19 Earlier that country where he made his camp used to be Hamor's, Shechem's father. Jacob gave Hamor a lot of money for that country. 20 There he heaped up stones. There he used to talk to God. He named that heap of stones El Elohe Israel. That name says, 'God is the One who cares for Israel'. [Chapter 34 has been omitted at this stage.]

35

JACOB RETURNED TO BETHEL (35:1-7,9-15)

1 After that God said to Jacob, “Leave this country, go to Bethel, stay there. That is where I appeared to you earlier, when you were running away afraid because of your brother Esau. As soon you come to Bethel you will pile up stones, there you will talk to me.” In that way God talked to Jacob.

2 Then Jacob spoke to his wives (pl) and his workers. He said to them, “Leave your what's-their-names, those carved things like Dreamtime-Beings, from another country. Then wash yourselves, put on other clothes. 3 After that we will leave this camp, we will go to Bethel. Earlier I ran away afraid because of Esau. That is where I called to God, he listened to me. He is the one who took care of me wherever I was going. At Bethel I will pile up stones, I will talk to God there.”

4 At Jacob's word they gave him all their Dreamtime-Being-like things, their earrings also they gave him. He dug a hole near a tree, there in the hole which had been dug he covered them. 5 After that Jacob and his mob were going towards Bethel. God made the inhabitants of the area afraid, they did not chase Jacob. 6 Jacob's mob arrived at Bethel in the country, in what's-its-name, in Canaan. 7 There Jacob piled up stones, he talked to God. Earlier when Jacob was running away from his brother God appeared to him there. It was at that time Jacob had named that country El-Bethel. That name says, 'God is at Bethel'. [Verse 8 omitted.]

9 When Jacob returned from his uncle's country, God again appeared to Jacob, he spoke very kindly to him. 10 He gave Jacob another name, that name Israel. He said to Jacob, “Your name used to be Jacob. Now they will not call you Jacob, they will name you Israel. 11 I am truly God, the boss for you all. I will give you many grandchildren. They will be very many. They will go far away, to other countries. Some will be big bosses, they will be kings. 12 Earlier I gave this country to your grandfather and your father, to Abraham and Isaac. Now I will give it to you and your grandchildren, and those who come after them.” In that way he talked to Jacob.

13 After that God left him. 14 Right there Jacob stood up a big stone, he stood it upright. He poured wine and oil on the stone to give them to God. 15 That place where God came to him he named Bethel.

BENJAMIN WAS BORN. RACHEL DIED (35:16-21)

16 After that Jacob's mob left Bethel, they went towards what's-its-name, towards Ephrath. At that time his wife Rachel was pregnant. Partway she gave birth to the child, there she was very sick. 17 Another woman was waiting for the child to appear. “Don't be afraid, don't worry, you will have a male child.” 18 Rachel was very sick, slowly she was dying. In preparation for dying she named that child Benoni. Later Jacob gave him another name, Benjamin. 19 They put Rachel in a hole in the ground near the road, that road was going to Ephrath. (Nowadays they name that town Bethlehem.) 20 Jacob stood up a big stone, he stood it upright, on top of where they put Rachel in the ground. That stone is still there now. 21 After that Jacob's mob kept going. They made camp on the far side of what's-that-place, of Eder. [35:22-26 omitted.]

JACOB'S FATHER DIED (35:27-29)

27 After that Jacob returned to his father's camp at what's-its-name, at Mamre. (Another name for that town is Hebron.) Earlier Jacob's grandfather and father, Abraham and Isaac, made their camps there. 28-29 Isaac was very old, having 180 years. After that he died. His two sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

Exodus

Exodus

4

7 Then God said to him, “Again put your hand into your shirt.” Again he put his hand in there, then he withdrew it, it was good, it was like his other hand, without sickness. 8 God said, “You will show them the stick, they will see, it will become a snake. After seeing that they might not believe your words. Then you will show them your hand, it will become white from sickness, then it will become well again. After that perhaps they will believe I have sent you. 9 If they still do not believe you, you shall take some water from the river, from the Nile river. You will pour it on the dry ground, that water will become blood.”

10 Moses said to him, “I can't go to them, I am a poor speaker. Previously I did not speak well, and still I speak slowly and hesitantly.” 11 God said to him, “Who gives people their mouths? I am the one. Who makes some people unable to speak? Who makes some people deaf? I am the one. Who makes some able to see? Who makes some blind? I am the one, Yawayi. 12 You will go to Egypt. I will tell you what to say, and I will help you to say it.” 13 Moses answered, “Not me, please send another.” 14 With this word God became angry with him. He said to Moses, “Your own older brother, Aaron, have you thought about him? I know about him, he is a good speaker. Truly, he is coming now to meet you. When he sees you he will be glad. 15 You will speak to him, you will tell him what to say. I will help you two to speak, and I will tell you two what to do. 16 He will speak to the people for you. You will tell him my words and he will speak for you. 17 Take your stick with you, with it you will do wonderful (things).”

18 Then Moses returned to his father-in-law, to Jethro. He said to him, “Please let me go back to Egypt to see my relatives. Perhaps they are still alive.” Jethro said to him, “Yes, you will go well.”

19 While Moses was still in Midian, God said to him, “Long ago those in Egypt wanted to kill you. Now they are all dead. Now you will go back to Egypt.” 20 Because of that Moses got his wife and his 2 sons, he put them on a donkey. After that he was going towards Egypt. He was carrying that (previously mentioned) walking stick, God had told him to take that one. 21 Again God said to him, “Now you are going back to Egypt. I have showed you the wonderful (things) that you must do. Truly you must do them all, he will see them all, that Egyptian king. But I will make him stubborn, he will not let your people go. 22 Then you must tell the king this word of mine: 'I am Yawayi. The Israeli mob are for me like a son, like a first-born male. 23 Let my people go free, so that they can pray to me and give gifts to me. Listen to me. If not I will kill your first-born son.' Like that you will speak to the king.”

Job

Job

Unknown if consultant checked

42

5-6 Others told me about you long ago. I thought I knew you. Now it is different, I have seen you with my own eyes. Therefore I am really ashamed of my words, I won't talk like that again.

Psalms

1

9

23

32

Psalms

Unknown if consultant checked

1

1 Happy are those people who won't listen to the words of bad people,

they don't want to do like the bad people do and

they don't join the ones who are rude to God.

2 They are really happy when they think about God's word, and they always pay attention to it.

3 You all know about a tree near a pool,

it is always good,

it has good fruit and

its leaves don't dry up.

Good people are like that tree.

They do things the right way, it comes out well for them.

4 The bad people are not at all like this;

they are like what's-its-called, like the rubbish after yandying, the wind blows it away.

5 God will hit them hard.

He will separate them out,

they won't stay with his mob.

6 God looks after his mob on the right road.

It is very different for bad people,

they are going to a really bad place.

9

17 All bad people will die, they are all rejecters of God.

23

1 God looks after me; I have everything to stay alive.

32

Psalm 32

1 Some people have done badly,

but they told God they were sorry,

and he let them off.

Now they are very happy.

2 Some people have done badly,

but they told God they were sorry,

they did not try to deceive him,

and he did not growl at them.

Now they are very happy.

3 Previously I did badly

and I did not tell God about it.

Because of that I kept on crying all day long,

I was exhausted by the crying.

4 Day by day, night by night,

you made it hard for me, Lord.

I was weakened completely.

In the summer the sun pierces the water and dries it up.

In that same way you growled at me, Lord,

and I became very weak and thin,

I nearly died.

5 Then I told you true,

like that I had done badly.

I did not try to hide from you,

I decided I would tell you the whole story,

I told you I was ashamed of myself.

Because of that you let me off completely.

6 Therefore all your people,

the ones who believe in you,

should tell you about their problems.

They should ask you,

“God, what should I do about this?”

With doing that they will go well.

When really big trouble comes for them,

like a big flood rushing along in a creek,

you will care for them,

that trouble will not get high enough

to carry them away.

7 I am safe when I am with you,

You will keep me well when trouble might hurt me.

You take my part.

Therefore I sing loudly,

“Ngarrka has saved me!”

8-9 The Boss says, “Listen to me!

Don't be stupid like a horse or donkey.

You must put a bridle on them.

If you don't, they won't go where you want them to go.

Don't be stupid like them.

Should I have to put a bridle on you? No indeed!

With my words I will teach you the way you should go.

I will tell you what I want you to do.

You should keep on paying attention to me.

10 Wicked people will make a lot of trouble for themselves,

but the Lord continually loves those who trust in Him,

he takes good care of them.

11 All you people who do rightly,

look at what the Boss did!

Be glad! Rejoice!

All you people who obey the Boss,

shout for joy!

Proverbs

4

12

14

20

22

23

Proverbs

Unknown if consultant checked

4

18 While a person is going east at dawn, the light becomes brighter for him. Just like that the ones that do the right thing learn more and more about God.

12

10 Good people take care of their tame animals. Bad people keep theirs badly.

21 ...bad things always happens for a bad person.

14

12 Some people think they are doing things rightly. Truly they are making a mistake, it will kill them.

20

1 After drinking a lot of grog you talk loudly and you get silly. It is very stupid to get drunk.

22

6 Teach a child how he should stay, he will think about it always.

23

19-21 Listen, son! Think properly and live in the proper way. Don't join with others who are drinkers of lots of wine and those who are greedy for food. People like that are making themselves poor.

29-35 Who is really upset? Who is unhappy? Who is always fighting? Who is always growling? Who has sores after falling accidentally? Who has red eyes? Those who are always drinking, testing different kinds of wine. That wine is good to look at, and really sweet to taste. Don't ever trust it. When a poisonous snake bites you, you get really sick, it is very painful when a death adder bites you, in that same way after drinking wine you will get really sick. You will see frightening things that aren't there and you will talk in a stupid way. You all know about the sailing ships in the sea, the post that holds the sail is really tall. That post moves in the wind in every direction. In that same way that drunk person walks in a staggering way. And he will say, “They hit me but I didn't feel it. I didn't know

Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes

Unknown if consultant checked

12

1 While you are a child think about God, he made you.

Isaiah

5

38

53

Isaiah

Unknown if consultant checked

5

11-12 You get up early in the morning to drink wine, then you keep on drinking during the night...You should be thinking about God, but you're not! You are ignorant of what he is doing. He says to you, “I will hit you hard, it's impossible for you to run away and hide.”

38

17 You left me alone from my wrongdoing.

53

5-6 We are healed by the punishment he suffered, made whole by the blows he received.

All of us were like sheep that were lost, each of us going his own way.

But the Lord made the punishment fall on him, the punishment all of us deserved.

For our wrongdoing God hit him. God whipped him, as a result of that he healed us. We all self-centredly did whatever we wanted to do. He did not hit us, he hit him for our badness.

Jeremiah

Jeremiah

Unknown if consultant checked

17

9 Our self-centred spirit is really deceitful. It is a really hard problem to make it good.

Matthew

1

2

7

10

11

19

Matthew

Unknown if consultant checked

1

GOD PUT A CHILD IN MARY'S WOMB (1:18-25)

18 This story I will tell, Jesus Christ became a person (OR man). His mother Mary they gave (as) a promised one to Joseph. Joseph was waiting to take her to his camp. After that she became pregant. God's Spirit put the child in her womb. After that they were telling a word to Joseph, “Mary is pregnant.” 19 Joseph thought, “Mary has been sleeping with a man. I will not take her as my wife.” Joseph was a good type. He did not want to make Mary ashamed in front of people. He thought he wanted to send her away without a growling.

20 He was thinking hard. After that he had a dream. In the dream he saw an angel, God sent it to him. The angel said to him, “Joseph! you are from David's mob! Listen! Don't be upset about the woman Mary. God's Spirit gave her the child. Therefore you can (OR will OR should) take her as your wife. 21 She will have a male child. You will name him Jesus. People are habitual ignorers/disobeyers of God. Because they are like that God might send them away from him forever. Jesus will be a stand-in for them.” Like that the angel spoke to Joseph.

22-23 A long time ago a man spoke a word from God. “A woman, she has never slept with a man, will become pregnant. She will have a male child. They will name him Immanuel.” In the Jews' language that name means God is with us (all). After that when Jesus was born, they knew about that word, it was Jesus (himself).

24 Joseph got up from sleep, he did what the angel said (lit 'at the angel's word'). He took Mary to his camp. They made those two husband and wife. 25 After that those two did not sleep together. They were waiting for the child to be born. Joseph named that child Jesus.

2

KNOWLEDGEABLE MEN FROM THE EAST SEARCHED FOR JESUS (2:1-12)

1 At that time King Herod was boss for the people in that country, in Judea. Those people used to call themselves Jews. At that time Mary gave birth to Jesus in the town Bethlehem, in the country Judea.

When Jesus was born some foreign (OR strangers) men came from another country, from the east, to look for him. These men were knowledgeable about the stars. Truly they saw a new star in the sky. That particular (star) made them understand that an important boss had appeared for the Jews.

They arrived in Jerusalem. They were asking them, 2 “Where is the male child, that boss, he will become king for you Jews? We saw his star in the east. When we saw it we knew an important boss has appeared, he has become a really small child. We have come to see (him), to give him gifts.

3 As soon as (?) King Herod heard their talk, truly he became upset ('his stomach became bad'). All the people in Jerusalem also became upset. 4 Herod gathered together the leaders and the teachers of the Jews. “That important boss, God will send him, where will he be born (OR appear/become visible)?

5 They replied to him, “Here he will be born, in the country Judea, in the town Bethlehem. A long time ago one of God's spokesmen wrote a word in a book, 6 'People in Bethlehem, your camp is truly small (OR unimportant). God will send a truly important boss, he will be born in your camp. He will become boss for God's people. After that everyone will know about your camp.' In just that way he wrote the word from God.”

7 Herod was wanting to learn when Jesus was born. After that he sent a word secretly for the strangers from the east to come. He asked them with deceit also, “When did that star appear?” 8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem. “Go to Bethlehem, search carefully for that child. After that return here, tell me where he is. After that I will go to him, I truly will see him, I will give him gifts also.” Truly indeed he lied to them, he wanted to kill the child Jesus.

9 After that they kept going to Bethlehem. They saw that one particular star, it was going ahead of them. There it stood still right above the house which had the child. 10 When they saw the star they were happy. 11 They entered the house. Then they saw the child, his mother Mary was holding him. They knelt down to the child. They gave him gold and two (kinds of ?) gum also, those two smelled very good.

12 After that God spoke to them in a dream. He told them not to return to Herod. After that they returned to their own country a different way.

HEROD TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO KILL JESUS (2:13-23)

13 In the night Joseph dreamed. An angel from God came to him. He said to him, “Herod will look for the child to kill him. Get up right now. Take the child and his mother, run away to another country, to Egypt. You (pl) remain there. Later I will tell you to return here.” In that way the angel spoke to him.

14 Joseph got up from sleep. He took the child, and his mother, they went in the night. They went right to Egypt. 15a They were staying in that country while Herod was living.

16 Herod was waiting in vain for the men from the east. They did not return to him, they did not send a word to him about that camp in Bethlehem where Jesus was (lit. 'Jesus-having'). Then he became very angry. Previously he had asked the strangers from the east, “When did that star appear?” Now he is thinking to himself, “That star appeared maybe one year ago. I will kill all the children in Bethlehem under two years (lit. 'without two winters'), the ones having two years (winters) also, truly I will kill them all.”

Therefore he called his soldiers. “Listen! Go to Bethlehem. There kill all the boys under two years, kill all the ones having two years also. You will not leave one alive.” Those soldiers did that, in accordance with Herod's word. 17-18 After that the people in Bethlehem were really crying for their children.

A very long time ago one of God's spokesmen, who-was-it, Jeremiah, spoke a word, “In that country, where-is-it, in Ramah, there someone is crying very loudly. That woman of long ago, Rachel, she is crying, she is really crying for her children. Others took them. She is crying for them continually.” That Jeremiah wrote those words about Rachel in a book. Now in that same way truly those people in Bethlehem were crying hard for their children, like that.

19 After that Herod died. In Egypt Joseph saw an angel in a dream, God sent him. He said to him, “That man was wanting to kill Jesus, that one is dead. 20 Get up. Take the child, his mother also, you (pl) return to your own country, to Israel.”

21 Joseph got up from sleep, returning he took the two of them to their own country, to Israel. 15b A very long time ago another of God's spokesmen said, “God took his son from Egypt”. Later, after Jesus returned to his own country, people knew about that word from long ago, Jesus was the one that word talked about.

22 When he arrived in Israel Joseph heard a word, a son of Herod, what's-his-name, Archelaus, was boss of the people there, in the country Judea. Because of that Joseph was afraid to stay in that country. God spoke to him in a dream, in accordance with that word he continued northwards, to the country Galilee. 23 He became a local inhabitant in the town Nazareth. A long time ago God's spokesmen said about Jesus, “They will say about him, he is an inhabitant of lowly (a derogatory term) Nazareth.”

7

13-14 The gate to God's country is very narrow. Go through that one. The other gate is wide, and that one is to the big fire, and the road to that place is without problems. Many people go on that road. The gate that leads to God's country is narrow, and the road to that place is difficult. Only a few people find it.

10

26-31 People might kill your body.

Don't be afraid of them. They can't kill your spirit.

Fear only God. He can burn your spirit and body to ashes in the big fire.

People cannot do that.

Because of that do not be afraid of them.

Your Father above knows of everything.

He knows when a zebra finch falls to the ground.

Truly he knows of you also.

He knows the hair on your head.

One by one, all of it.

Because of that, stay without fear.

God just thinks a bit about the zebra finch, he really thinks about you always.

11

28-30 You who have big problems, come to me, I will make your problems small. Join me, we two will make it right...learn from me, for I am caring and humble...

19

14 Jesus said to them, “I want the kids to come to me, do not stop them. They really love God, they really take notice of him. God's people should do exactly like that.”

Mark

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

14

15

16

MARK

wrote on paper

this good word from God

This book has been consultant checked

1

1 This word is good, I am teaching you about Jesus. He is God's own child.

JOHN CAME TO TELL THAT GOD WOULD SEND JESUS (1:2-8)

2-3 Long ago God spoke to a man, his name was Isaiah. God told him, “I will send a boss to people. I will send another one ahead of that boss with a word for them. That first man will be in the desert. He will tell them, 'Our boss will come. Fix up a straight road for him.'” In that way God spoke to Isaiah. That man Isaiah wrote that word for them on paper. 4-5 After a very long time that man now came. His name was John. 6 His poor sort of clothes were made from camel hair. He tied his waist with a leather belt. He used to eat food from the desert, grasshoppers and honey. Very many people were coming to John to listen to him. They were coming to him from the country Judea, and from the big town Jerusalem also. He was telling them, “You have been ignoring God. Be ashamed. You have been doing bad things. Stop it! Come close, come to God! Then God will not look at you with anger, he will become pleased with you. After that I will baptise you.” In that sort of way John was talking to them. After hearing John's words one by one they were saying to God, “Truly I have been ignoring you. I am ashamed of myself. I want to return to you.” In that sort of way they were talking to God. After that John baptised them in the river, in Jordan. 7 John was saying to them, “About now another man will come. He is a really big boss. Not like me, I am really unimportant, a scrap. This other one is an important boss. I truly should not touch his shoes. 8 I only baptised you in water. This other one will send to you God's Spirit.” In that way John was talking to them.

JOHN BAPTISED JESUS (1:9-11)

9 After that Jesus came to John from the town of Nazareth, in the country of Galilee. At that time John baptised Jesus in that river Jordan. 10 As Jesus was coming up from the water he looked up. While he was looking God split the sky. God's spirit came down to Jesus like a dove, he sat on him. 11 God spoke to Jesus from above, “You are truly my own child. I love you. I am pleased with you.”

THE EVIL SPIRIT TRIED IN VAIN TO PERSUADE JESUS TO IGNORE GOD (1:12-13)

12 After that God's Spirit sent Jesus to the desert, to country that was truly without people. 13 He was there 40 days and nights. While he was there truly the big evil spirit was trying in vain to persuade him to ignore God's word. Nothing. Jesus was without evil all the time. Wild and biting animals were there. God sent angels from above to take care of him.

THEY IMPRISONED JOHN (1:14)

14a The big boss for the Jews, King Herod became angry with John. He told soldiers, “Tie John up and put him in gaol.”

JESUS WAS TEACHING THEM ABOUT GOD (1:14b-15)

14b After that Jesus left that country, Judea, he went north to the country of Galilee. There he was telling many people God's word. 15 He was saying to them, “Listen! I am telling you a good word from God. You have been ignoring God, you did not listen to him. Be ashamed! You have been doing bad things. Stop it! Believe his good word. In return he will be happy with you. He will make you his people. For this very word our old people who died long ago truly were waiting a long time. For this same word you also have been waiting.” In that sort of way Jesus was talking to them.

JESUS CALLED FISHERMEN TO FOLLOW HIM (1:16-20)

16 He was going along the edge of the water, the water-hole Galilee. That is a large amount of water. He saw two people who habitually got fish, Simon and his younger brother Andrew. They used to get fish with nets. 17 Jesus said to them, “Follow me. I will teach you about God. Then you will tell others about God. They will believe in God as a result of your word, they will become God's people. Before you used to bring fish to the land with nets. From now with a word you will bring people to God.” 18 Right then in response to his word they left the nets, they followed him. 19 Very soon after that Jesus went a little way, he saw two others, James and his younger brother John. The father of those two was named Zebedee. Those two were sitting in a dinghy with their father and his workers. They were fixing a torn net. 20 Right then Jesus called James and John. Right then in response to his word they left their father in the dinghy and they left the workers, they followed Jesus.

JESUS SENT AN EVIL SPIRIT RIGHT AWAY (1:21-28)

21 After that they went with Jesus towards that town, towards Capernaum. They arrived there. Saturday came. On Saturday the Jewish people did not work. That was their law. Saturday was for them to think about God's word. In the towns they used to gather in a meeting house to listen to God's word and to talk to God. There in Capernaum Saturday came for them, Jesus entered their meeting house. He was teaching them about God. The people were listening to him. 22 They were puzzling about his word. “Truly it is different. This man truly talks correctly. Not like our teachers. They are just talkers of other peoples' words. This Jesus teaches us with a correct word. Truly God told him to talk like that.” 23 Right then a man entered the meeting house. An evil spirit was making him crazy. 24 He was afraid, he called out loudly, “Jesus from Nazareth! What do you want for us spirits? Having come will you hit us to kill us? I know you. God sent you. You are God's one who is truly without evil.” 25 Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, “Be quiet! Leave the man! Go elsewhere!” 26 The spirit really made that man thrash around, then it called out loudly, it left, it went away for good. 27 All the people were puzzling about Jesus. They said to each other, “Who is this? This is a different kind of word. He talks correctly. He might say a word, and in response to his word whatever it is the evil spirits also do it.” 28 At that time they kept telling each other Jesus' words everywhere in the country of Galilee.

JESUS WAS MAKING SICK PEOPLE WELL (1:29-34)

29 After leaving that meeting house Jesus went to the camp of Simon and Andrew. Two also went, those other two, James and John. 30 Simon's mother-in-law was sick. She was lying down in the house with a fever. As soon as Jesus came they told him that. 31 Jesus went to her, he held her hand, the woman stood up. Right then the sickness left her, she walked around well, she brought food for them. 32 Soon after the sunset, after twilight, they were bringing many people to Jesus, some of them sick, others crazy from evil spirits. 33 The people gathered there, they all came to him at the door of the house. 34 Jesus made many with various sickness well, and from many he sent away evil spirits. They knew him. Because of that Jesus stopped the spirits from talking.

JESUS WAS GOING AROUND IN GALILEE, HE WAS TELLING THEM ABOUT GOD (1:35-39)

35 In the morning, before sunrise, Jesus got up from sleep, he left the house. After that he left the town, he went outside the town to the desert alone. There he talked to God. 36 Simon and others were searching for Jesus. 37 When they saw him they said to him, “Everyone has been looking for you.” 38 He said to them, “We will not return to Capernaum now. We will go to other towns, I will tell them about God. God sent me to do that.” 39 He was going around to them in Galilee, in the meeting places he was teaching many about God and was sending away evil spirits.

JESUS HEALED A MAN WITH SKIN SICKNESS (1:40-45)

40 One day a man came to Jesus. He was sick, his skin was very bad. According to the law of the Jews all with that sickness should stay far away, truly alone. They should not enter a camp. That man when he came kneeled down to him, he begged Jesus, “Please make me well, make my skin good. What do you wish?” 41 Jesus was sorry for him. After stretching out his hand he touched the sick one. “Yes, I want to make you well. I will make you really smooth.” 42 Straightaway that sickness disappeared (lit. 'it became nothing for him'), that man's skin became smooth. 43 Jesus told him sternly, “Listen! 44 Do not tell them I made you well. Go straight to the ceremonial leader. He will look at your body all over, your skin is smooth. You know that law about your sickness. A long time ago God told Moses to write it in a book. In accordance with his word take a live sheep to the ceremonial leader. That leader will cook it till it is dry, right to ashes. Because of that when other people see that they will know about you, you are smooth, without sickness. After that you can again enter the camp.” In that way Jesus talked to him. Then he sent him to the ceremonial leader. 45 That man did not stay quiet. He ignored Jesus. As he was going about he was continually telling people everywhere, “Jesus made my skin well.” Because of that talk Jesus did not go to the towns, he did not enter (them) so as to avoid many people. He was staying out in the country. Still people were coming to him from everywhere.

2

JESUS MADE SOMEONE WELL FROM SICKNESS (2:1-12)

1 After that Jesus returned to the town of Capernaum. There they were saying to each other, “Jesus has returned.” 2 Many people came to his house to listen to him. He was teaching them about God. Very many people were inside that house, many others were standing around outside, they were listening to him. 3 At that time four men came. They were carrying a sick man on a blanket, he was very weak, he could not walk. They brought him to Jesus to heal him. 4 They tried in vain to enter the house, many people were there. Very many were standing close to Jesus. After that they climbed on top of the house. They made a hole on top close to Jesus, they lowered the sick man on the blanket in front of Jesus. 5 Jesus said to himself, “They believe I will heal this sick person.” Then he spoke kindly to the sick one, “You have earlier been ignoring God. In response I will not hit you, I will not look on you with anger, I will be good to you.” 6 There were a few of the Jews' teachers sitting in that house. They became upset at Jesus' words. They were thinking to themselves, 7 “He should not talk like that. He said to him, 'You have earlier been ignoring God. In response I will not hit you, I will be good to you.' That is what he said. He spoke very badly. Only God can talk like that. People can't talk in that way. That Jesus is making himself like God.” 8-9 Jesus knew about them, that they were thinking in that way, that they were criticising him in that sort of way. He asked them, “Why are you criticising me in that way? I said to this man, 'You have earlier been ignoring God. In response I will not hit you, I will be good to you.' You say I should not talk in this way. How shall I talk to this sick person? Perhaps I will say to him, Stand up, pick up your blanket, go on foot'. How about it? Should I talk to him in that way? Will he become well at my word? Will he be without sickness? 10 Yes! Right now I will heal this sick one. Because of that you will know about me, God is the one who truly told me to make him well. You will know about me God truly told me to just leave bad people, to be good to them. After that Jesus told the sick one, 11 Stand up, pick up your blanket, go to your camp.” 12 Right then that man stood up, he picked up his blanket, he went straight outside. They were all watching him as he kept going. They were saying, “He did a good thing. This is new! We have not seen this.” They were praising God, they were saying to him, “Thank you! Truly you are good.”

JESUS TOLD LEVI, “FOLLOW ME.” (2:13-17)

13 Again Jesus was going along the edge of the big water, the waterhole Galilee. Many people gathered with him. He was teaching them about God. 15b Many who disregarded the laws of the Jews were following Jesus. Some of them were tax collectors (lit.'money removers'). They used to work from the Roman government, they would take money from people in accordance with the Government's word. They were thieves. They would take a lot of money from them, they would give some to the Government boss, the rest they would keep for themselves. Day after day many like them who were also disregarders of the law of the Jews were following Jesus. 14 One day Jesus was going along the waterhole Galilee. He saw a man, a tax collector, his name was Levi. This Levi was sitting in his working house. When Jesus saw him he said to him, “Follow me.” Right then he left his work, he kept following Jesus. 15a After that Jesus went to Levi's house to eat food. Some other tax collectors also, and others who were disregarders of the law of the Jews came to eat food there. 16 Others who were Jewish teachers stood nearby. They called themselves Pharisees. They saw Jesus eating with those who were disregarders of the Jews' law. They said to Jesus' men. “Jesus should not eat with tax collectors and those who are disregarders of the law. He is doing a bad thing.” Like that the Pharisees were talking. 17 Jesus heard them. In response he said to them, “The doctor will not come to heal those who are healthy, he will come only to those who sick. I do like that. I did not come to call those who are habitually good to God. I came to call to God those who are disregarders of God, in accordance with his word. Therefore I am eating with those people.”

3

JESUS HEALED SOMEONE WITH A SHRIVELLED HAND ON SATURDAY. SOME PEOPLE CRITICISED HIM (3:1-6)

1 After that Jesus again entered the meeting house. That day was Saturday. In that house there was a man with a bad hand, it was shrivelled, he could not move the hand. 2 There were a few Pharisees there also. They did not like Jesus. They were watching him. They were saying to each other, “Today is Saturday. He might heal the sick person. According to our law that is bad. He should not heal a sick one on Saturday. If he does that we will really criticise him.” In that way those Pharisees were talking to each other. 3 Jesus said to that man with the bad hand, “Come here.” 4-5 Then he said to the Pharisees, “Listen! You know about Saturday, our day for not working. That is according to God's word. Yes, according to our law what shall we do to people on Saturday? Shall we do good to them? Shall we do bad to them? Shall we heal them? Shall we hit/kill them? What? You say.” They did not answer him. They were quiet in his presence. They were without pity and were stubborn. Therefore Jesus looked at them with anger. He was also sorry for them. After that he said to the man with the bad hand, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, it became well. 6 Then those Pharisees became angry with him. They went away to talk with some others, what's their name, Herod's people. They joined together, they were discussing among themselves, “How shall we kill Jesus?”

MANY PEOPLE WERE LISTENING TO JESUS NEAR THE WATER (3:7-12)

7-8 After that Jesus and his men went to the big water, the waterhole Galilee. Many people followed him. They were coming from that big town, Jerusalem, and from the countries of Judea and Idumea and from the other side of the Jordan river. They heard, “Jesus healed those who were sick.” After that many were coming. 9-10 He healed many who were sick. They were coming very close to touch him. After that Jesus told his men, They might squash me. Get a dinghy for me. I will sit in it to avoid being squashed.” 11-12 Some people were bringing other people to Jesus, they were crazy. Evil spirits were controlling them. As soon as they saw Jesus the evil spirits were throwing the people on the ground in front of Jesus. They were calling out with fear, “Jesus! You are God's child!” He was telling the spirits sternly, “Be quiet!” He was preventing them from naming him, “God's Child”.

4

AT JESUS' WORD THE WIND AND WATER ABATED (4:35-41)

35 At sunset Jesus said to his men “We will go eastwards to the other side of the water.” 36 Therefore they left the rest of the people on the land, they took Jesus on the water in a dinghy. Other dinghys also followed them. 37-38 As they were going Jesus was aleep at the back, on a blanket, on a pillow, he was sound asleep. After that partway along a really big wind came up, the water became waves, it was entering the dinghy, the water was filling it. Jesus' men became very afraid. They woke him up. They said to him, “Teacher! Truly the water will drown us all. Soon we will die. Save us! Why did you forget us? 39 Jesus got up from sleep, he said told them, “Wind abate! Water go down!” At his word the wind abated right then, the water went down in the same way, it became calm. 40 Jesus asked his men, “Why were you afraid? Why didn't you believe in me?” 41 They were really wondering about him. They said to each other, “The wind and the water listened to him! At his word the wind abated and the water really went down. Truly he is boss for the water and wind! What is this Jesus like? Who is he?” They were wondering in that way. After that they were afraid of him.

5

JESUS SENT MANY EVIL SPIRITS FROM A CRAZY PERSON (5:1-20)

They kept going in the dinghy, they went to the other side of the water. The name of that country was Gerasa. That country was hilly with many caves. The Gerasa people used to put corpses in the caves. After he arrived Jesus got out of the boat. A man came to him, a crazy one, a spirit was controlling him. 3-4 He was going about naked, he used to make his camp inside the caves, close to dead ones. The spirit used to make him very angry. Before this people used to try in vain to tie his hands and feet with chains. The spirit would make him extra strong, that man would break the chains. 5 He was going around in caves and hills in the day and in the night. In his madness he was calling out and cutting himself with stones. 6 This poor man as soon as he saw Jesus from a long way off ran to meet him, he knelt in front of him. 8 Jesus said to the spirit, “Leave the man! Go away!” 7 The man called to him loudly, “Leave me, Jesus! I know you. Your father is above, he is truly Boss for above and for everywhere. You are his own child. What do you want, will you kill me? I beg you, do not send me to the big fire to burn! In that way the spirit talked to Jesus. 9 Jesus asked the man, “What is your name?” He said to him, “My name is 'Many'. We are many spirits.” 10 They were asking him, “Do not send us from this country.” 11 On that rise there were pigs, many of them, 2,000, they were eating green grass. 12 The spirits begged Jesus, “Send us to the pigs. How about it? Can we go into them?” 13 He said to them, “Yes, you can go to the pigs.” Right then they left that man, they all went to the pigs, the spirits went into them. Right then all the pigs ran down from the hill, they went straight into the water, they died in the water. 14 The people who looked after the pigs scattered, they ran away afraid. They told many from the town and country. After that many came to see. 15 When they came to Jesus they saw that man who used to be crazy there. He was sitting near Jesus, he had clothes on, he was without evil spirits, not crazy, he was well. After seeing him they became afraid. 16 There were others who were standing there. Earlier they saw the pigs go into the water. They told those as soon as they came, “This Jesus sent the spirits from the man to the pigs. After that they ran down from the hill, they went into the waterhole, the water drowned all the pigs, they are completely dead.” 17 After that the local inhabitants told Jesus, “Go. Leave our country.” 18 Then Jesus climbed in the dinghy. The man who had become well asked Jesus, “Can I come with you?” 19 He replied, “No. Return to your people. Tell them God was sorry for you, he truly made you well.” 21a Then Jesus returned westwards to the other side of the waterhole. 20 In response to his word that man after he returned was going around in that country, in the east, in the 10 towns. He went to all people. He was telling them, “God made it very good for me. Jesus sent the spirits from me. He healed me.” They all were pleased, they were wondering about Jesus.

JESUS HEALED A WOMAN WHO HAD BEEN SICK A LONG TIME, THEN HE MADE ALIVE A GIRL WHO HAD DIED (5:21-43)

21b Many people gathered with Jesus at the edge of the waterhole. 22 A man came, his name was Jairus. He was boss for the meeting house in his town. As soon as he saw Jesus he kneeled down in front of him. 23 He begged him, “My young daughter is very sick, she might die. Come to my camp, touch her with your hand. After that she will not die, she will truly stay alive.” 24 Jesus went with him, many were following those two. The people were squashing each other. 25 This woman also followed him. That woman had been sick a long time, 12 years. She truly kept losing blood (lit. 'blood kept crawling for her'), it was a big sickness. 26 She used to go to various doctors. They did not heal her. Hers was a big sickness. After that she had no money, still she was staying sick. 27-28 She heard, “Jesus heals sick people.” After she heard she said to herself, “I will touch just his clothes. After I touch him I will truly become well, I will be without sickness.” She did that. Partway along she came close to him, from behind she touched his clothes. 29 Right then her blood stopped flowing, that woman knew she was well, she was happy. 30 Right then Jesus knew about that, he said to himself, “Someone touched me, that person has become healthy.” He stopped, he turned round. He asked them, “Who touched my clothes.” 31 His men said to him, Why did you say that? Many people have been squashing you. Why did you ask, 'Who touched me.'?” 32 He was ignoring them, still he was looking around. 33 That woman knew about herself, she was truly healthy, without sickness. She was trembling with fear, she came to Jesus. She kneeled down in front of his feet, she truly told him a straight word. 34 Jesus talked kindly to her, “You believed in me for good. Therefore now you are well. Go without fear, you will stay well. From now on you will not again get this sickness. 35 While he was talking to the woman some others came from Jairus's house. They said to Jairus, “Your daughter is dead. Leave the teacher alone. Don't annoy him. 36 Jesus heard their words. He said to Jairus, “Don't be afraid, don't get upset. Still believe in me.” 37 Many people were following Jairus and Jesus. Jesus told them, “Stay here.” Then Jesus picked just three of his men, Peter and James and James's younger brother, John. They went, Jesus and Jairus also, to the camp of Jairus. 38 They went to the front of the house, they stopped. There at the house they saw many people. They were all crying with one another for the young girl. 39 When Jesus entered he told them, “Don't cry. That young girl is only sleeping. She is not dead.” 40 They mocked him. They did not believe his word. After that he told them, “Go outside.” Then he told just the mother and father of the child and Peter and James and John, “Let us go to the child.” They went to that dead child. 41 He held her hand, he said to her, Child, stand up!” 42 Right then in response to Jesus's word her spirit returned to her. The child stood up, she walked around, she took a few steps. (She was just about an adolescent girl, twelve years old.) When they saw it they were pleased, they were saying to each other, “Yes we have never seen a thing like this. He made her alive from death.” 43 He told the girl's father and mother sternly, “Do not tell them I made this child alive.” Then he said to them, “Give the child some food.”

6

JESUS SENT HIS TWELVE MEN TO OTHER TOWNS (6:6b-13)

1 After that Jesus went to his own country, his men followed him. 6 Jesus was going to towns, he was teaching them about God's word. 7a After that he called his men, 7c-8 he told them, I will send you to people, you will tell them about God. I told you this word. From now on you send evil spirits from people. You go, do not take money or food. 9 Put on shoes, take only one set of clothes. Leave other clothes behind. 10 Perhaps in some towns a person will say to you, 'Come here, stay a little while with us.' At that time you will stay in his camp in that town. 11 Perhaps you will come to other towns, they will ignore you, they will not ask you to stay in their town, they will not listen to God's word. If they do that do not stay in that town. Brush the dust from your shoes. When you do that you will show them God will be angry with them after ignoring his word. Then leave that town. 12a Yes, that is all. Go by twos.” 12b After that they went. As they were going they were telling people, “You have been ignoring God. Leave doing wrong and believe in God!” 13 They were sending away many evil spirits, they put medicine on many sick people, they were asking God, “Will you make this person well.” After that the sick person became well. God made them well.

JESUS MADE FOOD FOR 5,000 (6:30-44)

30 Later Jesus' mob who had been sent out returned to him. They told him they were making people well, they were sending out evil spirits, they were teaching people about God, in that way, in response to Jesus' word. 31 At that time very many people came to Jesus. They were crowding him from all sides. They did not let Jesus and his men eat. After that Jesus said to his men, “Just we will go to countryside where there are no people. We will rest for a while.” 32 They climbed into a dinghy, they went to where there were no people. 33 Many were watching them, they knew about them, and they knew where Jesus was going. They went quickly around the end of the waterhole to the far side on foot, they were ready waiting for him. 34 When Jesus disembarked he saw many ready waiting for him. When he saw them he felt sorry for them. He said to himself, “These people are truly in a bad way, without a boss. They are lost, like sheep without a carer.” For a long he was teaching them about God. 35 It became late afternoon. They were still listening to his word. His men said to him, “It is late afternoon. The towns are far away. 36 Send these people to the towns so they can get food for themselves.” 37 Jesus replied, “You give them food.” His men said to him, “We cannot give them food. We could only get food for those many people with a lot of money. We have only a little money.” 38 In reply he said to them, “How much damper do you have? Look.” After looking they said to him, “Five dampers and two small fish.” 39 He told his men, “Tell the people to sit down.” They told them to sit down on the grass in groups. 40 They sat down at his word, here 50 were in a group, over there 100 were in a group. All the others were like that, they were in groups everywhere. 41 Jesus picked up their dampers, he looked upwards, he said to God, “You are the one who gave us this food. Thank you! You have helped us! You are good.” When he had said that, he broke the dampers into pieces, he gave them to his men, he said to them, “Give them to these people.” He did the same sort of thing with the two fish also. 44 Many people ate. Five thousand men ate that food. 42 They all ate till they were full. 43 After that his men picked up the leftovers, they put them in carrying dishes, they filled 12 big carrying dishes.

JESUS WALKED ON TOP OF THE WATER (6:45-52)

45 After that Jesus told his men, “Get in the dinghy, go to the other side, to Bethsaida. Later I will come to you.” They went ahead in the dinghy. Then Jesus sent all the others to their camps. 46 After that Jesus climbed up a hill to talk to God. 47 It became dark. He was staying there alone. His men were in the dinghy in the middle of the water, they were in a bad way. A big wind was blowing for them. 48 They were still trying in vain to make the dinghy go, in vain they were trying to make it go with oars (lit. 'with wood') because of the big wind. Jesus saw them from a long way off. He came to them before it was day. He was going on top of the water. He kept coming close to them. 49 His men saw him, he was following them from behind on top of the water. They did not recognise him, they were thinking something like an evil spirit was coming. They were afraid of him, they really called out with fear. 50 Jesus told them, “Don't be afraid. It is me coming. Quieten down, stay well.” 51 He climbed in the dinghy with them. Right then the wind abated. His men wondered at him. They were saying to each other, “Yes, look! He was walking on top of the water. As soon as he came right then the wind abated.” 52 They did not understand. Earlier they saw him give food to 5,000 men from a little fish and damper. They didn't keep it in their minds. They were still thinking to themselves, “He is just a person like us.”

JESUS WAS HEALING PEOPLE AT GENNESARET (6:53-56)

53 After that they arrived in that country Gennesaret. They tied the dinghy with a rope at the edge of the waterhole. 54 Jesus got out of the dinghy, those inhabitants of the place saw him, straight away they knew him. 55 They ran everywhere in that country, they were saying to them, “Jesus has come.” After that they were bringing sick ones on blankets. 56 That is what they were doing in town after town, in camp after camp. They were bringing sick people to him. In the middle of the towns on flat places some people used to sell food and all sorts of things. There on the flat places they were putting the sick ones on blankets on the ground. They were saying to Jesus, “These sick people want to touch your clothes. They will touch your clothes, they will become well.” Truly those who touched him all became well.

7

JESUS WAS KIND TO A WOMAN FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY (7:24-30)

24 After that Jesus left his country. He went northwards, he went to another country belonging to foreigners, to the country named Syro-Phoenicia. He was staying close to a town, its name was Tyre. He entered a house to be alone. He said to himself, “The local people don't know me. They will not recognise me.” No. In vain he tried to avoid them. 25-26 Soon a woman of the area heard about Jesus. She was a different woman, not a Jew, from the country of Syro-Phoenicia. That woman had a daughter. An evil spirit was controlling her child. That woman left her child in the camp, she came to Jesus, she knelt in front of him, she begged him, “Send away an evil spirit from my little child.” 27 Jesus replied kindly to her, “Children should eat food, then you will give food to the little dogs. Don't take the children's food to throw to the little dogs.” With that word Jesus told the woman, “I will do good for the Jewish people, not now will I do good for people from other countries. That is for later.” 28 The woman replied, “Yes, boss! That word is a true. The children should eat the food. After that the little dogs will eat. Truly the child eat food, The little dogs eat the left-overs that have fallen from the hands of the children.” 29 Jesus said to her, “You spoke well. For that word I will make your child well. You can go. Already the spirit has left your child.” 30 At his word the woman went, she went to her camp, she saw her child. She was sleeping on her blanket well. The spirit had already gone from her.

A MAN'S EAR WAS SUDDENLY OPENED, JESUS DID IT (7:31-37)

31 After that Jesus again went northwards to Sidon. He went eastwwards, southwards to the 10 Towns, after that he return to the waterhole Galilee. 32 They brought to him a deaf man, his tongue was weak, he had difficulty talking. They said to Jesus, “Touch this man with your hand, make him well.” 33 Jesus took the man away so they wouldn't be seen. He put his two hands on the man's ears. After that he spat on his own hand, he put it on the tongue of the man. 34 Then Jesus looked up, he took a very big breath. Then he said to the man, “Ears open!” 35 At his word right then the man's two ears opened, his tongue became good. Then that spoke well. 36 Jesus told the people of the area, “Don't tell others I healed the ears and tongue of that man.” They ignored Jesus' word. They continued telling everybody Jesus had done like that for that man. 37 Everyone heard, they were really pleased about him, they were puzzling about him. They were telling people, “Truly Jesus has been doing the right thing. Some who have been without speech become talkers, some who have been deaf become hearers. He has been doing good to them also. It is not hard (lit. 'a puzzle') for him.”

8

JESUS MADE FOOD FOR FOUR THOUSAND (8:1-10)

1 Again one day many people gathered together in the desert. They were listening to Jesus. After that their food ran out (lit. 'became nothing for them'). Jesus called his men, he said to them, 2 “These people have been with me a long time, three days. Now their food has run out. I feel sorry for them. 3 I will not send them away to their countries hungry. When they go they would fall down with hunger. They have come from a long way.” 4 His men said to him, “This countryside has no food. Who will search here and get food for all those people? They are truly very many.” 5 Jesus asked them, “How many dampers do you have?” They replied, “7 small dampers.” 6-7 They also had a few small fish. Jesus said to them, “Tell them to sit on the ground.” After that he picked up the dampers, the fish also, he said to God, “You are the one who gave us this food. Thank you! You have helped us! You are good!” Then he broke the dampers into pieces, he gave them to his men, he gave them the fish also, the said to them, “Give this food and meat to them.” That's what they did. 8-9 At that time very many people ate, 4,000 men ate till they were full. Then Jesus told them, “Yes, off you go to your own countries.” After that Jesus' men picked up the leftovers, they filled 7 big carrying dishes with leftovers. 10 After that Jesus got into the dinghy, his men also, they went to that country Dalmanutha.

JESUS HEALED A BLIND MAN (8:22-26)

22 Jesus went to that town Bethsaida. Some people brought to him a man on a lead, he was truly blind, he could not see. They begged Jesus, “Touch him to make him well.” 23 Jesus took the blind man by the hand to outside the town. He spat on his own hand, he touched the spit, he put it on the man's eyes, he asked him, “Do you see?” 24 The man looked around a bit, he said to him, “I see people blurrily. I think they look like trees. My eyes deceive me. They are not trees. They have been walking around.” 25 Again Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. The man was looking carefully, he saw well. 26 Jesus sent him to his camp. He told him, “Do not go to that town, do not tell them I did this for you.”

9

THREE PEOPLE SAW JESUS REALLY SHINE. GOD SPOKE TO THEM FROM A CLOUD (9:2-10)

2 After three days Jesus picked out Peter and James and John, he took them to a big hill. They climbed up that hill. Only they went. There those three were seeing Jesus shining. 3 His clothes became white, they became bright for him. Truly a person can not make them really white like that. 4 After that those three saw two wise old leaders, they were God's two speakers from long ago, the name of one was Elijah, the other was Moses. Those two and Jesus were conversing. 5 Peter butting in spoke to Jesus, “Teacher, we are right here. That is good. We will make bough shelters for all of you, one for you, another for Moses, another for Elijah. 6 He and James and John were afraid, they were ignorant about right words. 7 At that time a cloud came and covered them. God said to them, from the cloud, “This is my own child, I love him, Listen to him.” 8 They quickly looked around, they did not see the two leaders from long ago. They saw only Jesus. 9 As they were descending (from the hill) Jesus told them sternly, “You have seen me, I was in the brightness, you saw Moses and Elijah, God spoke to you from the cloud. Do not tell the others. Later after I die I will get up alive. After that you can tell them.” 10 In response to his word they did not talk to the others. Only they discussed it secretly with each other. “Why did he tell us that word, 'After I die I will get up alive'?” They were puzzling.

JESUS HEALED A CHILD WHO WAS CONTROLLED BY A SPIRIT (9:14-29)

14 After they returned they came to Jesus' other men. They saw them in the middle of a crowd. A few of the Jews' teachers were there arguing with Jesus' men. 15 When the crowd looked they saw Jesus close, they were pleased, they ran to meet him. “We are happy! You have come!” 16 Jesus asked his men, “Why were you arguing with them?” 17 One man said to him, “Teacher, my child is controlled by an evil spirit, he can't talk. 18 The spirit grabs him, it throws him on the ground. Saliva froths from his mouth, he grinds his teeth, his body becomes very stiff. Therefore I brought him to you so you can make him well. I asked your men to send the demon right away. Nothing. They tried in vain to send it away.” 19 Then Jesus said to his men, “You truly have not believed in God. How is it? You are still unbelievers. How long shall I be with you? Shall I teach you for a long time? After that will you believe in God? Bring the child to me.” 20 They brought him to him. As soon as he saw Jesus the spirit grabbed that child, it made him thrash around. At that time the child fell on the ground, trembling he was rolling from side to side. Saliva was coming from his mouth. 21 Jesus asked his father, “When did he become like this?” He said to him, “When he was a child. 22 Many times the spirit has thrown him in the fire or in the water, it has been trying to kill him. Have pity on us. Perhaps you will make him well.” 23-24 Jesus replied, “Yes, I know how to heal him. Why did you say that word to me, 'Perhaps you will make him well.'? You must believe in God. Then you can ask God for anything. For that particular thing he knows how to do it. It is not a puzzle for God.” Right then the man called out loudly, “I believe in God. Teach me to believe properly!” 25 Jesus saw many people gathering together. Therefore he said sternly to the evil spirit, “You bad spirit, you made this child deaf, you made him unable to speak. Leave. Go away. Do not again control him.” 26 The spirit called out, it was making the child thrash around, it was very bad. Then it left, it went away permanently. That child was like a corpse. Many were saying, “He is truly dead.” 27 Jesus raised him up by the hand. After that the child stood up. He was well. 28 After Jesus entered the house his men asked him, “Why couldn't we expel that spirit?” In vain we tried to send it away.” 29 Jesus replied, “Only after praying to God will you expel a demon like that.”

JESUS TOLD THEM SOME PEOPLE WOULD KILL HIM (9:30-32)

30-31 Jesus and his men left that place, they were going around the country of Galilee. He wanted the people of the area not to recognise him. He was wanting to teach his men about himself, others would kill him. He was telling them, “You know about me, God sent me to people. Some people have been saying God did not send me. They want to kill me. Truly they will grab me, they will take me to other people. Those others will truly kill me. After that, after two nights, truly I will become alive again.” In that way Jesus talked to his men. 32 His men were very ignorant about that talk. They did not want to ask him in response, they were shy.

HOW TO BECOME IMPORTANT (9:33-37)

33 They went to that town Capernaum. After his men had entered the house Jesus asked them, “As we were coming why were you arguing with each other?” 34 They stayed silent. They didn't answer him. As they were going along they were arguing with each other. In this way they were saying to each other, “Who among us will be boss for us all?” 35 After sitting down Jesus called them to him. He said to them, “Maybe you want to be boss, make yourself small, do good to everyone.” 36 After that he called a child, after leading him he stood him in front of them. After hugging him he said to them, 37 “Maybe you will do good to someone like this child to please me. That good thing you did for the child, that same good thing you also did to me. God sent me. Because of that when you do good to me you will make me happy, you will make God happy also.”

SOMEONE WAS EXPELLING SPIRITS FROM PEOPLE (9:38-41)

38 John told Jesus, “Teacher, we saw a man, he was expelling demons from people in your name. That man does not belong to our mob. After that we told him not to do like that.” 39 Jesus replied, “Don't prevent him. Truly those who have done a good big thing in my name will not on another day say something bad about me to others. 40 Those who are not criticisers of us, they are (our) defenders. 41 I tell you this word truly, others who learn about you that you belong to me, and because of that will do a small good thing to you, truly in response God will do good to them.”

10

THEY WERE TAKING CHILDREN TO JESUS (10:13-16)

13 Mothers and fathers were taking their children to Jesus, they were asking him, “Teacher, ask God to do good to our children.” Jesus' men rebuked the mothers and fathers. 14 When Jesus saw them he became upset, he said to them, “I want the children to come to me. Do not prevent them. They gladly believe in God, they obey his word. 15 I am telling you this word truly, all of you must be like them, you must believe in God like they do. If you don't do that you will not belong to God.” 16 After that he put those children one by one on his lap, he hugged him, he put his hand on the child's head, he asked God, “Do good to this child.” In that way he was asking God for them.

A MAN HAD VERY MANY POSSESSIONS (10:17-31)

17 After that as soon as Jesus was going along a man ran to him, he knelt down in front of him, he said to him, “Teacher, you are good. After I die I want to stay alive with God forever. How can I do it?” 18 In reply Jesus asked him, “Why did talk about me with that word 'good'? Only one is good, that is God. 19 You know his word. It says to us, 'Do not kill a person. Hold only your own wife, do not take another's wife. Do not take another person's possessions. Do not accuse another person falsely. Do not cheat another person of a fair share. Listen to/obey your mother and father.'” 20 He replied, “Teacher, since I was a child I have been obeying God's word. 21 Jesus looked at him, he really loved this man. He said to him, “You should do this other thing also. Sell all your possessions. Then give all your money to those who are poor and hungry. After that follow me. If you do that you will truly stay in a good way above with God. 22 That man had possessions and money, he truly had a lot of those. He did not want to leave them. Therefore he did not like Jesus' word. He was sorry for himself, that man's face was downcast, he just went away. 23 Jesus said to his men, “My men, listen to this word. Those with many possessions will try with difficulty to become God's people. Perhaps a few will become his.” 24 His men were shocked at his word. Again Jesus said to them, “My men, truly they can hardly become God's. 25 You know the hole in the end of a needle. That is small. How about it? Will a camel enter that hole. Certainly not. It will not begin to try. That is truly a puzzle. In that sort of way those with many big possessions will hardly try to become God's. For them it is truly a puzzle. Maybe only a few with large possessions will become God's. 26 His men were completely puzzled at that word. They were saying to each other (?), “So then who truly will stay alive with God forever?” 27 Jesus replied seriously, “Truly a person cannot put himself into God's people. Only God can place a person with him above alive forever. Yes. Truly what God wants to do, he will do that. It is not a puzzle for God.” 28 At that time Peter said to him, “Please listen, we have left our camps and all our possessions to follow you.” 29 Jesus replied, “This is a true word I am telling you, all who want to follow me to tell God's word might leave houses and older brothers and older sisters and younger siblings and mothers and fathers and children and food-producing land. They might do that to please me. 30 If they do that God will give them now many houses and older brothers and older sisters and younger siblings and mothers and children and lands. This also I am telling you. Other people will keep hitting them, they will mock them, they will put them in prison. That is what they will do to them. Yes. After they are dead truly God will make them alive, they will stay with God forever. 31 Truly some people are important now, later after they have died God will make them unimportant. Some people are unimportant now, later after they have died God will make them important.”

AGAIN JESUS TOLD THEM OTHERS WOULD KILL HIM (10:32-34)

32 They were going to Jerusalem. Jesus was going ahead. His men were puzzled and upset. Many were also following behind, they were afraid. Again Jesus took his men away alone, he talked to them about how others would treat him in Jerusalem. 33 “Listen. We are going to Jerusalem. You know the Jewish lawmen want to kill me. There someone will give me to them. They will gather together to criticise me. They will make a word about me. Then they will say to me, 'You should die.' After that they will give me to foreign bosses from the Roman Government. 34 Those foreigners truly will mock me, they will spit on me, they will hit me with a whipping thing, then they will kill me. After that, after two nights, I will get up alive.

JAMES AND JOHN WANTED TO BECOME BOSSES (10:35-45)

35 James and John, Zebedee's children, came to him, they said to Jesus, “Teacher, will you do one thing for us?” 36 “What shall I do for you two?” 37 “One day God will put you as a really big boss. Only you will be the big boss for all people everywhere. When that happens will you make us two bosses?” We want to sit close to you on your right and on your left.” 38 He replied, “You do not understand what you have asked for. They will hit me really hard. How do you like to be like me? They might also hit you hard. What? Are you unafraid of that? 39 They replied, “We are unafraid.” Jesus said to them, Yes, they will hit you really hard. They will put you in a very bad way. 40 I cannot make you bosses. I cannot choose two to become bosses, so they will sit close to me. God is the only one who will choose them.” 41 His other men when they heard became angry with James and John. 42 Jesus called them, he said to them, “Listen. You know about foreigners in other countries. Their bosses keep them in a bad way, they become masters for their people. 43 You truly can't do that sort of thing. Perhaps one of you will want to be boss, he should work for other people. 44 Perhaps someone among you will want to be important, he should make himself small like nothing. 45 That is how I am. God sent me to people. I came not to become a boss. I will not do like that. I came to people to do good to them. I will die for them to make them alive. After I have died I will make many people alive everywhere. Therefore many will sit down with God, they will stay alive forever.”

JESUS HEALED A BLIND PERSON (10:46-52)

46 Jesus and his men and many other people came to that town Jericho. They went right through there. On the other side they went close to a man, his name was Bartimaeus, he was the son of Timaeus. He was blind, unable to see. He was sitting near the road, he was asking people for money and food as they were going back and forth past him. 47 At that time people were saying to each other, “That man going straight on is Jesus from Nazareth. The blind man when he heard was calling out, “Jesus, God sent you in accordance with his word from long ago. Please be sorry for me.” 48 Some people were rebuking him, they were saying to him, “Be quiet!” No. He was truly calling loudly, “Jesus. Please be sorry for me.” 49 Jesus stopped, he said, “Call him.” In response to his word they called that blind one. “Be happy. He is calling you.” 50 Right then he abandoned the blanket he had on his shoulders, he quickly stood up, he came to Jesus. 51 Jesus asked him, “What shall I do for you?” “Teacher, Make my eyes good.” 52 “Yes, you can go. You believed in me. Therefore I am making you well.” Right then his eyes became good. Straight after that that man was following Jesus on the road.

11

JESUS RODE A DONKEY TO JERUSALEM (11:1-11)

1 They came close to Jerusalem, they climbed a big hill, its name was the Hill Having Olives. On this hill were two towns, the name of one was Bethphage, the name of the other was Bethany. Then Jesus sent two of his men to go ahead. 2 He said to them, “Go ahead to that town. As soon as you arrive you will see a donkey, a young one, tied up there. They haven't trained it yet. Remove the rope from the stick, bring the donkey this way. 3 Maybe someone will ask you, 'Why are you doing that?'. Say to him, 'The boss wants him.' Then he will send the donkey here.” In that way Jesus spoke to them. 4 After that they went, they saw the young donkey in the town, near a house, tied up at the doorway. They removed the rope from the stick. 5 Some people standing there asked them, “Why did you remove that rope?” 6 They replied with Jesus' words. So they left those two alone. 7 They brought it to Jesus. A few people put their blankets on the donkey. Jesus climbed on. 8 Many people put their blankets spread out in front of him. Some people cut leaves close to the road, they put the leaves also on the road. They wanted to make Jesus a big boss, that boss they call King. That is why they did that. 9-10 Jesus was riding the donkey, some people were going on foot behind and ahead close to him. They were calling out, “God is very good! In accordance with his word from long ago he sent this man to us. This man will be a good king for us, like that boss from long ago, King David. He will look after us well forever. God is very good!” In that sort of way they were talking loudly. 11 Jesus entered Jerusalem. At that place for a long time there was a really big house, from long ago they built it to pray to God there. That house they used to name the Temple. Jesus went to that Temple belonging to God. After entering he looked around carefully. The sun had already set. After that they went out of Jerusalem, they returned to the small town Bethany, his men also went.

JESUS TALKED STERNLY TO A TREE WITHOUT FRUIT (11:12-14)

12 In the morning Jesus was going from Bethany to Jerusalem, he was hungry. 13 Far off he saw a tree, it was a fruit tree, with many leaves. When those trees have leaves people will get fruit. [Omit previous sentence - it contradicts Mark's statement that it was wrong time for figs.] Jesus went to that tree, he was looking for fruit. When he came close there was nothing, no fruit, only leaves. That tree deceived him. 14 He spoke to that tree, “From today you will forever have no fruit. They will not eat from you again.” His men heard him say that.

JESUS CHASED OUT PEOPLE AND ANIMALS FROM GOD'S TEMPLE (11:15-19)

15 They came into Jerusalem, they went to God's Temple. Many people were inside the Temple. In there some had sheep, others had doves. Some were buying those animals to kill and to give to God. They could not give their own money for those sheep and doves. Only another kind of money, Temple money only, only that they could give. Some people were taking their money from them, in response they were giving them Temple money. By cheating they were taking a lot of money from them, they were giving them a small amount of Temple money. After Jesus entered he threw their tables upside down, he also threw down the chairs of those who worked with doves. He chased outside the givers of money and the takers of money. 16 Some people were going straight through the Temple, they were carrying belongings. Jesus stopped them. 17 He said to everyone, “In God's book someone from long ago wrote this word: 'God's house is for all people everywhere. Here they will pray to God.' No way! You have truly been stopping them. You have made God's house a place for thieves. 18 Those Jewish lawmen were listening to his words. They were afraid of him. Secretly they were talking to each other, “How shall we kill Jesus?” All the other people liked Jesus. When he taught them he was truly making them happy. 19 When it became evening Jesus and his men left Jerusalem.

THAT TREE WITHOUT FRUIT BECAME DRY (11:20-25)

20 Early in the morning they were going along the road towards Jerusalem, they saw that deceiving tree, it was dry. It was completely dead. 21 Peter remembered that word of Jesus. He said to him, “Teacher, look! That tree without fruit, the other day you spoke sternly to it, now it is truly dead.” 22 Jesus replied, “You all should believe in God. 23 This word I am telling you is true. Maybe you will tell that big hill to move, 'Throw yourself into the sea!' If you believe and do not doubt, at your word it will happen in that very way for you. 24 This word I am telling you, when you talk to God, whatever you ask, believe God for that. Then that very thing he will do for you. 25 When you talk to God, remember, 'Who has done wrong to me?' Then when you have remembered do not look on him with anger, just let him alone. In return your Father Above will not look at you with anger, he will just leave you alone after you have done wrong.”

LAWMEN ASKED JESUS, “WHO MADE YOU A BOSS?” (11:27-33)

27 Again they came to Jerusalem. Jesus entered God's Temple. All those Jewish lawmen came to him. 28 Sternly they asked him, “Those people you chased out of the Temple the other day, who told you to do that? Who made you a boss?” 29 Jesus replied, “I will ask you a word. You give me a straight word. Then I will tell you who told me to do like that. 30 You tell me about that man John, he was telling them to leave evil, and he was baptising them. Who told John to do that? Did God tell him? Did some person tell him? You tell me your word.” 31 Secretly they were talking to each other. “What shall we say? We might say to him in this way, 'God told him.' He will reply, 'Why didn't you believe him?' 32 We might say a different word to him. We might say, “It was just a person who told him'. No. We cannot say that!” In that way they were secretly talking to each other. They were very afraid of people. All the people were thinking truly God sent John to them to teach them God's word. 33 Therefore the lawmen with fear said to him, “We don't know about that.” Jesus in response said to them, “You did not give me a straight word. In response I will not tell you who told me to send those people away.”

12

A POOR BEREAVED WOMAN GAVE MONEY TO GOD (12:41-44)

41 One day Jesus was sitting in the big house, God's house, the Temple. A big money box was there. People were bringing money for God, they were putting it in that box. Jesus was sitting near that money box. They were putting in money, he was watching them. Some people with a lot of money put in a big lot of money. 42 After that a poor bereaved woman came. Her husband had earlier died. She put in two little coins for God. That was valuable. After giving those two that woman had no more money. 43-44 Jesus said to his men, “Do you see that poor woman? She has very little money. She put in all of it for God. Now she has no money for food or anything. This word I am telling you is true, those others have a lot of money. From a lot they gave just some for God. They put in a little for God. That poor bereaved woman put in much. She gave everything to God.

14

LAWMEN WERE WANTING TO KILL JESUS (14:1-2)

1 In that country when it became springtime Jews from all directions were gathering together in Jerusalem. At that time they used to kill little sheep, one for one house, one for another house, like that. At night, when the moon had become big, they would eat it. At that time day after day, for eight days, they would eat flat bread, without rising (lit. 'something to make it light'). They used to do that at God's word, they would remember that earlier they were staying in the country of Egypt, they were in a bad way. After that God saved them, he took them from the country of Egypt. Spring came for them. About this time they were gathering together in Jerusalem to remember that time long before. In two days they would kill the sheep. Those Jewish lawmen wanted to grab Jesus secretly to kill him. 2 They were saying to each other, “How shall we do it?” Let's not grab him in the middle of the remembering ceremony. Many people say God sent Jesus to be king for us, to be our boss forever. In this way people are talking. Let's take care of ourselves because of them, let's do it secretly so we won't be seen. They might make it bad for us.” Like that those lawmen were talking to each other.

A WOMAN POURED SWEET-SMELLING STUFF ON JESUS' HEAD (14:3-9)

3 Jesus came to that town Bethany, he entered the house belonging to Simon the Leper. While they were eating a woman came to them with a little bottle. It was full, the scent was sweet, very good, with very much money she got it. The woman broke the top from that bottle, she poured that good sweet-smelling stuff on the head of Jesus. 4 Some people there became angry, they were saying to each other, “Why did she do that? She truly did badly. 5 She should have given that sweet perfume for big money. She could have got big money. Then she could have given that money to poor people.” In that way they were talking. Truly they rebuked that woman. 6 In response Jesus said to them, “Leave her alone. Why do you rebuke her? She did a good thing for me. 7 Poor people will always be here with you. Day after day you can give them money. I will not be with you a long time. I will stay a little while, after that I will die. 8 Truly she did a good thing for me. Today she poured this good sweet perfume on my body in order to do good for my burial (?) later. 9 This word I tell you is a true, everywhere they will tell all people about me, they will tell them also this woman did this for me. They will remember this woman.”

JUDAS WENT SECRETLY TO THE LEADERS (14:10-11)

10 After that one man went to those leaders of the Jews. His name was Judas Iscariot. He was one of Jesus' men. He told the leaders, “I will take you to Jesus. You can grab the one that is pointed out.” 11 After hearing his word they were happy, they said to him, “If you do that we will truly give you money.” After that Judas was waiting, he was thinking, “When can I take them to grab Jesus?”

JESUS AND HIS MEN ATE THE SHEEP AND FLAT DAMPER (14:12-21)

12 That day arrived when the Jews should kill a little sheep. On that day his men asked Jesus, “Where shall we go where we will get ready for us all to eat the sheep and flat damper?” 13 He chose two of his men, he said to them, “You go, enter Jerusalem. A man with a water container will meet and join you. Follow him. 14 He will enter a big house. You go in too. Inside you will see that person who lives there. Say to him, 'Our teacher says to you, “Where is the room you will make ready, in there I and my men will eat food, that sheep and flat damper?”' 15 He will show you a large room. There you will get ready for us all.” 16 Those two went. They entered Jerusalem, truly it happened for them in the way Jesus said. There they prepared. 17 In the evening Jesus and the rest of his men came. 18 While they were eating food Jesus said to them, “This is a true word I am telling you, one of you without shame will take a word to the leaders, they will grab me. This one is now eating with us here.” 19 They were sorry, his men became upset, One by one they were asking, “How? Is it me?” 20 Jesus replied, “One of you will do that, he will dip his damper, that one is among us here. 21 I should die at God's word, in God's word they wrote about me like that long ago. For that man who does that, for that very person it will be very bad from now for ever.

JESUS TAUGHT THEM ABOUT HIS BODY AND BLOOD (14:22-25)

22 While they were eating Jesus picked up the damper, he said to God, “You are the one who gave us this damper. Thank you! You have helped us!” Then when he had broken it he gave them pieces, he said to them, “Take it, eat this food. This damper will remind you about my body. Soon others will truly kill my body. From now on whenever you eat damper remember my body, they killed me.” 23 After that he picked up wine in a cup, he said to God, “You are the one who gave us this wine. Thank you! You have helped us!” He gave it to them, one by one they drank. 24 He said to them, “This wine will remind you of my body. My blood will run in my death for many people. Truly God sent me to give a straight word to people. When I die I will truly leave for them this straight word from God. Whenever you drink this wine you will remember my blood, I am dying for many people. 25 This is a true word I am telling you, I will not drink wine again in this country. Later God, my Father, will place me as boss for everyone. After that I will again drink with my people.”

JESUS TOLD THEM, “YOU WILL LEAVE ME AND RUN AWAY” (14:26-31)

26 After that they sang a song for God, they went to that Hill with Olives. 27 As they were going Jesus said to them, “Very truly you will leave me. You will run away scattered in different directions.” Jesus knew this from God's word. In that way long ago someone wrote in God's book, “God will kill the boss for the sheep, the sheep will all run away scattered.” Jesus knew that word was about him. God named Jesus the boss for the sheep, he named his working blokes like sheep. God spoke in this way, he would kill Jesus, all his men would run away. 28 Then Jesus told them, “After I die I will become alive again. I will truly go to Galilee, I will go ahead of you.” 29 Peter said to him, “The others might leave you, I will not leave you.” 30 Jesus replied, “This is a true word I am telling you, this very night you will tell them three times, you will lie to them, 'I do not know him.' Like that you will speak to them. After that the rooster will call out twice. 31 Peter replied, I truly will not tell them that. They might kill me, in death I truly will not say that.” All Jesus' other men said that same word to Jesus.

JESUS WAS PRAYING TO GOD (14:32-42)

32 They came to that place Gethsemene. He said to his men, “You sit here. I will pray to God.” 33 He took Peter and James and John, they went a little way ahead. Jesus became very upset. 34 Then he said to them, “My heart (lit 'stomach') is completely broken. I might die from being sorrowful. You stay here, stay awake, keep me company.” 35-36 After that Jesus went a little way off from them, with sorrow he threw himself on the ground, then he was talking very intensely to God. He said to him, “Father, my own father, whatever you want that I will do. Truly some people want to kill me. I don't want death. You can prevent them. That is what I wish. I will just leave that. If you want others to kill me they will just kill me. I will not stop them.” 37 After Jesus returned he saw those three sleeping. He said to Peter, “Simon Peter, why are you sleeping? Shouldn't you have stayed awake a little while?” 38 He said to them, “Stay awake, pray to God. An evil spirit might lead you, you might do wrong. You still want to trust in God, truly you are weak. Therefore ask God to keep you safe.” 39 Then Jesus again went, again he was praying to God with the same words. 40 Again he returned to those three. Again they were asleep. They were sleepy. They were ashamed of themselves. 41-42 Again Jesus went, he prayed to God, again returning he said to them, “Are you still sleeping? That is enough! Wake up! That same person who used to follow me is pointing me out to evil people tonight. They will grab me. Look! Right now he is coming. Stand up! We will meet them.”

THEY ARRESTED JESUS (14:43-52)

43 While Jesus was talking to them, Judas came close. He was one of Jesus' men. Many people came with him, with weapons, knives and clubs. The Jewish lawment sent them. 44 Judas had earlier told the arresters this word: “I will hug one person. Grab him, take him carefully!” 45 As soon as Judas arrived he went to Jesus, he called out “Teacher”, he hugged him. 46 At that time they grabbed Jesus hard. 47 One of Jesus' men who was standing there almost chopped a person with a knife. He cut only his ear. That man was a worker for the Big Leader. 48 Then Jesus asked them, “Why did you come with clubs and knives to grab me, to arrest me? I am not a fighter, not a thief. 49 Day after day I was teaching people in God's temple. You were right there. Why didn't you arrest me then? Earlier someone wrote about me in God's book, they would do that. Do that. I will not stop you.” 50 After that his men left Jesus completely, they all truly ran away. 51 Another person, a young man was following Jesus. He covered his body with only one cloth. The others tried unsuccessfully to grab him in order to arrest him. 52 He left his cloth, he ran away naked.

THEY TOOK JESUS TO THE BIG COMMITTEE (14:53-65)

53 The leaders and teachers and the elderly men were gathering together in a huge house. That house belonged to the Big Leader. Those who arrested Jesus took him to that house. 54 Peter was following them from a long way off, he also went in the gate of the Big Leader's house. That house was really big, rooms everywhere, with a yard in the middle. Peter entered that yard. There in the middle workers were sitting, they were men belonging to the Big Leader. They were warming themselves at a fire. Peter sat down with them to get warm. 55 Those leaders and bosses, the whole Big Committee, did not like Jesus. They were looking for people to talk, to lie, “I saw Jesus disregarding God's law.” 56 Many people with lies were bringing words about Jesus. Their stories were different, their words did not agree. 57 Some stood up, with this lie they brought a word against Jesus, 58 “He said, we heard him, 'God's Temple, men made it, truly I will break it, and in three days I will make another temple, people can not make one in that way.'” Like that they were lying. 59 They also told differing stories. 60 After that the Big Leader stood up, he stood in front of them. He said to Jesus, “They have been criticising you. You should respond to them. What will you say to them?” 61 Jesus remained silent, he did not speak. Again the Big Leader said to him, “God will send to us his own child, to be a big boss for us. What about it? What do you say for yourself. Are you this one belonging to God?” 62 Jesus replied, “Yes, I am that one. You will all see me, I will sit down near God, at his right side. After that you will see me, I will return from above in the clouds.” 63-64 After that word the Big Leader tore his clothes. (The Jews when they were angry used to do that long ago.) He said to them, “You heard his bad word. Because of his word you know without a report. What will you say?” In response they all said to him, “Truly we should kill him.” 65 Some were spitting on Jesus. At that time they tied up his face with a cloth, with their hands they were hitting him. They were mocking him, “Who hit you?” At that time the Big Leader's men took him, With their hands they were hitting him [meaning of one word - parlju - not understood].

PETER TOLD THEM HE DID NOT KNOW JESUS (14:66-72)

66 While this was happening to Jesus Peter was still inside, in the yard. A working woman came to him. She belonged to the Big Leader. 67 She saw Peter near the fire, he was getting warm. After looking straight at him, she said to him, “That Jesus from Nazareth, truly you are from his mob.” 68 Peter lied, “I don't know him. I don't understand your word!” At that time as Peter was going to the doorway, to the gate, a rooster called out there. 69 A woman near the doorway told the people standing there, “This man is one from Jesus mob.” 70 Again Peter denied (lit. 'blocked') it, “No!” Later those who were standing there said to him, “Truly you belong to Jesus. You are from Galilee.” 71 Then Peter told them, “I am speaking truly. God knows me. If I speak a lie God might hit me. This man you tell me about, truly I do not know him!” 72 After that a rooster called out. When Peter heard it he truly remembered Jesus' word, “Three times you will tell them, you will lie, 'I do not know him'. Right after that a rooster will call out twice.” Jesus had already told Peter that. After Peter realised it he thought about it, he had done just that. His heart broke with shame, he was crying.

15

THEY TOOK JESUS TO THE BOSS NAMED PILATE (15:1-5)

1 After it became light the leaders and teachers and old men and the rest of the bosses gathered together in the Big Committee. They were talking among themselves. “Let us take Jesus to the Roman boss.” After that they tied up Jesus, they took him to the big Roman boss, his name was Pilate. He was from the country of the Romans, the Roman King made Pilate boss for the Jews. 2 Pilate asked Jesus, “How about it? Are you the Jews' king?” Jesus replied, “You said that.” 3 The leaders were falsely accusing Jesus, “He has been disregarding our law.” 4 Then Pilate again said to him, “Hear them, they have been accusing you. Will you reply?” 5 Jesus was remaining silent, he did not answer him. Pilate was puzzled about him.

THEY WERE TELLING PILATE TO KILL JESUS (15:6-15)

6 Before at Springtime after Springtime when the Jews were eating sheep and flat bread, Pilate would release a prisoner for them, he used to send out one for them. Whoever the Jews were wanting they would ask him for that one. That is the one Pilate would send out for them. 8 After that many Jews now gathered to ask Pilate, “Release one prisoner for us.” 9-10 Pilate knew about them, the leaders looked at Jesus with jealousy, that is why they brought him to him. After that Pilate asked them, “Shall I send out for you Jesus, the King of the Jews?” 11 The leaders were already talking to the Jewish people, they persuaded them to ask Pilate, “Release for us that other man named Barabbas.” 7 That Barabbas was in prison, and some others like him also. Earlier they fought the Roman soldiers, they killed a few Romans. 12 For this Barabbas they were asking, in reply Jesus asked them, “I might release that Barabbas, then what will I do to this other one, the man you name 'King of the Jews'?” 13 They replied by calling out, “Nail him on a tree. By doing that kill him.” 14 Again Pilate asked them, “Why? What did he do wrong?” They were calling out very loudly, “Nail him on a tree.” 15 Pilate wanted to please the Jews. After that he released Barabbas for them, he gave Jesus to the soldiers, he told them to hit him with a whip and to nail him to a tree.

THE SOLDIERS WERE MOCKING JESUS (15:16-20)

16 The soldiers took Jesus to their camp, they entered a very big house, they took him into the middle of the yard. They called the other soldiers, “Come here.” Then they removed his clothes, at Pilate's word they whipped Jesus with a whip. After that they were really mocking him. 17 They got a red blanket, a really good one, they put it on him. From a tree they got thorny parts, they made a what's-it, like a head-ring, they put it on Jesus' head. 18 After that they were mocking him, they were saying to him, “You are truly the King for the Jews.” 19 With a stick they were hitting his head, they were spitting on him, after kneeling at his feet they were bowing down to him. They were doing that sort of thing to mock him, as if he was important for them. 20 After they finished mocking him they removed the good blanket from him, they put on his own clothes on him. After that they put a big piece of wood on his shoulder for him to carry, they made him walk out to Golgotha, to nail him on the wood to kill him there.

THEY TOOK JESUS, THEY NAILED HIM ON WOOD (15:21-27)

21 After going partway the soldiers grabbed a man, a stranger. He was from the country Cyrene, his name was Simon. He was the father of Alexander and Rufus. He was coming towards Jerusalem. The Roman soldiers grabbed him, they roughly forced him to carry that big piece of wood, that wood for Jesus. 22 They arrived at Golgotha. (That name Golgotha in the Jews' language they call Skull.) 23 There they tried in vain to give Jesus wine with medicine to drink. That medicine was for avoiding pain. Jesus did not drink it. 24-26 The soldiers nailed him on the wood, they nailed his hands, his feet also. On a paper they wrote this word, “This is the King of the Jews”, they put it at the top of the wood near him. In the morning the sun was going upwards, early, they nailed Jesus on the wood. Then they played for his clothes, who would get them. 27 They nailed two thieves on two other pieces of wood near him, on the right side and on the left.

OTHERS ALSO WERE MOCKING HIM (15:29-32)

29 People as they were going backwards and forwards were watching close by, they were mocking him. They were saying thus to him, “You said you would break God's Temple, in three days you would fix it. 30 Come down from the wood, after releasing yourself save yourself. 31 In that way those lawmen also were talking, they were mocking Jesus. They were saying to each other, “He saved other people, He cannot save himself. 32 Before he was saying, 'God sent me. I am the King of the Jews.' When he comes down from the wood, right then we will believe in him.” The two thieves that were on the wood also were mocking Jesus.

JESUS DIED (15:33-41)

33-34 Partway through the day the sky became dark. It was dark like that right up to late afternoon. After that Jesus spoke loudly, with words from long ago he asked God, “Eloi, Eloi, lama, sabachthani?” That word says, “God, you are my own father, why did you abandon me?” 35 Some who were standing there when they heard that word said, “Listen, he is calling that man from long ago, God's speaker, Elijah.” 36 One came running, he soaked a cloth in wine, he put it on the end of a stick, he lifted it to Jesus' mouth, he put it to his lips (?) for Jesus to suck. He said to them, “Wait! Let us look! Perhaps Elijah will come to take him down from the wood.” 37 After that Jesus really called out, he breathed once, he died. 38 Inside God's Temple in Jerusalem at the end that was God's only. Only the Big Leader from time to time will enter there, not other people. In front of that place of God's a big blanket was hanging. That used to block people from entering. As soon as Jesus died that blanket really tore without stopping, from above right down to the ground. 39 At Golgotha that Roman boss soldier was standing near Jesus in front of him, he was watching him. After that having seen Jesus die in this way he said, “Truly this man was child of the One Above. 40-41 Many women were standing there, they were watching from far off. Earlier when Jesus was going around Galilee those women were following him, They used to cook food for him and things like that. Now they were watching from a long way off. Among them was Mary Magdalene and Salome and another Mary. (She was the mother of those two, James the Younger and Judas.)

THEY PUT JESUS' BODY IN A CAVE (15:42-47)

42-43 In that area was a man named Joseph. He was from the town Arimathea. He was a boss, an old man, a Big Committee man. Everyone used to speak well about him. For a long time he was waiting, he used say, “Soon God will send an important man, after he comes he will look after us well forever.” That same Joseph went bravely to that boss Pilate, he asked him, “Can I take the body of Jesus, can I put him in the grave?” It was already evening. Soon the sun would set. Then it would be Saturday, the Jews' day for God. According to their law they should not work. To avoid that they wanted to put the dead body of Jesus in the grave that evening. 44 Wondering Pilate asked him, “Has he died already?” He called the boss soldier, he asked him, “Has Jesus been dead for a long time?” 45 That boss soldier told him, “Yes, he is already dead. Then Pilate told Joseph, “Yes, you can take his dead body.” 46 Joseph went to the store, he bought a long white cloth, a very good one. He took down the body of Jesus from the wood, with the cloth he tied it up, he covered the whole body. Then he took it to a cave. They had already cut that cave in soft rock for a grave. Inside there he put the body of Jesus. Then he pushed a big stone to the cave, truly he completely covered the doorway. 47 Two women were watching, those two, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary. They were watching Joseph take and put Jesus in the cave, they saw him there.

16

AFTER JESUS BECAME ALIVE HE ROSE UP (16:1-8)

1 On Saturday after sunset the Jews will work again. At that time when the sun was set Mary Magdalene and Salome and the other Mary went to the store. They bought good ointments, very good smelling things, to rub on the body of Jesus. 2 On Sunday they went at first light to that cave. Just as the sun was rising they arrived at that cave. 3-4 As they were going they were talking to each other, “That covering stone at the door of the cave, we can't move it, it is a really big stone. Who will move that stone for us?” As soon as they arrived they looked, they saw someone had already moved that stone. 5 After that they entered the cave, they saw a young man, he had white clothes, he was sitting on the right side. The women were afraid. 6 He said to them, “Don't be afraid! Truly you are looking for the body of Jesus from Nazareth, that one they earlier nailed to the wood. After he died God truly made him alive. He is not here now. Look! This is where they put him. He went from here. 7 You go, tell this word to Peter and the rest of Jesus' men, 'He will go ahead of you to Galilee. That is where you will see him in accordance with his word truly.'” 8 Those women went outside, they ran from the cave. They were very frightened, they were trembling and they were really puzzled. With fear they did not talk to others. (Another person wrote this word, Jesus after dying is alive, he appeared to his people.)

JESUS APPEARED TO HIS PEOPLE (16:9-18)

9 On Sunday morning, before it was light, Jesus again became alive, he rose up. He appeared to Mary Magdalene. Earlier Jesus sent out 7 evil spirits from her. 10-11 Now after she saw Jesus Mary went to his people. They were mourning together. She said to them, “Jesus, our Boss, did not stay dead. After dying he became alive, I saw him.” They did not believe Mary. They ignored her word. 12 In the afternoon two others went away from Jerusalem. Already they were believing in Jesus. Now Jesus appeared to them. Those two thought he was someone else, they did not recognise him. 13 After that, after learning about him, they returned to Jerusalem, they told the rest of his people, “Jesus is truly alive. We saw him.” They just heard those two, they did not believe them. 14 After that, while they were eating, Jesus appeared to his 11 men. Truly he rebuked them. Other people after seeing Jesus alive had told them, still they were behaving stubbornly, those 11 men did not believe them. That is why Jesus rebuked them. 15 After that he said to them, “When you go around in all countries tell all people God's good word. 16 Many people will believe in me. Someone should baptise them. After they die God will keep them alive forever. Some will not believe in me. After they die, God will send them right away forever. 17 Those who believe in me will drive out spirits from people in my name. They will speak other languages. 18 They might accidentally pick up a snake, truly that snake will not kill them. They might accidentally drink something poisonous (lit. 'a killing thing'), truly that bad thing will not harm them. They will put their hands on sick people, they will ask God to heal them, truly God will make the sick ones well. That is what believers will do. After that people will learn from them I work continually with believers.” In that way Boss Jesus talked to them.

GOD TOOK JESUS UPWARDS, HE MADE HIM BOSS FOR EVERYONE (16:19-20)

19 After that God took him upwards, he placed him at his right side very close to him. At that time he made Jesus a very big boss for all people everywhere. 20 As Jesus' people were going they were telling people everywhere God's good word. Boss Jesus was continually working with his people, to show people their word was truly right.

Luke

15

16

22

Luke

Unknown if consultant checked

15

1 Jesus was telling the people about God. Many were there listening to him. Bad people also were coming to him to listen.

2 In the crowd [in the many'] some teachers of the Jews' law were there among them. Others also were there, they called themselves Pharisees. All those Pharisees and teachers were watching Jesus. They were saying to each other, “This Jesus is talking with the bad people, and he's eating food in their camps. That's bad.”

3 Jesus knew about them what they were saying to each other. Therefore he told them this story to teach them.

4 “Listen to this! Maybe one of you may have 100 sheep way out in the bush. Then perhaps one sheep may wander off and get lost. What will you do? You will leave the other 99 sheep in the bush. Then you will search carefully for the one sheep that ran away. 5 When you find the one that got lost, you will become very happy. You will pick up that one sheep that ran away. Then you will carry it on your shoulders, you will return to your camp. 6 Then you will call out to all your people, “Come here! This sheep of mine ran away into the bush. Truly I have found it. Now I am very happy. Let us all be happy.”

7 Then Jesus said to them, “Yes! You are very happy after picking up your sheep. Like this God up above and his angels will be happy after one person after doing bad (things) returns to God. They are happy about the 99 good people who follow God. Truly they will be very happy about one person who after doing bad turns around in his tracks and returns to follow God.”

8 Then Jesus told them this other story. “Maybe a woman might have 10 coins. Then perhaps she will lose one. What will she do? She will light the lamp, she will sweep the house, she will search carefully in every direction. 9 When she finds (the coin), she will call to the other people, “Come here! That money that I lost, truly I have found it! Now I am very happy. Let's all be happy!”

10 Then Jesus said to them, “Yes! Like this God and his angels will be happy about one man returning from his bad ways.”

11 Then he told them this other story. “Yes. Previously there lived a man who had two sons. 12 One day the youngest one asked their father, “Father, when you die we (du.ex) will get your country. Share this country with us now, give me my share now.” Then truly the father divided it for those two.

13 Then the youngest one gave his country to others for money [sold it], left home, and went far off to another country. In that country he was making mistakes with all that money. He was drinking, he was gambling [playing], truly he messed up his life for himself with all his money.

14 Then he was puzzling hard, with no money.

Then at that time in that country there was no rain, the trees and the grass were dying. The people in that country were staying without food. That youngest one was hungry.

15 Then he was thinking, “How will I get anything to eat? I will ask them for a job. Then truly they will give me food (in exchange) for work.”

He was working for a local person of that country. That local person told him, “Look after my pigs here, and give them food.”

16 Then he was looking after the pigs. His boss didn't give him anything to eat. He was very hungry for the pigs’ rubbishy food.

17 At last he realized. “My father’s work men are eating good food till they're full, and I here am starving, from starvation I might die. 18 I will go, I will return to my father, I will tell him, ‘Father, I have done wrong. I have disobeyed God and I have disobeyed you. 19 Don't call me your son, just tell me I will be your worker, I will work for you.’#”

20 A short time later went, he returned to his father's place. His father saw him from a distance. He felt sorry for him, he ran to meet his son. He hugged him, and they cried for each other.

21 The son told him, “Father, I have done wrong (things). I have disobeyed God and I have disobeyed you. Don't call me your son.”

22 In response the father didn't listen to his son. He told his workers, “Quick! Get some nice clothes for him, put them on him, and put shoes on his feet. Then put a ring on his finger. 23 Then get the bullock, the fat one, kill it, and after you've killed it, cook it. Then we will all eat for my son. We'll truly be happy! 24 I thought my son was as good as dead for ever. He’s not! He’s alive! He went far away. It was as if he had left me for ever. Not so! He has returned to me still alive!’

Then they were happily singing and dancing.

25 The eldest was working somewhere far away. Then after work he was returning home. As he was getting close (to the camp) he heard them singing and dancing in the camp.

26 Then he called out to a man, one of his father's working men. (He asked him,) “Why are they happily singing and dancing?”

27 In reply that man told him, ‘Your younger brother returned today. Your father told us, “This my son returned to me. Kill the bullock, the fat one.”#’

28 The eldest son got sulky and didn't go to the house to meet his brother, he stayed outside a fair way off.

Then his father went out to him, he begged him, ‘Come inside the house.’

29 The eldest one answered his father sulkily, “I have truly stayed with you always, I have worked for you through the winter and the summer. I have always obeyed you [listened for your word]. In return you didn't give me a little goat. I and my fellows could have (but didn't) eat an animal with happiness. No indeed! You didn't give me an animal to kill and to eat. 30 I am not like this youngest one of yours, (that) you gave your country to. He got money for that country, he messed up [made a mistake with] all his money on women. Now when he returns home you kill the fat bullock for him.

31 His father told him, “Son, you have been with me, I your father am looking after you. Everything here is yours. I am holding it all for you. Truly when I die all of these things will be yours. 32 I thought this younger brother of yours was as good as dead for ever. He's not! He’s alive! He went far away. It was as if he had left me for ever. Not so! He has returned to me, still alive! For that reason it is right that we should all be happy.”

16

16 [Abraham said to him]...there is a very big gap between us and you. For those of us who might want to go to you fellows, there is no way, truly it's impossible to do that. Also for those of you who might want to come to us, there is no way, truly it's impossible to do that.

22

31-32 “Simon, Simon, Satan asked God about you men, so that he can test you hard. I have begged God for you, Simon, that you should believe God continually. When you have changed direction to return to me in order to follow me, teach those others also they should follow me properly.”

John

3

14

15

John

SECOND TENTATIVE DRAFT of JOHN 3:16-21

3

6 A person's body is from his mother and father. His spirit is from God's Spirit.

16 Human beings are very much in God's feelings. Because of that he gave his very own male child for them, so that the ones who habitually believe in him should not become worthless dregs, but should live for ever in his camp. 17 He did not send his son here for what's-it, to banish them from his presence for ever. He sent him for us, to rescue everybody! 18 Whoever believes in God's Son, he will not send him away. Everyone who does not believe in that sort of way stays in a really bad way forever, because they reject God's very own son.

19 This is how it works: The Light of God has come to us, BUT / in contrast, opposite of what one would expect but men love darkness, they want to do evil. 20 Evil-doers hate the Light of God, they do not come to the Light of God, because of shame about the bad things they have done. 21 Everyone who habitually does good will come to the light of God, and others will see how God is working in and through them.

14

1 Jesus said to his men, “Don't be upset! Believe in God, my Father above. Believe in me too. 2 My Father has many camps in his country. I truly told you. 3 I will go ahead of you to the Father's place. There I will prepare a camp for you. Then I will come back and take you all to that place, to my Father's country, so that you can stay with me forever. We will all gather together in my Father's country. 4 I am going to that place. You know the road to that place.” In that way Jesus spoke to them.

5 One of them was what's-his-name, Thomas, and he didn't know what Jesus was talking about. He said to Jesus, “Hey boss, where are you going? We don't know about that place, and we don't know the road to that place. How can we follow you to that place?”

6 Jesus said to them, “I myself will take people one by one by the hand to the Father. I myself will teach them the true word about the Father. I myself will make them really alive forever. My words are true: no person will go to the Father without me. We two will go to the Father together.”

15

5-8 ...[Jesus said to his men], you cannot do anything without me. Perhaps someone might leave me by going in a different way, he will become like a dry branch. Branches like those, people gather in a heap to burn. Stay joined to me and do according to my word carefully, as a result of doing that you can ask God for anything, whatever it is, he will do that very thing. My people are good, they continually do good. When people see it truly they will praise my Father.

Acts

2

3

Acts

Unknown if consultant checked

2

8 ...we all hear them, they are speaking in our own words.

3

19 From now on truly you must all think and do with a different feeling, get right with God; as a result of doing that he will clean you from the bad things.

Romans

6

8

13

14

Romans

Unknown if consultant checked

The right thing to do is to keep from eating meat, drinking wine, or doing anything else that will make your brother fall into sin.

PTE - possibly based on GNB

6

4 When Jesus christ died, it's like we also died; when they put him in the grave, it's like we also went into the grave. When he was raised to life by the Father, we also came to life joined with Jesus Christ. (Truly the Father is the expert for everything, nobody can stop him.) It became like that for us when someone baptised us. That's the way God did it for us, so that we can become different and stay in a really good way.

23 People always do bad things, in exchange they will die. The people who are joined with Lord Jesus Christ our boss in exchange will stay in a good place. God will keep them alive forever.

8

7-8 When a man pays attention to his own self-centred spirit, he becomes an enemy of God. He does not pay attention to God's word, it is too hard for him! Those ones who listen to their own self-centred spirit cannot please God.

13

13 Let us live the proper way, so that all can see clearly that we are without fault. Don't do anything shameful, don't get drunk, don't over-eat, don't sleep with others' spouses, don't have sex with others, don't fight, don't be jealous with others.

14

21 PTE: You might eat some meat or drink some wine or things like that, you know it is alright, it is not wrong for you to do like that. Another person might see you do like that, he might think it is wrong to do like that, he might want to do like that, he might do like that just because he saw you do it. While ever he thinks it is wrong to do that, it is indeed wrong for him. God would punish him for doing it.

Lest that happen to him, you should always do the right thing, you should leave doing things that make trouble for other people. Perhaps they are good things, that other person thinks they are bad. You should leave them. Then that other person will not do what he thinks is a bad thing, he will not get into trouble because of you.

1 Corinthians

5

6

1 Corinthians

5

11 ...Some people call themselves Christians, but they are still doing wrong. Maybe they are always looking for illegal sex, maybe greedy, maybe they worship carved representations of spirit beings, maybe they are false criticisers, maybe drunken fellows, maybe thieves. Don't join with people that do those sorts of things, truly don't eat with them.

6

9-11 Truly you know evil-doers will not get into God's country. Don't trick yourselves. Some people are always looking for illegal sex, some worship carved representations of spirit beings, some sleep with other people's spouses, some men have sex with each other, some are thieves, some are greedy, some are drunks, some are false criticisers, some steal with violence. The ones who do those sorts of things will not get into God's country. Some of you used to be like that, now you're different. The Lord Jesus Christ and God's Spirit have separated you from evil, they have chosen you for God, they have joined you in a good way with God.

Galatians

5

6

Galatians

Unknown if consultant checked

5

13 I will talk to you, you Christians. Some will say to you, “Truly you will listen to Moses' words, long ago he put it down for the Jews. You must do according to his word. If you don't, you don't belong to Jesus Christ.” They will talk like that to you. Their word is a lie. Jesus came from God to rescue us. You believed in him. That (emphatic) is how you became his people. You didn't become Jesus' people by the hearing of Moses' word.

Look after yourselves for fear of deception! Don't say to yourselves, “We belong to Jesus Christ, he forgave us. We won't pay attention to Moses word. Now we can boldly do whatever we want to do!” Do not talk like that! From talking like that, you might become really greedy for food, for grog, for women, for men, for other things of that sort, you might hit each other, you might steal, you might do other bad things. Do not give yourselves to do bad things. You should really never do like that! You belong to Christ. Because of that from now on truly you should not do anything bad, you will always do in accordance with Christ's word, you will really love him, from doing that you will really look after each other. 14 God put down different kinds of laws for us. He gave us these laws so that we will all stay in the right way, we will look after others, we won't do wrong for them. He put one really big law for us all: This one law holds all the other laws from God: “You really look after yourself. Like that you should look after everybody as well, like how you look after yourself.” 15 I've thought about you all that you might go a wrong way. What then? Are you fighting each other over words? Are you being rude to each other? Look after yourselves! From doing those bad things you will make each other sheer left-over rubbish.

16 This is a really important word I tell you: You should listen to God's Spirit. Keep paying attention to him, keep on doing according to his word. From doing that you won't do bad things. Keep on saying to yourselves, “Truly I won't please myself, I will please God (emphatic).”

17 You all knowabout people, we have a self-centred spirit, we still want to please ourselves. We want one thing, a bad thing, God's spirit wants a different thing, a good thing. He wants good things, appropriate things. All who listen to God's Spirit he will lead them in the right way, for appropriate things, he will prompt their feelings lest they do bad things. 18 Pay attention to God's Spirit. From doing that, you won't have to think about Moses law. 19 Many people will not pay attention to God's spirit. Truly they are ignorers. You know what people are like, as soon as we are born all our spirits are continually self-centred, we always want to do bad things, we do bad things all the time. Because of that some want to have illegal sex with others, some men have sex with men, some women have sex with women, some don't restrain themselves in the right way. 20 Some carve false things like spirit beings, they praise those things from their hearts, they do bad things to others with magic, they hate each other, they quarrel with each other, they become jealous of each other, they get angry quickly, they get overly proud, they separate from each other, they continually stay with their own mob, 21 they want other people'sbelongings, they get drunk, when they are drunk in a mob they get silly, they do bad things, they do all sorts of things like that. They continually do things like that with their self-centred spirit. Those ones that do those things will not live with God in his country. That's a true word. I have already told you seriously, now I am reminding you again: The ones who do those sorts of things won't stay with God. 22 Some people will still continually pay attention to God's Spirit. He will make them think another way, a good way. He prompts people to love each other, he makes them happy, he makes them calm, he makes them patient, he makes them good people, he makes them reliable, 23 he makes them gentle with people, they will restrain their own self-centred spirits. What do you think? What person will say, “To do things like that is bad. Do not do things like that!” There is no way that that person will talk like that! 24 Those ones that belong to Christ Jesus will continually say to themselves, “My self-centred spirit wants to do bad things. No way! I will leave bad things. I won't be a self-centred person. I will only pay attention to God's Spirit!”

25 Yes! The Holy Spirit made us alive. Therefore we should say to him he will be our boss. 26 We should not become proud, we should not annoy each other, we should not become jealous of each other.

6

1 Fellow Christians, you know what God wants. Maybe one of the Christians will do something bad. You must pay attention to the Holy Spirit, after that you will show that Christian the good way, gently. You will do it thoughtfully – you will not do like that one did. 2 You should have pity on those who have problems. When you do that you will do according to Christ's word. 3 You should not become self-opinionated. Perhaps some small/unimportant people will say to themselves, “I am big/important.” When they say that they are deceiving themselves. Truly they are only small/unimportant. 4 You should continually say to yourself, “How was it? Did I do that in accordance with God's word?” Perhaps it was good. Then you will be contented. Do not say to yourself, “Those others were doing badly, I'm doing fairly well.” 5 You should do your own (work) properly. That's what God wants. Don't look at others in order to criticise.

6 Perhaps a person will teach you about God's word. In response you should give food and money and clothes and those sorts of things to your teacher. 7 Listen! A person might try to trick God. He might say, “God doesn't know about me.” He is only deceiving himself! He is making a big mistake. God continually watches him, he will make it hard for the ignorer. 8 Perhaps a person will do bad. In response God will do bad for him. Perhaps a person will do good. In response God will do good for him. Perhaps a person will keep on doing things with his self-centred spirit. In response when he dies God will send him right away forever. Perhaps a person will continually pay attention to the Holy Spirit. In response when he dies God will put him close, he will stay there with God forever. 9 Therefore without getting sick-and-tired of it we should continually do good. After doing like that at last God will do really good for us.

10 Therefore we should do good to all people, we should do really good for believers.

Ephesians

Ephesians

Unknown if consultant checked

5

18 Don't get drunk with wine, it will make you silly, you will do bad things without thinking. Better, give yourselves to the Holy Spirit, so that he can steer you in a proper way.

28 Men truly look after their bodies. Truly in that way they should look after their wives. Whoever looks after his wife is looking after himself.

1 Thessalonians

1

2

3

4

5

PAUL’S FIRST LETTER TO THE PEOPLE IN THESSALONICA

Unknown if consultant checked

This Back translation may not be up to date to the Ngangumarta text

1

(1:1)

1a This word is from me Paul, and from what's-his-name, from Silas and from Timothy also. We are writing to you believers in that (distant) town, in Thessalonica. You all belong to God and to Jesus. That God is our Father and that Jesus Christ is our Boss. You all belong to those two. This word is for all of you. 1b We ask God our Father and Jesus Christ our Boss also, that those two will take good care of you and make your feelings peaceful.

(1:2-10)

2-3 We keep on asking God he will do good to you all. We remember that you believe in the Boss Jesus Christ, because of that you always do things in the right way. You love God, because of that whatever you do you continually do it the right way for God. You believe the Boss Jesus will come from above, then he will take you to God's country. Because of that you continually follow him. Others made it bad for you, (but) you did not back away. We remember what you are like. Because of that we continually say to the Father Above, “Thankyou!” 4 Yes, we know about you, God loves you and he chose you to become his (people). 5a We came to you, we told you, “God sent Jesus to help you/take your part.” You believed not just as a result of our word. No! God’s Good Spirit came to you, he told you, “That is a true word!” You believed that word. Because of that we know about you that God chose you to become his people. 5b At that (time) when we were with you, you know about us, we did whatever we did so you will do in that same way like us. 6 As soon as you heard us, you also did like we did and like our Boss Jesus did, whatever you did you did properly. Others keep you in a bad way, unsuccessfully they prevent you from believing in him. You keep on believing in him gladly. The Good Spirit keeps you happy. 7 Because of that other believers in those two countries, in Macedonia and in Achaia, they understood that they should become like you. 8 That word about the Boss Jesus spread out from you to all the people in Macedonia and Achaia. They weren't the only ones that heard that word, others also in countries everywhere heard that word, they all know about you, you believe in God. We did not tell them about you, they already knew about you. 9 People in countries everywhere talk about you. They know about you, you listened to our word, because of that you abandoned your deceptive dreamtime-being-like ones and you wanted very much to become God's people. God is the one who truly lives forever. 10 Yes, you believe in that one who lives forever, you are waiting for his son Jesus. He made Jesus alive after death. Now you are waiting for Jesus to return from the sky. He is the one who took the place of/helped us believers. Because of that God will not look at us with anger.

2

(2:1 - 16)

1-2 Yes, you know about that time we came to you, we did not tell you God’s really good word in vain. Truly you believed it. Previously in Philippi some people looked at us with anger, they beat us and were keeping us in a bad way. You know about that. Then we left Philippi, we came to you in Thessalonica. At that time we told you God's word. Some people did not listen to us. They tried in vain to stop us speaking. We were not afraid of them, God made us firm to speak. 3 We were telling you that true word, we did not just lie to you so you would give us money or whatever thing. No. We always kept on doing the right thing. 4 God continually watches us, he knows whatever we are thinking about. He himself chose us to take this true word of his to you. Because of that God is the one we want to please, not people. 5 We did not praise you so that you in response might speak well about us. We were not greedy for money and whatever other things. 6a We did not ask you, or others either, to praise us. God knows about me that I am speaking the truth. 6b-7 We are the ones who told you that word about Jesus Christ. He himself sent us to you. Because of that we could have asked you (but did not) to look after us well, and to give us money. No! We did not want to do like that. We (emphatic) looked after you well. You know how a mother cares for her little child, in that sort of way we became for you. 8 We truly love you, we continually think about you. For that reason we did not just give you that good word from God. We also made you like our very own relatives. 9 Yes, while we were telling you the word from God, we were also working for money for food. We did not ask you for food. We did not eat your food. We worked hard in the day and in the night also to get our money. You know we used to do just like that. 10 At that time when we were living with you, we continually did things properly and without badness in order to please God. You know about that, God knows also, that's a really true word. 11-12 You know how a father persuades his child to do things the proper way, we became sort of like that for you. We continually told you, you should live in a proper way to please God. He himself chose you. Later he will take you to his truly good country. Because of that you should do everything properly in order to please him. 13 As soon as we told you that really good word you happily heard/obeyed it. You thought, “This is God's (emphatic) word, not just Paul's.” It really is God's word. You believed that word, from doing wrong you turned to a different way, now you are going in the right way. Because of that we continually say 'Thankyou!' to God. 14 As soon as you believed God's word your fellow countrymen became angry with you. You became like others, those believers in what's-its-name, in Judea, their own countrymen became angry with them, they tried in vain to prevent them following Jesus Christ. In the same sort of way your own countrymen tried in vain to prevent you following him. 15-16 Many Jewish people rejected God's word. Long ago from time to time some of them killed the messengers who brought them God's word. A long time after that some killed Jesus our Boss. Now in these days others banished us from your town. They always try in vain to stop us telling the true words about the Boss Jesus to you or to anyone else. They call themselves “Jews”, they call everyone else “Gentiles”. We (emphatic) want all those who-are-they, those Gentiles, to know about the Boss Jesus and to believe in him. God will save all the ones who do that. These Jews are opponents for everybody else. They don't want other Jews or Gentiles to hear the words about the Boss Jesus. They are evil-doers. Therefore God is angry with them. At last he will hit them very hard.

(2:17 - 3:13)

17-18 Yes, those Jews sent us right away from your town. After that we continually thought of you, truly we love you. We were wanting to return to you, we were lonely for you. I, Paul, several times tried to return to you, (but) Satan was blocking me. 19-20 Yes, we were wanting very much to return and see you. Previously when we told you about the Boss Jesus you believed in him, you left off doing badly, you became those characterised by good. Because of that you made us joyful/really happy. Later Jesus our Boss will return from the sky. Then we and you will be standing together in one group, we will be very close, he will see us together. We will know about you that we did not tell you God’s really good word in vain. Because of that we will be very happy.

3

1-2 I did not forget you, I was feeling worried about you. I kept wanting to go to see you. At last I sent Timothy to you. Timothy is one of us, he is God's messenger, he takes Jesus Christ’s message to people. I told him, “I will stay here in Athens. You go back to see the Christians in what's-its-name, in Thessalonica.” I sent him to you to persuade you strongly, so that you will believe in the Boss Jesus with firm/steady hearts and without fear all the time. 3-4 Others will put you in a bad way and they might frighten you, they might make you go in a different direction from following the Boss Jesus. When we were staying with you we told you they would do like that to you. Now you know we told you a true word. 5 Yes, I was thinking about you with worry. I was thinking, “Perhaps Satan has tempted them, as a result of that maybe they stopped following the Boss Jesus. Maybe we told them God's word for nothing.” That is what I was thinking. I wanted to know about you. That is why I sent Timothy to you to look and see. 6 Now Timothy has returned to me. He told me you are still trusting God and you are caring for each other well. You remember us kindly and you want to see us. Like that we also want to see you. 7-8 Yes, Timothy told me the message, he made me very happy. Here others were putting me in a bad way/making it hard for me. They made me upset. Now I know about you, you are still following the Boss Jesus. Because of that I am happy for you. 10 We talk to God about you constantly, we tell him we want to see you again, we will teach you (more) about God. In that way you will really know about him. 11 For that very reason we ask God our Father and Jesus our Boss, “Perhaps you might take us safely to return to the people in Thessalonica.” 12 We ask the Boss Jesus for you, you will really take good care of one another with love. We really love you, in the same sort of way you should with intensity love and take care of each other and other people also. 13 We want you to stay strong in your spirits, and to really stay without evil. In that way we ask the Boss Jesus to make you strong. When he returns from the sky with his angels you will be without badness in the presence of God our Father.

4

(4:1 - 12)

1-2 Yes, you know those words we told you. Those words came from Jesus our Boss. We taught you what you should be like in order to please God. You listened to us. Now we are telling you from the Lord Jesus: Keep on doing the right thing according to our words. 3 God wants you to be like this. You should become like him, without evil. You all should stay only with your own spouses only, don’t desire the spouse of another. No indeed! 4-5 Some people are very ignorant of God, they are always wanting other people’s women. Don't be like those unbelievers. No! Amongst your people you (pl.) should stay (each) only with your own spouse. You should look after him/her without anger/fighting and be kind to him/her. 6 Maybe one of you might steal the wife of another man. God will be angry with that thief. God is the one who will punish those who do like that. We already seriously told you these words. 7 God told us Christians to stay without badness like him, we should not be like others who are sexually promiscuous. 8 Some disregard/ignore this word. Those disregarders are ignoring us, they are ignoring God himself also. God is the one who gave you his Good Spirit, because of that (emphatic) you should not ignore him. 9 Yes, God has already told you to care for each other well/with kindness. We won't write in this letter about that, you already understand about that. 10 Yes, you are taking care of the Christians well in your country Macedonia. Now we tell you, keep on doing like that. 11 Don't go to the camps of others to criticise, a troubler of other people. As a result of that sort of thing they might get upset and angry. Always work hard. That's exactly what we have already told you before. 12 You should work for your own food money. If you do that you won't go begging to other people for theirs. People will say about you that you live in a good and appropriate way.

(4:13 - 5:11)

[?? Should we at some stage standardise on the English words “Christians” or “Believers”, or is it better to retain the “yijalmarta jinakatarrangu”.]

13 Yes, listen to this word about believers who have already died. We want you to know about them. Then you will not be continually sad for them. Some people are ignorant of God, because of that they stay sad continually. Do not be sad like them. Those ones do not trust in the Boss Jesus, and they are very sad about those who have died. 14 Jesus died. After that God made him alive again. We all believe that word. Therefore we believe this other word also: later God will send Jesus from the sky to get the believers that have already died. The Boss Jesus will take them, the believers, to the Father. 15-16 We tell you this word from Jesus our(incl) Boss. He will return from the sky to get all the believers, he will take us to the Father's country. He will take the ones who are still alive and the ones who have died also. Those ones who are still alive will not go up ahead to the sky first. No! It will be like this: Our Boss himself will come down from the sky and he will call out loudly to the believers who have already died. A big angel will also blow through a big thing, thay call it a trumpet. With that thing he will blow hard. Those who are dead will hear that trumpet and the Boss Jesus when he calls. As a result of that those dead ones will become alive. 17 After that those other believers who are still alive he will cause to go upwards. He will gather us all together up in the clouds, the ones who have already died and the others also. In that very way we will all be with Jesus our Boss for ever. 18 Therefore you should continually make each other brave and happy with this word.

5

1 Maybe some people are thinking, “When will the Boss Jesus return to get us? When will he hit those who habitually do evil?” Our Boss will come very suddenly/quickly. You already know for sure about that word. I won't teach you about that with this letter. When will he come? About that we are all ignorant. 2 We already told you that about him, he will come suddenly/quickly indeed. ————————————————- Many people will not be expecting him. Yes. A thief might go to another person's camp in the night. Those others are ignorant about when he will arrive in their camp. They will not wait alertly for that thief. In that same sort of way the Boss Jesus will suddenly come very close for us, many people will not be expecting him. 3 At that time they will say, “Everything is good. Others will not hit us with anger.” They will be talking in that sort of way, at that very time the Boss Jesus will appear. He will hit them really quickly, he will hit them really hard, they will not be able to hide from him. You know about pregnant women giving birth, it is very painful, they cannot stop the babies from being born. It will be like that for people, the ones who are distracted/not paying attention, when the Boss Jesus comes they will not be watching for him. They will try in vain to hide from him. 4-5 Yes, you are not like others, the ones who are not God's. They live in what is like darkness, Satan's darkness. They are not expecting the Boss Jesus to come. When he comes they will get a shock/be startled. You are not like those ones. You belong to God, you live in his light. You are waiting for Jesus. When he comes you will not get a shock, you will be happy. 6 We are not living in darkness. We should not be sleeping all the time like others. We should be alert waiting expectantly for the Boss Jesus to come. We should not be like those who are habitual drunkards, those are drinking all the time. 7 It's in the night that people sleep, those who are habitual drinkers get drunk in the night also. 8 We should not be like them, they live in the darkness. We belong to God, we live in his light. Therefore we should live in an appropriate way, not like the drunkards. We should always trust God and take care of one another well. We should remember, Boss Jesus himself will take us to his Father's country. When we act in that way God will keep us safe from Satan. 9-10 God chose us, he made us his own people. He did that not to look on us with anger and to hit us. He chose us in order to take care of us, he will take us to his own country. That is the very reason he sent Jesus our Boss to us. He died for us to rescue us. Later he will return to get us all, the living ones and the dead ones. He will take us all to be with him for ever. 11 Therefore remind each other with this word, then you will not be sad / worried. You have already been telling each other this word. You should keep on doing like that in order to believe strongly/firmly. 12 Yes, we ask you to think well of your leaders. God himself chose those leaders for you. Truly they really take care of you and they teach you believers how to live in the proper way. 13a In that sort of way they work for you. Therefore truly think well of them and love them. 13b Don't argue with each other. 14 We want you to do this sort of thing: Some among you are habitually not workers, tell them they must work. Some among you are fearful. Say to them, “Trust God! He will take care of you. Don't be afraid!” Some among you are habitually slack, tell them, “In a true way follow the Boss Jesus!” Behave gently with everyone. 15 Some people might do wrong to you, don't you do wrong to them in response. Take care of each other really well, others also, take care of them, the ones who don't know the Boss Jesus. 16 Always be really happy. 17 Keep on talking to God. 18 Continually say “Thankyou!” to God. Say like that to him when you are in a good way and when you are in a bad way also. Christians should do like that. God wants that sort of thing. 19-20 Perhaps the Holy Spirit will talk to you, do not be inattentive. Perhaps another person will tell you that he is speaking a word from God. Don't ignore that word. 21-22 Listen carefully to that word. You should ask yourselves, “Is that word true? Is it from God?” Perhaps it is indeed really true, then act according to that word. Perhaps it is really false, not from God, it is bad. Don't do according to a bad word.

(5:23 - 28)

23 God is with you, he himself looks after you well. Therefore your feelings are at peace. I ask God for you that he will keep you safe, without badness. I ask for you that he will take care of your spirit and mind and body well. In this very way you will stay without badness forever. One day Jesus Christ our Boss will return from the sky, he will say you are truly good, without evil. 24 God himself picked you to become his own people. He is dependable, he will make you really good and keep you safe. 25 Yes, you should ask God for us that he will take care of us also. 26 You all belong to the Boss Jesus. When you are together in a group give each other a hug with happiness. 27 I, Paul, tell you, God wants you to listen/pay attention to this word. You should read this letter for everyone to hear.

1 Timothy

1 Timothy

Unknown if consultant checked

3

2-3 A Christian leader must stay without fault. He must be a really dependable person, he must be a boss for himself...not a drunkard...not a fighter...

2 Timothy

1

3

2 Timothy

Unknown if consultant checked

1

7 Properly we have believed in God. Then God gave us his good Spirit, truly he is without fault. That Spirit from God will stay in us forever. He does not make us fearful. He does not make us ashamed. He prompts us to do the right in accordance with God's word. He prompts us to put God, and all people also, in our feelings. He prompts us to do good and to leave evil also.

3

4 Remember that I have told you, people will be in a truly bad way. People will be selfish, greedy for money, show-offs, boastful, slanderers, ignorers of their parents, won't give back in return, will not be afraid of God; won't feel sorry, they will be violent, they will tell lies about other people, they won't listen when someone tells them to stop, they will be fighters, they will be dislikers of good, deceitfully they will secretly do bad things to people, boldly they will do bad things without thinking what might happen as a result, they will think they are big; they will only please themselves, they won't love God, they will be like Christians but liars, they won't know about the Good Spirit that he makes Christians of good character and makes them avoid evil. Never join with people like those bad ones.

Titus

1

3

Titus

Unknown if consultant checked

1

7 A Christian leader...truly he must not be an arrogant person, not quick-tempered, not a drunkard, not a fighter, not greedy for money.

3

14 Christians should learn how to think wisely and to work well all the time. They should not sit around aimlessly.

Hebrews

Hebrews

Unknown if consultant checked

12

1-2 Lots of people from long ago are watching us. Therefore let us throw away everything that slows us down from doing good, the bad things also that hold onto us tightly. Let us follow Jesus continually, let us think about him always. He causes us to truly believe in God from beginning to end. To die nailed up on the tree is a shameful thing. Jesus knew about this, he did not back off, he was thinking that later God would make him very happy, he ignored that shame. Now he is sitting really close to God.

James

1

4

James

Unknown if consultant checked

1

13-15 Remember, whoever wants to do evil, very truly he should not say, “God is tempting me to do evil.” No-one can tempt God to do evil, and God himself will not tempt a person to do evil. We ourselves want to do evil continually, and thinking about it tempts us to do that evil. If we continually do evil in that sort of way we will die.

4

7-8 Say to God, “Whatever you want me to do, I will do that for you.” You should block the big devil, he will run away from you. Get close to God and he will get close to you.

1 Peter

1

5

1 Peter

Unknown if consultant checked

1

18-19 Your ancestors used to do bad things, like that their descendants copied them. In that same way you also were staying. You fellows know that one, Jesus Christ, people killed him. When they did that to him, he became like what-was-it, he became like a little sheep, that really healthy one, without sickness or sores, long ago after people did something bad, they used to kill a sheep, they used to say to God, “I did a bad thing. Because of that I have killed this sheep, in exchange don't hit me for that bad thing, just let me off.” Jesus Christ became like that sheep for us. He did a really big thing for us, our boss died for us! Satan cannot hold us, from now on Satan is not our boss! Jesus took our part, he did it once for everybody forever. Because of that you must think about him very seriously and with fear.

5

8 Be alert! Look around! That devil is an enemy to you. That big animal, what's-its-name, the one they call a lion, the one that roars, it goes around looking for meat to eat. Like that the big devil goes around looking for people to get hold of, to turn them into rubbish. 9 Be determined, always believe in God. Keep blocking the devil! You know about the others,

1 John

1 John

Unknown if consultant checked

1

5 This is the word that his Son told us, and now we are telling you: God is truly without fault, truly he is good always. 6 We might talk as if we are alright with God, but we are also sinning. By doing that we are lying, what we are doing is not in accordance with God's word. 7 When we are without badness just like he is without badness, we will all become happy together, and as a result of that the blood of Jesus his Son washes us from all the bad things we have done. 8 Perhaps we might say to ourselves we are without badness, truly we are deceiving ourselves, truly we should tell it the proper way but we are not. 9 When we tell God we have done wrong, he is true, he will do according to his word, he will do what is proper: he will leave us untouched for doing that bad thing, he will wash us from all the bad things we did.

Revelation

Revelation

Unknown if consultant checked

22

5 There will be no darkness there, God will make everything bright, without sun and without lamp. Those believers will be like big bosses forever.

Overview

These Are Stories From The Bible

From The Beginning They Followed Each Other In This Way

Unknown if consultant checked

Inside Cover: This book holds many stories from the Bible. You will learn about them, how they followed on one after another from the beginning.

There are very many stories in the Bible. In this particular book we have put down several short basic stories. If you are wanting the long stories you will see them in the Bible.

1

1

Title Page

These Are Stories From The Bible

From The Beginning They Followed Each Other In This Way

2

In the Beginning, God existed (Father Child/Son & Good Spirit), he alone.

G O D:

Father

Child/Son

Good Spirit.

3

God made the sky and the land and the sea. He made everything in the sea and on the land and in the sky. Then he made a man and a woman also. All people, in all the countries, we all came from those two.

4

After that the man and woman ignored/disobeyed God.

5

Because of that all people became disobeyers/ignorers of God, they became habitual doers of badness.

6

After a long time God sent a big flood to kill all the habitual doers of badness. He rescued Noah and his wife and sons and daughters-in-law, only those. Everyone else was carried away as driftwood/rubbish by the water.

7

After that Flood the people were really bad, they kept on ignoring / disobeying God. Previously he had told them, “Spread out across the country.” They said to each other, “We won't spread out, we will stay here in a group. We will build a really big building, like a big hill, up to the sky.” Lest (they act) in that way God gave them different kinds of languages, and they could not understand each other. It was after that they went in all directions.

8

In the Beginning God said to himself, “I will do good to all people.” Having (said) that now he told one man, his name was Abraham, “You will leave your own country. A very long way you will go, to country belonging to strangers. As you go I will show you (the way).” In obedience to God's word he went. He stayed in that other country for a long time.

9

After Abraham died (1,991 BC) his grandchildren and their children following after them became many. They went to another country, to Egypt.

Abraham

Isaac

Jacob.

10

For a long time they stayed there in Egypt. After that the Egyptian bosses whipped them and by hitting them made them work hard for no money.

11

After a long time God sent Moses to rescue them. Moses took them out of Egypt. God with a strong wind split the sea, they went straight through the middle, on dry (land). The Egyptian soldiers followed them to get them and bring them back. God made the sea return for them (the Egyptians), it covered them all.

12

After that they travelled in the desert. After two months they arrived near a high mountain. There God gave Moses his Ten Important Words for those people. Then during 40 years in the desert he was teaching them to trust him and to do whatever they did in accordance with his word. After that Moses died. God chose Joshua as boss for them.

13

While Abraham was still alive God had told him, “Your people (clan) will become many. They will leave this country. After a long time I will bring them back here.” At last Joshua led them right back to that country.

14

After Joshua died they left God, they were ignoring his word. Therefore God sent skilled fighters to hit them and frighten them so that they would listen to him again, and again act in accordance with his word.

15

After a long time (1,050 BC) the people did not want God as their boss. They were saying, “We want a man to be our boss.” God chose a capable fighter for them, called Saul. Later he left God, he went a different way.

16

After Saul died God chose David, he made him their boss. He really loved God and he used to obey him, he used to act in accordance with God's word. He made his camp in a town called Jerusalem.

17

After that (970 BC) Solomon, David's son, became their boss. In that town Jerusalem he built a very big house for God. He covered it with gold like a skin. They called that house the Temple.

18

After that (930 — 603 BC) there were many bosses, they chose them one after another. The people kept on disobeying/ignoring God. They got bits of wood and stone, they carved representations of Dreamtime Beings, they used to ask them, “Will you look after us.” They used to praise those, they were saying that God was just nothing.

19

Because of that after a long time (603 — 586 BC) God sent foreign soldiers to hit them hard. They broke down all the towns, they burnt that big town, Jerusalem, and the gold-covered temple for God, too, and took all the people to a country far away, to Babylon.

20

After staying a long time in Babylon (538 BC) they were thinking about God. They abandoned their things like Dreamtime beings. After that God caused them to return to their own country.

21

After that (537 — 516 BC) they built that town Jerusalem again, and just a small temple.

22

After a long time (6 BC) God sent His own Child/Son to become a person/man. He was in the womb, he became an infant. His mother, Mary, gave birth to him in a town, in Bethlehem, that's where he appeared as an infant. She named him “Jesus”, in accordance with God's word.

23

After that (26 — 30 AD) when Jesus had grown up, he was going about teaching people about God, and healing sick people too. He was telling them, “Believe in God, and keep on acting in accordance with his word.”

24

After that (30 AD) bad religious leaders hated him, they grabbed him. Soldiers nailed his hands out on either side on a (piece of) wood/tree. After Jesus died another person put his body in a cave. After two nights God made him alive again, he rose from the dead.

25

After that (30 AD) Jesus appeared to his men many times during 40 days. He told them, “I will send God's Good Spirit to you, he will live inside you. Wait for him.” Then Jesus went back up above to God.

26

After that (30 AD) God's Good Spirit came to them to live inside the believers. He continually will remind them about what is right, so they will act in accordance with God's word, and they will teach all people about Jesus. Everything that Jesus previously taught his people, that's what they should teach others.

27

After that (30 AD onwards) they kept on taking the good news, “When Jesus died he took our part. Because of that, the believers will live with God for ever, God will not banish them away from him.”

28

During a long time (from 30 AD right up until now) believers in Jesus have been proclaiming this Good News in all (distant) directions, in all countries. Now we also will tell all people that very same message.

29

One day Jesus will come back again as he said he would. At that time he will make alive the believers who have already died. After that in the clouds he will gather those people and also all the other believers who are still alive then, they will go up to Him.

30

After that he will take care of them forever in God's country.

31

At that time God will rebuke those who ignored/disobeyed Jesus. Then he will banish them away from him, they will live inside the big fire for ever.

Basics

BASIC BIBLE TEACHING

This word is yours.

Look after it.

Look at it carefully

Then teach someone else

Unknown if consultant checked

1

# 1

Learner: Who made the land, the sea and the sky?

Teacher: One person.

# 2

Learner: Who made the sun, the moon and all the stars?

Teacher: That same one.

# 3

Learner: Who made the clouds, the lightning and the rain?

Teacher: That same one.

# 4

Learner: Who made the kangaroo, the goanna and the eagle?

Teacher: Truly that same one.

# 5

Learner: Who made the first man and woman?

Teacher: Truly that same one made those two. He made absolutely everything, in the sky, on the land and in the sea.

# 6

Learner: What is his name?

Teacher: He has many names. He told that wise old leader from long ago, what was his name, Moses, “My name is 'I Am Always Myself'.” Another name is “Elohim/Yahweh”. Others call him “Father Above”.

# 7

Learner: Which way is it? Has God spoken to humans?

Teacher: Yes, long ago he gave a word for everyone. It was a good word. He carved it on two flat rocks. He gave it to that same wise old leader, Moses.

# 8

Learner: What happened? Did the people listen to his word?

Teacher: No. They did not like it, they ignored it.

# 9

Learner: What did God do?

Teacher: He told them, “If you ignore my word you will die.”

# 10

Learner: What happened? Did they die?

Teacher: Yes. Men, women and children died.

# 11

Learner: Which way is it? Will I die?

Teacher: Yes. God said to them, “Truly if you won't obey my word you will die.”

# 12

Learner: Which way is it? Have I ignored his word?

Teacher: Yes, you have ignored his word, you too. God told them, “Everybody has done wrong. Everybody is an ignorer of me.”

# 13

Learner: Which way is it? Is God angry at me?

Teacher: God loves all people. But he is angry with people when they do bad things.

# 14

Learner: Which way is it? Will he kill me?

Teacher: Listen! God really loves you, he loves everybody. He does not want to hit them. He himself died for us all, to save us.

# 15

Learner: God cannot die! How did he die for us all?

Teacher: Listen! God is not like man. Man has only one spirit inside him. God is different. God has three spirits inside him.

Three spirits:

Father and Son and Good Spirit.

The Father's name is “Father Above”.

The Son's name is “Jesus”.

The other Spirit has two names, “Good Spirit” and “Holy Spirit”.

Those three spirits are inside God. God is truly just one, having three spirits.

Long ago God sent Jesus to this earth, to become one who has a body. He was born as a child, he grew up, he became a man. The Holy Spirit came, and lived inside Jesus.

In that way God became a man, he made his camp with human beings.

# 16

Learner: Which way is it? Has Jesus got other names?

Teacher: Yes. Jesus has many names. His names teach us about him.

One name is “Emmanuel”. That says, “God is with us”.

Another name is “Jesus”. That says, “God saves us”.

Often they call Jesus, “Christ”. That name teaches us about Jesus, that God put him as boss for us all.

# 17

Learner: In the beginning Jesus was living with God all the time. Why did he leave God and come to this country to become a man?

Teacher: Truly he loves you, he loves all other people too. Because of that he became a man, to die for you, to die for all people. He took our part to rescue us, so that God will not hit us.

# 18

Learner: What? Did Jesus do anything bad?

Teacher: No. Truly he never did anything bad. He always listened to God's word.

# 19

Learner: You told me that people who ignore/disobey God will die. Jesus never disobeyed God, he never did anything bad. Then why did he die?

Teacher: He didn't die for his wrong. He died for your wrong. With his death he took your part, he took everyone's part. That's why he died.

You with your wrong made God upset and sad.

As a result of your badness he was looking at you with anger, he should hit you.

Long ago Jesus took your part.

When you trust Jesus, God will not hit you for your badness.

He has already hit Jesus for your badness, in order to let you off.

You should trust Jesus, you yourself.

Then God will not look on you with anger, he will make you his child, he will be in good relationship with you.

He will put his Holy Spirit in you to show you the right way.

He won't hit you. No way!

He will make you alive for ever!

After you die you will go to God, you will live with him for ever.

# 20

Learner: What happened? Did Jesus stay dead for ever?

Teacher: No. After two nights God made him alive from the dead. Then he went up to the Father, to God.

# 21

Learner: God has done very good things for me.

I did wrong.

God sent Jesus to take my part.

From now on he will not look at me with anger, he will stay in good relationship with me.

He made me his child.

He made me alive for ever.

He put his Holy Spirit in me to show me the good way.

In response, what should I do in order to please him?

Teacher: Now that you believe in Jesus, ask a wise Christian leader, he will teach you all about the things of God, and he will baptise you. By doing that you will show everybody that from now on Jesus is your boss, you will always do according to his word.

From now on you are not like yourself, you are like being alive after being dead. From now on you are like a different person, Jesus himself continually lives in your body. His Holy Spirit inside you will continually prompt your feelings so that you will do good things, he will prompt you so that you will avoid doing bad things. Continually you will try, you will do good according to his nudgings, you will avoid your own nudgings. As a result of doing that everyone will know about you, it is as if you are alive after being dead, Jesus is alive in your body, he is your boss. From now on you should stay typically not doing or thinking bad things every day.

# 22

Learner: How can I stay typically doing or thinking bad things all the time?

Teacher: Every day Satan will try to make you go a different way, his way. Perhaps many times you might do wrong. Perhaps many times you will want to do wrong. Every day you should say to God, “Father, today I do not want to do wrong. Please will you keep me from evil. Take care of me.”

Satan always wants to do evil. He will say to you, “Don’t listen to God! You do what I say!” Satan is not your boss. God himself is your boss. You should listen to God, you should not listen to Satan. Continually you should ask God, “Make me strong against evil.” God's Holy Spirit lives inside you continually. Listen to him! He's the one who will make you strong against evil. He will prompt you towards the good, you will do well in accordance with God's word.

# 23

Learner: Maybe accidentally I will do something bad.

Perhaps I will think bad words in my head.

Perhaps I will say something bad.

Perhaps I will do something bad.

What then? What should I do?

After that am I a Christian?

Teacher: Yes, you are still a Christian.

Straight away you should tell God,

“I have done a bad thing.

I have made you upset.

I am sorry. I am ashamed of myself.

Jesus is my defender. Long ago you hit him for the wrong and bad things I have done. Because of that please do not hit me for the evil I have just done. Show me the straight way again.”

# 24

Learner: Why would God listen to me?

Teacher: Truly God is always listening to you. He loves you. Continually you should speak to him. That's exactly what he wants.

# 25

Learner: When will I see God?

Teacher: You will not see God with your eyes at present.

Jesus tells you, “You should believe in me. Later after you die I will make you alive from death. Then you will see God well. Then you will live with him for ever.”

# 26

Learner: What will happen? Will Jesus come back here?

Teacher: Yes. Jesus said, “One day I will come again, suddenly.” Yes, suddenly he will come, in clouds, all people will see him. He will gather all his people, from every country in every direction. After gathering them he will take them up above, to the Father.

# 27

Learner: What about the rest?

Teacher: God will send all the rest right away, to the big fire. He made that fire for Satan and for all Satan's evil spirits. He will throw all those spirits into that big fire. The disobedient people also he will throw into that fire. Truly previously they used to join with Satan, they made themselves his. Because of that they should go to Satan’s place, to stay with him. Right inside there they will stay for ever, Satan and all his mob and all of those who ignored God. That big fire will never die down, it will burn for ever. Those disobedient ones truly will stay in a bad way for ever and ever.

# 28

Learner: I want all people to live with God. I don't want them to go to that big fire. I want to tell all people about God and Jesus and the Good Spirit. How can I do that?

Teacher: God's people will often gather to listen to his word, the Bible. Often they should gather together, you too, you should learn about God's word.

When you are gathered together you should worship God, you should tell him, “You are really good. Thankyou! You have saved us. We really love you.” In that sort of way with gladness you should praise him, and sing to him also.

Many are in a pretty bad way. You should ask him to take care of them. You should ask him what you might be able to do for them.

Some people may be sick. You should ask him to heal them.

Many other groups of people are ignorant about God. You should ask him to choose people and send them to tell those other groups about him.

You should keep on learning about his word all the time. When you have learned about it, think about it all the time, and believing it, do what it says! You should tell others that they should learn about God. Whatever happens, continually you should praise God.

# 29

Learner: Yes, this is a very good word.

I will try to do those sorts of things myself, and

I will tell many people about it too.

THE END.

Stories

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

Bible Story readers A & B

This material has been consultant checked

1

OUT OF HER POVERTY A WIDOW* WOMAN GAVE MONEY FOR GOD

One day Jesus was sitting in that big house, in God's house, in the Temple. A big box for money was there. People were bringing money for God, they were putting it in that box. Jesus was sitting near that money box. (While) they were putting (in) money, he was watching them.

Some with a lot of money [lit 'with many monies'] were putting in big money. Then a poor widow woman came. Her husband had died long ago. She put in two small coins ('stones' = 'monies') for God. They were the last she had. After giving those two that widow was without money.

Jesus said to his men, “Did you see that poor woman? She had very little money. She put in everything for God. Now she has no money for food or whatever. Those others have lots of money. From many they gave just some for God. They put in as it were only a little for God. That poor widow woman gave as it were a big amount. She gave just everything for God.

2

THEY WERE BRINGING CHILDREN TO JESUS

Mothers and fathers were bringing their children to Jesus, they were asking him,

“Teacher, ask God to do good to our children.”

Jesus' men rebuked the parents. When Jesus saw it he was upset (lit. 'his stomach became bad'), he told his mob,

“I want the children to come to me. You should not block them.

With gladness they believe in God, they listen to (= obey) his word. I tell you a true word, you all should do like them, you all should believe like them. If you don't, you will not be God's (people).”

Then one by one he put those children on his lap, he put his arm around them, he put his hand on top of the child's head, he asked God, “Do good to this child.”

3

JESUS HEALED A MAN WITH A SKIN DISEASE

One day Jesus was in a town. A sick man was there, his skin was really bad. He saw Jesus, he came to him, he knelt down before him, he begged him,

“You could help me, you could heal my skin. What do you want to do about it?”

Jesus stretching out his hand touched him.

“Yes, I want to heal you. I will make you truly smooth.”

At once that sickness became nothing for him, that man's skin became smooth. Jesus said to him,

“Don't tell them it was I who healed you. Go straight to the priest (wise leader / counsellor). He will thoroughly examine your whole body, he will see that your skin is smooth. You know the word / law about your sickness. Long ago God told Moses to write it in a book. In accordance with his (i.e., God's, or Moses') word take a live sheep to the priest. That priest will burn it dry, to ashes. Because of that people who see it will know about you, you are smooth, without sickness.”

Like that Jesus told him. Then he sent the man to the priest.

That man didn't stay silent, he was telling people. In all directions they were taking the message to people,

“Jesus heals people from sickness!”

Because of that very many were coming to Jesus to hear him. Many also were asking him,

“Please will you heal me too?”

Because of that Jesus left the town, and went out into the countryside in order to be alone, to talk to God.

4

WHICH IS THE VERY GREAT WORD?

Some Jewish leaders got together to trick Jesus in (his) words, so that he should say something wrong.

One man among them was a teacher of the Jews' words from God from long ago. He asked Jesus,

“Yes! Teacher, which is the very important (lit. 'really-truly big') word from God?”

Jesus in reply said to him, “You know this word from long ago,

'God is the one who is the important boss for you. Put

God in your feelings (lit. 'stomach') continually,*

with the whole of you put God in your feelings, with your heart feelings and with your spirit and with your intellect (lit. 'ear-hole').'

This is the very important word.

And there is another word like this one:

'You love yourself. (lit. 'You put yourself in your feelings').

In the same sort of way you should love all people also. (lit. 'put all people in your feelings also'). You should put all people in your feelings.'

God laid down many words for us, some from Moses and others from God's spokesmen. When you do in accordance with these two words truly you are continually doing all the other words from God.”

5

THE WIND AND WATER CEASED AT JESUS'S WORD

One day Jesus told his men, “Let us go on the water to the far side.” Then they took him in the dinghy. There in the dinghy Jesus was sleeping soundly.

Then a really big wind arose, the water became breaking waves, they were entering the dinghy, they were filling the dinghy. Jesus' men became really frightened. They woke him.

“Boss! Truly the water will swallow us!”

Jesus rose up from his sleep, he said to the two, “Wind! Die down! Water! Go down!” In accordance with his word the wind died down at once, the water went down in that way.

Jesus asked his men, “Why were you afraid? Why did you not trust me?”

They were really puzzling. They said to each other,

“The wind and the water listen to him. Truly he is the boss for the water and the wind! What sort of person is this Jesus?”

They were puzzling about that. They were afraid of him.

6

JESUS HEALED TEN MEN

One time Jesus was going on foot, he came close to a town. There ten men saw him. They were sick, their skin was very bad. They stood at a distance, they called loudly to him, “Jesus! Boss! Please be sorry for us who are sick. Heal us!”

He replied, “Go to God's leaders, ask them to look carefully at your skin.”

At his word they went. While they were going they became well.

One man looked at himself, his skin was smooth. Straight away he came back, he was calling loudly, “God is good.” He knelt down in front of Jesus, he said to him, “You have done a good thing for me.”

This man who returned was not a Jew, he was a stranger, from another nation, he was an inhabitant of Samaria.

Jesus said to his mob, “Truly ten men became well. Why did the other nine not return? Only one, and he's a stranger, returned to say, 'God is good'.” Then he said to him, “You believed God for (something) good. Therefore you became well. Stand up, you will go well.”

7

A PERSON WITH MANY BELONGINGS DID NOT THINK ABOUT GOD

One day Jesus was teaching many people. A man there said to him, “Teacher, our father has already died. He gave his land for me and my older brother. Tell my older brother he should divide that land for us two, tell him to give me my share.”

Jesus said to him, “Who made me a boss for you two? I should not divide your land.” (That is, “It is not my job to divide your land.”)

Then he said to all of them, “Listen! You should not with greed get money and a lot of belongings and such-like. When you have got a lot of money and belongings, money will not make you good, belongings will not make you happy, they will not keep you alive.”

Then Jesus told them a story. “One man had a lot of money. His land was also very productive. He planted (lit. 'put') seeds (of popular cereal-type grasses) in the ground for food, from the ground a very big (amount of) food for flour grew ('became') for that man.

He said to himself, 'My houses for keeping food are small, I cannot put all the food in them. How will I keep all my food?' He was very puzzled.

Then he said to himself, 'I understand about that! I will dismantle (loosen/untie) the small food houses. Then I will make very big ones. In them I will care of all my food and belongings and such-like. Then I will say to myself, “I have a very large amount of food, (enough) for many years truly. From now on I will not work. I will keep on eating food, I will keep on drinking wine, I will be happy forever.”' In that way that man was talking to himself.

Then God said to that man, 'You are ignorant. On this very night you will die. You kept for yourself money and many belongings. How will you use them now? Another person will get them!'”

Then Jesus said to them, “Many people are like this man. They keep on forgetting God. They continually gather for themselves money and belongings and such-like. They withhold from the poor food and such-like. They do not give money for God (lit. 'are not money-givers for God'). They keep on holding it for themselves. All those who behave in that way are like that man. They are not making God happy.” (OR, “They cannot make God happy.”)

8

WHEN JESUS WAS TWELVE YEARS OLD HE WAS TALKING WITH THE ELDERS IN GOD'S HOUSE

Every spingtime many Jewish people used to go to the big town, to Jerusalem. They used to go there in order to praise God in a group. For that Jesus' mother and father used to go also.

When Jesus was 12 years old (lit. 'having 12 winters') his mother and father took him also to Jerusalem.

They were there in a group every day, for 8 days. After that his mother and father left Jerusalem to return to their country. Many others also were leaving Jerusalem. Jesus was staying in Jerusalem. His parents were ignorant about that. They were thinking he is coming with others.

Those two continued walking during the day. It became twilight, they did not see Jesus. They were asking their acquaintances,

“Have you seen our son?”

“No, we haven't seen him.”

In vain those two were searching for him.

In the morning they returned to Jersalem to look for him. At sundown they camped in Jerusalem. Next day they were looking for him. At last they saw him in God's big house, the Temple, there they saw him. Jesus was sitting there with the teachers, he was listening to them, he was asking them about God.

Those teachers were wondering about him. They were saying to each other, “Payi! [expression of surprise]. This adolescent boy truly knows God's word. He is just a lad. How did he learn like that?”

When his mother and father saw Jesus they became happily surprised. His mother said to him, “Child! Your father and I have been upset about you. Truly we have been looking for you everywhere. Why were you staying here?”

Jesus said to them, “Why were you two looking for me? Were you ignorant about me, truly I should be in my father's house? Why did you two not know you should look for me right here?”

Those two were puzzling, they did not understand his word.

After that they (pl.) returned to their country, to their camp, in Nazareth. Jesus continued to obey them. His mother kept on thinking about Jesus' words.

Jesus was growing up and he was learning, he was growing in understanding (Lit. he was keeping it in his ear/mind). God was pleased with him, all the people also liked him.

9

JOHN CAME TO SAY THAT GOD WILL SEND JESUS

Long ago God spoke to a man, his name was Isaiah. God said to him,

“I will send a boss for people.

I will send another man ahead of that boss,

with a message for them.”

That man that goes ahead will be out in the bush / desert [= anywhere not close to anyone's camp]. He will say to people, 'Our (inc.) boss will come. Make a straight road* for him.'”In that way God spoke to Isaiah.

That (man) Isaiah wrote the word for them in a book.

After a really long time that man appeared now. His name was John. His poor-quality clothes were made from camel-hair. With a tying thing made of skin he used to tie up his waist. He used to eat bush-tucker, grasshoppers and honey.

Really many were coming to John in order to hear him. From the country of Judea they were coming to him, from the big town, too, from what's-its-name†, from Jerusalem.

He was saying to them,

“You (pl.) have been ignoring / disobeying God. Be ashamed! Come this way! Come to God! Then God won't look at you with anger, he will feel good about you / well-disposed towards you. After that I will baptise you‡”.

In that sort of way John used to tell them.

The ones who took notice of John's message one by one used to say to God,

“It is really true that I have been ignoring / disobeying you. I am ashamed of myself. I want to come back to you.”

In that sort of way they used to tell God. Then John baptised them in the river, in what's-its-name, in Jordan.

John used to say to them,

“Fairly soon another man will come. He is really truly a big boss. Not like me, I am just nothing, I'm only rubbish. This other one is the really big boss. I shouldn't even nudge his shoes. I merely baptise you in water. This other one will send God's Spirit to you (and/or, for your benefit).”

In that sort of way John used to tell them.

Then Jesus came to John from the town of Nazareth, from the country of Galilee. There John baptised Jesus in that river Jordan.

As Jesus was emerging from the water he looked up. Then God tore the sky. The Spirit of God came down to Jesus like a dove and sat on him.

From above God spoke to Jesus,

“You are my very own son. I love you.§

10

THE DEVIL WAS UNSUCCESSFULLY PERSUADING JESUS TO IGNORE GOD

God's spirit sent Jesus to the desert for the big devil to test him.

At that time/There Jesus was staying without food. For 40 days and nights he did not eat food. After that he was hungry. Then that big devil came to him, Satan came to him. The devil said thus to him, “You say about yourself truly you are God's Son/child. Tell the stones/rocks they will become food.” In that way he tested him.

Jesus replied, “I will not do like that. In God's book is this word, 'Food only keeps the body alive. People should listen to/obey every word of God.'”

After that Satan took him to the big town, to Jerusalem, to God's big house. There those two stood on a high place. He said to Jesus, “You say about yourself truly you are God's Son. Jump from here to the ground. In God's book is this word, 'God will tell his angels to carry you with care. They will hold you with (their) hands, they will take care of you because of the rock/s, a rock will not cut your foot.' Therefore jump. God will keep you alive.”

Jesus replied, “I will not do like that. In God's book is another word, 'People should not test God, he is their boss.'”

After that Satan took him to a big rock/hill, high, high, really high that one. From the top he showed him countries in every direction, he showed him all the towns also.

He said to Jesus, “Kneel to me, say I am a big boss for you. If you do that I will make you a boss for those towns and all the people.”

Jesus replied, “I will not kneel to you, I will not say you are boss. In God's book is this word, 'People should kneel only to God. God is the one (they) should listen to/obey.' That word is from God. Therefore I will not kneel to you, Satan. Go away from me!”

After that the devil went, then God sent angels to take care of him.

11

JESUS TOLD FISHERMEN, “YOU WILL FOLLOW ME”

One day Jesus was standing near the water at the waterhole Galilee.

Many came to him, he was teaching them God's word. They were crowding each other in order to hear him.

He looked around a bit, he saw two dinghies at the edge of the water. The fishermen had already got down/disembarked, they were washing their nets.

Jesus climbed into one dinghy, Simon's. He said to Simon, “Push the dinghy for me into the water a bit.” There he was sitting in the dinghy, he was teaching them from the dinghy.

He finished teaching them, he said to Simon, “You (sg) take (it) to the deep water [lit. 'to the waterhole'], you (pl) put nets in the water for fish.”

Simon said to him, “Boss, we (pl.ex) worked in vain all night [lit. 'till sunrise'], we did not get even one fish. Because of your word we will put in the nets.”

Then they took the dinghy to the deep water, Simon and the others put the nets in the water. Many fish truly they got, the net almost tore.

They talked with their hands to two in another dinghy to come, to James and John, Zebedee's two sons. Then they (pl) were filling the two dinghies with fish. There were very many fish, heavy, the water nearly swallowed the two dinghies.

Those fishermen saw the very many fish. They were truly happily surprised.

Simon knelt down to Jesus. He said to him, “Boss, I am bad. You might go away from me*. Jesus said to him, “Don't be afraid. Before you were getting fish. Now with (your) words you will keep on getting people for God.” After that they (pl) pulled the two dinghies from the water, they left the boats and nets on the ground on the rise, they went with Jesus.

12

THE SEED AND THE SOILS, with a GRAPHIC DISPLAY of its STRUCTURE: ABOUT SEEDS

People were continually coming to Jesus from different towns. After very many gathered Jesus told them this story.*

“Listen! A man went to scatter seed on his land, they will become food for (making) flour for him. Some of his seeds after being scattered fell on the path. People were treading on them with their feet, the birds ate them all.

Some of his seeds fell on stony ground. There was no water there. After they came up they soon became withered.

Some of his seeds fell in prickle bushes†. The prickle bushes and the seeds came up together, the prickle bushes became big ahead of the seeds, they covered them, the prickle bushes choked them, the seeds became nothing for him.'

Some of his seeds fell on good ground. They came up very well, they became big truly, they became very much food for that man.

Listen with your minds!‡”

After that his men asked Jesus, “Why did you tell that story What are you telling us (excl.) using that story§?”

He told them, “Previously everyone was remaining ignorant about how to become God's people and how to do according to his word. Now I am teaching you, you will understand well about his word. These other people are unsuccessfully hearing about God. They look continually, they are not able to see, they hear continually, they are not able to understand. Because of that I am telling them with stories like these, I am teaching them with this kind of story.

I will explain this word to you. *

(Main symbols explained) That seed is like God's word. [Those different soils are like different people.]

Story, Part 1: Some seeds fell on the path after being thrown down. [Birds ate them all.]

Implicit info made explicit — Metaphors explained: With that word I am telling you this:

Those birds will remind you of the [or an] Evil Spirit

That path will remind you of some people.

Meaning in Real Life: Some people will hear God's word. The Evil Spirit will pressure them to forget that word (lit. 'pressure them they will forget...').

That word will become nothing for them. Because of that they will not believe in God, they will not do in accordance with God's word.

Story, Part 2: Some seeds fell on stony ground. [After coming up they became withered, they did not produce (lit. 'did not become') food.]

Implicit info made explicit — Metaphor explained: With that word I am telling you this:

That stony ground will remind you of some people.

Meaning in Real Life:

Some people will hear God's word with gladness. For a short time only they will believe in him. After that others will make it hard† for them. Then they will go in a different direction, they will not follow God, they will not do in accordance with God's word.

Story, Part 3: Some seeds fell in the prickle bushes. [The prickle bushes choked them.] Implicit info made explicit — Metaphor explained:

With that word I am telling you this: Those prickle bushes will remind you of some people.

Meaning in Real Life:

Some people will hear God's word. They will continually want to be happy. All sorts of things they will continually think about‡, money and food and belongings. After that soon it will become nothing for them to listen to God. They will not do in accordance with God's word.

Story, Part 4: Some seeds fell on good ground. [They became very much food.] Implicit info made explicit

Metaphor explained:

With that word I am telling you this: That good ground will remind you of some people.

Meaning in Real Life: Some people will hear God's word, they will keep it well, continually they will do in accordance with that word, they will please God continually.”

13

JESUS HEALED THIS MAN FROM SICKNESS

Jesus came back to a town, to what's-its-name, to Capernaum. They were saying to each other, “Jesus has come back!” Many came to his house to hear him. He was telling them about God.

Many people were in that house, many others were standing outside it in every direction, listening to him.

Then four men came. They were bringing a sick man in a blanket, he was very weak, unable to walk. They brought him to Jesus so that he will heal him. Unsuccessfully they entered, there were very many people (inside).

Then they climbed up on top of the house. They made a hole approximately above Jesus, they lowered the sick one in the blanket, in front of Jesus.

Jesus said to himself, “They believe that I will heal the sick one.” Then he spoke kindly to the sick one, “Previously you habitually ignored/disobeyed God. In response I will not hit you, I will stay in good relationships with you.”

In that house were sitting two or three Jewish teachers. They were thinking to themselves, “He shouldn't talk like that! He's a deceiver. Only God should talk like that. Jesus is making himself out to be like God!”

Jesus knew about them, that they were thinking that way. He asked them, “Why are you criticising me like that?

I said to this man, 'Previously you habitually ignored / disobeyed God. In response I will not hit you.' You say I shouldn't talk like that. Which way should I talk to the sick person? Perhaps I might say to him, 'Stand up, pick up your blanket, and go away on foot.' Should I speak to him like that?

Right-O! Right now I will heal this sick person. Because of that you will understand about me, truly God himself told me, “Don't hit people because of their bad (deeds), stay in good relationships with them.'”

Then Jesus said to the sick person, “Stand up, pick up your blanket, and go to your (camp).”

Then and there that man stood up, picked up his blanket, and headed away without stopping.

As he was hurrying away everybody was watching him. They were saying, “He healed him! That's something new! We've never seen this before.”

They were praising God. They were saying to God, “Thankyou very much! Truly you are very good!”

14

JESUS MADE A LOT OF FOOD FOR 5,000 PEOPLE

Many people were seeing Jesus make sick ones well. Therefore they were following him every day.

One day Jesus climbed a hill. He sat down there, his men sat down with him. While he was sitting down he saw very many people coming towards him.

He said to himself, “These people are hungry. I will give them food.” He knew how he would give them food. He did not tell his (plural, = mob/group/family/clan). He tested one, named Philip. “How will we get food for these many (people)?”

Philip answered him, “Truly we can't get damper for those! We have very little money. If we had a thousand dollars (1,000 tala*) we could get just a little bit of food for that many!”

Andrew, Simon's younger brother, said to Jesus, “A child here has 5 small dampers and two small fish. This pitiful food is very little, like nothing truly. How will we ever give (sufficient) food to that many people?”

Jesus said to his (mob / group), “Tell them they will sit down.”

It was very grassy there. Right there on the grass they sat down in rows (lit. “behind and in front”). The people were not small (in number), 5,000 men. (This word excludes women and children.)

Jesus picked up the damper. He said to God, “You gave us this food. Thank you very much. You are very good.” Then he told his men, “Give food to those who are sitting down.” In the same way he gave the two fish also for them. There they all ate food until they were full. Then he told his (mob / group), “Pick up the rest of the scraps carefully, don't leave them.”

In accordance with his word they picked up those scraps. They filled 12 dishes (shallow containers). [The word will include the kind that is shown in the picture.]

When the people had finished eating they were saying to one another, “Jesus from a little food made a large amount, we, a big mob, all ate a proper and adequate amount. He (emphatic) must be the one who comes/came from God, at last God has sent him to us.” In that way they were talking.

Jesus knew about them, they wanted to co-erce him in order to make him their boss / leader. Therefore he left them, he went off by himself to the hilly area.

15

AN EVIL SPIRIT WAS CONTROLLING* A CHILD IN A WRONG WAY. JESUS HEALED HIM

Jesus returned from another country to his men.

They were in the middle of a mob [lit. 'many (people)']. Some Jewish teachers were arguing with Jesus' (mob/group). Then the people saw Jesus, they hurried to meet him. (They said,) “That's great! You have come!”

He asked them, “What were you arguing with them about?” One man said to him, “Teacher, an evil spirit has taken control of my child†. He is unable to speak. The spirit grabs hold of him, throws him on the ground. Saliva springs up out of his mouth and he grinds his teeth and his body goes very stiff.

Because of that I brought him to you, for you to heal him (lit. 'you will heal him'). I asked your (plural, = 'mob') to send the evil spirit right away from him. Nothing. Unsuccessfully‡ they sent it away.”

Then Jesus said to his (mob), “You really did not trust God. Which way is it? You are still unbelievers! Bring the child to me.”

They brought him to him. As soon as the evil spirit saw Jesus it grabbed the child, it was making him twitch / jerk§ uncontrollably.

Then the child fell to the ground, he was rolling this way and that way, saliva was running out of his mouth.

Jesus asked the child's father, “When did he become like this?” He answered, “When he was a child. Often the spirit used to throw him into fire, into water, attempting to kill him. Have pity on us*. Perhaps you will heal him?”

In response Jesus said to him, “Yes, I know how to heal him. Why did you speak to me with that word, 'Perhaps you will heal him'? You should believe God. Then you will ask God for whatever, truly he knows about that very thing, how to do it.”

Then and there that father cried out loudly, “I believe God. Teach me how to believe properly!”

Then Jesus said sternly to the evil spirit, “You habitually-bad evil spirit, you made this child deaf, you made him silent for speech. Leave him alone! Go right away elsewhere! Do not again take control of him!”

The evil spirit cried out, he was making the child twitch / jerk uncontrollably on the ground, then he left, he went right away for ever.

The child was like a corpse. Many were saying, “Truly he's dead!”

Jesus took him by the hand. Then the child stood up. He was alright.

16

A MAN DID NOT FEEL SORRY FOR HIS MATE, HE SHOULD HAVE JUST FORGIVEN HIM

One day Peter asked Jesus, “Boss, perhaps another person will many times persist in doing wrong to me. How many times should I forgive him (Lit. 'merely send him away')? How many times should (I) forget about him he did that to me? Shall I take pity on him 7 times?”

In response Jesus said to him, “You should forgive him 7 times, yes, 77 times also. You will continue to forgive him.

I will tell you a story. From this story you will learn about God. He continually forgives you, like that you (emphatic) should forgive others.

Now I will tell you a story about a man, about a big boss. He had many working men. He had earlier lent money to them*.

One day he told them, “Return to me my money that I gave you!”

One working man came to the boss. That man should return a very big lot of money, a million dollars†. He only had a very little bit. There was no way he could give a million dollars!

The boss said to the police, “Take this man's wife and children and belongings, him also, sell them for money, you give that money to me!”

When he heard the boss's word that working man knelt down before him, he begged him, “Boss, please do not give me to them for money! Wait for me! I will truly give you all the money!”

The boss felt sorry for him. “I am letting you off‡. You don't have to give me anything.”

That working man went off. While he was going he saw another man, a mate§ for him. Earlier he had given a little bit of money to that mate for a short time. He went to the mate, intercepted him, and grabbed him round the neck. He said to him, “Earlier I gave you money. Right now return it to me, give me my money!”

That mate knelt down before him, he begged him, “Wait for me! Later I will give it to you.”

This man said to him without pity, “I will not wait for you. I will put you in gaol. When you have given my money to me you can come out from gaol.” Straight away he put him in gaol.

The boss's other working men were watching those two. They became upset about him. They went to the boss, they told him. That boss became very angry. He told them, “When you have brought that man give him to me!”

They brought him to him. The boss said to him, “You are a habitually-bad (person) indeed! You cannot give me my money, a million dollars. You begged me to be sorry for you. I was sorry for you, I forgave you, I said to you, 'You don't owe me anything'. (Lit. 'should not/will not give me anything.') You should have done the same thing for your mate. You (emphatic) should have been sorry for him, you should have forgiven that mate of yours.

Now I will send you to gaol. There you will stay continually. You will give me back my million dollars. After that you can come out from gaol.” With fury he sent him to gaol.

Then Jesus said to Peter, “Whatever bad a person does to you, do not become angry with him, just forgive him. If you will not do like that, my Father above will stay angry with you continually, he will not forgive you.”

17

JESUS RODE A DONKEY TO JERUSALEM

They approached Jerusalem, they climbed a big hill, called Hill of Olives*. On that hill were two towns, the name of one was Bethphage, the name of the other Bethany.

Then Jesus sent two from his (group) to go on ahead. He said to those two, “Go to that town ahead of you. As soon as you get there you will see a donkey, a young (male) one, tied there. They have not tamed him. Untie the rope from the tree/timber†, and bring the donkey here.

Perhaps someone will ask you, “Why are you doing that?” Say to them, “The boss himself wants this. He will return him straight away.” Like that Jesus told those two.

Then they went, they saw the young donkey in the town, near a house, tied outside the doorway of the house. They untied the rope from the tree / hitching-rail. Others were standing there. They asked those two, “Why are you two untying that rope?” They replied with the words Jesus had told them. Then they (pl.) left those two alone.

Those two took it to Jesus. A few put their blankets on the back of the donkey so that Jesus could ride. Jesus mounted.

Many spread out their blankets on the road in front of him. Others cut leaves/branches near the road, they put the leaves on the road too.

They wanted to make Jesus a big boss, to make him their king. That's why they did that for him.

Jesus rode the donkey, others were going on foot behind and in front of him. They were crying out,

“God is truly good! In accordance with his word from long ago he has sent this man for us, to be a king for us. This man will be a habitually-good king, like that boss long ago, like King David. He will control / take care of us well continually. God is really truly very good!” That sort of thing they were saying loudly.

* 1: The word used here, kampurta, means: (1) 'widow / widower' for Karajarri and some Coastal speakers; (other Coastal speakers use matunyu, and say that kampurta is not a word in the Coastal dialect), (2) 'infant' for Kariyarra, and (3) 'orphan / bereaved parent' (child who has lost a parent or a parent who has lost a child) for Martu Wangka. We have therefore added the sentence to specify that her husband had died.

* 4: Literally this is, “Put for yourself Ngarrka into your emotional being.” It is akin to the English idiom, “Take it to heart”, viz, 'Treat Ngarrka as important, make him a basic part of your thinking'.

* 9: Translating the metaphor literally at this point.

† 9: This formula is often used when introducing a place-name likely to be unfamiliar to the hearer.

‡ 9: Literally 'do you in water'. Janpa-nga ji-, 'water-in do-', lit. 'will do you in water', a technical term for baptism coined by the first Nyangumarta Christians, in contrast to janpa ji-, 'wash it'.

§ 9: Literally 'you are in my stomach/centre of emotions/feelings. I feel good about you / well-disposed towards you.” 1 We kept the metaphor here, but it really needs to be explained. 2 This expression must always be used the first time a strange name is mentioned in a discourse. 3 Literally 'do you in water'. 4 Literally 'you are in my stomach/centre of emotions/feelings.

* 11: This form is a polite suggestion.

* 12: For ease of reading, the story in Nyangumarta is indented. Square brackets in this next section = information from (Luke's account of) the story as told by Jesus to the crowd. It was not repeated by Jesus in his explanation of the story to the disciples; but is repeated here by us as part of Jesus' explanation to the disciples, in the Nyangumarta text, so as not to confuse our Nyangumarta hearers, who do not know what parables are, and are not expecting this to be one. The Nyangumarta text does not include the structure-headings, such as “Story, Part..:”, “Implicit Info made Explicit–Metaphors explained”, “Meaning in real life”; nor does it include the actual square brackets themselves, only the text within them. These aids are merely included here so that you can see what function each part of the Nyangumarta text is playing, in what is perhaps one of the hardest of Jesus' parables to translate for any Aboriginal audience.

† 12: Soft Roleypoley (Salsola kali), is the only appropriate prickly plant in the Pilbara to use in this context, but it is very appropriate, being a very efficient “choker”. (Other potential “chokers” are much slower growers). It grows in many other parts of the continent, probably including the Red Centre, so it may well feature in other teams' translations also?

‡ 12: Literally, 'Listen with your ear-hole', a common way of saying, “Listen, and think about this!”

§ 12: Muwarr can mean 'language, story, speech, message, word, sentence, utterance of any kind'; context determines which is meant.

* 12: [(1) For ease of reading, the story in Nyangumarta is indented. Square brackets in this next section = information from (Luke's account of) the story as told by Jesus to the crowd. It was not repeated by Jesus in his explanation of the story to the disciples; but is repeated here by us as part of Jesus' explanation to the disciples, in the Nyangumarta text, so as not to confuse our Nyangumarta hearers, who do not know what parables are, and are not expecting this to be one. (2) The Nyangumarta text does not include the structure-headings, such as “Story, Part..:”, “Implicit Info made Explicit–Metaphors explained”, “Meaning in real life”; nor does it include the actual square brackets themselves, only the text within them. These aids are merely included here so that you can see what function each part of the Nyangumarta text isplaying, in what is perhaps one of the hardest of Jesus' parables to translate for any Aboriginal audience.]

† 12: Literal word for hard/solid is used here, with extended abstract meaning as in English. We're not sure if this was original, or has come in from English. Expressions in Nyangu-marta like 'make it bad for them' seem to confuse.

‡ 12: Literally, 'will put in their ear'.

* 14: Not an exact equivalent, but known to be a big amount.

* 15: Literally, 'was taking / carrying'. This is the idiomatic expression for spirit-control.

† 15: Can be either male or female child, but is normally assumed to be a male child unless specified as female. There is a separate word for 'girl'. The old words for these two nouns have gone taboo. If one needs to be explicit one must add 'male' or 'female', which is a bit clumsy. It was not thought significant enough in this simple text to do that.

‡ 15: Normal construction for 'tried but failed to. The adverb indicates that the action did not in fact take place.'

§ 15: Used of the death-throes of an animal, but also of the actions of a child in a tantrum that throws itself on the ground and flails its arms and legs around deliberately in frustration and rage.

* 15: Plural exclusive, to include the man's family or extended family. We do not think he would be referring only to himself and his child here. Literally, 'be sympathetic towards us'

* 16: Literally, 'gave them money, soon they should give it back'. There is no verb for “lend”. Some, when pressed, have said that use of the Dative case on the recipient(s) implies a loan, whereas Accusative case implies a gift. However, this is not borne out by general usage, in which the Dative case signals sending the item to person X via someone else, person Y (i.e. 'giving it to Y for X,' Dative). The Accusative case signals giving it to him in person. Thus unless the phrase, 'soon they should give it back', is stated, the concept of wanting the item back has not been expressed. So say A and B. But C and D say that simply adding the word 'jampa', 'for a short time', implies that it is a loan, not a gift. We are using the full phrase here to make sure that there is no confusion.

† 16: Here we have just transliterated the English words, which will be recognised (and people will know that it is a very big amount of money), because the sight of the number “$1,000,000.00” is almost certain to completely baffle any Nyangumarta reader.

‡ 16: Forgive: Australia-wide, forgiveness is one of the hardest concepts to communicate in Aboriginal languages. This is a strong indication that they did not have the concept. (If they had, they would have had unambiguous ways of talking about it, but not one of our teams has been able to find one. We have had to stretch the meaning of weaker phrases.) The Nyangumarta phrase used here, 'puru ngakarna', means literally, “just send him away”. Nowadays, for the younger generation, this term is at times understood in a way that equates with 'forgiving'. It is regularly translated into English as either “let him go” or “let him off”. It is idiomatic, and does not necessarily mean that the one who is doing the forgiving commands the one who is being forgiven to go away from him. Use of just 'ngakarna' without the 'puru' would involve literally sending the person away. The term we were previously using, 'puru yakarna', can mean either (1) 'just leave him/go away from him' or (2) 'just leave him alone'. It can therefore be used to mean “forgive”, in the sense of 'leave him alone', without any retribution / payback. But it is ambiguous. Some take it quite literally as in (1), 'just leave him', meaning that the offended person just walks away physically without either hitting the offender or pardoning the offence. But others take it as in (2), 'just leave him alone', that is, without moving away. This is because the imperative of 'leave' is continually used idiomatically in that way to mean, “Leave it alone!” or “Stop doing what you are doing!” without any sense of actually moving away from the spot. One man told me recently of how some young fellows had borrowed his car and written it off. They came and apologised to him, and in describing his reaction he said to me: 'Puru yakarnarnajaninyi, 'I merely forgave them / left them alone.'

§ 16: This word indicates people who have shared a major experience together at some time. Maybe they worked together on a station, or went “dogging” or droving together; it also includes the main part of the original meaning, of having been initiated at the same time.

* 17: 1 Transliterated: Wulipi-jartiny, 'olives-having'.

† 17: Assuming the two most likely possibilities in station days in the Port Hedland area, and possibly also in Palestine: a tree or a wooden hitching-rail. The same Nyangumarta word is used for both tree and timber.

Drunkenness

Drunkenness being a bad thing

Unknown if this section is consultant checked

1

Genesis 9:20-21

Noah looked after grape bushes for food. Nobody else did like that. Later he drank a little bit of wine, he got drunk, he took off his clothes, he slept in his tent naked. [In the beginning to stay naked used to be OK. Adam and Eve did wrong, from then on to stay naked is really shameful, because of desiring badly. God himself made clothes for those two. (Genesis 3:7,21)]

Genesis 19:30-38

[Lot's two daughters got him drunk in order to sleep with him. In that way they became pregnant from their own father. The oldest had a son called Moab. The youngest had a son called Ben-Ammi. A long time afterwards, Moab's and Ben-Ammi's mobs became enemies of God's people.]

Deuteronomy 21:18-21

Perhaps a man's son is stubborn and rebellious. He won't listen to his mother and father, when they hit him still he won't listen. His mother and father should take him to the bosses of their town. They should tell them, “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious, he won't listen to us. He wastes all his money and is a drunken fellow.” Then the bosses in that town should throw stones at him until he is dead. In this way you will stop others from doing that bad thing. Everyone who hears will be afraid to do the sorts of things which that young man did.

Proverbs 20:1

That drinking too much alcohol makes you talk loud and stupid. It is really stupid to get drunk.

Proverbs 23:19-21

Listen, son! Think properly and live in the proper way. Don't join with others who are drinkers of lots of wine and those who are greedy for food. People like that are making themselves poor.

Proverbs 23:29-35

Who is really upset? Who is unhappy? Who is always fighting? Who is always growling? Who has sores after falling accidentally? Who has red eyes? Those who are always drinking, testing different kinds of wine. That wine is good to look at, and really sweet to taste. Don't ever trust it. When a poisonous snake bites you, you get really sick, it is very painful when a death adder bites you, in that same way after drinking wine you will get really sick. You will see frightening things that aren't there and you will talk in a stupid way. You all know about the sailing ships in the sea, the post that holds the sail is really tall. That post moves in the wind in every direction. In that same way that drunk person walks in a staggering way. And he will say, “They hit me but I didn't feel it. I didn't know it when they hit me. When will I wake up to have another drink?”

Isaiah 5:11-12

You get up early in the morning to drink wine, then you keep on drinking during the night...You should be thinking about God, but you're not! You are ignorant of what he is doing. He says to you, “I will hit you hard, it's impossible for you to run away and hide.”

Romans 13:13

Let us live the proper way, so that all can see clearly that we are without fault. Don't do anything shameful, don't get drunk, don't over-eat, don't sleep with others' spouses, don't have sex with others, don't fight, don't be jealous with others.

1 Corinthians 5:11

...Some people call themselves Christians, but they are still doing wrong. Maybe they are always looking for illegal sex, maybe they are greedy, maybe they worship carved representations of spirit beings, maybe they are false criticisers, maybe drunken fellows, maybe thieves. Don't join with people that do those sorts of things, truly don't eat with them.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Truly you know evil-doers will not get into God's country. Don't trick yourselves. Some people are always looking for illegal sex, some worship carved representations of spirit beings, some sleep with other people's spouses, some men have sex with each other, some are thieves, some are greedy, some are drunks, some are false criticisers, some steal with violence. The ones who do those sorts of things will not get into God's country. Some of you used to be like that, now you're different. The Lord Jesus Christ and God's Spirit have separated you from evil, they have chosen you for God, they have joined you in a good way with God.

Galatians 5:21

...They get drunk, when they are drunk, they do other bad things like those...

Ephesians 5:18

Don't get drunk with wine, it will make you silly, you will do bad things without thinking. Better, give yourselves to the Holy Spirit, so that he can steer you in a proper way.

1 Timothy 3:2-3

A Christian leader must stay without fault. He must be a really dependable person, he must be a boss for himself...not a drunkard...not a fighter...

Titus 1:7

A Christian leader...truly he must not be an arrogant person, not quick-tempered, not a drunkard, not a fighter, not greedy for money.

1 Peter 4:3

From now on until you die you must continually do from God's word, not from people's words, not from your self-centred spirit. The ones that don't know about God, still they want to do all kinds of bad things. Before when you were not Christians, you too were bad, like those ones. You were shameless, always looking for illegal sex, you were drunkards, you drank wine, ate food until you were full, then you had sex. You used to worship carved representations of spirit beings. Things like these are really bad!