1 These are the names of the sons of Israel, who went into Egypt with Jacob. They entered, each one with his house:
2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah,
3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,
4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.
5 Therefore, all the souls of whose who went forth from Jacob’s thigh were seventy. Now Joseph was in Egypt.
6 When he had died, along with all of his brothers and all of that generation,
7 the sons of Israel increased, and they multiplied like seedlings. And having been strengthened exceedingly, they filled the land.
8 Meanwhile, there arose a new king over Egypt, who was ignorant of Joseph.
9 And he said to his people: “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are many, and they are stronger than we are.
10 Come, let us wisely oppress them, lest they multiply; and if any war should advance against us, they may be added to our enemies, and having fought against us, they might depart from the land.”
11 And so he set over them masters of the works, in order to afflict them with burdens. And they built for Pharaoh the cities of the tabernacles: Pithom and Raamses.
12 And the more they oppressed them, so much more did they multiply and increase.
13 And the Egyptians hated the sons of Israel, and they afflicted them and mocked them.
14 And they led their life directly into bitterness, with hard work in clay and brick, and with all kinds of servitude, so that they were being overwhelmed with the works of the land.
15 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the midwives of the Hebrews, (one of whom one was called Shiphrah, another Puah)
16 instructing them: “When you will act as a midwife to the Hebrew women, and the time of delivery has arrived: if it is male, put it to death; if it is female, retain it.”
17 But the midwives feared God, and so they did not act according to the precept of the king of Egypt, but they kept the males safe.
18 And summoning them, the king said, “What did you intend to do, so that you would save the boys?”
19 They responded: “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women. For they themselves have the wisdom of a midwife, and so they give birth before we can come to them.”
20 Therefore, God acted favorably toward the midwives. And the people increased, and they were strengthened exceedingly.
21 And because the midwives feared God, he built houses for them.
22 Therefore, Pharaoh instructed all his people, saying: “Whatever will be born of the male sex, cast it into the river; whatever will be born of the female sex, retain it.”
1 After these things, a man from the house of Levi went out, and he took a wife from his own stock.
2 And she conceived and bore a son. And seeing him to be handsome, she hid him for three months.
3 And when she was no longer able to hide him, she took a small basket woven of bulrushes, and she smeared it with pitch as well as tar. And she placed the little infant inside, and she laid him in the sedges by the bank of the river.
4 His sister was standing at a distance and was wondering what would happen.
5 Then, behold, the daughter of Pharaoh descended to wash in the river. And her maids walked along the edge of the cove. And when she had seen the small basket among the papyruses, she sent one of her servants for it. And when it was brought,
6 she opened it; and realizing that within it was a little one crying, she took pity on him, and she said: “This is one of the infants of the Hebrews.”
7 And the sister of the boy said to her: “If you wish, I will go and call to you a Hebrew woman, who will be able nurse the infant.”
8 She responded, “Go.” The maid went directly and called her mother.
9 And the daughter of Pharaoh said to her: “Take this boy and nurse him for me. I will give you your wages.” The woman took and nursed the boy. And when he was mature, she delivered him to the daughter of Pharaoh.
10 And she adopted him in place of a son, and she called his name Moses, saying, “Because I took him from the water.”
11 In those days, after Moses had grown up, he went out to his brothers. And he saw their affliction and an Egyptian man striking a certain one of the Hebrews, his brothers.
12 And when he had looked around this way and that, and had seen no one nearby, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.
13 And going out the next day, he spotted two Hebrews quarrelling violently. And he said to him who was causing the injury, “Why do you strike your neighbor?”
14 But he responded: “Who appointed you as leader and judge over us? Do you want to kill me, just as yesterday you killed the Egyptian?” Moses was afraid, and he said, “How has this word become known?”
15 And Pharaoh heard this talk, and he sought to kill Moses. But fleeing from his sight, he stayed in the land of Midian, and he sat down next to a well.
16 Now there was a priest of Midian with seven daughters, who came to draw water. And having filled the troughs, they desired to water their father’s flocks.
17 The shepherds overcame them and drove them away. And Moses rose up, and defending the girls, he watered their sheep.
18 And when they had returned to their father, Reuel, he said to them, “Why have you arrived sooner than usual?”
19 They responded: “A man of Egypt freed us from the hands of the shepherds. Moreover, he also drew water with us and gave the sheep to drink.”
20 But he said: “Where is he? Why have you dismissed the man? Call him, so that he may eat bread.”
21 Therefore, Moses swore that he would live with him. And he accepted his daughter Zipporah as a wife.
22 And she bore a son to him, whom he called Gershom, saying, “I have been a newcomer in a foreign land.” In truth, she bore another, whom he called Eliezer, saying, “For the God of my father, my helper, has rescued me from the hand of Pharaoh.”
23 In truth, after a long time, the king of Egypt was dead. And the sons of Israel, groaning, cried out because of the works. And their cry ascended to God from the works.
24 And he heard their groaning, and he also remembered the covenant which he formed with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
25 And the Lord looked with favor on the sons of Israel, and he knew them.
1 Now Moses was pasturing the sheep of his father-in-law Jethro, a priest of Midian. And when he had driven the flock into the interior of the desert, he came to the mountain of God, Horeb.
2 And the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. And he saw that the bush was burning and was not burnt.
3 Therefore, Moses said, “I will go and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.”
4 Then the Lord, discerning that he proceeded on to see it, called to him from the midst of the bush, and he said, “Moses, Moses.” And he responded, “Here I am.”
5 And he said: “Lest you should approach here, remove the shoes from your feet. For the place on which you stand is holy ground.”
6 And he said, “I am the God of your father: the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face, for he dared not look directly at God.
7 And the Lord said to him: “I have seen the affliction of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their outcry because of the harshness of those who are over the works.
8 And knowing their sorrow, I have descended in order to free them from the hands of the Egyptians, and to lead them from that land into a good and spacious land, into a land which flows with milk and honey, to the places of the Canaanite, and Hittite, and Amorite, and Perizzite, and Hivite, and Jebusite.
9 And so, the outcry of the sons of Israel has come to me. And I have seen their affliction, with which they are oppressed by the Egyptians.
10 But come, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may lead my people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.”
11 And Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should lead the sons of Israel out of Egypt?”
12 And he said to him: “I will be with you. And you will have this as a sign that I have sent you: When you will have brought my people out of Egypt, you will offer sacrifice to God upon this mountain.”
13 Moses said to God: “Behold, I will go to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ If they say to me, ‘What is his name?’ What shall I say to them?”
14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO AM.” He said: “Thus shall you say to the sons of Israel: ‘HE WHO IS has sent me to you.’ “
15 And God said again to Moses: “Thus shall you say to the sons of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is the name for me in eternity, and this is my memorial from generation to generation.
16 Go and gather together the elders of Israel, and you shall say to them: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying: When visiting, I have visited you, and I have seen all that has befallen you in Egypt.
17 And I have spoken in order to lead you out of the affliction of Egypt, into the land of the Canaanite, and Hittite, and Amorite, and Perizzite, and Hivite, and Jebusite, into a land flowing with milk and honey.’
18 And they shall hear your voice. And you shall enter, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt, and you shall say to him: ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews has called us. We shall go three days’ journey into the wilderness, in order to offer sacrifice to the Lord our God.’
19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not release you, unless you go out by a powerful hand.
20 For I will extend my hand, and I will strike Egypt with all my wonders that I will do in the midst of them. After these things, he will release you.
21 And I will grant favor to this people in the sight of the Egyptians. And so, when you go forth, you shall not go out empty.
22 But every woman shall ask of her neighbor and of her hostess vessels of silver and of gold, as well as garments. And you shall set them upon your sons and daughters, and you shall despoil Egypt.”
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1 O nations and peoples: draw near, and listen, and pay attention! Let the earth and its fullness hear, the entire world and all its offspring.
2 For the indignation of the Lord is over all the nations, and his fury is over all their armies. He has put them to death, and he has given them over to slaughter.
3 Their slain will be cast out, and from their carcasses a foul odor will rise up. The mountains will languish because of their blood.
4 And the entire army of the heavens will languish, and the heavens will be folded like a book. And their entire army will fall away, as a leaf falls from the vine or from the fig tree.
5 For my sword in heaven has been inebriated. Behold, it will descend upon Idumea, and upon the people of my slaughter, unto judgment.
6 The sword of the Lord has been filled with blood. It has been thickened by the blood of lambs and he-goats, by the innermost blood of rams. For the victim of the Lord is in Bozrah, and a great slaughter is in the land of Edom.
7 And the single-horned beasts will descend with them, and the bulls along with the mighty. Their land will be inebriated by blood, and their ground by the fat of their lazy ones.
8 For this is the day of the vengeance of the Lord, the year of retribution for the judgment of Zion.
9 And its torrents will be turned into tar, and its soil into sulfur. And its land will become burning tar.
10 Night and day, it will not be extinguished; its smoke will rise up without ceasing. From generation to generation it will remain desolate. No one will pass through it, forever and ever.
11 The pelican and the hedgehog will possess it. And the ibis and the raven will live in it. And a measuring line will be extended over it, so that it may be reduced to nothing, and a plumb line, unto desolation.
12 Its nobles will not be in that place. Instead, they will call upon the king, and all its leaders will be as nothing.
13 And thorns and nettles will rise up in its houses, and the thistle in its fortified places. And it will be the lair of serpents and the pasture of ostriches.
14 And demons and monsters will meet, and the hairy ones will cry out to one another. There, the ogress has lain down and found rest for herself.
15 In that place, the hedgehog has kept its den, and has raised its young, and has dug around them, and has kept them warm in its shadow. In that place, the birds of prey have joined together, one to another.
16 Search and read diligently in the book of the Lord. Not one of them was lacking; not one has sought for the other. For what has proceeded from my mouth, he has commanded, and his very Spirit has gathered them.
17 And he has cast lots over them. And his hand has distributed this to them by measure. They will possess it, even unto eternity. From generation to generation, they will dwell in it.
33 God who hath girt me with strength; and made my way blameless.
34 Who hath made my feet like the feet of harts: and who setteth me upon high places.
35 Who teacheth my hands to war: and thou hast made my arms like a brazen bow.
36 And thou hast given me the protection of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath held me up: And thy discipline hath corrected me unto the end: and thy discipline, the same shall teach me.
37 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; and my feet are not weakened.
38 I will pursue after my enemies, and overtake them: and I will not turn again till they are consumed.
39 I will break them, and they shall not be able to stand: they shall fall under my feet.
17 And leaving them behind, he went out, beyond the city, into Bethania, and he lodged here.
18 Then, as he was returning to the city in the morning, he was hungry.
19 And seeing a certain fig tree beside the way, he approached it. And he found nothing on it, except only leaves. And he said to it, “May fruit never spring forth from you, for all time.” And immediately the fig tree was dried up.
20 And seeing this, the disciples wondered, saying, “How did it dry up so quickly?”
21 And Jesus responded to them by saying: “Amen I say to you, if you have faith and do not hesitate, not only shall you do this, concerning the fig tree, but even if you would say to this mountain, ‘Take and cast yourself into the sea,’ it shall be done.
22 And all things whatsoever that you shall ask for in prayer: believing, you shall receive.”
23 And when he had arrived at the temple, as he was teaching, the leaders of the priests and the elders of the people approached him, saying: “By what authority do you do these things? And who has given this authority to you?”
24 In response, Jesus said to them: “I also will question you with one word: if you tell me this, I also will tell you by what authority I do these things.
25 The baptism of John, where was it from? Was it from heaven, or from men?” But they thought within themselves, saying:
26 If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ we have the crowd to fear, for they all hold John to be a prophet.
27 And so, they answered Jesus by saying, “We do not know.” So he also said to them: “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
28 But how does it seem to you? A certain man had two sons. And approaching the first, he said: ‘Son, go out today to work in my vineyard.’
29 And responding, he said, ‘I am not willing.’ But afterwards, being moved by repentance, he went.
30 And approaching the other, he spoke similarly. And answering, he said, ‘I am going, lord.’ And he did not go.
31 Which of the two did the will of the father?” They said to him, “The first.” Jesus said to them: “Amen I say to you, that tax collectors and prostitutes shall precede you, into the kingdom of God.
32 For John came to you in the way of justice, and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. Yet even after seeing this, you did not repent, so as to believe him.
33 Listen to another parable. There was a man, the father of a family, who planted a vineyard, and surrounded it with a hedge, and dug a press in it, and built a tower. And he loaned it out to farmers, and he set out to sojourn abroad.
34 Then, when the time of the fruits drew near, he sent his servants to the farmers, so that they might receive its fruits.
35 And the farmers apprehended his servants; they struck one, and killed another, and stoned yet another.
36 Again, he sent other servants, more than
37 Then, at the very end, he sent his son to them, saying: ‘They will revere my son.’
38 But the farmers, seeing the son, said among themselves: ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and then we will have his inheritance.’
39 And apprehending him, they cast him outside the vineyard, and they killed him.
40 Therefore, when the lord of the vineyard arrives, what will he do to those farmers?”
41 They said to him, “He will bring those evil men to an evil end, and he will loan out his vineyard to other farmers, who shall repay to him the fruit in its time.”
42 Jesus said to them: “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders have rejected has become the cornerstone. By the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes?’
43 Therefore, I say to you, that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you, and it shall be given to a people who shall produce its fruits.
44 And whoever will have fallen on this stone shall be broken, yet truly, on whomever it shall fall, it will crush him.”
45 And when the leaders of the priests, and the Pharisees had heard his parables, they knew that he was speaking about them.
46 And though they sought to take hold of him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet.