Shoftim | שופטים | “Judges”

Deu 6:4  שׁמע  ישׂראל  יהוה  אלהינו  יהוה  אחד׃  

Deu 6:4  “Hear, O Yisra’ĕl: יהוה our Elohim, יהוה is one!

Shofetim or Shoftim (שֹׁפְטִים — Hebrew for “judges,” the first word in the parashah) is the 48th weekly Torah portion (פָּרָשָׁה, parashah) in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the fifth in the Book of Deuteronomy. It constitutes Deuteronomy 16:18–21:9. This parashah has 5590 letters, 1523 words, and 97 verses and can occupy about 192 lines in a sefer Torah.


Torah: Deuteronomy 16:18 – 21:9

1st reading (עליה, aliyah)  Devarim 16:18-17:13

Deu 16:18  “Appoint judges and officers within all your gates, which יהוה your Elohim is giving you, according to your tribes. And they shall judge the people with righteous right-ruling.

Deu 16:19  “Do not distort right-ruling. Do not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.

Deu 16:20  “Follow righteousness, righteousness alone, so that you live and inherit the land which יהוה your Elohim is giving you.

Deu 16:21  “Do not plant for yourself any tree as an Ashĕrah near the altar of יהוה your Elohim that you make for yourself.

Deu 16:22  “And do not set up a pillar, which יהוה your Elohim hates.

Deu 17:1  “Do not slaughter to יהוה your Elohim a bull or sheep which has any blemish, any evil matter, for that is an abomination to יהוה your Elohim.

Deu 17:2  “When there is found in your midst, in any of your cities which יהוה your Elohim is giving you, a man or a woman who does what is evil in the eyes of יהוה your Elohim, in transgressing His covenant,

Deu 17:3  and has gone and served other mighty ones and bowed down to them, or to the sun or to the moon or to any of the host of the heavens, which I have not commanded,

Deu 17:4  and it has been made known to you and you have heard, and has searched diligently. Then see, if true: the matter is confirmed that such an abomination has been done in Yisra’ĕl,

Deu 17:5  then you shall bring out to your gates that man or woman who has done this evil matter, and you shall stone to death that man or woman with stones.

Deu 17:6  “At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall he that is to die be put to death. He is not put to death by the mouth of one witness.

Deu 17:7  “The hand of the witnesses shall be first against him to put him to death, and the hand of all the people last. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.

Deu 17:8  “When any matter arises which is too hard for you to judge, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, or between stroke and stroke – matters of strife within your gates – then you shall rise and go up to the place which יהוה your Elohim chooses,

Deu 17:9  and shall come to the priests, the Lĕwites, and to the judge who is in those days, and shall inquire. And they shall declare to you the word of right-ruling,

Deu 17:10  and you shall do according to the word which they declare to you from that place which יהוה chooses. And you shall guard to do according to all that they instruct you.

Deu 17:11  “Do according to the Torah in which they teach you, according to the right-ruling which they say to you. You do not turn to the right or to the left from the word which they declare to you.

Deu 17:12  “And the man who acts arrogantly, so as not to listen to the priest who stands to serve there before יהוה your Elohim, or to the judge, that man shall die. So you shall purge the evil from Yisra’ĕl.

Deu 17:13  “And let all the people hear and fear, and no longer do arrogantly.

2nd reading (עליה, aliyah) Devarim 17:14-20

Deu 17:14  “When you come to the land which יהוה your Elohim is giving you, and shall possess it and shall dwell in it, and you shall say, ‘Let me set a sovereign over me like all the gentiles that are around me,’

Deu 17:15  you shall certainly set a sovereign over you whom יהוה your Elohim shall choose. Set a sovereign over you from among your brothers, you are not allowed to set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.

Deu 17:16  “Only, he is not to increase horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Mitsrayim to increase horses, for יהוה has said to you, ‘Do not return that way again.’

Deu 17:17  “And he is not to increase wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor is he to greatly increase silver and gold for himself.

Deu 17:18  “And it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his reign, that he shall write for himself a copy of this Torah in a book, from the one before the priests, the Lĕwites.

Deu 17:19  “And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, so that he learns to fear יהוה his Elohim and guard all the Words of this Torah and these laws, to do them,

Deu 17:20  so that his heart is not lifted up above his brothers, and so as not to turn aside from the command, right or left, so that he prolongs his days in his reign, he and his children, in the midst of Yisra’ĕl.

3rd reading (עליה, aliyah)  Devarim 18:1-5

Deu 18:1  “The priests, the Lĕwites, all the tribe of Lĕwi, have no part nor inheritance with Yisra’ĕl. They are to eat the offerings of יהוה made by fire, and His inheritance.

Deu 18:2  “But among his brothers Lĕwi has no inheritance. יהוה is his inheritance, as He has spoken to him.

Deu 18:3  “And this is the priest’s right from the people, from those who bring an offering, whether it is bull or sheep: they shall give to the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the stomach;

Deu 18:4  the first-fruits of your grain and your new wine and your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep, you give to him.

Deu 18:5  “For יהוה your Elohim has chosen him out of all your tribes to stand to serve in the Name of יהוה, him and his sons forever.

4th reading (עליה, aliyah)  Devarim 18:6-13

Deu 18:6  “And when the Lĕwite comes from one of your gates, from where he has sojourned among all Yisra’ĕl, and shall come with all the desire of his being to the place which יהוה chooses,

Deu 18:7  then he shall serve in the Name of יהוה his Elohim, like all his brothers the Lĕwites, who are standing there before יהוה.

Deu 18:8  “They are to have portion for portion to eat, besides what comes from the sale of his inheritance.

Deu 18:9  “When you come into the land which יהוה your Elohim is giving you, do not learn to do according to the abominations of those gentiles.

Deu 18:10  “Let no one be found among you who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practises divination, or a user of magic, or one who interprets omens or a sorcerer,

Deu 18:11  or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.

Deu 18:12  “For whoever does these are an abomination to יהוה, and because of these abominations יהוה your Elohim drives them out from before you.

Deu 18:13  “Be perfect before יהוה your Elohim,

5th reading (עליה, aliyah)  Devarim 18:14-19:13

Deu 18:14  for these nations whom you are possessing do listen to those using magic and to diviners. But as for you, יהוה your Elohim has not appointed such for you.

Deu 18:15  “יהוה your Elohim shall raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brothers. Listen to Him,

Deu 18:16  according to all you asked of יהוה your Elohim in Ḥorĕḇ in the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of יהוה my Elohim, nor let me see this great fire any more, lest I die.’

Deu 18:17  “And יהוה said to me, ‘What they have spoken is good.

Deu 18:18  ‘I shall raise up for them a Prophet like you out of the midst of their brothers. And I shall put My Words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.

Deu 18:19  ‘And it shall be, the man who does not listen to My Words which He speaks in My Name, I require it of him.

Deu 18:20  ‘But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My Name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other mighty ones, even that prophet shall die.’

Deu 18:21  “And when you say in your heart, ‘How do we know the word which יהוה has not spoken?’ –

Deu 18:22  when the prophet speaks in the Name of יהוה and the word is not, or comes not, that is the word which יהוה has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.

Deu 19:1  “When יהוה your Elohim cuts off the nations whose land יהוה your Elohim is giving you, and you dispossess them and dwell in their cities and in their houses,

Deu 19:2  separate three cities for yourself in the midst of your land which יהוה your Elohim is giving you to possess.

Deu 19:3  “Prepare a way for yourself, and divide into three parts the border of your land which יהוה your Elohim is giving you to inherit, that anyone who killed someone shall flee there.

Deu 19:4  “And this is the matter of the one who killed someone who flees there and live: He who smites his neighbour unintentionally, not having hated him in time past,

Deu 19:5  even he who goes to the forest with his neighbour to cut timber, and his hand swings a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slips from the handle and strikes his neighbour so that he dies – let him flee to one of these cities and live,

Deu 19:6  lest the revenger of blood, while his displeasure is hot, pursue the one who killed someone and overtake him, because the way is long, and shall smite him, though he was not worthy of death, since he had not hated him before.

Deu 19:7  “Therefore I am commanding you, saying, ‘Separate three cities for yourself.’

Deu 19:8  “And if יהוה your Elohim enlarges your border, as He swore to your fathers, and has given you the land which He promised to give to your fathers –

Deu 19:9  when you guard all this command to do it, which I am commanding you today, to love יהוה your Elohim and to walk in His ways all the days – then you shall add three more cities for yourself besides these three,

Deu 19:10  so that innocent blood is not shed in the midst of your land which יהוה your Elohim is giving you as an inheritance, or blood-guilt shall be upon you.

Deu 19:11  “But when anyone hates his neighbour, and shall lie in wait for him and rise against him and smite the life from him so that he dies, then he shall flee to one of these cities,

Deu 19:12  and the elders of his city shall send and bring him from there, and give him into the hand of the revenger of blood, and he shall die.

Deu 19:13  “Your eye shall not pardon him, but you shall purge the blood of innocent blood from Yisra’ĕl, so that it might be well with you.

6th reading (עליה, aliyah)  Devarim 19:14-20:9

Deu 19:14  “Do not remove your neighbour’s boundary, which those in the past have set, in your inheritance which you inherit in the land that יהוה your Elohim is giving you to possess.

Deu 19:15  “One witness does not rise up against a man concerning any crookedness or any sin that he commits. At the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses a matter is established.

Deu 19:16  “When a malicious witness rises up against any man to accuse him of turning aside,

Deu 19:17  then both men who have the dispute shall stand before יהוה, before the priests and the judges who serve in those days.

Deu 19:18  “And the judges shall diligently search and see if the witness is a false witness, who has falsely accused his brother,

Deu 19:19  then you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother. Thus you shall purge the evil from your midst.

Deu 19:20  “And let the rest hear and fear, and never again do this evil matter in your midst.

Deu 19:21  “And let your eye not pardon, life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

Deu 20:1  “When you go out to battle against your enemies, and shall see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them, for יהוה your Elohim, who brought you up from the land of Mitsrayim, is with you.

Deu 20:2  “And it shall be, when you draw near to the battle, that the priest shall come and speak to the people,

Deu 20:3  and shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Yisra’ĕl: You are drawing near today to battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not fear, or tremble, or be afraid before them,

Deu 20:4  for יהוה your Elohim is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’

Deu 20:5  “And the officers shall speak to the people, saying, ‘Who is the man who has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man dedicate it.

Deu 20:6  ‘And who is the man who has planted a vineyard and has not begun to use it? Let him also go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man should begin to use it.

Deu 20:7  ‘And who is the man who is engaged to a woman and has not taken her? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man take her.’

Deu 20:8  “And the officers shall speak further to the people, and say, ‘Who is the man who is afraid and tender of heart? Let him go and return to his house, lest the heart of his brothers faint like his heart.’

Deu 20:9  “And it shall be, when the officers have finished speaking to the people, that they shall appoint commanders of the divisions to lead the people.

7th reading (עליה, aliyah)  Devarim 20:10-21:9

Deu 20:10  “When you draw near to a city to fight against it, then you shall make a call for peace to it.

Deu 20:11  “And it shall be that if it accepts your call for peace, and shall open to you, then all the people found in it are to be your compulsory labour, and serve you.

Deu 20:12  “But if it does not make peace with you, and shall fight against you, then you shall besiege it,

Deu 20:13  and יהוה your Elohim shall give it into your hands, and you shall smite every male in it with the edge of the sword.

Deu 20:14  “Only the women, and the little ones, and the livestock, and all that is in the city, all its spoil, you take as plunder for yourself. And you shall eat the enemies’ plunder which יהוה your Elohim gives you.

Deu 20:15  “Do so to all the cities which are very far from you, which are not of the cities of these nations.

Deu 20:16  “Only, of the cities of these peoples which יהוה your Elohim gives you as an inheritance, you do not keep alive any that breathe,

Deu 20:17  but you shall certainly put them under the ban: the Ḥittite and the Amorite and the Kenaʽanite and the Perizzite and the Ḥiwwite and the Yeḇusite, as יהוה your Elohim has commanded you,

Deu 20:18  lest they teach you to do according to all their abominations which they have done for their mighty ones, and you sin against יהוה your Elohim.

Deu 20:19  “When you besiege a city for a long time by fighting against it to take it, you do not destroy its trees by wielding an axe against them. If you do eat of them, do not cut them down. For is the tree of the field a man to be besieged by you?

Deu 20:20  “Only the trees which you know are not trees for food you do destroy and cut down, to build siege-works against the city that is fighting against you, until it falls.

Deu 21:1  “When anyone is found slain, lying in the field in the land which יהוה your Elohim is giving you to possess, and it is not known who smote him,

Deu 21:2  then your elders and your judges shall go out, and they shall measure the distance from the slain man to the cities round about.

Deu 21:3  “And it shall be that the elders of the city nearest to the slain man shall take a heifer which has not been worked and which has not pulled with a yoke,

Deu 21:4  and the elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a wadi with flowing water, which is neither ploughed nor sown, and they shall break the heifer’s neck there in the wadi.

Deu 21:5  “And the priests, the sons of Lĕwi, shall come near, for יהוה your Elohim has chosen them to serve Him and to bless in the Name of יהוה, and by their mouth every strife and every stroke is tried.

Deu 21:6  “And let all the elders of that city nearest to the slain man wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the wadi.

Deu 21:7  “And they shall answer and say, ‘Our hands have not shed this blood, nor have our eyes seen it.

Deu 21:8  ‘O יהוה, forgive Your people Yisra’ĕl, whom You have redeemed, and do not allow innocent blood in the midst of Your people Yisra’ĕl.’ And the blood-guilt shall be pardoned to them.

Deu 21:9  “Thus you purge the guilt of innocent blood from your midst when you do what is right in the eyes of יהוה.


Prophets: Isaiah 51:12 – 52:12

Isa 51:12  “I, I am He who comforts you. Who are you that you should be afraid of man that dies, and of the son of man who is made like grass?

Isa 51:13  “And you have forgotten יהוה your Maker who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, and you continually fear, all the day, because of the rage of the oppressor, as he has prepared to destroy. And where is the rage of the oppressor?

Isa 51:14  “Bowed, he hastens to be loosened, that he should not die in the pit, and that his bread should not fail.

Isa 51:15  “But I am יהוה your Elohim, stirring up the sea, and its waves roar. יהוה of hosts is His Name.

Isa 51:16  “And I have put My Words in your mouth, and with the shadow of My hand I have covered you, to plant the heavens and lay the foundations of the earth, and to say to Tsiyon, ‘You are My people.’ ”

Isa 51:17  Awake, awake yourself! Rise up, O Yerushalayim, you who have drunk at the hand of יהוה the cup of His wrath. You have drunk the dregs of the cup of reeling, and drained it out.

Isa 51:18  Of all the sons she bore, she has none to guide her. And of all the sons she has brought up, none takes her by the hand.

Isa 51:19  Both these are coming upon you – who is sorry for you?: Ruin and destruction, scarcity of food and sword. How shall I comfort you?

Isa 51:20  Your sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, like a gazelle in a net. They are filled with the wrath of יהוה, the rebuke of your Elohim.

Isa 51:21  Therefore please hear this, you afflicted and drunk, but not with wine.

Isa 51:22  Thus said your Master, יהוה and your Elohim, who pleads the cause of His people, “See, I shall take out of your hand the cup of reeling, the dregs of the cup of My wrath – never again shall you drink it.

Isa 51:23  “And I shall put it into the hand of those who afflict you, who have said to your being, ‘Bow down, and we pass over you.’ And you made your back like the ground, and as the street, to walk over.”

Isa 52:1  Awake, awake! Put on your strength, O Tsiyon, put on your garments of splendour, O Yerushalayim, the set-apart city! For no more do the uncircumcised and the unclean come into you.

Isa 52:2  Shake yourself from the dust, arise, and sit down, O Yerushalayim. Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck, O captive daughter of Tsiyon!

Isa 52:3  For thus said יהוה, “You have been sold for naught, and you are redeemed not with silver.”

Isa 52:4  For thus said the Master יהוה, “At first My people went down into Mitsrayim to sojourn there, and Ashshur oppressed them without cause.

Isa 52:5  “And now, what have I here,” declares יהוה, “that My people are taken away for naught? Those who rule over them make them wail,” declares יהוה, “and My Name is despised all day continually.

Isa 52:6  “Therefore My people shall know My Name, in that day, for I am the One who is speaking. See, it is I.”

Isa 52:7  How pleasant upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings good news, who proclaims deliverance, who says to Tsiyon, “Your Elohim reigns!”

Isa 52:8  The voice of your watchmen! They shall lift up their voices, together they shout for joy, because eye to eye they see the return of יהוה to Tsiyon.

Isa 52:9  Break forth into joy, sing together, you waste places of Yerushalayim! For יהוה shall comfort His people, He shall redeem Yerushalayim.

Isa 52:10  יהוה shall lay bare His set-apart arm in the eyes of all the nations. And all the ends of the earth shall see the deliverance of our Elohim.

Isa 52:11  Turn aside! Turn aside! Come out from there, touch not the unclean. Come out of her midst, be clean, you who bear the vessels of יהוה.

Isa 52:12  For you shall not come out in haste, nor go in flight. For יהוה is going before you, and the Elohim of Yisra’ĕl is your rear guard.


Brit Hadasha: Matthew 18:15-20

Mat 18:15  “And if your brother sins against you, go and reprove him, between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.

Mat 18:16  “But if he does not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word might be established.’

Mat 18:17  “And if he refuses to hear them, say it to the assembly. And if he refuses even to hear the assembly, let him be to you like a gentile and a tax collector.

Mat 18:18  “Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind1 on earth shall be having been bound1 in heaven, and whatever you loosen1 on earth shall be having been loosened1 in heaven. Footnote: 1Binding and loosening is Heḇrew idiom for exercising authority (to prohibit and permit).

Mat 18:19  “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning any matter that they ask, it shall be done for them by My Father in the heavens.

Mat 18:20  “For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there I am in their midst.”

Mathew 26:36 – 27:10

Mat 26:36  Then יהושע came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the taught ones, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”

Mat 26:37  And He took with Him Kĕpha and the two sons of Zaḇdai, and He began to be grieved and deeply distressed.

Mat 26:38  Then He said to them, “My being is exceedingly grieved, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”

Mat 26:39  And going forward a little, He fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I desire, but as You desire.”

Mat 26:40  And He came to the taught ones and found them asleep, and said to Kĕpha, “So, were you not able to watch with Me one hour?

Mat 26:41  “Watch and pray, lest you enter into trial. The spirit indeed is eager, but the flesh is weak.”

Mat 26:42  Again He went away, a second time, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is impossible for this to pass unless I drink it, let Your desire be done.”

Mat 26:43  And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.

Mat 26:44  And He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

Mat 26:45  Then He came to His taught ones and said to them, “Still sleeping and taking rest? See, the hour has come near, and the Son of Aḏam is delivered up into the hands of sinners.

Mat 26:46  “Rise, let us go. See, he who delivers Me up has come near.”

Mat 26:47  And while He was still speaking, see, Yehuḏah, one of the twelve, with a large crowd with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people.

Mat 26:48  And he who was delivering Him up gave them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, it is He, seize Him.”

Mat 26:49  And going straight up to יהושע he said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.

Mat 26:50  And יהושע said to him, “Friend, why have you come?” Then they came and laid hands on יהושע and seized Him.

Mat 26:51  And look, one of those with יהושע put out his hand and drew his sword, and striking the servant of the high priest he cut off his ear.

Mat 26:52  Then יהושע said to him, “Return your sword to its place, for all who take the sword shall die by the sword.

Mat 26:53  “Or do you think that I am not able to pray to My Father now, and He shall provide Me with more than twelve legions of messengers?

Mat 26:54  “How then would the Scriptures be filled that it has to be this way?”

Mat 26:55  In that hour יהושע said to the crowds, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to arrest Me? Daily I sat with you, teaching in the Set-apart Place, and you did not seize Me.

Mat 26:56  “But all this came to be, so that the Scriptures of the prophets might be filled.” Then all the taught ones left Him and fled.

Mat 26:57  And those who had seized יהושע led Him away to Qayapha the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together.

Mat 26:58  But Kĕpha followed Him at a distance to the courtyard of the high priest, and he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.

Mat 26:59  And the chief priests, and the elders, and all the council were seeking false witness against יהושע to put Him to death,

Mat 26:60  but found none. Although many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward,

Mat 26:61  and said, “This one said, ‘I am able to destroy the Dwelling Place of Elohim and to build it in three days.’ ”

Mat 26:62  And the high priest stood up and said to Him, “Have You no answer to make? What do these witness against You?”

Mat 26:63  But יהושע remained silent. So the high priest said to Him, “I put You to oath, by the living Elohim that You say to us if You are the Messiah, the Son of Elohim.”

Mat 26:64  יהושע said to him, “You have said it. Besides I say to you, from now you shall see the Son of Aḏam sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of the heaven.”

Mat 26:65  Then the high priest tore his garments, saying, “He has blasphemed! Why do we need any more witnesses? See, now you have heard His blasphemy!

Mat 26:66  “What do you think?” And they answering, said, “He is liable to death.”

Mat 26:67  Then they spat in His face and beat Him, and others slapped Him,

Mat 26:68  saying, “Prophesy to us, Messiah! Who is the one who struck You?”

Mat 26:69  And Kĕpha sat outside in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him, saying, “And you were with יהושע of Galil.”

Mat 26:70  But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you say.”

Mat 26:71  And as he was going out into the porch, another girl saw him and said to those there, “And this one was with יהושע of Natsareth.”

Mat 26:72  But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!”

Mat 26:73  And after a while those who stood by came to him and said to Kĕpha, “Truly you are one of them too, for even your speech gives you away.”

Mat 26:74  Then he began to curse and to swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!” And immediately a cock crowed.

Mat 26:75  And Kĕpha remembered the word of יהושע who had said to him, “Before a cock crows, you shall deny Me three times.” And going out, he wept bitterly.

Mat 27:1  And morning having come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against יהושע, so as to put Him to death.

Mat 27:2  And having bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

Mat 27:3  Then Yehuḏah – he who delivered Him up – having seen that He had been condemned, repented, returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and to the elders,

Mat 27:4  saying, “I have sinned in delivering up innocent blood.” And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!”

Mat 27:5  And throwing down the pieces of silver in the Dwelling Place he left, and went and hanged himself.

Mat 27:6  And the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not right to put them into the treasury, seeing they are the price of blood.”

Mat 27:7  So they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field, for the burial of strangers.

Mat 27:8  Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood, until today.

Mat 27:9  Then was filled what was spoken by Yirmeyahu the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of Him who was pierced, on whom they of the children of Yisra’ĕl set a price,

Mat 27:10  and gave them for the potter’s field, as יהוה had ordered me.”

John 1:19-27

Joh 1:19  Now this was the witness of Yoḥanan when the Yehuḏim sent from Yerushalayim priests and Lĕwites to ask him, “Who are you?”

Joh 1:20  And he confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.”

Joh 1:21  And they asked him, “What then, are you Ěliyahu?” So he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

Joh 1:22  Therefore they said to him, “Who are you, so that we give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”

Joh 1:23  He said, “I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of יהוה,’ as the prophet Yeshayahu said.”

Joh 1:24  And those sent were of the Pharisees,

Joh 1:25  and they asked him, saying, “Why then do you immerse if you are not the Messiah, nor Ěliyahu, nor the Prophet?”

Joh 1:26  Yoḥanan answered them, saying, “I immerse in water, but in your midst stands One whom you do not know,

Joh 1:27  the One coming after me, who has become before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loosen.”

Acts 3:13-26

Act 3:13  “The Elohim of Aḇraham, and of Yitsḥaq, and of Yaʽaqoḇ, the Elohim of our fathers, esteemed His Servant יהושע, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him.

Act 3:14  “But you denied the Set-apart and Righteous One, and asked that a man, a murderer, be granted you.

Act 3:15  “But you killed the Leader1 of life, whom Elohim raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. Footnote: 1 Or Prince.

Act 3:16  “And by the belief in His Name, this one whom you see and know, His Name made strong, and the belief which comes through Him has given him this perfect healing before all of you.

Act 3:17  “And now, brothers, I know that you did it in ignorance, as your rulers did too.

Act 3:18  “But this is how Elohim has filled what He had announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets, that His Messiah was to suffer.

Act 3:19  “Repent therefore and turn back, for the blotting out of your sins, in order that times of refreshing might come from the presence of the Master,

Act 3:20  and that He sends יהושע Messiah, pre-appointed for you,

Act 3:21  whom heaven needs to receive until the times of restoration of all matters, of which Elohim spoke through the mouth of all His set-apart prophets since of old.

Act 3:22  “For Mosheh truly said to the fathers, ‘יהוה your Elohim shall raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brothers. Him you shall hear according to all matters, whatever He says to you.

Act 3:23  ‘And it shall be that every being who does not hear that Prophet1 shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ Footnote: 1Deut. 18:18-20.

Act 3:24  “And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken, from Shemu’ĕl and those following, have also announced these days.

Act 3:25  “You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which Elohim made with our fathers, saying to Aḇraham, ‘And in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.’

Act 3:26  “To you first, Elohim, having raised up His Servant יהושע, sent Him to bless you, in turning away each one of you from your wicked ways.”1 Footnote: 1See 2:38.

Acts 7:35-53

Act 7:35  “This Mosheh whom they had refused, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ – this one Elohim sent to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the Messenger who appeared to him in the bush.

Act 7:36  “This one led them out, after he had done wonders and signs in the land of Mitsrayim, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years.

Act 7:37  “This is the Mosheh who said to the children of Yisra’ĕl, ‘יהוה your Elohim shall raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brothers. Him you shall hear.’

Act 7:38  “This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the Messenger who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received the living Words to give to us,

Act 7:39  unto whom our fathers would not become obedient, but thrust away, and in their hearts they turned back to Mits-rayim,

Act 7:40  saying to Aharon, ‘Make us mighty ones to go before us, for this Mosheh who led us out of the land of Mitsrayim, we do not know what has become of him.’

Act 7:41  “And they made a calf in those days, and brought an offering to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their own hands.

Act 7:42  “So Elohim turned and gave them up to worship the host of the heaven, as it has been written in the book of the Prophets, ‘Did you bring slaughtered beasts and offerings unto Me during forty years in the wilderness, O house of Yisra’ĕl?

Act 7:43  ‘And you took up the tent of Moleḵ, and the star of your mighty one Kiyyun, images which you made to bow before them. Therefore I shall remove you beyond Baḇel.’

Act 7:44  “The Tent of Witness was with our fathers in the wilderness, as He appointed, instructing Mosheh to make it according to the pattern that he had seen,

Act 7:45  which our fathers, having received it in turn, also brought with Yehoshua into the land possessed by the gentiles, whom Elohim drove out before the face of our fathers until the days of Dawiḏ,

Act 7:46  who found favour before Elohim and asked to find a dwelling for the Elohim of Yaʽaqoḇ,

Act 7:47  but Shelomoh built Him a house.

Act 7:48  “However, the Most High does not dwell in dwellings made with hands,1 as the prophet says: Footnote: 1See 17:24.

Act 7:49  ‘The heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What house shall you build for Me? says יהוה, or what is the place of My rest?

Act 7:50  ‘Has My hand not made all these?’

Act 7:51  “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Set-apart Spirit, as your fathers did, you also do.

Act 7:52  “Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who before announced the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers,

Act 7:53  who received the Torah as it was ordained by messengers, but did not watch over it.”1 Footnote: 1See Mt. 5:20.

1 Timothy 5:17-22

1Ti 5:17  Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double respect, especially those who labour in the word and teaching.

1Ti 5:18  For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The labourer is worthy of his wages.”

1Ti 5:19  Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses.

1Ti 5:20  Reprove those who are sinning, in the presence of all, so that the rest also might fear.

1Ti 5:21  I earnestly witness before Elohim and the Master יהושע Messiah, and the chosen messengers, that you watch over these matters without prejudice, doing none at all with partiality.

1Ti 5:22  Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in sins of others. Keep yourself clean.

Hebrews 10:28-31

Heb 10:28  Anyone who has disregarded the Torah of Mosheh dies without compassion on the witness of two or three witnesses.

Heb 10:29  How much worse punishment do you think shall he deserve who has trampled the Son of Elohim underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was set apart as common, and insulted the Spirit of favour?

Heb 10:30  For we know Him who has said, “Vengeance is Mine, I shall repay, says יהוה.” And again, “יהוה shall judge His people.”

Heb 10:31  It is fearsome to fall into the hands of the living Elohim.

Aharonic Blessing

Num 6:22  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,

Num 6:23  “Speak to Aharon and his sons, saying, ‘This is how you bless the children of Yisra’ĕl. Say to them:

Num 6:24  “יהוה bless you and guard you;

Num 6:25  יהוה make His face shine upon you, and show favour to you;

Num 6:26  יהוה lift up His face upon you, and give you peace.” ’

Num 6:27  “Thus they shall put My Name on the children of Yisra’ĕl, and I Myself shall bless them.”

Num 6:24         יברכך  יהוה  וישׁמרך׃  

Num 6:25         יאר  יהוה  פניו  אליך  ויחנך׃  

Num 6:26         ישׂא  יהוה  פניו  אליך  וישׂם  לך  שׁלום׃