GUJARATISOUTHASIAN.ORG 2.3.21

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ISA MASIH IN THE BIBLE AND THE KORAN

 

THE HOLY TAWRAT ZABUR AND INJIL

 

HEALTH MEDICAL AND HUMANITARIAN AID TO SOUTH ASIANS

 

RADIO PROGRAMS

 

WORDS OF ISA MASIH

 

SITES IN OTHER LANGUAGES OF SOUTH AND WEST ASIA

 

 

 

ISA MASIH IN THE BIBLE AND THE KORAN

THE KORAN SAYS SOME AMAZING THINGS ABOUT ISA MASIH, HERE ARE SOME OF THEM.

He was the Messiah (Surah 4:171). (BIBLE: John 1:41, 4:25.26). This term is not defined in the Qur’an. According to Jewish and Christian understanding the expected Messiah would be sent by God to liberate people from the bondage of sin.

He was a Spirit from God (Surah 4:171).

He was the Word of God (Surah 4:171) (BIBLE: John 1:1-14). We note that the Word of God is the Thought of God and with that part of God!

He was born of a virgin (Surah 19:16-35). (BIBLE: Luke 1:26-38; 2:1-20).

He created life and healed the sick (Surah 3:49) (BIBLE: Matthew 11:1-6).

He is a sign to mankind (Surah 19:21) (BIBLE: Luke 2:25-32).

He is illustrious in the world and the hereafter (Surah 3:45) (BIBLE: Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 1:16, 2:9).

He was taken to heaven by God (Surah 4:158) (BIBLE: Acts 1:9-11).

He will come back to earth for judgment (Surah 43:61, Mishkat IV. pp. 78-80;) (BIBLE: John 14:1-6; John 5:22,25-27).

He was holy (Pickthall) or faultless (Y. Ali) (Surah 19:19) (BIBLE: Hebrews 7:26). 

THE KORAN SAYS SOME VERY INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT ISA MASIH IN SURAH AL IMRAN 3:42-55 [CLICK]

WHAT THE KORAN SAYS ABOUT THE EARLIER BOOKS THE TAWRAT ZABUR AND INJIL [CLICK]

MORE KORANIC QUOTES ABOUT  BIBLE, TRINITY AND DEATH OF ISA MASIH IN FORM OF LECTURE NOTES [CLICK]

WHAT THE KORAN SAYS ABOUT THE BIBLE [CLICK]

THE 99 NAMES READINGS FROM THE KORAN AND THE BIBLE [CLICK]

WHAT THE KORAN SAYS ABOUT JESUS [CLICK]

THE MESSIAH BY L M ABDALLAH [CLICK]

KORBANI SACRIFICE [CLICK]

BELIEFS AND PRACTICES OF CHRISTIANS BY WILLIAM MILLER [CLICK]

LIFE AND TEACHING OF JESUS THE MESSIAH [CLICK]

SON OF GOD WHAT CHRISTIANS MEAN [CLICK]

ANOTHER ESSAY ABOUT ISA MASIH IN FORM OF A LETTER [CLICK]

ISA MASIH WHAT THE PROPHETS SAID IN THE TAWRAT AND ZABUR [CLICK]

WHY FOLLOW ISA MASIH? BY STEVEN MASOOD    http://www.itl-usa.org/

WEBSITES

JESUS IN THE KORAN AND THE BIBLE

http://www.injil.org/Peace/index.htm

A VERY GOOD SITE COVERING MANY QUESTIONS IS AT

http://www.itl-usa.org/

ANOTHER VERY GOOD SITE IS AT

http://www.the-good-way.com

To download files, hover over link, right click, save target as

THE CROSS IN THE GOSPEL AND THE KORAN

http://www.the-good-way.com/eng/books/4480/format-xml

PERSON OF CHRIST IN THE GOSPEL AND THE KORAN

http://www.the-good-way.com/eng/books/4301/format-xml

THE INFALLIBILITY OF THE TORAH AND THE GOSPEL

http://www.the-good-way.com/eng/books/4003/format-xml

THEMES FOR THE DILIGENT

http://www.the-good-way.com/eng/books/4905/format-xml

ADHA IN THE INJIL

http://www.injil.org/Books/adha.htm

THE NEW TESTAMENT DOCUMENTS. ARE THEY RELIABLE?

https://b-ok.org/book/3614380/332807

THE HOLY TAWRAT ZABUR AND INJIL

THERE ARE GOOD SITES WITH BIBLE SELECTIONS OF GREAT INTEREST TO READERS OF THE KORAN

THE ZABUR [PSALMS]

http://www.call-of-hope.com

THE LIFE OF ISA MASIH

http://www.call-of-hope.com

THE WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THE TORAH the PSALMS/PROPHETS AND THE GOSPEL

http://www.injil.org/TWOR/index.html

JESUS IN THE KORAN AND THE BIBLE

http://www.injil.org/Peace/index.htm

BIBLE CORRESPONDENCE COURSE [ON LINE]

http://www.word.org.uk

THE PROPHETS

http://www.goodseed.com     Scroll to bottom of page to see All that the Prophets have spoken

THE LAMB [ISA MASIH]

http://www.goodseed.com   Scroll to bottom of page to see The Lamb

ENGLISH  SCRIPTURE SELECTIONS WITH ILLUSTRATIONS [GUJARATI CAN ONLY BE ORDERED AS A CD FROM THIS SITE AS IT IS NOT YET AVAILABLE ON LINE]

http://globalrecordings.net/script/ENG/395

VIDEO BIBLE STORIES

http://www.gods-story.org also at http://christiananswers.net/godstory

http://www.theHopevideo.com

http://www.FathersLoveletter.com

THE JESUS FILM [MANY LANGUAGES INCLUDING GUJARATI]

http://www.jesusfilm.org/film-and-media/watch-the-film

ON LINE BIBLES TEXT AND AUDIO [MANY LANGUAGES INCLUDING GUJARATI]. SOME DOWNLOADABLE

http://ethnicharvest.org/bibles   Text and Audio Bibles Many Languages including Gujarati

http://www.audiotreasure.com  Audio Bibles in English

http://www.easyenglish.info The Bible in easy English

http://www.wbtc.com Another source of Bibles in South Asian Languages includes Gujarati

http://www.gujaratibible.com  On Line Bible

http://www.wbtc.com/site/PageServer?pagename=downloads_gujarati   Another downloadable Bible

http://www.radio882.com/download_gujarati.htm   Radio Bible Study

http://www.scribd.com/doc/100029/Gujarati-Bible-40-Matthew?query2=free download gujarati bible pdf file

 

EVIDENCES FOR THE GOSPEL [CLICK]

TEN REASONS TO BELIEVE 

https://discoveryseries.org/courses/10-reasons-to-believe-in-the-bible

https://www.leeds.anglican.org/content/easter-ten-reasons-why-i-believe-resurrection

 

TWO ARTICLES ON EASTER, THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL

http://www.everystudent.com/features/faith.html

http://www.leaderu.com/everystudent/easter/articles/josh2.html

 

MORE BIBLE SELECTIONS

Some of these files may take over a minute to show.

GOD'S PLAN FOR MAN [CLICK]

EVERYDAY LIFE [CLICK]

LIVING TOGETHER GOD'S WAY [CLICK]

LORD AND SAVIOUR [CLICK]

THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD [CLICK]

MEDITATIONS FOR LIFE [CLICK]

RECONCILIATION BETWEEN MAN AND GOD [CLICK]

BRIDGE TO GOD ESSAY [CLICK]

 

THE KORAN OR THE BIBLE? YOU CAN HAVE BOTH!

The Koran in several verses upholds and approves the earlier books the Taurat Zabur and Injil.

In some places the Koran and Bible seem to differ. Some Muslims say this is because the Bible has been changed. But this makes the Koran wrong, for it approves the earlier Bible books, refers Muslims to them, and says the Word of God cannot be changed.

Better then to look at interpretations that link Koranic to Bible verses and create agreement between them.

The best example is, They killed Him not, they crucified Him not. The interpretation that agrees with the Bible is that the Jews thought they had killed Isa, but they were wrong. Because on the third day He rose from death, never to die again, proving His claim that His death was a sacrifice to pay for our sins and inviting all to trust in Him for salvation.

This interpretation upholds the Koran, for it approves the content of the earlier books. It has the additional effect that it gives a more natural interpretation of the Koranic verses about the death of Isa, making His death occur at the end of His earthly life and not in the future.

In the same Sura [4, Women] is.. The Messiah Jesus son of Mary is only a messenger from God. This is exactly what the people of Nazareth thought of Jesus at the start of His ministry [Mark 6] but they were wrong for He was proved to be much more than a Messenger  by his resurrection from the dead [Romans 1].

There is a site where the Koran and the Bible can be read with notes referring to the other book  http://www.al-kitab.org/webkitab/index.htm

 

CAN MUSLIMS AND CHRISTIANS AGREE?

Muslim: There is no God except the God and Mohammed is the prophet [or messenger] of God, there being also earlier prophets.

Christian: There is only One God and the prophets [Taurat, Zabur] and the apostles [Injil] are the prophets [messengers] of God.

Muslim: Isa is a prophet and a servant of God.

Christian: Isa is a prophet and a servant of God.

Muslim: Isa is the Word of God, sinless, able to do miracles, illustrious in this world and the next.

Christian: Isa is the Word of God, sinless, able to do miracles, glorious in this world and the next.

Christians say that Isa the Word of God is part of God Himself because the Word of God is surely part of God and has the attributes of God. Christians go further and say that Isa said he would be killed with God’s permission to be a sacrifice to pay for our sins and the proof of this was to be that on the third day he would be raised from the dead by the power of God. After he was raised from death, He commanded his followers to tell everyone that everyone who trusted in Him would have all their sins forgiven. The believer has all his sin debt cancelled and only has to concentrate on living a good life.

Muslim: Accurate copies of the Taurat Zabur and Injil were with the Jews and Christians in the time of the Prophet Mohammed and the early Muslims were encouraged to consult them.

Christian: Copies of the Taurat Zabur and Injil from the time of the Prophet Mohammed are still with us.

The Koran speaks highly of the earlier books Taurat Zabur and Injil, refers Muslims to them and says the Word of God cannot be changed. The Koran also attributes many wonderful things to Jesus. The verses which seem to deny the Bible view have been much discussed by the early Muslim commentators and they have indicated their uncertainly of their meaning and have given interpretations favourable to the Bible. Look online for Al-Tabari Notes on veracity of the Bible.

 

JIHAD..AN OPTION?

Earlier Koranic verses advocate peaceful relations with non Muslims while some later verses advocate killing the unbelievers and forcing people to become Muslims.

Since the targets are often Christians or Jews it should be noted that the Koran does not call them unbelievers. They are called The People of The Book, The Taurat Zabur and Injil.

Most Muslims would say that no force should be used against non Muslims. Religion should be a matter of study and personal choice, not threats and fear. Regrettably followers of other religions have used force and threats as well.

Nations Christian in name but not always in practice have meddled in the affairs of Muslim nations with regrettable results and many Muslims are understandably resentful of this. However what about the other side- the freedom and support Muslims have received in Western countries? What about the massacres of Muslims by other Muslims and the efforts by the International Community to try and stop this killing?

Bombing civilians around the world kills innocent people who are not the enemy. Muslims are also among the victims of this indiscriminate slaughter.

Terrorist activity ruins the economies of areas from which the threat is perceived to be coming, while the reprisals are becoming more and more devastating due to the spread of modern weapons.

Only non violent peaceful protest or negotiation or aid will succeed in this modern world.

Isa, the Word of God, the Voice of God, said: They who take the sword will die by the sword. [Notice, no glamorization of war, no talk of Paradise].

Finally, a Muslim appeal to Christians to co-operate to bring world peace, seen in the Times newspaper on 12 October 2007 called Half The World http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/leading_article/article2641296.ece

Why the Jews  did not believe in Messiah Jesus when He came

The Jewish bible  contains the 16 books  written by the 16 prophets who left books. Only one of these Younas who was swallowed  by  the great  fish is mentioned in the Quran.

The prophets contain many predictions of the coming of the Jewish Messiah. They speak of a conquering King  and about God’s Suffering Servant  who dies to bring forgiveness to people for their sins and who comes alive again to gain followers around the world. The prophets also indicated the time the Messiah would appear and also amazingly accord Him divine titles.

So the Jewish leaders were  expecting the Messiah at the time Messiah Jesus began His ministry but they were expecting a conquering King. They wanted a Messiah Who would free them from the Romans and set up His rule in Jerusalem.Bur Messiah Jesus  spent His time healing  sick people instead. He described Himself  as the Son of Man which alluded to one of the hints of divinity  described in the prophet Daniel. He told some people that their sins were forgiven which angered the Jewish leaders as they  declared only God had the authority to  forgive sins. But Jesus answered, which is easier to say, Your sins are forgiven or to say [to a paralysed man], get up and walk? But to show that I the Son of Man have authority on Earth to  forgive sins, I say [to the paralysed man], rise up and walk!   He on occasion said that God was His Father, causing the Jewish religious leaders to accuse Him of blasphemy because by calling God His Father  He was making Himself equal with God. So they began to plot to kill Him.

But Messiah Jesus said, The Son of Man did not come to be served but to  serve and to give His life a ransom for many. He also said, As the prophet Younas was 3 days inside the great fish so the Son of Man will be 3 days in the heart of the earth, implying His coming back to life again.

The Jews  did not understand that their Messiah was to  come twice  once as God’s Suffering Servant and a second time to rule  so they rejected Messiah Jesus even though He had performed so many miracles to show that He had indeed come from God  and was not  speaking and acting on His own but had God’s authority  for everything He said and did.

The Jewish leaders had Him crucified on a trumped up charge of being an  anti Roman revolutionary . He was laid in a new tomb owned by a rich friend. On the third day His tomb was found empty by the women of His group, just the grave clothes were left behind! He appeared to His friends  many times over 40 days  leaving  no room for doubt that He really had risen from the dead. He even appeared to His enemies, showing Himself to Saul who became Paul the apostle to the Gentiles [nations] whose letters we have in the New Testament.

At the end of 40 days he gathered His  disciples and commissioned them to preach to the world, starting in Jerusalem that  everywhere people should repent  and trust in Him to  receive forgiveness of sins. He was then taken up and a cloud  obscured the view  as Messiah Jesus left our world promising that He would some day return to the exact place from where He left, the Mount of Olives beside Jerusalem!

The New Testament describes the formation of the first Churches. The New Testament states the Church was formed to  bear witness to the Resurrection of Messiah Jesus. The Gospels we have today were compiled during these early years and when issued were immediately accepted as the official records of the life of Messiah Jesus.

The Resurrection is the supreme event in History, establishes Messiah Jesus as the Lord over all creation, conqueror of Death and Hell, Who has the keys of Death and Hell, able to  give eternal life to all who turn to Him, as he has paid the price by dying  for them to bring forgiveness of sins.

Saint Paul  says , Messiah Jesus as a human being  born a descendant of Davis, as divine proved to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead…I am not ashamed of the Gospel, it is the power of God to save people through  faith in Messiah Jesus  both Jew and Gentile.

The accuracy of the New Testament text is confirmed my multitudes of manuscripts, quotations in innumerable other books from which almost the entire text can be gathered as quotations, and early translations to languages in the Middle East and North Africa. Textual scholars say  99.9% of the New Testament text is exactly known, an impressive achievement. There are abundant correlations between descriptions of New Testament  people and events and places and what we have recovered from Roman and Jewish history and archaeology. The Old Testament also fares well  with for example the Dead Sea scrolls a near complete Old Testament from 50-100 BC available to us along with other high quality manuscripts including an early translation from Hebrew to Greek in 250BC available as later manuscripts.

 

 

HEALTH MEDICAL AND HUMANITARIAN AID TO SOUTH ASIANS

ASIANS ARE VERY PRONE TO HEART DISEASE AND DIABETES. THEY NEED TO BE EVEN STRICTER THAN WESTERNERS BY EATING A HEALTHY DIET HIGH IN VEGETABLES AND FRUIT AND LOW IN ADDED FAT AND SUGAR. THEY MUST NOT SMOKE AND NEED BLOOD CHOLESTEROL SUGAR  AND BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS. THEY MUST ALSO WATCH THEIR WEIGHT. MANY ARE WORKING LONG HOURS IN LOW PAYING JOBS WHICH LIMITS THE AMOUNT OF EXERCISE THEY TAKE. WOMEN IN PARTICULAR TEND TO PUT ON WEIGHT WORKING IN THE HOUSE LOOKING AFTER CHILDREN, GETTING NO EXERCISE AND EATING THE HIGH SUGAR AND FAT FOODS BELOVED BY CHILDREN EVERYWHERE!

 

WOMEN TEND TO HAVE IRON DEFICIENCY THROUGH THE MONTHLY BLEED AND THROUGH THE CHAPATI FLOUR WHICH TENDS TO PREVENT IRON FROM BEING ABSORBED [FROM VEGETABLES AND MEAT].OLDER ASIAN WOMEN PROBABLY SHOULD ALSO TAKE VITAMIN D TO STRENGTHEN THEIR BONES. [CHECK WITH PHARMACY].

CHILDREN ARE OFTEN IRON DEFICIENT AND NEED IRON SUPPLEMENTS [AFTER HAVING A BLOOD TEST FOR FERRITIN]. ASIAN CHILDREN SHOULD HAVE VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS IN THE PRE SCHOOL YEARS AS OFTEN THEY ARE VITAMIN D DEFICIENT THROUGH BROWN SKIN ABSORBING LESS SUNLIGHT WHICH IS NEEDED TO MAKE VITAMIN D IN THE BODY. [CHECK WITH HEALTH VISITOR].ASIAN CHILDREN ARE LIKE WESTERNERS IN GETTING ECZEMA AND ASTHMA FREQUENTLY.

 

YOUNG ADULT ASIANS ARE PRONE TO ACNE WHICH IS SEVERE AND SCARS THE FACE, SO TREAT IT SOON WITH OFTEN MORE THAN ONE SKIN CREAM.

ASIANS TRAVEL TO SAUDI ARABIA INDIA PAKISTAN AND BANGLADESH. THEY NEGLECT TO TAKE MALARIA TABLETS. THEIR IMMUNITY SOON DISAPPEARS AFTER LIVING OUTSIDE THEIR HOME COUNTRIES AND THEY ARE AT RISK EXCEPT IN SAUDI CITIES.

WEB SITES

http://www.diabetes.org.uk  ESSENTIAL FOR EVERY DIABETIC

http://www.idf.org  EXCELLENT ON LINE BOOK ON MANAGING DIABETES

http://www.diabeticfoot.org.uk 

http://www.bhf.org.uk  ALL ABOUT HEART DISEASE INCLUDING PREVENTION

http://www.nutrition.org.uk   DIET ADVICE

http://www.dermnet.org.nz  SKIN CONDITIONS WITH PICTURES AND TREATMENTS

http://www.asthma.org.uk

http://www.immunisation.nhs.uk  CHILDHOOD IMMUNISATION

http://www.patient.co.uk   PATIENT LEAFLETS ON MANY CONDITIONS

http://www.merck.com   ON LINE FAMILY MEDICINE BOOK

http://www.vh.org   HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT OF DISEASES WITH ON LINE BOOKS

http://www.traveldoctor.co.uk  THREE SITES ON TRAVEL HEALTH

http://www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk

http://www.travelhealth.co.uk

http://www.ukts.org  THALASSAEMIA

 

HUMANITARIAN AID TO SOUTH ASIANS

http://www.who.int  DETAILS CURRENT AID NEEDS AND PROJECTS

 

RADIO PROGRAMS

THERE ARE THREE RADIO ORGANISATIONS OFFERING PROGRAMS ABOUT THE LIFE AND TEACHING OF ISA MASIH, AVAILABLE IN SOUTH AND WEST ASIA. IT IS EXPECTED THAT INTERNET RADIO AND EVEN TV WILL BECOME AVAILABLE BEFORE LONG.

http://www.twr.org  [West and South Asian Languages]

http://www.feba.org [West and South Asian Languages]

http://www.hcjb.org [West and South Asian Languages]

http://www.sat7trust.org [Arabic, Farsi, Turkish]

WEB

http://www.sat7trust.org

http://www.radio882.com   Many South Asian Languages

http://www.sat7.org/sat7_turk

http://www.afghanradio.net   http://www.masih.tv

 

WORDS OF ISA MASIH

HERE ARE SOME OF THE SAYINGS OF ISA MASIH FROM THE INJIL

I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never be hungry; he who believes in Me will never be thirsty [need drink].

I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness.

I am the resurrection [rising from death to live again] and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.

I am the way, the truth and the life; no one goes to the Father except by Me.

I am the gate. Those who come in through Me will be saved. Wherever they go, they will find green pastures.

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish.

Come to Me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke [control over you] and put it on you, and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble [kind] in spirit; and you will find rest. For the yoke I will give you is easy, and the load I will put on you is light.

This is what he taught them:

God blesses those who realize their need for him,

for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them.

God blesses those who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

God blesses those who are gentle and lowly,

for the whole earth will belong to them.

God blesses those who are hungry and thirsty for justice,

for they will receive it in full.

God blesses those who are merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

God blesses those whose hearts are pure,

for they will see God.

God blesses those who work for peace,

for they will be called the children of God.

God blesses those who are persecuted because they live for God,

for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

God blesses you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted, too.

You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world—like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don't hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to fulfill them. I assure you, until heaven and earth disappear, even the smallest detail of God's law will remain until its purpose is achieved. So if you break the smallest commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God's laws and teaches them will be great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

But I warn you—unless you obey God better than the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees do, you can't enter the Kingdom of Heaven at all!

You have heard that the law of Moses says, 'Do not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.' But I say, if you are angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the high council. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.

So if you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a sacrifice to God, and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there beside the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God. Come to terms quickly with your enemy before it is too late and you are dragged into court, handed over to an officer, and thrown in jail. I assure you that you won't be free again until you have paid the last penny.

You have heard that the law of Moses says, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart. So if your eye—even if it is your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your hand—even if it is your stronger hand—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

You have heard that the law of Moses says, 'A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a letter of divorce.' But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Again, you have heard that the law of Moses says, 'Do not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.' But I say, don't make any vows! If you say, 'By heaven!' it is a sacred vow because heaven is God's throne. And if you say, 'By the earth!' it is a sacred vow because the earth is his footstool. And don't swear, 'By Jerusalem!' for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. Don't even swear, 'By my head!' for you can't turn one hair white or black. Just say a simple, 'Yes, I will,' or 'No, I won't.' Your word is enough. To strengthen your promise with a vow shows that something is wrong.

You have heard that the law of Moses says, 'If an eye is injured, injure the eye of the person who did it. If a tooth gets knocked out, knock out the tooth of the person who did it.' But I say, don't resist an evil person! If you are slapped on the right cheek, turn the other, too. If you are ordered to court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. Give to those who ask, and don't turn away from those who want to borrow.

You have heard that the law of Moses says, 'Love your neighbor' and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and on the unjust, too. If you love only those who love you, what good is that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Take care! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired, because then you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give a gift to someone in need, don't shout about it as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I assure you, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone, don't tell your left hand what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in secret, and your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you.

And now about prayer. When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I assure you, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father secretly. Then your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you.

When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again. Don't be like them, because your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! Pray like this:

Our Father in heaven,

may your name be honored.

May your Kingdom come soon.

May your will be done here on earth,

just as it is in heaven.

Give us our food for today,

and forgive us our sins,

just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.

And don't let us yield to temptation,

but deliver us from the evil one.

If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

And when you fast, don't make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, who try to look pale and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I assure you, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will suspect you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in secret. And your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you.

Don't store up treasures here on earth, where they can be eaten by moths and get rusty, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where they will never become moth-eaten or rusty and where they will be safe from thieves. Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be.

Your eye is a lamp for your body. A pure eye lets sunshine into your soul. But an evil eye shuts out the light and plunges you into darkness. If the light you think you have is really darkness, how deep that darkness will be!

No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

So I tell you, don't worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes. Doesn't life consist of more than food and clothing? Look at the birds. They don't need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are. Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not.

And why worry about your clothes? Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won't he more surely care for you? You have so little faith!

So don't worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.

So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today.

Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. For others will treat you as you treat them. Whatever measure you use in judging others, it will be used to measure how you are judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying, 'Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log from your own eye; then perhaps you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye.

Don't give what is holy to unholy people. Don't give pearls to swine! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.

Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks. You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

Do for others what you would like them to do for you. This is a summary of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.

You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose the easy way. But the gateway to life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it.

Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep, but are really wolves that will tear you apart. You can detect them by the way they act, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit. You don't pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles. A healthy tree produces good fruit, and an unhealthy tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, the way to identify a tree or a person is by the kind of fruit that is produced.

Not all people who sound religious are really godly. They may refer to me as 'Lord,' but they still won't enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven. On judgment day many will tell me, 'Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.' But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Go away; the things you did were unauthorized.'

Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won't collapse, because it is built on rock. But anyone who hears my teaching and ignores it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will fall with a mighty crash.

Then Jesus said to the disciples, Have faith in God. I assure you that you can say to this mountain, 'May God lift you up and throw you into the sea,' and your command will be obeyed. All that's required is that you really believe and do not doubt in your heart. Listen to me! You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you will have it. But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned for greater fruitfulness by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from me.

Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who parts from me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted! My true disciples produce much fruit. This brings great glory to my Father.

I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey me, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father and remain in his love. I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you. And here is how to measure it—the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends. You are my friends if you obey me. I no longer call you servants, because a master doesn't confide in his servants. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn't choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. I command you to love each other.

Don't be troubled. You trust God, now trust in me. There are many rooms in my Father's home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly. When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know where I am going and how to get there.

 

YOU ARE INVITED TO PRAY TO ISA MASIH, TO TRUST HIM TO BRING YOU TO GOD AND TO HEAVEN AND TO HELP YOU IN YOUR LIFE.

 

HERE ARE WORDS FROM THE SECOND PART OF THE INJIL [FROM THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS] EXPLAINING ABOUT FAITH IN ISA.

For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—Jews first and also Gentiles. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life."

But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who push the truth away from themselves. For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God.

When they refused to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their evil minds and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, fighting, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They are forever inventing new ways of sinning and are disobedient to their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, and are heartless and unforgiving. They are fully aware of God's death penalty for those who do these things, yet they go right ahead and do them anyway. And, worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.

God will punish the Gentiles when they sin, even though they never had God's written law. And he will punish the Jews when they sin, for they do have the law. For it is not merely knowing the law that brings God's approval. Those who obey the law will be declared right in God's sight. Even when Gentiles, who do not have God's written law, instinctively follow what the law says, they show that in their hearts they know right from wrong. They demonstrate that God's law is written within them, for their own consciences either accuse them or tell them they are doing what is right. The day will surely come when God, by Jesus Christ, will judge everyone's secret life. This is my message.

The Jewish ceremony of circumcision is worth something only if you obey God's law. But if you don't obey God's law, you are no better off than an uncircumcised Gentile. And if the Gentiles obey God's law, won't God give them all the rights and honors of being his own people? In fact, uncircumcised Gentiles who keep God's law will be much better off than you Jews who are circumcised and know so much about God's law but don't obey it.

For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the Jewish ceremony of circumcision. No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not a cutting of the body but a change of heart produced by God's Spirit. Whoever has that kind of change seeks praise from God, not from people.

Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses and to bring the entire world into judgment before God. For no one can ever be made right in God's sight by doing what his law commands. For the more we know God's law, the clearer it becomes that we aren't obeying it.

But now God has shown us a different way of being right in his sight—not by obeying the law but by the way promised in the Scriptures long ago. We are made right in God's sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done.

For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty. He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins. For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God's anger against us. We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us. God was being entirely fair and just when he did not punish those who sinned in former times. And he is entirely fair and just in this present time when he declares sinners to be right in his sight because they believe in Jesus.

Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on our good deeds. It is based on our faith. So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.

After all, God is not the God of the Jews only, is he? Isn't he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is. There is only one God, and there is only one way of being accepted by him. He makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.

Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What were his experiences concerning this question of being saved by faith? Was it because of his good deeds that God accepted him? If so, he would have had something to boast about. But from God's point of view Abraham had no basis at all for pride. For the Scriptures tell us, "Abraham believed God, so God declared him to be righteous."

When people work, their wages are not a gift. Workers earn what they receive. But people are declared righteous because of their faith, not because of their work.

King David spoke of this, describing the happiness of an undeserving sinner who is declared to be righteous:

"Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven,

whose sins are put out of sight.

Yes, what joy for those

whose sin is no longer counted against them by the Lord."

Now then, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it for Gentiles, too? Well, what about Abraham? We have been saying he was declared righteous by God because of his faith. But how did his faith help him? Was he declared righteous only after he had been circumcised, or was it before he was circumcised? The answer is that God accepted him first, and then he was circumcised later!

The circumcision ceremony was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are made right with God by faith. And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.

It is clear, then, that God's promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was not based on obedience to God's law, but on the new relationship with God that comes by faith. So if you claim that God's promise is for those who obey God's law and think they are "good enough" in God's sight, then you are saying that faith is useless. And in that case, the promise is also meaningless. But the law brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)

So that's why faith is the key! God's promise is given to us as a free gift. And we are certain to receive it, whether or not we follow Jewish customs, if we have faith like Abraham's. For Abraham is the father of all who believe. That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, "I have made you the father of many nations." This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who brings into existence what didn't exist before.

When Adam sinned, sin entered the entire human race. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. And though there was no law to break, since it had not yet been given, they all died anyway—even though they did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. What a contrast between Adam and Christ, who was yet to come! And what a difference between our sin and God's generous gift of forgiveness. For this one man, Adam, brought death to many through his sin. But this other man, Jesus Christ, brought forgiveness to many through God's bountiful gift. And the result of God's gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man's sin. For Adam's sin led to condemnation, but we have the free gift of being accepted by God, even though we are guilty of many sins. The sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over us, but all who receive God's wonderful, gracious gift of righteousness will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.

Yes, Adam's one sin brought condemnation upon everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness makes all people right in God's sight and gives them life. Because one person disobeyed God, many people became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many people will be made right in God's sight.

God's law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful kindness became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God's wonderful kindness rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

SITES IN OTHER LANGUAGES OF SOUTH AND WEST ASIA

ARABIC PERSIAN AFGHAN

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