Mark 1 (New International Version) Mark 1 John the Baptist Prepares the Way 1The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.[a] 2It is written in Isaiah the prophet: "I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way"[b]— 3"a voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.' "[c] 4And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7And this was his message: "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8I baptize you with[d] water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
7And this was his message: "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8I baptize you with[d] water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
18 Once when John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and asked, “Why don’t your disciples fast like John’s disciples and the Pharisees do?” 19 Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. They can’t fast while the groom is with them. 20 But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.
21 “Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before.
22 “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the wine would burst the wineskins, and the wine and the skins would both be lost. New wine calls for new wineskins.”
What do you do when your clothes tear? Do you patch? How do you feel seeing young people wearing torn jeans pants showing their leg skin? I feel like touching the skin. Do they reveal their legs because they want to show their nakid body?
Which do you like better, old and creaking furniture or new and simple but efficient furniture? Who do you like better, old lawful and ruling teacher or free and loving and friendly teacher? I like the latter. Jesus is the latter. He loves you, doesn't he? Nobody is thrown away or rejected by Jesus, is any? No. Jesus cares about anyone. Do you love Jesu? I do!
How do you use English? Do you pick up rules of English grammars? However many rules you my memorize, you don't become to be able to use English freely or Flawlessly, do you? All you need is to prepare a directory. Then prepare 10 holders. The See the 10 formulas [ that have recently been spreading here or there in Japan ].
New rules should be put in a new directory. New rules must not be put in an old directly. New rules will hit the holders of the old directory and the holders will be broken, making the directory flooded with cracked fragments of old rules. So prepare a new directory for the new 10 rules.
How do you use English? Do you pick up rules of English grammars? [ However many rules you my memorize ], you don't become [ to be able to use English freely or Flawlessly ], do you? All [ you need ] is [ to prepare a directory ]. Then prepare 10 holders. Then see the 10 formulas [ that have recently been spreading here or there in Japan ].
New rules should be put in a new directory. New rules must not be put in an old directory. New rules will hit the holders of the old directory and the holders will be broken, [ making [ the directory flooded with [ cracked ] fragments of old rules ] ]. So prepare a new directory for the new 10 rules.
[ Teachigs ] of Jesus were rooted very deep of things of this world. He summmed up everything of the old testament in two rules [ which are very fundamental ]; Love God. Love your neighbor.
Leaders of Judaism told people [ to follow hundreds of rules of the old testament ]. But Jesus said [ that nobody can not observe all those rules ]. He said [ all [ we need to follow ] is the two rules ]. With old hundreds of rules, nobody can keep God's rules and people can not be happy. But Jesus' rules, people can try [ to keep the rules ] and they can, at the same time, be happy because of the love [ that they are trying [ to perform ] ].
Lord, thank your for every good thing [ that you give me each day ]. Holy things are important. Your holy spirit is clean. Your spirit makes [ us strong ]. Make our mind purer [ though we have already been made clean ] for your holiness is endless. Lord, bless our prayer. Our advancement is endless and fruit [ we will bear ] will be more powerful [ than any other one's ].
23 One Sabbath day [ as Jesus was walking through some grainfields ], his disciples began [ breaking off heads of grain [ to eat ] ]. 24 But the Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look, why are they breaking the law by [ harvesting grain on the Sabbath ]?” 25 Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you ever read in the Scriptures [ what David did [ when he and his companions were hungry ] ]? 26 He went into the house of God (during the days [ when Abiathar was high priest ]) and broke the law by [ eating the sacred loaves of bread [ that only the priests are allowed [ to eat ] ]. He also gave some to his companions.”
27 Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made [ to meet the needs of people ], and not people [ to meet the requirements of the Sabbath ]. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!”
John 15 Jesus, the True Vine “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine [ that doesn’t produce fruit ], and he prunes the branches [ that do bear fruit ] [ so they will produce even more ]. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message [ I have given you ]. 4 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 [ unless you remain in me ]. 5 “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. 6 Anyone [ who does not remain in me ] is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile [ to be burned ]. 7 But [ if you remain in me and my words remain in you ], you may ask for anything [ you want ], and it will be granted! 8 [ When you produce much fruit ], you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
9 “I have loved you [ even as the Father has loved me ]. Remain in my love. 10 [ When you obey my commandments ], you remain in my love, [ just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love ]. 11 I have told you these things [ so that you will be filled with my joy ]. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way [ I have loved you ]. 13 There is no greater love [ than [ to lay down one’s life for one’s friends ] ]. 14 You are my friends [ if you do [ what I command ] ]. 15 I no longer call you slaves, [ because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves ]. Now you are my friends, [ since I have told you everything [ the Father told me ] ]. 16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you [ to go and produce [ lasting ] fruit ], [ so that the Father will give you [ whatever you ask for, [ using my name ] ]. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
Music: Londonderry, traditional Irish Melody (MIDI, score). ---------------------------------------------- “I am the Vine; My Father is the Gardener. Each branch [ that bears no fruit ], He cuts away; [ While every branch [ that yields good fruit ], He trims and cleans, [ So that it will still more produce each day ] ]. Now you are clean because of My Word’s work in you. Remain in Me, and I’ll remain in you. [ Just as a branch without the vine can bear no fruit ], So you must stay in Me [ if you would bear fruit too ].
“I am the Vine; [ if you, like branches, stay in Me ] And I in you, you’ll bear much fruit in turn. Apart from Me, you can accomplish naught for God; You’re like a branch [ that withers and is burned ]. But [ if you stay in Me and I in you each day ], Ask [ what you wish ]; it will be given you. God will be glorified [ because you bear much fruit ], For thus you show [ yourselves to be disciples true ].
"[ Just as the Father loves Me ], so I love you too. Obey My Word, and you’ll stay in My care, [ Just as I too obey My Father God above ], And in His love remain fore’er and e’er. I’ve told you this [ so that My joy may be in you ], And [ that your own joy may now overflow ]. Here’s My command: Love others [ just as I’ve loved you ]; [ To die for friends ]—this is the greatest love [ you’ll know ].
“You are My friends [ if you do [ what I now command ] ]; You’re not mere servants, [ knowing not My will ]. I’ve called you friends, for everything [ I’ve learned from God ], I have made known, and now I tell you still. You chose Me not, but I have chosen each of you, [ To go and bear much fruit [ that will remain ] ]. Then God will give you all [ you ask in My own Name ]. Love one another; hear now My command again.”
The World’s Hatred 18 “[ If the world hates you ], remember [ that it hated me first ]. 19 The world would love you as one of its own [ if you belonged to it ], but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. 20 Do you remember [ what I told you ]? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ [ Since they persecuted me ], naturally they will persecute you. And [ if they had listened to me ], they would listen to you. 21 They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the One [ who sent me ]. 22 They would not be guilty [ if I had not come and spoken to them ]. But now they have no excuse for their sin.
23 Anyone [ who hates me ] also hates my Father. 24 [ If I hadn’t done such miraculous signs among them [ that no one else could do ] ], they would not be guilty. But [ as it is ], they have seen everything [ I did ], yet they still hate me and my Father. 25 This fulfills [ what is written in their Scriptures ]: ‘They hated me without cause.’ 26 “But I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me. 27 And you must also testify about me [ because you have been with me from [ the beginning ] of my ministry.