m’gilta d’ulpaneyh `eyta dišúa‘ bar yosef
ha-m’gillat ha-musar y’shúa` ben yoseif
(THE SCROLL OF THE PREACHING OF YESHUA` SON OF YOSEF)

The complete collection of the 14 books of The Exhortations has now been published in one volume. It is available from Amazon-UK at £18.50, and from Amazon-US at $23.19

If you ever have any questions about what you read, or if you profoundly disagree with anything, please email me at shmuliq.parzal@googlemail.com

The Exhortations is our equivalent of the New Testament, but does not have any scriptural authority; the only scriptural authority for Talmidis is the Galilean canon of the Hebrew Bible; therefore you do not have to agree with the contents of The Exhortations in order to call oneself a Talmidi.

1. 1These are the words of the preaching of Yeshua` son of Yosef of Nazareth.

2. 1How fortunate are you who are humble in spirit,

because yours is the kingdom of God;

2How fortunate are you who mourn now,

because you will be comforted;

3How fortunate are you who are meek,

because you shall inherit the Land;

4How fortunate are you who hunger now,

because you shall be well fed;

5How fortunate are you who weep now,

because you will laugh.

6How fortunate are you who are merciful,

because you shall obtain mercy;

7How fortunate are you who are innocent in heart,

for you shall be shown into the presence of God;

8How fortunate are you who create peace,

because you shall be called the children of God.

3. 1How fortunate are you when people hate you and exclude you,

when they revile you and drag your name through the dirt,

2simply because you are my followers.

3Rejoice! Leap for joy!

Because your reward is great in heaven;

4for that’s just how they treated the Prophets.

4. 1If anyone strikes you on the right cheek,
present them with your left cheek as well!
2If someone demands your mantle as a pledge,
give them your tunic as well!

3And if someone conscripts you to go one mile,

go with them two!

5. 1Give to anyone who asks you for something on loan;
2don’t turn away someone who wishes to borrow from you.

6. 1Whatsoever you would wishother people to do for you,
do so for them as well.

7. 1I tell you, love your enemies,
do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you,
2and pray for those who ill-treat you.

8. 1For if you love only those who love you,
what credit is that to you?
Because even tax collectors do the same!
2And if you do good only to those who do good to you,
what more are you doing than others?
Don’t even Gentiles do the same?
3And if you give to those from whom you hope to receive,
what reward are you expecting?
Even moneylenders give to others to receive as much again.

9. 1So I tell you, do good, expecting nothing in return,
and your reward will be great.
2You will be children of the Most High,

because God Himself is kind even to the ungrateful and the selfish.

10. 1Be perfect therefore,
Just as your heavenly Father is perfect.

11. 1Don’t judge,
and you won’t be judged.

2Don’t condemn,

and you won’t be condemned.

3Forgive,

and you’ll be forgiven.

4Give,

And the same will be given to you.

12. 1In the same way that you judge others,
you’ll be judged,
2and the measure you use will be the same measure you get.

13. 1If a blind man leads a blind man,
they’ll both fall into a pit.

14. 1A pupil isn’t greater than his teacher.
2It’s enough for a pupil to be like his teacher.

15. 1Why do you look at the splinter in your brother’s eye,
but don’t notice the plank in your own eye?
2Or how can you say to your brother,
“Brother, let me remove the splinter in your eye,”
when behold, you yourself do nothing to get rid of the plank in your own eye?
3You hypocrite!

First get rid of the plank from your own eye,
and then you’ll see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.

16. 1A bad tree cannot bear good fruit,
any more than a good tree can bear bad fruit.

17. 1Each tree is known by its fruit;
2Are figs gathered from thistles?
Or grapes picked from a thornbush?

18. 1The good person out of the storehouse of good in their heart brings forth good,
2and the evil person out of the storehouse of evil in their heart brings forth evil;
3because from the abundance of plenty in the heart,
the mouth speaks.

19. 1Why do you call me ‘Master’,
and yet do nothing that I say?

20. 1Everyone who hears my words and puts them into practice,
I’ll show you to whom they’re like:
2They’re like someone who built a house on rock.
3The heavy rains came down,
the flash-rivers struck,
and the winds blew

and beat against that house;
but it didn’t fall,
because it had been founded on solid rock.
4But everyone who hears my words and ignores them,
I’ll show you to whom they’re like:
5They’re like someone who built a house on sand.
6The heavy rains came down,
the flash-rivers struck,
and the winds blew and beat against that house,
and it fell down with an almighty crash!

21. 1Listen! A sower went out to sow his seed.
2As he scattered the seed,

some fell by the path,
and little birds came and devoured them.
3Some fell on rocky ground,
and they grew,

but they withered away
because they didn’t have much root.
4And some fell among thorns,
and as they grew,

the thorns choked them.
5And some fell on good soil,

and yielded a good harvest,

producing one hundred and twenty times their original measure.

22. 1As Yeshua` was going along the road,
someone said to him,
‘Master, I’ll follow you wherever you go.’
2But Yeshua` said to him,
‘Foxes have holes,
and the birds of the sky have nests,
but this son of man has nowhere to lay his head.’

23. 1A Zealot’s son said to him,

‘Master, I’ll follow you,
but first let me go and bury my father!’
2But Yeshua` said to him,
‘Follow me,

and leave the Dead to bury their own dead!’

24. 1Behold, the harvest is great,
but the labourers are few.
2Therefore beg the One in charge of the harvest
that He’ll rush out labourers into his harvest.

25. 1Go forth, for behold,

I’m sending you like lambs in the midst of wolves.

2So be as cunning as snakes,

And as innocent as doves.

26. 1Don’t carry any money,
or take a side-bag,

or food,
or spare sandals,

or an extra tunic;
2And don’t greet anyone on the road.

27. 1Whatever house you enter,

first say,
“Peace be upon this house!”
2And if a welcoming person is there,
your blessing of peace will remain on that household;
but if not,

withdraw your blessing and move on.
3Remain in the same house,
eating and drinking whatever they provide,
4for “The worker deserves his wages”!
5Don’t go from house to house.

28. 1Whatever town you enter,
and they welcome you,
eat the things they set before you.

29. 1Minister to the sick among them,

and say to them,
‘The kingdom of God has drawn near to you!’

30. 1If you enter a town, and they don’t welcome you,
Go out into the streets of that town and say,
2‘The dust of your town that clings to us like ashes to our feet,
we shake off in witness against you.
3Because if you know nothing else, know this:
The kingship of God is fast approaching.’

31. 1Blessed are your eyes,

for they see,
and your ears,

for they hear!
2Let me tell you,
many sages and kings have longed to see what you see,

but couldn’t,
and hear what you hear,

but couldn’t.

32. 1Be careful not to perform your acts of charity in front of others in order to be seen by them.

If you do,

your reward won’t be from your Father in heaven!

2Instead, when you give alms,

don’t make a fanfare about it,

like religious phonies do in synagogues and in the streets,

so that they may be praised by others.

3Believe me, I tell you,

that’s all the reward they’re going to get!

4But when you give alms,

don’t let your left hand know what your right hand’s doing,

so that your almsgiving may be in secret.

5Then your Father in heaven,

who sees what’s done in secret,

will reward you.

33. 1When you fast,

don’t look sombre like religious phonies do,

for they put ash on their heads,

and dirty their faces,

in order to show others they’re fasting and so gain their respect.

2Believe me I tell you,

that’s all the reward they’re going to get!

3But when you fast,

put oil on your head,

and wash your face,

so that it won’t be obvious to others that you’re fasting,

4but only to your Father in heaven,

who sees what’s hidden;

and your Father in heaven,

who sees what’s done in secret,

will reward you.

34. 1And when you pray,

don’t be like the religious phonies,

for they love to pray rocking in synagogues and on street corners in order to be seen by others,

and so gain their respect.

2Believe me I tell you,

that’s all the reward they’re going to get!

3But when you pray,

go into your innermost room,

and after closing your door,

pray to your Father who’s in secret places.

4Then your Father in heaven,

who sees what’s done in secret,

will reward you.

35. 1And when you pray,

don’t babble over and over like pagans do,

2for they think they’ll be heard because of their many words.

3Don’t be like them,

for your heavenly Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

36. 1When you pray each morning, say,
2‘Our Father who is in heaven,
may your Name be sanctified!
3May your kingdom be fulfilled;

may your will be realised,

4just as it is in heaven,

so also upon the earth.
5Our bread, which is from the earth,
give us day by day;
6and forgive us our sins,
just as we should forgive our debtors;
7and don’t bring us to trial,

rather deliver us from our accusers.’

37. 1I tell you, ask,

and it’ll be given to you;
look, and you’ll find;
knock, and it’ll be opened to you.
2Because everyone who asks receives,
and whoever looks finds,
and to whomever knocks it’ll be opened.

38. 1What father is there among you if he is asked by his son for a fish,
and instead of a fish,

will hand him a snake?
2Or if he asks for an egg,
will hand him a scorpion?
3Therefore, if you who are imperfect,
know how to give good things to your children,
4How much more so will your Father in heaven,

who is perfect,

give you good things when His children ask Him.

39. 1Any kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste,
and any house divided against itself will fall.

40. 1Whoever isn’t against you is for you.

41. 1A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

42. 1Be a light for the world;

2for no one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket,

nor in a place where it will be hidden.
3Instead, they put it on a stand,

so that everyone who comes in will see its light.

43. 1The eye is the lamp of the body.
2So if you’ve got a good eye,
your whole body’s full of light,
and your good eye becomes a source of light to everyone around you.
3But if you’ve got a bad eye,
your whole body’s full of darkness,
and your bad eye spreads only darkness around you.

44. 1It isn’t what goes into your mouth that will defile you,

but what comes out of your mouth –

2that’s what will defile you.

45. 1Beware of religious phonies,

for they clean the outside of the cup and the dish,

but inside they’re full of greed and wickedness!

2What blind fools!

Did not the one who made the outside make the inside as well?

3First clean the inside,

and behold,

the outside will be clean as well.

46. 1Nothing’s so covered up that it won’t be revealed,
or so hidden that it won’t be made known.

47. 1Whatever I tell you privately in the darkness,

go say openly in daylight.

2And whatever you hear whispered in your ear,

go proclaim publicly upon the housetops.

48. 1Don’t fear those who kill the body,
because after that there’s nothing more they can do.

49. 1Aren’t five sparrows sold for just two assaria?
And yet not one of them is abandoned by God!
2Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered.
3So don’t be afraid;
you’re worth more than many sparrows!

50. 1Someone said to Yeshua`,
‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide our father’s possessions with me!’
2But Yeshua` said to him,
‘Look Mister, who appointed me as judge or arbiter over you?’

51. 1The estate of a certain rich man produced a plentiful crop.
2He said to himself,

“I sow, I plant and reap,

and as a result I want for nothing.
3But what shall I do,

because I haven’t anywhere to gather all of my produce in one place?”

4So he thought to himself and said,

“This is what I’ll do:

I’ll pull down my storehouses,

and I’ll build bigger ones!

I’ll gather up all my wheat and goods there,

5and I’ll say to myself,

‘Self, you have enough laid by for many years.
Take it easy, eat, drink and enjoy yourself.’ ”
6Such were his intentions, but that same night he died.
7Of what service was his wealth to him then?

52. 1Believe me I tell you,

don’t worry about your life,
about what you’ll eat or drink,
or about your body,
about what you’ll wear.
2Because life’s more than just food and drink,
and the body more than just clothes.

53. 1Look at the birds of the sky;
they neither sow nor reap,
nor gather their grain into storehouses,
and yet our heavenly Father feeds them.
2How much more so will God feed you!

54. 1Who of you by worrying can add a single cubit to the length of their days?
2If you aren’t able to do as small a thing as that,
why be anxious about greater things?

55. 1Why worry about clothes?
See the wild flowers,

how they clothe the grass.
2The grass neither cards nor spins,
yet I tell you,
not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed up like that!
3So if that’s how God clothes the wild grass,
which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire,
4how much more so will God clothe you!

56. 1Don’t be anxious, saying,
“What will we eat?”
or “What will we drink?”
or “What will we wear?”
2Because all the nations of the world look for these things as well,
and yet your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

57. 1Look for the kingdom of God, and you’ll see,

all these things will be yours as well.

58. 1Don’t build up storehouses,
nor put away treasures for yourselves on earth,
2where moth and maggot eat away,
and thieves dig through and steal.
3Rather, build up storehouses and put away an unfailing treasure for yourselves in heaven,
4where neither moth nor maggot can eat away,
nor thieves dig through and steal.

59. 1Where your treasure lies,

there will your heart be as well.

60. 1Unless your righteousness goes beyond that of those who are merely observant,

You‘ll never find the Kingdom of God.

61. 1If you’re about to make your sin-offering in the Temple,

and there you remember that your neighbour has some quarrel against you,

2leave your offering there with the priest at the altar and go.

3First make peace with your neighbour,

and then return and make your sin-offering.

62. 1When you are going through a lawsuit,
along the way try your hardest to settle matters with your adversary,
2in case your adversary drags you off to the judge,
and the judge hands you over to the bailiff,
and the bailiff throws you into prison.
3Believe me I tell you,
there’s no way you’re getting out of there until you’ve paid back the very last prutah.

63. 1You all know how it’s written,

‘You shall not commit murder’,

and anyone who commits murder will be brought to judgment.

2But this is what I say to you:

anyone who’s unjustly angry with their brother or sister shall be subject to judgment.

3Furthermore, anyone who calls someone,

‘Worthless moron!’

shall be answerable to the Great Sanhedrin,

4And anyone who says, ‘Fool!’

Shall be cast into the outer darkness.

64. 1You’ve all seen where it’s written,

‘You shall not commit adultery’,

So anyone who commits adultery

will be taken for judgment.

2But this is what I say to you:

Any married person

who leers at someone else

with lustful longing for them,

has already committed adultery with that person in their heart,

and shall be brought before the Great Sanhedrin for judgment!

65. 1You all know where it’s written,

‘You shall not make false oaths;’ and

‘When anyone makes an oath, they must not break their word, but must do everything they vowed

in the name of the Holy One.’

2But this is what I say to you:

Don’t swear oaths at all,

3neither by heaven,

because it’s God’s throne;

nor by the earth,

because it’s God’s footstool;

nor by Jerusalem,

for it’s the city of God, our Great King.

4And don’t swear by your head,

since you can’t make even one hair white or black.

5Simply let your “Yes” mean “Yes”,

and your “No” mean “No”.

66. 1The kingdom of God is like a hoard of money hidden in a field.
2While ploughing, a man found it.
He immediately covered it up again,
and then in his joy goes and sells every last possession in order to buy that field.

67. 1The kingdom of God is like a merchant who was looking for fine pearls;

2then, on finding one pearl of enormous value,

he went and sold everything that he had,

and bought the pearl.

68. 1Many who are first will become last,
2and many who are last will become first in the kingdom of God.

69. 1Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
2but he who humbles himself will be exalted.

70. 1Whoever humbles himself like a child,

is the greatest in the Kingdom of God.

Believe me, I tell you,

unless you accept the kingdom of God like a child,

you shall never find it.

71. 1The greatest among you should become as the least,

2and the one who rules should be as the one who serves.

72. 1A king ordered a banquet to be prepared,
and when it was ready,

he sent his servants to invite the guests, saying,

2‘Come, because now the banquet is ready.’
3So his servants went and did as the king had commanded them.

But all of the guests began to make excuses.
They went to the first and said,
“Come, my master invites you.”
4But this one said,

“I’ve got claims against some merchants.
They’re coming to me this evening,
and I must go to give them my orders.
I ask to be excused from the banquet.”
5So the servants went to a second, and said to him,
“Come, my master’s invited you.”
6But this one said,

“I’ve just bought a house,
and I’m required for the day.
I won’t have any spare time.”
7So the servants went to a third,

and said to him,
“Come, my master invites you.”
8But this one said,

“I’ve leased out a farm,
and I’m on my way to collect the rent.
I won’t be able to come.

I ask to be excused.”
And so it was with all the others.
9So the servants returned to their king, and said,
“Those whom you invited asked to be excused.”
10And the king said to them,

“Go then to the street corners,
and invite anyone you find,
so that they might come instead.”
11So the servants went to the street corners,

and called to all to come –
the poor and the lowly,

the blind and the lame –
and the banquet hall was filled with guests.
12Believe me I tell you,
the rich and the wealthy are too busy for the kingdom of God.’

73. 1 You are the salt of the Land,
but if salt becomes useless,
how will you salt it again?
2Then it’s not fit for anything,

except to be thrown away,

and trampled underfoot.

74. 1What man among you,

if he has a hundred sheep,
and one of them goes astray,
2doesn’t leave the ninety-nine on the hillside,
and go in search of the one that went astray?
3And when he finds it,
he lays it across his shoulders,
4and believe me I tell you,

he rejoices over it more than the other ninety-nine that never went astray.

75. 1No servant can serve two masters;
because they’ll either hate the one and love the other,
or they’ll be devoted to the one and despise the other.
2In the same way, you can’t serve both God and wealth.

76. 1If your brother or sister sins against you,
then point out their fault privately,
2and if they repent,
you must forgive them.

77. 1Someone said to Yeshua`,

‘Master, how often shall my brother or sister sin against me,

and I have to forgive them?’

2Yeshua` said,

‘If they sin against you seven times in one day,

And come back to you seven times, saying,

“I’m sorry,”

Then you must forgive them.

78. 1Believe me I tell you,
if two make peace with one another,
they can say to this mountain,
“Move from here to there!”
and it’ll move.
2Or they can say to this fig tree,
“Uproot yourself and plant yourself in the sea!”
and it’ll obey them.
3Nothing will be impossible for them.

79. 1To what shall I compare the kingdom of God?
2It’s like the tiny mustard seed,
which a man took and threw away into his garden.

3It’s smaller than all other seeds,

but when it falls on fertile soil,
4it grows into a large bush,
and birds of the sky shelter under its shade.

80. 1Someone said to Yeshua`,
‘How will the kingdom of God come?’
2And Yeshua` said to them,
‘The kingdom of God is like yeast,
which a woman took and hid

in three sata of flour.
3Eventually all the flour

was leavened.

81. 1The Kingdom of God

is spread out over all the earth,

and people don’t see it.

82. 1People asked Yeshua`,
‘When will the kingdom come?’
2But Yeshua` said to them,
‘The kingdom of God won’t come as a result of diligent observation.
3Nor will people say,
“Here it is!”
or “There it is!”
4Because the kingdom of God is within you.’

This reconstruction represents the original Q1 layer of the so-called ‘Q-Gospel’, referred to in the ‘Ascents of James’ as the ‘Scroll of the Preaching’. There have been many attempts to reconstruct this; in accordance with the emphasis of Talmidi theology, I have concentrated on the ethical teaching of the prophet Yeshua` over everything else. Other passages from the final redaction of the Q-Gospel can be found in the Book of Yochanan the Immerser (mostly Q-sayings concerning Yochanan the Immerser [John the Baptist]), and in the Book of the Prophet Yeshua` (mostly warnings about the imminent destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem, calls to repentance, criticism of the Oral Law etc).

The Jul 2000 edition had 67 passages; this revised translation has 15 additional passages (3, 32-35, 44-45, 60-61, 63-65, 70-71 & 81). Consequently, all existing passages have had to be renumbered.

If you have any comments or questions, please email: shmuliq.parzal@googlemail.com

Table of sources for ‘The Scroll of the Preaching’

© Shmu’eil ben Naftali

‘Megillat ha-Musar’

(International Talmidi Version,

First edition published July 2000

Revised and augmented Jan 2009)