VAYIKRA (AND HE CALLED)

Parashat Vayikra

Offerings Without Defect

1 Now Adonai called to Moses and spoke to him out of the Tent of Meeting, saying: ² “Speak to Bnei-Yisrael, and tell them: When anyone of you brings an offering^[a] to Adonai, you may present your offering of livestock, from the herd or from the flock.

³ “If his sacrifice is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to present a male without blemish. He is to offer it at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, so that he may be accepted before Adonai. ⁴ He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, so that it will be accepted for him to make atonement on his behalf. ⁵ He is to slaughter the bull before Adonai. Then Aaron’s sons, the kohanim, are to present the blood and splash it around on the altar that is at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. ⁶ He is to skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces. ⁷ The sons of Aaron the kohen are to place fire on the altar and arrange wood upon the fire. ⁸ Then Aaron’s sons, the kohanim, shall arrange the pieces, the head, and the fat upon the wood that is on the fire which is atop the altar. ⁹ But its innards and its legs he is to wash with water. The kohen should burn it all up as smoke on the altar, for a burnt offering made by fire—a soothing aroma to Adonai.

¹⁰ “If his sacrifice is from the flock, from the sheep or from the goats, for a burnt offering, he should bring a male without blemish. ¹¹ He is to slaughter it on the north side of the altar before Adonai. Aaron’s sons, the kohanim, are to splash its blood around on the altar. ¹² He is to cut it into pieces, with its head and its fat. The kohen should then arrange them upon the wood that is on the fire that is atop the altar, ¹³ but the innards and the legs he is to wash with water. The kohen is to offer it all, and burn it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, made by fire—a soothing aroma to Adonai.

¹⁴ “If his sacrifice to Adonai is a burnt offering of birds, then he should bring his offering of turtledoves or young pigeons. ¹⁵ The kohen is to bring it to the altar, wring off its head, and burn it on the altar. Then its blood is to be drained out on the side of the altar. ¹⁶ Also he is to cut out its digestive tract with its filth, and cast it beside the altar on the east side, into the place of the fat ashes. ¹⁷ He should tear it by its wings, but not divide it up. The kohen should burn it upon the altar, on the wood that is on the fire. It is a burnt offering, made by fire—a soothing aroma to Adonai.

Matzah Flour Offerings

2 “When anyone brings a sacrifice offering of grain to Adonai, his offering should be of fine flour, and he is to pour oil on it and put frankincense on it. ² He is to bring it to Aaron’s sons, the kohanim, and he shall take from there his handful of its fine flour, and of its oil, with all its frankincense. Then the kohen shall burn up as smoke its memorial portion on the altar, an offering made by fire—a soothing aroma to Adonai. ³ What is left of the grain offering is for Aaron and his sons, a most holy portion of the offerings to Adonai made by fire.

⁴ “When you bring a sacrifice offering of grain baked in the oven, it is to consist of matzah cakes of fine flour mixed with oil or matzah wafers anointed with oil. ⁵ If your sacrifice is a grain offering from the pan, it is to consist of fine flour, mixed with oil, matzah. ⁶ You should cut it in pieces and pour oil on it. It is a grain offering.

⁷ “Now if your sacrifice is a grain offering of the pan, it is to be made of fine flour with oil. ⁸ When you bring the grain offering that is made of these things to Adonai, it is to be presented to the kohen and he is to bring it to the altar. ⁹ The kohen is to take from the grain offering its memorial portion, and burn it up as smoke on the altar, an offering made by fire—a soothing aroma to Adonai. ¹⁰ What is left of the grain offering is for Aaron and his sons, a most holy portion of the offerings to Adonai made by fire.

¹¹ “Every grain offering which you present to Adonai should be made without hametz, for you are not to burn up as smoke any hametz nor any honey as a sacrifice made by fire to Adonai. ¹² As a gift of firstfruits you may offer them to Adonai, but they are not to ascend for a soothing aroma on the altar. ¹³ Also you are to season with salt every sacrifice of your grain offering. You are never to allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your sacrifices you must offer salt.

¹⁴ “If you bring a grain offering of firstfruits to Adonai, you are to present for the grain offering of your firstfruits of fresh ears of barley, scorched with fire—crushed grain of fresh ears. ¹⁵ You are then to put oil and frankincense on it. It is a grain offering. ¹⁶ The kohen shall burn up as its memorial portion part of its crushed grain and part of its oil, along with all its frankincense. It is an offering made by fire to Adonai.

Shalom Offerings

3 “Now if his offering is a sacrifice of fellowship offerings, if from the herd, whether male or female, he is to offer one without blemish before Adonai. ² He shall lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons the kohanim are to splash the blood around on the altar. ³ He is to bring from the sacrifice of fellowship offerings an offering made by fire to Adonai, the fat that covers the innards, all the fat that is on the entrails, ⁴ as well as the two kidneys and the fat that is on them which is by the loins, plus the cover on the liver that he must remove with the kidneys. ⁵ Aaron’s sons are to burn it up as smoke on the altar on top of the burnt offering, which is over the wood that is on the fire. It is an offering made by fire—a soothing aroma to Adonai.

⁶ “If his gift for a sacrifice of fellowship offerings to Adonai is from the flock, he is to offer a male or female without blemish. ⁷ If he is bringing a lamb for his offering, he should present it before Adonai. ⁸ He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it before the Tent of Meeting. Aaron’s sons are to splash its blood around on the altar. ⁹ From the sacrifice of fellowship offerings he should bring a gift made by fire to Adonai. Its fat—the entire tail fat cut away close to the backbone, along with the fat that covers the innards and all the fat that is on the entrails, ¹⁰ as well as the two kidneys and the fat that is over them which is by the loins, plus the cover on the liver that he is to remove with the kidneys. ¹¹ The kohen is to burn it up as smoke on the altar—as a food offering made by fire to Adonai.

¹² “If his offering is a goat then he should present it before Adonai. ¹³ He is to lay his hand on its head and slaughter it before the Tent of Meeting. Aaron’s sons are to splash its blood around on the altar. ¹⁴ From it he is to offer as his sacrifice an offering made by fire to Adonai, the fat that covers the innards, all the fat that is on the entrails, ¹⁵ the two kidneys and the fat that is over them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, which he must remove with the kidneys. ¹⁶ The kohen is to burn them on the altar. It is the food of the offering made by fire, for a soothing aroma. All fat is for Adonai.

¹⁷ “It is to be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings, that you must eat neither fat nor blood.”

Sacrifices for Unintentional Sins

4 Adonai spoke to Moses, saying: ² “Speak to Bnei-Yisrael, saying: If anyone sins unintentionally in any of Adonai’s mitzvot that are not to be done, and commits any one of them ³ —or if the anointed kohen sins so as to bring guilt on the people—then let him offer for his sin which he has committed, a young bull without blemish to Adonai for a sin offering. ⁴ He is to bring the bull to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting before Adonai, lay his hand on the head of the bull, and slaughter it before Adonai. ⁵ The anointed kohen should take some of the blood of the bull, and bring it to the Tent of Meeting. ⁶ The kohen is to dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before Adonai, before the curtain of the Sanctuary. ⁷ The kohen should put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of sweet incense before Adonai, which is in the Tent of Meeting, and he is to pour out all of rest of the blood of the bull at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. ⁸ He is to take all the fat of the bull of the sin offering off of it, the fat that covers the innards, all the fat that is on the entrails, ⁹ the two kidneys and the fat that is over them which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, which he is to remove with the kidneys, ¹⁰ just as it is removed from the bull of the sacrifice of fellowship offerings. The kohen should burn them up as smoke on the altar of burnt offering. ¹¹ The bull’s hide, all its flesh, with its head, along with its legs, its innards and its dung— ¹² the entire bull—he is to carry outside the camp to a clean place, where the fat ashes are poured out, and burn it over wood in the fire. It is to be burned on top of the place of pouring fat ashes.

¹³ “Now if the whole congregation of Israel sins, but the deed is hidden from the eyes of the community, yet they have done one of Adonai’s mitzvot that are not to be done, then they are guilty. ¹⁴ When the sin that they committed becomes known, then the community is to offer a young bull for a sin offering, and bring it before the Tent of Meeting. ¹⁵ The elders of the congregation are to lay their hands on the head of the bull before Adonai, and the bull is to be slaughtered before Adonai. ¹⁶ The anointed kohen should bring some of the blood from the bull to the Tent of Meeting. ¹⁷ Then the kohen is to dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before Adonai, before the curtain. ¹⁸ He is to put some of the blood on the horns of the altar that is before Adonai, in the Tent of Meeting, and the rest of the blood he is to pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. ¹⁹ He is to take all its fat from it, and burn it up as smoke on the altar. ²⁰ He is also to do with the bull just as he did with the bull of the sin offering—he must do the same with it. So the kohen shall make atonement for them—and they will be forgiven. ²¹ Then he is to carry the bull outside the camp and burn it as he burned the first bull. It is the sin offering for the community.

²² “When a ruler sins and unwittingly does one of the mitzvot of Adonai his God that are not to be done, then he is guilty. ²³ When his sin that he committed is made known to him, he is to bring as his offering a goat, a male without blemish. ²⁴ He is to lay his hand on the head of the goat and slaughter it in the place where they slaughter the burnt offering before Adonai. It is a sin offering. ²⁵ The kohen should take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering. He is to pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering. ²⁶ He is to burn all its fat on the altar, just like the fat of the sacrifice of fellowship offerings. So the kohen shall make atonement for him concerning his sin—and he will be forgiven.

²⁷ “When anyone of the common people sins unwittingly by doing one of Adonai’s mitzvot that are not to be done, then he is guilty. ²⁸ When his sin that he committed is made known to him, then he is to bring for his offering a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin that he committed. ²⁹ He is to lay his hand on the head of the sin offering, and then slaughter it at the place of burnt offering. ³⁰ The kohen is to take some of its blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering. He is to pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. ³¹ He is to take away all its fat, just like the fat is taken away from off of the sacrifice of fellowship offerings. And the kohen should burn it on the altar for a soothing aroma to Adonai. So the kohen is to make atonement for him—and he will be forgiven.

Sin Offerings

³² “Now if he brings a lamb as his sacrifice for a sin offering, he is to bring a female without blemish. ³³ He is to lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it at the place where they slaughter the burnt offering. ³⁴ The kohen should take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering. Then all the rest of its blood he is to pour out at the base of the altar. ³⁵ He must remove all its fat, just as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of fellowship offerings. Then the kohen is to burn them on the altar, on Adonai’s offerings by fire. So the kohen shall make atonement for him over the sin that he committed—and he will be forgiven.

5 “If a soul sins—after hearing a charge of an oath, and he is a witness whether he has seen or otherwise known—if he fails to report it, then he will bear his guilt.

² “Or if a person touches any unclean thing—whether it is the carcass of an unclean animal or the carcass of unclean livestock or the carcass of unclean creeping things, though it is hidden from him, still he is unclean and he will be guilty.

³ “Or if he touches some human uncleanness, whatever his filth is by which he is unclean, though it is hidden from him, when he knows of it, then he will be guilty.

⁴ “Or if a person swears rashly with his lips to do evil or to do good—about anything that one might utter rashly by an oath, though it is hidden from him, when he realizes it, then he will be guilty of one of these.

⁵ “So it will be, when one becomes guilty of one of these things, he should confess about what he has sinned. ^{[b] 6} Then he is to bring his trespass offering to Adonai for his sin that he committed: a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, as a sin offering. So the kohen is to make atonement for him over his sin.

⁷ “But if one cannot afford a lamb, then he should bring, as his trespass offering for the sin he committed, two turtledoves or two young pigeons, to Adonai. One is for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. ⁸ He is to bring them to the kohen, who will present the one for the sin offering first, and twist its head from its neck but not sever it completely. ⁹ He is to sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar, while the rest of the blood is to be drained out at the base of the altar. It is a sin offering. ¹⁰ He is to make the second a burnt offering, according to the regulation. So the kohen is to make atonement for one over his sin that he committed—and he will be forgiven.

¹¹ “But if one cannot afford two turtledoves or two young pigeons, then he is to bring as his offering for the sin he has committed a tenth of an ephah^[c] of fine flour as a sin offering. He is to put no oil on it nor put any frankincense on it, for it is a sin offering. ¹² He is to bring it to the kohen, then the kohen is to take his handful of it as the memorial portion and burn it up as smoke on the altar, on Adonai’s offerings by fire. It is a sin offering. ¹³ The kohen is to make atonement for him over his sin that one has committed in any of these things—and he will be forgiven. The rest belongs to the kohen, just like the meal offering.”

¹⁴ Adonai spoke to Moses, saying: ¹⁵ “If anyone commits a faithless act and sins unwittingly against the holy things of Adonai, then he is to bring his trespass offering to Adonai: a ram without blemish from the flock, according to your value in silver shekels after the shekel of the Sanctuary, for a trespass offering. ¹⁶ He is to make restitution for that which he has done wrong in regard to the holy thing, and is required to add a fifth part to it, and give it to the kohen. So the kohen will make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering—and he will be forgiven.

¹⁷ “Now if anyone sins and one of Adonai’s commandments that are not to be done, though he did not know it, still he is guilty and will bear his iniquity. ¹⁸ He is to bring to the kohen a ram without blemish from of the flock, according to your value, as a trespass offering. Then the kohen is to make atonement for him over the sin that he committed unknowingly—and he will be forgiven. ¹⁹ It is a trespass offering. He is absolutely guilty before Adonai.”

Mitzvot of Restitution

²⁰ Then Adonai spoke to Moses saying: ²¹ “Suppose anyone sins and commits a faithless act against Adonai by dealing falsely with his neighbor in a matter of a deposit or a pledge of hands, or through robbery, or has extorted from his neighbor, ²² or has found what was lost and lied about it, swearing falsely—so sinning in one of any of these things that a man may do. ²³ Then it will be, when he has sinned and has become guilty, that he must restore what he took by robbery, or what he got by extortion, or the deposit that was committed to him, or what was lost that he found, ²⁴ or any thing about which he has sworn falsely, he is to restore it in full, and add a fifth part more to it. He must give it to the one to whom it belongs on the day of presenting his trespass offering. ²⁵ He is to bring his trespass offering to Adonai, a ram without blemish from the flock, according to your value, for a trespass offering, to the kohen. ²⁶ The kohen shall make atonement for him before Adonai, and he will be forgiven concerning whatever he may have done to become guilty.”

No Profit in Casting Idols

First and Last

Folly of Idols

Perfect Pardon in the New Covenant

10 The Torah has a shadow of the good things to come—not the form itself of the realities. For this reason it can never, by means of the same sacrifices they offer constantly year after year, make perfect those who draw near. ² Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers—cleansed once and for all—would no longer have consciousness of sins? ³ But in these sacrifices is a reminder of sins year after year— ⁴ for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

⁵ So when Messiah comes into the world, He says,

⁸ After saying above, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not desire, nor did You delight in them” (those which are offered according to Torah), ⁹ then He said, “Behold, I come to do Your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second. ¹⁰ By His will we have been made holy through the offering of the body of Messiah Yeshua once for all.

¹¹ Indeed, every kohen stands day by day serving and offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. ^{[b] 12} But on the other hand, when this One offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God— ¹³ waiting from then on, until His enemies are made a footstool for His feet. ^{[c] 14} For by one offering He has perfected forever those being made holy. ¹⁵ The Ruach ha-Kodesh also testifies to us—for after saying,

¹⁶ “This is the covenant that I will cut with them:

then He says,

¹⁷ “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”^[e]

¹⁸ Now where there is removal of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

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Temptation in the Wilderness

4 Yeshua, now filled with the Ruach ha-Kodesh, returned from the Jordan. He was led by the Ruach in the wilderness ² for forty days, being tested by the devil. Now He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He was hungry.

³ The devil said to Him, “If You are Ben-Elohim, tell this stone to become bread.”

⁴ Yeshua answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’”^[a]

⁵ And leading Him up, the devil showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in an instant. ⁶ And the devil said to Him, “I’ll give to You all this authority along with its glory, because it has been handed over to me and I can give it to anyone I wish. ⁷ Therefore, if you will worship before me, all this shall be Yours.”

⁸ But answering, Yeshua told him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship Adonai your God, and Him only shall you serve.’”^[b]

⁹ Then he brought Yeshua to Jerusalem and placed Him on the highest point of the Temple. He said to Him, “If You are Ben-Elohim, throw Yourself down from here. ¹⁰ For it is written,

¹² But answering, Yeshua said to him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put Adonai your God to the test.’” ^{[e] 13} And when the devil had completed every test, he departed from Him until another occasion.

Isaiah’s Prophecy Fulfilled in Natzeret

¹⁴ Yeshua returned in the power of the Ruach to the Galilee, and news about Him went out through all the surrounding region. ¹⁵ He taught in their synagogues, and everyone was praising Him. ¹⁶ And He came to Natzeret, where He had been raised. As was His custom, He went into the synagogue on Shabbat, and He got up to read. ¹⁷ When the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him, He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

²⁰ He closed the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue were focused on Him. ²¹ Then He began to tell them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your ears.”

²² All were speaking well of Him and marveling at the gracious words coming out of His mouth. And they were saying, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?”

²³ But He said to them, “Doubtless you will say to Me this proverb, ‘Doctor, heal yourself!’ and ‘What we have heard was done at Capernaum, do as much here also in your hometown.’”

²⁴ But He said, “Truly, I tell you, ‘No prophet is accepted in his own hometown.’ ²⁵ But with all truthfulness I say to you, that there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when heaven was closed for three and a half years and there came a great famine over all the land. ²⁶ Elijah was not sent to any of them, but only to Zarephath in the land of Sidon, to a widowed woman. ^{[h] 27} There were many with tzara’at in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them were purified apart from Naaman the Syrian.”^[i]

²⁸ Now all in the synagogue were filled with rage upon hearing these things. ²⁹ Rising up, they drove Him out of the town and brought Him as far as the edge of the mountain on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him off the cliff. ³⁰ But passing through the middle of them, He went on His way.

Healing and Deliverance in Capernaum and Beyond

³¹ Yeshua came down to Capernaum, a town in the Galilee. He was teaching them on Shabbat, ³² and they were astounded at His teaching because His message had authority. ³³ In the synagogue was a man who had an unclean demonic spirit, and he cried out with a loud voice, ³⁴ “Ah! What have we to do with You, Yeshua of Natzeret? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are! You are the Holy One of God!”

³⁵ Yeshua rebuked him, saying, “Quiet! Come out of him!” And when the demon threw him down in their midst, it came out without hurting him.

³⁶ They were all amazed, and they spoke to one another, saying, “What is this message? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” ³⁷ So His reputation grew, spreading to every place in that region.

³⁸ After He left the synagogue, Yeshua entered Simon’s home. Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they petitioned Him concerning her. ³⁹ Then standing over her, He rebuked the fever and it left her. Immediately she arose to wait on them.

⁴⁰ When the sun was setting, they brought to Yeshua all who were sick with various diseases. And He was laying hands on each one and healing them. ⁴¹ Even demons were coming out from many, shouting out and saying, “You are Ben-Elohim!”^[j] But He was rebuking them and not permitting them to speak, because they knew Him to be the Messiah.

⁴² Now when it was day, He left and went to a desert place. The crowds were searching for Him, and they came to Him and were trying to keep Him from leaving them. ⁴³ But He said to them, “I must proclaim the Good News of the kingdom of God^[k] to the other towns also. It was for this purpose I was sent.” ⁴⁴ So He kept preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

Calling Fishermen at the Kinneret

5 It happened that the crowds were pressing upon Yeshua to hear the word of God as He was standing by the Lake of Kinneret, ² when He saw two boats standing beside the lake. Now the fishermen had left them and were washing the nets. ³ Getting into one of the boats, Simon’s boat, Yeshua asked him to push out a ways from the land. Then sitting down, He taught the crowds from the boat.

⁴ When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Go out into the deep water, and let down your nets for a catch.”

⁵ Simon replied, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and caught nothing. But at Your word I will let down the nets.” ⁶ When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets began to break. ⁷ So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. ⁸ But when Simon Peter saw this, he fell down at Yeshua’s knees, saying, “Go away from me, Master, for I am a sinful man!” ⁹ For amazement had gripped him and all who were with him, over the catch of fish they had netted; ¹⁰ so also Jacob and John, Zebedee’s sons, who were partners with Simon.

But Yeshua said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on, you will be catching men.” ¹¹ So when they had brought the boats to the landing, they left everything and followed Him.

Yeshua Heals and News Spreads

¹² Now while Yeshua was in one of the towns, a man covered with tzara’at appeared. And when he saw Yeshua, he fell on his face and begged Him, saying, “Master, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

¹³ Yeshua stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing. Be cleansed!” Immediately, the tzara’at left him. ¹⁴ Yeshua ordered him to tell no one, but commanded him, “Go and show yourself to the kohen.^[l] Then bring an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

¹⁵ But the news about Yeshua was spreading all the more, and many crowds were coming together to hear and to be healed of their diseases. ¹⁶ Yet He would often slip away into the wilderness and pray.

Crowds Gather from the Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem

¹⁷ Now on one of those days, Yeshua was teaching. Pharisees and Torah scholars were sitting there, who had come from every village of the Galilee and Judea, as well as from Jerusalem. And Adonai’s power to heal was in Him. ¹⁸ And behold, men were carrying a paralyzed man on a stretcher, trying to bring him in and place him before Yeshua. ¹⁹ But when they found no way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his stretcher through the tiles, right in the middle before Yeshua. ²⁰ When He saw their faith, He said, “Man, your sins are forgiven.”

²¹ Then the Torah scholars and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this fellow speaking blasphemies? Who can pardon sins but God alone?”

²² Yeshua, knowing their thoughts, replied to them, “Why are you raising questions in your hearts? ²³ Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? ²⁴ But so you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to pardon sins. . . .” He said to the paralyzed one, “I tell you, get up and take your cot, and go home!”

²⁵ Immediately he got up before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God. ²⁶ Astonishment took hold of them, and they glorified God and all were filled with awe, saying, “We’ve seen incredible things today!”

The Banquet at Levi’s House

²⁷ After these things, Yeshua went out and observed a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. He said to him, “Follow Me.” ²⁸ And leaving everything, he got up and followed Him.

²⁹ Levi made a great banquet for Yeshua at his house, and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others who were reclining with them. ³⁰ The Pharisees and their Torah scholars began murmuring to His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

³¹ And Yeshua answered and said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a doctor, but those who are sick do. ³² I did not come to call the righteous, but the sinful to repentance.”

³³ But they said to Him, “John’s disciples often fast and offer prayers, as do the disciples of the Pharisees. But Your disciples are eating and drinking.”

³⁴ But Yeshua said to them, “You cannot make the guests of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? ³⁵ But the days will come; and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.”

³⁶ Now he was also telling them a parable. “No one tears a patch from a new garment to use it on an old garment. Otherwise he will rip the new, and the patch from the new will not match the old. ³⁷ And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, it will be spilled out, and the skins will be destroyed. ³⁸ But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. ³⁹ No man who drinks old wine wants new, because he says, ‘The old is fine.’”