Introduction

Author

This account about Yeshua’s activities and teachings was written by Markos (typically shortened to ‘Mark’ in English), the son of a Jewish family who lived in Yerushalem/Jerusalem. His mother was named Miryam/Mary (Acts 12:12).

Many people think he was Yohan/John Markos, a cousin of Barnabas (Col. 4:10) who accompanied Paulos on his first long-distance trip to spread the good message about Yeshua the messiah (Acts 12:25, 13:13). We also know that Markos accompanied Kefa (1 Peter 5:13), and some consider that it might have been Kefa who narrated to Markos what Yeshua had done and taught.

This account

This account seems to have been written for non-Jews, especially perhaps those familiar with Romaios customs. So he didn’t use as much ink as Matay or Lukas explaining prophecies from the Jewish scriptures but he does however, take time to explain Jewish customs to help non-Jewish readers.

Markos explains here that Yeshua came to serve both God and the people, and he often refers to him as ‘the son of humanity’ (traditionally translated very literally from the Greek as the ‘Son of Man’). We can see that especially in 10:45: “Even the son of humanity didn’t come to be served, but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom to set many people free.” Markos wants his readers to know that Yeshua did incredible things, but especially focuses on Yeshua’s teaching. Markos confirms Yeshua’s power and authority by telling about the miracles that he did, his healing of the sick, and his exorcism of demons.

The ending of this account is often disputed, and scholars are still debating about whether or not the longer ending (16:9-20) is original to Markos. The OET includes the disputed longer ending, but displays it in a lighter colour to indicate its debatable status.

This is still an early look into the unpolished text of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check the text in advance before using in public.

Introduction

Author

This account about the works and teachings of Yeshua (Jesus) was written by Yohan (John), brother of Ya’akov (mistakenly known in older English Bibles as James). Both of them were in the small group of twelve close followers of Yeshua that he selected as his apprentices and who accompanied him around as he taught. Out of the twelve, Yohan was the one that greatly loved Yeshua, and his closeness gave him much of the insight that he includes with his description of Yeshua’s actions and teaching. The two brothers were the sons of Zavday, and all three of them worked as fishermen on Lake Galil.

This account

The Open English Translation places Yohan’s account before the others because it begins with the eternal existence of Yeshua the messiah. Not only is Yeshua the godly messenger, he was also the creator who has now descended from heaven as a man. Omitting any mention of the baby Yeshua, Yohan does however tell us about Yohan-the-immerser who came before Yeshua to prepare the people for the arrival of the promised messiah.

In chapters two to twelve it’s written how the various miracles that Yeshua did showed that he was the promised messiah who would offer life without ending to anyone who would accept that he had been sent by God and trust in his teaching. Although there were indeed many who did believe in him, many others were unable to come to that point and ended up opposing Yeshua at every turn.

In chapters thirteen to seventeen, Yeshua’s compassion towards his followers is described. He also told them in advance of his impending brutal death.

In the final few chapters, we read about Yeshua’s arrest and trial, then his being fastened to a pole and giving up his spirit, his coming back to life, and how his followers saw him and spoke with him again during that period.

Yohan is careful to explain how to receive life without ending by means of believing that Yeshua came down from heaven and obeying his teaching. Yeshua himself is the path and the truth and the life (14:6).

This is still an early look into the unpolished text of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check the text in advance before using in public.

Introduction

Author

The writer of this document was known in Greek as Matay, in Hebrew as Levi, and is most commonly known in English as Matthew. He was one of Yeshua’s twelve apprentices, and named by Halfay/Alphaeus his father. He was from Galil/Galilee but worked in Kafarnaoum/Capernaum as a tax-collector before he left that to follow Yeshua/Jesus. It’s possible that it was Yeshua who changed his name from Levi when he became a follower, and named him Matay which means ‘the gift of God’ in Hebrew.

This account

Matay’s account starts by listing the ancestors of Yeshua, and then describes Yeshua’s birth, his immersion in water, and his temptation by the devil. He tells us about a lot of his preaching and teaching, and about how he healed many sick people in the Galil region. After that, Matay goes on to describe Yeshua’s trip down to Yerushalem/Jerusalem and what happened to him there. Then he explains what happened in Yeshua’s final week in Yerushalem, his execution on a stake, and his coming back to life.

This document tells how Yeshua is the messiah, promised by God to save the Yehudim/Jews, and all non-Jews who place their trust in him. So by means of him, God fulfills his promises to his people that were listed in the Old Testament.

This good message reveals Yeshua as the great teacher to explain God’s law. Here in this document, Matay records five lengthy teaching sessions about God’s kingdom: (1) The preaching on the hill about people’s behaviour, their responsibilities, and what they might expect to receive in God’s kingdom (chapters 5–7); (2) warning the twelve apprentices about their works (chapter 10); (3) the parables about God’s kingdom (chapter 13); (4) the teaching concerning the way to become a follower (chapter 18); and (5) the teaching concerning the end of this age and God’s kingdom which is coming. (chapters 24–25).

This is still an early look into the unpolished text of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check the text in advance before using in public.