Yeshua/Jesus, divine and human

This page contains selected passages from the Open English Translation with the passage from the OET Readers’ Version on the left, and the OET Literal Version on the right. Minimal commentary is included (only some headings)—our aim is simply to conveniently list the passages in one place so that our readers can make up their own minds about what the writer of the passage was intending to communicate.

Readers’ Version

Literal Version

His birth

OET Mat 1:18-25

1:18 The messiah’s birth

(Luke 1:26-38; 2:1-7)

18 Now this is how the birth of Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) came about: Maria (Mary; Heb. Miryam; Grk. Maria /Mariam) his mother was engaged to Yosef (Joseph).[ref] But before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the work of the holy spirit. 19 But her husband to be, Yosef, was a godly man, and not wishing to disgrace Maria, he decided to quietly divorce her. 20 But as he was pondering that, one of Yahweh’s messengers appeared to him in a dream and told him, “Yosef, descendant of King David, don’t be afraid to marry Maria, because the baby in her has been conceived by the holy spirit. 21 In due course she’ll have a son and you’ll name him Yeshua,[ref] because he’ll save his people from their sins.”

22 Now all that happened in fulfilment of what Yahweh had said through the prophet, 23 “Listen, the virgin will get pregnant and she’ll have a son, and they’ll call him Imanu -El (Grk. Emmanuel) (in Hebrew) which means ‘God with us.’ ”[ref]

24 Then Yosef got up and did what Yahweh’s messenger had commanded him, and he went ahead and married Maria, 25 but he didn’t sleep with her until after she had given birth. Yosef named the boy Yeshua.[ref]

1:18: Luk 1:27.

1:21: Luk 1:31.

1:23: Isa 7:14 (LXX).

1:25: Luk 2:21.

18 And the birth the of_Yaʸsous chosen _one /messiah was thus:
Maria the mother of _him, having _been _betrothed to_ the _Yōsaʸf, before or/than them to _come _together, she _was _found having in womb by the_ holy _spirit.

19 And Yōsaʸf the husband of _her, being righteous and not willing to _expose her, was _counselled to _send_ her _away secretly.

20 But these things having _been _considered of _him, see, a_messenger of_the_master was _seen to _him in a_dream saying:
Yōsaʸf, son of _Dawid, may_ not _be _afraid to _receive Maria the wife of _you, because/for the one in her having _been _born is from the_ holy _spirit.

21 And she _will _be _bearing a_son, and you _will _be _calling the name of _him Yaʸsous, because/for he will _be _saving the people of _him from the sins of _them.

22 And all this has _become, in _order _that the thing having _been _spoken by the_master through the prophet may _be _fulfilled saying,

23 Behold, the virgin will _be _having in womb and will _be _bearing a_son, and they _will _be _calling the name of _him Emmanouaʸl/(ˊImmānū^ʼēl), which is being _translated:
- god With us.

24 And the Yōsaʸf/(Yōşēf) having _been _raised from the sleep, did as the messenger of_the_master commanded to _him, and received the wife of _him,

25 and was_ not _knowing her until of _which she _bore a_son, and he _called the name of _him, Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa).

OET Luke 1:26-38

1:26 God’s messenger comes to Maria

26 When Elisheva (Elizabeth; Grk. Elisabet) was six months pregnant, God sent his messenger Gavriel (Gabriel) to Nazaret (Nazareth), a city in the Galil region. 27 Gavriel went to a young woman named Maria (Mary; Heb. Miryam; Grk. Maria /Mariam) who was engaged to be married to Yosef (Joseph), a descendant of King David,[ref] 28 and entering the room, spoke to her, “Hello there. Yahweh is with you and he’s chosen you to be honoured.” 29 Maria was very puzzled by the statement and wondered what kind of greeting it could be 30 as the messenger continued, “Don’t be scared, Maria, because God is showing his favour on you, 31 and listen, you’ll conceive a baby and go on to give birth to a son, and you must name him Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus).[ref] 32 He’ll be very special and will be called ‘the son of the highest one’, and Yahweh God will give him the throne of David, his ancestor.[ref] 33 He’ll reign over Ya’akov’s (Jacob) descendants throughout the ages, and his kingdom will never end.”

34 “How would this work,” Maria asked the messenger, “because I’ve never slept with a guy?”

35 “The holy spirit will come over you,” answered the messenger, “and the power of the highest one will overshadow you, and so the holy child that’ll be born will be called God’s son. 36 Also, your relative Elisheva (Elizabeth; Grk. Elisabet) has also conceived a son in her old age—the one who was called barren is now six months pregnant 37 because with God, his statements always come to pass.”[ref]

38 “Listen,” said Maria, “I’m Yahweh’s servant girl. May everything you said come true.” Then the messenger left her.

1:27: Mat 1:18.

1:31: Mat 1:21.

1:32-33: 2Sam 7:12-13 ,16; Isa 9:7.

1:37: Gen 18:14.

26 And in the the sixth month, the messenger Gabriaʸl was _sent _out by the god to a_city the of _Galilaia/(Gālīl), to _whose name was Nazaret,

27 to a_virgin having _been _betrothed to_a_man, whose name was Yōsaʸf/(Yōşēf), of the_house of _Dawid/(Dāvid), and the name of _the virgin was Maria/(Miryām).

28 And having _come _in the messenger to her, said:
Greetings, having _been _favoured.
The master is with you.

29 And she was _thoroughly _perplexed at the statement, and was _reasoning what _kind _of the greeting this might _be.

30 And the messenger said to _her:
Be_ not _fearing, Maria, because/for you _found favour with the god.

31 And see, you _will _be _conceiving in your _womb, and you _will _be _bearing a_son, and you _will _be _calling the name of _him Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa).

32 This one will _be great, and will _be _being _called the_son of_the_highest, and the_master the god will _be _giving to _him the throne of _Dawid, the father of _him,

33 and he _will _be _reigning over the house of_Yakōb/(Yaˊₐqoⱱ), to the ages, and of _the kingdom of _him, will_ not _be an_end.

34 And said Maria to the messenger:
How will_ this _be, because I _am_ not _knowing a_man?

35 And answering the messenger said to _her:
The_ holy _spirit will _be _coming _over on you, and the_power of_the_highest will _be _overshadowing on _you, therefore also the holy child being _born will _be _being _called, son of_god.

36 And see, Elisabet, the relative of _you, she also has _conceived a_son in the_old _age of _her, and this is sixth month to _her who was being _called barren.

37 Because every message ˓will˒_ not _be _unattaining with the god.

38 And Maria/(Miryām) said:
Behold, the handmaiden of_the_master, might _it _become to _me according _to the message of _you.
And the messenger went _away from her.

His identity

OET Yhn (Jhn) 1:1-18

1:1 The arrival of the true light

1 In the beginning was the message,[fn][ref] and the message was with God, and the message was and is God. 2 He, the message, was with God even at the creation of the universe. 3 Everything came into existence through the messenger[fn]—there’s not even one thing that came into existence that wasn’t made by him.[ref] 4 He holds life, and that life is the light of humankind. 5 And that light is shining in the darkness, and darkness cannot overcome him.

6 A man arrived who had been sent by God. His name was Yohan (John; Grk. Yoannes).[ref] 7 He came as a testimony to tell about the light so that everyone would believe the light. 8 Yohan himself wasn’t the light—he was merely the announcer of the light. 9 The true light which enlightens every person was coming into the world.

10 He was in the world and he’s the creator of the world, and yet the world didn’t even know him. 11 He came to his own chosen people, but they wouldn’t accept him, 12 however anyone who would accept him and trusted in his authority, he gave them the right to become children of God—13 not physical children and not coming from human actions, but children of God.

14 And the message became a human and lived here among us and we saw his greatness[ref]—the greatness of an only child of the father—full of grace and truth.

15 Yohan (John; Grk. Yoannes) explained about him and loudly told everyone, “He’s the one I meant when I said, ‘There’s someone coming after me, yet who came before me, because he existed before I did!’ ”

16 Because he has so much, we all received grace and then even more grace. 17 The commands came to us through Mosheh (Moses), but grace and truth came to us through Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) the messiah. 18 No one has ever actually seen God, but the human son born from God the father and in close touch with him, he was the one to explain God to us.

1:1 TD: This passage is complex to translate because the message was also the messenger—that is, Yeshua came not only to teach about getting saved, but also to become the actual pathway to be saved!

1:3 Lit. him.

1:1: Gen 1:1.

1:3: Col 1:16.

1:6: Mat 3:1; Mrk 1:4; Luk 3:1-2.

1:14: Exo 40:34-35.

1 In the_beginning was the message, and the message was with the god, and god was the message.

2 This one was in the_beginning with the god.

3 All things became through him, and without him not _even one thing became that has _become.

4 In him was life, and the life was the light of_ the _mankind.

5 And the light is _shining in the darkness, and it not grasped the darkness.

6 A_man became having _been _sent _out from god, Yōannaʸs the_name to _him was.

7 This one came for a_testimony, in _order _that he _may _testify concerning the light, in _order _that all may _believe through him.

8 That one was not the light, but in _order _that he _may _testify concerning the light.

9 It _was the the true light, which is _enlightening every person, coming into the world.

10 He _was in the world, and the world became through him, and the world not knew him.

11 He _came to his own, and his own not received him.

12 But as _many _as received him, he _gave to _them the_right to _become children of_god, to _the ones believing in the name of _him,

13 who were _born neither of bloods, nor of will of _flesh, nor of will of _man, but of god.

14 And the message became flesh and sheltered among us, and we _saw the glory of _him, a_glory as of_an_only _begotten with a_father, full of _grace and truth.

15 Yōannaʸs is _testifying concerning him, and he _has _cried _out saying:
This one was whom I _said:
The one coming after me, has _become before of _me, because he _was before me.

16 Because of the fullness of _him, we all received and grace for grace.

17 Because the law was _given through Mōsaʸs/(Mosheh), the grace and the truth became through Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) chosen _one /messiah.

18 No _one has_ ever _seen god, the_only _begotten god, the one being in the bosom of _the father, that one explained him.

OET Yhn (Jhn) 20:24-31

20:24 Toma sees the evidence for himself

24 But Toma (Thomas), one of the twelve (nicknamed ‘Twin’), wasn’t with them when Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) had come 25 so the other apprentices told him, “We have seen the master.”

But he replied, “I won’t believe that unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and I can put my finger into the marks and can put my hand into the gash on his side.”

26 Eight days later, Yeshua’s apprentices were again together inside, and this time Toma was with them. 27 Yeshua came and stood in the middle of the room even though the doors were shut, and said, “Peace to you all.”

28 Toma spoke up, “My master and my god!”

29 “So you believe now because you’ve seen me,” said Yeshua. “The ones who haven’t seen me, but who believe anyway, will certainly be rewarded.”

20:30 Why this document was written

30 Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) went on to do many other miracles in front of his apprentices which aren’t recorded in this account. 31 But what has been written here has been recorded so that you might all believe that Yeshua is the messiah, God’s son, and then by believing, so that you might have true life through his power.

24 But Thōmas, one of the twelve, the one being _called Didumos/[twin], was not with them when Yaʸsous came.

25 Therefore the other apprentices/followers were _saying to _him:
We _have _seen the master.
But he said to _them:
If I _may_ not _see the mark of _the nails in the hands of _him, and I _may _put the finger of _me into the mark of _the nails, and I _may _put the hand of _me into the side of _him, by _no _means I_˓will˒_ not _be _believing.

26 And after eight days the apprentices/followers of _him were again inside, and Thōmas with them.
the Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) Is _coming, the doors having _been _shut, and stood in the midst, and said:
Peace to _you _all.

27 Thereafter he _is _saying to_ the _Thōmas:
Be _bringing the finger of _you here, and see the hands of _me, and be _bringing the hand of _you, and put it into the side of _me, and be_ not _becoming unbelieving, but believing.

28 Thōmas answered and said to _him:
- master of _me and the god of _me.

29 The Yaʸsous is _saying to _him:
Because you _have _seen me, have _believed, blessed are the ones not having _seen, and _yet having _believed.

30 Many therefore on _one _hand other signs the Yaʸsous also did before of _the apprentices/followers of _him, which is not having _been _written in the this scroll.

31 On _the _other _hand these things has _been _written, in _order _that you _all _may _be _believing that Yaʸsous is the chosen _one /messiah, the son of_ the _god, and in _order _that believing, you _all _may _be _having life in the name of _him.

OET Col 2:6-10

2:6 Living in Messiah

6 So in the same way that you all received the messiah, Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) the master, keep living in him. 7 You’ve already been rooted in him and then built up and confirmed in the faith just as all of you were taught, and been very thankful.

8 Be careful in case anyone captures your minds with fancy ideas or theories without proof that come from human traditions or from worldly thinking, and not from Messiah. 9 Every component of the greatness of God lives in his human body, 10 and you also have been completed and are in him. He is the head of all rule and authority.

6 Therefore as you _all _received the chosen _one /messiah Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) the master, be _walking in him,

7 having _been _rooted and being _built _up in him, and being _confirmed in _the faith, as you _all _were _taught, being _plentiful in thanksgiving.

8 Be _watching _out, lest anyone will _be which taking_ you _all _captive through the philosophy and empty seduction, according _to the tradition of_ the _humans, according _to the principles of _the world, and not according _to chosen _one /messiah.

9 Because in him all the fullness of _the deity is _dwelling bodily,

10 and you _all _are having _been _fulfilled in him, who is the head of _all rule and authority,

OET Heb 1:1-12

1:1 The son represents God’s splendour

1 Long ago, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets in many different circumstances and in many different ways, 2 but in these last days he spoke to us through his son who he appointed to inherit everything. It was also through him that he made the different eras—3 through the son who radiates the father’s splendour and represents his reality. The son bears everything by the message of his power, and after having made a way to be purified from our sins, he sat down in heaven next to God in the seat of the second-in-command.

1:4 The son is greater than the angels

4 By having become so much better than God’s messengers, he inherited a greater reputation than them, 5 because which of the messengers was told even once by God:

‘You are my son;

I gave birth to you today.’[ref]

And again:

‘I will be a father to him,

And he will be a son to me.’[ref]

6 Then when God again brings his firstborn son into the world he said:

‘Let all of God’s messengers bow down to him.’[ref]

7 On one hand he said to his messengers:

‘The one making his messengers winds,

and making his ministers a fiery flame.’[ref]

8 And on the other hand to his son he said:

‘God, your throne will last to the end of the ages;

The ruler of his kingdom is a ruler of justice.

9 You loved righteousness and hated lawlessness,

because of this, God, your god, honoured you

with gladness beyond what your companions received.’[ref]

10 He also said to his son:

‘Yahweh, at the beginning you established the earth,

and you made the heavens with your hands.

11 They will perish but you will continue;

They will wear out like clothes do.

12 You will roll them up like a discarded dressing gown;

they’ll be changed like we change our clothes.

But you remain the same,

and you won’t get old and fragile.’[ref]

1:5: Psa 2:7.

1:5: 2Sam 7:14; 1Ch 17:13.

1:6: Deu 32:43 (LXX).

1:7: Psa 104:4 (LXX).

1:8-9: Psa 45:6-7.

1:10-12: Psa 102:25-27 (LXX).

1 Many _ways and many _ways long _ago, the god, having _spoken to _the fathers in the prophets

2 in the_last the days these, spoke to _us by his_son, whom he _appointed heir of _all things, through whom also he _made the ages,

3 who being the_radiance of _his glory and the_representation of _the reality of _him, and bearing the things all by _the message of _the power of _him, the_purification of_ the _sins having _made, sat _down at the_right hand of _the majesty on high.

4 By _so _much better than having _become the messengers, to _as _much _as more _special beside them, he _has _inherited a_name.

5 For/Because to _which he _said once of _the messengers:
son of _me are you, I today have _bore you?
And furthermore:
I will _be to _him for father, and he will _be to _me for son?

6 And whenever again he _may _bring _in his firstborn into the inhabited _world, he _is _saying:
And let _prostrate before _him all the_messengers of_god.

7 And to on _one _hand the messengers he _is _saying:
The one making the messengers of _him spirits, and the ministers of _him of _fire a_flame,

8 on _the _other _hand to the son:
The throne of _you, the god, to the age of _the age, and the scepter of_ the _righteousness is the_scepter of _the kingdom of _him.

9 You _loved righteousness and you _hated lawlessness, because _of this, anointed you the god, the god of _you, with_the_olive _oil of _exultation beyond the companions of _you.

10 And:
You in the_beginnings, master, the earth established, and works of _the hands of _you are the heavens.

11 They will _be _perishing, but you are _continuing, and all like a_garment will _be _being _grown _old,

12 and as _if a_covering you _will _be _rolling _up them, like a_garment also they _will _be _being _changed, but you the same are, and the years of _you not will _be _failing.

His humanity and humility

OET Php 2:5-11

5 This is how you all who are also in Messiah Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) should be thinking: 6 Yeshua, though he was in the form of God, didn’t take advantage of being considered equal with God, 7 but emptied himself and becoming like a human, took on the form of a slave. Then in that human form, 8 he humbled himself and became obedient all the way to death, even death on the stake. 9 That’s why God highly praised him and gave him authority over every other authority, 10 so that every being in heaven and earthly and underwater realms will bow when Yeshua is announced[ref] 11 ⇔and will honour God the father by testifying that Yeshua Messiah is Yahweh.

2:10-11: Isa 45:23 (LXX).

5 This be _thinking in you _all, which also in chosen _one /messiah Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) is,

6 who in the_form of_god being, not advantage considered which to _be equal with_god,

7 but himself emptied, the_form of_a_slave having _taken, in the_likeness of _humans having _become.
And in _form having _been _found as a_human,

8 he _humbled himself, having _become obedient unto death, and the_death of_the_stake.

9 Therefore also the god him highly _exalted, and granted to _him the name which above every name,

10 in _order _that at the name of_Yaʸsous, every knee may _bow of _heavenly and earthly and subterranean realms,

11 and every tongue may _confess that the_master is Yaʸsous is chosen _one /messiah, to the_glory of_god the_father.

OET Heb 2:14-18

14 So because the ‘little children’ are all made of flesh and blood, he also became a man to be just like them, so that through his death, he could nullify the power of death (which comes from the devil) 15 and set free all those who in a lifetime ‘slavery’ controlled by the fear of death. 16 You can be certain that it’s not God’s messengers that he’s helped, but rather Avraham’s descendants.[ref] 17 That’s why he had to be just like his brothers and sisters, so that he could become the merciful and faithful chief priest representing God, in order to pay the price for the people’s sins. 18 Because he also suffered when he was tempted to sin, he’s able to help others who are tempted.

2:16: Isa 41:8-9.

14 Therefore because the little _children has _sharing of _blood and of _flesh, also he likewise partook of _the same things, in _order _that through his death, he _may _nullify the one the power holding of_ the _death, this is the devil,

15 and may _release these, as _many _as by _fear of _death, through all the time to _be _living, liable were to _slavery.

16 For/Because not assuredly of_the_messengers he _is _taking _hold, but of_the_seed of _Abraʼam/(ʼAⱱrāhām) he _is _taking _hold.

17 Whence he _was _ought in all things to _his brothers to _be _likened, in _order _that a_merciful he _may _become and faithful chief _priest in _the things for the god, in _order that to _be _being _made _atonement the sins of _the people.

18 In for which has _suffered he having _been _tempted, he _is _able to _the ones being _tempted to _give _help.

OET Heb 4:14-16

4:14 Yeshua is our high priest

14 So then, having Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) the son of God who came from and returned to the heavens as our high priest, we need to hold firmly to what we say we believe, 15 because we don’t have a high priest who’s not able to sympathise with our weakness, but rather who’s been tempted just like we are, yet he didn’t sin. 16 Therefore we can boldly approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help us when we need it.

Please contact us at Freely dot Given dot org (at) gmail dot com if there’s any passages that you’d like us to add to this topic page, or any passages that need a little bit more context around them. (We encourage our readers to always view things in their context, so we discourage use of the word ‘verse’, especially in sayings like, “This verse says …”.)