• Torah (T): Bemidbar (Numbers) 6:1-21
• Prophets (P): Judges 13:2-14
• Apostolic (A): Acts 21:17-26
• Additional (ADD): Sirach 18:19-23

RELATED SCRIPTURES

• Leviticus 7:15-18 (T)
• Leviticus 22:21-25 (T)
• Numbers 15:1-16 (T)
• Numbers 30:1-16 (T)
• Deuteronomy 23:17-23 (T)
• 1 Samuel 1:1-11 (T)
• Job 22:24-27 (T)
• Psalms 22:5 (T)
• Psalms 50:14 (T)
• Psalms 61:5-8 (T)
• Psalms 65:1-2 (T)
• Psalms 76:11 (T)
• Psalms 116:12-19 (T)
• Proverbs 20:25 (T)
• Ecclesiastes 5:4-6 (T)
• Matthew 5:33-37 (T)
• Acts 18:5-21 (T)
• Acts 15:1-33 (A)
• Matthew 23:1-10; Luke 11:46-52 (A)
• Acts 28:17-31 (A)
• 1 Corinthians 7:17-19 (A)
• 2 Peter 3:15-18 (A)

RELATED ADDITIONAL

• Baruch 6:30-35 (T)
• Numbers 6:1-21 from the Jerusalem Targum aka Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (T)
• Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 4.4.4 (T)

Note: (T) means the verse relates to that week’s Torah portion. (P) means the verse relates to that week’s Prophets portion. (A) means the verse relates to that week’s Apostolic portion. (ADD) means the verse relates to that week’s Additional portion.

Torah Portion (T)

6:1 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them: ‘A man or a woman that will perform to make a vow, a vow of separation, to be separated to YHWH, 3 he will separate himself from wine and strong wine. He will drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong wine, neither will he drink any juice of grapes, nor eat fresh grapes or dried. 4 All the days of his separation he will eat nothing that is made of the grapevine, from the seeds even to the skins. 5 All the days of his vow of separation no razor will come on his head, until the days are fulfilled in which he separates himself to YHWH. He will be holy. He will let the locks of the hair of his head grow long. 6 All the days that he separates himself to YHWH he will not go near a dead body. 7 He will not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die, because his separation to Elohim is on his head. 8 All the days of his separation he is holy to YHWH. 9 If any man dies beside him suddenly in an instant, and he defiles the head of his separation, then he will shave his head in the day of his cleansing. On the seventh day he will shave it. 10 On the eighth day he will bring two turtledoves or two sons of a dove to the priest, to the door of the Appointed Tent. 11 The priest will do one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make atonement for him, because he sinned by reason of the dead, and will make his head holy that same day. 12 He will separate to YHWH the days of his separation, and will bring a male lamb a year old for a trespass offering; but the former days will be void, because his separation became unclean. 13 This is the Torah of the separation: when the days of his separation are fulfilled, he will be brought to the door of the Appointed Tent, 14 and he will bring his offering to YHWH: one male lamb a year old, a perfect one, for a burnt offering, one ewe lamb a year old, a perfect one, for a sin offering, one ram, a perfect one, for peace offerings, 15 a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil with their grain offering and their libation offerings. 16 The priest will present them before YHWH, and will bring his sin offering and his burnt offering. 17 He will do the ram for a slaughter of peace offerings to YHWH, with the basket of unleavened bread. The priest will do also its grain offering and its libation offering. 18 The separated will shave the head of his separation at the door of the Appointed Tent, take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it on the fire which is under the slaughter of peace offerings. 19 The priest will take the boiled shoulder of the ram, one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and will put them on the hands of the separated after he has shaved the head of his separation; 20 and the priest will wave them for a wave offering before YHWH. They are holy for the priest, together with the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the heave offering. After that the separated may drink wine. 21 This is the Torah of the separated who vows and of his offering to YHWH for his separation, in addition to what his hand will overtake. According to his vow which he vows, so he must do after the Torah of his separation.’ ”

Prophets Portion (P)

13:2 There was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and childless. 3 the angel of YHWH appeared to the woman, and said to her, “See now, you are barren and childless; but you will conceive and bear a son. 4 Now therefore please beware and drink no wine nor strong wine, and don’t eat any unclean thing; 5 for, behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son. No razor will come on his head, for the child will be separated to Elohim from the womb. He will begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.” 6 Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, “A man of Elohim came to me, and his face was like the face of the angel of Elohim, very fearful. I didn’t ask him where he was from, neither did he tell me his name; 7 but he said to me, ‘Behold, you will conceive and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong wine. Don’t eat any unclean thing, for the child will be separated to Elohim from the womb to the day of his death.’ ” 8 Then Manoah entreated YHWH, and said, “Oh, YHWH, please let the man of Elohim whom you sent come again to us, and teach us, (enlighten us,)^(LXX) what we should do to the child who will be born.” 9 Elohim listened to the voice of Manoah, and the angel of Elohim came again to the woman as she sat in the field; but Manoah, her husband, wasn’t with her. 10 The woman hurried and ran, and told her husband, saying to him, “Behold, the man who came to me that day has appeared to me.” 11 Manoah arose and followed his wife, and came to the man, and said to him, “Are you the man who spoke to my wife?” He said, “I am.” 12 Manoah said, “Now let your word happen. What will the child’s way of life and mission be?” 13 the angel of YHWH said to Manoah, “Of all that I said to the woman let her beware. 14 She may not eat of anything that comes of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong wine, nor eat any unclean thing. Let her observe all that I commanded her.”

Apostolic Portion (A)

21:17 When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. 18 The day following, Paul went in with us to Jacob; and all the elders were present. 19 When he had greeted them, he reported one by one the things which Elohim had worked among the Nations through his service. 20 They, when they heard it, glorified Elohim. They said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Judeans of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Torah. 21 They have been informed about you, that you teach all the Jews who are among the Nations to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their sons and not to walk after the customs. 22 What then? The assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come. 23 Therefore do what we tell you. We have four men who have taken a vow. 24 Take them and purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses for them, that they may shave their heads. Then all will know that there is no truth in the things that they have been informed about you, but that you yourself also walk keeping the Torah. 25 But concerning the Nations who believe, we have written our decision that they should observe no such thing, except that they should guard themselves from food offered to idols, from blood, from strangled things, and from sexual immorality.” 26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day purified himself and went with them into the temple, declaring the fulfillment of the days of purification, until the offering was offered for every one of them.

Additional Portion (ADD)

Sirach, or Wisdom of Sirach, and also known as the Book of Ecclesiasticus (abbreviated Ecclus.) or Ben Sira, is a work of ethical teachings, from approximately 200 to 175 B.C., written by the Jewish scribe Ben Sira of Jerusalem, on the inspiration of his father Joshua son of Sirach, sometimes called Jesus son of Sirach or Yeshua ben Eliezer ben Sira. The Sirach was almost completely uncovered in Hebrew in the Dead Sea Scrolls, at Masada, and the Cairo Geniza. The multiplicity of manuscript fragments uncovered in the Cairo Genizah evidence its authoritative status among Egyptian Jewry until the Middle Ages. Quotes from Sirach can be found in Rabbinic literature in multiple places  including the Talmud in Bava Kamma 92b:13 and Hagigah 13a:2. Additionally, the Gospels and other Apostolic Scriptures quote from the Book of Sirach including the Song of Miriam in Luke 1:52 (cf. Sirach 10:14); the description of the seed in Mark 4:5, 16–17 (cf. Sirach 40:15); the statement by Yeshua in Matthew 7:16,20 (cf. Sirach 27:6); and Ya’aqov (James) 1:19 (cf. Sirach 5:11).

18:19 Learn before you speak. Take care of your health before you get sick. 20 Before judgment, examine yourself, and in the hour of scrutiny you will find forgiveness. 21 Humble yourself before you get sick. In the time of sins, repent. 22 Let nothing hinder you to pay your vow in due time. Don’t wait until death to be released. 23 Before you make a vow, prepare yourself. Don’t be like a man who tests the Lord.

Related Scriptures

7:15 The flesh of the slaughter of his peace offerings for thanksgiving will be eaten on the day of his offering. He will not leave any of it until the morning. 16 But if the slaughter of his offering is a vow, or a freewill offering, it will be eaten on the day that he brings his slaughter. On the next day what remains of it will be eaten, 17 but what remains of the flesh of the slaughter on the third day will be burned with fire. 18 If any of the flesh of the slaughter of his peace offerings is eaten on the third day, it will not be accepted, and it will not be credited to him who brings it. It will be an abomination, and the soul who eats any of it will bear his iniquity.

22:21 When a man brings a slaughter of peace offerings to YHWH to accomplish a vow, or in the way of a freewill offering of the herd or of the flock, it will be a perfect one to be accepted. It will have no blemish. 22 You will not bring what is blind, is cracked, is cut sharply, has an ulcer, an irritation, or has a skin sore to YHWH, nor give an offering by fire of them on the altar to YHWH. 23 Either a bull or a lamb that has any deformity or lacking in his parts, that you may offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow it will not be accepted. 24 You must not offer to YHWH that which is pressed firmly, smashed, drawn away, or cut. You must not do this in your land. 25 You must not bring any of these as the bread of your Elohim from the hand of a foreigner, because they are corrupt. There is a blemish in them. They will not be accepted for you.

15:1 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them, ‘When you have come into the land of your habitations, which I give to you, 3 and will do an offering by fire to YHWH—a burnt offering, or a slaughter, to perform a vow, or as a freewill offering, or in your appointed times, to make a pleasant aroma to YHWH, of the herd, or of the flock— 4 then he who brings his offering will bring to YHWH a grain offering of one tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one fourth of a hin of oil. 5 You will prepare wine for the libation offering, one fourth of a hin, with the burnt offering or for the slaughter, for each lamb. 6 For a ram, you will prepare for a grain offering two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with the third part of a hin of oil; 7 and for the libation offering you will offer the third part of a hin of wine, of a pleasant aroma to YHWH. 8 When you prepare a bull for a burnt offering or for a slaughter, to perform a vow, or for peace offerings to YHWH, 9 then he will offer with the bull a grain offering of three tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with half a hin of oil; 10 and you will offer for the libation offering half a hin of wine, for an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to YHWH. 11 Thus it will be done for each bull, for each ram, for each of the male lambs, or of the young goats. 12 According to the number that you will prepare, so you will do to everyone according to their number. 13 All who are native will do these things in this way, in bringing an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to YHWH. 14 If a sojourner lives as a sojourner with you, or whoever may be among you throughout your generations, and will do an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to YHWH, as you do, so he will do. 15 For the assembly, there will be one statute for you and for the sojourner who lives as a sojourner, a statute forever throughout your generations. As you are, so the sojourner will be before YHWH. 16 One law and one judgment will be for you and for the sojourner who lives as a sojourner with you.’ ”

30:1 Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the sons of Israel, saying, “This is the thing which YHWH has commanded. 2 When a man vows a vow to YHWH, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he will not break his word. He will do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. 3 “Also, when a woman vows a vow to YHWH and binds herself by a pledge, being in her father’s house, in her youth, 4 and her father hears her vow and her pledge with which she has bound her soul, and her father says nothing to her, then all her vows will stand, and every pledge with which she has bound her soul will stand. 5 But if her father forbids her in the day that he hears, none of her vows or of her pledges with which she has bound her soul, will stand. YHWH will forgive her, because her father has forbidden her. 6 “If she has a husband, while her vows are on her, or the rash utterance of her lips with which she has bound her soul, 7 and her husband hears it, and says nothing to her in the day that he hears it; then her vows will stand, and her pledges with which she has bound her soul will stand. 8 But if her husband forbids her in the day that he hears it, then he makes void her vow which is on her and the rash utterance of her lips, with which she has bound her soul. YHWH will forgive her. 9 “But the vow of a widow, or of her who is divorced, everything with which she has bound her soul will stand against her. 10 “If she vowed in her husband’s house or bound her soul by a bond with an oath, 11 and her husband heard it, and held his peace at her and didn’t disallow her, then all her vows will stand, and every pledge with which she bound her soul will stand. 12 But if her husband made them null and void in the day that he heard them, then whatever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, will not stand. Her husband has made them void. YHWH will forgive her. 13 Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void. 14 But if her husband says nothing to her from day to day, then he establishes all her vows or all her pledges which are on her. He has established them, because he said nothing to her in the day that he heard them. 15 But if he makes them null and void after he has heard them, then he will bear her iniquity.” 16 These are the statutes which YHWH commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between a father and his daughter, being in her youth, in her father’s house.

23:17 There will be no prostitute of the daughters of Israel, neither will there be a prostitute of the sons of Israel. 18 You will not bring the hire of a prostitute, or the wages of a dog, into the house of YHWH your Elohim for any vow; for both of these are an abomination to YHWH your Elohim. 19 You will not lend on interest to your brother: interest of money, interest of food, interest of anything that is lent on interest. 20 You may charge a foreigner interest; but you will not charge your brother interest, that YHWH your Elohim may bless you in all that you put your hand to, in the land where you go in to possess it. 21 When you vow a vow to YHWH your Elohim, you will not be slack to pay it, for YHWH your Elohim will surely require it of you; and it would be sin in you. 22 But if you refrain from making a vow, it will be no sin in you. 23 You will observe and do that which has gone out of your lips. Whatever you have vowed to YHWH your Elohim as a freewill offering, which you have promised with your mouth, you must do.

1:1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives. The name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 3 This man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to slaughter to YHWH of Armies in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to YHWH, were there. 4 When the day came that Elkanah slaughtered, he gave portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters; 5 but he gave a double portion to Hannah, for he loved Hannah, but YHWH had shut up her womb. 6 Her rival provoked her severely, to irritate her, because YHWH had shut up her womb. 7 So year by year, when she went up to YHWH’s house, her rival provoked her. Therefore she wept, and didn’t eat. 8 Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why don’t you eat? Why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?” 9 So Hannah rose up after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of the temple of YHWH. 10 She was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to YHWH, weeping bitterly. 11 She vowed a vow, and said, “YHWH of Armies, if you will indeed look at the affliction of your servant and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a boy, then I will give him to YHWH all the days of his life, and no razor will come on his head.”

22:24 Lay your treasure in the dust, the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks. 25 Shaddai will be your treasure, and precious silver to you. 26 For then you will delight yourself in Shaddai, and will lift up your face to Elohim. 27 You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you. You will pay your vows.

22:5 My praise of you comes in the great assembly. I will pay my vows before those who fear him.

50:14 Offer to Elohim the slaughter of thanksgiving. Pay your vows to Elyon.

61:5 For you, Elohim, have heard my vows. You have given me the inheritance of those who fear your name. 6 You will prolong the king’s life. His years will be for generations. 7 He will be enthroned in the face of Elohim forever. Appoint your loving kindness and truth, that they may preserve him. 8 So I will sing praise to your name forever, that I may fulfill my vows day by day.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. A song. 65:1 Praise waits for you, Elohim, in Zion. Vows will be performed to you. 2 You who hear prayer, all men will come to you.

76:11 Make vows to YHWH your Elohim, and fulfill them! Let all of his neighbors bring presents to him who is to be feared.

116:12 What will I give to YHWH for all his benefits toward me? 13 I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of YHWH. 14 I will pay my vows to YHWH, yes, in the face of all his people. 15 Precious in the sight of YHWH is the death of his holy ones. 16 YHWH, truly I am your servant. I am your servant, the son of your servant girl. You have freed me from my chains. 17 I will offer to you the slaughter of thanksgiving, and will call on the name of YHWH. 18 I will pay my vows to YHWH, yes, in the face of all his people, 19 in the courts of YHWH’s house, in the middle of you, Jerusalem. Halleluyah!

20:25 It is a snare to a man to make a rash dedication, then later to consider his vows.

5:4 When you vow a vow to Elohim, don’t defer to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you vow. 5 It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay. 6 Don’t allow your mouth to lead you into sin. Don’t protest before the messenger that this was a mistake. Why should Elohim be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands?

5:33 “Again you have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, ‘You will not make false vows, but will perform to the Lord your vows,’ 34 but I tell you, don’t swear at all: neither by the heavens, for it is the throne of Elohim; 35 nor by the land, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Neither will you swear by your head, for you can’t make one hair white or black. 37 But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No.’ Whatever is more than these is of the evil one.”

18:5 When Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, testifying to the Jews that Yeshua was the Messiah. 6 When they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook out his clothing and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on, I will go to the Nations!” 7 He departed there and went into the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped Elohim, whose house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his house. Many of the Corinthians, when they heard, believed and were immersed. 9 The Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Don’t be afraid, but speak and don’t be silent; 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city.” 11 He lived there a year and six new moons, teaching the word of Elohim among them. 12 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat, 13 saying, “This man persuades men to worship Elohim contrary to the law.” 14 But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If indeed it were a matter of wrong or of wicked crime, you Jews, it would be reasonable that I should bear with you; 15 but if they are questions about words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves. For I don’t want to be a judge of these matters.” 16 So he drove them from the judgment seat. 17 Then all the Greeks seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. Gallio didn’t care about any of these things. 18 Paul, having stayed after this many more days, took his leave of the brothers, and sailed from there for Syria, together with Priscilla and Aquila. He shaved his head in Cenchreae, for he had a vow. 19 He came to Ephesus, and he left them there; but he himself entered into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay with them a longer time, he declined; 21 but taking his leave of them, he said, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem, but I will return again to you if Elohim wills.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.

Acts 15:1-33 (A)

15:1 Some men came down from Judea and taught the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised after the custom of Moses, you can’t be saved.” 2 Therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small discord and discussion with them, they appointed Paul, Barnabas, and some others of them to go up to Jerusalem to the emissaries and elders about this question. 3 They, being sent on their way by the assembly, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Nations. They caused great joy to all the brothers. 4 When they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly and the emissaries and the elders, and they reported everything that Elohim had done with them. 5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to guard the law of Moses.” 6 The emissaries and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter. 7 When there had been much discussion, Peter rose up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that a good while ago Elohim made a choice among you that by my mouth the nations should hear the word of the Good News and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, witnessed about them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just like he did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore why do you tempt God, that you should put a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Yeshua, just as they are.” 12 All the multitude kept silence, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul reporting what signs and wonders Elohim had done among the nations through them. 13 After they were silent, Jacob answered, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Shimon has reported how Elohim first visited the nations to take out of them a people for his name. 15 This agrees with the words of the prophets. As it is written, 16 ‘After these things I will return. I will again build the tabernacle of David, which has fallen. I will again build its ruins. I will set it up 17 that the rest of men may seek after the Lord: all the Nations who are called by my name, says the Lord, who does all these things.’ (cf. Amos 9:11-12) 18 “All of God’s works are known to him from eternity. 19 Therefore my judgment is that we don’t trouble those from among the Nations who turn to God, 20 but that we write to them that they abstain from the pollution of idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood. 21 For Moses from generations of old has in every city those who proclaim him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.” 22 Then it seemed good to the emissaries and the elders, with the whole assembly, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judah called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brothers. 23 They wrote these things by their hand: “The emissaries, the elders, and the brothers, to the brothers who are of the Nations in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: greetings. 24 Because we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, ‘You must be circumcised and guard the law,’ to whom we gave no commandment; 25 it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. 27 We have sent therefore Judah and Silas, who themselves will also tell you the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from things slaughtered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality, from which if you keep yourselves, it will be well with you. Farewell.” 30 So, when they were sent off, they came to Antioch. Having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter. 31 When they had read it, they rejoiced over the encouragement. 32 Judah and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers with many words and strengthened them. 33 After they had spent some time there, they were dismissed in peace from the brothers to the emissaries.

Matthew 23:1-10; Luke 11:46-52 (A)

Matthew 23:1 Then Yeshua spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples, 2 saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat. 3 All things therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do, but don’t do their works; for they say, and don’t do. 4 For they bind heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not lift a finger to help them. 5 But they do all their works to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the fringes of their garments, 6 and love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7 the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’ by men. 8 But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi’, for one is your Rabbi and all of you are brothers. 9 Call no man on the earth your father, for one is your Father, he who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Messiah. 11 But he who is greatest among you will be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Luke 11:46 He said, “Woe to you Torah scholars also! For you load men with burdens that are difficult to carry, and you yourselves won’t even lift one finger to help carry those burdens. 47 Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 48 So you testify and consent to the works of your fathers. For they killed them, and you build their tombs. 49 Therefore also the wisdom of Elohim said, ‘I will send to them prophets and emissaries; and some of them they will kill and persecute, 50 that the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary.’ Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation. 52 Woe to you Torah scholars! For you took away the key of knowledge. You didn’t enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in, you hindered.”

Acts 28:17-31 (A)

28:17 After three days Paul called together those who were the Jewish leaders. When they had come together, he said to them, “I, brothers, though I had done nothing against the people or the customs of our fathers, still was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans, 18 who, when they had examined me, desired to set me free, because there was no cause of death in me. 19 But when the Judeans spoke against it, I was constrained to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything about which to accuse my nation. 20 For this cause therefore I asked to see you and to speak with you. For because of the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.” 21 They said to him, “We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor did any of the brothers come here and report or speak any evil of you. 22 But we desire to hear from you what you think. For, as concerning this sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against.” 23 When they had appointed him a day, many people came to him at his lodging. He explained to them, testifying about God’s Kingdom, and persuading them concerning Yeshua, both from the Torah of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening. 24 Some believed the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. 25 When they didn’t agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had spoken one message: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, 26 saying, ‘Go to this people and say, in hearing, you will hear, but will in no way understand. In seeing, you will see, but will in no way perceive. 27 For this people’s heart has grown callous. Their ears are dull of hearing. Their eyes they have closed. Lest they should see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again, then I would heal them.’ (cf. Isaiah 6:9-10) 28 “Be it known therefore to you that the salvation of Elohim is sent to the nations, and they will listen.” 29 When he had said these words, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves.^(mss)30 Paul stayed two whole years in his own rented house and received all who were coming to him, 31 proclaiming God’s Kingdom and teaching the things concerning the Lord Yeshua the Messiah with all boldness, without hindrance.

1 Corinthians 7:17-19 (A)

7:17 Only, as the Lord has distributed to each man, as Elohim has called each, so let him walk. So I command in all the assemblies. 18 Was anyone called having been circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is keeping God’s commandments. 20 Let each man stay in that calling in which he was called.

2 Peter 3:15-18 (A)

3:15 Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you, 16 as also in all of his letters, speaking in them of these things. In those, there are some things that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unsettled twist, as they also do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 You therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware, lest being carried away with the error of the wicked, you fall from your own steadfastness. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Yeshua the Messiah. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

Related Additional​

6:30 For how can they be called elohim? Because women set food before the elohim of silver, gold, and wood. 31 And in their temples the priests sit on seats, having their clothes torn and their heads and beards shaven, and nothing on their heads. 32 They roar and cry before their elohim, as men do at the feast when one is dead. 33 The priests also take off garments from them and clothe their wives and children with them. 34 Whether it is evil or good what one does to them, they are not able to repay it. They can’t set up a king or put him down. 35 In like manner, they can neither give riches nor money. Though a man make a vow to them and doesn’t keep it, they will never exact it.

Josephus was born Joseph ben Mattathias in 37 AD in Jerusalem of a priestly and royal family. He excelled in his studies of Jewish law and studied with the Sadducees, Pharisees, and the Essenes, eventually aligning himself with the Pharisees. In 62 AD he went to Rome to free some imprisoned priests. After accomplishing this mission through the intercession of Nero’s wife, Poppaea, he returned to Jerusalem in 65 AD to find the country in revolt against Rome. Josephus shrewdly reinterpreted the Messianic prophecies. He predicted that Vespasian would become the ruler of the ‘entire world’. His prophecy became true in 68 AD when Nero committed suicide and Vespasian became Ceasar. As a result, Josephus was freed; he moved to Rome and became a Roman citizen, taking the Vespasian family name Flavius. Vespasian commissioned Josephus to write a history of the war, which he finished in 78 AD, the Jewish War. His second major work, the Antiquities of the Jews, was completed in 93 AD. The extant manuscripts of the book Antiquities of the Jews contain two references to Yeshua of Nazareth (18.3.3. and 20.9.1.) and one reference to the imprisonment and death of John the Baptist (18.5.2.).

4.4.4. Accordingly he commanded the Levites to yield up to the priests thirteen of their forty-eight cities, and to set apart for them the tenth part of the tithes which they every year receive of the people; as also, that it was but just to offer to Elohim the first fruits of the entire product of the ground; and that they should offer the first-born of those four-footed beasts that are appointed for slaughters, if it be a male, to the priests, to be slain, that they and their entire families may eat them in the holy city; but that the owners of those first-born which are not appointed for slaughters in the laws of our country, should bring a shekel and a half in their stead: but for the first-born of a man, five shekels: that they should also have the first fruits out of the shearing of the sheep; and that when any baked bread corn, and made loaves of it, they should give somewhat of what they had baked to them. Moreover, when any have made a sacred vow, I mean those that are called Nazarites, that suffer their hair to grow long, and use no wine, when they consecrate their hair, 4 and offer it for a slaughter, they are to allot that hair for the priests [to be thrown into the fire]. Such also as dedicate themselves to Elohim, as a corban, which denotes what the Greeks call a gift, when they are desirous of being freed from that ministration, are to lay down money for the priests; thirty shekels if it be a woman, and fifty if it be a man; but if any be too poor to pay the appointed sum, it will be lawful for the priests to determine that sum as they think fit. And if any slay beasts at home for a private festival, but not for a religious one, they are obliged to bring the maw and the cheek, [or breast,] and the right shoulder of the slaughter, to the priests. With these Moses contrived that the priests should be plentifully maintained, besides what they had out of those offerings for sins which the people gave them, as I have set it down in the foregoing book. He also ordered, that out of every thing allotted for the priests, their servants, [their sons,] their daughters, and their wives, should partake, as well as themselves, excepting what came to them out of the slaughters that were offered for sins; for of those none but the males of the family of the priests might eat, and this in the temple also, and that the same day they were offered.