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1. JESUS was teaching
his disciples in the outer court of the Temple and one of them said unto
him: Master, it is said by the priests that without shedding of blood there
is no remission. Can then the blood offering of the law take away sin?
2. And Jesus answered: No blood offering, of beast or bird, or man, can take
away sin, for how can the conscience be purged from sin by the shedding of
innocent blood? Nay, it will increase the condemnation.
3. The priests indeed receive such offering as a reconciliation of the worshippers
for the trespasses against the law of Moses, but for sins against the Law of
God there can be no remission, save by repentance and amendment.
4. Is it not written in the prophets, Put your blood sacrifices to your burnt
offerings, and away with them, and cease ye from the eating of flesh, for I
spake not to your fathers nor commanded them, when I brought them out of Egypt,
concerning these things? But this thing I commanded saying:
5, Obey my voice and walk in the ways that I have commanded you, and ye shall
be my people, and it shall be well with you. But they hearkened not, nor inclined
their ear.
6. And what doth the Eternal command you but to do justice, love mercy and
walk humbly with your God? Is it not written that in the beginning God ordained
the fruits of the trees and the seeds and the herbs to be food for all flesh?
7. But they have made the House of Prayer a den of thieves, and for the pure
Oblation with Incense, they have polluted my altars with blood, and eaten of
the flesh of the slain.
8. But I say unto you: Shed no innocent blood nor eat ye flesh. Walk uprightly,
love mercy, and do justly, and your days shall be long in the land.
9. The corn that groweth from the earth with the other grain, is it not transmuted
by the Spirit into my flesh? The grapes of the vineyard, with the other fruits
are they not transmuted by the Spirit into my blood? Let these, with your bodies
and souls be your Memorial to the Eternal.
10. In these is the presence of God manifest as the Substance and as the Life
of the world. Of these shall ye eat and drink for the remission of sins, and
for eternal life, to all who obey my words.
11. Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market, a pool which is called Bethesda,
having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind,
halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the waters.
12. For at a certain season, an angel went down into the pool and troubled
the waters; whosoever went first into the waters was made whole of whatever
disease he had. And a man impotent from his birth was there.
13. And Jesus said unto him. Bring not the waters healing? He said unto him.
Yea, Lord, but I have no man when the water is troubled to put me in, and while
I am trying to come another steppeth down before me. And Jesus said to him,
Arise, take up thy bed and walk. And immediately he rose and walked. And on
the same day was the Sabbath.
14. The Jews therefore said to him, It is the Sabbath it is not lawful for
thee to carry thy bed. And he that was healed wist not that it was Jesus. And
Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.
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