Bible In Poetry: Gospel Of St. Matthew (Chapter 10) Poem by Dr John Celes

Then Jesus summoned His disciples twelve,
Empowered them to drive out bad spirits,
And cure illnesses and all diseases.

The twelve apostles were (Peter) Simon,
His brother Andrew; James, Zebedee’s son;
His brother, John; Philip; Bartholomew;
Simon, the Canaanite; Thomas; Matthew,
Tax-collector; James, son of Alphaeus;
Judas Iscariot and Thaddeus.

Then Jesus sent the twelve advising thus:
Don’t enter Samaritan towns or go
Into territory that’s pagan also.
Redeem the sheep that’s lost from Israel’s house;
Proclaim, ‘The Kingdom is at hand, So Spouse! ’

‘You cure the sick and raise the dead alive;
You cleanse lepers and demons you, out drive;
When you’ve received without cost, you must give;
And without wealth, all life, you must all live.’

‘You should not take a sack for your journey,
A second dress, or stick, sandals, money!
The laborer keeps whatev’r he deserves;
Just worthy person in towns, he then serves;
Whenev’r you enter homes, you wish them peace;
If house be unworthy, let peace, then cease.’

‘If one receives you not or heeds your words,
Then leave that house or town, shake off feet’s dust.’
‘’Twill be, Amen, I say on Judgment Day,
Intolerable for that town anyway,
Than for the lands of Sodom, Gomorrah! ’

‘Behold, I send you like sheep amidst wolves,
So, be like serpents shrewd, simple like doves.
Beware of people handing you to courts,
And scourging you in synagogues by words.’
‘And you’ll be led before governors, kings,
As my witness ‘fore them, pagans, in strings.’

‘And when they hand you o’er, do not worry,
About the things to say or how to speak;
For, you’ll be told at that moment, those things.
And you’ll not speak but will Holy Spirit,
Through you, on your behalf, in manner fit.’

‘And brother hands over brother to death,
And so will father hand over his child,
And children will against their parents rise,
And have them put to death although unwise.’

‘And all will hate you because of my name,
And whoever endures, will not end in shame.
And if they persecute you in one town,
Then, flee to another, known or unknown;
And you’ll finish not all of Israel’s towns,
Before the Son of Man finally comes! ’

‘No disciple can be above teacher;
No slave can be above his own master.’
’Tis not enough for disciple that he,
In every way, his teacher-like to be,
Nor slave become, his master-like truly;
If they have called the master Beelzebul,
Of those in house-hold then, what will they call? ’

‘Of them therefore, in life, don’t be afraid;
Nothing’s concealed that will not be revealed;
There will be no secret remaining veiled.’

‘What I tell you in darkness, speak in light;
The whisper that you hear, proclaim from height;
Don’t be afraid of body-killers then;
They can’t destroy the soul, I say, amen;
But fear the one who destroys body, soul.’

‘Are not two sparrows sold for coin so small?
Yet, to the ground, none of them ever fall,
Without your Father’s knowledge or His call.
Even the hairs on head are counted well;
You’re worth much more than sparrow birds that sell!

‘If you acknowledge me before others,
Then, I’ll acknowledge you ‘fore my Father;
If you deny me before others then,
I will, before my Father in Heaven.’

‘Don’t think I‘ve come to bestow peace on earth;
I’ve come to give not peace but flash the sword.
I’ve come to set a man against father,
To set her daughter ‘gainst her own mother,
Daughter-in-law against mother-in-law!
One’s foes will be in one’s household to awe.’

‘If more than me, one loves father, mother,
Then, he or she is not worthy of me.
If more than me, one loves son or daughter,
Then, he is not worthy of me truly.
Whoever does not bear his cross and walk,
And follow me, is unworthy to talk.’

‘Whoever find his life, will lose it then;
Whoever loses for my sake, finds when
In future, he receives me, aye, amen.’

‘Whoev’r receives a prophet properly,
Will get a prophet’s reward heavenly;
Whoev’r receives a righteous man aright,
Receives me and the one who made the Light.’

‘To one such Godly person, to then drink,
A cup of water, even if he gives,
Amen, I say to you, he surely lives,
To get reward in heaven, in a wink.’


(5-31-2007)