Rhyming Redsong: Matthew 13.31-32 (The Parable of the Mustard Seed)

Another parable, yet, told them, he:

“The kingdom, heaven, of, a mustard seed,
is like that which a man took to his field
and planted there. Though out of all the seeds
it is the smallest, yet, still when it grows,
the largest of its plants the garden knows,
becomes a tree, so that, can come, the birds
and in its branches, they can find a perch.”

Psalm 23, Alternate

The LORD, my shepherd, is, I, nothing, lack.
He makes me downwards lie in pastures green,
beside the quiet waters, he, me, leads,
refreshes it, my soul. Along right paths,
the places, he, me, guides for his name’s sake.
Though I, the darkest valley, walk between
I will no evil fear, for you’re with me,
your rod and staff, my restless fears, they slake.
A table you prepare in front of me
within the presence of my enemies.
My head with oil, what you anoint; my cup
o’erflows.  For surely, goodness, your, and love
will follow me, of my life, its days, all,
and I fore’er, in the LORD’s house, will dwell.

Rhyming Redsong: Matthew 12 (Jesus heals on the Sabbath)

At that time, on the Sabbath, Jesus went,
the grainfields, through. Disciples, hunger, felt,
was what, his, they began to pick, to eat,
some heads of grain. When they, the Pharisees
saw this, they said to him, “Look, what we see!
Disciples, your, do work unlawfully
on this, the Sabbath.” This, how, answered, he,
“Have you not read about what David did
when hungry, were, both he, companions, his?
He entered to God’s house, and he and his
companions ate the consecrated bread–
which was not lawful, e’er, to do, for them,
but only for the priests. Or haven’t you
read in the Law what temple priests will do:
their Sabbath duty, on, they desecrate
the Sabbath, when, and yet they’re innocent.
For he’s the Sabbath’s Lord, the Son of Man.”

From that place, going on, into, he went,
their synagogue, and, with a shriveled hand,
a man was there. A reason, looking for,
to, charges, bring ‘gainst Jesus, they inquired,
“Is it on, Sabbath, the, lawful to heal?”

He said to them, “If any of, a sheep,
you has, and, on the Sabbath, to a pit,
it falls there, will you not take hold of it
and lift it out? How much more valuable
a person than a sheep! Permissible,
it is, to do good on the Sabbath’s day.”

Then he said to the man, “Your hand, out, splay.”
So he outstretched it, and it was restored
completely, as the other, just as sound.
But then, the Pharisees, they outward, went,
and plotted how they might kill Jesus, dead.

Aware of this, from that place, he withdrew,
did Jesus. A large crowd, they him, pursued,
and he healed all who suffered, who were ill.
He warned them not to, others, ‘bout him, tell.
This was to, what was spoken through, fulfill,
Isaiah, prophet, the: “Here, servant, my
whom I have chosen, in whom I delight,
the one I love. Upon him, I will place
my Spirit and he, justice, will proclaim
to all the nations. He will not exclaim
or quarrel, no one will hear in the streets
his voice. He’ll never break, a bruisèd reed,
and a wick, smoldering, he won’t snuff out,
till, through to victory, he’s, justice, brought.
In his name will the nations, their hope, put.”

A man possessed by demons, blind and mute,
he was, they brought to him, and Jesus healed
him, so that he could talk, and also see.
Astonished, all the people, how they were,
and said, “The Son of David, could this be?”

But when the Pharisees, about this, heard,
they said, “It’s only by Beelzebul,
the prince of demons, how this fellow will
drive demons out. Their thoughts, what Jesus knew,
he said to them, “Each kingdom will be ruined
that’s, ‘gainst itself, divided up in two,
and every city, household, that’s likewise,
won’t stand if ‘gainst itself, it does divide.
And too, if Satan will drive Satan out,
against, himself, he is divided. How
can, then, it stand, his kingdom? And if, by
Beelzebul, I demons, outwards drive,
by whom do, people, your, drive out likewise?
So then, they’ll be your judges. But if I,
by that, God’s Spirit, demons, outwards drive,
of God, the kingdom, to you has arrived.

“Or then again, how can just anyone
a strong man’s house, just simply enter in
and carry off all that he does possess
unless he first ties up the strong man? Then,
to plunder all his house, proceed, he can.

“Whoever’s not with me is, me, against,
whoever doesn’t, with me, gather in,
they scatter. And, so, every kind of sin
and slander, I tell you, can be forgiv’n,
but blasphemy, will not, forgiven, be,
against the Holy Spirit. Those who speak,
the Son of Man, ‘gainst, will, forgiven, be,
but any who, the Holy Spirit, ‘gainst,
speak will not be forgiven, either in
the present age, the one that’s coming soon.

“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good,
or make a tree bad, its fruit will be bad,
for recognized, a tree is, by its fruit.
You, who are evil, vipers in your brood,
however can you anything say good?
For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
A good man brings good things out of the good
stored up in him, and a man, evil, brings,
from evil stored up in him, evil things.
But I tell you that everyone will have,
account on judgment day, for words, to give
for every empty one they cast to speech.
For by your words, acquitted, you will be,
and by your words, condemned, accordingly.”

Some Pharisees, those who the law, they teach,
to him, said, “Teacher, what we want to see,
a sign from you.” To them, he answered thus,
“They ask, both wicked and adulterous,
this generation, wanting for a sign!
For, as was Jonah, three days, nights inside,
the belly of a huge fish, so likewise,
the Son of Man will be, for three days, nights,
in the earth’s heart. Of Nineveh, its men,
they will stand up and, it, they’ll then condemn,
this generation on the judgment day;
at Jonah’s preaching, for, repented, they,
and here’s now something, Jonah than, more great.
She, of the South, its Queen, will upwards stand
at it, the judgment, with this generation and
condemn it; for she came from the earth’s ends
to listen to his wisdom, Solomon’s,
and now, here, something is, that’s greater than
he, Solomon. When, impure spirit, an,
a person, comes out of them, through it, goes,
the places, arid, seeks for rest, a home,
but doesn’t find it. To itself it says,
‘I will return back to the house I left.’
When it arrives, it finds, unoccupied,
the house, swept clean, and order was restored.
Then it, some seven spirits, wicked, more,
itself, than, goes and takes along with it,
they go inside, it’s there where they will live.
And the condition, final, of that man
is worse that what it was when this began.
That’s, with this wicked one, how it will be
this generation, signs, they want to see.”

While Jesus still was talking to the crowd,
his mother, brothers, outside, they had stood,
they wished to speak to him. Somebody told
him, “Now your mother and your brothers, stand,
outside, and to you, wanting, they’re, to speak.”
“Who is my mother,” to, replied, him, he,
“and who are brothers, my?” He pointed at
disciples, his, and of them, this he said,
“Here are my mother, brothers, understand?
For who does his will, Father’s, my, in heav’n,
is brother, sister, mother, mine, as kin.”

Rhyming Redsong: Matthew 11 (Jesus and John the Baptist; woe for unrepentance; the Father in the Son)

Once Jesus, his disciples, twelve, had ceased
instructing them, from there he did proceed
to teach, preach in the towns of Galilee.

When John, who was in prison, heard about
the deeds of the Messiah, he sent out
disciples, his, to ask, “Are you the one
who is to come, or, to expect someone
else, should we?” This, how Jesus, he replied,

“Go back to John, what you have heard and spied,
report: the blind, what they receive their sight,
the lame walk, those with leprosy (that blight)
are cleansed, the deaf hear and the dead are raised,
and to the poor, the good news is proclaimed.
Who does not stumble on account of me
is anyone, they richly blessed will be.”

As John’s disciples, they began to leave,
then Jesus started, to the crowd, to speak
about John. “What did you go out to see
into the wilderness? A blowing reed
swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go
out there to see? A man dressed in fine clothes?
No, those who wear fine clothes, in those of kings,
their palaces. Then what did you, to see,
go out? A prophet? Yes, I tell you and
more than a prophet. It’s about, this man,
whom it is written: ‘I, my messenger,
will send ahead of you, who will prepare
your way before you.’ Truly, I’ll inform
you, women, of, there’s never, ‘mongst those born,
than John the Baptist, risen anyone
e’er greater; yet whoever will be least
in heaven’s kingdom, greater, they, than he.
From John the Baptist’s day till present tense,
subjected to, has heaven’s kingdom been,
much violence, and people violent
have been, it, raiding. For the Prophets, wise,
and too, the Law, until John, prophesied.
And if you’re willing to accept it, he’s
the one who was to come, Elijah, the.
Whoe’er has ears, let them hear. In what way
can I compare this generation? They
are children, like, who in the marketplace
are sitting and, to others, calling out:

“‘We played the pipe for you, did that out loud,
and you did not dance; too, we sang a dirge
and even then your mourning you deferred.’

“For John came neither eating, drinking, none,
and they say, ‘He, a demon, has!’ The Son
of man came eating, drinking, they intone,
‘A glutton and a drunkard, he is both!
A friend of tax collectors, sinners too.’
But, right, by all her deeds, is wisdom proved.”

In which, most of his miracles, the towns,
had been performed, he started to denounce
them since they, afterwards, did not repent.

“Woe to you both, Bethsaida, Chorazin!
For if the miracles, Tyre, Sidon,
in you, the ones performed, they would have known,
in sackcloth, ash, they would have long ago
repented. But I tell you, it will be
more bearable for Sidon and Tyre
on judgment day than for you. Will you be,
Capernaum, to heaven, upwardly,
there, lifted? No, you’ll go to Hades, down.
For if the miracles I’d done were known
in Sodom, those, the ones I had performed
in you, it still, till now, would have remained.
But I tell you, when it comes, judgment day,
it will be bearable, for Sodom, more,
than for you. Next, then Jesus said these words:

“I praise you, Father, Lord of heav’n and earth
because you’ve hid them, from the wise and learned,
these things, yet to li’l children, them revealed.
Yes, Father, this, to do, what you were pleased.

“It’s by my Father that all things have been
committed to me. No one knows the Son
except the Father, and nobody knows
the Father ‘cept the Son and also those
to whom, him, to reveal, the Son has chose.

“All you who’re wearied, burdened, come to me,
and I will give you rest most graciously.
Upon you, take my yoke, and learn from me,
for I am gentle, humble, too, of heart.
Unto your souls, deep rest I will impart
for easy is my yoke, my burden light.”

Rhyming Redsong: Matthew 10.16-42 (Jesus’ final instructions to his disciples)

“I’m outwards sending you like sheep ‘mongst wolves.
As shrewd as snakes but innocent as doves,
therefore how you should be. Be on your guard;
the local councils, in the synagogues,
you will be handed over to be flogged.
On my account, before them you’ll be brought,
your witness to kings, governors, convey
to them and to the Gentiles. But when they
arrest you, do not worry, what you’ll say
or how to say it. At that time, relayed
to you will be just what to say, for it
won’t be you speaking, you’re a conduit,
and speaking through you will the Spirit be,
that of your Father in the heavenlies.

“A brother will betray a brother to
death, and a child, its father, that, will do;
against their parents, children will rebel
and have them put to death. You, hated, will
be by all men because of me, but saved
is he who stands firm till the end. One place,
when there, you persecuted are, then flee,
another, to. I tell you certainly
you will not finish going through the towns
of Is’rael ‘fore the Son of Man will come.

“Above the teacher is a student, not,
above the master, never, the servant.
It is enough for students, like, to be,
their teachers, and the servants sim’larly
just like their masters. If the house’s head,
Beelzebul is what he has been called,
how much more so, his house’s members, all!

“So, of them, you should never be afraid,
for there’s naught hidden that won’t be revealed,
that will not ever be made known, concealed.
In dark, what I tell you, in daylight, speak;
proclaim what has been whispered in your ear,
out, from the rooftops. Of them, have no fear,
who kill the body but, the soul, can’t kill.
Be rather, of the One, afraid, in hell
who can destroy both body and the soul.
Are not two sparrows for a penny sold?
Yet none of them will ever groundwards fall
outside your Father’s care. And of your head,
its very hairs have all been numberèd.
So I tell you: don’t ever be afraid;
than many sparrows does your worth exceed.

“Before, who, others, will acknowledge me,
acknowledgment to them accordingly.
I’ll give them ‘fore my Father, heavenly.
But who, ‘fore others, will, me, then disown,
before my Father, he who is in heav’n,
I will disown them too. That I have come,
do not suppose, to bring peace to the earth.
I did not come to bring peace but a sword.
For notice how it is I’ve come to turn:

“’a man against his father’s heart does burn,
a daughter, ‘gainst her mother, she is set,
she ‘gainst her who, her husband, did beget.
A man will have them as his enemies,
the members of his household, own, they’ll be.’

“Who, anyone, their father, mother loves
more than me, they cannot be worthy judged
of me; who loves their daughter, son, of me
unworthy, too, if that love would exceed
the love they have within their hearts for me.
Whoever doesn’t take up their own cross
and follow me, of me, is worthy not.
Whoever finds their life will lose it all.
Whoe’er would lose their life for my sake will,
it, find. If anyone would welcome you,
they also welcome me, if that they do,
they welcome me, they welcome the one who
sent me. Whoe’er will give him what’s he’s due,
a prophet, as a prophet, will receive
reward, as good, a prophet would perceive.
If anyone gives even just a cup
of water, cold, to one, these little ones,
of them who’s my disciple, I tell you,
for truly, their reward, they will not lose,
that person who, compassion, what they shew.”

Rhyming Redsong: Matthew 10:5-15 (Jesus sends out the disciples)

His twelve disciples, Jesus sent them out
with these instructions, “Go amongst, do not,
the Gentiles, or, of the Samaritans,
don’t enter into any of their towns.
Go rather to, of Is’rael, her lost sheep,
and as you go, this message you should preach:
the Kingdom of it, heaven, has come near.
Heal them, the sick; to raise the dead, don’t fear.
Cleanse those who, leprosy, have, demons, drive
out, freely you’ve received; too, freely give.
Don’t any copper, silver, gold now get
as funds to take with you inside your belt,
not for the journey take an extra shirt,
not bag nor sandals, also neither staff.
His keep, for that, the worker has his worth,
whatever town or village entering,
a worthy person, search for them therein,
and at their house, until you leave, there, stay.
First, greet the home when you, your entrance, make,
if the home is deserving, let your peace
rest on it; if it’s not, let it accrete,
your peace, back to you; if anyone will
not welcome you or if they would not fill
their ears up with your words, at them, they’d scoff,
that home or town, leave, and, the dust, shake off
your feet; I tell you truly it will be,
for Sodom and Gomorrah, def’nitely,
more bearable for them on judgement day
than for that town who felt, for you, disdain.”

Rhyming Redsong: Matthew 9.27-38 (Jesus heals blind men, a demon-possessed man; the harvest is plentiful but the workers few)

As Jesus went on from there, two blind men,
him, followed calling out, “O David’s Son,
have mercy on us!” When he’d gone inside,
they came to him; of them, this, he inquired,
“Believe, you, that your sight, I can reprise?”
“Yes, Lord,” how they replied. He touched their eyes
then, and said, “To your faith, accordingly,
let it be done to you”; then they could see.
“See that no one,” them, Jesus sternly warned
about this knows.” But they went to inform
the news about him, spread, that region, o’er.

While they were going out a man was brought
(a demon, him, possessed, he couldn’t talk)
to Jesus. When the demon, driven out,
the man who had been mute, some words, he spoke.
The crowd amazed, said “Naught like this has been,
before by any, here in Is’rael, seen.”

But this is how the Pharisees replied,
“it’s from the prince of demons he’s derived
the power to, the demons, exorcise.”

He went through all the towns and villages,
did Jesus, teaching in the synagogues,
the good news of the Kingdom, he would preach,
and healing every sickness and disease.
When he saw all the crowds, on them, he had
compassion, for, they, helpless and harassed,
like sheep without a shepherd, then, he said
to his disciples, “It is plentiful,
the harvest, but the workers for it, few;
therefore ask, of the harvest, the Lord, to
send workers out, his harvest field, into.”

Rhyming Redsong: Matthew 9.18-26 (Jesus raises a dead girl and heals a sick woman)

While he was saying this, a leader came,
one of the synagogue’s, him, knelt, before,
and said, “My daughter just has died this day,
but come and if you put your hand on her,
then she will live.” Then Jesus rose and went
with him, and his disciples also joined.

A woman who, to bleeding, subject, been,
had for twelve years, just then came up behind
him and his cloak, she touched its edge. Said she,
herself, to, “If, his cloak, I simply graze,
I will be healed.” Turned, Jesus, and her, seen.
“My daughter, take heart,” he said, “for your faith
has healed you.” At that moment, she was healed.

When Jesus entered to the leader’s house,
the synagogue’s, and saw the noisy crowd
and people playing pipes, this, what he said,
“Now go away. This girl, she is not dead
but rather is asleep.” But they all laughed
at him. Then after they’d been put outside,
the crowd, he went in and took the girl by
the hand, and she got up. News of this spread
through that whole region, that he rose the dead.

Rhyming Redsong: Matthew 9.14-17 (Unshrunk cloth and wineskins)

Then John’s disciples came to Jesus, asked
“How is it that the Pharisees will fast,
and we do too, but your disciples pass?”

This Jesus answered, “How is it his guests,
the bridegroom’s, mourn while he is still with them?
The time will come when he’ll be taken from
them; that is when their fasting time’s begun.

“For unshrunk cloth as patches, no one sews
on an old garment, for, away, it pulls
from that on which it’s sewed, the tear made worse.
To old wineskins will people neither pour
new wine. The skins will burst if, that, they do;
the wine will run out and the wineskins ruined.
No, they pour new wine into wineskins, new,
and so preserved, both wine and wineskin too.”

Rhyming Redsong: Matthew 9.9-13 (Jesus calls Matthew)

As Jesus, onwards, went from there, he saw
a man named Matthew, that, what his name was,
the tax collector’s booth, he, sitting at.
He told him, “Follow me,” and Matthew got
up and him, followed. While at Matthew’s house,
was having dinner, Jesus, they came ‘round,
and ate with him, those who sin, taxes, seize,
and his disciples. When the Pharisees
saw this, of the disciples, querying,
“Why does your teacher eat with such as these,
with tax collectors, sinners?” Hearing this,
said Jesus, “Who is it a doctor needs?
Not healthy men, but rather, sick, diseased.
Instead, you should go learn what these words mean:
‘It’s mercy I desire, not sacrifice.’
For whom I’ve come to call? It’s not the right,
but rather sinners, to me, I invite.”