Enlightenment of Nicodemus

CHAPTER 17

Yeshua heals many of the sick and maimed who have faith and gratitude but does not heal those who do not. A high-ranking Pharisee named Nicodemus comes to see Yeshua secretly that he might learn some of his teachings. Yeshua teaches him about the light and the darkness and the importance of conquering the adversary within.

 1 And it came to pass that Yeshua and his wife and his disciples departed from the temple and went out into the streets of the city.

 2 As they walked among the people of the city, they saw a man sitting on the ground, weaving a basket with his teeth and one hand, for his other arm was greatly deformed.

 3 Yeshua came to him and asked what had happened to him, and the man told him his left arm and leg had both been badly cut by a sword when he was a young man, and he had been a cripple ever since, but had learned to weave baskets with his teeth that he might still help support his family.

 4 Yeshua asked him plainly, “Are you angry with God because of your infirmity?”

 5 “No!” the man cried out. “God has blessed me with my infirmity, for I could have easily been killed and left my family desolate. I am greatly blessed, for I still live, and I still hold my wife and children every day. Surely, God loves me.”

 6 Yeshua gave a warm and loving smile and said unto him, “You are a faithful father and husband and deserve to be with your family in wholeness for the years that remain to you. You have shown your love for Elohim and your family, and now Elohim returns what you have given.”

 7 Yeshua reached out and put his hand on top of the man's head, saying, “By the love you have for Elohim, by the love you have for your wife and children, I say unto you, rise up and be made whole.”

 8 In that very instant, the man’s limbs became whole and he rose to his feet, feeling his arm and leg in disbelief. Then he fell to his knees before Yeshua, saying through his tears of joy, “O mighty man of God, thank you for this miracle of miracles.”

 9 Yeshua pulled him to his feet and embraced him, saying, “The love you have given out has returned to you. Now go to your family.” And the man ran with joy through the crowd that had gathered.

 10 Then a woman came to him and she had a very thin and pale young girl with her, and she pleaded to him, “Man of God, please heal my daughter. She is infested with worms that eat her from within and crawl out through her skin. I fear she will soon die.”

 11 Yeshua looked at her and asked, “Do you believe that I can heal your daughter?”

 12 And she replied with tears streaming down her cheeks, “Yes, O man of God, I do believe.”

 13 Yeshua reached out and gently held the girl’s hand and, looking into the eyes of the mother, said unto her, “By your faith, so be it.”

 14 Immediately, color returned to the girl’s face, and she embraced her mother.

 15 Throughout the day, the injured and the sick and the maimed came to him or were brought to him when they could not come on their own. And those with faith and love and gratitude, he healed, but to those without faith or love or gratitude, he turned his back and healed them not.

 16 But many were the people that were healed, and within a single day that which he had done in the temple and the healing of a multitude of people became talked about in excitement in many parts of Jerusalem.

 17 As the evening began to fall, Yeshua and Miriam and the disciples went to the outskirts of the city and set up a camp to be in for the Passover, which they did without disturbance from the people of the city.

 18 But on the following day, many people from the city came out to the camp to see Yeshua and many came to be healed.

 19 That night, a high-ranking Pharisee named Nicodemus came to see Yeshua secretly, for he did not wish to be seen speaking to him in private. But Yeshua called Miriam and his disciples that they might also hear the words he spoke to Nicodemus.

 20 And Nicodemus said unto him, “Rabbi, many of my brethren are opposed to you coming to Jerusalem without authority or position and doing such things as you have done, unless God is with him.

 21 I am an honest and devout man. I know many things, but I am willing to still learn things I do not know. Therefore, tell me how it is that a man can be sure to attain Heaven in the next life?”

 22 Yeshua answered and said unto him, “Verily, verily, I say unto you: Except a man is born again, he cannot inherit the kingdom of God.”

 23 Nicodemus was perplexed and asked, “How can a man be born again when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born another time?”

 24 Yeshua answered, “Marvel not that I say unto you that you must be born again.

 25 Elohim is the Father, the Mother, and the Son; therefore, a man must be born three times to enter into the kingdom of Heaven.

 26 After the birth of the flesh, the repentant of heart must be born of the water, cleansed of the dirt of the past, renewed with the spirit of God, sanctified to a new life of purity before God.

 27 Then comes the birth of the spirit and the baptism of fire, and except a man is born of flesh and of water and of fire, he cannot enter into the kingdom of Heaven.”

 28 Nicodemus was still confused and asked, “How can these things be?”

 29 Yeshua answered and said unto him, “Are you not a high teacher of the Children of Israel? How can you not understand these things?

 30 The simple truth comes from my lips, but you hear it not. Open your ears, Nicodemus. Even more, open your heart, for I testify of the true Celestine Light of Elohim and only by it will you be illuminated in fullness.

 31 If I speak to you of earthly things and you do not believe my words or cannot comprehend my teachings, how will you believe or comprehend when I tell you of heavenly things?

 32 How do you think you came to be born from your mother’s womb? How do you think to be able to go to Heaven when you do not even know how you came to be upon the Earth?

 33 Verily, I say unto you, no man has ascended into Heaven, save he who has first come down from Heaven to be upon the Earth, even the Son who has come from Heaven and stands before you.

 34 And it shall come to pass that as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so, must the Son be lifted up.

 35 For Elohim so loves the children of the world that the only begotten Son is given unto them. That whosoever believes in him and lives his words shall not perish, but shall inherit eternal life and exaltation.

 36 The Son has not come into the world to condemn the children, but that through him, they might be saved; that through him, they might find the path to greater light, even to the Celestine Light.

 37 He that believes in him and does his will is not condemned, but given a greater light because he has believed in the only begotten Son of Elohim.

 38 But he that believes not and does not his will condemns himself. By choosing a path of less light, he inherits greater darkness.

 39 And this is the condemnation of the world, for the light of Elohim has come upon it, and most will know it not.

 40 Those who love light will find joy, but those who love darkness will condemn the light, because their deeds are evil and the light leaves no place for them to hide.

 41 Everyone who cleaves to wicked ways hates the light; neither do they come unto it, lest their evil deeds should be reproved.

 42 But everyone that lives in truth and virtue, following the teachings of the light, become like the light themselves, and their deeds are pure and wrought by the spirit of God that dwells within them.

 43 You are either walking in the light or walking away from it into the darkness.

 44 That which you do today reaps serenity or the whirlwind, tomorrow.

 45 The darkness does not overcome you quickly, but subtly, like the setting Sun; moment by moment, there is less light and more darkness, until you stand enclosed in darkness, unsure how the light was lost and the darkness grew.

 46 Thus works the devious and subtle ways of the adversary hiding within all souls, waiting with infinite patience to test the hearts and mettle of men.

 47 That you may always be safe from the fiery darts of the adversary, the part of you enticing to darkness; I give you the simple path to righteousness:

 48 Always choose right, even when you are tempted to do wrong.

 49 Always choose the light, even when no one but you would know that you relinquished to the adversary within and chose darkness.

 50 Always choose right, even when all of your friends chose wrong.

 51 Always choose the light, even when doing so will cause you to suffer because of the world.

 52 Always choose right and the light, Nicodemus, no matter the consequences; then darkness can have no place in you.

 53 Be your own master, for if you are not, then the adversary of darkness reigns; and no matter your position in life, you are a slave to your weaknesses; and until you are the master, you will only dimly be able to see the light.”

 54 Nicodemus was intrigued by the teachings of Yeshua, and he told him, “I desire to choose the light, even as I desire to learn from the only begotten of Elohim. Is he among us? Is it you?”

 55 And Yeshua said unto him, “If you truly seek the Celestine Light of Elohim, it will fill all your body with light and the spirit of Elohim will dwell in your heart, and your heart will rejoice and swell with joy when the light is with you.

 56 Therefore, look to your heart to reveal to the glory your mind does not know.”