The Great Gospel of John
Volume 4
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Jesus near Caesarea Philippi (cont.)
- Chapter 79 -
On poverty and brotherly love.
1
(The Lord:) "A large number of dangers exists for the soul in the world. On the one side you have poverty; its concept of mine and yours are getting weaker, the more a person is pressed by the same. Therefore do not let poverty to grow to large among the people, if you want to walk safely!
2
Who is poor should ask the wealthier brothers for a necessary support; if he bumps into hard hearts, he should turn to Me, and he will be helped! Poverty and distress does not excuse theft and robbery, and even less manslaughter of someone who has been robbed! Who is poor, does know, to whom he has to turn.
3
Poverty surely is a great plague for the people, but it carries the noble seed of humility and true modesty in it and will therefore always remain among the people; nevertheless, the wealthy should not let it become too mighty, otherwise they will be very much in danger, here and also one day in the beyond.
4
If there are poor people among you, I say to you all: You do not have to provide for them, so that they also become rich; but at the same time you should not let them suffer distress! Those you can see and know, help them according to what is right and equitable! But there are still many on this wide earth, who are extremely poor and are suffering a terrible distress. But you don't know them and do not hear their cry of distress; therefore I do not make them your responsibility in your hearts, but only those you know and who come to you.
5
Who from you is a friend of the poor with his full heart, to him I also will be a friend and a true brother, temporary and forever, and it will not be necessary for him to learn wisdom from another wise person, but I will give it to him in all fullness in his heart. Who loves his poor brother next to him as himself and will not spurn a poor daughter, regardless of which tribe or age she is, to him I will come Myself always and reveal Myself to him in truth. To his spirit, which is love, I will say it, and he will fill with it the entire soul and her mouth. What he will then speak or write, this will be spoken and written by Me for all times of times.
6
But the heart of the hard hearted will be occupied by evil spirits, and they will destroy her and make her equal to the soul of an animal, as it will be revealed in the beyond.
7
Give with pleasure and give copiously; since the way you are distributing, it will be redistributed to you! Who possesses a hard heart, it will not be penetrated by My light of mercy, and in him will dwell darkness and death with all its terrors!
8
But a gentle and soft heart will be soon and easily penetrated by My light of mercy, which is of a tender and exceeding gentleness nature, and I Myself will enter into such a heart with the fulness of My love and wisdom.
9
Such you can believe! Since these words which I have now spoken to you, are life, light, truth and accomplished action, whose reality everyone must experience, who will follow them."