Read the Bible

The Message on the Mesa

¹ When Jesus saw the great big herd of mavericks, he rode up on a mesa and hunkered down there. His cowboys grabbed a knee right below him, ² and he began to tell them, ³ "God takes mighty good care of those folks who don't have anything to depend on except him. ⁴ God takes mighty good care of those folks who are hurtin' and sad because he's the only one who can offer 'em comfort. ⁵ God takes mighty good care of those who don't think very highly of themselves and he's gonna give 'em everything one day. ⁶ God takes mighty good care of those who would rather do what he says than eat or drink, for one day they will never be hungry or thirsty again. ⁷ God takes mighty good care of those who don't have an ounce of cruelty in 'em, for one day they will be spared. ⁸ God takes mighty good care of those whose hearts are as pure as spring water, 'cause they will sure enough see God one day. ⁹ God takes mighty good care of those who don't make trouble for anyone, for he's gonna claim them as his own sons. ¹⁰ God takes mighty good care of those who are put down because of their belief in him and the way they live, for their reward is his green, eternal pasture. ¹¹ God's gonna take real special care of those of you who are insulted, spit upon, and talked wrongly about because of me. ¹² Just smile and go on because your reward will be more than worth it in heaven. They did the same things to the cowboys who worked for God so many years ago.

Salt and Light

¹³ "Y'all are the salt of the earth. If the seasoning loses its flavor, how can it be seasoned again? It ain't good for anything anymore, so it will be thrown out in the backyard to be trampled on by boots and coyotes.

¹⁴ "Y'all are the light of this earth. You can't miss a big city that sits on a hill. ¹⁵ And cowboys don't light a lantern and then throw their hat on top of it to keep it from shinin'. ¹⁶ Just like that, let your lanterns shine bright before men, so they can see all the good things you do and bow their heads in thanks to the Boss.

Jesus Gives It to 'Em Straight

¹⁷ "Don't think I've come here to take away any of the things the Boss told you to do. I didn't come to take anything away, but to show you the right trail. ¹⁸ I ain't lyin' when I say nothing will be changed in what he told you to do until everything is finished. ¹⁹ Any cowboy who doesn't do what the Boss says to do, and tries to tell others to act the same way, will not be thought of very highly in heaven, but those cowboys who do what the Boss says to do will be rewarded handsomely in heaven. ²⁰ So listen up, if you can't do better than those fake religious fellows, you won't see hide nor hair of God's Green Pastures.

²¹ "You heard that the Boss said long ago, 'Don't kill anyone and if you do, you run the risk of bein' found guilty.' ²² But I'm tellin' you that it's no different if you're even mad at your brother over somethin' stupid. You can still be found just as guilty. Just callin' someone a fool is reason enough to be tried.

²³ "If you're gonna grab a knee and worship God and you realize your brother or amigo is mad at ya, ²⁴ get up and track 'em down and get things right between y'all. Get things straightened out and then come back and offer your prayers.

²⁵ "If you deal someone from the bottom of the deck and they decide to file charges on you for your wrongdoing, you better make it up to them before you get thrown in jail. ²⁶ I'm tellin' you that you won't get out before every last penny has been repaid.

²⁷ "Y'all have heard that you shouldn't jack with someone else's Jenny. ²⁸ But I'm tellin' you that even if you look at a girl and think about it, you've done the same thing in your heart. ²⁹ If you think your eye has a mind of its own, then poke it out with a sharp stick. It's better to have one eye than to burn in hell. ³⁰ If your right hand won't listen to you, lop it off with an axe for the very same reason.

³¹ "It's been said that, 'If anyone gets a divorce from his wife, he's gotta give her the papers that say so.' ³² But I'm tellin' you that you better stick with her unless she's been sleepin' around. 'Cause if you don't, you're gonna make an adulteress out of her and anyone who marries her is going to be found guilty of adultery.

³³ "If you remember, the Boss told your granddaddies, 'Don't go back on your word, but stand behind everything you say to the Lord.' ³⁴ But I'm tellin' you straight, don't swear at all; either by heaven, for it's the Boss's pasture, ³⁵ or by the earth, for it's the trap around the headquarters, or by Jerusalem, for it's the Boss's headquarters. ³⁶ And don't swear by your own abilities. You can't make even one hair on your head become white or black. ³⁷ It's this simple. Let your yes mean yes and your no mean no; anything other than this is the same thing the devil would say.

³⁸ "You've heard again and again, the old sayin', 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' ³⁹ But I'm tellin' you right now, don't shoot for revenge against anyone. If someone smacks you on the right cheek, let him have an easy shot at the left one too. ⁴⁰ If someone wants to steal your vest, give 'em your coat too. ⁴¹ If someone makes you walk a mile behind their horse, go even further than that. ⁴² Give to those who ask and don't turn anyone away when they ask to borrow something.

⁴³ "You remember that it was said, 'Love your buddies and hate those who hate you.' ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love those who hate you and pray for those who run their mouths about you. ⁴⁵ Then God will claim you as his own son. He makes the sun shine on the good, the bad, and the ugly, and sends 'em all the same rain to boot. ⁴⁶ If you only love those who love you right back, what kind of love are you really showin'? Even politicians do that! ⁴⁷ If you only say hi to your brother and your buddies, do you really think you are doin' somethin' special? Even dogs sniff each other's butts when they recognize each other and growl when a strange dog comes by. ⁴⁸ Be perfect just like the Boss is.