Bible in Poetry: Gospel of St. Mark (Chapter 12)

Then Jesus spoke in parables again.
“A man had planted vineyard in his place;
He put a hedge around and dug wine-press;
He built a tower, leased it to farmers;
He then set off on journey to somewhere.
He sent a servant at the proper time
To get some produce from his place.
They beat him, sent him empty-handed back.

He sent another servant once again.
They beat him on his head and drove him back.
He sent another whom they had just killed;
Like-wise they did to many others too.
So, last of all, he sent his only son.
He thought, perhaps they will respect his son!
This time, those tenants told one another,
“Here comes the only heir. Let’s kill him too.
The inheritance will belong to us.”
So, seizing him, they killed too!

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Bible in Poetry: Gospel of St. John (Chapter 5)

There was a feast for Jews just then;
Went Jesus to Jerusalem;
There was a pool called Bethesda;
In which there lay the ill, blind, lame.

There was a man who had been ill
For years thirty-eight, lying there;
As Jesus knew his long illness,
He asked, ‘Do you want to be well? ’

The sick man answered Him, ‘Oh, Sir,
I haven’t someone to put me there,
In pool of water that’s near-by;
Someone else gets there before me.’

Then Jesus told the man who’s ill,
‘Arise, take up your mat and walk.’
And instantly, the man turned well;
It happened on a Sabbath-day.

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Bible in Poetry: Gospel of St. John (Chapter 12)

Six days before the Passover,
Jesus had come to Bethany;
With Lazarus raised from the dead,
They had a dinner over there.

Then Martha served the food for all,
While Lazarus had reclined there,
And Mary took some perfumed oil,
Anointing Jesus’ feet with love
And dried them with her silken hair,
As house got filled by oil fragrance!

Then Judas Iscariot remarked,
‘Three hundred days’ wages worth oil!
Why should it not be giv’n to poor? ’
(Not that he cared for poor) , he said.

So, Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone;
Let this be for my burial;
You always have the poor with you;

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Bible in Poetry: Revelation 2

To the Church in Ephesus:

1'To angel of the Ephesus’ church, you write:
These are the words of Him who holds
The seven stars in His right hand
And walks ’mongst seven gold lamp-stands:
2 I know your deeds and your hard work
I know your perseverance too.
You tolerate not wicked men,
You’ve tested those ‘false’ apostles.
3You’ve persevered a lot on earth
You’ve endured hardships in my name,
And haven’t grown weary until now.
4Yet I hold this charge against you:
You have forsaken your first love.
5 Rethink the height from which you’ve fallen!
Repent and do things as earlier.
If you do not, I will come to you,
Remove your lamp-stand from its place.
6 The point in your favor is this:

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Bible in Poetry: Gospel of St. John (Chapter 11)

A man called Lazarus was ill,
Brother of Mary, Bethany;
This Mary had anointed Lord’s feet
By perfumed oil, dried by her hair!

So, Mary sent word to Jesus,
‘Master, the one you love is ill.’
(Meaning her brother Lazarus)

When Jesus heard, then He remarked,
‘This illness isn’t to end in death.
But for the glory of God’s works
And that the Son be glorified.’

Now Jesus loved Martha, Mary
And Lazarus who’d fallen ill;
He went to Judea later;
His disciples told Him, ‘Rabbi,
The Jews had wanted to stone you,
You want to go back to that place? ’

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Bible in Poetry: Gospel of St. Mark (Chapter 10)

Across the Jordan, Jesus made His way
Into the place called Judea wherein,
Crowds gathered and by custom, He taught them.
The Pharisees awaited to test him
And asked, “By law, can husband divorce wife? ”
But Jesus asked, “What Moses did command? ”
They said, “To dismiss her by divorce-bill.”
Then Jesus said, “Because of your hard hearts,
Did Moses write you such a commandment? ”

God made them male, female at creation;
A man shall leave his parents, join his wife;
No longer are they two but single flesh;
What God has joined, no one can separate.

His disciples then questioned once again.
He said, “He who divorces wife, commits
Adultery by marrying another.
By divorcing husband, the wife commits
Adultery by marrying another.

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Bible in Poetry: Gospel of St. Matthew (Chapter 10)

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;

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Bible in Poetry: Gospel of St. Matthew (Chapter 25)

‘The Heaven’s kingdom is like ten
Virgins, who took their lamps to meet,
The bridegroom in his wedding feast;
Five were foolish but five were wise.’

‘The foolish ones went with their lamps,
Which had no oil in them at all;
The wise ones also took their lamps,
Along with oil to use in flasks.’

‘The bridegroom came a bit delayed;
The virgins felt drowsy and slept;
A cry was heard at midnight loud,
‘Behold, the bridegroom comes, meet Him! ’

The virgins woke and trimmed their lamps;
The foolish ones then asked the wise,
‘Spare us some oil to keep lamps on.’

The wise ones then replied, ‘Sorry,

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Bible in Poetry: Gospel of St. John (Chapter 1)

In the beginning was the word,
And the word was with God,
And the Word was God,
And He was the beginning!

Every thing came to be through Him,
And without Him, nothing did not;
What came to be through Him was life,
And life was light of human race.

The light had shone amidst darkness,
And darkness hasn’t overcome it;
A man named John was sent by God
To bear testimony to light,
So that, through him, all may believe.

He wasn’t the light but came
To only testify to it;
True light enlightening persons
Was in the world which didn’t know him;

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There’s Light at Life’s Tunnel’s Other End!

There’s Light at Life’s Tunnel’s Other End!
When I entered Life’s tunnel sometime back,
It was a totally new experience!

Sometimes, we’re shoved into this by others;
At times, we enter it all by ourselves;
Sometimes, the adverse environs force us;
At times, God allows such a trial-test;
The devils too happily see us thus!
This journey, we must make it with success.

It was filled with darkness, coldness, solitude,
Without a ray of hope-light from outside;
I groped my way for weeks and years on end;
I found the tunnel almost ne’er –ending!
Despair had filled my mind and heart often;
At times, I thought I must live like the rest-
A sinful life, without the fear of God!
At times, I thought I must back off / return;
The odds were pitted heavily ‘gainst me!

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