Here’s the complete classic version of the story:
A priest, a minister, and a rabbi were arguing about who was best at converting people.
After a heated debate, they decided there was only one fair way to settle it:
Each man would go deep into the woods, find a wild bear, and try to convert it.
A week later they met again to compare results.
The priest arrived first.
He had cuts all over his face, bruises on his arms, and a sling around his shoulder.
The minister stared.
“What happened to you?”
The priest sighed.
“I found a huge bear and started reading Scripture. At first he became angry and swatted me into a tree.”
The others looked horrified.
“But I stayed faithful. I kept preaching and praying. Eventually, the bear saw the light and accepted God.”
“Remarkable,” said the minister.
Then the minister shared his story.
He looked even worse.
Black eye.
Broken arm.
Covered in scratches.
Walking with crutches.
The priest gasped.
“My goodness!”
The minister groaned.
“I found a bear near a stream and started singing hymns and talking about salvation.”
“And?”
“The bear didn’t appreciate it.”
“What happened?”
“He chased me through the forest, rolled me down a hill, and nearly killed me.”
The priest winced.
“But after persistence and prayer… eventually he found faith.”
The priest nodded respectfully.
Then they looked around.
“Where’s the rabbi?”
Suddenly an ambulance pulled up.
The back doors opened.
The rabbi rolled out on a stretcher.
Full body cast.
Neck brace.
Bandaged from head to toe.
Only his eyes visible.
The priest and minister rushed over.
“My friend! What happened?!”
Long silence.
Then the rabbi slowly said:
“Looking back…”
Pause.
“…I probably should not have started with circumcision.” 😄
