Bible in 90 Days
57 The men who caught Jesus took him to Caiaphas, the high priest. The scribes and the leaders had met at his house.
58 Peter followed Jesus a long way behind. He went as far as the yard of the high priest's house. He sat down with the people who worked for the high priest. He wanted to see how this would end.
59 The chief priests and all the judges of the court tried to find men to say Jesus had done something wrong so they could kill him.
60 But they found nothing. Many people came and said things that were not true. At last two men came.
61 They said, `This man said, "I can break down God's temple and build it again in three days." '
62 The high priest stood up. He said to Jesus, `Have you no answer? What do you have to say about this? They have said something against you.'
63 But Jesus said nothing at all. Then the high priest said to him, `I ask you in the name of the living God. Tell us. Are you the Christ, the Son of God?'
64 Jesus answered him, `Yes, I am. Also I tell you that after this you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the One who has all power. You will see him coming on the clouds in the sky!'
65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, `What he has said is wrong! We do not need any more proof against him. You have heard the wrong thing he said.
66 What do you think?' They said, `He should be killed.'
67 Then they spat on Jesus' face and hit him. Others slapped him with their hands.
68 They said, `Christ, tell us, if you know who hit you!'
69 Peter sat out in the yard. A servant girl came to him and said, `You were also with Jesus of Galilee.'
70 But Peter said in front of them all, `I do not know what you are talking about.'
71 Peter went out to the gate. There, another servant-girl saw him. She said to the others around there, `This man was also with Jesus of Nazareth.'
72 Peter said some bad words and then said, `I do not know the man.'
73 A little later, those standing around came to Peter and said, `Surely you are one of them also. We know it by the way you talk.'
74 Then Peter began to say even more bad words. He said, `I do not know the man!' Right then, a cock called.
75 Then Peter remembered that Jesus had said, `Before the cock calls, you will say three times that you do not know me.' Then Peter went out and cried very much.
27 When it was morning, all the chief priests and the leaders of the people made a plan against Jesus. They wanted to kill him.
2 They tied him and took him away. They took him to Pilate, the ruler.
3 Judas was the man who helped them take Jesus. He saw that they had judged Jesus and were going to kill him. He was sorry for what he had done, so he brought the thirty pieces of silver money back to the chief priests and leaders.
4 He said, `I have done wrong. I have helped you take a good man who should not be killed.' They said, `What do we care? You look after that!'
5 Judas threw the silver money into the temple. He went away and hanged himself.
6 The chief priests took the money. They said, `It is not right to put this money in the money box of the temple. It has been used to buy a man's death.'
7 They talked the matter over and bought a field that belonged to a man who made pots. They bought it for a place in which to bury strangers.
8 That is why that field has been called `The field of blood' until now.
9 What Jeremiah the prophet said long ago, then came true at that time. He said, `They took thirty pieces of silver money. That is what the people of Israel said he was worth.
10 They paid for the potter's field. That is what the Lord told me to do.'
11 Jesus stood before the ruler. The ruler asked him, `Are you the King of the Jews?' Jesus said, `Yes, I am.'
12 When the chief priests and leaders brought their complaints, Jesus said nothing.
13 Then Pilate said to him, `Do you not hear what these people say against you?'
14 But Jesus did not answer him, not even one word. Pilate was very much surprised about this.
15 At the feast Pilate used to let one prisoner free. He let the people choose the man they wanted to go free.
16 In the prison at that time was a very bad man named Barabbas.
17 So while the people were there Pilate asked them, `Which one do you want me to let free for you, Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ?'
18 Pilate knew that the chief priests did not like Jesus. He knew that was why they had brought Jesus to him.
19 While Pilate was sitting in the court to judge the case, his wife sent a message to him. She said, `Do nothing to that good man. I have been troubled very much in a dream about him today.'
20 The chief priests and leaders talked to the people. They told them to ask Pilate to let Barabbas go free, but to kill Jesus.
21 The ruler said to the people, `Which of these two do you want me to let go free for you?' They said, `Barabbas.'
22 Pilate said to them, `Then what shall I do with Jesus, who is called Christ?' They all said, `Nail him to a cross!'
23 The ruler said, `What wrong thing has he done?' But they shouted even more, `Nail him to a cross!'
24 Pilate saw that he was not doing any good. And the people were making a lot of loud noise. So he washed his hands in water in front of the people. Then he said, `I will not say this man must be killed. You must do that.'
25 Then all the people answered, `We and our children will do that.'
26 Then Pilate let Barabbas go free. He told the soldiers to beat Jesus and nail him to a cross.
27 Then Pilate's soldiers took Jesus to a room. They called all the soldiers together.
28 They took off his clothes, and they put a red gown on him.
29 They made a big ring of thorns like a crown and put it on his head. They put a stick in his right hand. Then they kneeled down in front of him and made fun of him. They shouted, `Greetings, King of the Jews!'
30 They spat on him. And they took the stick and hit him on the head with it.
31 After they had made fun of him, they took off the red gown. They put his own clothes on him. Then they took him away to nail him to a cross.
32 As they were going, they met a man named Simon. He was born in the country of Cyrene. They made him carry Jesus' cross.
33 They came to a place called Golgotha. That means, `The place of a head bone.'
34 They wanted Jesus to drink wine mixed with something bitter. Jesus tasted it but he would not drink it.
35 Then they nailed him to a cross. They gambled to see how they should divide Jesus' clothes.
36 Then the soldiers sat down on the ground and watched him there.
37 They put the complaint against Jesus above his head. These words were written there: `This is Jesus the King of the Jews.'
38 Two bad men were also nailed to crosses. They had stolen money. One man was put on the right side of Jesus and one was put on the left side of him.
39 The people who passed by said bad things about him. They shook their heads.
40 They said, `You are the man who said you could break down the temple and build it again in three days. Save yourself! If you are really God's Son, come down from the cross.'
41 The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders also made fun of him.
42 They said, `He saved other people but he cannot save himself! If he is the King of the people of Israel, he should come down from the cross now. Then we will believe in him.
43 He trusted in God. If God wants him, he can save him now. He said, "I am God's Son." '
44 The bad men who were also nailed to crosses with him said the same things to him.
45 About midday, the whole land became dark and stayed dark for three hours.
46 About three o'clock, Jesus called out loud, `Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?' That means, `My God, my God, why have you left me alone?'
47 Some of the people standing there heard what Jesus said. They said `This man is calling for Elijah.'
48 Right away, one of them ran to get something called a sponge. He made it wet with sour wine and put it on the end of a stick. With it he gave Jesus a drink.
49 The other people said, `Wait. We will see if Elijah will come and save him.'
50 Jesus called out loud again. Then he died.
51 At that time the thick cloth that hung in the temple was torn into two pieces. It was torn from the top down to the bottom. The earth shook and big rocks broke.
52 The graves opened. Many of God's people who had died rose from death.
53 They came out of their graves after Jesus rose from death. They went into Jerusalem. Many people saw them there.
54 The Roman captain and some of his soldiers were guarding Jesus on the cross. When they saw the earth shake and the other things happen, they were very much afraid. They said, `Surely this man was God's Son.'
55 Many women were there watching from far away. They had come with Jesus from Galilee and had helped him.
56 Among these women were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.
57 In the evening, a rich man came. He was Joseph from the town of Arimathea. He also believed in Jesus.
58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate said that it should be given to him.
59 Joseph took the body and wrapped a clean linen cloth around it.
60 He put the body in his own new grave which had been cut in a rock. He rolled a very big stone to close the grave. Then he went away.
61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there. They sat where they could see the grave.
62 The next day was the Sabbath day. The chief priests and Pharisees went to Pilate together.
63 They said, `Sir, that man fooled people. We remember what he said when he was still living. He said that he would rise after three days.
64 So give orders that the grave must be guarded for three days. Then his disciples cannot come in the night to carry away his body, and tell people he rose from death. This last trick would be worse than the first.'
65 Pilate said to them, `Take soldiers. Go and guard the grave as well as you can.'
66 So they went and shut the grave tight. They put a government mark on the big stone. And the soldiers stayed to guard it. This was to make sure the grave would stay shut.
28 The Sabbath day was past. Morning light was beginning to shine on the first day of the week. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the grave.
2 The earth shook very much because an angel of the Lord came down from heaven. He came and rolled the big stone away from the grave and sat on it.
3 His face shone like lightning. His clothes were as white as snow.
4 The soldiers who were guarding the grave saw him and shook with fear. They fell down like dead men.
5 The angel talked to the women. He said, `Do not fear. I know you are looking for Jesus, who was nailed to a cross.
6 He is not here. He has risen, as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.
7 Go quickly and tell his disciples, "He has risen from death. He is going to Galilee before you. You will see him there." Now, I have told you.'
8 The women went quickly away. They left the grave with fear and they were very happy. They ran to tell his disciples.
9 As they were going, Jesus met them. He said `Greetings!' The women bowed down in front of him and put their hands on his feet.
10 Then Jesus said to them, `Do not fear. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee. They will see me there.'
11 While the women were going, some of the soldiers who had guarded the grave came into the city. They told the chief priests all that had happened.
12 The chief priests had a meeting with the leaders of the people and talked the matter over. They gave much money to the soldiers.
13 They said, `Tell the people, "His disciples came by night and took away the body while we were sleeping."
14 If the ruler hears about this, then we will talk to him so that he will not punish you.'
15 The soldiers took the money. They did as they were told to do. And even to this day, many of the Jewish leaders say this is what happened to Jesus.
16 The eleven disciples went to Galilee. They went to the hill where Jesus had told them to meet him.
17 When they saw him, they bowed down in front of him. But some people were not sure.
18 Jesus came and talked to them. He said, `All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 So go and make disciples in all countries. Baptise them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
20 Teach them to do all the things I have told you to do. I am with you always, even to the end of time.'
1 This is the beginning of the good news about Jesus Christ, God's Son.
2 The men of God, called prophets, long ago wrote about it this way: God said, `See, I send my man ahead of you to tell about you. He will make the way ready for you.
3 A man is calling out in the desert, "Make the way ready for the Lord. Make the road straight for him." '
4 John baptised people in the desert. He told them to stop doing wrong things and be baptised, and God would forgive them for the wrong things they did.
5 People from all the land of Judea and all the city of Jerusalem went out to John. He baptised them in the Jordan River when they told about the wrong things they did.
6 John wore clothes made of camel's hair and a leather belt. He ate locusts and wild honey.
7 He told the people, `Another person is coming. He is greater than I am. I am not good enough to bend down and untie his shoe strings.
8 I have baptised you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.'
9 At that time Jesus came from the town of Nazareth in the country of Galilee. John baptised him in the Jordan River.
10 As soon as he came up out of the water, Jesus saw the sky open. He saw God's Holy Spirit come down on him like a bird called a dove.
11 A voice from the sky said, `You are my dear Son. I am very pleased with you.'
12 Right away, the Spirit made Jesus go into the desert.
13 Jesus was in the desert for forty days. All that time Satan tried to make Jesus do wrong. Jesus was with wild animals. Angels came and took care of him.
14 John was put in prison. Then Jesus went to Galilee. He told people the good news of God's kingdom.
15 `The time has come,' he said. `The kingdom of God is here. Stop your wrong ways, turn back to God and believe the good news.'
16 Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee. There he saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were throwing a fishing net into the water. Their work was to catch fish.
17 Jesus said to them, `Come with me. The work I give you will be to catch people.'
18 Right away they left their nets and went with him.
19 Jesus went on from there and saw James and his brother John. Their father's name was Zebedee. They were in a boat mending their nets.
20 Jesus called them. Right away they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the workmen and went with Jesus.
21 They went to the town of Capernaum. As soon as it was the Sabbath day, Jesus went into their meeting house and taught the people.
22 They were very much surprised at his teaching because he taught them as if he had the right to teach them. He did not teach them like their teachers called scribes.
23 A man who had a bad spirit in him was in the meeting house at that time.
24 He called out, `Jesus of Nazareth, what do you want to do to us? Have you come to kill us? I know who you are. You are the Holy One of God.'
25 Jesus said to the spirit, `Be quiet! Come out of him!'
26 The bad spirit threw the man around. It called out loud and then it came out of the man.
27 The people were all surprised. They said one to another, `What is this? Is not this a new teaching? He tells the bad spirits what to do and even they obey him'
28 The people all around Galilee heard right away about Jesus.
29 As soon as they came out of the meeting house, they went to the home of Simon and Andrew. James and John went also.
30 Simon's wife's mother was sick and was lying down. She had a fever. Right away they told Jesus about her.
31 Jesus went to her. He took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her right away, and she began to do things to help them.
32 That evening when the sun went down, people brought to Jesus all the sick people and those who had bad spirits.
33 All the people in the city crowded around the door.
34 He healed many sick people. He drove the bad spirits out of people. And he did not let them speak because they knew who he was.
35 The next morning Jesus got up long before daylight. He went out to a place by himself. There he talked with God.
36 Simon and his friends went out after Jesus.
37 When they found him they said, `Everyone is looking for you.'
38 Jesus said, `We must go to the next towns. I must tell the good news to the people there too. That is why I came here.'
39 Then Jesus talked to the people in all the meeting houses in all the country of Galilee. He also made the bad spirits come out of people.
40 A man who was sick with leprosy [a bad skin disease] came to him. He kneeled down and begged Jesus saying, `I know you can heal me if you want to.'
41 Jesus was very sorry for him. He put out his hand and touched him. He said, `I want to. Be healed.'
42 As soon as he said this, the disease left the man and he was healed.
43 Jesus talked strongly to him and sent him away.
44 He said, `Do not tell anyone about this. But go and let the priest look at you. Moses gave a law about the gift you must give to God when you are healed. Give it to prove to people that you are healed.'
45 But the man went out and told everyone everywhere what had happened to him. Because he did this, Jesus could not go into any large town freely. He stayed in places where only a few people were. There people came to him from everywhere.
2 After a few days he came back to Capernaum. People soon heard that he was at home.
2 Many came together right away. The house was full. There was no more room, not even outside near the door. Jesus was telling them God's message.
3 Four men brought a sick man to Jesus. The man could not move his arms or legs.
4 But they could not get in the house where Jesus was, because there were so many people. So they went up on the roof. They made a hole in the roof. Then they let down the mat with the sick man on it.
5 Jesus saw that they believed he would be healed. So he said to the sick man, `Son, the wrong things you have done are forgiven.'
6 Some of the scribes were sitting there.
7 They were thinking, `Why does this man say such wrong things against God? He is not giving God respect! Who can forgive the wrong things people do? No one but God can do that.'
8 Jesus understood in his spirit what the scribes were thinking. He said right away, `Why do you think these wrong things in your hearts?
9 Which is easier, to say to the sick man, "The wrong things you have done are forgiven," or to say, "Get up. Take up your mat and walk"?
10 I want you to know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive the wrong things people do.' So he said to the sick man,
11 `I tell you, get up! Take up your mat and go home.'
12 Right away the man stood up in front of them. He took up his mat and went home. They were all very much surprised, and they praised God. They said, `We have never seen anything like this before.'
13 Jesus went out again by the seaside. Many people came to him. So he taught them.
14 As he went along, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus. He was sitting at the place where people come to pay taxes. Jesus said to him, `Come with me.' Levi stood up and went with him.
15 Jesus was eating in Levi's house. Many tax collectors and bad people also came. They sat down to eat with Jesus and his disciples. There were many who went with him.
16 The scribes and Pharisees saw that Jesus ate with these people. They said to the disciples, `Why does he eat and drink with bad people?'
17 Jesus heard it. He said to them, `People who are well do not need a doctor. But sick people need him. I did not come to call good people. I came to call bad people to stop doing wrong things.'
18 John's disciples and the Pharisees' disciples were fasting [not eating food for a time]. Some people came to Jesus and said, `The disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast. Why do your disciples not do the same?'
19 Jesus answered them, `The people at a wedding cannot be sad while the man who is married is with them.
20 But the time will come when he will be taken away from them. Then they will fast.
21 No person sews a piece of new cloth on an old coat. If he does, the new cloth will tear the old coat. Then the hole is bigger than it was before.
22 No person puts new wine into old wine skins. If he does, the new wine will break the skins. Then the wine will be lost and the skins will be spoiled. New wine is put into new skins.'
23 Jesus was walking through the grainfields on the Sabbath day. His disciples began to pick some of the seed (to eat) as they went along.
24 The Pharisees said to Jesus, `Why do your disciples do what is not right on the Sabbath day?'
25 Jesus answered them, `Have you not read what David did? He and his men who were with him were hungry.
26 He went into God's house when Abiathar was the high priest. Some bread was there for God. It was not right for them to eat it. Only the priests have the right to eat it. But David took the bread and ate it. He also gave some of it to the people who were with him.'
27 Jesus went on to say, `The Sabbath was made for the good of man. Man was not made for the Sabbath.
28 So the Son of Man rules over the Sabbath day.'
3 Jesus went into the meeting house again. A man was there whose right hand was thin and weak.
2 The Pharisees watched Jesus to see if he would heal the man on the Sabbath day. They wanted to find something wrong about Jesus.
3 He spoke to the man whose hand was thin and weak. He said, `Stand here.'
4 Then he spoke to the Pharisees. He said, `Is it right to do good things on the Sabbath day or to do wrong things? Is it right to heal people so they will live, or to let them die?' But the Pharisees said nothing.
5 Jesus was angry as he looked at them. And he was sad that their hearts were so hard. Then he said to the man, `Hold out your hand.' The man did so, and it was made well like the other hand.
6 The Pharisees went out. Right away they and the servants of King Herod planned together how to kill Jesus.
8 Jesus and his disciples went away to the sea of Galilee. Many people went with Jesus. They came from Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and from the other side of the Jordan River. And many more people came also, a great many from around the cities of Tyre and Sidon. They also had heard about the great works that Jesus had done.
9 Jesus saw that the crowd was very big. He told the disciples to have a small boat ready for him so that he would have more room.
10 He did this because he healed many people. All who were sick tried to touch him.
11 When the bad spirits saw Jesus, they bowed down before him. They shouted, `You are God's Son!'
12 He told them they must not tell anyone who he was.
13 Then Jesus went up on the hill. He wanted some of the people to come with him. So he called them and they came.
14 He chose twelve disciples to stay with him. He wanted to send them out to other places to tell people God's word.
15 He gave them power to heal people and to drive bad spirits out of people.
16 One of the twelve was Simon, whom Jesus called Peter.
17 He also chose James and his brother John, the sons of Zebedee, whom he named Boanerges, which means "Men of Thunder."
19 He also chose Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon of Canan, and Judas Iscariot, the one who gave Jesus over to people who hated him. Then Jesus and his disciples went home.
20 So many people came again that they could not even eat.
21 When Jesus' family heard about this, they came to take him away. They said, `He is crazy.'
22 The scribes who came from Jerusalem also talked about Jesus. They said, `Beelzebub, the chief of bad spirits, is in this man. He drives out bad spirits by the help of Beelzebub.'
23 Jesus called the people and talked to them in stories. He asked, `How can Satan drive out Satan?
24 If one part of a country fights against another part of the country, that country cannot be strong.
25 If one part of a family fights against the other part of the family, it cannot stand.
26 If Satan fights against himself and the bad spirits fight against each other, he cannot stand. It will be the end of him.
27 If anyone wants to go into a strong man's house and steal his things, he must first tie the strong man. Then he can steal his things.
28 `I tell you the truth. All wrong things that people do and say about anyone will be forgiven.
29 But people who say wrong things against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. A person who does that will be punished for ever.'
30 Jesus said all this because the scribes said, `A bad spirit is in him.'
31 Jesus' mother and brothers came to him. They stood outside. They sent someone to him.
32 Many people were sitting around him. They said, `See, your mother and your brothers are outside. They want you.'
33 Jesus asked them, `Who are my mother and my brothers?'
34 Then he looked at the people who sat around him. He said, `These people are my mother and my brothers!
35 Anyone who obeys God is my brother, my sister, and my mother.'
4 Jesus began to teach people by the sea again. Many people came to him. So he got in a boat on the sea and sat down. The people were by the sea on the land.
2 He told the people stories and taught them many things.
3 He said, `Listen. A man went out to sow some seed.
4 As he sowed it, some of the seed fell on the road. Birds came and ate the seed.
5 Some seed fell on the stony ground. Not much ground covered the stones. The seed started to grow right away because it was not deep in the ground.
6 When the sun began to shine, it was too hot for the new plants. They died because they had no roots.
7 Some seed fell among the weeds. The weeds grew up and made the new plants die. So no seeds grew on them.
8 But some seed fell on good ground. That seed grew and the plants gave more seed. Some plants gave thirty seeds. Some gave sixty. And some gave a hundred.'
9 Jesus said to them, `Everyone who has ears to hear, listen!'
10 Later, Jesus was alone. Then the twelve disciples and the other people who were there asked him about the stories.
11 He said to them, `You can learn the secret things about the kingdom of God. But we must use stories to tell the other people.
12 `They may look and look, but they will not see. They may listen and listen, but they will not understand. If they did understand, they would turn back to God and he would forgive them for the wrong things they have done.'
13 Jesus said also, `Do you not understand this story? How then are you going to understand all the stories?
14 The man who sows the seed tells God's message.
15 Those beside the road are like people who hear the message. But as soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes it out of their hearts
16 The seed that fell on the stony ground is the same. It is like people who hear the message and as soon as they hear it they are very glad.
17 They believe it for a short time. When trouble or a hard time comes because of the message, they stop believing.
18 The seed that fell among the weeds is like people who hear the message.
19 But they think about the things of this world. They want to get money and other things to be happy. These things push the message out of their hearts. No good comes from it.
20 But some seed fell on good ground. That is like people who hear the message and understand it. Much good comes from it. Some people are like the seed that made thirty seeds. Some people are like the seed that gave sixty. Some people are like the seed that gave a hundred.'
21 Then Jesus said to them, `People do not bring a light and put it under a basket or under a bed. But they put it on the place for a lamp.
22 Everything that is hidden will be seen. Everything that is secret will be known and come out to be seen.
23 Everyone who has ears to hear, listen!'
24 And Jesus said, `Take care how you listen. How much you give to others is how much will be given to you. You who obey God will get more than you give.
25 Anyone who has some will get more. But he who does not have anything, even the little that he has will be taken away from him.'
26 And Jesus said, `The kingdom of God is like this. A man sows some seed in the ground.
27 Then he goes on just as he did before. He sleeps at night and wakes up in the morning. The seed begins to grow but he doesn't know what makes it grow.
28 The ground itself makes the seed grow. First the plant comes up. Then it begins to have seed of its own. After a while the harvest is ready.
29 When the harvest is really ready, he cuts it right away because the harvest time has come.'
30 And Jesus said, `What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I say it is like?
31 It is like this. A mustard seed is the smallest seed that is ever planted in the earth.
32 But the plant that grows from that seed is bigger than any other plant. It puts out very big branches. The birds come and live in its branches.'
33 Jesus told the people many stories like this. He told them as much of God's words as they were able to understand.
34 He did not tell them anything without a story. When he was alone with his disciples, he told them the meaning of the stories.
35 In the evening of that day, Jesus said to his disciples, `Let us cross over to the other side of the sea.'
36 The disciples left the people and took Jesus away in the boat he was in. Other little boats were with him.
37 A very strong wind began to blow. Water came in the boat. It began to fill up with water.
38 Jesus was in the back end of the boat, sleeping with his head on a pillow. The disciples woke him up. `Master,' they shouted. `We will die! Do you not care?'
39 Then Jesus got up. He said to the wind and the sea, `Stop!' The wind stopped. Then all was quiet.
40 Then he said to the disciples, `Why do you fear? Do you not believe in God?'
41 The disciples were surprised. They said to each other, `What kind of man is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him.'
5 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarene people.
2 There were graves in that place. As soon as Jesus came out of the boat, a man came from among the graves to meet him. The man had a bad spirit in him.
3 The man lived among the graves. No person could tie him, not even with chains.
4 Many times people had tied him with strong ropes and chains. But he broke the chains and tore the ropes into many pieces. No person was strong enough to hold the man.
5 All the time he stayed in the hills where the graves were. He screamed day and night and cut himself with sharp stones.
6 Jesus was still far from him, but when he saw Jesus he ran to him. He kneeled down in front of Jesus and worshipped him.
7 He called out loud, `Jesus, Son of the High God, what are you going to do to me? I beg you not to hurt me.'
8 He said this because Jesus had said to him, `You bad spirit, come out of the man.'
9 Jesus asked, `What is your name?' He answered, `My name is An Army, for we are many.'
10 He begged Jesus saying, `Do not send us out of the country.'
11 Many pigs were feeding on the hill there.
12 The bad spirits begged Jesus saying, `Send us to the pigs so that we can go into them.'
13 Jesus let them go right away. The bad spirits came out of the man and went into the pigs. The pigs ran fast down the steep hill into the sea. They died in the water. The number of pigs was about two thousand.
14 Then the men who cared for the pigs ran away. They told the people in the city and all around the country about it. The people went out to see what had happened.
15 They came to Jesus. They saw the man who had the many bad spirits in him. He was sitting with clothes on and was not crazy any more. The people were afraid.
16 Those who had seen it told them what had happened to the man who used to have many bad spirits. And they told about the pigs.
17 Then the people began to beg Jesus to go away out of their country.
18 So Jesus got into the boat again. The man who used to have the bad spirits in him begged to go with him.
19 But Jesus did not let him. He said, `Go home. Tell your friends what the Lord has done for you. Tell them that he has helped you.'
20 So the man went away and told people in the Ten Towns what Jesus had done for him. All the people were surprised.
21 Jesus crossed over the sea again to the other side. Many people came to him while he was near the water.
22 One of the rulers of the meeting house came to him. His name was Jairus. When he saw Jesus, he kneeled down before him.
23 He said, `My little daughter is dying. I beg you, come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.'
24 So Jesus went with Jairus. Many people went with Jesus and pushed against him.
25 A woman among them had a sickness for twelve years. She was bleeding all the time.
26 Many doctors tried to heal her. She spent all the money she had to pay them. She was not better, but was getting worse.
27 When she heard of Jesus, she came among the people behind him. Then she reached out and touched his clothes.
28 She said to herself, `If only I touch his clothes, I will be well.'
29 The bleeding stopped right away. She could feel that she was healed of her trouble.
30 Jesus knew right away that power to heal went out from him. He turned around among the people and said, `Who touched my clothes?'
31 But his disciples said to him, `You see all these people pushing around you. Why do you ask, "Who touched me?" '
32 He looked around to see who had done it.
33 The woman was afraid and trembled. She knew what had happened to her. She kneeled down in front of Jesus and told him the truth about herself.
34 He said to her, `Daughter, you were healed because you believed. Go and do not be troubled. You are healed.'
35 While Jesus was still talking, some people came from the ruler's house. They said, `Your daughter has died. Why trouble the Teacher any more?'
36 Jesus heard it. He said to the ruler, `Do not fear. Only believe.'
37 Jesus did not let anyone go with him only Peter, James, and his brother John.
38 They came to the ruler's house. Jesus saw that there was trouble. People were crying and making much noise because the ruler's daughter had died.
39 When he came into the house, he said to them, `Why do you make so much noise and cry? The girl is not dead, but is sleeping.'
40 They laughed at him. So he sent them all outside. Then he took the girl's father and mother and the three disciples into the room where the girl was lying.
41 He took her hand and said, `Talitha cumi!' That means, `Little girl, I tell you, get up!'
42 The girl got up right away and walked around. She was twelve years old. The people were very much surprised.
43 Jesus said, `Do not tell anyone about this. Give the girl something to eat.'
6 Jesus left that place and went back to his home town. His disciples went with him.
2 On the Sabbath day he began to teach in the meeting house again. Many people who heard him were very much surprised and said, `Where did he learn all this? Where did he get the power to do these big works?
3 Is he not the carpenter? Is not Mary his mother? Are not James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon his brothers? Are not his sisters here with us?' The people did not understand Jesus.
4 Jesus said to them, `Other people honour a man who is a prophet of God. But the people in his own country, his own home, and his family, do not honour him.'
5 Jesus could not do any big works in that place. But he put his hands on a few sick people and healed them.
6 He was surprised that the people did not believe him. He went out to the villages, teaching the people.
7 He called the twelve disciples to him and sent them out two by two. He gave them power to drive bad spirits out of people.
8 He said, `Take only a walking stick with you when you go. Do not take anything else. Do not take any food, or a bag, or money.
9 Wear shoes, but do not take extra clothing with you.
10 When you go into a certain house, live there until you leave the town.
11 In some places the people will not take you in. They will not listen to what you say. When you leave such a town, shake the dust off your feet. That will be a warning to them. I tell you the truth. On the day when people are judged, the people in that town will be punished harder than the people in the country of Sodom and Gomorrah.'
12 The disciples went out and told the people that they should stop doing wrong things.
13 They drove bad spirits out of many people. They also put oil on many sick people and healed them.
14 King Herod heard about these things. People were talking about Jesus everywhere. Herod said, `John the Baptizer is risen from death. That is why he is able to do such great works.'
15 Other people said, `It is Elijah.' Others said, `He is a prophet like the prophets of God who lived long ago.'
16 Herod heard what other people said, so he said, `I cut off John's head. He is alive again.'
17 Herod had sent his people to catch John. They tied him and put him in prison to please Herodias. Herod had married her, but she was his brother Philip's wife.
18 John had told Herod, `It is wrong for you to have your brother's wife.'
20 So Herodias hated John. She wanted to kill him. But she could not because Herod liked John. He knew that John did what was right and was a good man. So he kept John safe. When he heard John speak he was troubled in his heart, and yet he was glad to hear him.
21 rod made a feast on his birthday. He called all his rulers and the captains and the leaders of Galilee to come to the feast.
22 The daughter of Herodias came in and danced for them. This pleased Herod and the people at the feast. Then the king said to the girl, `Ask me for anything you want and I will give it to you.'
23 He made a promise which he would not break. He said, `Anything that you ask me for I will give you, even if you ask me for half of my kingdom.'
24 The girl went to her mother and said, `What shall I ask for?' Her mother said, `Ask for the head of John the Baptizer.'
25 The girl came quickly to the king and said, `I want you to give me the head of John the Baptizer on a plate. Give it to me right away.'
26 The king was very sorry. But he had made a promise and all the people at the feast had heard him promise. He wanted to do what he promised her.
27 Right away he sent one of the soldiers who was standing on guard. He told him to bring John's head. The soldier went to the prison and cut off John's head.
28 He brought the head on a plate and gave it to the girl. She gave it to her mother.
29 When John's disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and buried it.
30 The apostles came back to Jesus. They told him all they had done and taught.
31 Jesus said to them, `Come away with me. Let us go alone to a quiet place and rest for a while.' Many people were coming and going. They could not even eat.
32 So they went away in a boat to a lonely place by themselves.
33 The people saw them going. Many people knew them. The people ran from all the towns and got there ahead of them.
34 When the boat got there, Jesus saw the many people. He was very sorry for them because they were like sheep with no one to care for them. He began to teach them many things.
35 When it was late in the day, his disciples came to him. They said, `This is a lonely place and the time is late.
36 Send these people away to farms and villages to buy food for themselves. They have nothing to eat.'
37 Jesus said, `You give them food to eat.' They said, `Shall we go and buy a lot of bread and give them to eat?'
38 He said, `Go and see how much bread you have.' When they knew, they told him, `We have five loaves of bread and two fish.'
39 Jesus told the disciples to make all the people sit on the green grass in groups.
40 The people sat down in groups. Some groups were a hundred people and some were fifty people.
41 Jesus took the five loaves of bread and the two fish. He looked up to heaven and thanked God for them. Then he broke them in pieces. He gave them to the disciples to give to the people. Then he divided the two fish among them all.
42 They all ate and had enough.
43 Then they gathered twelve baskets full of pieces that were left.
44 The number of men who ate was about five thousand.
45 Then Jesus said to the disciples, `You get into the boat right away and go over to Bethsaida. I will send the people away.'
46 When he had sent the people away, he went up on the hill to talk with God.
47 In the evening the boat was far out on the water. Jesus was alone on the land.
48 He saw the disciples working hard rowing the boat. The wind was blowing the wrong way. When it was almost morning, Jesus came to the disciples. He was walking on the water. He was going to pass by them.
49 But when they saw him walking on the water, they thought it was a spirit. They shouted loudly.
50 They all saw him and were very much afraid. He spoke to them right away. He said, `Be glad! It is I. Do not fear.'
51 Then he got in the boat with them. The wind stopped. They were very much surprised and did not know what to say.
52 They did not understand the lesson about the bread because their minds were too slow.
53 They crossed over the sea and came to the land at Gennesaret. They came to shore.
54 As soon as he got out of the boat, the people knew him.
55 They went quickly to all the country around. They brought sick people in their beds to the place where they heard Jesus was.
56 They laid sick people by the road in villages, towns, and farms and every place he went. They begged him to let them touch his clothes. And all the people who touched him were healed.
7 Then some Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem came to Jesus.
2 They saw some of the disciples eating food. They had not washed their hands before they ate. The Pharisees said that was wrong.
3 They and all the Jews keep the laws made by men. God did not give them those laws. They do not eat until they wash their hands very well.
4 When they come from the market, they do not eat until they have washed themselves. They also keep many other laws such as washing cups, pots, brass pans, and beds.
5 The Pharisees and the scribes asked Jesus, `Why do your disciples not keep the law our fathers made? Why do they eat with hands that are not clean?'
6-7 esus said to them, `Isaiah spoke the truth about you people! You are not true to yourselves! He wrote about you this way: "These people respect me with their mouths. But their hearts are far from me. They do not mean it in their hearts when they worship me. Their teachings are only words of men."
8 `You do not keep the law of God, but you keep the laws made by people. Those laws are about washing pots and cups. You do many other things like that also.
9 `You break God's law so that you can keep your own law.
10 Moses said, "Respect your father and your mother. Anyone who says wrong things to his father or his mother will die."
11 You say, "Tell your father or your mother that what you were going to give to them is Corban." (That means a gift to God.)
12 So you stop him from doing anything for his father and mother.
13 You make God's law to mean nothing so that you can keep your own laws. You do many other things like that also.'
14 Then Jesus called the people to him again. He said, `Listen to me, all of you, and understand what I say.
15 What goes into a person's mouth does not make him dirty. But what comes out of a person's mouth makes him dirty.
16 Everyone who has ears to hear, listen!'
17 Jesus left the people and went into a house. His disciples asked him the meaning of the story.
18 He said, `Do you still not understand? Do you not know this? What goes into a person from the outside cannot make a person dirty.
19 It does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and then it goes out of the body.' By saying this, Jesus meant that food does not make a person dirty.
20 But he said, `What comes out of a person makes him dirty. 21,
21 Here is what comes from the heart: wrong thoughts, all kinds of adultery, stealing, killing, wanting things that other people have, doing very wrong things, fooling people, breaking the law, jealousy, saying wrong things about people, being proud, being foolish.
22 All these wrong things come from a person's heart and make him dirty.'
23 Then Jesus went away to the country of Tyre and Sidon. He went into a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. But he could not hide from the people.
24 Right away a woman heard of him. She came and kneeled down before him. Her daughter had a bad spirit in her.
25 The woman was not a Jew and had been born in the country of Phoenicia in Syria. She begged Jesus to drive the bad spirit out of her daughter.
26 But Jesus said to her, `We will give the children all they want to eat first. It is not right to take the children's food and give it to the little dogs.'
27 She answered, `Yes, Sir. But even the little dogs under the table eat food that falls from the children's table.'
28 Jesus said to her, `Because you have said this, you may go home. The bad spirit has gone out of your daughter.'
29 When she came to her house, she found that the bad spirit had left. Her daughter was lying on the bed.
30 Jesus went away from Tyre and Sidon and came to the sea of Galilee. He passed through the country of the Ten Towns.
31 The people brought a man to Jesus who could not hear and could not talk well. They begged Jesus to put his hand on him.
32 So Jesus took him away alone. He put his fingers in the man's ears. Then he spat and touched the man's tongue.
33 He looked up to heaven and sighed. He said, `Ephphatha!' That means, `Be opened!'
34 Right away the man's ears were opened and his tongue was made free. He could talk well.
35 Jesus said, `Do not tell anyone.' But the more he told them not to tell, the more they told it everywhere.
36 The people were very much surprised. They said, `He has done everything well. The people who could not hear can hear. The people who could not talk can talk.'
8 Again at that time many, many people came together. They had nothing to eat. Jesus called his disciples. He said,
2 `I share the suffering of the people. They have been with me for three days and they have nothing to eat.
3 If I send them home hungry, they will get weak and fall on the way. Some of them have come a long way.'
4 His disciples answered, `Where can anyone get enough food in this lonely place to feed so many people?'
5 Jesus asked them, `How many loaves of bread have you?' They said, `Seven.'
6 He told the people to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves of bread and thanked God for them. Then he broke the bread and gave it to the disciples. They gave it to the people.
7 They had a few small fish. Jesus told the disciples to divide the fish among the people also.
8 The people ate and had enough. They gathered seven baskets full of pieces that were left.
9 The number of men who ate was about four thousand.
10 Jesus sent them away. Then right away he got in the boat with his disciples and went to the country around Dalmanutha.
11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with Jesus. They wanted to test him. So they asked him to show them a sign from the sky.
12 He sighed deeply in his spirit and said, `Why do people today want a sign? I tell you the truth. No sign will be given to them.'
13 He left them and went to the other side in a boat.
14 The disciples forgot to take food. They had only one loaf of bread with them in the boat.
15 Jesus said, `Watch! Take care. Do not let the bread yeast of the Pharisees and Herod spoil you.'
16 The disciples talked to one another about the matter. They said, `He says that because we have no bread.'
17 Jesus knew what they were saying. He asked, `Why are you saying, "We have no bread"? Do you not yet understand? Are your minds so slow?
18 Can you not see with your eyes or hear with your ears? Do you not remember?
19 When I broke five loaves for five thousand people, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you gather?' They said, `Twelve.'
20 He said, `When I broke seven loaves for four thousand people, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you gather?' They said, `Seven.'
21 He said to them, `How is it that you do not yet understand?'
22 Then they came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to Jesus. They begged him to touch the man.
23 Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. He spat on his eyes and put his hands on him. Then he asked, `Do you see anything?'
24 The man looked up and said, `I see men, but they look like trees that are walking.'
25 Jesus put his hands on him again. He made him look up. Then he was healed and could see everybody clearly.
26 Jesus sent the man away to his home. `Do not go into the village and do not tell it to anyone,' he said.
27 Jesus went with his disciples to the villages in Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, `Who do people say that I am?'
28 They answered, `People say that you are John the Baptizer. Others say that you are Elijah. And others say that you are one of the prophets from long ago.'
29 Then he asked them, `But who do you say I am?' Peter answered, `You are the Christ.'
30 Jesus said to them, `Do not tell anyone about me.'
31 Then he began to teach them. He said, `The Son of Man will have much trouble. The leaders, the chief priests, and the scribes will not believe him. He will be killed. After three days he will rise.'
32 Jesus said this very plainly. Peter took him to one side and began to tell him not to say such things.
33 Jesus turned around and saw the disciples. Then he talked to Peter. He said, `Get away from me, Satan! You are not thinking the way God thinks, but the way people think.'
34 Jesus called the people and the disciples to him. He said, `If anyone wants to come with me he must leave what he himself wants to do. He must be ready to carry his own cross and come with me.
35 Anyone who tries to keep his life will lose it. And anyone who gives up his life for my sake and for the sake of the good news will find it.
36 What good will it do a man if he gets the whole world for himself but loses his soul?
37-38 hat can a person give to get back his soul? People have gone away from God and are full of wrong ways. If anyone in this time is ashamed of me and the things I say, the Son of Man also will be ashamed of that person when he comes. The Son of Man will come with his holy angels, and be great like his Father.'
9 Jesus said to them, `I tell you the truth. Some people are standing here who will not die before they see the kingdom of God come with power.'
2 Six days after this, Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him. He led them up a hill by themselves. Jesus was changed in front of them.
3 His clothes were white like light. No person on earth could make them so white.
4 Then they saw Elijah and Moses talking with Jesus.
5 Then Peter said to Jesus, `Master, this is a good place for us. We will make three places, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.'
6 Peter did not know what to say because they were very much afraid.
7 Then a cloud came over them. A voice in the cloud said, `This is my dear Son. Listen to him.'
8 They quickly looked around but they saw no one except Jesus there with them.
9 When they came down the hill, Jesus said to them, `Do not tell anyone what you saw. Do not tell it until after the Son of Man has been raised from death.'
10 So they kept these things to themselves, asking each other what he meant about rising from death.
11 Then they asked Jesus, `Why do the scribes [who know all about the holy writings] say that first Elijah must come?'
12 He said, `Elijah does come first. He will get everything ready. But why do the holy writings say that the Son of Man must have much trouble? They say, "He will have much trouble and the people will not respect him."
13 I tell you that Elijah has come. The people did to him just what they wanted to do. They did just as it is written about him.'
© 1969, 1971, 1996, 1998 by SOON Educational Publications