Bible in 90 Days

¹⁴ When they came to the disciples, they saw many people around them. Some scribes were talking with the disciples.

¹⁵ The people were all very much surprised when they saw Jesus. They ran to him and greeted him.

¹⁶ Jesus asked his disciples, `What are you talking about with them?'

¹⁷ One of the people said, `Teacher, I brought my son to you. A bad spirit is in him so he cannot talk.

¹⁸ Wherever it takes hold of him, it throws him around. It makes him foam at his mouth. It makes him make noises with his teeth. He is getting weak and thin. I asked your disciples to drive the bad spirit out, but they could not do it.'

¹⁹ Jesus said, `You people today do not believe. How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.'

²⁰ So they brought the boy to him. As soon as the bad spirit saw him, he threw the boy around. The boy fell on the ground and rolled around. Foam was coming from his mouth.

²¹ Jesus asked the father, `How long has he had this spirit?' He answered, `Since he was a child.

²² Often it has thrown him in the fire and in the water. It has tried to kill him. If you can do anything for him, show us that you share our suffering by helping us.'

²³ Jesus said to him, `You say, "If you can." Anything can be done for the person who believes.'

²⁴ Right away the father of the child, with tears in his eyes, said loudly, `I do believe! Help me to believe more!'

²⁵ Jesus saw many people come running together. He talked to the bad spirit: `You bad spirit who stops the boy from hearing and talking! I tell you, come out of him and do not go into him again!'

²⁶ The bad spirit screamed and threw the boy around. Then it came out of him and left him like a dead person. Many of the people even said, `The boy is dead.'

²⁷ But Jesus took his hand and helped him to get up. The boy stood up.

²⁸ Jesus went into the house. His disciples were alone with him. They asked him, `Why could we not drive out the bad spirit?'

²⁹ Jesus said to them, `This kind of bad spirit does not come out unless people talk to God and fast.'

³⁰ Then they left that place and went through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know it.

³¹ He taught his disciples. He said to them, `The Son of Man will be given over to men. They will kill him. When he is killed, he will rise after three days.'

³² The disciples did not understand what he said and they were afraid to ask him.

³³ They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked the disciples, `What were you talking about on the way coming?'

³⁴ But they said nothing, because on the road they had been talking among themselves about who was the greatest person.

³⁵ He sat down and called the twelve disciples to him. He said, `The way to be first is to put yourself last and be a servant to the others.'

³⁶ Jesus took a child and had him stand in front of them. Then he took the child in his arms and said,

³⁷ `If anyone takes in a child like this for my sake, he takes in me. If anyone takes in me, he takes in the One who sent me.'

³⁸ John said to him, `Master, we saw a man driving bad spirits out of people. He was using your name, but he is not one of us. So we told him to stop because he is not one of us.'

³⁹ Jesus said, `Do not stop him. Anyone who can do a great work in my name will not be quick to say wrong things about me.

⁴⁰ He that is not against us is on our side.

⁴¹ `I tell you the truth. If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, he will not lose his reward'

⁴² `These little children believe in me. If anyone makes one of them do wrong, he will be punished. He will have worse trouble than if a big stone were tied to his neck and he were thrown into the deep sea.

⁴³ If your hand makes you do wrong, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life with one hand than to have two hands and go into hell. Hell fire never dies.

⁴⁴ In hell their worm will not die and the fire will not stop burning.

⁴⁵ If your foot makes you do wrong, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life with one foot than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. Hell fire never dies.

⁴⁶ In hell their worm will not die and the fire will not stop burning.

⁴⁷ If your eye makes you do wrong, take it out. It is better for you to go into God's kingdom with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell.

⁴⁸ In hell their worm will not die and the fire will not stop burning.

⁴⁹ Everyone must be tested by fire. Every sacrifice must have salt on it.

⁵⁰ Salt is good. But if the salt has lost its taste, how can it be made salty again? You must have salt in yourselves and live in peace with one another.'

10 Jesus left that place and went through the country of Judea on the other side of the Jordan river. Many people came to him there again. He taught them as he always did.

² The Pharisees came to him and asked, `Is it right for a man to send his wife away from him?' They asked this to test Jesus.

³ Jesus answered, `What law did Moses give you?'

⁴ They said, `Moses allowed a man to write a paper to show that he does not want her any more. Then he may send her away.'

⁵ Jesus said to them, `Moses wrote that law because your hearts are so hard.

⁶ From the time God first made people, he made them man and woman.

⁷ That is why a man must leave his father and mother and stay with his wife.

⁸ The two of them will be like one person. So they are not two people any more, but they are one person.

⁹ Man must not separate what God has joined together.'

¹⁰ When they were in the house, the disciples asked Jesus about this matter.

¹¹ So Jesus said, `If any man sends away his wife and marries another woman, he commits adultery against her. [He takes another woman who is not his wife.]

¹² If a woman sends away her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.'

¹³ They brought children to Jesus. They wanted him to put his hands on them. The disciples tried to stop the people.

¹⁴ When Jesus saw what the disciples did, he did not like it. He said, `Let the children come to me. Do not try to stop them.

¹⁵ I tell you the truth. If anyone does not believe in the kingdom of God like a child, he will never go in.'

¹⁶ Jesus took the children up in his arms. He put his hands on them and blessed them.

¹⁷ Jesus started on the way again. A man came running and kneeled down before him. He said, `Good Teacher, what must I do so that I will live for ever?'

¹⁸ Jesus said, `Why do you call me good? Only God is good.

¹⁹ You know the laws: "Do not commit adultery. Do not kill. Do not steal. Do not tell lies. Do not cheat. Respect your father and your mother." '

²⁰ The man answered Jesus. He said, `Teacher, I have kept all those laws since I was a boy.'

²¹ Jesus looked at him. He loved him. He said, `You need one thing more. Go home. Sell everything you have. Give the money to the poor people. You will be rich in heaven. So be ready to carry your own cross and come with me.'

²² When the young man heard that, he was sad, because he was very rich. So he went away.

²³ Then Jesus looked around at his disciples and said to them, `It is very hard for rich people to enter the kingdom of God.'

²⁴ The disciples were surprised at his words. But Jesus said again, `Children, it is very hard for people who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God.

²⁵ It is easier for a big animal to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.'

²⁶ They were very much surprised. They said, `Then who can be saved?'

²⁷ Jesus looked at them and said, `Men cannot do it but God can, because God can do anything.'

²⁸ Peter began to speak and said to him, `See, we have left all things and have come with you.'

³⁰ Jesus said, `I tell you the truth. If any man has left his house, or his brothers, or his sisters, his mother, or his father, or his children, or farms, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, he will receive his pay in this life. He will have a hundred times as many houses, and brothers, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and farms. He will have trouble also. But in the next world he will live for ever.

³¹ But many people who are first will be last, and those who are last will be first.'

³² Jesus and his disciples were on the road to Jerusalem. Jesus was walking in front of them. The disciples were surprised. And the people who came behind were afraid. He took the twelve disciples and began to tell them what was going to happen to him.

³³ He said, `We are going to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be given over to the chief priests and the scribes. They will judge him and say he must die. They will give him over to rulers who are not Jews.

³⁴ They will make fun of him. They will spit on him. They will beat him and kill him. After three days, he will rise again.'

³⁵ James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said, `Master, we want you to do for us anything we ask you.'

³⁶ Jesus said, `What do you want me to do for you?'

³⁷ They said, `Let one of us sit at your right side and one at your left side when you rule.'

³⁸ But Jesus said, `You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink from the cup that I will drink from? Can you go through the big trouble that I will go through?'

³⁹ `Yes,' they said. `We can.' Then Jesus said to them, `You will drink what I drink and you will have trouble the way I will have.

⁴⁰ But I cannot choose who will sit at my right hand or at my left. It has been planned who will sit there.'

⁴¹ When the other ten disciples heard about it, they were angry with James and John.

⁴² Jesus called them and said, `You know the people who rule over countries make their people obey them. The great will tell the others what to do.

⁴³ But that is not the way it is among you. Anyone among you who wants to be great must help the others.

⁴⁴ Anyone among you who wants to be first shall be a servant to the others.

⁴⁵ The Son of Man did not come to have others help him. But he came to help others. He came to give his life to make many people free.'

⁴⁶ Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples left Jericho, many people followed him. A blind man named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road. He was begging for money.

⁴⁷ He heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing. So he shouted, `Jesus, Son of David! Help me!'

⁴⁸ Many people said, `Be quiet!' But he shouted louder, `Son of David! Help me!

⁴⁹ Jesus stopped and said, `Call him.' They called the blind man and said to him, `Be glad! Come, get up! He is calling you.'

⁵⁰ The man threw off his coat, jumped up, and went to Jesus.

⁵¹ Jesus said, `What do you want me to do for you?' The blind man said to him, `Teacher, I want to see.'

⁵² Jesus said, `Go home. Because you believe in me, your faith has made you well.' Right then he was able to see. He followed Jesus on the road.

11 They came to Bethphage and Bethany, near Jerusalem by the hill called Olives. Then he sent two of his disciples ahead.

² He said, `Go into the village in front of you. As soon as you go in, you will find an animal tied. No one has ever sat on it. Untie it and bring it to me.

³ If anyone asks you, "Why are you doing this?" tell him, "The Lord needs it. He will send it back soon." '

⁴ The disciples went. They found the animal tied outside a door in the street. They untied it.

⁵ People standing there said, `What are you doing, untying the animal?'

⁶ The disciples said what Jesus had told them to say. So they let them go.

⁷ They brought it to Jesus and laid their coats on it. He got on it.

⁸ Many people spread their coats on the road. Others cut leaves and branches from the fields and put them on the road.

⁹ People in front of him and people behind him shouted, `Praise God! God bless him who comes in the name of the Lord!

¹⁰ God bless the kingdom of our father David which is coming. Praise him in heaven!'

¹¹ And so Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. He looked at everything. Then he went out with the twelve disciples to Bethany. It was late already.

¹² In the morning when they were on the way out of Bethany, Jesus was hungry.

¹³ He saw a fig tree a little way off with leaves on it. So he went to see if it had figs. He came to the tree. There was no fruit on it, only leaves. It was not the time for figs.

¹⁴ Jesus said to the tree, `No one will ever eat a fig from you again!' His disciples heard what he said.

¹⁵ They reached Jerusalem. Jesus went into the temple. He began to drive out the people who were buying and selling in the temple. He threw down the tables of the money changers. He pushed down the seats of those who sold doves.

¹⁶ He would not let anyone carry anything through the temple.

¹⁷ He taught the people, saying, `The holy writings say, "My house shall be called a house for all tribes and nations, where people talk with God." But you have made it a place for people who steal!'

¹⁸ The chief priests and scribes heard what he said. They wanted to find some way to kill him. They feared Jesus because all the people were surprised at his teaching.

¹⁹ In the evening Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.

²⁰ The next morning they passed the fig tree again. They saw that it had died from the roots.

²¹ Peter remembered about it. He said, `Look Master, you cursed the fig tree and it has died.'

²² Jesus said, `Believe in God.

²³ I tell you the truth. Anyone may say to this hill, "Go and jump into the sea." He must not doubt in his heart, but he must believe that he will have the things he asks for and he will have them.

²⁴ So I tell you, when you ask God for anything believe that you will get it and you will have it.

²⁵ When you stand and talk with God, forgive others for the wrong things they have done to you. Then your Father in heaven will also forgive you for the wrong things you have done.

²⁶ But if you do not forgive others, your Father in heaven will not forgive you for the wrong things you have done.'

²⁷ They came to Jerusalem again. Jesus walked in the temple. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders came to him.

²⁸ They said, `What right have you to do these things? Who gave you the right to do them?'

²⁹ Jesus said, `I will ask you a question. If you answer me, I will answer you and tell you what right I have to do these things.

³⁰ Who gave John the right to baptise people? Did God or did men? Answer me!'

³¹ So they talked it over together. They said, `If we say, "God gave John the right," he will say, "Then why did you not believe him?"

³² But what if we say, "Men gave him the right to do it"?' They feared the people because they all believed that John was a prophet of God.

³³ So they answered Jesus, `We do not know.' Then Jesus said, `Neither will I tell you what right I have to do these things.'

12 Jesus then began to speak to the disciples in stories. `A man planted a farm of vines for growing fruit called grapes. He put a fence of small trees around it. He dug a place to press the juice from the fruit. He built a high house from which men could watch over the farm. Then he let some men pay to use it and went to a country far away.

² At harvest time the owner sent one his servants to get some of the fruit from the farm.

³ The men took the servant and beat him. They sent him away without any fruit.

⁴ He sent another servant. They hurt this one also, and cut his head. The things they did to him were very wrong.

⁵ So he sent another servant. The men killed him. He sent many others, and the men beat some and killed others.

⁶ There was one left. He was his own son. He sent him last. He said, "They will respect my son."

⁷ But the men said to each other, "This is the one who will have everything when his father dies. Let us kill him. Then everything will belong to us."

⁸ They killed him and threw his body outside the farm.

⁹ `What will the man who owned the farm do to them? He will come back and kill the men in the farm. And he will give the farm to other men to use.

^10-11 ave you not read this writing: "The stone which the builders would not use is now the chief stone of the corner. The Lord did this. It looks wonderful to us."?'

¹² They tried to catch Jesus but they feared the people. They knew that Jesus had spoken this against them. So they left him and went away.

¹³ They sent some Pharisees and some of Herod's people to Jesus. They planned how to make Jesus say something wrong.

¹⁴ They came and said to him, `Teacher, we know that you are true. You do not fear any person or care how great he is. But you teach the true way of God. Tell us, is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or is it not?

¹⁵ Should we pay taxes or not?' Jesus knew they were trying to get him into trouble. So he said to them, `Why are you trying to get me to do wrong? Bring me a piece of money. Let me look at it.'

¹⁶ They brought one to him. He asked, `Whose picture and name is this?' They answered, `Caesar's.'

¹⁷ So he said, `Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and give to God what belongs to God.' The Pharisees and Herod's people were much surprised at Jesus.

¹⁸ Some of the Sadducees came to Jesus. They say that people do not rise from death. They asked Jesus a question.

¹⁹ `Teacher,' they said, `Moses gave us this law: if a man dies and leaves a wife but no children, then his brother must marry the wife and raise a family for his brother.

²⁰ There were seven brothers. The first one married. He died and left no child.

²¹ e second brother married the wife. He also died and left no child. It was the same with the third one.

²² All seven brothers married her. They all had no children. Last of all the woman died also.

²³ Now then when people rise from death, whose wife will she be? All seven of them had married her.'

²⁴ Jesus said to them, `You are wrong! You do not know what the holy writings say. And you do not know what power God has.

²⁵ When people rise from death, men and women do not marry. But they are like angels in heaven.

²⁶ People do rise from death! Have you never read what Moses wrote? It is in the place where we read about the small tree which burned. Moses tells how God said to him, "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."

²⁷ He is not the God of dead people, but of living people. The way you look at things is wrong altogether.'

²⁸ One of the scribes heard them talking. He saw that Jesus gave them a good answer. Then he came and asked, `Which law is the greatest law of all?'

²⁹ Jesus answered, `The greatest one is, "Hear, O Israel. The Lord our God is one Lord.

³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart. Love him with all your soul. Love him with all your mind. And love him with all your strength."

³¹ The second law is this: "Love your neighbour as you love yourself." No law is greater than these laws.'

³² Then the scribe answered Jesus, `Teacher, what you say is right. There is one God. There are no other gods.

³³ Love God with all your heart. Love him with all your understanding. Love him with all your strength. That is much better than to burn offerings and make sacrifices. Love your neighbour as you love yourself. That is better than any of these offerings and sacrifices.'

³⁴ Jesus saw that the scribe was wise. So he said to him, `You are not far from the kingdom of God.' After that everyone feared to ask him any more questions.

³⁵ Jesus was teaching people in the temple. He said, `How can the scribes say that Christ is David's son?

³⁶ The Holy Spirit spoke through David and he himself said: "The Lord said to my Lord, `Sit beside me until I make you master over your enemies.' "

³⁷ `So David calls Christ his Lord. How can Christ be David's son?' Most of the people were glad to hear Jesus' teaching.

³⁸ Jesus went on to teach them. He said, `Take care. Do not let the scribes fool you by the way they do things. They like to walk about with long gowns. They want people to greet them in the market.

³⁹ They want to sit in the front seats in the meeting houses. They want to sit in the best places at feasts.

⁴⁰ They take away the homes of women whose husbands are dead. They cover up the wrong things they do by talking to God a long time. They will be punished more!'

⁴¹ Jesus sat down in the temple near the place where people put in their money. He saw how the people put in money. Many rich people put in much money.

⁴² A poor woman, whose husband was dead, came. She put in two small pieces of money.

⁴³ Jesus called his disciples. He said, `I tell you the truth. This poor woman has given more money than all the other people.

⁴⁴ All these people had plenty of money and they gave only a part of it. She was poor and she gave everything she had. She has nothing left to live on.'

13 When Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said, `Look Master, see those big stones and the wonderful houses!'

² Jesus said, `You see these big houses? I tell you, not one stone here will be left on top of another. They will all be thrown down! `

³ Afterwards, he was sitting on the hill called the Mount of Olives, near the temple. Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to him alone.

⁴ They said, `Tell us, when will this happen? What will be the sign when these things are going to be done?'

⁵ Then Jesus began to talk to them. He said, `Take care. Do not let anyone fool you.

⁶ Many men will come in my name. They will say, "I am Christ." They will fool many people.

⁷ You will hear about wars. You will hear that war is coming. But do not fear. These things must happen, but that is not yet the end.

⁸ One tribe will fight against another tribe. And one country will fight against another country. The earth will shake in many different places. People will have no food to eat. These troubles are only the beginning of the troubles that will come.

⁹ `But you must take care. Men will take you to court. They will beat you in their meeting houses. They will take you to rulers and kings because you are true to me. You will talk to them about me.

¹⁰ The good news must first be told to all people.

¹¹ When men take you to court, do not be troubled about what you will say. Say whatever comes to your mind at that time. It is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit.

¹² A brother will take his brother to be killed. A father will take his child. The children will talk against their father and mother and have them killed.

¹³ All people will hate you because you are true to me. But the person who keeps on being true to me until the end will be saved.

¹⁴ `Daniel the Man of God said that people would put something very bad in the temple.' (Let the one who reads this understand it.) `When that happens, the people in Judea must go quickly to the hills.

¹⁵ A person who is on the top of a house must not go down into the house to get things.

¹⁶ Those who are working in the fields must not go back to get their coats.

¹⁷ In those days it will be very hard for women who are to have a child. It will be very hard for mothers who have babies.

¹⁸ Ask God that you may not have the trouble in the cold time of the year.

¹⁹ The trouble then will be bigger than any trouble since God made the world. And there never will be any trouble as big as that.

²⁰ No person would be saved if the Lord did not make the time of trouble shorter. He will make it shorter for the sake of his chosen people.

²¹ `If anyone says to you then, "Look, here is the Christ!" or, "There he is!" do not believe it.

²² People will come and say they are the Christ. People will come and say they are prophets of God. But they are not true to themselves. They will show big signs and do wonderful things that will fool people. They will fool God's chosen people if they can.

²³ Watch! I have told you all these things before they happen.

²⁴ `In that time of trouble, the sun will be dark. The moon will not shine.

²⁵ The stars will fall from the sky. And the powers in the sky will be shaken.

²⁶ Then people will see the sign of the Son of Man in the clouds. He will have much power and be very great.

²⁷ He will send out the angels to gather his chosen people. They will gather them from everywhere all over the earth.

²⁸ `Learn a lesson from the fig tree. As soon as its branches begin to grow and the leaves come, then you know it will soon be the warm time of the year.

²⁹ `It is the same when you see all these things. You will know that the time is very near, right at the door.

³⁰ I tell you the truth. The people who are living then will not die before all these things happen.

³¹ The sky and the earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

³² `But no one knows the day or the hour when the Son of Man will come. Even the angels in heaven and the Son do not know. Only the Father knows.

³³ So watch! Stay awake and talk with God. You do not know when the time will be.

³⁴ It is like a man who went to a country far away. He left his home and told each one of his servants what work he must do. Then he told the man who guards the door to watch.

³⁵ So watch! You do not know when the master of the house will come. You do not know if he will come in the evening, or at midnight, or when the cock calls, or in the morning.

³⁶ Watch, so that you will not be sleeping if he comes quickly.

³⁷ What I say to you I say to everybody, and this is "Watch".'

14 The Passover Feast and the feast with bread that has no yeast in it was two days later. The chief priests and the scribes planned how to catch Jesus by some trick. They wanted to kill him.

² But they said, `Let us not do it on the day of the feast. We do not want the people to start fighting about it.'

³ When Jesus was in the town of Bethany, he was in Simon's house. Simon had leprosy. While Jesus sat at the table, a woman came to him. She had a bottle of oil. It smelled very nice and cost much money. She broke the bottle and poured the oil on Jesus' head.

⁴ Some people there were angry. They said, `Why was this oil wasted like that?

⁵ The oil might have been sold for a lot of money. Then the money could have been given to poor people.' They said to the woman, `You should not have done this!'

⁶ But Jesus said, `Leave the woman alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good thing to me.

⁷ You will always have poor people with you. Any time you want to, you can do good to them. But I will not always be with you.

⁸ She has done what she could. She has put oil on my body to make me ready to be buried.

⁹ I tell you the truth. Any place in the whole world where people tell the good news, people will also tell what she has done. People will remember her because of it.'

¹⁰ Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the chief priests. He told them how he could help them catch Jesus.

¹¹ They were glad when they heard that. They promised to give him money. So he watched for a good way to help them catch Jesus.

¹² It was the first day of the feast with bread that has no yeast in it. The sheep had to be killed for the Passover Feast. His disciples asked Jesus `Where do you want us to make ready for you to eat the Passover Feast?'

¹³ He sent two of his disciples and said to them, `Go into the city. There you will meet a man who is carrying a pot of water. Follow him.

¹⁴ When he goes into a house, talk to the master of the house. Say to him, "The Teacher says, `Where is my room where I can eat the Passover Feast with my disciples?' "

¹⁵ The man will show you a large room upstairs. It will be all fixed up and ready. Get the Passover food ready for us there.'

¹⁶ The disciples went to the city. They found everything just as he had said. There they made the Passover food ready.

¹⁷ In the evening he came with the twelve disciples.

¹⁸ While they were sitting at the table eating, Jesus said, `I tell you the truth. One of you who is eating with me will give me over to people who hate me.'

¹⁹ They were sad and troubled. One after the other began to say to him, `Lord, is it I?'

²⁰ Jesus answered them, `It is one of you twelve. It is the one who puts his hand in the same dish with me.

²¹ The Son of Man will go just as the holy writings tell about him. But the man who gives him over will have trouble. It would have been better for that man if he had not been born!'

²² As they were eating, Jesus took some bread. He thanked God for it and broke it. Then he gave it to the disciples and said, `Take this bread and eat it. It is my body.'

²³ He also took a cup. He thanked God for it. Then he gave it to them. They all drank some of it.

²⁴ Then he said to them, `This is my blood. It is given for many people. It makes the agreement strong.

²⁵ I tell you the truth. I will not drink any of the fruit of the vine again until I drink some of it new in the kingdom of God.'

²⁶ They sang a song and then went out to the hill called Olives.

²⁷ Jesus said to them, `All of you will leave me this night. the holy writings say, "I will kill the one who takes care of the sheep. And the sheep will run away."

²⁸ But after I am raised from death, I will go to Galilee to meet you.'

²⁹ Peter said, `Even if all the others leave you, I will never leave you.'

³⁰ Jesus said, `I tell you the truth. This very night, before the cock calls two times, you will say three times that you do not know me.'

³¹ Peter said, `Even if I must die with you, I will never say I do not know you!' They all said the same thing.

³² Then they came to a place called Gethsemane. Jesus said to his disciples, `Sit here. I will go and talk with God.'

³³ He took Peter, James, and John along with him. Jesus began to be sad and troubled.

³⁴ He said to them, `My heart is very sad. I am almost dying! Stay here and watch.'

³⁵ Jesus went on a little farther. He fell on the ground and asked God that, if it could be so, this big trouble might pass by him.

³⁶ He said, `Oh, my Father, you can do all things. Take this cup away from me. But do not do what I want, but what you want.'

³⁷ Jesus went back and found the disciples sleeping. He said to Peter, `Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour?

³⁸ All of you must watch and talk with God so that you will not do wrong. A person's heart can want to do it, but his body is weak.'

³⁹ Jesus went away again and said the same words to God again.

⁴⁰ Jesus went back again and found the disciples sleeping. They could not keep their eyes open. They did not know what to say to Jesus.

⁴¹ Then he went back the third time. He said, `Are you still sleeping and resting?. It is enough. The time has come now. The Son of Man is given over to bad people.

⁴² Get up. Let us go. Look, here comes the one who will give me over to people who hate me!'

⁴³ While he was saying this, Judas came. He was one of the twelve disciples. Many people came with him. They had long knives or swords and big sticks. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders had sent them.

⁴⁴ The man who was going to help them catch Jesus had told them that he would give them a sign. He said, `The man that I kiss is the one. Catch him and take him away safely.'

⁴⁵ So when he came, he went to Jesus right away. He said, `Master!' And he kissed him.

⁴⁶ Then they caught Jesus and held him.

⁴⁷ One of the men standing by took his sword. He cut off the ear of the high priest's servant.

⁴⁸ Jesus said, `Have you come to take me with knives and sticks the way you would take a man who steals?

⁴⁹ Every day I was with you in the temple and taught. You did not catch me then. But what the holy writings say will come true.'

⁵⁰ Then all of the disciples left Jesus and ran away.

⁵¹ A young man went with Jesus. He had a piece of cloth about him. The people caught him.

⁵² But he left the cloth behind and ran away without any clothes on.

⁵³ The people took Jesus away to the high priest. All the chief priests, the leaders, and the scribes met there.

⁵⁴ Peter followed far behind Jesus. He went into the yard of the high priest's house. He sat down with the people who worked for the high priest. He warmed himself by the fire.

⁵⁵ 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. But they found none.

⁵⁶ Many people came and said things that were not true. But one said this thing and the other said that thing.

⁵⁷ Then some stood up to talk against Jesus.

⁵⁸ They said, `We heard him say, "I will break down this temple which people have built with hands. In three days I will build another temple but not with hands." '

⁵⁹ Others said, `No, that is not what he said.'

⁶⁰ The high priest stood up among the people and asked Jesus, `Have you no answer? What do you have to say about this? They have said something against you.'

⁶¹ But Jesus said nothing at all. Then the high priest asked him, `Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?'

⁶² Jesus answered, `Yes, I am. 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 of the sky!'

⁶³ Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, `We do not need any more proof against him.

⁶⁴ What he has said is wrong! What do you think?' They all said, `He should be killed.'

⁶⁵ Some people began to spit on him. They covered his face and hit him. They laughed at him and said, `Tell us if you know who hit you!' The guards took him away and hit him as they went.

⁶⁶ Peter sat out in the yard. A servant girl who worked for the high priest came.

⁶⁷ She saw Peter warming himself by the fire. She looked at him and said, `You were also with Jesus of Nazareth.'

⁶⁸ But Peter said, `I do not know or understand what you are talking about.' Peter went out to the gate. Then a cock called.

⁶⁹ A girl saw Peter there and said to the other people standing by, `This man is one of them.'

⁷⁰ But again Peter said he was not. A little while after, those standing around said to Peter, `Surely you are one of them also. You come from Galilee.'

⁷¹ Then Peter began to curse and say bad words. He said, `I do not know this man you are talking about!'

⁷² Right then the cock called a second time and Peter remembered that Jesus had said, `Before the cock calls two times, you will say three times that you do not know me.' Then he broke down and cried.

15 As soon as it was morning, the chief priests, leaders, and the scribes talked together. They tied Jesus and took him before Pilate to be judged.

² Pilate asked him, `Are you the King of the Jews?' Jesus answered, `Yes, I am.'

³ The chief priests brought many complaints against Jesus.

⁴ Then Pilate asked him, `Have you nothing to say? These people are bringing many complaints against you!'

⁵ But Jesus said nothing. Pilate was very much surprised about this.

⁶ At the feast Pilate used to let one prisoner free. He let the people choose the man they wanted to go free.

⁷ In the prison was a man named Barabbas. He had led some people who had been fighting in the city. He had killed a man.

⁸ The people started shouting. They asked Pilate to let one prisoner free, as he used to do.

⁹ Then Pilate asked, `Do you want me to let the King of the Jews go free?'

¹⁰ He knew that the chief priests did not like Jesus. He knew that was why they brought Jesus to him.

¹¹ But the chief priests talked to the people. They told them to ask Pilate to let Barabbas go free.

¹² Pilate asked them, `Then what shall I do with the man whom you call King of the Jews?'

¹³ They shouted back, `Nail him to a cross!'

¹⁴ Pilate then asked, `Why, what wrong thing has he done?' But they shouted even more, `Nail him to a cross!'

¹⁵ Pilate wanted to please the people, so he let Barabbas go free. He told the soldiers to beat Jesus and nail him to a cross.

¹⁶ The soldiers took Jesus to a room. They called all the soldiers together.

¹⁷ They put a red gown on Jesus. They made a big ring of thorns like a crown and put it on his head.

¹⁸ Then they began to speak to him as if he were a king. They shouted, `Greetings, King of the Jews!'

¹⁹ They hit him on the head with a stick and spat on him. They kneeled down before him as if to give him great respect.

²⁰ When they had made fun of him, they took off the red gown and put his own clothes on him again. Then they took Jesus out of the city to nail him to a cross.

²¹ man was coming in from the farms. His name was Simon. He was born in the country of Cyrene. Alexander and Rufus were his sons. The soldiers caught Simon and made him carry Jesus' cross.

²² They took Jesus to Golgotha. That means the place of a head bone.

²³ They wanted Jesus to drink wine mixed with something bitter. But Jesus would not drink it.

²⁴ Then they nailed him to a cross. They gambled to see how they should divide Jesus' clothes.

²⁵ It was nine o'clock in the morning when they nailed him on the cross.

²⁶ They put the complaint they had against him above Jesus' head. It was, `The King of the Jews.'

²⁷ They also nailed two bad men on crosses there. One was put on the right side of Jesus and one was put on the left side of Jesus.

²⁸ The holy writings say, `He was counted as one of the bad people.' It came true.

²⁹ The people who passed by said wrong things about him. They shook their heads and said, `Ha, ha! You are the man who said you could break down the temple and build it again in three days.

³⁰ Save yourself and come down from the cross.'

³¹ The chief priests and the scribes also made fun of him. `He saved other people, but he cannot save himself!

³² If he is the Christ, the king of the people of Israel, he should come down from the cross now. We want to see it and believe!' The bad men who were also nailed to crosses said the same things to him.

³³ About midday the whole land became dark and stayed dark for three hours.

³⁴ About three o'clock, Jesus called out loud, `Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?' That means, `My God, my God, why have you left me alone?'

³⁵ Some of the people standing there heard what Jesus said. They said, `Listen, he is calling for Elijah!'

³⁶ One man 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. He said, `We will see if Elijah will come and take him down!'

³⁷ Then Jesus called out loud. Then he died.

³⁸ The big cloth that hung in the temple was torn into two pieces. It was torn from the top down to the bottom.

³⁹ The captain who stood in front of Jesus saw that he died. He said, `Surely, this man was God's Son.'

⁴⁰ Some women were watching from far away. Among these women were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of the younger James and Joses, and Salome.

⁴¹ When Jesus was in Galilee, they came with him and helped him. Some other women who had come to Jerusalem with Jesus were also watching.

⁴² It was now evening of the day before the Sabbath.

⁴³ Joseph of Arimathaea was a member of the court. He was a good man. He also was looking for the kingdom of God. He was not afraid, but went to Pilate and asked him for Jesus' body.

⁴⁴ Pilate was surprised to hear that Jesus was dead already. He called the captain and asked him if Jesus was dead.

⁴⁵ The captain told him that he was. Then Pilate let Joseph take the body.

⁴⁶ Joseph went to buy some cloth. Then he took Jesus down and wrapped him in the cloth. He laid him in a grave that had been cut in a rock. Then he rolled a very big stone to close the grave.

⁴⁷ Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where they laid Jesus.

16 The Sabbath day was past. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome came to the grave. They brought spices that smelled very nice to put on the body of Jesus.

² They came to the grave on the first day of the week. It was very early in the morning. The sun was beginning to shine.

³ One woman said to the other, `Who will roll away the big stone from the grave for us?'

⁴ The stone was very big. When they looked up they saw that the stone was rolled away.

⁵ So they went in the grave. They saw a young man dressed in a white gown. He sat at the right side. They were very much surprised.

⁶ He said, `Do not be surprised. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth who was nailed to a cross. He is risen. He is not here. Look, here is where they laid him.

⁷ Go and tell his disciples and Peter. Tell them he is going to Galilee before you. You will see him there as he said to you.'

⁸ Then they left the grave quickly. They were trembling and afraid. They did not talk to anyone about it because they were afraid.

⁹ Jesus rose early on the first day of the week. He showed himself first to Mary Magdalene. Jesus had driven seven bad spirits out of her.

¹⁰ She went and told the disciples that she had seen him. They were still crying because Jesus was dead.

¹¹ Mary told them that he was living. She had seen him. But they would not believe it.

¹² After this, Jesus came to two disciples. He looked like a different person. They were walking out in the country.

¹³ They went back and told the rest of the disciples, but they would not believe them either.

¹⁴ Then after that Jesus showed himself to the eleven disciples while they were eating. He said it was very bad for them not to believe and for their minds to be slow. He said they should have believed those who saw him after he rose from death.

¹⁵ Then Jesus said to them, `Go into every part of the world. Tell the good news to everyone.

¹⁶ The one who believes the good news and is baptised will be saved. But he who does not believe will be judged and punished.

¹⁷ These signs will be with those who believe. They will drive bad spirits out of people by using my name. They will speak new languages.

¹⁸ They will take up snakes. If they drink poison, it will not make them sick. They will put their hands on sick people and sick people will get well again.'

¹⁹ So after the Lord Jesus had talked to them, he went up into heaven and sat down beside God.

²⁰ Then the disciples went and told the good news everywhere. The Lord worked with them. He made their words come true by the signs that happened after they talked.

1 Many people have tried already to write down the things that have happened among us.

² These things were told us by men who saw them happen from the time they began to happen. And these men helped tell the good news.

³ I have tried to find out all that has happened from the beginning. And so, Theophilus, great ruler, I myself will write you the whole story.

⁴ Then you will know that the things people have told you are true.

⁵ When Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah. He was one of a group of priests, and Abijah was their leader. Zechariah's wife Elizabeth came from the family of Aaron.

⁶ Both of them were good people as God saw them. They obeyed all the laws and the things that the Lord said they should do.

⁷ But they had no children. Elizabeth was not able to have a baby and they were both very old.

⁸ Zechariah was doing his work one day as a priest to God. It was time for his group to do the work in the temple.

⁹ The priests had a certain way of dividing their work. This day it was Zechariah's turn to go into the temple of the Lord and burn the incense [that smells sweet when it is burned].

¹⁰ All the people were talking to God outside the temple at this time.

¹¹ An angel of the Lord came to Zechariah. He was standing on the right side of the incense table.

¹² When Zechariah saw him, he was surprised and afraid.

¹³ But the angel said, `Do not be afraid, Zechariah. You have been talking to God. He has heard you. Your wife Elizabeth will have a son. Name him John.

¹⁴ `You will be glad and happy. Many people will be glad when he is born.

¹⁵ He will be great in the way the Lord calls people great. He must not drink wine or any strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the time he is born.

¹⁶ He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.

¹⁷ He will go ahead of the Lord. He will have the spirit and power of Elijah. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children. And he will bring back the people who do not obey, so that they will want to do what good people do. He will make people ready for the Lord.'

¹⁸ Then Zechariah said to the angel, `How can I know that this will happen? I am an old man and my wife is also old.'

¹⁹ The angel answered him, `I am Gabriel and I stand before God. I have been sent to talk to you and to bring you this good news.

²⁰ Now listen. You will be silent and not be able to talk until the day that all this has happened. This is because you did not believe what I told you. At the right time all that I said will come true.'

²¹ the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the temple. They were surprised that he stayed in so long.

²² When he came out, he could not talk to them. They knew that he had seen something in the temple. He made signs to them with his hands and did not talk.

²³ When his time for doing the work of a priest was finished, Zechariah went home.

²⁴ After that, his wife Elizabeth found she was going to have a baby. For five months she stayed away from people.

²⁵ She said to herself, `The Lord has done this for me. At this time he has remembered me so that I need not be ashamed among people anymore.'

²⁶ Elizabeth was now in her sixth month. God sent the angel Gabriel to the town of Nazareth in Galilee.

²⁷ The angel was sent to a young woman there. Her name was Mary. She was promised to a man named Joseph, to be his wife. He was of David's family line.

²⁸ The angel went into the house and said to her, `Be happy! God has blessed you more than other women. The Lord is with you!'

²⁹ What the angel said troubled Mary. She wondered what this greeting meant.

³⁰ The angel said to her, `Do not be afraid, Mary. God has blessed you.

³¹ You will have a baby son. Name him Jesus.

³² He will be a great man. He will be called the Son of the Highest One [a name for God]. The Lord God will make him king where his father David was king.

³³ He will be king over the people of Israel for ever. He will never stop being king.'

³⁴ Then Mary said to the angel, `How can this happen? I have no husband.'

³⁵ The angel answered, `The Holy Spirit will come to you. The power of the Highest One will be over you. That is why the holy child who is to be born will be called the Son of God.

³⁶ `Your cousin Elizabeth is also going to have a baby son, though she is an old woman. This is the sixth month for her. She is one whom people said would not have a baby.

³⁷ But God can do anything.'

³⁸ Mary said, `I am the Lord's servant. Let it be as you have said.' Then the angel left her.

³⁹ At that time, Mary got ready and went as quickly as she could to the hill country. She went to a town in Judah.

⁴⁰ She went into the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby in her moved. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

⁴² She said in a loud voice, `God has made you happy and blessed you more than all other women. He has blessed your baby.

⁴³ Who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

⁴⁴ Listen! When I heard your greeting, the baby inside me moved because he was glad.

⁴⁵ She who has believed what was told her is blessed. What the Lord said to her will come true.'

⁴⁶ Mary said, `My heart is praising the Lord.

⁴⁷ And my spirit is happy because God has saved me.

⁴⁸ He has remembered his servant even though she is not a great person. From now on all people of all times will say God has blessed me.

⁴⁹ He who has all power has done a big work for me. His name is holy.

⁵⁰ `He is kind to people of all times who respect him.

⁵¹ He has shown how strong he is with his arm. He has taken away people who were proud in their hearts.

⁵² He has moved big rulers from power, and those that were not great he has made great.

⁵³ He has given hungry people good things to eat, and sent away the rich people with nothing.

⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel.

⁵⁵ He has remembered to be kind just as he said to our fathers of long ago. He promised to be kind to Abraham and his children's children for ever.'

⁵⁶ Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months. Then she went home.

⁵⁷ The time had now come for Elizabeth's child to be born. She had a son.

⁵⁸ When her neighbours and family heard that the Lord had been so kind to her, they were glad, too.

⁵⁹ On the eighth day people came to circumcise [make a special mark on] the child. They were going to name him Zechariah like his father.

⁶⁰ But his mother said, `No, his name is to be John.'

⁶¹ They said to her, `But no one in your family has that name.'

⁶² They made signs to the father to find out what name he wanted the child to have.

⁶³ He asked for something to write on. He wrote, `His name is John.' They were all surprised.

⁶⁴ Right then he opened his mouth and his tongue was free. He began to speak and to praise God.

⁶⁵ Everyone who lived around there began to wonder at these things. And everywhere in the hill country of Judea, all these things were talked about.

⁶⁶ All those who heard them thought much about them. They said, `What will this child be some day?' They said this because the power of the Lord was with him.

⁶⁷ Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke words from God.

⁶⁸ He said, `Praise the Lord God of Israel! He has remembered his people, and set them free.

⁶⁹ He has chosen one from the family of his servant David. He has given him power to save us.

⁷⁰ That is what he promised through his holy prophets of God long ago.

⁷¹ He said he would save us from our enemies and set us free from those who hate us.

⁷² `He said he would be kind to our fathers. He said he would remember his agreement with them.

^73-75 That was what he promised our father Abraham he would surely do. He promised to set us free from our enemies. He promised that we should be without fear. He promised that we would worship him and be holy and good before him as long as we live.

⁷⁶ `You, my child, will be called the prophet or messenger of the Highest One. You will go ahead of the Lord to make his way ready.

⁷⁷ You will tell his people how to be saved by being forgiven for their wrong ways.

⁷⁸ `Our God is kind. A light from heaven will shine.

⁷⁹ That light will shine on those who are in darkness, and are going to die. That light will show us how to walk in peace.'

⁸⁰ The child grew. He became strong in spirit. He lived in the desert until the day when he came to the people of Israel.