Bible in 90 Days

Jesus Is Born

2 In those days, Caesar Augustus made a law. It required that a list be made of everyone in the whole Roman world. ² It was the first time a list was made of the people while Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³ Everyone went to their own town to be listed.

⁴ So Joseph went also. He went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea. That is where Bethlehem, the town of David, was. Joseph went there because he belonged to the family line of David. ⁵ He went there with Mary to be listed. Mary was engaged to him. She was expecting a baby. ⁶ While Joseph and Mary were there, the time came for the child to be born. ⁷ She gave birth to her first baby. It was a boy. She wrapped him in large strips of cloth. Then she placed him in a manger. That’s because there was no guest room where they could stay.

⁸ There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby. It was night, and they were taking care of their sheep. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them. And the glory of the Lord shone around them. They were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news. It will bring great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you. He is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² Here is how you will know I am telling you the truth. You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.”

¹³ Suddenly a large group of angels from heaven also appeared. They were praising God. They said,

¹⁵ The angels left and went into heaven. Then the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem. Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby. The baby was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ After the shepherds had seen him, they told everyone. They reported what the angel had said about this child. ¹⁸ All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary kept all these things like a secret treasure in her heart. She thought about them over and over. ²⁰ The shepherds returned. They gave glory and praise to God. Everything they had seen and heard was just as they had been told.

²¹ When the child was eight days old, he was circumcised. At the same time he was named Jesus. This was the name the angel had given him before his mother became pregnant.

Joseph and Mary Take Jesus to the Temple

²² The time came for making Mary “clean” as required by the Law of Moses. So Joseph and Mary took Jesus to Jerusalem. There they presented him to the Lord. ²³ In the Law of the Lord it says, “The first boy born in every family must be set apart for the Lord.” (Exodus 13:2,12) ²⁴ They also offered a sacrifice. They did it in keeping with the Law, which says, “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” (Leviticus 12:8)

²⁵ In Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was a good and godly man. He was waiting for God’s promise to Israel to come true. The Holy Spirit was with him. ²⁶ The Spirit had told Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷ The Spirit led him into the temple courtyard. Then Jesus’ parents brought the child in. They came to do for him what the Law required. ²⁸ Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God. He said,

³³ The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them. He said to Mary, Jesus’ mother, “This child is going to cause many people in Israel to fall and to rise. God has sent him. But many will speak against him. ³⁵ The thoughts of many hearts will be known. A sword will wound your own soul too.”

³⁶ There was also a prophet named Anna. She was the daughter of Penuel from the tribe of Asher. Anna was very old. After getting married, she lived with her husband seven years. ³⁷ Then she was a widow until she was 84. She never left the temple. She worshiped night and day, praying and going without food. ³⁸ Anna came up to Jesus’ family at that moment. She gave thanks to God. And she spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the time when Jerusalem would be set free.

³⁹ Joseph and Mary did everything the Law of the Lord required. Then they returned to Galilee. They went to their own town of Nazareth. ⁴⁰ And the child grew and became strong. He was very wise. He was blessed by God’s grace.

The Boy Jesus at the Temple

⁴¹ Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. ⁴² When Jesus was 12 years old, they went up to the feast as usual. ⁴³ After the feast was over, his parents left to go back home. The boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But they were not aware of it. ⁴⁴ They thought he was somewhere in their group. So they traveled on for a day. Then they began to look for him among their relatives and friends. ⁴⁵ They did not find him. So they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. ⁴⁶ After three days they found him in the temple courtyard. He was sitting with the teachers. He was listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ Everyone who heard him was amazed at how much he understood. They also were amazed at his answers. ⁴⁸ When his parents saw him, they were amazed. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been worried about you. We have been looking for you everywhere.”

⁴⁹ “Why were you looking for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” ⁵⁰ But they did not understand what he meant by that.

⁵¹ Then he went back to Nazareth with them, and he obeyed them. But his mother kept all these things like a secret treasure in her heart. ⁵² Jesus became wiser and stronger. He also became more and more pleasing to God and to people.

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

3 Tiberius Caesar had been ruling for 15 years. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea. Herod was the ruler of Galilee. His brother Philip was the ruler of Iturea and Traconitis. Lysanias was ruler of Abilene. ² Annas and Caiaphas were high priests. At that time God’s word came to John, son of Zechariah, in the desert. ³ He went into all the countryside around the Jordan River. There he preached that people should be baptized and turn away from their sins. Then God would forgive them. ⁴ Here is what is written in the book of Isaiah the prophet. It says,

⁷ John spoke to the crowds coming to be baptized by him. He said, “You are like a nest of poisonous snakes! Who warned you to escape the coming of God’s anger? ⁸ Live in a way that shows you have turned away from your sins. And don’t start saying to yourselves, ‘Abraham is our father.’ I tell you, God can raise up children for Abraham even from these stones. ⁹ The ax is already lying at the roots of the trees. All the trees that don’t produce good fruit will be cut down. They will be thrown into the fire.”

¹⁰ “Then what should we do?” the crowd asked.

¹¹ John answered, “Anyone who has extra clothes should share with the one who has none. And anyone who has extra food should do the same.”

¹² Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”

¹³ “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” John told them.

¹⁴ Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”

John replied, “Don’t force people to give you money. Don’t bring false charges against people. Be happy with your pay.”

¹⁵ The people were waiting. They were expecting something. They were all wondering in their hearts if John might be the Messiah. ¹⁶ John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I am will come. I’m not good enough to untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷ His pitchfork is in his hand to toss the straw away from his threshing floor. He will gather the wheat into his barn. But he will burn up the husks with fire that can’t be put out.” ¹⁸ John said many other things to warn the people. He also announced the good news to them.

¹⁹ But John found fault with Herod, the ruler of Galilee, because of his marriage to Herodias. She was the wife of Herod’s brother. John also spoke strongly to Herod about all the other evil things he had done. ²⁰ So Herod locked John up in prison. Herod added this sin to all his others.

The Baptism and Family Line of Jesus

²¹ When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened. ²² The Holy Spirit came to rest on him in the form of a dove. A voice came from heaven. It said, “You are my Son, and I love you. I am very pleased with you.”

²³ Jesus was about 30 years old when he began his special work for God and others. It was thought that he was the son of Joseph.

Jesus Is Tempted in the Desert

4 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan River. The Spirit led him into the desert. ² There the devil tempted him for 40 days. Jesus ate nothing during that time. At the end of the 40 days, he was hungry.

³ The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”

⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written, ‘Man must not live only on bread.’ ” (Deuteronomy 8:3)

⁵ Then the devil led Jesus up to a high place. In an instant, he showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world. ⁶ He said to Jesus, “I will give you all their authority and glory. It has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. ⁷ If you worship me, it will all be yours.”

⁸ Jesus answered, “It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God. He is the only one you should serve.’ ” (Deuteronomy 6:13)

⁹ Then the devil led Jesus to Jerusalem. He had Jesus stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. ¹⁰ It is written,

¹² Jesus answered, “Scripture says, ‘Do not test the Lord your God.’ ” (Deuteronomy 6:16)

¹³ When the devil finished all this tempting, he left Jesus until a better time.

Jesus Is Not Accepted in Nazareth

¹⁴ Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Holy Spirit. News about him spread through the whole countryside. ¹⁵ He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.

¹⁶ Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. On the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue as he usually did. He stood up to read. ¹⁷ And the scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. Jesus unrolled it and found the right place. There it is written,

²⁰ Then Jesus rolled up the scroll. He gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were staring at him. ²¹ He began by saying to them, “Today this passage of Scripture is coming true as you listen.”

²² Everyone said good things about him. They were amazed at the gracious words they heard from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.

²³ Jesus said, “Here is a saying you will certainly apply to me. ‘Doctor, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me this. ‘Do the things here in your hometown that we heard you did in Capernaum.’ ”

²⁴ “What I’m about to tell you is true,” he continued. “A prophet is not accepted in his hometown. ²⁵ I tell you for sure that there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah. And there had been no rain for three and a half years. There wasn’t enough food to eat anywhere in the land. ²⁶ But Elijah was not sent to any of those widows. Instead, he was sent to a widow in Zarephath near Sidon. ²⁷ And there were many in Israel who had skin diseases in the days of Elisha the prophet. But not one of them was healed except Naaman the Syrian.”

²⁸ All the people in the synagogue were very angry when they heard that. ²⁹ They got up and ran Jesus out of town. They took him to the edge of the hill on which the town was built. They planned to throw him off the cliff. ³⁰ But Jesus walked right through the crowd and went on his way.

Jesus Drives Out an Evil Spirit

³¹ Then Jesus went to Capernaum, a town in Galilee. On the Sabbath day he taught the people. ³² They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority.

³³ In the synagogue there was a man controlled by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice. ³⁴ “Go away!” he said. “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are. You are the Holy One of God!”

³⁵ “Be quiet!” Jesus said firmly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down in front of everybody. And it came out without hurting him.

³⁶ All the people were amazed. They said to each other, “What he says is amazing! With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits. And they come out!” ³⁷ The news about Jesus spread throughout the whole area.

Jesus Heals Many People

³⁸ Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. At that time, Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever. So they asked Jesus to help her. ³⁹ He bent over her and commanded the fever to leave, and it left her. She got up right away and began to serve them.

⁴⁰ At sunset, people brought to Jesus all who were sick. He placed his hands on each one and healed them. ⁴¹ Also, demons came out of many people. The demons shouted, “You are the Son of God!” But he commanded them to be quiet. He would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.

⁴² At dawn, Jesus went out to a place where he could be by himself. The people went to look for him. When they found him, they tried to keep him from leaving them. ⁴³ But he said, “I must announce the good news of God’s kingdom to the other towns also. That is why I was sent.” ⁴⁴ And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

Jesus Chooses His First Disciples

5 One day Jesus was standing by the Sea of Galilee. The people crowded around him and listened to the word of God. ² Jesus saw two boats at the edge of the water. They had been left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. ³ He got into the boat that belonged to Simon. Jesus asked him to go out a little way from shore. Then he sat down in the boat and taught the people.

⁴ When he finished speaking, he turned to Simon. Jesus said, “Go out into deep water. Let down the nets so you can catch some fish.”

⁵ Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

⁶ When they had done so, they caught a large number of fish. There were so many that their nets began to break. ⁷ So they motioned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

⁸ When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees. “Go away from me, Lord!” he said. “I am a sinful man!” ⁹ He and everyone with him were amazed at the number of fish they had caught. ¹⁰ So were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who worked with Simon.

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will fish for people.” ¹¹ So they pulled their boats up on shore. Then they left everything and followed him.

Jesus Heals a Man Who Had a Skin Disease

¹² While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along. He had a skin disease all over his body. When he saw Jesus, the man fell with his face to the ground. He begged him, “Lord, if you are willing to make me ‘clean,’ you can do it.”

¹³ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing to do it,” he said. “Be ‘clean’!” Right away the disease left him.

¹⁴ Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone. Go and show yourself to the priest. Offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded. It will be a witness to the priest and the people that you are ‘clean.’ ”

¹⁵ But the news about Jesus spread even more. So crowds of people came to hear him. They also came to be healed of their sicknesses. ¹⁶ But Jesus often went away to be by himself and pray.

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Man Who Could Not Walk

¹⁷ One day Jesus was teaching. Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. They heard that the Lord had given Jesus the power to heal the sick. ¹⁸ So some men came carrying a man who could not walk. He was lying on a mat. They tried to take him into the house to place him in front of Jesus. ¹⁹ They could not find a way to do this because of the crowd. So they went up on the roof. Then they lowered the man on his mat through the opening in the roof tiles. They lowered him into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

²⁰ When Jesus saw that they had faith, he spoke to the man. He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

²¹ The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to think, “Who is this fellow who says such an evil thing? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

²² Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? ²³ Is it easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’? Or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? ²⁴ But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he spoke to the man who could not walk. “I tell you,” he said, “get up. Take your mat and go home.” ²⁵ Right away, the man stood up in front of them. He took his mat and went home praising God. ²⁶ Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with wonder. They said, “We have seen unusual things today.”

Jesus Chooses Levi and Eats With Sinners

²⁷ After this, Jesus left the house. He saw a tax collector sitting at the tax booth. The man’s name was Levi. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him. ²⁸ Levi got up, left everything and followed him.

²⁹ Then Levi gave a huge banquet for Jesus at his house. A large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. ³⁰ But the Pharisees and their teachers of the law complained to Jesus’ disciples. They said, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

³¹ Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor. Sick people do. ³² I have not come to get those who think they are right with God to follow me. I have come to get sinners to turn away from their sins.”

Jesus Is Asked About Fasting

³³ Some of the people who were there said to Jesus, “John’s disciples often pray and go without eating. So do the disciples of the Pharisees. But yours go on eating and drinking.”

³⁴ Jesus answered, “Can you make the friends of the groom fast while he is with them? ³⁵ But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them. In those days they will go without eating.”

³⁶ Then Jesus gave them an example. He said, “No one tears a piece out of new clothes to patch old clothes. Otherwise, they will tear the new clothes. Also, the patch from the new clothes will not match the old clothes. ³⁷ No one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins. The wine will run out, and the wineskins will be destroyed. ³⁸ No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. ³⁹ After drinking old wine, no one wants the new. They say, ‘The old wine is better.’ ”

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath Day

6 One Sabbath day Jesus was walking through the grainfields. His disciples began to break off some heads of grain. They rubbed them in their hands and ate them. ² Some of the Pharisees said, “It is against the Law to do this on the Sabbath day. Why are you doing it?”

³ Jesus answered them, “Haven’t you ever read about what David did? He and his men were hungry. ⁴ He entered the house of God and took the holy bread. He ate the bread that only priests were allowed to eat. David also gave some to his men.” ⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath day.”

⁶ On another Sabbath day, Jesus went into the synagogue and was teaching. A man whose right hand was weak and twisted was there. ⁷ The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were trying to find fault with Jesus. So they watched him closely. They wanted to see if he would heal on the Sabbath day. ⁸ But Jesus knew what they were thinking. He spoke to the man who had the weak and twisted hand. “Get up and stand in front of everyone,” he said. So the man got up and stood there.

⁹ Then Jesus said to them, “What does the Law say we should do on the Sabbath day? Should we do good? Or should we do evil? Should we save life? Or should we destroy it?”

¹⁰ He looked around at all of them. Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did, and his hand had been made as good as new. ¹¹ But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were very angry. They began to talk to one another about what they might do to Jesus.

Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles

¹² On one of those days, Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray. He spent the night praying to God. ¹³ When morning came, he called for his disciples to come to him. He chose 12 of them and made them apostles. Here are their names.

Jesus Gives Blessings and Warnings

¹⁷ Jesus went down the mountain with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there. A large number of other people were there too. They came from all over Judea, including Jerusalem. They also came from the coastland around Tyre and Sidon. ¹⁸ They had all come to hear Jesus and to be healed of their sicknesses. People who were troubled by evil spirits were made well. ¹⁹ Everyone tried to touch Jesus. Power was coming from him and healing them all.

²⁰ Jesus looked at his disciples. He said to them,

²³ “The prophets of long ago were treated the same way. When these things happen to you, be glad and jump for joy. You will receive many blessings in heaven.

Love Your Enemies

²⁷ “But here is what I tell you who are listening. Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. ²⁸ Bless those who call down curses on you. And pray for those who treat you badly. ²⁹ Suppose someone slaps you on one cheek. Let them slap you on the other cheek as well. Suppose someone takes your coat. Don’t stop them from taking your shirt as well. ³⁰ Give to everyone who asks you. And if anyone takes what belongs to you, don’t ask to get it back. ³¹ Do to others as you want them to do to you.

³² “Suppose you love those who love you. Should anyone praise you for that? Even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And suppose you do good to those who are good to you. Should anyone praise you for that? Even sinners do that. ³⁴ And suppose you lend money to those who can pay you back. Should anyone praise you for that? Even a sinner lends to sinners, expecting them to pay everything back. ³⁵ But love your enemies. Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then you will receive a lot in return. And you will be children of the Most High God. He is kind to people who are evil and are not thankful. ³⁶ So have mercy, just as your Father has mercy.

Be Fair When You Judge Other People

³⁷ “If you do not judge other people, then you will not be judged. If you do not find others guilty, then you will not be found guilty. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. ³⁸ Give, and it will be given to you. A good amount will be poured into your lap. It will be pressed down, shaken together, and running over. The same amount you give will be measured out to you.”

³⁹ Jesus also gave them another example. He asked, “Can a blind person lead another blind person? Won’t they both fall into a pit? ⁴⁰ The student is not better than the teacher. But everyone who is completely trained will be like their teacher.

⁴¹ “You look at the bit of sawdust in your friend’s eye. But you pay no attention to the piece of wood in your own eye. ⁴² How can you say to your friend, ‘Let me take the bit of sawdust out of your eye’? How can you say this while there is a piece of wood in your own eye? You pretender! First take the piece of wood out of your own eye. Then you will be able to see clearly to take the bit of sawdust out of your friend’s eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit

⁴³ “A good tree doesn’t bear bad fruit. And a bad tree doesn’t bear good fruit. ⁴⁴ You can tell each tree by the kind of fruit it bears. People do not pick figs from thorns. And they don’t pick grapes from bushes. ⁴⁵ A good man says good things. These come from the good that is stored up in his heart. An evil man says evil things. These come from the evil that is stored up in his heart. A person’s mouth says everything that is in their heart.

The Wise and Foolish Builders

⁴⁶ “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and still don’t do what I say? ⁴⁷ Some people come and listen to me and do what I say. I will show you what they are like. ⁴⁸ They are like a man who builds a house. He digs down deep and sets it on solid rock. When a flood comes, the river rushes against the house. But the water can’t shake it. The house is well built. ⁴⁹ But here is what happens when people listen to my words and do not obey them. They are like a man who builds a house on soft ground instead of solid rock. The moment the river rushes against that house, it falls down. It is completely destroyed.”

A Roman Commander Has Faith

7 Jesus finished saying all these things to the people who were listening. Then he entered Capernaum. ² There the servant of a Roman commander was sick and about to die. His master thought highly of him. ³ The commander heard about Jesus. So he sent some elders of the Jews to him. He told them to ask Jesus to come and heal his servant. ⁴ They came to Jesus and begged him, “This man deserves to have you do this. ⁵ He loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” ⁶ So Jesus went with them.

When Jesus came near the house, the Roman commander sent friends to him. He told them to say, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself. I am not good enough to have you come into my house. ⁷ That is why I did not even think I was fit to come to you. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. ⁸ I myself am a man who is under authority. And I have soldiers who obey my orders. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes. I tell that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

⁹ When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at the commander. Jesus turned to the crowd that was following him. He said, “I tell you, even in Israel I have not found anyone whose faith is so strong.” ¹⁰ Then the men who had been sent to Jesus returned to the house. They found that the servant was healed.

Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son From the Dead

¹¹ Some time later, Jesus went to a town called Nain. His disciples and a large crowd went along with him. ¹² He approached the town gate. Just then, a dead person was being carried out. He was the only son of his mother. She was a widow. A large crowd from the town was with her. ¹³ When the Lord saw her, he felt sorry for her. So he said, “Don’t cry.”

¹⁴ Then he went up and touched the coffin. Those carrying it stood still. Jesus said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” ¹⁵ The dead man sat up and began to talk. Then Jesus gave him back to his mother.

¹⁶ The people were all filled with wonder and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” ¹⁷ This news about Jesus spread all through Judea and the whole country.

Jesus and John the Baptist

¹⁸ John’s disciples told him about all these things. So he chose two of them. ¹⁹ He sent them to the Lord. John told them to ask him, “Are you the one who is supposed to come? Or should we look for someone else?”

²⁰ The men came to Jesus. They said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask you, ‘Are you the one who is supposed to come? Or should we look for someone else?’ ”

²¹ At that time Jesus healed many people. They had illnesses, sicknesses and evil spirits. He also gave sight to many who were blind. ²² So Jesus replied to the messengers, “Go back to John. Tell him what you have seen and heard. Blind people receive sight. Disabled people walk. Those who have skin diseases are made ‘clean.’ Deaf people hear. Those who are dead are raised to life. And the good news is announced to those who are poor. ²³ Blessed is anyone who does not give up their faith because of me.”

²⁴ So John’s messengers left. Then Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John. He said, “What did you go out into the desert to see? Tall grass waving in the wind? ²⁵ If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No. Those who wear fine clothes and have many expensive things are in palaces. ²⁶ Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ²⁷ He is the one written about in Scripture. It says,

²⁸ I tell you, no one more important than John has ever been born. But the least important person in God’s kingdom is more important than John is.”

²⁹ All the people who heard Jesus’ words agreed that God’s way was right. Even the tax collectors agreed. These people had all been baptized by John. ³⁰ But the Pharisees and the authorities on the law did not accept for themselves God’s purpose. So they had not been baptized by John.

³¹ Jesus went on to say, “What can I compare today’s people to? What are they like? ³² They are like children sitting in the market and calling out to each other. They say,

³³ That is how it has been with John the Baptist. When he came to you, he didn’t eat bread or drink wine. And you say, ‘He has a demon.’ ³⁴ But when the Son of Man came, he ate and drank as you do. And you say, ‘This fellow is always eating and drinking far too much. He’s a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ ³⁵ All who follow wisdom prove that wisdom is right.”

A Sinful Woman Pours Perfume on Jesus

³⁶ One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him. So he went to the Pharisee’s house. He took his place at the table. ³⁷ There was a woman in that town who had lived a sinful life. She learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house. So she came there with a special jar of perfume. ³⁸ She stood behind Jesus and cried at his feet. And she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair. She kissed them and poured perfume on them.

³⁹ The Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this. He said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him. He would know what kind of woman she is. She is a sinner!”

⁴⁰ Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me, teacher,” he said.

⁴¹ “Two people owed money to a certain lender. One owed him 500 silver coins. The other owed him 50 silver coins. ⁴² Neither of them had the money to pay him back. So he let them go without paying. Which of them will love him more?”

⁴³ Simon replied, “I suppose the one who owed the most money.”

“You are right,” Jesus said.

⁴⁴ Then he turned toward the woman. He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water to wash my feet. But she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You did not give me a kiss. But this woman has not stopped kissing my feet since I came in. ⁴⁶ You did not put any olive oil on my head. But she has poured this perfume on my feet. ⁴⁷ So I tell you this. Her many sins have been forgiven. She has shown that she understands this by her great acts of love. But whoever has been forgiven only a little loves only a little.”

⁴⁸ Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

⁴⁹ The other guests began to talk about this among themselves. They said, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

⁵⁰ Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

The Story of the Farmer

8 After this, Jesus traveled around from one town and village to another. He announced the good news of God’s kingdom. His 12 disciples were with him. ² So were some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses. One was Mary Magdalene. Seven demons had come out of her. ³ Another was Joanna, the wife of Chuza. He was the manager of Herod’s household. Susanna and many others were there also. These women were helping to support Jesus and the 12 disciples with their own money.

⁴ A large crowd gathered together. People came to Jesus from town after town. As they did, he told a story. He said, ⁵ “A farmer went out to plant his seed. He scattered the seed on the ground. Some fell on a path. People walked on it, and the birds ate it up. ⁶ Some seed fell on rocky ground. When it grew, the plants dried up because they had no water. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns. The thorns grew up with it and crowded out the plants. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil. It grew up and produced a crop 100 times more than the farmer planted.”

When Jesus said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears should listen.”

⁹ His disciples asked him what the story meant. ¹⁰ He said, “You have been given the chance to understand the secrets of God’s kingdom. But to outsiders I speak by using stories. In that way,

¹¹ “Here is what the story means. The seed is God’s message. ¹² The seed on the path stands for God’s message in the hearts of those who hear. But then the devil comes. He takes away the message from their hearts. He does it so they won’t believe. Then they can’t be saved. ¹³ The seed on rocky ground stands for those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But they have no roots. They believe for a while. But when they are tested, they fall away from the faith. ¹⁴ The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear the message. But as they go on their way, they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures. So they do not reach full growth. ¹⁵ But the seed on good soil stands for those with an honest and good heart. Those people hear the message. They keep it in their hearts. They remain faithful and produce a good crop.

A Lamp on a Stand

¹⁶ “No one lights a lamp and then hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand. Then those who come in can see its light. ¹⁷ What is hidden will be seen. And what is out of sight will be brought into the open and made known. ¹⁸ So be careful how you listen. Whoever has something will be given more. Whoever has nothing, even what they think they have will be taken away from them.”

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

¹⁹ Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him. But they could not get near him because of the crowd. ²⁰ Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside. They want to see you.”

²¹ He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and do what it says.”

Jesus Calms the Storm

²² One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and left. ²³ As they sailed, Jesus fell asleep. A storm came down on the lake. It was so bad that the boat was about to sink. They were in great danger.

²⁴ The disciples went and woke Jesus up. They said, “Master! Master! We’re going to drown!”

He got up and ordered the wind and the huge waves to stop. The storm quieted down. It was completely calm. ²⁵ “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.

They were amazed and full of fear. They asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the waves, and they obey him.”

Jesus Heals a Man Controlled by Demons

²⁶ Jesus and his disciples sailed to the area of the Gerasenes across the lake from Galilee. ²⁷ When Jesus stepped on shore, he was met by a man from the town. The man was controlled by demons. For a long time he had not worn clothes or lived in a house. He lived in the tombs. ²⁸ When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet. He shouted at the top of his voice, “Jesus, Son of the Most High God, what do you want with me? I beg you, don’t hurt me!” ²⁹ This was because Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man. Many times the spirit had taken hold of him. The man’s hands and feet were chained, and he was kept under guard. But he had broken his chains. And then the demon had forced him to go out into lonely places in the countryside.

³⁰ Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

“Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. ³¹ And they begged Jesus again and again not to order them to go into the Abyss.

³² A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs. And he allowed it. ³³ When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs. Then the herd rushed down the steep bank. They ran into the lake and drowned.

³⁴ Those who were tending the pigs saw what had happened. They ran off and reported it in the town and countryside. ³⁵ The people went out to see what had happened. Then they came to Jesus. They found the man who was now free of the demons. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet. He was dressed and thinking clearly. All this made the people afraid. ³⁶ Those who had seen it told the others how the man who had been controlled by demons was now healed. ³⁷ Then all the people who lived in the area of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them. They were filled with fear. So he got into the boat and left.

³⁸ The man who was now free of the demons begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him away. He said to him, ³⁹ “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away. He told people all over town how much Jesus had done for him.

Jesus Heals a Dead Girl and a Suffering Woman

⁴⁰ When Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him. They were all expecting him. ⁴¹ Then a man named Jairus came. He was a synagogue leader. He fell at Jesus’ feet and begged Jesus to come to his house. ⁴² His only daughter was dying. She was about 12 years old. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him.

⁴³ A woman was there who had a sickness that made her bleed. Her sickness had lasted for 12 years. No one could heal her. ⁴⁴ She came up behind Jesus and touched the edge of his clothes. Right away her bleeding stopped.

⁴⁵ “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.

Everyone said they didn’t do it. Then Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pushing against you.”

⁴⁶ But Jesus said, “Someone touched me. I know that power has gone out from me.”

⁴⁷ The woman realized that people would notice her. Shaking with fear, she came and fell at his feet. In front of everyone, she told why she had touched him. She also told how she had been healed in an instant. ⁴⁸ Then he said to her, “Dear woman, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

⁴⁹ While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus. Jairus was the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” the messenger said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.”

⁵⁰ Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just believe. She will be healed.”

⁵¹ When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let everyone go in with him. He took only Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother. ⁵² During this time, all the people were crying and sobbing loudly over the child. “Stop crying!” Jesus said. “She is not dead. She is sleeping.”

⁵³ They laughed at him. They knew she was dead. ⁵⁴ But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” ⁵⁵ Her spirit returned, and right away she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. ⁵⁶ Her parents were amazed. But Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Disciples

9 Jesus called together the 12 disciples. He gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to heal sicknesses. ² Then he sent them out to announce God’s kingdom and to heal those who were sick. ³ He told them, “Don’t take anything for the journey. Do not take a walking stick or a bag. Do not take any bread, money or extra clothes. ⁴ When you are invited into a house, stay there until you leave town. ⁵ Some people may not welcome you. If they don’t, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet. This will be a witness against the people living there.” ⁶ So the 12 disciples left. They went from village to village. They announced the good news and healed people everywhere.

⁷ Now Herod, the ruler of Galilee, heard about everything that was going on. He was bewildered, because some were saying that John the Baptist had been raised from the dead. ⁸ Others were saying that Elijah had appeared. Still others were saying that a prophet of long ago had come back to life. ⁹ But Herod said, “I had John’s head cut off. So who is it that I hear such things about?” And he tried to see Jesus.

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

¹⁰ The disciples returned. They told Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him. They went off by themselves to a town called Bethsaida. ¹¹ But the crowds learned about it and followed Jesus. He welcomed them and spoke to them about God’s kingdom. He also healed those who needed to be healed.

¹² Late in the afternoon the 12 disciples came to him. They said, “Send the crowd away. They can go to the nearby villages and countryside. There they can find food and a place to stay. There is nothing here.”

¹³ Jesus replied, “You give them something to eat.”

The disciples answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish. We would have to go and buy food for all this crowd.” ¹⁴ About 5,000 men were there.

But Jesus said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about 50 each.” ¹⁵ The disciples did so, and everyone sat down. ¹⁶ Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish. He looked up to heaven and gave thanks. He broke them into pieces. Then he gave them to the disciples to give to the people. ¹⁷ All of them ate and were satisfied. The disciples picked up 12 baskets of leftover pieces.

Peter Says That Jesus Is the Messiah

¹⁸ One day Jesus was praying alone. Only his disciples were with him. He asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”

¹⁹ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist. Others say Elijah. Still others say that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.”

²⁰ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.”

Jesus Speaks About His Coming Death

²¹ Jesus strongly warned them not to tell this to anyone. ²² He said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things. The elders will not accept him. The chief priests and the teachers of the law will not accept him either. He must be killed and on the third day rise from the dead.”

²³ Then he said to all of them, “Whoever wants to follow me must say no to themselves. They must pick up their cross every day and follow me. ²⁴ Whoever wants to save their life will lose it. But whoever loses their life for me will save it. ²⁵ What good is it if someone gains the whole world but loses or gives up their very self? ²⁶ Suppose someone is ashamed of me and my words. The Son of Man will come in his glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels. Then he will be ashamed of that person.

²⁷ “What I’m about to tell you is true. Some who are standing here will not die before they see God’s kingdom.”

Jesus’ Appearance Is Changed

²⁸ About eight days after Jesus said this, he went up on a mountain to pray. He took Peter, John and James with him. ²⁹ As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed. His clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. ³⁰ Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in shining glory. Jesus and the two of them talked together. ³¹ They talked about how he would be leaving them soon. This was going to happen in Jerusalem. ³² Peter and his companions had been very sleepy. But then they became completely awake. They saw Jesus’ glory and the two men standing with him. ³³ As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter spoke up. “Master,” he said to him, “it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters. One will be for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” Peter didn’t really know what he was saying.

³⁴ While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them. The disciples were afraid as they entered the cloud. ³⁵ A voice came from the cloud. It said, “This is my Son, and I have chosen him. Listen to him.” ³⁶ When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept quiet about this. They didn’t tell anyone at that time what they had seen.

Jesus Heals a Boy Who Is Controlled by an Evil Spirit

³⁷ The next day Jesus and those who were with him came down from the mountain. A large crowd met Jesus. ³⁸ A man in the crowd called out. “Teacher,” he said, “I beg you to look at my son. He is my only child. ³⁹ A spirit takes hold of him, and he suddenly screams. It throws him into fits so that he foams at the mouth. It hardly ever leaves him. It is destroying him. ⁴⁰ I begged your disciples to drive it out. But they couldn’t do it.”

⁴¹ “You unbelieving and evil people!” Jesus replied. “How long do I have to stay with you? How long do I have to put up with you?” Then he said to the man, “Bring your son here.”

⁴² Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him into a fit. The boy fell to the ground. But Jesus ordered the evil spirit to leave the boy. Then Jesus healed him and gave him back to his father. ⁴³ They were all amazed at God’s greatness.

Jesus Speaks a Second Time About His Coming Death

Everyone was wondering about all that Jesus did. Then Jesus said to his disciples, ⁴⁴ “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you. The Son of Man is going to be handed over to men.” ⁴⁵ But they didn’t understand what this meant. That was because it was hidden from them. And they were afraid to ask Jesus about it.

Who Is the Most Important Person?

⁴⁶ The disciples began to argue about which one of them would be the most important person. ⁴⁷ Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he took a little child and had the child stand beside him. ⁴⁸ Then he spoke to them. “Anyone who welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me,” he said. “And anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. The one considered least important among all of you is really the most important.”

⁴⁹ “Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name. We tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.”

⁵⁰ “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “Anyone who is not against you is for you.”

The Samaritans Do Not Welcome Jesus

⁵¹ The time grew near for Jesus to be taken up to heaven. So he made up his mind to go to Jerusalem. ⁵² He sent messengers on ahead. They went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him. ⁵³ But the people there did not welcome Jesus. That was because he was heading for Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ The disciples James and John saw this. They asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to destroy them?” ⁵⁵ But Jesus turned and commanded them not to do it. ⁵⁶ Then Jesus and his disciples went on to another village.

The Cost of Following Jesus

⁵⁷ Once Jesus and those who were with him were walking along the road. A man said to Jesus, “I will follow you no matter where you go.”

⁵⁸ Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens. Birds have nests. But the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

⁵⁹ He said to another man, “Follow me.”

But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

⁶⁰ Jesus said to him, “Let dead people bury their own dead. You go and tell others about God’s kingdom.”

⁶¹ Still another person said, “I will follow you, Lord. But first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”

⁶² Jesus replied, “Suppose someone starts to plow and then looks back. That person is not fit for service in God’s kingdom.”