Bible in 90 Days

Jesus Is Taken to the Sanhedrin

⁵⁷ Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas, the high priest. The teachers of the law and the elders had come together there. ⁵⁸ Not too far away, Peter followed Jesus. He went right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see what would happen.

⁵⁹ The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for something to use against Jesus. They wanted to put him to death. ⁶⁰ But they did not find any proof, even though many false witnesses came forward.

Finally, two other witnesses came forward. ⁶¹ They said, “This fellow claimed, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God. I can build it again in three days.’ ”

⁶² Then the high priest stood up. He asked Jesus, “Aren’t you going to answer? What are these charges that these men are bringing against you?” ⁶³ But Jesus remained silent.

The high priest said to him, “I am commanding you in the name of the living God. May he judge you if you don’t tell the truth. Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”

⁶⁴ “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But here is what I say to all of you. From now on, you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One. You will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven.”

⁶⁵ Then the high priest tore his clothes. He said, “He has spoken a very evil thing against God! Why do we need any more witnesses? You have heard him say this evil thing. ⁶⁶ What do you think?”

“He must die!” they answered.

⁶⁷ Then they spit in his face. They hit him with their fists. Others slapped him. ⁶⁸ They said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah! Who hit you?”

Peter Says He Does Not Know Jesus

⁶⁹ Peter was sitting out in the courtyard. A female servant came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.

⁷⁰ But in front of all of them, Peter said he was not. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.

⁷¹ Then he went out to the gate leading into the courtyard. There another servant saw him. She said to the people, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

⁷² Again he said he was not. With a curse he said, “I don’t know the man!”

⁷³ After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter. “You must be one of them,” they said. “The way you talk gives you away.”

⁷⁴ Then Peter began to curse and said to them, “I don’t know the man!”

Right away a rooster crowed. ⁷⁵ Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said. “The rooster will crow,” Jesus had told him. “Before it does, you will say three times that you don’t know me.” Peter went outside. He broke down and cried.

Judas Hangs Himself

27 It was early in the morning. All the chief priests and the elders of the people planned how to put Jesus to death. ² So they tied him up and led him away. Then they handed him over to Pilate, who was the governor.

³ Judas, who had handed him over, saw that Jesus had been sentenced to die. He felt deep shame and sadness for what he had done. So he returned the 30 silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. ⁴ “I have sinned,” he said. “I handed over a man who is not guilty.”

“What do we care?” they replied. “That’s your problem.”

⁵ So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.

⁶ The chief priests picked up the coins. They said, “It’s against the law to put this money into the temple fund. It is blood money. It has paid for a man’s death.” ⁷ So they decided to use the money to buy a potter’s field. People from other countries would be buried there. ⁸ That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. ⁹ Then the words spoken by Jeremiah the prophet came true. He had said, “They took the 30 silver coins. That price was set for him by the people of Israel. ¹⁰ They used the coins to buy a potter’s field, just as the Lord commanded me.” (Zechariah 11:12,13; Jeremiah 19:1–13; 32:6–9)

Jesus Is Brought to Pilate

¹¹ Jesus was standing in front of the governor. The governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

“Yes. You have said so,” Jesus replied.

¹² But when the chief priests and the elders brought charges against him, he did not answer. ¹³ Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the charges they are bringing against you?” ¹⁴ But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge. The governor was really amazed.

¹⁵ It was the governor’s practice at the Passover Feast to let one prisoner go free. The people could choose the one they wanted. ¹⁶ At that time they had a well-known prisoner named Jesus Barabbas. ¹⁷ So when the crowd gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to set free? Jesus Barabbas? Or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” ¹⁸ Pilate knew that the leaders wanted to get their own way. He knew this was why they had handed Jesus over to him.

¹⁹ While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him a message. It said, “Don’t have anything to do with that man. He is not guilty. I have suffered a great deal in a dream today because of him.”

²⁰ But the chief priests and the elders talked the crowd into asking for Barabbas and having Jesus put to death.

²¹ “Which of the two do you want me to set free?” asked the governor.

“Barabbas,” they answered.

²² “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked.

They all answered, “Crucify him!”

²³ “Why? What wrong has he done?” asked Pilate.

But they shouted even louder, “Crucify him!”

²⁴ Pilate saw that he wasn’t getting anywhere. Instead, the crowd was starting to get angry. So he took water and washed his hands in front of them. “I am not guilty of this man’s death,” he said. “You are accountable for that!”

²⁵ All the people answered, “Put the blame for his death on us and our children!”

²⁶ Pilate let Barabbas go free. But he had Jesus whipped. Then he handed him over to be nailed to a cross.

The Soldiers Make Fun of Jesus

²⁷ The governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the palace, which was called the Praetorium. All the rest of the soldiers gathered around him. ²⁸ They took off his clothes and put a purple robe on him. ²⁹ Then they twisted thorns together to make a crown. They placed it on his head. They put a stick in his right hand. Then they fell on their knees in front of him and made fun of him. “We honor you, king of the Jews!” they said. ³⁰ They spit on him. They hit him on the head with the stick again and again. ³¹ After they had made fun of him, they took off the robe. They put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him away to nail him to a cross.

Jesus Is Nailed to a Cross

³² On their way out of the city, they met a man from Cyrene. His name was Simon. They forced him to carry the cross. ³³ They came to a place called Golgotha. The word Golgotha means the Place of the Skull. ³⁴ There they mixed wine with bitter spices and gave it to Jesus to drink. After tasting it, he refused to drink it. ³⁵ When they had nailed him to the cross, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. ³⁶ They sat down and kept watch over him there. ³⁷ Above his head they placed the written charge against him. It read,

This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.

³⁸ Two rebels against Rome were crucified with him. One was on his right and one was on his left. ³⁹ Those who passed by shouted at Jesus and made fun of him. They shook their heads ⁴⁰ and said, “So you are going to destroy the temple and build it again in three days? Then save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” ⁴¹ In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders made fun of him. ⁴² “He saved others,” they said. “But he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross! Then we will believe in him. ⁴³ He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him. He’s the one who said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” ⁴⁴ In the same way the rebels who were being crucified with Jesus also made fun of him.

Jesus Dies

⁴⁵ From noon until three o’clock, the whole land was covered with darkness. ⁴⁶ About three o’clock, Jesus cried out in a loud voice. He said, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” This means “My God, my God, why have you deserted me?” (Psalm 22:1)

⁴⁷ Some of those standing there heard Jesus cry out. They said, “He’s calling for Elijah.”

⁴⁸ Right away one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar and put it on a stick. He offered it to Jesus to drink. ⁴⁹ The rest said, “Leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

⁵⁰ After Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, he died.

⁵¹ At that moment the temple curtain was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook. The rocks split. ⁵² Tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. ⁵³ They came out of the tombs. After Jesus was raised from the dead, they went into the holy city. There they appeared to many people.

⁵⁴ The Roman commander and those guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened. They were terrified. They exclaimed, “He was surely the Son of God!”

⁵⁵ Not very far away, many women were watching. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to take care of his needs. ⁵⁶ Mary Magdalene was among them. Mary, the mother of James and Joseph, was also there. So was the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

Jesus Is Buried

⁵⁷ As evening approached, a rich man came from the town of Arimathea. His name was Joseph. He had become a follower of Jesus. ⁵⁸ He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate ordered that it be given to him. ⁵⁹ Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth. ⁶⁰ He placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb. Then he went away. ⁶¹ Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there across from the tomb.

The Guards at the Tomb

⁶² The next day was the day after Preparation Day. The chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. ⁶³ “Sir,” they said, “we remember something that liar said while he was still alive. He claimed, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ ⁶⁴ So give the order to make the tomb secure until the third day. If you don’t, his disciples might come and steal the body. Then they will tell the people that Jesus has been raised from the dead. This last lie will be worse than the first.”

⁶⁵ “Take some guards with you,” Pilate answered. “Go. Make the tomb as secure as you can.” ⁶⁶ So they went and made the tomb secure. They put a royal seal on the stone and placed some guards on duty.

Jesus Rises From the Dead

28 The Sabbath day was now over. It was dawn on the first day of the week. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

² There was a powerful earthquake. An angel of the Lord came down from heaven. The angel went to the tomb. He rolled back the stone and sat on it. ³ His body shone like lightning. His clothes were as white as snow. ⁴ The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

⁵ The angel said to the women, “Don’t be afraid. I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here! He has risen, just as he said he would! Come and see the place where he was lying. ⁷ Go quickly! Tell his disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead. He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

⁸ So the women hurried away from the tomb. They were afraid, but they were filled with joy. They ran to tell the disciples. ⁹ Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings!” he said. They came to him, took hold of his feet and worshiped him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee. There they will see me.”

The Guards Report to the Chief Priests

¹¹ While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city. They reported to the chief priests all that had happened. ¹² When the chief priests met with the elders, they came up with a plan. They gave the soldiers a large amount of money. ¹³ They told the soldiers, “We want you to say, ‘His disciples came during the night. They stole his body while we were sleeping.’ ¹⁴ If the governor hears this report, we will pay him off. That will keep you out of trouble.” ¹⁵ So the soldiers took the money and did as they were told. This story has spread all around among the Jews to this day.

Jesus’ Final Orders to His Disciples

¹⁶ Then the 11 disciples went to Galilee. They went to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him. But some still had their doubts. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them. He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ So you must go and make disciples of all nations. Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. ²⁰ Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And you can be sure that I am always with you, to the very end.”

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

1 This is the beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. ² Long ago Isaiah the prophet wrote,

⁴ And so John the Baptist appeared in the desert. He preached that people should be baptized and turn away from their sins. Then God would forgive them. ⁵ All the people from the countryside of Judea went out to him. All the people from Jerusalem went too. When they admitted they had sinned, John baptized them in the Jordan River. ⁶ John wore clothes made out of camel’s hair. He had a leather belt around his waist. And he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷ Here is what John was preaching. “After me, there is someone coming who is more powerful than I am. I’m not good enough to bend down and untie his sandals. ⁸ I baptize you with water. But he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus Is Baptized and Tempted

⁹ At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee. John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River. ¹⁰ Jesus was coming up out of the water. Just then he saw heaven being torn open. Jesus saw the Holy Spirit coming down on him like a dove. ¹¹ A voice spoke to him from heaven. It said, “You are my Son, and I love you. I am very pleased with you.”

¹² At once the Holy Spirit sent Jesus out into the desert. ¹³ He was in the desert 40 days. There Satan tempted him. The wild animals didn’t harm Jesus. Angels took care of him.

Jesus Preaches the Good News

¹⁴ After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee. He preached the good news of God. ¹⁵ “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Turn away from your sins and believe the good news!”

Jesus Chooses His First Disciples

¹⁶ One day Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee. There he saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were throwing a net into the lake. They were fishermen. ¹⁷ “Come and follow me,” Jesus said. “I will send you out to fish for people.” ¹⁸ At once they left their nets and followed him.

¹⁹ Then Jesus walked a little farther. As he did, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat preparing their nets. ²⁰ Right away he called out to them. They left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men. Then they followed Jesus.

Jesus Drives Out an Evil Spirit

²¹ Jesus and those with him went to Capernaum. When the Sabbath day came, he went into the synagogue. There he began to teach. ²² The people were amazed at his teaching. That’s because he taught them like one who had authority. He did not talk like the teachers of the law. ²³ Just then a man in their synagogue cried out. He was controlled by an evil spirit. He said, ²⁴ “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!”

²⁵ “Be quiet!” said Jesus firmly. “Come out of him!” ²⁶ The evil spirit shook the man wildly. Then it came out of him with a scream.

²⁷ All the people were amazed. So they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching! And with so much authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits, and they obey him.” ²⁸ News about Jesus spread quickly all over Galilee.

Jesus Heals Many People

²⁹ Jesus and those with him left the synagogue. Right away they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. ³⁰ Simon’s mother-in-law was lying in bed with a fever. They told Jesus about her right away. ³¹ So he went to her. He took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her. Then she began to serve them.

³² That evening after sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who were sick. They also brought all who were controlled by demons. ³³ All the people in town gathered at the door. ³⁴ Jesus healed many of them. They had all kinds of sicknesses. He also drove out many demons. But he would not let the demons speak, because they knew who he was.

Jesus Prays in a Quiet Place

³⁵ It was very early in the morning and still dark. Jesus got up and left the house. He went to a place where he could be alone. There he prayed. ³⁶ Simon and his friends went to look for Jesus. ³⁷ When they found him, they called out, “Everyone is looking for you!”

³⁸ Jesus replied, “Let’s go somewhere else. I want to go to the nearby towns. I must preach there also. That is why I have come.” ³⁹ So he traveled all around Galilee. He preached in their synagogues. He also drove out demons.

Jesus Heals a Man Who Had a Skin Disease

⁴⁰ A man who had a skin disease came to Jesus. On his knees he begged Jesus. He said, “If you are willing to make me ‘clean,’ you can do it.”

⁴¹ Jesus became angry. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing to do it,” Jesus said. “Be ‘clean’!” ⁴² Right away the disease left the man, and he was “clean.”

⁴³ Jesus sent him away at once. He gave the man a strong warning. ⁴⁴ “Don’t tell this to anyone,” he said. “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.’ ” ⁴⁵ But the man went out and started talking right away. He spread the news to everyone. So Jesus could no longer enter a town openly. He stayed outside in lonely places. But people still came to him from everywhere.

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Man Who Could Not Walk

2 A few days later, Jesus entered Capernaum again. The people heard that he had come home. ² So many people gathered that there was no room left. There was not even room outside the door. And Jesus preached the word to them. ³ Four of those who came were carrying a man who could not walk. ⁴ But they could not get him close to Jesus because of the crowd. So they made a hole by digging through the roof above Jesus. Then they lowered the man through it on a mat. ⁵ Jesus saw their faith. So he said to the man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

⁶ Some teachers of the law were sitting there. They were thinking, ⁷ “Why is this fellow talking like that? He’s saying a very evil thing! Only God can forgive sins!”

⁸ Right away Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? ⁹ Is it easier to say to this man, ‘Your sins are forgiven’? Or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? ¹⁰ But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So Jesus spoke to the man who could not walk. ¹¹ “I tell you,” he said, “get up. Take your mat and go home.” ¹² The man got up and took his mat. Then he walked away while everyone watched. All the people were amazed. They praised God and said, “We have never seen anything like this!”

Jesus Chooses Levi and Eats With Sinners

¹³ Once again Jesus went out beside the Sea of Galilee. A large crowd came to him. He began to teach them. ¹⁴ As he walked along he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus. Levi was sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him. Levi got up and followed him.

¹⁵ Later Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house. Many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples. They were part of the large crowd following Jesus. ¹⁶ Some teachers of the law who were Pharisees were there. They saw Jesus eating with sinners and tax collectors. So they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

¹⁷ Jesus heard that. So he said to them, “Those who are healthy don’t need a doctor. Sick people do. I have not come to get those who think they are right with God to follow me. I have come to get sinners to follow me.”

Jesus Is Asked About Fasting

¹⁸ John’s disciples and the Pharisees were going without eating. Some people came to Jesus. They said to him, “John’s disciples are fasting. The disciples of the Pharisees are also fasting. But your disciples are not. Why aren’t they?”

¹⁹ Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the groom go without eating while he is with them? They will not fast as long as he is with them. ²⁰ But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them. On that day they will go without eating.

²¹ “No one sews a patch of new cloth on old clothes. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old. That will make the tear worse. ²² No one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins. Then the wine and the wineskins will both be destroyed. No, people pour new wine into new wineskins.”

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath Day

²³ One Sabbath day Jesus was walking with his disciples through the grainfields. The disciples began to break off some heads of grain. ²⁴ The Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look! It is against the Law to do this on the Sabbath day. Why are your disciples doing it?”

²⁵ He answered, “Haven’t you ever read about what David did? He and his men were hungry. They needed food. ²⁶ It was when Abiathar was high priest. David entered the house of God and ate the holy bread. Only priests were allowed to eat it. David also gave some to his men.”

²⁷ Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath day was made for man. Man was not made for the Sabbath day. ²⁸ So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath day.”

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath Day

3 Another time Jesus went into the synagogue. A man with a weak and twisted hand was there. ² Some Pharisees were trying to find fault with Jesus. They watched him closely. They wanted to see if he would heal the man on the Sabbath day. ³ Jesus spoke to the man with the weak and twisted hand. “Stand up in front of everyone,” he said.

⁴ Then Jesus asked 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 kill?” But no one answered.

⁵ Jesus looked around at them in anger. He was very upset because their hearts were stubborn. Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand had become as good as new. ⁶ Then the Pharisees went out and began to make plans with the Herodians. They wanted to kill Jesus.

Crowds Follow Jesus

⁷ Jesus went off to the Sea of Galilee with his disciples. A large crowd from Galilee followed. ⁸ People heard about all that Jesus was doing. And many came to him. They came from Judea, Jerusalem and Idumea. They came from the lands east of the Jordan River. And they came from the area around Tyre and Sidon. ⁹ Because of the crowd, Jesus told his disciples to get a small boat ready for him. This would keep the people from crowding him. ¹⁰ Jesus had healed many people. So those who were sick were pushing forward to touch him. ¹¹ When people controlled by evil spirits saw him, they fell down in front of him. The spirits shouted, “You are the Son of God!” ¹² But Jesus ordered them not to tell people about him.

Jesus Appoints the Twelve Disciples

¹³ Jesus went up on a mountainside. He called for certain people to come to him, and they came. ¹⁴ He appointed 12 of them so that they would be with him. He would also send them out to preach. ¹⁵ And he gave them authority to drive out demons.

¹⁶ So Jesus appointed the 12 disciples.

Jesus Is Accused by Teachers of the Law

²⁰ Jesus entered a house. Again a crowd gathered. It was so large that Jesus and his disciples were not even able to eat. ²¹ His family heard about this. So they went to take charge of him. They said, “He is out of his mind.”

²² Some teachers of the law were there. They had come down from Jerusalem. They said, “He is controlled by Beelzebul! He is driving out demons by the power of the prince of demons.”

²³ So Jesus called them over to him. He began to speak to them using stories. He said, “How can Satan drive out Satan? ²⁴ If a kingdom fights against itself, it can’t stand. ²⁵ If a family is divided, it can’t stand. ²⁶ And if Satan fights against himself, and his helpers are divided, he can’t stand. That is the end of him. ²⁷ In fact, none of you can enter a strong man’s house unless you tie him up first. Then you can steal things from his house. ²⁸ What I’m about to tell you is true. Everyone’s sins and evil words against God will be forgiven. ²⁹ But whoever speaks evil things against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. Their guilt will last forever.”

³⁰ Jesus said this because the teachers of the law were saying, “He has an evil spirit.”

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

³¹ Jesus’ mother and brothers came and stood outside. They sent someone in to get him. ³² A crowd was sitting around Jesus. They told him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside. They are looking for you.”

³³ “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” he asked.

³⁴ Then Jesus looked at the people sitting in a circle around him. He said, “Here is my mother! Here are my brothers! ³⁵ Anyone who does what God wants is my brother or sister or mother.”

The Story of the Farmer

4 Again Jesus began to teach by the Sea of Galilee. The crowd that gathered around him was very large. So he got into a boat. He sat down in it out on the lake. All the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. ² He taught them many things using stories. In his teaching he said, ³ “Listen! A farmer went out to plant his seed. ⁴ He scattered the seed on the ground. Some fell on a path. Birds came and ate it up. ⁵ Some seed fell on rocky places, where there wasn’t much soil. The plants came up quickly, because the soil wasn’t deep. ⁶ When the sun came up, it burned the plants. They dried up because they had no roots. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and crowded out the plants. So the plants did not bear grain. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil. It grew up and produced a crop 30, 60, or even 100 times more than the farmer planted.”

⁹ Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears should listen.”

¹⁰ Later Jesus was alone. The 12 disciples asked him about the stories. So did the others around him. ¹¹ He told them, “The secret of God’s kingdom has been given to you. But to outsiders everything is told using stories. ¹² In that way,

¹³ Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this story? Then how will you understand any stories of this kind? ¹⁴ The seed the farmer plants is God’s message. ¹⁵ What is seed scattered on a path like? The message is planted. The people hear the message. Then Satan comes. He takes away the message that was planted in them. ¹⁶ And what is seed scattered on rocky places like? The people hear the message. At once they receive it with joy. ¹⁷ But they have no roots. So they last only a short time. They quickly fall away from the faith when trouble or suffering comes because of the message. ¹⁸ And what is seed scattered among thorns like? The people hear the message. ¹⁹ But then the worries of this life come to them. Wealth comes with its false promises. The people also long for other things. All of these are the kinds of things that crowd out the message. They keep it from producing fruit. ²⁰ And what is seed scattered on good soil like? The people hear the message. They accept it. They produce a good crop 30, 60, or even 100 times more than the farmer planted.”

A Lamp on a Stand

²¹ Jesus said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a large bowl or a bed? Don’t you put it on its stand? ²² What is hidden is meant to be seen. And what is put out of sight is meant to be brought out into the open. ²³ Whoever has ears should listen.”

²⁴ “Think carefully about what you hear,” he said. “As you give, so you will receive. In fact, you will receive even more. ²⁵ Whoever has something will be given more. Whoever has nothing, even what they have will be taken away from them.”

The Story of the Growing Seed

²⁶ Jesus also said, “Here is what God’s kingdom is like. A farmer scatters seed on the ground. ²⁷ Night and day the seed comes up and grows. It happens whether the farmer sleeps or gets up. He doesn’t know how it happens. ²⁸ All by itself the soil produces grain. First the stalk comes up. Then the head appears. Finally, the full grain appears in the head. ²⁹ Before long the grain ripens. So the farmer cuts it down, because the harvest is ready.”

The Story of the Mustard Seed

³⁰ Again Jesus said, “What can we say God’s kingdom is like? What story can we use to explain it? ³¹ It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. ³² But when you plant the seed, it grows. It becomes the largest of all garden plants. Its branches are so big that birds can rest in its shade.”

³³ Using many stories like these, Jesus spoke the word to them. He told them as much as they could understand. ³⁴ He did not say anything to them without using a story. But when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything.

Jesus Calms the Storm

³⁵ When evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” ³⁶ They left the crowd behind. And they took him along in a boat, just as he was. There were also other boats with him. ³⁷ A wild storm came up. Waves crashed over the boat. It was about to sink. ³⁸ Jesus was in the back, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him up. They said, “Teacher! Don’t you care if we drown?”

³⁹ He got up and ordered the wind to stop. He said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down. And it was completely calm.

⁴⁰ He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Don’t you have any faith at all yet?”

⁴¹ They were terrified. They asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Jesus Heals a Man Controlled by Demons

5 They went across the Sea of Galilee to the area of the Gerasenes. ² Jesus got out of the boat. A man controlled by an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. ³ The man lived in the tombs. No one could keep him tied up anymore. Not even a chain could hold him. ⁴ His hands and feet had often been chained. But he tore the chains apart. And he broke the iron cuffs on his ankles. No one was strong enough to control him. ⁵ Night and day he screamed among the tombs and in the hills. He cut himself with stones.

⁶ When he saw Jesus a long way off, he ran to him. He fell on his knees in front of him. ⁷ He shouted at the top of his voice, “Jesus, Son of the Most High God, what do you want with me? Swear to God that you won’t hurt me!” ⁸ This was because Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you evil spirit!”

⁹ Then Jesus asked the demon, “What is your name?”

“My name is Legion,” he replied. “There are many of us.” ¹⁰ And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

¹¹ A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. ¹² The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs. Let us go into them.” ¹³ Jesus allowed it. The evil spirits came out of the man and went into the pigs. There were about 2,000 pigs in the herd. The whole herd rushed down the steep bank. They ran into the lake and drowned.

¹⁴ Those who were tending the pigs ran off. They told the people in the town and countryside what had happened. The people went out to see for themselves. ¹⁵ Then they came to Jesus. They saw the man who had been controlled by many demons. He was sitting there. He was now dressed and thinking clearly. All this made the people afraid. ¹⁶ Those who had seen it told them what had happened to the man. They told about the pigs as well. ¹⁷ Then the people began to beg Jesus to leave their area.

¹⁸ Jesus was getting into the boat. The man who had been controlled by demons begged to go with him. ¹⁹ Jesus did not let him. He said, “Go home to your own people. Tell them how much the Lord has done for you. Tell them how kind he has been to you.” ²⁰ So the man went away. In the area known as the Ten Cities, he began to tell how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

Jesus Heals a Dead Girl and a Suffering Woman

²¹ Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee in a boat. It landed at the other side. There a large crowd gathered around him. ²² Then a man named Jairus came. He was a synagogue leader. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. ²³ He begged Jesus, “Please come. My little daughter is dying. Place your hands on her to heal her. Then she will live.” ²⁴ So Jesus went with him.

A large group of people followed. They crowded around him. ²⁵ A woman was there who had a sickness that made her bleed. It had lasted for 12 years. ²⁶ She had suffered a great deal, even though she had gone to many doctors. She had spent all the money she had. But she was getting worse, not better. ²⁷ Then she heard about Jesus. She came up behind him in the crowd and touched his clothes. ²⁸ She thought, “I just need to touch his clothes. Then I will be healed.” ²⁹ Right away her bleeding stopped. She felt in her body that her suffering was over.

³⁰ At once Jesus knew that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd. He asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

³¹ “You see the people,” his disciples answered. “They are crowding against you. And you still ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

³² But Jesus kept looking around. He wanted to see who had touched him. ³³ Then the woman came and fell at his feet. She knew what had happened to her. She was shaking with fear. But she told him the whole truth. ³⁴ He said to her, “Dear woman, your faith has healed you. Go in peace. You are free from your suffering.”

³⁵ While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus. He was the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?”

³⁶ Jesus heard what they were saying. He told the synagogue leader, “Don’t be afraid. Just believe.”

³⁷ He let only Peter, James, and John, the brother of James, follow him. ³⁸ They came to the home of the synagogue leader. There Jesus saw a lot of confusion. People were crying and sobbing loudly. ³⁹ He went inside. Then he said to them, “Why all this confusion and sobbing? The child is not dead. She is only sleeping.” ⁴⁰ But they laughed at him.

He made them all go outside. He took only the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him. And he went in where the child was. ⁴¹ He took her by the hand. Then he said to her, “Talitha koum!” This means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” ⁴² The girl was 12 years old. Right away she stood up and began to walk around. They were totally amazed at this. ⁴³ Jesus gave strict orders not to let anyone know what had happened. And he told them to give her something to eat.

A Prophet Without Honor

6 Jesus left there and went to his hometown of Nazareth. His disciples went with him. ² When the Sabbath day came, he began to teach in the synagogue. Many who heard him were amazed.

“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given to him? What are these remarkable miracles he is doing? ³ Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son? Isn’t this the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” They were not pleased with him at all.

⁴ Jesus said to them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own town. He doesn’t receive any honor among his relatives or in his own home.” ⁵ Jesus placed his hands on a few sick people and healed them. But he could not do any other miracles there. ⁶ He was amazed because they had no faith.

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Disciples

Jesus went around teaching from village to village. ⁷ He called the 12 disciples to him. Then he began to send them out two by two. He gave them authority to drive out evil spirits.

⁸ Here is what he told them to do. “Take only a walking stick for your trip. Do not take bread or a bag. Take no money in your belts. ⁹ Wear sandals. But do not take extra clothes. ¹⁰ When you are invited into a house, stay there until you leave town. ¹¹ Some places may not welcome you or listen to you. If they don’t, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet. That will be a witness against the people living there.”

¹² They went out. And they preached that people should turn away from their sins. ¹³ They drove out many demons. They poured olive oil on many sick people and healed them.

John the Baptist’s Head Is Cut Off

¹⁴ King Herod heard about this. Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead! That is why he has the power to do miracles.”

¹⁵ Others said, “He is Elijah.”

Still others claimed, “He is a prophet. He is like one of the prophets of long ago.”

¹⁶ But when Herod heard this, he said, “I had John’s head cut off. And now he has been raised from the dead!”

¹⁷ In fact, it was Herod himself who had given orders to arrest John. He had him tied up and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias. She was the wife of Herod’s brother Philip. But now Herod was married to her. ¹⁸ John had been saying to Herod, “It is against the Law for you to be married to your brother’s wife.” ¹⁹ Herodias couldn’t forgive John for saying that. She wanted to kill him. But she could not, ²⁰ because Herod was afraid of John. So he kept John safe. Herod knew John was a holy man who did what was right. When Herod heard him, he was very puzzled. But he liked to listen to John.

²¹ Finally the right time came. Herod gave a banquet on his birthday. He invited his high officials and military leaders. He also invited the most important men in Galilee. ²² Then the daughter of Herodias came in and danced. She pleased Herod and his dinner guests.

The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want. I’ll give it to you.” ²³ And he gave her his promise. He said to her, “Anything you ask for I will give you. I’ll give you up to half my kingdom.”

²⁴ She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?”

“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.

²⁵ At once the girl hurried to ask the king. She said, “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a big plate right now.”

²⁶ The king was very upset. But he thought about his promise and his dinner guests. So he did not want to say no to the girl. ²⁷ He sent a man right away to bring John’s head. The man went to the prison and cut off John’s head. ²⁸ He brought it back on a big plate. He gave it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. ²⁹ John’s disciples heard about this. So they came and took his body. Then they placed it in a tomb.

Jesus Feeds Five Thousand

³⁰ The apostles gathered around Jesus. They told him all they had done and taught. ³¹ But many people were coming and going. So they did not even have a chance to eat. Then Jesus said to his apostles, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place. You need to get some rest.”

³² So they went away by themselves in a boat to a quiet place. ³³ But many people who saw them leaving recognized them. They ran from all the towns and got there ahead of them. ³⁴ When Jesus came ashore, he saw a large crowd. He felt deep concern for them. They were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

³⁵ By that time it was late in the day. His disciples came to him. “There is nothing here,” they said. “It’s already very late. ³⁶ Send the people away. Then they can go to the nearby countryside and villages to buy something to eat.”

³⁷ But Jesus answered, “You give them something to eat.”

They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s pay! Should we go and spend that much on bread? Are we supposed to feed them?”

³⁸ “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Go and see.”

When they found out, they said, “Five loaves and two fish.”

³⁹ Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. ⁴⁰ So they sat down in groups of 100s and 50s. ⁴¹ Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish. He looked up to heaven and gave thanks. He broke the loaves into pieces. Then he gave them to his disciples to pass around to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. ⁴² All of them ate and were satisfied. ⁴³ The disciples picked up 12 baskets of broken pieces of bread and fish. ⁴⁴ The number of men who had eaten was 5,000.

Jesus Walks on the Water

⁴⁵ Right away Jesus made his disciples get into the boat. He had them go on ahead of him to Bethsaida. Then he sent the crowd away. ⁴⁶ After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.

⁴⁷ Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus was alone on land. ⁴⁸ He saw the disciples pulling hard on the oars. The wind was blowing against them. Shortly before dawn, he went out to them. He walked on the lake. When he was about to pass by them, ⁴⁹ they saw him walking on the lake. They thought he was a ghost, so they cried out. ⁵⁰ They all saw him and were terrified.

Right away Jesus said to them, “Be brave! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” ⁵¹ Then he climbed into the boat with them. The wind died down. And they were completely amazed. ⁵² They had not understood about the loaves. They were stubborn.

⁵³ They went across the lake and landed at Gennesaret. There they tied up the boat. ⁵⁴ As soon as Jesus and his disciples got out, people recognized him. ⁵⁵ They ran through that whole area to bring to him those who were sick. They carried them on mats to where they heard he was. ⁵⁶ He went into the villages, the towns and the countryside. Everywhere he went, the people brought the sick to the market areas. Those who were sick begged him to let them touch just the edge of his clothes. And all who touched his clothes were healed.

What Makes People “Unclean”?

7 The Pharisees gathered around Jesus. So did some of the teachers of the law. All of them had come from Jerusalem. ² They saw some of his disciples eating food with “unclean” hands. That means they were not washed. ³ The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands to make them “clean.” That’s what the elders teach. ⁴ When they come from the market, they do not eat unless they wash. And they follow many other teachings. For example, they wash cups, pitchers, and kettles in a special way.

⁵ So the Pharisees and the teachers of the law questioned Jesus. “Why don’t your disciples live by what the elders teach?” they asked. “Why do they eat their food with ‘unclean’ hands?”

⁶ He replied, “Isaiah was right. He prophesied about you people who pretend to be good. He said,

⁸ You have let go of God’s commands. And you are holding on to teachings that people have made up.”

⁹ Jesus continued speaking, “You have a fine way of setting aside God’s commands! You do this so you can follow your own teachings. ¹⁰ Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother.’ (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16) He also said, ‘Anyone who asks for bad things to happen to their father or mother must be put to death.’ (Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9) ¹¹ But you allow people to say that what might have been used to help their parents is Corban. Corban means A Gift Set Apart for God. ¹² So you no longer let them do anything for their parents. ¹³ You make the word of God useless by putting your own teachings in its place. And you do many things like this.”

¹⁴ Again Jesus called the crowd to him. He said, “Listen to me, everyone. Understand this. ^15-16 Nothing outside of a person can make them ‘unclean’ by going into them. It is what comes out of them that makes them ‘unclean.’ ”

¹⁷ Then he left the crowd and entered the house. His disciples asked him about this teaching. ¹⁸ “Don’t you understand?” Jesus asked. “Don’t you see? Nothing that enters a person from the outside can make them ‘unclean.’ ¹⁹ It doesn’t go into their heart. It goes into their stomach. Then it goes out of the body.” In saying this, Jesus was calling all foods “clean.”

²⁰ He went on to say, “What comes out of a person is what makes them ‘unclean.’ ²¹ Evil thoughts come from the inside, from a person’s heart. So do sexual sins, stealing and murder. ²² Adultery, greed, hate and cheating come from a person’s heart too. So do desires that are not pure, and wanting what belongs to others. And so do telling lies about others and being proud and being foolish. ²³ All these evil things come from inside a person and make them ‘unclean.’ ”

Jesus Honors a Greek Woman’s Faith

²⁴ Jesus went from there to a place near Tyre. He entered a house. He did not want anyone to know where he was. But he could not keep it a secret. ²⁵ Soon a woman heard about him. An evil spirit controlled her little daughter. The woman came to Jesus and fell at his feet. ²⁶ She was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.

²⁷ “First let the children eat all they want,” he told her. “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”

²⁸ “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

²⁹ Then he told her, “That was a good reply. You may go. The demon has left your daughter.”

³⁰ So she went home and found her child lying on the bed. And the demon was gone.

Jesus Heals a Man Who Could Not Hear or Speak

³¹ Then Jesus left the area of Tyre and went through Sidon. He went down to the Sea of Galilee and into the area known as the Ten Cities. ³² There some people brought a man to Jesus. The man was deaf and could hardly speak. They begged Jesus to place his hand on the man.

³³ Jesus took the man to one side, away from the crowd. He put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. ³⁴ Jesus looked up to heaven. With a deep sigh, he said to the man, “Ephphatha!” That means “Be opened!” ³⁵ The man’s ears were opened. His tongue was freed up, and he began to speak clearly.

³⁶ Jesus ordered the people not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. ³⁷ People were really amazed. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes deaf people able to hear. And he makes those who can’t speak able to talk.”

Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand

8 During those days another large crowd gathered. They had nothing to eat. So Jesus called for his disciples to come to him. He said, ² “I feel deep concern for these people. They have already been with me three days. They don’t have anything to eat. ³ If I send them away hungry, they will become too weak on their way home. Some of them have come from far away.”

⁴ His disciples answered him. “There is nothing here,” they said. “Where can anyone get enough bread to feed them?”

⁵ “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.

“Seven,” they replied.

⁶ He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. He took the seven loaves and gave thanks to God. Then he broke them and gave them to his disciples. They passed the pieces of bread around to the people. ⁷ The disciples also had a few small fish. Jesus gave thanks for them too. He told the disciples to pass them around. ⁸ The people ate and were satisfied. After that, the disciples picked up seven baskets of leftover pieces. ⁹ About 4,000 people were there. After Jesus sent them away, ¹⁰ he got into a boat with his disciples. He went to the area of Dalmanutha.

¹¹ The Pharisees came and began to ask Jesus questions. They wanted to test him. So they asked him for a sign from heaven. ¹² He sighed deeply. He said, “Why do you people ask for a sign? What I’m about to tell you is true. No sign will be given to you.” ¹³ Then he left them. He got back into the boat and crossed to the other side of the lake.

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Herod

¹⁴ The disciples had forgotten to bring bread. They had only one loaf with them in the boat. ¹⁵ “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees. And watch out for the yeast of Herod.”

¹⁶ They talked about this with each other. They said, “He must be saying this because we don’t have any bread.”

¹⁷ Jesus knew what they were saying. So he asked them, “Why are you talking about having no bread? Why can’t you see or understand? Are you stubborn? ¹⁸ Do you have eyes and still don’t see? Do you have ears and still don’t hear? And don’t you remember? ¹⁹ Earlier I broke five loaves for the 5,000. How many baskets of pieces did you pick up?”

“Twelve,” they replied.

²⁰ “Later I broke seven loaves for the 4,000. How many baskets of pieces did you pick up?”

“Seven,” they answered.

²¹ He said to them, “Can’t you understand yet?”

Jesus Heals a Blind Man at Bethsaida

²² Jesus and his disciples came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to him. They begged Jesus to touch him. ²³ He took the blind man by the hand. Then he led him outside the village. He spit on the man’s eyes and placed his hands on him. “Do you see anything?” Jesus asked.

²⁴ The man looked up. He said, “I see people. They look like trees walking around.”

²⁵ Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened so that he could see again. He saw everything clearly. ²⁶ Jesus sent him home. He told him, “Don’t even go into the village.”

Peter Says That Jesus Is the Messiah

²⁷ Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”

²⁸ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist. Others say Elijah. Still others say one of the prophets.”

²⁹ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”

³⁰ Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

Jesus Tells About His Coming Death

³¹ Jesus then began to teach his disciples. He taught them that the Son of Man must suffer many things. He taught them that the elders would not accept him. The chief priests and the teachers of the law would not accept him either. He must be killed and after three days rise again. ³² He spoke clearly about this. Peter took Jesus to one side and began to scold him.

³³ Jesus turned and looked at his disciples. He scolded Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You are not thinking about the things God cares about. Instead, you are thinking only about the things humans care about.”

You Must Pick Up Your Cross

³⁴ Jesus called the crowd to him along with his disciples. He said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must say no to themselves. They must pick up their cross and follow me. ³⁵ Whoever wants to save their life will lose it. But whoever loses their life for me and for the good news will save it. ³⁶ What good is it if someone gains the whole world but loses their soul? ³⁷ Or what can anyone trade for their soul? ³⁸ Suppose anyone is ashamed of me and my words among these adulterous and sinful people. Then the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

9 Jesus said to them, “What I’m about to tell you is true. Some who are standing here will not die before they see that God’s kingdom has come with power.”

Jesus’ Appearance Is Changed

² After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him. He led them up a high mountain. They were all alone. There in front of them his appearance was changed. ³ His clothes became so white they shone. They were whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. ⁴ Elijah and Moses appeared in front of Jesus and his disciples. The two of them were talking with Jesus.

⁵ Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, 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.” ⁶ Peter didn’t really know what to say, because they were so afraid.

⁷ Then a cloud appeared and covered them. A voice came from the cloud. It said, “This is my Son, and I love him. Listen to him!”

⁸ They looked around. Suddenly they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

⁹ They came down the mountain. On the way down, Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what they had seen. He told them to wait until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. ¹⁰ So they kept the matter to themselves. But they asked each other what “rising from the dead” meant.

¹¹ Then they asked Jesus, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah has to come first?”

¹² Jesus replied, “That’s right. Elijah does come first. He makes all things new again. So why is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and not be accepted? ¹³ I tell you, Elijah has come. They have done to him everything they wanted to do. They did it just as it is written about him.”