Bible in 90 Days

⁵⁷ Jesus Is Condemned by the Sanhedrin.^[a] Those who had arrested Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest where the scribes and the elders had gathered. ⁵⁸ Meanwhile, Peter followed him at a distance up to the courtyard of the high priest. Then, going inside, he sat down with the attendants to see what the outcome would be.

⁵⁹ The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin tried to elicit some false testimony against Jesus so they could put him to death, ⁶⁰ but they failed in their efforts, even though many witnesses came forward with perjured testimony. Finally, two men came forward ⁶¹ who stated, “This man said, ‘I can destroy the temple of God and rebuild it within three days.’ ”

⁶² The high priest then rose and said to him, “Have you no reply to counter the testimony that these witnesses have given?” ⁶³ But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I command you to tell us before the living God whether you are the Christ, the Son of God.” ⁶⁴ Jesus replied, “You have said it. But I tell you:

⁶⁵ Then the high priest tore his robes and exclaimed, “He has blasphemed! What need do we have for any further witnesses? Behold, you have just heard the blasphemy. ⁶⁶ What do you think?” They shouted in reply, “He deserves to die.” ⁶⁷ Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists. Some taunted him as they beat him, ⁶⁸ “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who hit you?”

⁶⁹ Peter Denies Jesus.^[b] Meanwhile, Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. One of the servant girls came over to him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.” ⁷⁰ But he denied it before all of them, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.” ⁷¹ When he walked out to the entrance gate, another servant girl caught sight of him and said to the people around her, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” ⁷² And again he denied it, this time with an oath: “I do not know the man.”

⁷³ Shortly afterward, some bystanders came up to Peter and said to him, “You unquestionably are one of them. Even your accent gives you away.” ⁷⁴ Then Peter began to shout curses, and he swore an oath: “I do not know the man.” At that very moment, a cock crowed, ⁷⁵ and Peter remembered what Jesus had said: “Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went outside and began to weep uncontrollably.

Chapter 27

Jesus Is Handed Over to Pilate.^{[c] 1} When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people met together in council to decide how to put him to death. ² They bound him and led him away, and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.

Judas Hangs Himself.^{[d] 3} When Judas discovered that Jesus, whom he betrayed, had been condemned he was seized with a sense of remorse, and he brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. ⁴ “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” They replied, “Of what importance is that to us? That is your responsibility.” ⁵ Flinging the silver pieces into the temple, he departed. Then he went off and hanged himself.

⁶ The chief priests retrieved the silver coins and said, “It is not lawful for us to deposit this into the temple treasury, for it is blood money.” ⁷ They conferred together, and then used it to purchase the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. ⁸ This is the reason why that field to this very day is called the Field of Blood.

⁹ Thus was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:^[e]

¹¹ Jesus Is Questioned by Pilate.^[f]Meanwhile, Jesus was brought into the presence of the governor, who asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “You have said so.”^{[g] 12} And when he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he offered no reply. ¹³ Pilate then said to him, “Have you not heard how many charges they have brought against you?” ¹⁴ But he did not offer a single word in response, much to the governor’s amazement.^[h]

¹⁵ Jesus Is Sentenced to Death. Now on the occasion of the feast, the governor’s custom was to release to the people one prisoner whom they had designated. ¹⁶ At that particular time, they had in custody a notorious prisoner named Barabbas. ¹⁷ Therefore, after the people had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which man do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Christ?” ¹⁸ For he knew that it was out of envy that they had handed him over.

¹⁹ While he was still seated on the judge’s bench, his wife sent him a message: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man. I have been greatly troubled today by a dream that I had about him.”^[i]

²⁰ Meanwhile, the chief priests and the elders had persuaded the crowd to ask for the release of Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. ²¹ Therefore, when the governor asked them, “Which of the two men do you want me to release to you?” they shouted, “Barabbas!” ²² Pilate asked them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” All of them shouted, “Let him be crucified!” ²³ He asked, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they only screamed all the louder, “Let him be crucified!”

²⁴ When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere and that a riot was about to occur, he took some water and washed his hands^[j] in full view of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. It is your responsibility.” ²⁵ With one voice the entire crowd cried out, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!”^{[k] 26} He then released Barabbas to them, and after Jesus had been scourged, he handed him over to be crucified.

²⁷ Jesus Is Crowned with Thorns.^[l] Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus inside the praetorium and gathered the whole cohort around him. ²⁸ They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, ²⁹ and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they placed it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. Then, bending the knee before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” ³⁰ They also spat upon him and, taking the reed, used it to strike him on the head. ³¹ And when they had finished mocking him, they stripped him of the robe, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him away to crucify him.

³² The Way of the Cross. As they went out, they encountered a man from Cyrene,^[m] named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.

³³ Jesus Is Crucified on Calvary. When they came to a place called Golgotha, which means the Place of the Skull,^{[n] 34} they offered him some wine to drink that had been mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink the mixture.^{[o] 35} And after they had crucified him,^[p] they divided his garments among them by casting lots. ³⁶ Then they sat down there to keep guard over him. ³⁷ Above his head was inscribed the charge against him: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” ³⁸ Two thieves were crucified with him, one on his right and the other on his left.^[q]

³⁹ Those people who passed by jeered at him, shaking their heads ⁴⁰ and saying, “You who claimed you could destroy the temple and rebuild it within three days, save yourself! If you truly are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”

⁴¹ In much the same way, the chief priests, together with the scribes and the elders, joined in the mockery, saying, ⁴² “He saved others, but he cannot save himself. If he is the king of Israel, let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him. ⁴³ He trusted in God; now let God deliver him if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” ⁴⁴ The thieves who were crucified with him also taunted him in the same way.

⁴⁵ Jesus Dies on the Cross.^[r] Beginning at midday, there was darkness over the whole land until three in the afternoon. ⁴⁶ And about three o’clock^[s] Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”—that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

⁴⁷ On hearing this, some of the bystanders said, “This man is calling for Elijah.” ⁴⁸ One of them immediately ran off to get a sponge, which he soaked in vinegar, put on a stick, and gave to him to drink. ⁴⁹ But the others said, “Wait! Let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” ⁵⁰ Then Jesus again cried out in a loud voice and gave up his spirit.

⁵¹ And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked and rocks were split apart. ⁵² The tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. ⁵³ And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many.^{[t] 54} Now when the centurion and those who were keeping watch over Jesus with him witnessed the earthquake and all that was happening, they were terrified, and they said, “Truly, this man was the Son of God.”

⁵⁵ Many women were also present, looking on from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee and ministered to him. ⁵⁶ Among these were Mary Magdalene,^[u] Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

⁵⁷ Jesus Is Placed in the Tomb.^[v] When evening came, there arrived a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. ⁵⁸ He went to Pilate and requested the body of Jesus. So Pilate ordered that it be handed over to him.

⁵⁹ Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen shroud, ⁶⁰ and laid it in his own new tomb that he had hewn out of the rock. He then rolled an immense stone against the entrance of the tomb and departed. ⁶¹ Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the sepulcher.

⁶² The Guard at the Tomb. The next day, on the morning after the preparation day,^[w] the chief priests and the Pharisees came to Pilate in a group ⁶³ and said to him, “Your Excellency, we recall that while he was still alive, this impostor said, ‘After three days I will be raised up.’ ⁶⁴ Therefore, issue orders that the tomb be kept under surveillance until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may go there and steal his body, and then tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead.’ This final deception would be worse than the first.”

⁶⁵ Pilate said to them, “You have a guard. Go and make the grave as secure as you can.” ⁶⁶ And so they went forth and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and posting a guard.

Chapter 28

Jesus Is Raised from the Dead.^{[x] 1} After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to visit the sepulcher. ² And behold, there was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord, descended from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat upon it. ³ His face shone like lightning, and his garments were as white as snow. ⁴ The guards were so paralyzed with fear of him that they became like dead men.

⁵ But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid! I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here, for he has been raised, as he promised he would be. Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has been raised from the dead and now he is going ahead of you to Galilee. There you will see him.’ Behold, I have told you.”

⁸ They were filled with fear and great joy, and they ran from the tomb to inform his disciples. ⁹ And behold, Jesus came to meet them, saying, “Greetings.” They approached him, embraced his feet, and worshiped him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be fearful. Go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee. There they will see me.”^[y]

¹¹ The Report of the Guard.^[z] While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. ¹² After the chief priests had conferred with the elders, they presented a large sum of money to the soldiers ¹³ and gave them this order: “Say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole the body while we were asleep.’ ¹⁴ And should the governor hear anything in this regard, we will explain the situation to him and you will be safe.” ¹⁵ The soldiers took the money and did as they had been instructed. And this story is still circulated among the Jews to this very day.

¹⁶ Jesus Gives the Great Commission.^[aa] Then the eleven disciples set out for Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to meet him. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they prostrated themselves before him, although some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus approached them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,^{[ab] 20} and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the world.”

Preparation for the Mission of Jesus^[ac]

Chapter 1

Beginning of the Good News.^{[ad] 1} The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

² It is written in the prophet Isaiah:^[ae]

⁴ Hence, John the Baptist appeared in the desert, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵ People from the entire Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem went out to him, and as they confessed their sins they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

⁶ John was clothed in a garment of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and his food consisted of locusts and wild honey. ⁷ And this was the message he proclaimed: “One who is far more powerful than I am is coming after me. I am not worthy even to stoop down and loosen the straps of his sandals. ⁸ I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”^[af]

Jesus Is Baptized by John.^{[ag] 9} At that time,^[ah] Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ^10 [ai]And as he was coming up out of the water, he beheld the heavens break open and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove. ¹¹ And a voice came from heaven: “You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased.”

¹² Jesus Is Tempted in the Desert.^[aj] The Spirit immediately drove him out into the desert. ¹³ He remained there for forty days, during which time he was tempted by Satan. He lived there among the wild beasts, while the angels ministered to him.

Is Jesus the Messiah?^[ak]

First Testimonies of the Messiah’s Mission

¹⁴ Jesus Inaugurates His Mission. After John had been arrested,^[al] Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, ¹⁵ “The time of fulfillment has arrived, and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

¹⁶ The First Disciples.^[am] As Jesus was walking along by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ Jesus said to them, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” ¹⁸ Immediately, they abandoned their nets and followed him.

¹⁹ As he proceeded farther, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They also were in a boat mending their nets. ²⁰ Immediately, he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired workers and followed him.

²¹ Jesus Heals a Man with a Demon.^[an] They journeyed to Capernaum, and on the Sabbath Jesus immediately entered the synagogue and began to instruct the people. ²² They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.

²³ In that synagogue there was a man with an unclean spirit, and he shrieked, ²⁴ “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”^{[ao] 25} But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!”

²⁶ The unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and with a loud cry emerged from him. ²⁷ The people were all amazed, and they began to ask one another, “What is this? It must be a new kind of teaching! With authority he gives commands even to unclean spirits, and they obey him!” ²⁸ His reputation quickly began to spread everywhere throughout the entire region of Galilee.

²⁹ Jesus Heals Peter’s Mother-in-Law. Immediately on leaving the synagogue, he went with James and John into the house of Simon and Andrew. ³⁰ Simon’s mother-in-law^[ap] was lying in bed, sick with a fever, and they informed Jesus at once about her. ³¹ Jesus approached her, grasped her by the hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

³² Other Healings. That evening, after sunset, they brought to him all those who were sick or possessed by demons.^{[aq] 33} The whole town was present, crowded around the door. ³⁴ He cured many who were afflicted with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, although he would not permit them to speak because they knew who he was.

³⁵ Jesus Proclaims the Message and Heals the Sick. Early the next morning, long before dawn, he arose and went off to a secluded place, where he prayed. ³⁶ Simon and his companions set forth in search of him, ³⁷ and when they found him they said, “Everybody is looking for you.” ³⁸ He replied, “Let us move on to the neighboring towns so that I may proclaim the message there as well. For this is the reason why I came.” ³⁹ Then he traveled all throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

⁴⁰ Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy. A man with leprosy^[ar] approached and, kneeling before him, begged him, “If you choose to do so, you can make me clean.” ⁴¹ Moved with pity, “he stretched out his hand and touched him,^[as] saying, “I do choose. Be made clean!” ⁴² Immediately, the leprosy left him and he was cured.

⁴³ Jesus then sent him away at once, after first sternly warning him, ⁴⁴ “See that you tell no one anything about this. Just go and show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed. That will be proof for them.”^{[at] 45} However, he went forth and began to proclaim the entire story, spreading the word far and wide. As a result, Jesus could no longer go openly into any town. Rather, he stayed outside in deserted places, and people continued to come to him from every quarter.

First Oppositions^[au]

Chapter 2

Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man. ¹ When Jesus returned some days later to Capernaum, the word quickly spread that he was at home. ² Such large multitudes gathered there that no longer was any space available, even in front of the door, and he was preaching the word to them.

³ Some people arrived, bringing to him a man who was paralyzed, carried by four men. ⁴ Since they were unable to bring him near Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above him and then lowered the bed on which the paralyzed man was lying.

⁵ On perceiving their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” ⁶ Now some scribes^[av] were sitting there, thinking to themselves: ⁷ “How can this man say such things? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

⁸ Jesus was able immediately to discern in his spirit what they were thinking, and he asked, “Why do you entertain such thoughts in your hearts? ⁹ Which is easier: to say to the paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say: ‘Stand up, take your mat, and walk’? ¹⁰ But that you may come to realize that the Son of Man^[aw] has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralyzed man— ¹¹ “I say to you, stand up, take your bed, and go to your home.” ¹² The man stood up, immediately picked up his bed, and went off in full view of all of them. The onlookers were all astonished and they glorified God, saying, “We have never before witnessed anything like this.”

¹³ Jesus Calls Levi (Matthew). Once again Jesus went out to the shore of the lake,^[ax] and as a large crowd came to him, he taught them. ¹⁴ As he was walking along, he saw Levi^[ay] the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. Jesus said to him, “Follow me,” and he got up and followed him.

¹⁵ Jesus Eats with Sinners. When he was sitting at dinner in his^[az] house, many tax collectors and sinners were seated with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed Jesus. ¹⁶ Some scribes who were Pharisees noticed that Jesus was eating with sinners and tax collectors, and they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” ¹⁷ When Jesus overheard this remark, he said, “It is not the healthy who need a physician, but rather those who are sick. I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”

¹⁸ A Time of Joy and Grace.^[ba] John’s disciples and the Pharisees were observing a fast. Some people came to Jesus and asked, “Why do John’s disciples and those of the Pharisees fast but your disciples do not do so?” ¹⁹ Jesus answered, “How can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is still with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. ²⁰ But the time will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then on that day they will fast.^[bb]

²¹ “No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear results. ²² Nor does anyone pour new wine^[bc] into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and then the wine and the skins are both lost. Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.”

²³ Picking Grain on the Sabbath.^[bd] One day, as Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the Sabbath, his disciples began to pick some heads of grain as they walked along. ²⁴ The Pharisees said to him, “Behold, why are your disciples doing what is forbidden on the Sabbath?”

²⁵ He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food? ²⁶ He entered the house of God when Abiathar^[be] was high priest and ate the sacred bread that only the priests were permitted to eat, and he shared it with his companions.” ²⁷ Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.^{[bf] 28} That is why the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Chapter 3

A Man with a Withered Hand.^{[bg] 1} Again, Jesus entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand. ² They watched him closely to see whether he would cure him on the Sabbath so that they might accuse him.

³ He said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” ⁴ Then he said to the onlookers, “Is it lawful to do good or to do evil on the Sabbath, to save life or to kill?” But they offered no reply. ⁵ Looking at them with anger, he was saddened at the hardness of their hearts, and he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. ⁶ Then the Pharisees went out and immediately began to plot with the Herodians how they might put him to death.

The Disciples Bear Witness to the Kingdom of God^[bh]

Summary of the Activity of Jesus.^{[bi] 7} Thereupon Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lakeshore, and a great multitude of people from Galilee followed him. ⁸ In addition, having heard of all he was doing, large numbers also came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and the region of Tyre and Sidon.^[bj]

⁹ He instructed his disciples to have a small boat ready for him so that he would not be crushed by the crowds. ¹⁰ For he had healed so many that all who were afflicted in any way came crowding around to touch him. ¹¹ And whenever unclean spirits saw him, they would fall at his feet and shout, “You are the Son of God.” ¹² But he strictly ordered them not to make him known.

¹³ Jesus Establishes the Group of the Disciples.^[bk] Jesus then went up onto the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted, and they came to him. ^14 [bl]He appointed twelve—whom he also named apostles—^[bm]that they might be his companions and that he might send them out to proclaim the message, ¹⁵ with the authority to drive out demons. ¹⁶ The twelve he appointed were: Simon, to whom he gave the name Peter; ¹⁷ James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, “Sons of Thunder”;^{[bn] 18} Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, ¹⁹ and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Contrasting Reactions to the Person of Jesus^[bo]

²⁰ The Concern of Jesus’ Relatives.^[bp] Jesus then returned home,^[bq] and once again such a great crowd collected around them that they did not even find it possible to eat. ²¹ When his relatives heard about this, they went out to take charge of him, saying, “He has gone out of his mind.”

²² The Blasphemy of the Scribes.^[br] Meanwhile, the scribes who had come down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.” ²³ Summoning them to him, he spoke to them in parables, “How can Satan drive out Satan? ²⁴ If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot survive. ²⁵ And if a household is divided against itself, that household will not be able to survive. ²⁶ If Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot survive; he is doomed.

²⁷ “But no one can break into a strong man’s house and steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man; then he can ransack the house.

²⁸ “Amen, I say to you, all sins that people commit and whatever blasphemies they utter will be forgiven. ²⁹ But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.” ³⁰ He said this because they had claimed he was possessed by an unclean spirit.

³¹ The True Family of Jesus.^[bs] Then his mother and his brethren arrived, and, standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. ³² A crowd was sitting around him, and they said, “Behold, your mother and your brethren are outside asking for you.” ³³ He replied, “Who are my mother and my brethren?” ³⁴ Then, looking around at those who were near him, he said: “Behold, my mother and my brethren. ³⁵ Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

Chapter 4

The Parables—A Veiled Language^[bt]

The Parable of the Sower. ¹ On another occasion he began to teach by the side of the lake. However, such a large crowd gathered that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while the whole crowd gathered on the shore facing the lake. ² Then he taught them many things in parables.

In the course of his teaching, he said to them: ³ “Listen! A sower went out to sow. ⁴ As he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵ Other seed fell on rocky ground, where there was little soil. It sprouted quickly, since the soil had no depth, ⁶ but when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it lacked roots, it withered away. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it produced no crop. ⁸ But some seed fell onto rich soil and brought forth grain, increasing and yielding thirty, sixty, and a hundred times what was sown.” ⁹ He then added, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

¹⁰ The Reason for Parables. When he was alone, the Twelve and his other companions asked him about the parables. ¹¹ He told them, “To you has been granted knowledge of the mysteries^[bu] of the kingdom of God, but to those outside, everything comes in parables, ¹² so that

¹³ The Explanation of the Parable of the Sower.^[bw] He went on to say to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then are you to understand any of the parables? ¹⁴ What the sower is sowing is the word.

¹⁵ “Some people are like seed that falls along the path where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan immediately comes and carries off the word that has been sown in them.

¹⁶ “Others are like the seed sown on rocky ground. As soon as they hear the word they immediately receive it with joy. ¹⁷ But they have no deep root and they endure for only a short time. When some trial or tribulation arises on account of the word, they immediately fall away.

¹⁸ “Those sown among thorns are the ones who hear the word, ¹⁹ but worldly cares, the lure of riches, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it bears no fruit.

²⁰ “But those sown in rich soil are those who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit and yield thirty or sixty or a hundred times what was sown.”

²¹ The Parable of the Lamp.^[bx] He said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed? To the contrary, it is placed on a lampstand. ²² For nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing is secret that will not be brought to light. ²³ If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!”

²⁴ The Parable of the Measure.^[by] He also told them, “Pay careful attention to what you hear. The measure you give will be the measure you will receive, and you will receive more in addition. ²⁵ To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who does not have, even what little he has will be taken away.”^[bz]

²⁶ The Parable of the Secretly Growing Seed.^[ca] He went on to say, “The kingdom of God is like this. A man scatters seed on the ground. ²⁷ Night and day, while he sleeps and while he is awake, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not understand how. ²⁸ The ground produces fruit of its own accord—first the shoot, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. ²⁹ And when the crop is ripe, he immediately stretches out the sickle, because the time for harvest has come.”

³⁰ The Parable of the Mustard Seed.^[cb] He then said, “With what shall we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use to explain it? ³¹ It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. ³² But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the greatest of all plants, and it puts forth large branches so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

³³ The Usefulness of Parables.^[cc] With many such parables as these he spoke the word to them so far as they were able to comprehend it. ³⁴ He never spoke to them except in parables, but he explained everything to his disciples when they were by themselves.

Jesus Overcomes Evil and Effects Salvation^[cd]

³⁵ Jesus Calms the Storm.^[ce] On that day, as evening approached, he said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” ³⁶ And so, leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat just as he was. Some other boats joined them.

³⁷ Suddenly, a great storm came up, and the waves were crashing over the boat so that it was almost swamped. ³⁸ Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They awakened him and said, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”

³⁹ Then he stood up and rebuked the wind, and he said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. ⁴⁰ He said to them, “Why are you so frightened? Are you still without faith?” ⁴¹ They were filled with awe and said to one another, “Who can this be? Even the wind and the sea obey him.”

Chapter 5

Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demoniac.^{[cf] 1} They reached the region of the Gerasenes^[cg] on the other side of the lake. ² No sooner had he stepped out of the boat than a man with an unclean spirit came up to him from the tombs.^{[ch] 3} The man had been living in the tombs, and no one could restrain him any longer, not even with chains. ⁴ For he had frequently been bound with shackles and chains, but he had snapped the chains and smashed the shackles to pieces, and no one had sufficient strength to subdue him. ⁵ Day and night among the tombs and on the mountains, he would howl and gash himself with stones.

⁶ When the man caught sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and prostrated himself before him, ⁷ as he shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore you in God’s name: do not torment me!” ⁸ For Jesus had said to him, “Unclean spirit, come out of the man!” ⁹ Then he asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for there are many of us.”^{[ci] 10} And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country.

¹¹ Now on the mountainside a great herd of pigs was feeding. ¹² And they pleaded with him, “Send us into the pigs. Let us enter them.” ¹³ He allowed this. With that, the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs, and the herd, numbering about two thousand, charged down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned in the waters.

¹⁴ Those tending the pigs ran off and reported the incident in the town and throughout the countryside. As a result, people came out to see what had happened. ¹⁵ When they came near Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by Legion sitting there fully clothed and in his right mind, and they were frightened. ¹⁶ Those who had been eyewitnesses to the incident confirmed what had happened to the demoniac and what had happened to the pigs. ¹⁷ Then they began to implore Jesus to leave their region.

¹⁸ As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons pleaded to be allowed to go with him. ¹⁹ However, Jesus would not permit him to do so, and instead told him, “Go home to your own people and tell them what the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” ²⁰ The man then departed and began to make known throughout the Decapolis what Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.^[cj]

²¹ Jesus Heals a Woman and Raises a Child.^[ck] When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed by the lake. ²² Then one of the leaders of the synagogue,^[cl] named Jairus, came forward, and when he saw Jesus he threw himself down at his feet ²³ and pleaded with him, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. I beg you to come and lay your hands on her so that she may recover and live.” ²⁴ Jesus went with him, and a large number accompanied him and crowded around him.

²⁵ There was a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years. ²⁶ In spite of long and painful treatment at the hands of many doctors, her condition not only had failed to improve but had actually become worse, and she had spent everything she had. ²⁷ Having heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, ²⁸ for she thought, “If I simply touch his clothing, I shall be made well.” ²⁹ And immediately her bleeding dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.

³⁰ Instantly aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothing?” ³¹ His disciples said in reply, “You see this vast throng pressing upon you. How can you ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ” ³² However, he continued to look around to determine who had done it. ³³ Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She knelt before him and revealed to him the whole truth. ³⁴ He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your affliction.”

³⁵ While he was still speaking, some people from the house of the synagogue leader arrived and said, “Your daughter has died. Why bother the Teacher any further?” ³⁶ Jesus heard the message they had delivered, but he said to the leader of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid. Just have faith.” ³⁷ He allowed no one to accompany him except Peter, James, and John,^[cm] the brother of James.

³⁸ When they arrived at the house of the synagogue leader, he observed a great deal of commotion, with people weeping and wailing loudly. ³⁹ When he entered, he said to them, “Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead; she is asleep.” ⁴⁰ In response, they laughed at him.

After sending them all outside, he took with him the child’s father and mother and his own companions and entered the room where the child was. ⁴¹ He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” which means: “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” ⁴² And immediately the girl, a child of twelve, got up and began to walk around.

On witnessing this, they were all overcome with amazement, ⁴³ but he gave them strict instructions that no one should be told anything about this. Then he told them to give her something to eat.

Chapter 6

Jesus Is Rejected at Nazareth.^{[cn] 1} Departing from that district, Jesus went to his hometown accompanied by his disciples. ² On the Sabbath, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many of those who heard him asked in amazement, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that he has been granted? What mighty deeds he performs! ³ Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother^[co] of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not his sisters here with us?” And so they took offense at him.

⁴ Then Jesus said to them, “A prophet is always treated with honor except in his hometown, and among relatives, and in his own house.” ⁵ And he was unable to perform any mighty works there, aside from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. ⁶ He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Who Is Jesus?^[cp]

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve on Mission.^[cq] Jesus traveled through the villages teaching. ⁷ Calling the Twelve together, he began to send them out two by two, with authority over unclean spirits. ⁸ He instructed them to take nothing for their journey except a walking staff—no bread, no sack, no money in their purses. ⁹ They were to wear sandals but not to take along a second tunic.

¹⁰ He said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, you are to stay there until you leave the area. ¹¹ And if any will not welcome you and refuse to listen to you, leave them immediately and shake off the dust that is on your feet in testimony against them.” ¹² Then they set off and preached the need for repentance. ¹³ They cast out many demons, and they anointed with oil many people who were sick and cured them.^[cr]

¹⁴ The Name of Jesus Becomes Renowned.^[cs] King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become renowned, and some people were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. That is why such powers are at work in him.” ¹⁵ But others said, “He is Elijah,” while still others proclaimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” ¹⁶ But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead.”

¹⁷ The Death of John the Baptist.^[ct] It was this same Herod who had ordered John to be arrested and put in chains in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married her. ¹⁸ For John had told Herod, “It is unlawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”

¹⁹ As for Herodias, she was filled with resentment against John and wanted to have him killed, but she was unable to do so, ²⁰ because Herod was afraid of John, knowing him to be a holy and righteous man. Therefore, he protected him from harm. When he heard John speak, he was greatly perplexed by his words, but even so he liked to listen to him.

²¹ Her opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his court officials and military officers and the leaders of Galilee. ²² When the daughter of Herodias came in, she performed a dance that delighted Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” ²³ And he solemnly swore to her, “Whatever you ask I will give you, even half of my kingdom.”

²⁴ The girl went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John the Baptist.” ²⁵ The girl then hurried back to the king and made her request, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

²⁶ The king was greatly distressed, but because of the oath he had sworn and the presence of the guests, he was unwilling to break his word to her. ²⁷ Therefore, he immediately ordered an executioner to bring him John’s head. The man went off and beheaded him in the prison. ²⁸ Then he brought in the head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl in turn gave it to her mother. ²⁹ When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and removed his body and laid it in a tomb.

³⁰ The Return of the Twelve. The apostles^[cu] returned to Jesus and reported to him all that they had done and taught. ³¹ He said to them, “Come away with me, by yourselves, to a deserted place and rest for a while.” For people continued to come and go in great numbers, and they had no time even to eat.

³² And so they went off by themselves in a boat to a deserted place. ³³ Now many people saw them departing and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. ³⁴ As Jesus went ashore and beheld the vast crowd, he had compassion on them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

³⁵ Jesus Feeds Five Thousand Men.^[cv] When it began to be late in the day, his disciples came up to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and it is getting very late. ³⁶ Send the people away now so that they can go to the farms and villages in the area and buy something for themselves to eat.” ³⁷ He replied, “Give them something to eat yourselves.” They said to him, “Are we to go and spend two hundred denarii^[cw] on bread for them to eat?” ³⁸ He asked, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” When they found out, they reported: “Five loaves, and two fish.”

³⁹ Then he ordered them to have all the people sit down on the green grass in groups. ⁴⁰ They sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. ⁴¹ Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples to distribute among the people. He also divided the two fish among them. ⁴² They all ate and were satisfied. ⁴³ Then they gathered up the fragments of the bread and fish—twelve full baskets.^{[cx] 44} Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men.

⁴⁵ Jesus Walks on the Water.^[cy] Immediately afterward, Jesus instructed his disciples to get into the boat and to go on ahead to Bethsaida on the other side of the lake while he dismissed the crowd. ⁴⁶ And when he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray.

⁴⁷ When evening came, the boat was far out on the water while he was alone on the shore. ⁴⁸ He could see that the disciples were having difficulty in rowing the boat in the face of a headwind. Around the fourth watch of the night he came toward them, walking on the water. He was going to pass by them, ⁴⁹ but when the disciples saw him walking on the water they thought it was a ghost and they cried out, ⁵⁰ for they all had seen him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them, saying, “Have courage! It is I!^[cz] Do not be afraid!” ⁵¹ Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were utterly astounded, ⁵² for they had not understood about the loaves. Their minds were closed.

⁵³ Jesus Heals the Sick at Gennesaret.^[da] After they had completed the crossing, they landed at Gennesaret and moored the boat. ⁵⁴ When they disembarked, the people recognized Jesus immediately. ⁵⁵ They rushed throughout the entire countryside, and began to bring the sick to him on pallets wherever they heard he was. ⁵⁶ Everywhere he went, whether to village or town or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak. And all who touched it were completely healed.

Chapter 7

Traditions That Falsify the Law of God.^{[db] 1} When the Pharisees, along with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem, gathered around Jesus, ² they noted that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. ³ For the Pharisees, and in fact all Jews, do not eat without thoroughly washing their hands, thereby observing the tradition of the elders. ⁴ And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without first washing. In addition, there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and jugs and bronze kettles and tables.^[dc]

⁵ Therefore, the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but eat with unclean hands?” ⁶ He answered, “How rightly Isaiah prophesied about you hypocrites, as it is written:

⁸ You thrust aside the commandment of God in order to preserve the traditions of men.”^[dd]

⁹ Then he said to them, “How cleverly you have set aside the commandment of God to preserve your own tradition! ¹⁰ For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and ‘Whoever curses father or mother will be put to death.’ ¹¹ But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or mother: “Anything I might have used for your support is Corban” ’^[de] (that is, dedicated to God), ¹² then he is forbidden by you from that very moment to do anything for his father or mother. ¹³ You nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many other things just like that.”

¹⁴ Clean and Unclean.^[df] Then he called the people to him and said to them: “Listen to me, all of you, and understand. ¹⁵ There is nothing that goes into a person from outside that can defile him. The things that come out of a person are what defile him. [ ¹⁶ If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!]”^[dg]

¹⁷ When he had gone into the house, away from the crowds, his disciples questioned him about the parable. ¹⁸ He said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not realize that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, ¹⁹ since it enters not into the heart but into the stomach and is discharged into the sewer?” Thus, he pronounced all foods clean.

²⁰ Then he went on, “It is what comes out of a person that defiles. ²¹ For from within, from the human heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, ²² adultery, avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly. ²³ All these evils come from within, and they defile a person.”

²⁴ The Faith of a Gentile Woman.^[dh] He moved on from that place to the region of Tyre. He went into a house and did not want anyone to know he was there, but he was not able to avoid being recognized. ²⁵ Almost immediately, a woman whose daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit heard about him and hastened to fall down at his feet. ²⁶ The woman was a Gentile of Syrophoenician origin, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter.

²⁷ Jesus said to her, “Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” ²⁸ She replied, “Yes, Lord; but even the dogs under the table eat the scraps from the children.” ²⁹ Then Jesus said to her, “For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.” ³⁰ And when she returned home, she found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.

³¹ Jesus Heals a Deaf Man.^[di] Returning from the region of Tyre, Jesus traveled by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, and into the region of the Decapolis. ³² Thereupon people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. ³³ He took him aside, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue. ³⁴ Then, looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha!” which means, “Be opened!” ³⁵ At once, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened, and he spoke properly.

³⁶ Then he ordered them not to tell anyone, but the more he ordered them not to do so, the more widely they proclaimed it. ³⁷ Their astonishment was beyond measure. “He has done all things well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf able to hear and the mute able to speak.”

Chapter 8

Jesus Feeds Four Thousand.^{[dj] 1} In those days, a great crowd had again assembled, and they had nothing to eat. Jesus called his disciples to him and said to them, ² “I am moved with compassion for these people, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. ³ If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will collapse on the way—and some of them have come from far off.”

⁴ His disciples replied, “How can anyone find enough bread here in this deserted place to feed these men?” ⁵ He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They replied, “Seven.”

⁶ Jesus ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves, and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute, and they distributed them to the people. ⁷ There were also a few small fish, and after blessing them he commanded that these too should be distributed. ⁸ They ate and were satisfied. Afterward, the disciples picked up the fragments left over—seven full baskets. ⁹ The people there numbered about four thousand. And when he had sent them away, ¹⁰ he immediately got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.^[dk]

¹¹ The Demand for a Sign.^[dl] The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with him. To put him to the test they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. ¹² Sighing from the depths of his spirit, he said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” ¹³ Then he left them, got into the boat again, and sailed across to the other side.

¹⁴ The Yeast of the Pharisees.^[dm] They had forgotten to bring any bread with them, and they had only one loaf in the boat. ¹⁵ Jesus then gave them this warning, “Be careful, and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.” ¹⁶ They talked about this to one another and concluded: “It is because we have no bread.”

¹⁷ Becoming aware of what they were discussing, he said to them, “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? ¹⁸ Do you have eyes and fail to see? Do you have ears and fail to hear?

“And do you not remember? ¹⁹ When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets filled with fragments did you collect?” They answered, “Twelve.” ²⁰ “When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many baskets filled with fragments did you collect?” They answered, “Seven.” ²¹ He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

²² Jesus Heals a Blind Man.^[dn] They arrived at Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man to Jesus and begged that he touch him. ²³ He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. Then, putting saliva on his eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything?” ²⁴ Looking up, the man responded, “I can see people, but they look like trees walking around.” ²⁵ Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and the man looked around intently. His sight was restored, and he was able to see everything clearly. ²⁶ Then he sent him away to his home, saying, “Do not even go into the village.”

²⁷ Peter’s Confession That Jesus Is the Messiah.^[do] Then Jesus and his disciples set out for the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” ²⁸ They responded, “[Some say] John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” ²⁹ “But you,” he asked, “who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” ³⁰ Then he gave them strict orders not to tell anyone about him.

The Mystery of Jesus Is Revealed^[dp]

The Way of the Son of Man^[dq]

³¹ Jesus Predicts His Passion.^[dr] After that, he began to teach them that the Son of Man must endure great suffering, be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,^[ds] and be put to death, and rise again after three days. ³² He told them these facts in plain words.

Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. ³³ At this, Jesus turned and, looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! You are thinking not as God does, but as men do.”

³⁴ The Conditions of Discipleship.^[dt] He then called the people and his disciples to him and said to them, “Anyone who wishes to follow me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. ^35 [du]For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the sake of the gospel will save it. ³⁶ What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his very life? ³⁷ Indeed, what can he give in exchange for his life?

³⁸ “If anyone in this adulterous and sinful generation is ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Chapter 9

¹ Then he said to them, “Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.”^[dv]

Jesus Is Transfigured.^{[dw] 2} Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And in their presence he was transfigured; ³ his clothes became dazzling white—whiter than anyone on earth could bleach them. ⁴ And Elijah with Moses appeared, conversing with Jesus.

⁵ Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three tents—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ⁶ He did not know what to say, for they were so frightened. ⁷ Then a cloud cast a shadow over them, and a voice came out of the cloud: “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” ⁸ Suddenly, when they looked around, they saw no one with them anymore, but only Jesus.

Elijah Has Already Come.^{[dx] 9} As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus ordered them to tell no one what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. ¹⁰ Therefore, they kept the matter to themselves, although they did argue about what rising from the dead could possibly mean.

¹¹ And they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” ¹² He said to them, “Elijah will indeed come first and restore all things. Yet how is it written about the Son of Man?—that he must endure great suffering and be treated with contempt! ¹³ However, I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written about him.”