Bible in 90 Days

Chapter 2

The Birth of Jesus.^{[a] 1} In those days, a decree was issued by Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken throughout the entire world. ² This was the first such registration, and it took place when Quirinius^[b] was governor of Syria.

³ Everyone traveled to his own town to be enrolled. ⁴ Joseph therefore went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David. ⁵ He went to be registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger,^[c] because there was no room for them in the inn.

⁸ In the nearby countryside there were shepherds living in the fields and keeping watch over their flock throughout the night. ⁹ Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them. They were terror-stricken, ¹⁰ but the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for I bring you good news of great joy for all the people. ¹¹ For this day in the city of David there has been born to you a Savior who is Christ, the Lord.

¹² “This will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” ¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

¹⁵ The Visit of the Shepherds. After the angels had departed from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Come, let us go to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And so they set off in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.

¹⁷ When they saw the child, they recounted the message that had been told them about him. ¹⁸ All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ As for Mary, she treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as they had been told.

²¹ The Circumcision and Naming of Jesus.^[e]On the eighth day, when the time for the child’s circumcision had arrived, he was given the name Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived in the womb.

²² Jesus Is Presented in the Temple. When the days for their purification were completed according to the Law of Moses, they brought the child up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, ²³ as it is prescribed in the Law of the Lord: “Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to the Lord,” ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice in accordance with what is stated in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

²⁵ The Prophecy of Simeon. At that time, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This upright and devout man was awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not experience death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.

²⁷ Prompted by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what was required by the Law, ²⁸ he took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

³³ The child’s father and mother marveled at what was being said about him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother: “This child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed, ³⁵ so that the secret thoughts of many will be revealed, and you yourself a sword will pierce.”

³⁶ The Witness of Anna. There was also present a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very advanced in years, having lived with her husband for seven years after their marriage, ³⁷ and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped with fasting and prayer night and day. ³⁸ At that moment, she came forward and began to praise God, while she spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.

³⁹ The Return to Nazareth. When they had fulfilled everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. ⁴⁰ The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was upon him.

⁴¹ The Boy Jesus in the Temple.^[f] Every year his parents used to go to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover. ⁴² And when Jesus was twelve years old, they made the journey as usual for the feast. ⁴³ When the days of the feast were over and they set off for home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents were not aware of this. ⁴⁴ Assuming that he was somewhere in the group of travelers, they journeyed for a day. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends, ⁴⁵ but when they failed to find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him.

⁴⁶ After three days they found him in the temple, where he was sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ And all who heard him were amazed at his intelligence and his answers. ⁴⁸ When they saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him: “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been searching for you with great anxiety.” ⁴⁹ Jesus said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” ⁵⁰ But they did not comprehend what he said to them.

⁵¹ Jesus Grows in Wisdom and Grace. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and he was obedient to them. His mother pondered all these things in her heart. ⁵² And Jesus increased in wisdom and in age and in grace with God and men.

The Beginning of Jesus’ Ministry^[g]

Chapter 3

The Ministry of John the Baptist. ¹ In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias^[h] was tetrarch of Abilene, ² during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,^[i] the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert. ³ He journeyed throughout the entire region of the Jordan valley, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, ⁴ as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:

⁷ He admonished the crowds who came out to be baptized by him: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ Produce good fruits as proof of your repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones. ⁹ Even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

¹⁰ When the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” ¹¹ he said to them in reply, “Anyone who has two coats must share with the person who has none, and whoever has food must do likewise.” ¹² Even tax collectors were coming to him to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” ¹³ He answered them, “Cease collecting more than the amount prescribed.” ¹⁴ Some soldiers also asked him, “What about us? What should we do?” He replied, “Do not extort money from anyone, do not falsely accuse or threaten anyone, and be satisfied with your wages.”

¹⁵ As the people began to experience a feeling of expectancy, they all wondered in their hearts whether John might be the Christ. ¹⁶ John answered, telling them all: “I baptize you with water, but there is one coming who is more powerful than I am. I am not worthy to loosen the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷ His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” ¹⁸ And with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

¹⁹ But Herod the tetrarch, after having been rebuked by John because of his affair with Herodias, his brother’s wife, in addition to all the other evil deeds he had done, ²⁰ added still this, that he put John in prison.^[j]

²¹ The Baptism of Jesus.^[k] After John had baptized all the people, and while Jesus was engaged in prayer after also having been baptized, heaven opened ²² and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased.”

²³ The Genealogy of Jesus.^[l] When Jesus began his ministry, he was about thirty years old. He was the son, as it was thought, of Joseph,^[m]

the son of Heli, ²⁴ the son of Matthat,

the son of Levi, the son of Melchi,

the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,

²⁵ the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos,

the son of Nahum, the son of Esli,

the son of Naggai, ²⁶ the son of Maath,

the son of Mattathias,

the son of Semein, the son of Josech,

the son of Joda, ²⁷ the son of Joanan,

the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel,

the son of Shealtiel,

the son of Neri, ²⁸ the son of Melchi,

the son of Addi, the son of Cosam,

the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,

²⁹ the son of Joshua,

the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim,

the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,

³⁰ the son of Simeon, the son of Judah,

the son of Joseph,

the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,

³¹ the son of Melea, the son of Menna,

the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan,

the son of David,

³² the son of Jesse, the son of Obed,

the son of Boaz, the son of Sala,

the son of Nahshon, ³³ the son of Amminadab,

the son of Admin,

the son of Arni, the son of Hezron,

the son of Perez, the son of Judah,

³⁴ the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac,

the son of Abraham,

the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,

³⁵ the son of Serug, the son of Reu,

the son of Peleg, the son of Eber,

the son of Shelah,

³⁶ the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad,

the son of Shem, the son of Noah,

the son of Lamech, ³⁷ the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch,

the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel,

the son of Cainan, ³⁸ the son of Enos,

the son of Seth, the son of Adam,

the son of God.

Chapter 4

Jesus Is Tempted by the Devil.^{[n] 1} Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert ² for forty days, where he was tempted by the devil. During that time he ate nothing, and at the end of it he was famished.

³ The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to be transformed into bread.” ⁴ Jesus answered him: “As it states in Scripture:

⁵ Then the devil led him up and showed him in a single instant all the kingdoms of the world, ⁶ saying to him, “To you will I give all this dominion with its accompanying glory, for it has been delivered into my power, and I can bestow it on whomever I choose. ⁷ All this will be yours if you worship me.” ⁸ Jesus answered him: “Scripture says:

⁹ Next the devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the summit of the temple. Then he said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, ¹⁰ for according to Scripture:

¹¹ and:

¹² Jesus answered him, “Scripture says:

¹³ When the devil had ended all his tempting, he departed from him until an opportune time.

The Ministry of Jesus in Galilee^[o]

¹⁴ Jesus Is Accepted throughout Galilee. Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and reports about him began to spread throughout the surrounding region. ¹⁵ He taught in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

¹⁶ Jesus at Nazareth.^[p]When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, ¹⁷ and they handed him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll, he found the passage where it is written:

²⁰ Then he rolled up the scroll, returned it to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed intently on him.

²¹ Then he began by saying to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” ²² All present spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that flowed from his lips. They also asked, “Is this not the son of Joseph?”

²³ He said to them, “Undoubtedly you will quote to me the proverb: ‘Physician, heal yourself,’ and say: ‘Do here in your hometown^[q] the deeds we have heard that you performed in Capernaum.’ ²⁴ Amen, I say to you,” he went on, “no prophet is accepted in his own country.

^25 [r]“I tell you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the skies remained closed for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. ²⁶ Yet it was to none of them that Elijah was sent, but to a widow at Zarephath in the land of Sidon. ²⁷ There were also many people with leprosy in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, but not one of these was cleansed except for Naaman the Syrian.”

²⁸ When they heard these words, all the people in the synagogue were roused to fury.^{[s] 29} They leapt up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the top of the hill upon which their town was built, intending to hurl him off the cliff. ³⁰ However, he passed through the midst of the crowd and went on his way.

³¹ Jesus Heals a Man with a Demon.^[t]Jesus then went to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and began to teach the people on the Sabbath. ³² They were astounded at his teaching because his message had authority.

³³ In the synagogue there was a man possessed by the spirit of an unclean demon, and he shrieked loudly, ³⁴ “Leave us alone! 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.”^{[u] 35} But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!”

Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and emerged from him without doing him any harm. ³⁶ The people were all amazed, and they said to one another: “What is this teaching? For with authority and power he gives commands to unclean spirits, and they come forth.” ³⁷ And reports about him began to spread throughout the entire region.

³⁸ Jesus Heals Peter’s Mother-in-Law. On leaving the synagogue, he entered Simon’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they begged him to help her. ³⁹ Jesus stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and began to serve them.

⁴⁰ Jesus Ministers throughout Galilee. At sunset they brought to him all those who were sick with various diseases. He laid his hands on each of them and healed them. ⁴¹ Demons also emerged from many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ.

⁴² Jesus Is the Envoy of God for All Israel.^[v] At daybreak he departed and made his way to a secluded place. But the crowds went forth in search of him, and when they located him, they tried to prevent him from leaving there. ⁴³ However, he said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other towns as well, because this was the purpose for which I was sent.” ⁴⁴ Thus, he continued to preach in the synagogues of Judea.

Chapter 5

Jesus Calls the First Disciples.^{[w] 1} One day, as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with people crowding around him to hear the word of God, ² he caught sight of two boats at the water’s edge. The fishermen had gotten out of the boats and were washing their nets. ³ Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.

⁴ When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” ⁵ Simon answered, “Master, we worked hard throughout the night and caught nothing; but if you say so, I will let down the nets.” ⁶ When they had done this, they caught such a great number of fish that their nets were beginning to tear. ⁷ Therefore, they signaled to their companions in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats to the point that they were in danger of sinking.

⁸ When Simon Peter saw what had happened, he fell at the knees of Jesus, saying, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” ⁹ For he and all of his companions were amazed at the catch they had made. ¹⁰ So too were Simon’s partners James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will be catching men.” ¹¹ When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.

¹² Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy.^[x] In one of the towns that he visited, a man appeared whose body was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell prostrate before him and pleaded for his help, saying, “Lord, if you choose to do so, you can make me clean.” ¹³ He stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I do choose. Be made clean.” Immediately, the leprosy left him.

¹⁴ He then instructed him to tell no one. “Just go,” he said, “and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as prescribed by Moses. That will be proof for them.” ¹⁵ However, the reports about him continued to spread, so that large crowds assembled to listen to him and to be healed of their diseases. ¹⁶ But he would withdraw to deserted places to pray.

¹⁷ Jesus Pardons and Heals a Paralyzed Man.^[y] One day, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and Judea, and from Jerusalem. And he possessed the power of the Lord to heal.

¹⁸ Then some men appeared, carrying a paralyzed man on a bed. They tried to bring him in and set him down in front of Jesus. ¹⁹ However, finding no way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up onto the roof and lowered him on the bed through the tiles into the middle of the crowd surrounding Jesus.

²⁰ On perceiving their faith, Jesus said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.” ²¹ Then the scribes and the Pharisees began to ask each other, “Who is this man uttering blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

²² Jesus discerned what they were thinking, and he said in reply, “Why do you entertain such thoughts in your hearts? ²³ Which is easier—to say: ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say: ‘Stand up and walk’? ²⁴ But that you may come to realize that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralyzed man—“I say to you, stand up, and take your bed, and go to your home.” ²⁵ Immediately, the man stood up before them, picked up his bed, and went home glorifying God. ²⁶ They were all overcome with amazement, and they praised God as, awestruck, they said, “We have witnessed unbelievable things today.”

²⁷ Jesus Calls Levi (Matthew).^[z][aa]After this, he went out and noticed a tax collector named Levi sitting at his customs post. Jesus said to him, “Follow me,” ²⁸ and, leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him.

²⁹ Jesus Dines with Sinners. Then Levi gave a great banquet in his house for him, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were at table with them. ³⁰ The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”^{[ab] 31} Jesus said to them in reply, “It is not the healthy who need a physician, but rather those who are sick. ³² I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

³³ A Time of Joy and Grace.^[ac] Then they said to him, “John’s disciples fast frequently and pray often, and the disciples of the Pharisees do likewise, but your disciples eat and drink.” ³⁴ Jesus said to them, “How can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is still with them? ³⁵ But the time will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then, in those days, they will fast.”

³⁶ He also told them this parable: “No one tears a piece from a new cloak and sews it on an old cloak. If he does, the new cloak will be torn, and the piece from it will not match that of the old. ³⁷ Nor does anyone pour new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and spill out, and the skins will be destroyed. ³⁸ Rather new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. ³⁹ And no one who has been drinking old wine will wish for new wine, for he says, ‘The old is better.’ ”

Chapter 6

Picking Grain on the Sabbath.^{[ad] 1} On one Sabbath, when Jesus was going through a field of grain, his disciples picked some heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and ate them. ² Some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is forbidden on the Sabbath?”

³ Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? ⁴ He entered the house of God and took and ate the sacred bread that only the priests were permitted to eat, and he shared it with his companions.” ⁵ Then he said to them, “The Son of Man,^[ae] is lord of the Sabbath.”

A Man with a Withered Hand. ⁶ On another Sabbath, Jesus entered the synagogue and began to teach. A man was there whose right hand was withered. ⁷ The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely to see whether he would cure him on the Sabbath so that they would have a charge to bring against him.

⁸ But Jesus was fully aware of their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here and stand before us.” The man got up and stood there. ⁹ Then Jesus said to them, “I put this question to you: Is it lawful to do good or to do evil on the Sabbath, to save life or to destroy it?” ¹⁰ After looking around at all of them, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was restored. ¹¹ But they were filled with fury and discussed among themselves what they might do with Jesus.

¹² Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles.^[af] It was in those days that he went onto the mountain to pray, and he spent the entire night in prayer to God. ¹³ Then, when it was daylight, he summoned his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he designated as apostles: ¹⁴ Simon, to whom he gave the name Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, ¹⁵ Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon called the Zealot, ¹⁶ Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

¹⁷ The Crowds Seek Out Jesus.^[ag] He then came down with them and stood on a spot of level ground, where there was a large crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all sections of Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon. ¹⁸ They had come there to listen to him and to be healed of their diseases. Those who were afflicted by unclean spirits were cured. ¹⁹ And everyone in the crowd was trying to touch him, because power came forth from him and healed them all.

The Sermon on the Plain^[ah]

²⁰ The Beatitudes.^[ai] Then, turning to his disciples, he began to speak:

²² “Blessed are you when people hate you and ostracize you, when they insult you and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. ²³ Rejoice on that day and dance for joy, for your reward will be great in heaven. This was the way their ancestors treated the Prophets.

²⁷ Love of Enemies.^[aj]“But to those of you who are listening to me, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. ²⁹ If anyone strikes you on one cheek, offer him the other cheek as well, and should someone take your cloak, let him have your tunic as well. ³⁰ Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not demand the return of what is yours from the one who has taken it.

³¹ “Deal with others as you would like them to deal with you. ³² If you love only those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do as much. ³⁴ And if you lend only to those from whom you expect to be repaid, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.

³⁵ “Rather, you must love your enemies and do good to them, and lend without expecting any repayment. In this way, you will receive a great reward. You will be sons of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. ³⁶ Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

³⁷ Relations with Others.^[ak]“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. ³⁸ Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap. The measure that you use for others will be used to measure you.”

³⁹ Parable of the Blind Leading the Blind. He also told them a parable: “Can one blind man guide another who is also blind? Will not both of them fall into a pit? ⁴⁰ No student is greater than his teacher, but a fully trained student will be like his teacher.

⁴¹ “Why do you take note of the splinter in your brother’s eye but do not notice the wooden plank in your own eye? ⁴² How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the splinter that is in your eye,’ while all the time you do not notice the wooden plank that is in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the wooden plank from your own eye, and then you will be able to see clearly enough to remove the splinter that is in your brother’s eye.

⁴³ A Tree Is Known by Its Fruit.^[al]“No healthy tree can bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotting tree bear healthy fruit. ⁴⁴ Every tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not pick figs from thornbushes or grapes from brambles. ⁴⁵ A good man produces good from the store of goodness in his heart, whereas an evil man produces evil from the store of evil within him. For the mouth speaks from the abundance of the heart.

⁴⁶ Parable of the Two Foundations.“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but fail to do what I tell you? ⁴⁷ I will show you what everyone is like who comes to me and hears my words and acts in accordance with them. ⁴⁸ He is like a man who in building a house dug deeply and laid its foundations on rock. When the flood rose, it burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been solidly constructed. ⁴⁹ In contrast, the one who hears and does not act in accordance with my words is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. As soon as the river burst against it, the house collapsed and was completely destroyed.”

From the Beatitudes to the Parables^[am]

Chapter 7

Jesus Heals the Centurion’s Servant.^{[an] 1} After Jesus had finished speaking to the people, he entered Capernaum. ² A centurion who dwelt there had a servant whom he regarded highly and who was ill and near death. ³ When he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to ask him if he would come and heal his servant.

⁴ When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, saying, “He deserves this favor from you, ⁵ for he loves our people, and he was the one who built our synagogue for us.”

⁶ Jesus went with them. When he drew near the house, the centurion sent friends to say to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. ⁷ That is the reason why I did not presume to approach you personally. But say the word and let my servant be healed. ⁸ For I also am a man subject to authority, with soldiers who are subject to me. I say to one: ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another: ‘Come here,’ and he comes, and to my servant: ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

⁹ When Jesus heard these words, he was amazed, and, turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, in no one throughout Israel have I found faith as great as this.” ¹⁰ When the messengers returned to the house, they found the servant completely healthy.

¹¹ Jesus Raises the Son of a Widow.^[ao] Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, accompanied by his disciples and a large crowd. ¹² As he drew near to the gate of the town, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his widowed mother. A large group of people from the town accompanied her.

¹³ When the Lord saw her, he was filled with compassion, and he said to her, “Do not weep.” ¹⁴ After this, he came forward and touched the bier, and the bearers halted. Then he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise!” ¹⁵ The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.

¹⁶ Fear seized all who were present, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen among us,” and “God has visited his people.” ¹⁷ The news of what he had done spread throughout Judea and the surrounding region.

¹⁸ Jesus Answers the Baptist’s Question.^[ap] When the disciples of John brought him reports about all these things, ¹⁹ John designated two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” ²⁰ When they came to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask: ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’ ”

²¹ At that time, Jesus had just cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits, and had restored the sight of many who were blind. ²² And he gave them this reply: “Go back and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. ²³ And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”

²⁴ Jesus Praises John the Baptist.^[aq]When John’s messengers had departed, Jesus spoke to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swaying in the wind? ²⁵ What did you go out to see? Someone robed in fine clothing? Those who are robed in gorgeous clothing and live luxuriously are to be found in royal palaces. ²⁶ Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a prophet. ²⁷ This is the one about whom it is written:

²⁸ “I tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John, and yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

²⁹ (All the people who heard him, including the tax collectors, acknowledged the saving justice of God, for they had received John’s baptism. ³⁰ However, the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law who had refused his baptism rejected God’s plan for them.)

³¹ Indecisive Children.“Then to what shall I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? ³² They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to each other:

³³ “For John the Baptist has come, eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say: ‘He is possessed.’ ³⁴ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say: ‘Look at him! He is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ ³⁵ Yet wisdom is proved right by all her children.”

³⁶ Jesus Pardons a Sinful Woman.^[ar] One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to dine with him. When he arrived at the Pharisee’s house, he took his place at table. ³⁷ A woman of that town, who was leading a sinful life, learned that Jesus was a dinner guest in the Pharisee’s house. Carrying with her an alabaster jar of ointment,^{[as] 38} she stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.

³⁹ When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were really a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner.” ⁴⁰ Jesus then said to the Pharisee, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” He replied, “What is it, Teacher?”

⁴¹ “There were two men who were in debt to a certain creditor. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other owed fifty. ⁴² When they were unable to repay him, he canceled both debts. Now which one of them will love him more?” ⁴³ Simon answered, “I would imagine that it would be the one who was forgiven the larger amount.” Jesus replied, “You have judged rightly.”

⁴⁴ Then, turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your home, and you provided no water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You gave me no kiss, but she has not ceased to kiss my feet from the time I came in. ⁴⁶ You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. ⁴⁷ Therefore, I tell you: her many sins have been forgiven her because she has shown great love. But the one who has been forgiven little has little love.”

⁴⁸ Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” ⁴⁹ Those who were at table began to say to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” ⁵⁰ But Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Chapter 8

Hearing the Word

The Women Who Minister to Jesus. ¹ After that, Jesus journeyed through towns and villages preaching and proclaiming the kingdom of God. Traveling with him were the Twelve, ^2 [at]as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out; ³ Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza; Susanna; and many others. These women provided for them out of their own resources.

The Parable of the Sower.^{[au] 4} When a large crowd gathered together as people from every town flocked to him, he said in a parable: ⁵ “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some of the seed fell along the path and was trampled upon, and the birds of the sky ate it up. ⁶ Some fell on rock, and when it came up, it withered for lack of moisture. ⁷ Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. ⁸ And some fell onto good soil, and when it grew it produced a crop of a hundredfold.”

After saying this, he cried out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

The Purpose of Parables.^{[av] 9} Then his disciples asked him what the parable meant. ¹⁰ He said, “To you has been granted knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but for others they are made known in parables, so that

¹¹ The Explanation of the Parable of the Sower.^[aw]“The meaning of the parable is this. The seed is the word of God. ¹² The seed on the path represents those who hear, but then the devil comes and carries off the word from their hearts so that they may not come to believe and be saved. ¹³ Those on rock are the ones who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a short while, but in time of trial they fall away.

¹⁴ “That which has fallen among thorns are the ones who have heard, but as they go along, they are choked by the concerns and riches and pleasures of life, and they fail to produce mature fruit. ¹⁵ But that which is on rich soil are the ones who, when they have heard the word with a good and upright heart, keep it and yield a harvest through their perseverance.

¹⁶ The Parable of the Lamp.^[ax]“No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a pot or places it under a bed. Rather he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light. ¹⁷ For nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing is concealed that will not be made known and brought to light. ¹⁸ Take great care, therefore, about how you listen. For to the one who has, more will be given; from the one who does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away.”

¹⁹ The True Family of Jesus.^[ay] Then his mother and his brethren arrived, looking for him, but they could not get near him because of the crowd. ²⁰ He was told, “Your mother and your brethren^[az] are standing outside, and they want to see you.” ²¹ But he replied, “My mother and my brethren are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice.”

The Progressive Revelation of the Mystery of Jesus

²² Jesus Calms the Storm.^[ba] One day, Jesus got into a boat with his disciples and said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” And so they set forth, ²³ and as they sailed he fell asleep. Then a windstorm swept down on the lake. As a result, the boat was becoming filled with water, and they were in danger. ²⁴ So they went to him and awakened him, saying, “Master! Master! We are perishing!”

Then he awakened and rebuked the wind and the turbulent waves. They subsided and there was calm. ²⁵ He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were filled with fear and a sense of awe, and they said to one another, “Who can this be? He gives orders to the winds and the water, and they obey him.”

²⁶ Jesus Casts Out a Legion of Demons.^[bb] Then they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. ²⁷ As he stepped ashore, he was approached by a man from the town who was possessed by demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes. Moreover, he did not live in a house but among the tombs.

²⁸ When the man caught sight of Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore you, do not torment me!” ²⁹ For he had ordered the unclean spirit to come out of the man. Many times in the past it had seized him, and on such occasions they used to restrain him with chains and shackles, but he would manage to break loose and be driven by the demon into the wilds.

³⁰ Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “Legion,” he replied, for many demons had entered him. ³¹ And they begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss.

³² Now on the mountainside a large herd of pigs was feeding, and they pleaded with him to let them go into the pigs. He allowed this. ³³ The demons then came out of the man and entered the pigs. Thereupon the herd charged down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.

³⁴ When those tending the herd saw what had occurred, they ran off and reported the incident in the town and throughout the countryside. ³⁵ As a result, people came out to see what had happened. When they came near Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully clothed and in his right mind, and they were frightened.

³⁶ Those who had been eye-witnesses to the incident told how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. ³⁷ Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and went away.

³⁸ The man from whom the demons had gone out pleaded that he be allowed to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, ³⁹ “Return to your home and give witness to what God has done for you.” He then departed, proclaiming throughout the town what Jesus had done for him.

⁴⁰ Jesus Heals a Woman and Raises a Child.^[bc] When Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they had all been waiting for him. ⁴¹ Then a man named Jairus, a leader of the synagogue, came forward. Throwing himself at the feet of Jesus, he pleaded with him to come to his house, ⁴² because he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, who was dying. And as Jesus went forth, the crowds were pressing in on him.

⁴³ There was a woman who had been suffering from bleeding for twelve years, but no one had been able to cure her affliction. ⁴⁴ Coming up behind him, she touched the fringe of his cloak, and her bleeding stopped immediately.

⁴⁵ Jesus then asked, “Who was it who touched me?” When everyone denied doing so, Peter said, “Master, the crowds are surrounding you and pressing closely upon you.” ⁴⁶ But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I could sense power going out from me.”

⁴⁷ When the woman realized that she had not escaped notice, she came forward, trembling, and knelt down before him. In the presence of all the people, she related why she had touched him and how she had been healed immediately. ⁴⁸ Then Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

⁴⁹ While he was still speaking, someone came from the house of the synagogue leader and said, “Your daughter has died. Do not bother the Teacher any further.” ⁵⁰ When Jesus heard this, he said, “Do not be afraid. Just have faith, and she will be saved.”

⁵¹ When he arrived at the house, he permitted no one to go in with him except Peter, John, and James, and the child’s father and mother. ⁵² Everyone was weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Stop your weeping! She is not dead; she is asleep.” ⁵³ They laughed at him because they knew that she had died.

⁵⁴ However, Jesus took her by the hand and called out to her, “Little child, arise.” ⁵⁵ Her spirit returned, and she stood up at once. Then Jesus directed that she be given something to eat. ⁵⁶ Her parents were stunned, but he gave them strict instructions to tell no one what had happened.

Chapter 9

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve on Mission.^{[bd] 1} Calling the Twelve together, Jesus gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to cure diseases, ² and he sent them forth to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

³ He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither walking staff, nor sack, nor bread, nor money. Nor are you to have a second tunic. ⁴ Whatever house you enter, stay there until you depart from that area. ⁵ As for those who do not welcome you, when you leave that town shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them.” ⁶ Then they set forth and traveled from village to village, preaching the gospel and curing diseases everywhere.

John the Baptist, Herod, and Jesus.^{[be] 7} Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was taking place, and he was perplexed because some people were saying that John had been raised from the dead, ⁸ others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the ancient prophets had come back to life. ⁹ But Herod said, “John I beheaded. Then who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he was anxious to see him.

¹⁰ Jesus Feeds Five Thousand Men.^[bf] On their return, the apostles reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them along and withdrew privately to a town named Bethsaida. ¹¹ When the people learned of this, they followed him. Jesus welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God. He also cured those who were in need of healing.

¹² When evening was approaching, the Twelve came to Jesus and said, “Send the people away now so that they can go to the villages and farms in the area and obtain food and lodging, for we are in a deserted place.” ¹³ He replied, “Give them something to eat yourselves.” They said, “All we have are five loaves and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all these people.” ¹⁴ For there were present about five thousand men.

Then he instructed his disciples, “Make them sit down in groups of about fifty.” ¹⁵ They did so and made them sit down. ¹⁶ Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke them and gave them to the disciples to distribute among the people. ¹⁷ They all ate and were satisfied. Then they gathered up what was left over—twelve baskets of fragments.

¹⁸ Peter’s Confession That Jesus Is the Christ.^[bg]Once while Jesus was praying by himself, he asked his disciples who were standing close by, “Who do the people say that I am?” ¹⁹ They answered, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has arisen.” ²⁰ “But you,” he said to them, “who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him: “The Christ of God.” ²¹ Thereupon he gave them strict orders and commanded them not to tell this to anyone.

²² Jesus Predicts His Passion. He then went on to say, “The Son of Man must endure great suffering, be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be put to death, and on the third day be raised.”

²³ The Conditions of Discipleship.^[bh] Then he said to all who were with him, “Anyone who wishes to follow me must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. ²⁴ For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. ²⁵ What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?

²⁶ “If anyone is ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. ²⁷ Truly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”

²⁸ Jesus Is Transfigured.^[bi] About eight days after he had said this, Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up on a mountain to pray. ²⁹ And while he was praying, the appearance of his face underwent a change, and his clothing became dazzling white. ³⁰ Suddenly, there were two men talking with him, Moses and Elijah, ³¹ who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which would come to pass in Jerusalem. ³² Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake they beheld his glory and the two men standing beside him.

³³ When they were ready to leave, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three tents—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not truly know what he was saying. ³⁴ While he was speaking, a cloud came and cast its shadow over them, and the three disciples became frightened as they entered the cloud. ³⁵ Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One.^[bj] Listen to him.” ³⁶ After the voice had spoken, they beheld only Jesus. They kept silent and at that time they did not tell anyone about what they had witnessed.

End of the Galilean Ministry

³⁷ Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon.^[bk] On the following day, when they descended from the mountain, a large crowd came forth to meet him. ³⁸ Then, suddenly, a man in the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I implore you to look at my son. He is my only child. ³⁹ A spirit seizes him and with a shriek suddenly throws him into convulsions until he begins to foam at the mouth. It hardly ever leaves him, continuously torturing him. ⁴⁰ I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable to do so.”

⁴¹ Jesus said in reply, “O unbelieving and perverse generation! How much longer shall I remain with you and have to endure you? Bring your son here!” ⁴² As the boy was approaching him, the demon threw him into convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, cured the boy, and gave him back to his father. ⁴³ And all those present were awestruck at the greatness of God.

Jesus Predicts His Passion a Second Time.^[bl] Amid the astonishment of the crowds at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, ⁴⁴ “Listen carefully to these words. The Son of Man is going to be handed over into the power of men.” ⁴⁵ But they did not understand what he was saying. Its meaning was hidden from them so that they could not comprehend his message, and they were afraid to ask him what he meant.

⁴⁶ True Greatness.^[bm] The disciples then began to argue about which of them was the greatest. ⁴⁷ Jesus, aware of their inner thoughts, took a child, placed him by his side, ⁴⁸ and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.”

⁴⁹ Whoever Is Not against You Is with You.^[bn] John then said, “Master, we saw someone expelling demons in your name, and we forbade him because he is not with us.” ⁵⁰ Jesus replied, “Do not hinder him! For whoever is not against you is with you.”

The Journey to Jerusalem^[bo]

The Departure

⁵¹ Passing through Samaria.^[bp] As the time drew near for him to be taken up, Jesus resolutely set his sights on Jerusalem, ⁵² and he sent messengers ahead of him. They entered a Samaritan village to make arrangements for his arrival, ⁵³ but the people there would not receive him because his destination was Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?”^{[bq] 55} But Jesus turned and rebuked them. ⁵⁶ Then they journeyed forth to another village.

⁵⁷ The Cost of Following Jesus.^[br] As they traveled along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” ⁵⁸ Jesus told him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”

⁵⁹ To another he said, “Follow me.” The man replied, “Lord, allow me to go first and bury my father.” ⁶⁰ Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead. You are to go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

⁶¹ Another man said, “I will follow you, Lord, but allow me first to say farewell to my family at home.” ⁶² Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and then looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”