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Mark 15

Pilate Questions Jesus—Matthew 27:11-14; Luke 23:1-4; John 18:28-38

1 Early in the morning the chief priests immediately came to a decision with the leaders and the scribes. The whole Jewish council decided to tie Jesus up, lead him away, and hand him over to Pilate.

2 Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

“Yes, I am,” Jesus answered him.

3 The chief priests were accusing him of many things.

4 So Pilate asked him again, “Don’t you have any answer? Look how many accusations they’re bringing against you!”

5 But Jesus no longer answered anything, so Pilate was surprised.



The Crowd Rejects Jesus—Matthew 27:15-26; Luke 23:18-25; John 18:39-40

6 At every Passover festival, Pilate would free one prisoner whom the people asked for. 7 There was a man named Barabbas in prison. He was with some rebels who had committed murder during a riot. 8 The crowd asked Pilate to do for them what he always did. 9 Pilate answered them, “Do you want me to free the king of the Jews for you?” 10 Pilate knew that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him because they were jealous.

11 The chief priests stirred up the crowd so that Pilate would free Barabbas for them instead.

12 So Pilate again asked them, “Then what should I do with the king of the Jews?”

13 “Crucify him!” they shouted back.

14 Pilate said to them, “Why? What has he done wrong?”

But they shouted even louder, “Crucify him!”

15 Pilate wanted to satisfy the people, so he freed Barabbas for them. But he had Jesus whipped and handed over to be crucified.



The Soldiers Make Fun of Jesus—Matthew 27:27-30; John 19:1-3

16 The soldiers led Jesus into the courtyard of the palace and called together the whole troop. 17 They dressed him in purple, twisted some thorns into a crown, and placed it on his head. 18 Then they began to greet him, “Long live the king of the Jews!” 19 They kept hitting him on the head with a stick, spitting on him, and kneeling in front of him with false humility.



The Crucifixion—Matthew 27:31-44; Luke 23:33-38; John 19:16b-24

20 After the soldiers finished making fun of Jesus, they took off the purple cape and put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him out to crucify him. 21 A man named Simon from the city of Cyrene was coming into Jerusalem from his home in the country. He was the father of Alexander and Rufus. As he was about to pass by, the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross.

22 They took Jesus to Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 23 They tried to give him wine mixed with a drug called myrrh, but he wouldn’t take it. 24 Next they crucified him. Then they divided his clothes among themselves by throwing dice to see what each one would get. 25 It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. 26 There was a written notice of the accusation against him. It read, “The king of the Jews.”

27 They crucified two criminals with him, one on his right and the other on his left. 28 And what the Scriptures said came true: “He was counted with criminals.”

29 Those who passed by insulted him. They shook their heads and said, “What a joke! You were going to tear down God’s temple and build it again in three days. 30 Come down from the cross, and save yourself!” 31 The chief priests and the scribes made fun of him among themselves in the same way. They said, “He saved others, but he can’t save himself. 32 Let the Messiah, the king of Israel, come down from the cross now so that we may see and believe.” Even those who were crucified with him were insulting him.



Jesus Dies on the Cross—Matthew 27:45-56; Luke 23:44-49; John 19:28-30

33 At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 At three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

35 When some of the people standing there heard him say that, they said, “Listen! He’s calling Elijah.” 36 Someone ran and soaked a sponge in vinegar. Then he put it on a stick and offered Jesus a drink. The man said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down.”

37 Then Jesus cried out in a loud voice and died. 38 The curtain in the temple was split in two from top to bottom.

39 When the officer who stood facing Jesus saw how he gave up his spirit, he said, “Certainly, this man was the Son of God!”

40 Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary from Magdala, Mary (the mother of young James and Joseph), and Salome. 41 They had followed him and supported him while he was in Galilee. Many other women who had come to Jerusalem with him were there too.



Jesus Is Buried—Matthew 27:57-61; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42

42 It was Friday evening, before the day of worship, 43 when Joseph arrived. He was from the city of Arimathea and was an important member of the Jewish council. He, too, was waiting for the kingdom of God. Joseph boldly went to Pilate’s quarters to ask for the body of Jesus.

44 Pilate wondered if Jesus had already died. So he summoned the officer to ask him if Jesus was, in fact, dead. 45 When the officer had assured him that Jesus was dead, Pilate let Joseph have the corpse.

46 Joseph had purchased some linen cloth. He took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in the cloth. Then he laid the body in a tomb, which had been cut out of rock, and he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. 47 Mary from Magdala and Mary (the mother of Joses) watched where Jesus was laid.



Mark 16

Jesus Comes Back to Life—Matthew 28:1-10; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-10

1 When the day of worship was over, Mary from Magdala, Mary (the mother of James), and Salome bought spices to go and anoint Jesus.

2 On Sunday they were going to the tomb very early when the sun had just come up. 3 They said to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” 4 When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away. It was a very large stone. 5 As they went into the tomb, they saw a young man. He was dressed in a white robe and sat on the right side. They were panic-stricken.

6 The young man said to them, “Don’t panic! You’re looking for Jesus from Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been brought back to life. He’s not here. Look at the place where they laid him. 7 Go and tell his disciples and Peter that he’s going ahead of them to Galilee. There they will see him, just as he told them.”

8 They went out of the tomb and ran away. Shock and trembling had overwhelmed them. They didn’t say a thing to anyone, because they were afraid.



Jesus Appears to His Followers

9 After Jesus came back to life early on Sunday, he appeared first to Mary from Magdala, from whom he had forced out seven demons. 10 She went and told his friends, who were grieving and crying. 11 They didn’t believe her when they heard that he was alive and that she had seen him.

12 Later Jesus appeared to two disciples as they were walking to their home in the country. He did not look as he usually did. 13 They went back and told the others, who did not believe them either. 14 Still later Jesus appeared to the eleven apostles while they were eating. He put them to shame for their unbelief and because they were too stubborn to believe those who had seen him alive.

15 Then Jesus said to them, “So wherever you go in the world, tell everyone the Good News. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

17 “These are the miraculous signs that will accompany believers: They will use the power and authority of my name to force demons out of people. They will speak new languages. 18 They will pick up snakes, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them. They will place their hands on the sick and cure them.”

19 After talking with the apostles, the Lord was taken to heaven, where God gave him the highest position.

20 The disciples spread the Good News everywhere. The Lord worked with them. He confirmed his word by the miraculous signs that accompanied it.



Luke 1

Luke Writes to Theophilus

1 Many have attempted to write about what had taken place among us. 2 They received their information from those who had been eyewitnesses and servants of God’s word from the beginning, and they passed it on to us. 3 I, too, have followed everything closely from the beginning. So I thought it would be a good idea to write an orderly account for Your Excellency, Theophilus. 4 In this way you will know that what you’ve been told is true.



The Angel Gabriel Appears to Zechariah

5 When Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the division of priests named after Abijah. Zechariah’s wife Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron. 6 Zechariah and Elizabeth had God’s approval. They followed all the Lord’s commands and regulations perfectly. 7 Yet, they never had any children because Elizabeth couldn’t become pregnant. Both of them were too old to have children.

8 Zechariah was on duty with his division of priests. As he served in God’s presence, 9 he was chosen by priestly custom to go into the Lord’s temple to burn incense. 10 All the people were praying outside while he was burning incense.

11 Then, to the right of the incense altar, an angel of the Lord appeared to him. 12 Zechariah was troubled and overcome with fear.

13 The angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife Elizabeth will have a son, and you will name him John. 14 He will be your pride and joy, and many people will be glad that he was born. 15 As far as the Lord is concerned, he will be a great man. He will never drink wine or any other liquor. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring many people in Israel back to the Lord their God. 17 He will go ahead of the Lord with the spirit and power that Elijah had. He will change parents’ attitudes toward their children. He will change disobedient people so that they will accept the wisdom of those who have God’s approval. In this way he will prepare the people for their Lord.”

18 Zechariah said to the angel, “What proof is there for this? I’m an old man, and my wife is beyond her childbearing years.”

19 The angel answered him, “I’m Gabriel! I stand in God’s presence. God sent me to tell you this good news. 20 But because you didn’t believe what I said, you will be unable to talk until the day this happens. Everything will come true at the right time.”

21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah. They were amazed that he was staying in the temple so long. 22 When he did come out, he was unable to speak to them. So they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. He motioned to them but remained unable to talk.

23 When the days of his service were over, he went home. 24 Later, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and didn’t go out in public for five months. She said, 25 “The Lord has done this for me now. He has removed my public disgrace.”



The Angel Gabriel Comes to Mary

26 Six months after Elizabeth had become pregnant, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a city in Galilee. 27 The angel went to a virgin promised in marriage to a descendant of David named Joseph. The virgin’s name was Mary.

28 When the angel entered her home, he greeted her and said, “You are favored by the Lord! The Lord is with you.”

29 She was startled by what the angel said and tried to figure out what this greeting meant.

30 The angel told her,

“Don’t be afraid, Mary. You have found favor with God.

31 You will become pregnant, give birth to a son,

and name him Jesus.

32 He will be a great man

and will be called the Son of the Most High.

The Lord God will give him

the throne of his ancestor David.

33 Your son will be king of Jacob’s people forever,

and his kingdom will never end.”

34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this be? I’ve never had sexual intercourse.”

35 The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come to you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy child developing inside you will be called the Son of God.

36 “Elizabeth, your relative, is six months pregnant with a son in her old age. People said she couldn’t have a child. 37 But nothing is impossible for God.”

38 Mary answered, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let everything you’ve said happen to me.”

Then the angel left her.



Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 Soon afterward, Mary hurried to a city in the mountain region of Judah. 40 She entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.

41 When Elizabeth heard the greeting, she felt the baby kick. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 She said in a loud voice, “You are the most blessed of all women, and blessed is the child that you will have. 43 I feel blessed that the mother of my Lord is visiting me. 44 As soon as I heard your greeting, I felt the baby jump for joy. 45 You are blessed for believing that the Lord would keep his promise to you.”



Mary Praises God

46 Mary said,

“My soul praises the Lord’s greatness!

47 My spirit finds its joy in God, my Savior,

48 because he has looked favorably on me, his humble servant.

“From now on, all people will call me blessed

49 because the Almighty has done great things to me.

His name is holy.

50 For those who fear him,

his mercy lasts throughout every generation.

51 “He displayed his mighty power.

He scattered those who think too highly of themselves.

52 He pulled strong rulers from their thrones.

He honored humble people.

53 He fed hungry people with good food.

He sent rich people away with nothing.

54 “He remembered to help his servant Israel forever.

55 This is the promise he made to our ancestors,

to Abraham and his descendants.”

56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.



John Is Born

57 When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very kind to her, and they shared her joy.

59 When the child was eight days old, they went to the temple to circumcise him. They were going to name him Zechariah after his father. 60 But his mother spoke up, “Absolutely not! His name will be John.”

61 Their friends said to her, “But you don’t have any relatives with that name.”

62 So they motioned to the baby’s father to see what he wanted to name the child. 63 Zechariah asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” Everyone was amazed.

64 Suddenly, Zechariah was able to speak, and he began to praise God.

65 All their neighbors were filled with awe. Throughout the mountain region of Judea, people talked about everything that had happened. 66 Everyone who heard about it seriously thought it over and asked, “What does the future hold for this child?” It was clear that the Lord was with him.

67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied,

68 “Praise the Lord God of Israel!

He has come to take care of his people

and to set them free.

69 He has raised up a mighty Savior for us

in the family of his servant David.

70 He made this promise through his holy prophets long ago.

71 He promised to save us from our enemies

and from the power of all who hate us.

72 He has shown his mercy to our ancestors

and remembered his holy promise,

73 the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham.

74 He promised to rescue us from our enemies’ power

so that we could serve him without fear

75 by being holy and honorable as long as we live.

76 “You, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High.

You will go ahead of the Lord to prepare his way.

77 You will make his people know that they can be saved

through the forgiveness of their sins.

78 A new day will dawn on us from above

because our God is loving and merciful.

79 He will give light to those who live in the dark

and in death’s shadow.

He will guide us into the way of peace.”

80 The child John grew and became spiritually strong. He lived in the desert until the day he appeared to the people of Israel.



Luke 2

Jesus Is Born

1 At that time the Emperor Augustus ordered a census of the Roman Empire. 2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All the people went to register in the cities where their ancestors had lived.

4 So Joseph went from Nazareth, a city in Galilee, to a Judean city called Bethlehem. Joseph, a descendant of King David, went to Bethlehem because David had been born there. 5 Joseph went there to register with Mary. She had been promised to him in marriage and was pregnant.

6 While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to have her child. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger because there wasn’t any room for them in the inn.



Angels Announce the Birth of Jesus

8 Shepherds were in the fields near Bethlehem. They were taking turns watching their flock during the night. 9 An angel from the Lord suddenly appeared to them. The glory of the Lord filled the area with light, and they were terrified. 10 The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid! I have good news for you, a message that will fill everyone with joy. 11 Today your Savior, Christ the Lord, was born in David’s city. 12 This is how you will recognize him: You will find an infant wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly, a large army of angels appeared with the angel. They were praising God by saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace to those who have his good will!”

15 The angels left them and went back to heaven. The shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about.”

16 They went quickly and found Mary and Joseph with the baby, who was lying in a manger. 17 When they saw the child, they repeated what they had been told about him. 18 Everyone who heard the shepherds’ story was amazed.

19 Mary treasured all these things in her heart and always thought about them.

20 As the shepherds returned to their flock, they glorified and praised God for everything they had seen and heard. Everything happened the way the angel had told them.



Jesus’ Parents Obey Moses’ Teachings

21 Eight days after his birth, the child was circumcised and named Jesus. This was the name the angel had given him before his mother became pregnant.

22 After the days required by Moses’ Teachings to make a mother clean had passed, Joseph and Mary went to Jerusalem. They took Jesus to present him to the Lord. 23 They did exactly what was written in the Lord’s Teachings: “Every firstborn boy is to be set apart as holy to the Lord.” 24 They also offered a sacrifice as required by the Lord’s Teachings: “a pair of mourning doves or two young pigeons.”



Simeon’s Prophecy

25 A man named Simeon was in Jerusalem. He lived an honorable and devout life. He was waiting for the one who would comfort Israel. The Holy Spirit was with Simeon 26 and had told him that he wouldn’t die until he had seen the Messiah, whom the Lord would send.

27 Moved by the Spirit, Simeon went into the temple courtyard. Mary and Joseph were bringing the child Jesus into the courtyard at the same time. They brought him so that they could do for him what Moses’ Teachings required. 28 Then Simeon took the child in his arms and praised God by saying,

29 “Now, Lord, you are allowing your servant to leave in peace

as you promised.

30 My eyes have seen your salvation,

31 which you have prepared for all people to see.

32 He is a light that will reveal salvation to the nations

and bring glory to your people Israel.”

33 Jesus’ father and mother were amazed at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, “This child is the reason that many people in Israel will be condemned and many others will be saved. He will be a sign that will expose 35 the thoughts of those who reject him. And a sword will pierce your heart.”



Anna’s Prophecy

36 Anna, a prophet, was also there. She was a descendant of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher. She was now very old. Her husband had died seven years after they were married, 37 and she had been a widow for 84 years. Anna never left the temple courtyard but worshiped day and night by fasting and praying. 38 At that moment she came up to Mary and Joseph and began to thank God. She spoke about Jesus to all who were waiting for Jerusalem to be set free.

39 After doing everything the Lord’s Teachings required, Joseph and Mary returned to their hometown of Nazareth in Galilee. 40 The child grew and became strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was with him.



Mary and Joseph Find Jesus With the Teachers in the Temple Courtyard

41 Every year Jesus’ parents would go to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. 42 When he was 12 years old, they went as usual.

43 When the festival was over, they left for home. The boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents didn’t know it. 44 They thought that he was with the others who were traveling with them. After traveling for a day, they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they didn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.

46 Three days later, they found him in the temple courtyard. He was sitting among the teachers, listening to them, and asking them questions. 47 His understanding and his answers stunned everyone who heard him.

48 When his parents saw him, they were shocked. His mother asked him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been worried sick looking for you!”

49 Jesus said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you realize that I had to be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they didn’t understand what he meant.

51 Then he returned with them to Nazareth and was obedient to them.

His mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 Jesus grew in wisdom and maturity. He gained favor from God and people.



Luke 3

John Prepares the Way—Matthew 3:1-12; Mark 1:1-8; John 1:19-28

1 It was the fifteenth year in the reign of the Emperor Tiberius. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea. Herod ruled Galilee, and his brother Philip ruled Iturea and Trachonitis. Lysanias was the ruler of Abilene. 2 It was at the time when Annas and Caiaphas were chief priests that God spoke to John, son of Zechariah, in the desert. 3 John traveled throughout the region around the Jordan River. He told people about a baptism of repentancea for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As the prophet Isaiah wrote in his book,

“A voice cries out in the desert:

‘Prepare the way for the Lord!

Make his paths straight!

5 Every valley will be filled.

Every mountain and hill will be leveled.

The crooked ways will be made straight.

The rough roads will be made smooth.

6 All people will see the salvation that God gives.’”

7 Crowds of people were coming to be baptized by John. He would say to them, “You poisonous snakes! Who showed you how to flee from God’s coming anger? 8 Do those things that prove that you have turned to God and have changed the way you think and act. Don’t say, ‘Abraham is our ancestor.’ I guarantee that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones. 9 The ax is now ready to cut the roots of the trees. Any tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire.”

10 The crowds asked him, “What should we do?”

11 He answered them, “Whoever has two shirts should share with the person who doesn’t have any. Whoever has food should share it too.”

12 Some tax collectors came to be baptized. They asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?”

13 He told them, “Don’t collect more money than you are ordered to collect.”

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

He told them, “Be satisfied with your pay, and never use threats or blackmail to get money from anyone.”

15 People’s hopes were rising as they all wondered whether John was the Messiah. 16 John replied to all of them, “I baptize you with water. But the one who is more powerful than I is coming. I am not worthy to untie his sandal straps. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing shovel is in his hand to clean up his threshing floor. He will gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn the husks in a fire that can never be put out.”

18 With many other encouraging words, he told the Good News to the people.

19 John spoke out against the ruler Herod because Herod had married his own sister-in-law, Herodias. He also spoke out against Herod for all the evil things he had done. 20 So Herod added one more evil to all the others; he locked John in prison.



The Baptism of Jesus—Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11

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

23 Jesus was about 30 years old when he began his ministry.



The Ancestors of Jesus

Jesus, so people thought, was the son of Joseph, son of Eli, 24 son of Matthat, son of Levi, son of Melchi, son of Jannai, son of Joseph, 25 son of Mattathias, son of Amos, son of Nahum, son of Esli, son of Naggai, 26 son of Maath, son of Mattathias, son of Semein, son of Josech, son of Joda, 27 son of Joanan, son of Rhesa, son of Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, son of Neri, 28 son of Melchi, son of Addi, son of Cosam, son of Elmadam, son of Er, 29 son of Joshua, son of Eliezer, son of Jorim, son of Matthat, son of Levi, 30 son of Simeon, son of Judah, son of Joseph, son of Jonam, son of Eliakim, 31 son of Melea, son of Menna, son of Mattatha, son of Nathan, son of David, 32 son of Jesse, son of Obed, son of Boaz, son of Salmon, son of Nahshon, 33 son of Amminadab, son of Admin, son of Arni, son of Hezron, son of Perez, son of Judah, 34 son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham, son of Terah, son of Nahor, 35 son of Serug, son of Reu, son of Peleg, son of Eber, son of Shelah, 36 son of Cainan, son of Arphaxad, son of Shem, son of Noah, son of Lamech, 37 son of Methuselah, son of Enoch, son of Jared, son of Mahalaleel, son of Cainan, 38 son of Enos, son of Seth, son of Adam, son of God.



Luke 4

The Devil Tempts Jesus—Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13

1 Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit as he left the Jordan River. The Spirit led him while he was in the desert, 2 where he was tempted by the devil for 40 days. During those days Jesus ate nothing, so when they were over, he was hungry.

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

4 Jesus answered him, “Scripture says, ‘A person cannot live on bread alone, but on every word of God.’”

5 The devil took him to a high place and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in an instant. 6 The devil said to him, “I will give you all the power and glory of these kingdoms. All of it has been given to me, and I give it to anyone I please. 7 So if you will worship me, all this will be yours.”

8 Jesus answered him, “Scripture says, ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’”

9 Then the devil took him into Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest part of the temple. He said to Jesus, “If you are the Son of God, jump from here! 10 Scripture says, ‘He will put his angels in charge of you to watch over you carefully. 11 They will carry you in their hands so that you never hit your foot against a rock.’”

12 Jesus answered him, “It has been said, ‘Never tempt the Lord your God.’”

13 After the devil had finished tempting Jesus in every possible way, the devil left him until another time.



Nazareth Rejects Jesus—Matthew 13:54-58; Mark 6:1-6

14 Jesus returned to Galilee. The power of the Spirit was with him, and the news about him spread throughout the surrounding country. 15 He taught in the synagogues, and everyone praised him.

16 Then Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. As usual he went into the synagogue on the day of worship. He stood up to read the lesson. 17 The attendant gave him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened it and found the place where it read:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is with me.

He has anointed me

to tell the Good News to the poor.

He has sent me

to announce forgiveness to the prisoners of sin

and the restoring of sight to the blind,

to forgive those who have been shattered by sin,

to heal those who are brokenhearted,

19 to announce the year of the Lord’s favor.”

20 Jesus closed the book, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. Everyone in the synagogue watched him closely. 21 Then he said to them, “This passage came true today when you heard me read it.”

22 All the people spoke well of him. They were amazed to hear the gracious words flowing from his lips. They said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”

23 So he said to them, “You’ll probably quote this proverb to me, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ and then say to me, ‘Do all the things in your hometown that we’ve heard you’ve done in Capernaum.’” 24 Then Jesus added, “I can guarantee this truth: A prophet isn’t accepted in his hometown.

25 “I can guarantee this truth: There were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time. It had not rained for three-and-a-half years, and the famine was severe everywhere in the country. 26 But God didn’t send Elijah to anyone except a widow at Zarephath in the territory of Sidon. 27 There were also many people with skin diseases in Israel in the prophet Elisha’s time. But God cured no one except Naaman from Syria.”

28 Everyone in the synagogue became furious when they heard this. 29 Their city was built on a hill with a cliff. So they got up, forced Jesus out of the city, and led him to the cliff. They intended to throw him off of it. 30 But Jesus walked right by them and went away.



Jesus Forces an Evil Spirit out of a Man—Mark 1:21-28

31 Jesus went to Capernaum, a city in Galilee, and taught them on a day of worship. 32 The people were amazed at his teachings because he spoke with authority.

33 In the synagogue was a man possessed by a spirit, an evil demon. He shouted very loudly, 34 “Oh, no! What do you want with us, Jesus from Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

35 Jesus ordered the spirit, “Keep quiet, and come out of him!” The demon threw the man down in the middle of the synagogue and came out without hurting him.

36 Everyone was stunned. They said to one another, “What kind of command is this? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits, and they come out.”

37 So news about him spread to every place throughout the surrounding region.



Jesus Cures Simon’s Mother-in-Law and Many Others—Matthew 8:14-18; Mark 1:29-34

38 Jesus left the synagogue and went to Simon’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law was sick with a high fever. They asked Jesus to help her. 39 He bent over her, ordered the fever to leave, and it went away. She got up immediately and prepared a meal for them.

40 When the sun was setting, everyone who had friends suffering from various diseases brought them to him. He placed his hands on each of them and cured them. 41 Demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But Jesus ordered them not to speak. After all, they knew he was the Messiah.



Spreading the Good News—Matthew 4:23-25; Mark 1:35-39

42 In the morning he went to a place where he could be alone. The crowds searched for him. When they came to him, they tried to keep him from leaving. 43 But he said to them, “I have to tell the Good News about the kingdom of God in other cities also. That’s what I was sent to do.”

44 So he spread his message in the synagogues of Judea.



Luke 5

Calling of the First Disciples—Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:14-20

1 One day Jesus was standing by the Sea of Galilee. The people crowded around him as they listened to God’s word. 2 Jesus saw two boats on the shore. The fishermen had stepped out of them and were washing their nets. 3 So Jesus got into the boat that belonged to Simon and asked him to push off a little from the shore. Then Jesus sat down and taught the crowd from the boat.

4 When he finished speaking, he told Simon, “Take the boat into deep water, and lower your nets to catch some fish.”

5 Simon answered, “Teacher, we worked hard all night and caught nothing. But if you say so, I’ll lower the nets.”

6 After the men had done this, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to tear. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. Their partners came and filled both boats until the boats nearly sank.

8 When Simon Peter saw this, he knelt in front of Jesus and said, “Leave me, Lord! I’m a sinful person!” 9 Simon and everyone who was with him was amazed to see the large number of fish they had caught. 10 James and John, who were Zebedee’s sons and Simon’s partners, were also amazed.

Jesus told Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will catch people instead of fish.”

11 Simon and his partners brought the boats to shore, left everything, and followed Jesus.



Jesus Cures a Man With a Skin Disease—Matthew 8:1-4; Mark 1:40-44

12 One day Jesus was in a city where there was a man covered with a serious skin disease. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground. He begged Jesus, “Sir, if you want to, you can make me clean.”

13 Jesus reached out, touched him, and said, “I want to. So be clean!” Immediately, his skin disease went away.

14 Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone. Instead, show yourself to the priest. Then offer the sacrifice as Moses commanded as proof to people that you are clean.”

15 The news about Jesus spread even more. Large crowds gathered to hear him and have their diseases cured. 16 But he would go away to places where he could be alone for prayer.



Jesus Forgives Sins—Matthew 9:1-8; Mark 2:1-12

17 One day when Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and experts in Moses’ Teachings were present. They had come from every village in Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. Jesus had the power of the Lord to heal.

18 Some men brought a paralyzed man on a stretcher. They tried to take him into the house and put him in front of Jesus. 19 But they could not find a way to get him into the house because of the crowd. So they went up on the roof. They made an opening in the tiles and let the man down on his stretcher among the people. (They lowered him in front of Jesus.)

20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Sir, your sins are forgiven.” 21 The scribes and the Pharisees thought, “Who is this man? He’s dishonoring God! Who besides God can forgive sins?”

22 Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he said to them, “What are you thinking? 23 Is it easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”

25 The man immediately stood up in front of them and picked up the stretcher he had been lying on. Praising God, he went home.

26 Everyone was amazed and praised God. They were filled with awe and said, “We’ve seen things today we can hardly believe!”



Jesus Chooses Levi [Matthew] to Be a Disciple—Matthew 9:9-13; Mark 2:13-17

27 After that, Jesus left. He saw a tax collector named Levi sitting in a tax office. Jesus said to him, “Follow me!” 28 So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.

29 Levi held a large reception at his home for Jesus. A huge crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them.

30 The Pharisees and their scribes complained to Jesus’ disciples. They asked, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

31 Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor; those who are sick do. 32 I’ve come to call sinners to change the way they think and act, not to call people who think they have God’s approval.”



Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting—Matthew 9:14-17; Mark 2:18-22

33 They said to him, “John’s disciples frequently fast and say prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees. But your disciples eat and drink.”

34 Jesus asked them, “Can you force wedding guests to fast while the groom is still with them? 35 The time will come when the groom will be taken away from them. At that time they will fast.”

36 He also used these illustrations: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new coat to patch an old coat. Otherwise, the new cloth will tear the old. Besides, the patch from the new will not match the old. 37 People don’t pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the new wine will make the skins burst. The wine will run out, and the skins will be ruined. 38 Rather, new wine is to be poured into fresh skins.

39 “No one who has been drinking old wine wants new wine. He says, ‘The old wine is better!’”



Luke 6

Jesus Has Authority Over the Day of Worship—Matthew 12:1-8; Mark 2:23-28

1 Once, on a day of worship, Jesus was walking through some grainfields. His disciples were picking the heads of grain, removing the husks, and eating the grain.

2 Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are your disciples doing something that is not right to do on the day of worship?”

3 Jesus answered them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his men were hungry? 4 Haven’t you read how he went into the house of God, ate the bread of the presence, and gave some of it to the men who were with him? He had no right to eat those loaves. Only the priests have that right.”

5 Then he added, “The Son of Man has authority over the day of worship.”



Jesus Heals on the Day of Worship—Matthew 12:9-15a; Mark 3:1-6

6 On another day of worship, Jesus went into a synagogue to teach. A man whose right hand was paralyzed was there. 7 The scribes and the Pharisees were watching Jesus closely. They wanted to see whether he would heal the man on the day of worship so that they could find a way to accuse him of doing something wrong.

8 But Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he told the man with the paralyzed hand, “Get up, and stand in the center of the synagogue!” The man got up and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you—what is the right thing to do on a day of worship: to do good or evil, to give a person his health or to destroy it?” 10 He looked around at all of them and then said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” The man did so, and his hand became normal again.

11 The scribes and Pharisees were furious and began to discuss with each other what they could do to Jesus.



Jesus Appoints Twelve Apostles—Matthew 10:1-4; Mark 3:13-19

12 At that time Jesus went to a mountain to pray. He spent the whole night in prayer to God.

13 When it was day, he called his disciples. He chose twelve of them and called them apostles. 14 They were Simon (whom Jesus named Peter) and Simon’s brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (who was called the Zealot), 16 Judas (son of James), and Judas Iscariot (who became a traitor).



Many People Are Cured—Mark 3:7-12

17 Jesus came down from the mountain with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples and many other people were there. They had come from all over Judea, Jerusalem, and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon. 18 They wanted to hear him and be cured of their diseases. Those who were tormented by evil spirits were cured. 19 The entire crowd was trying to touch him because power was coming from him and curing all of them.



Jesus Teaches His Disciples

20 Jesus looked at his disciples and said,

“Blessed are those who are poor.

The kingdom of God is theirs.

21 Blessed are those who are hungry.

They will be satisfied.

Blessed are those who are crying.

They will laugh.

22 Blessed are you when people hate you, avoid you,

insult you, and slander you

because you are committed to the Son of Man.

23 Rejoice then, and be very happy!

You have a great reward in heaven.

That’s the way their ancestors treated the prophets.

24 “But how horrible it will be for those who are rich.

They have had their comfort.

25 How horrible it will be for those who are well-fed.

They will be hungry.

How horrible it will be for those who are laughing.

They will mourn and cry.

26 How horrible it will be for you

when everyone says nice things about you.

That’s the way their ancestors treated the false prophets.



Love Your Enemies—Matthew 5:38-48

27 “But I tell everyone who is listening: Love your enemies. Be kind to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who insult you. 29 If someone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other cheek as well. If someone takes your coat, don’t stop him from taking your shirt. 30 Give to everyone who asks you for something. If someone takes what is yours, don’t insist on getting it back.

31 “Do for other people everything you want them to do for you.

32 “If you love those who love you, do you deserve any thanks for that? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you help those who help you, do you deserve any thanks for that? Sinners do that too. 34 If you lend anything to those from whom you expect to get something back, do you deserve any thanks for that? Sinners also lend to sinners to get back what they lend. 35 Rather, love your enemies, help them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then you will have a great reward. You will be the children of the Most High God. After all, he is kind to unthankful and evil people. 36 Be merciful as your Father is merciful."



Stop Judging—Matthew 7:1-5

37 “Stop judging, and you will never be judged. Stop condemning, and you will never be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and you will receive. A large quantity, pressed together, shaken down, and running over will be put into your pocket. The standards you use for others will be applied to you.”

39 Jesus also gave them this illustration: “Can one blind person lead another? Won’t both fall into the same pit? 40 A student is no better than his teacher. But everyone who is well-trained will be like his teacher.

41 “Why do you see the piece of sawdust in another believer’s eye and not notice the wooden beam in your own eye? 42 How can you say to another believer, ‘Friend, let me take the piece of sawdust out of your eye,’ when you don’t see the beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye. Then you will see clearly to remove the piece of sawdust from another believer’s eye.



Evil People—Matthew 7:15-23

43 “A good tree doesn’t produce rotten fruit, and a rotten tree doesn’t produce good fruit. 44 Each tree is known by its fruit. You don’t pick figs from thorny plants or grapes from a thornbush. 45 Good people do the good that is in them. But evil people do the evil that is in them. The things people say come from inside them."



Build on the Rock—Matthew 7:24-29

46 “Why do you call me Lord but don’t do what I tell you?

47 “I will show you what everyone who comes to me, hears what I say, and obeys it is like. 48 He is like a person who dug down to bedrock to lay the foundation of his home. When a flood came, the floodwaters pushed against that house. But the house couldn’t be washed away because it had a good foundation. 49 The person who hears what I say but doesn’t obey it is like someone who built a house on the ground without any foundation. The floodwaters pushed against it, and that house quickly collapsed and was destroyed.”



Luke 7

A Believing Army Officer—Matthew 8:5-13

1 When Jesus had finished everything he wanted to say to the people, he went to Capernaum. 2 There a Roman army officer’s valuable slave was sick and near death. 3 The officer had heard about Jesus and sent some Jewish leaders to him. They were to ask Jesus to come and save the servant’s life. 4 They came to Jesus and begged, “He deserves your help. 5 He loves our people and built our synagogue at his own expense.”

6 Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the officer sent friends to tell Jesus, “Sir, don’t bother. I don’t deserve to have you come into my house. 7 That’s why I didn’t come to you. But just give a command, and let my servant be cured. 8 As you know, I’m in a chain of command and have soldiers at my command. I tell one of them, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and another, ‘Come!’ and he comes. I tell my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”

9 Jesus was amazed at the officer when he heard these words. He turned to the crowd following him and said, “I can guarantee that I haven’t found faith as great as this in Israel.”

10 When the men who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant healthy again.



Jesus Brings a Widow’s Son Back to Life

11 Soon afterward, Jesus went to a city called Nain. His disciples and a large crowd went with him. 12 As he came near the entrance to the city, he met a funeral procession. The dead man was a widow’s only child. A large crowd from the city was with her.

13 When the Lord saw her, he felt sorry for her. He said to her, “Don’t cry.”

14 He went up to the open coffin, took hold of it, and the men who were carrying it stopped. He said, “Young man, I’m telling you to come back to life!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

16 Everyone was struck with fear and praised God. They said, “A great prophet has appeared among us,” and “God has taken care of his people.” 17 This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding region.



John Sends Two Disciples—Matthew 11:2-6

18 John’s disciples told him about all these things. Then John called two of his disciples 19 and sent them to ask the Lord, “Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for someone else?”

20 The men came to Jesus and said, “John the Baptizer sent us to ask you, ‘Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for someone else?’”

21 At that time Jesus was curing many people who had diseases, sicknesses, and evil spirits. Also, he was giving back sight to many who were blind.

22 Jesus answered John’s disciples, “Go back, and tell John what you have seen and heard: Blind people see again, lame people are walking, those with skin diseases are made clean, deaf people hear again, dead people are brought back to life, and poor people hear the Good News. 23 Whoever doesn’t lose his faith in me is indeed blessed.”



Jesus Speaks About John—Matthew 11:7-19

24 When John’s messengers had left, Jesus spoke to the crowds about John. “What did you go into the desert to see? Tall grass swaying in the wind? 25 Really, what did you go to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Those who wear splendid clothes and live in luxury are in royal palaces. 26 Really, what did you go to see? A prophet? Let me tell you that he is far more than a prophet. 27 John is the one about whom Scripture says,

‘I am sending my messenger ahead of you

to prepare the way in front of you.’

28 I can guarantee that of all the people ever born, no one is greater than John. Yet, the least important person in the kingdom of God is greater than John.” 29 All the people, including tax collectors, heard John. They admitted that God was right by letting John baptize them. 30 But the Pharisees and the experts in Moses’ Teachings rejected God’s plan for them. They refused to be baptized.

31 “How can I describe the people who are living now? What are they like? 32 They are like children who sit in the marketplace and shout to each other,

‘We played music for you,

but you didn’t dance.

We sang a funeral song,

but you didn’t cry.’

33 John the Baptizer has come neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘There’s a demon in him!’ 34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! He’s a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35 “Yet, wisdom is proved right by all its results.”



A Sinful Woman Receives Forgiveness

36 One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to eat with him. Jesus went to the Pharisee’s house and was eating at the table.

37 A woman who lived a sinful life in that city found out that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house. So she took a bottle of perfume 38 and knelt at his feet. She was crying and washed his feet with her tears. Then she dried his feet with her hair, kissed them over and over again, and poured the perfume on them.

39 The Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this and thought, “If this man really were a prophet, he would know what sort of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner.”

40 Jesus spoke up, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

Simon replied, “Teacher, you’re free to speak.”

41 So Jesus said, “Two men owed a moneylender some money. One owed him five hundred silver coins, and the other owed him fifty. 42 When they couldn’t pay it back, he was kind enough to cancel their debts. Now, who do you think will love him the most?”

43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one who had the largest debt canceled.”

Jesus said to him, “You’re right!” 44 Then, turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “You see this woman, don’t you? I came into your house. You didn’t wash my feet. But she has washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. 45 You didn’t give me a kiss. But ever since I came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You didn’t put any olive oil on my head. But she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 That’s why I’m telling you that her many sins have been forgiven. Her great love proves that. But whoever receives little forgiveness loves very little.”

48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” 49 The other guests thought, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?”

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





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