Read the Gospels in 40 Days
The Parable of the Sower
4 Again(A) he began to teach(B) by the sea, and a very large crowd gathered around him. So he got into a boat on the sea and sat down, while the whole crowd was by the sea on the shore. 2 He taught them many things in parables,(C) and in his teaching(D) he said to them, 3 “Listen! Consider the sower who went out to sow.(E) 4 As he sowed, some seed fell along the path,(F) and the birds came and devoured(G) it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it grew up quickly,(H) since the soil wasn’t deep. 6 When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.(I) 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it didn’t produce fruit. 8 Still other seed fell on good ground and it grew up, producing fruit that increased(J) thirty, sixty, and a hundred times.”(K) 9 Then he said, “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.”(L)
Why Jesus Used Parables
10 When he was alone, those around him with the Twelve(M) asked him about the parables.(N) 11 He answered them, “The secret(O) of the kingdom of God(P) has been given to you, but to those outside,(Q) everything comes in parables 12 so that
they may indeed look,
and yet not perceive;
they may indeed listen,
and yet not understand;(R)
otherwise, they might turn back
and be forgiven.”[a][b] (S)
The Parable of the Sower Explained
13 Then(T) he said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable?(U) How then will you understand all of the parables? 14 The sower sows(V) the word.(W) 15 Some are like the word sown on the path.(X) When they hear, immediately Satan(Y) comes and takes away the word(Z) sown in them.[c] 16 And others are like seed sown on rocky ground. When they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy.(AA) 17 But they have no root; they are short-lived. When distress(AB) or persecution comes because of the word, they immediately fall away.(AC) 18 Others are like seed sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the word, 19 but the worries(AD) of this age,(AE) the deceitfulness[d](AF) of wealth,(AG) and the desires(AH) for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.(AI) 20 And those like seed sown on good ground hear the word,(AJ) welcome it, and produce fruit(AK) thirty, sixty, and a hundred times what was sown.”
Using Your Light
21 He(AL) also said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed?(AM) Isn’t it to be put on a lampstand?(AN) 22 For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed,(AO) and nothing concealed that will not be brought to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen.”(AP) 24 And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear. By the measure(AQ) you use,(AR) it will be measured to you—and more will be added(AS) to you. 25 For whoever has, more will be given to him, and whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”(AT)
The Parable of the Growing Seed
26 “The kingdom of God(AU) is like this,” he said. “A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps(AV) and rises(AW) night(AX) and day; the seed sprouts and grows, although he doesn’t know how. 28 The soil produces a crop(AY) by itself—first the blade, then the head, and then the full grain(AZ) on the head. 29 As soon as the crop is ready, he sends for the sickle,(BA) because the harvest(BB) has come.”
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
30 And(BC) he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God,(BD) or what parable(BE) can we use to describe it? 31 It’s like a mustard seed(BF) that, when sown upon the soil, is the smallest of all the seeds on the ground. 32 And when sown,(BG) it comes up and grows taller than all the garden plants,(BH) and produces large branches, so that the birds of the sky(BI) can nest in its shade.”
Using Parables
33 He was speaking the word(BJ) to them with many parables(BK) like these, as they were able to understand.(BL) 34 He did not speak to them without a parable. Privately, however, he explained everything to his own disciples.(BM)
Wind and Waves Obey Jesus
35 On(BN) that day, when evening had come, he told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the sea.” 36 So they left the crowd and took him along since he was in the boat. And other boats were with him. 37 A great windstorm(BO) arose, and the waves(BP) were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 He was in the stern, sleeping(BQ) on the cushion. So they woke him up(BR) and said to him, “Teacher! Don’t you care that we’re going to die?” (BS)
39 He got up, rebuked(BT) the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence!(BU) Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he said to them, “Why are you afraid?(BV) Do you still have no faith?”
41 And they were terrified[e](BW) and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey(BX) him!” (BY)
Demons Driven Out by Jesus
5 They(BZ) came to the other side of the sea, to the region of the Gerasenes.[f] 2 As soon as he got out of the boat, a man with an unclean(CA) spirit(CB) came out of the tombs(CC) and met him. 3 He lived in the tombs,(CD) and no one was able to restrain him anymore—not even with a chain(CE)— 4 because he often had been bound with shackles and chains, but had torn the chains apart and smashed(CF) the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue(CG) him. 5 Night(CH) and day among the tombs(CI) and on the mountains,(CJ) he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones.
6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and knelt down before him. 7 And he cried out with a loud voice, “What do you have to do with me, Jesus, Son(CK) of the Most High God?(CL) I beg you before God, don’t torment(CM) me!” 8 For he had told him, “Come out of the man, you unclean(CN) spirit!”(CO)
9 “What is your name?” he asked him.
“My name is Legion,”(CP) he answered him, “because we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the region.
11 A large herd of pigs(CQ) was there, feeding(CR) on the hillside. 12 The demons[g] begged him, “Send us to the pigs, so that we may enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission, and the unclean(CS) spirits(CT) came out and entered the pigs. The herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned there.
14 The men who tended them ran off(CU) and reported it in the town and the countryside, and people went to see what had happened. 15 They came to Jesus and saw the man who had been demon-possessed,(CV)(CW) sitting there, dressed and in his right mind;(CX) and they were afraid.(CY) 16 Those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed(CZ) man and told about the pigs. 17 Then they began to beg him to leave their region.
18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged him earnestly that he might remain with him. 19 Jesus did not let him but told him, “Go home to your own people, and report to them how much the Lord(DA) has done(DB) for you and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 So he went out and began to proclaim(DC) in the Decapolis(DD) how much Jesus had done for him, and they were all amazed.(DE)
A Girl Restored and a Woman Healed
21 When(DF) Jesus had crossed over again by boat[h] to the other side, a large crowd(DG) gathered around him while he was by the sea. 22 One of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus,(DH) came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet(DI) 23 and begged him earnestly, “My little daughter is dying. Come and lay your hands on(DJ) her so that she can get well[i](DK) and live.” 24 So Jesus went with him, and a large crowd was following and pressing against him.
25 Now a woman suffering from bleeding(DL) for twelve years 26 had endured(DM) much under many doctors.(DN) She had spent everything she had and was not helped at all. On the contrary, she became worse. 27 Having heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched(DO) his clothing.(DP) 28 For she said, “If I just touch his clothes, I’ll be made well.”(DQ) 29 Instantly her flow of blood ceased, and she sensed in her body that she was healed(DR) of her affliction.
30 Immediately Jesus realized that power(DS) had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd(DT) and said, “Who touched my clothes?”(DU)
31 His disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing against you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’”
32 But he was looking around to see who had done this. 33 The woman, with fear and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down(DV) before him, and told him the whole truth.(DW) 34 “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith(DX) has saved you.(DY) Go in peace and be healed(DZ) from your affliction.”(EA)
35 While he was still speaking, people came from the synagogue leader’s house and said, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the teacher(EB) anymore?”
36 When Jesus overheard[j] what was said, he told the synagogue leader, “Don’t be afraid.(EC) Only believe.” 37 He did not let anyone accompany him except Peter,(ED) James,(EE) and John,(EF) James’s brother. 38 They came to the leader’s house, and he saw a commotion—people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping?(EG) The child(EH) is not dead but asleep.”(EI) 40 They laughed at him, but he put them all outside. He took the child’s father,(EJ) mother, and those who were with him, and entered the place where the child was. 41 Then he took the child(EK) by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum”[k] (which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, get up”(EL)). 42 Immediately the girl got up(EM) and began to walk.(EN) (She was twelve years old.) At this they were utterly astounded.(EO) 43 Then he gave them strict orders that no one should know about this(EP) and told them to give her something to eat.
Rejection at Nazareth
6 He(EQ) left there and came to his hometown,(ER) and his disciples(ES) followed him. 2 When the Sabbath(ET) came, he began to teach(EU) in the synagogue,(EV) and many who heard him were astonished. “Where did this man get these things?” they said. “What is this wisdom(EW) that has been given to him, and how are these miracles(EX) performed by his hands? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter,(EY) the son of Mary,(EZ) and the brother of James,(FA) Joses, Judas,(FB) and Simon? And aren’t his sisters here with us?” So they were offended(FC) by him.
4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet(FD) is not without honor(FE) except in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his household.” 5 He was not able to do a miracle(FF) there, except that he laid his hands on(FG) a few sick(FH) people and healed(FI) them. 6 And he was amazed(FJ) at their unbelief.(FK) He was going around the villages teaching.(FL)
Commissioning the Twelve
7 He(FM) summoned(FN) the Twelve(FO) and began to send(FP) them out in pairs and gave them authority over unclean(FQ) spirits.(FR) 8 He instructed them to take nothing for the road except a staff—no bread, no traveling bag,(FS) no money in their belts, 9 but to wear sandals and not put on an extra shirt.(FT) 10 He said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that place. 11 If any place does not welcome(FU) you or listen to you, when you leave there, shake the dust off your feet(FV) as a testimony(FW) against them.”[l] 12 So they went out and preached(FX) that people should repent.(FY) 13 They drove out many demons,(FZ) anointed(GA) many sick(GB) people with oil(GC) and healed them.(GD)
John the Baptist Beheaded
14 King(GE) Herod(GF) heard about it, because Jesus’s name(GG) had become well known. Some[m] said, “John the Baptist(GH) has been raised from the dead,(GI) and that’s why miraculous powers(GJ) are at work(GK) in him.” 15 But others said, “He’s Elijah.”(GL) Still others said, “He’s a prophet, like one of the prophets from long ago.”(GM)
16 When Herod(GN) heard of it, he said, “John,(GO) the one I beheaded, has been raised!” (GP)
17 For(GQ) Herod himself had given orders to arrest John and to chain(GR) him in prison on account of Herodias,(GS) his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her.(GT) 18 John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful(GU) for you to have your brother’s wife.”(GV) 19 So Herodias held a grudge against him and wanted to kill(GW) him. But she could not, 20 because Herod feared(GX) John and protected him, knowing he was a righteous(GY) and holy(GZ) man. When Herod heard him he would be very perplexed,[n](HA) and yet he liked to listen to him.(HB)
21 An opportune time came on his birthday, when Herod gave a banquet(HC) for his nobles,(HD) military commanders,(HE) and the leading men of Galilee.(HF) 22 When Herodias’s own daughter[o] came in and danced,(HG) she pleased Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I’ll give it to you.” 23 He promised her with an(HH) oath:(HI) “Whatever you ask me I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”(HJ)
24 She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?”
“John the Baptist’s(HK) head,” she said.
25 At once she hurried to the king and said, “I want you to give me John the Baptist’s(HL) head on a platter(HM) immediately.” 26 Although the king was deeply distressed,(HN) because of his oaths(HO) and the guests[p] he did not want to refuse(HP) her. 27 The king immediately sent for an executioner and commanded him to bring John’s head. So he went and beheaded him in prison, 28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When John’s disciples(HQ) heard about it, they came and removed his corpse and placed it in a tomb.(HR)
Feeding of the Five Thousand
30 The(HS) apostles(HT) gathered around Jesus and reported to him all that they had done and taught. 31 He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest for a while.” For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.
32 So they went away in the boat by themselves to a remote place, 33 but many saw them leaving and recognized them, and they ran on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them.[q]
34 When he went ashore, he saw a large crowd and had compassion(HU) on them, because they were like sheep(HV) without a shepherd. Then he began to teach them many things.
35 When it grew late, his disciples(HW) approached him and said, “This place is deserted,(HX) and it is already late. 36 Send them away so that they can go into the surrounding countryside and villages to buy themselves something to eat.”
37 “You give them something to eat,” he responded.
They said to him, “Should we go and buy two hundred denarii[r] worth of bread and give them something to eat?”
38 He asked them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.”
When they found out they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 Then he instructed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke the loaves. He kept giving them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 Everyone ate and was satisfied.(HY) 43 They picked up twelve baskets full of pieces of bread and fish. 44 Now those who had eaten the loaves were five thousand men.
Walking on the Water
45 Immediately(HZ) he made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, to Bethsaida,(IA) while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After he said good-bye to them, he went away to the mountain(IB) to pray.(IC) 47 Well into the night, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 He saw them straining(ID) at the oars,[s] because the wind was against them. Very early in the morning[t] he came toward them walking on the sea and wanted to pass by them. 49 When they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost(IE) and cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified.(IF) Immediately he spoke with them and said, “Have courage!(IG) It is I.(IH) Don’t be afraid.”(II) 51 Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. They were completely astounded, 52 because they had not understood about the loaves. Instead, their hearts were hardened.(IJ)
Miraculous Healings
53 When they had crossed over, they came to shore at Gennesaret(IK) and anchored there.
54 As they got out of the boat, people immediately recognized him. 55 They hurried throughout that region and began to carry the sick(IL) on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 Wherever he went, into villages, towns, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch just the end(IM) of his robe.(IN) And everyone who touched it was healed.
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