Read the Gospels in 40 Days
7 And the Pharisees and some of the scribes came from Jerusalem together to him. [And the Pharisees and some of the scribes coming from Jerusalem, came together to him.]
2 And when they had seen some of his disciples eat bread with unwashen hands, they blamed [them].
3 For the Pharisees and all the Jews eat not, but they wash oft their hands, holding the traditions of elder men.
4 And when they turn again from [the] market, they eat not, but they be washed; and many other things there be, that be taken to them to keep, as washing of cups, and of water vessels [washings of cups and cruets], and of vessels of brass, and of beds.
5 And Pharisees and scribes asked him, and said [saying], Why go not thy disciples after the tradition of elder men, but with unwashen hands they eat bread?
6 And he answered, and said to them, Esaias prophesied well of you, hypocrites, as it is written, This people worshippeth me with lips [This people honoureth me with lips], but their heart is far from me;
7 and in vain they worship me, teaching the doctrines and the behests of men. [in vain truly they worship me, teaching the doctrines and commandments of men.]
8 For ye leave the commandment of God, and hold the traditions of men, as [the] washing of water vessels, and of cups; and many other things like these ye do. [Forsooth ye forsaking the commandment of God, hold the traditions of men, washings of cruets, and cups; and many other things like to these ye do.]
9 And he said to them, Well ye have made the commandment of God void, to keep your tradition. [And he said to them, Well ye have made the commandment of God void, that ye keep your tradition.]
10 For Moses said, Worship thy father and thy mother [Honour thou thy father and thy mother]; and he that curseth father or mother, die he by death.
11 But ye say, If a man [shall] say to father or mother, Corban, that is, Whatever gift is of me, it shall profit to thee;
12 and over [and further] ye suffer not him [to] do any thing to father or mother,
13 and ye break the word of God by your tradition, that ye have given[a]; and ye do many [other] such things.
14 And he again called the people, and said to them, Ye all hear me, and understand.
15 Nothing that is without a man, that entereth into him, may defoul him [Nothing without man is entering into him, that may defoul him]; but those things that come forth of a man, those it be that defoul a man.
16 If any man have ears of hearing [Forsooth if any man have ears to hear], hear he.
17 And when he was entered into an house, from the people, his disciples asked him the parable.
18 And he said to them [And he saith to them], [So] Ye be unwise also. Understand ye not, that all thing withoutforth that entereth into a man, may not defoul him?
19 for it hath not entered into his heart, but into the womb, and beneath it goeth out, purging all meats.
20 But he said, The things that go out of a man, those defoul a man.
21 For from within, of the heart of men come forth evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, manslayings,
22 thefts, avarices [covetousness, or over-hard keeping of goods], wickednesses, guile, unchastity, [an] evil eye, blasphemies [blasphemy], pride, folly.
23 All these evils come forth from within, and defoul a man,
24 And Jesus rose up from thence, and went into the coasts [the ends] of Tyre and Sidon. And he went into an house, and would that no man knew [And he gone into an house, would that no man know]; and he might not be hid.
25 For a woman, at once [anon] as she heard of him, whose daughter had an unclean spirit, entered, and fell down at his feet.
26 And the woman was heathen, of the generation of Syrophenician. And she prayed him, that he would cast out a devil from her daughter [that he would cast out a devil of her daughter].
27 And he said to her, Suffer thou, that the children be fulfilled first [Suffer thou, that the sons be filled first]; for it is not good to take the bread of children, and give [it] to hounds.
28 And she answered, and said to him, Yes, Lord; for little whelps eat under the board, of the crumbs of children.
29 And Jesus said to her, Go thou, for this word the fiend went out of thy daughter.[b]
30 And when she was gone into her house home, she found the damsel lying on the bed[c], and the devil gone out from her.
31 And again Jesus went out from the coasts of Tyre, and came through Sidon to the sea of Galilee [And again Jesus going out from the ends, or coasts, of Tyre, came through Sidon to the sea of Galilee], between the middle of the coasts of Decapolis.
32 And they bring to him a man deaf and dumb, and prayed him to lay his hand on him [and prayed him, that he put to him the hand].
33 And he took him aside from the people, and put his fingers into his ears[d]; and he spat, and touched his tongue.
34 And he beheld into heaven, and sorrowed within, and said [And he beholding into heaven, sorrowed within, and saith to him], Ephphatha, that is, Be thou opened.
35 And at once [And anon] his ears were opened, and the band of his tongue was unbound, and he spake rightly.
36 And he commanded to them, that they should say to no man; but how much he commanded to them, so much the more they preached [more],
37 and by so much the more they wondered, and said [saying], He did well all things, both he hath made deaf men to hear, and dumb men to speak.
8 In those days, when much people [when much company of people] was with Jesus, and had not what they should eat, when his disciples were called together, he said to them [he saith to them],
2 I have ruth on the people, for lo! now the third day they abide me, and they have not what to eat; [I have ruth on the company of people, for lo! now by three days they sustain, or abide, me, and have not what they shall eat;]
3 and if I let them go [and if I leave them] fasting into their houses, they shall fail in the way; for some of them came from far.
4 And his disciples answered to him, Whereof shall a man be able to fill them with loaves here in wilderness?
5 And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? Which said, Seven.
6 And he commanded the people to sit down on the earth. And he took the seven loaves, and did thankings, and brake, and gave to his disciples, that they should set forth. And they setted forth to the people [And they set forth to the company].
7 And they had a few small fishes; and he blessed them, and commanded, that they were set forth [and he blessed them, and commanded to be set forth].
8 And they ate, and were fulfilled; and they took up that that was left of [the] remnants, seven baskets. [And they ate, and were filled; and they took up that left of reliefs, seven baskets.]
9 And they that ate, were as four thousand of men; and he let them go [and he left them].
10 And at once he went up into a boat, with his disciples, and came into the coasts of Dalmanutha. [And anon he went up into a boat, with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.]
11 And the Pharisees went out, and began to dispute with him, and asked a token of him from heaven, and tempted him.[e]
12 And he sorrowing within in spirit, said, What seeketh this generation a token? Truly I say to you, a token shall not be given to this generation.[f]
13 And he left them, and went up again into a boat, and went over the sea.
14 And they forgot to take bread, and they had not with them but one loaf in the boat.
15 And he commanded them, and said [saying], See ye, and beware of the sourdough of the Pharisees, and of the sourdough of Herod.
16 And they thought, and said one to another, For we have not loaves. [And they thought one to another, saying, For we have not bread.]
17 And when this thing was known, Jesus said to them, What think ye, for ye have not loaves [Jesus saith to them, What think ye, for ye have not bread]? Yet ye know not, neither understand; yet ye have your heart blinded.
18 Ye having eyes, see not, and ye having ears, hear not; neither ye have mind,
19 when I brake five loaves among five thousand, and how many baskets [how many coffins] full of broken meat took ye up? They say to him, Twelve.
20 When also seven loaves among four thousand of men, how many baskets [full] of broken meat took ye up? And they say to him, Seven.[g]
21 And he said to them, How understand ye not yet?
22 And they came to Bethsaida, and they brought to him a blind man, and they prayed him, that he would touch him. [And they come to Bethsaida, and they bring to him a blind man, and prayed him, that he should touch him.]
23 And when he had taken the blind man's hand, he led him out of the street, and he spat into his eyes, and set [put] his hands on him; and he asked him [he asked him], if he saw any thing.
24 And he beheld, and said, I see men as trees walking.
25 Afterward again he set his hands on his eyes [Afterward again he put hands on his eyes], and he began to see, and he was restored, so that he saw clearly all things.
26 And he sent him into his house, and said [saying], Go into thine house; and if thou goest into the street, say to no man.
27 And Jesus entered [in] and his disciples into the castles of Caesarea of Philippi. And in the way he asked his disciples, and said to them [saying to them], Whom say men that I am?
28 Which answered to him, and said [saying], Some say, John Baptist; others say, Elias; and others say [but others say], as one of the prophets.
29 Then he saith to them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answered, and said to him [Peter answering, saith to him], Thou art Christ.
30 And he charged them, that they should not say of him to any man. [And he threatened them that they should not say to any man of him.]
31 And he began to teach them, that it behooveth man's Son to suffer many things, and to be reproved of the elder men, and of the highest priests, and of the scribes [and scribes], and to be slain, and after three days, to rise again.
32 And he spake openly the word. And Peter took him, and began to blame him, and said, Lord, be thou merciful to thee, for this shall not be.[h]
33 And he turned, and saw his disciples, and menaced Peter, and said [saying], Go after me, [thou] Satan; for thou savourest not those things [for thou understandest not those things] that be of God, but those things that be of men.
34 And when the people was called together, with his disciples, he said to them, If any man will come after me, deny he himself, and take his cross, and follow he me [deny he himself, and take his cross, and follow me].
35 For he that will make safe his life, shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for me, and for the gospel, shall make it safe. [Soothly who so will make his soul, that is, his life, safe, he shall lose it; forsooth he that shall lose his soul, that is, his life, for me and the gospel, shall make it safe.]
36 For what profiteth it to a man[i], if he win all the world, and do impairing to his [own] soul?
37 or what (ex)changing shall a man give for his soul?
38 But who that acknowledgeth me [Forsooth who that shall acknowledge me] and my words in this generation adulterous and sinful, also man's Son shall acknowledge him, when he shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels.
9 And he said to them, Truly I say to you, that there be some men standing here, which shall not taste death[j], till they see the realm of God coming in virtue.
2 And after six days Jesus took Peter, and James, and John, and led them by themselves alone [and leadeth them by themselves alone] into an high hill; and he was transfigured before them.
3 And his clothes were made full shining and white as snow, which manner white clothes a fuller may not make on earth.[k]
4 And Elias with Moses appeared to them, and they spake with Jesus. [And Elias with Moses appeared to them, and they were speaking with Jesus.]
5 And Peter answered, and said to Jesus, Master it is good us to be here [it good us for to be here]; and make we here three tabernacles, one to thee, one to Moses, and one to Elias.
6 For he knew not what he should say; for they were aghast by dread. [Soothly he wist not what he should say; for they were afeared by dread.]
7 And there was made a cloud overshadowing them; and a voice came out of the cloud, and said [saying], This is my most dear-worthy Son, hear ye him.
8 And at once [And anon] they beheld about, and saw no more any man, but Jesus only with them.
9 And when they came down from the hill, he commanded them, that they should not tell to any man those things that they had seen, but when man's Son hath risen again from death [no but when man's Son hath risen from dead].
10 And they held the word at themselves, seeking what this should be, when he had risen again from death [when he hath risen from dead].
11 And they asked him, and said [saying], What then say [the] Pharisees and [the] scribes, that it behooveth Elias to come first.
12 And he answered, and said to them, When Elias cometh, he shall first restore all things [When Elias shall come first, he shall restore all things]; and as it is written of man's Son [and how it is written of man's Son], that he suffer many things, and be despised.
13 And I say to you [But I say to you], that [also] Elias is come, and they did to him whatever things they would, as it is written of him.
14 And he coming to his disciples, saw a great company about them, and [the] scribes disputing with them [and scribes asking with them].
15 And at once [And anon] all the people seeing Jesus, was astonished, and they dreaded; and they running [to,] greeted him.
16 And he asked them, What dispute ye among you [What seek ye among you]?
17 And one of the company answered, and said, Master, I have brought to thee my son, that hath a dumb spirit;
18 and where ever he taketh him, he hurtleth him down, and he foameth, and beateth together with teeth, and waxeth dry. And I said to thy disciples, that they should cast him out, and they might not.
19 And he answered to them, and said, A! thou generation out of belief[l], how long shall I be among you, how long shall I suffer you? Bring ye him to me.
20 And they brought him [to]. And when he had seen him, at once [anon] the spirit troubled him; and he was thrown down to the ground, and wallowed, and foamed [and he cast down into the earth, was wallowed foaming].
21 And he asked his father, How long is it, since this hath befallen to him [How much time is it, since this thing befelled to him]? And he said, From childhood;
22 and oft he hath put him into the fire, and into water, to destroy him[m]; but if thou mayest any thing, help us, and have mercy on us.
23 And Jesus said to him, If thou mayest believe, all things be possible to a man that believeth.
24 And at once [And anon] the father of the child cried with tears, and said, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
25 And when Jesus had seen the people running together, he menaced the unclean spirit, and said to him [saying to him], Thou deaf and dumb spirit, I command thee, go out from him, and enter no more into him.
26 And he crying, and much wrenching him, went out from him; and he was made as dead, so that many said, that he was dead.
27 And Jesus held his hand, and lifted him up; and he rose.
28 And when he had entered into an house, his disciples asked him privily, Why might not we cast him out?
29 And he said to them, This kind in nothing may go out [This kind may not go out in any thing], but in prayer and fasting.
30 And they went from thence, and went forth into Galilee; and they would not, that any man knew [and he would not that any man know].
31 And he taught his disciples, and said to them, For man's Son shall be betrayed into the hands of men, and they shall slay him, and he slain shall rise again on the third day.
32 And they knew not the word, and dreaded to ask him.
33 And they came to Capernaum. And when they were in the house, he asked them, What treated ye in the way?
34 And they were still; for they disputed among them[selves] in the way, who of them should be [the] greatest.
35 And he sat, and called the twelve, and said to them [and saith to them], If any man will be the first among you, he shall be the last of all, and the minister of all [and minister, or servant, of all].
36 And he took a child, and set him in the middle of them [in the midst of them]; and when he had embraced him, he said to them,
37 Whoever receiveth one of such children in my name [Whoever shall receive one of such children in my name], he receiveth me; and whoever receiveth me, he receiveth not me alone, but him that sent me.
38 John answered to him, and said [saying], Master, we saw one casting out fiends in thy name, which followeth not us, and we have forbidden him.
39 And Jesus said, Do not ye forbid him; for there is no man that doeth a work of power in my name [that doeth virtue in my name], and may soon speak evil of me.
40 [Forsooth] He that is not against us, is for us.
41 And whoever giveth you a cup of cold water to drink in my name [Soothly whoever shall give drink to you a cup of cold water in my name], for ye be of Christ, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his meed.
42 And whoever shall cause to stumble one of these little that believe in me, it were better to him that a millstone were done about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. [And whoever shall offend one of these little believing in me, it is good to him that a millstone of asses were done about his neck, and were sent into the sea.]
43 And if thine hand cause thee to stumble, cut it away; it is better to thee to enter feeble into life, than have two hands, and go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched,[n]
44 where the worm of them dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
45 And if thy foot cause thee to stumble [And if thy foot offend thee], cut it off; it is better to thee to enter crooked into everlasting life, than have two feet, and be sent into hell of fire, that never shall be quenched, [than having two feet to be sent into hell fire, unquenchable],
46 where the worm of them dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
47 That if thine eye cause thee to stumble [That if thine eye offend thee], cast it out; it is better to thee to enter goggle-eyed into the realm of God, than have two eyes, and be sent into hell of fire[o],
48 where the worm of them dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
49 And every man shall be salted with fire, and every slain sacrifice shall be made savoury with salt.[p]
50 Salt is good; [that] if salt be unsavoury, in what thing shall ye make it savoury? Have ye salt among you, and have ye peace among you [Have ye salt in you, and have peace among you].
2001 by Terence P. Noble