Read the Gospels in 40 Days

Satan Tempts The Son of God To Act Contrary To His Father’s Will

4 Then Jesus was led-up into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil. ² And having fasted for forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. ³ And having come to Him, the one tempting said to Him, “If You are^[a] God’s Son, say that these stones should become loaves-of-bread”. ⁴ But the One, having responded, said, “It has been written [in Deut 8:3]: ‘Mankind^[b] shall live not on bread alone, but on every word proceeding-out through the mouth of God’” ⁵ Then the devil takes Him into the holy city. And he stood Him on the pinnacle of the temple. ⁶ And he says to Him, “If You are God’s Son, throw Yourself down. For it has been written: ‘Because^[c] He will command His angels concerning You, and they will lift You up on their hands that You may not ever strike Your foot against a stone’” [Ps 91:11-12]. ⁷ Jesus said to him, “Again^[d], it has been written: ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test’” [Deut 6:16]. ⁸ Again, the devil takes Him to a very high mountain and shows Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. ⁹ And he said to Him, “I will give all these things to You if, having fallen-down, You give-worship to me”. ¹⁰ Then Jesus says to him, “Go-away, Satan! For it has been written: ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only’” [Deut 6:13]. ¹¹ Then the devil leaves Him. And behold— angels came to Him and were ministering to Him.

Jesus Begins His Ministry In Capernaum of Galilee, Fulfilling Isaiah

¹² And having heard that John was handed-over^[e] [to prison], He went-back^[f] into Galilee. ¹³ And having left-behind Nazareth, having come, He dwelled in Capernaum, the one by-the-sea in the districts of Zebulun and Naphtali, ¹⁴ in order that the thing might be fulfilled having been spoken through Isaiah the prophet saying ¹⁵ “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— ¹⁶ the people sitting in darkness saw a great Light. And for the ones sitting in the region and shadow of death, a Light rose for them” [Isa 9:1-2]. ¹⁷ From that time on Jesus began to proclaim and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn-near”.

Jesus Calls Peter And Andrew And Then James And John To Follow Him

¹⁸ And while walking beside the Sea of Galilee He saw two brothers— Simon (the one being called Peter) and Andrew, his brother— throwing a casting-net into the sea, for they were fishermen. ¹⁹ And He says to them, “Come after Me and I will make you fishermen of people”. ²⁰ And immediately the ones, having left the nets, followed Him. ²¹ And having gone on from there He saw two other brothers— James (the son of Zebedee) and John, his brother— preparing^[g] their nets in the boat with Zebedee their father. And He called them. ²² And immediately the ones, having left the boat and their father, followed Him.

Jesus Goes Around All Galilee Teaching And Healing Every Disease

²³ And He was going around in all Galilee— teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good-news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every infirmity among the people. ²⁴ And the report^[h] of Him went into all Syria^[i]. And they brought to Him all the ones being ill, being gripped^[j] with various diseases and torments, and being demon-possessed, and having seizures^[k], and paralytics. And He cured them.

The Teachings of The King: True Righteousness Expounded With Divine Authority

²⁵ And large crowds from Galilee and Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and beyond the Jordan followed Him. 5 ¹ And having seen the crowds, He went up on the mountain. And He having sat-down, His disciples^[l] came to Him. ² And having opened His mouth He was teaching^[m] them^[n], saying—

These Are The Ones God Considers Blessed

³ “Blessed^[o] are the poor in spirit, because the kingdom of the heavens is theirs. ⁴ Blessed are the ones mourning, because they^[p] will be comforted. ⁵ Blessed are the gentle ones, because they will inherit the earth. ⁶ Blessed are the ones hungering and thirsting as to righteousness, because they will be filled-to-satisfaction. ⁷ Blessed are the merciful ones, because they will be shown-mercy. ⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart, because they will see God. ⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called sons of God^[q]. ¹⁰ Blessed are the ones having been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, because the kingdom of the heavens is theirs. ¹¹ You are blessed ones whenever they reproach you and persecute you and speak every [kind of] evil against you while lying, because-of ^[r] Me. ¹² Be rejoicing and be overjoyed, because your reward is great in the heavens. For in this manner they persecuted the prophets before you.

You Are Salt And Light. Salt Must Be Tasty. Light Must Shine

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should become-tasteless, with what will it be salted^[s]? It no longer has strength for anything except, having been thrown outside, to be trampled-underfoot by people. ¹⁴ You are the light of the world. A city lying on a hill is not able to be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do they burn a lamp and put it under the basket, but on the lampstand— and it shines on all the ones in the house. ¹⁶ In this manner, let your light shine in front of people so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in the heavens.

I Came To Fulfill The Law. Your Righteousness Must Abound More Than The Pharisees

¹⁷ “Do not think that I came to abolish^[t] the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill^[u]. ¹⁸ For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, one iota^[v] or one stroke^[w] will by no means pass away from the Law until all things take-place^[x]. ¹⁹ Therefore, whoever breaks^[y] one of the least of these commandments and in this manner teaches people— he will be called least in the kingdom of the heavens. But whoever does and teaches them— this one will be called great in the kingdom of the heavens. ²⁰ For I say to you that unless your righteousness abounds more^[z] than [that of] the scribes and Pharisees, you will by-no-means^[aa] enter into the kingdom of the heavens!

Some Say Do Not Murder. I Say Do Not Get Angry

²¹ “You heard that it was said to^[ab] the ancient ones, ‘You shall not murder’, and ‘Whoever murders shall be liable^[ac] to the judgment’. ²² But I say to you that everyone being angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca’^[ad], shall be liable to the Sanhedrin. And whoever says, ‘Fool’^[ae], shall be liable to the Gehenna^[af] of ^[ag] fire. ²³ Therefore if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there in front of the altar, and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then, having come, be offering your gift. ²⁵ Be settling with your adversary quickly— until^[ah] you are with him on the way [to court]— that your adversary might not perhaps hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. ²⁶ Truly I say to you, you will by no means come out from there until you pay the last quadrans^[ai].

Some Say Do Not Commit Adultery. I Say Do Not Desire Another Woman

²⁷ “You heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit-adultery’. ²⁸ But I say to you that everyone looking-at a woman so-as to desire^[aj] her already committed-adultery-with her in his heart. ²⁹ And if your right eye is causing you to fall, tear it out^[ak] and throw it from you. For it is better^[al] for you that one of your body-parts perish and your whole body not be thrown into Gehenna. ³⁰ And if your right hand is causing you to fall, cut it off and throw it from you. For it is better for you that one of your body-parts perish and your whole body not go into Gehenna.

Some Say Get a Legal Divorce. I Say Divorcees Who Remarry Commit Adultery

³¹ “And it was said, ‘Whoever sends-away^[am] his wife, let him give her a divorce^[an] certificate’. ³² But I say to you that everyone sending-away his wife except for a matter^[ao] of sexual-immorality is causing her to commit-adultery^[ap]. And whoever marries a woman having been sent-away [from her husband] is committing-adultery.

Some Say Do Not Break Your Oath. I Say Do Not Swear an Oath At All

³³ “Again, you heard that it was said to the ancient ones, ‘You shall not break-your-oath^[aq], but you shall pay your oaths to the Lord’. ³⁴ But I say to you not to swear-with-an-oath^[ar] at all— ³⁵ neither by heaven, because it is the throne of God; nor by earth, because it is a footstool of His feet; nor with reference to Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King; ³⁶ nor may you swear-with-an-oath by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black. ³⁷ But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’, [or] ‘No, no’. And the thing beyond these is from^[as] the evil one.

Some Say Avenge an Eye For an Eye. I Say Do Not Retaliate, But Do The Opposite

³⁸ “You heard that it was said, ‘An eye for^[at] an eye, and a tooth for a tooth’. ³⁹ But I say to you not to resist^[au] the evil person. But whoever slaps^[av] you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. ⁴⁰ And to the one wanting to sue you and take your tunic^[aw], permit him also the cloak. ⁴¹ And whoever will press you into service^[ax] for one mile, go with him two. ⁴² Give to the one asking you, and do not turn away from the one wanting to borrow from you.

Some Say Hate Your Enemies. I Say Love Them And Pray For Them

⁴³ “You heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy’. ⁴⁴ But I say to you, be loving your enemies, and be praying for the ones persecuting you, ⁴⁵ so that you may prove-to-be^[ay] sons of your Father^[az] in the heavens— because He causes His sun to rise upon evil and good ones, and He sends rain upon righteous and unrighteous ones. ⁴⁶ For if you love the ones loving you, what reward do you have? Are not even the tax-collectors doing the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet your brothers only, what extraordinary thing are you doing? Are not even the Gentiles^[ba] doing the same?

Be Perfect Reflections of Your Heavenly Father

⁴⁸ “Therefore you shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

But Do Not Merely Put On a Show of Righteousness For Others

6 “But take-heed not to do your righteousness^[bb] in-front-of people so-as to be seen^[bc] by them. Otherwise indeed, you do not have a reward with your Father in the heavens.

Don’t Give Money To Glorify Yourself. Give Without Thinking of Yourself At All

² “So whenever you do almsgiving^[bd], do not trumpet it before you as-indeed the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the lanes^[be] so that they may be glorified by people. Truly I say to you, they are receiving their reward^[bf] in full. ³ But while you are doing almsgiving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your almsgiving may be in secret. And your Father, the One seeing in secret, will reward you.

Don’t Pray To Impress Others. Always Pray As If Alone With Your Heavenly Father

⁵ “And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. Because standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the wide-roads, they love to pray so that they may make-an-appearance^[bg] to people. Truly I say to you, they are receiving their reward in full. ⁶ But whenever you pray, enter into your inner-room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father, the One in secret. And your Father, the One seeing in secret, will reward you.

Don’t Babble On In Prayer. Pray As a Child of God, Aligned With His Purposes

⁷ “And while praying, do not babble as-indeed the Gentiles do. For they are thinking that they will be heard by means of their many-words^[bh]. ⁸ So do not be like them, for your Father knows of the things which you have a need before you ask Him. ⁹ Therefore, you be praying as follows, ‘Our Father in the heavens: ¹⁰ let^[bi] Your name be treated-as-holy. Let Your kingdom come. Let Your will be done^[bj]— as in heaven, also on earth. ¹¹ Give us today our daily bread. ¹² And forgive us our debts, as we also forgave^[bk] our debtors. ¹³ And do not bring us into a temptation^[bl], but deliver^[bm] us from the evil one^[bn]’. ¹⁴ For if you forgive people their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive people their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Don’t Display Yourself As Fasting. Fast In Secret

¹⁶ “And whenever you fast, do not be like the sad-faced hypocrites. For they disfigure^[bo] their faces so that they may appear to people as ones fasting. Truly I say to you, they are receiving their reward in full. ¹⁷ But while you are fasting, anoint your head and wash your face ¹⁸ so that you may not appear to people as one fasting, but to your Father, the One in secret. And your Father, the One seeing in secret, will reward you.

Build Your Storehouse of Treasure In Heaven, Not On Earth

¹⁹ “Do not be treasuring-up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moth and eating^[bp] destroy, and where thieves break-in and steal. ²⁰ But be treasuring up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where neither moth nor eating destroys, and where thieves do not break in nor steal.

Your Heart Will Be Where Your Treasure Is. You Cannot Serve God And Money

²¹ “For where your treasure is, there your heart also will be. ²² The lamp^[bq] of the body is the eye. Therefore if your eye is single^[br], your whole body will be full-of-light^[bs]. ²³ But if your eye is bad^[bt], your whole body will be full-of-darkness. If then the light in you is darkness^[bu], how great is the darkness! ²⁴ No one can be serving^[bv] two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted-to one and disregard^[bw] the other. You cannot be serving God and wealth^[bx].

Don’t Be Anxious About Your Earthly Life. Seek God’s Kingdom And Righteousness

²⁵ “For this reason I say to you— do not be anxious^[by] for your life as to what you may eat or what you may drink, nor for your body as to what you may put-on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the heaven— that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns. And your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth more than they? ²⁷ And which of you while being anxious is able to add one cubit^[bz] upon his life-span? ²⁸ And why are you anxious about clothing? Observe-closely the lilies of the field, how they grow— they do not labor nor spin. ²⁹ But I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. ³⁰ But if God dresses in this manner the grass of the field existing today and being thrown into an oven tomorrow, will He not by much more care for you— ones of-little-faith? ³¹ Therefore, do not be anxious^[ca], saying, ‘What may we eat?’ or ‘What may we drink?’ or ‘What may we put-on?’ ³² For the Gentiles are seeking-after all these things. For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. ³³ But be seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. ³⁴ Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is the trouble^[cb] of it.