Read the Gospels in 40 Days

The parable of the sower. Take heed to God’s word. Christ stills the tempest of the sea, which obeyed him.

4 And he began again to teach by the sea side. And there gathered together unto him crowds of people, so greatly that he entered into the boat and sat in it in the sea, and all the people were by the sea side on the shore. ² And he taught them many things in similitudes, and said to them in his lesson: ³ Hearken to! Behold, there went out a sower to sow. ⁴ And it happened as he sowed that some seed fell by the wayside, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. ⁵ Some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth, and quickly sprang up because it did not have depth of earth; ⁶ but as soon as the sun was up, it caught heat, and because it did not have rooting, withered away. ⁷ And some fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, so that it gave no fruit. ⁸ And some fell upon good ground, and yielded fruit that sprang up and grew, and brought forth: some thirtyfold, some sixtyfold, and some a hundredfold. ⁹ And he said to them, He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

¹⁰ And when he was alone, those who were around him with the twelve asked him about the similitude. ¹¹ And he said to them, To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. But to those who are outside, all things shall be done in similitudes, ¹² and when they see, they will see but not discern, and when they hear, they will hear and not understand, lest at any time they should turn; and their sins would be forgiven them.

¹³ And he said to them, Do you not understand this similitude? How then will you understand any other similitudes? ¹⁴ The sower sows the word. ¹⁵ And those who are by the wayside where the word is sown are those to whom, as soon as they have heard it, Satan comes immediately, and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. ¹⁶ And likewise, those who receive the seed on the stony ground are those who, when they have heard the word, at once receive it with gladness, ¹⁷ yet have no roots in themselves. And so they endure but a time, and once trouble and persecution arise for the word’s sake, they fall immediately. ¹⁸ And those who receive the seed among the thorns are such as hear the word, ¹⁹ but the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the hunger for other things, enter in and choke the word, and it is made unfruitful. ²⁰ And those who received the seed in good ground are those who hear the word and receive it, and bring forth fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixtyfold, some a hundredfold.

²¹ And Jesus said to the people, Is the candle lighted to be put under a bushel or under the table, and not rather to be put on a candlestick? ²² For there is nothing so hid that it will not be revealed, nor so secret but that it may become clear. ²³ If any person has ears to hear, let him hear.

²⁴ And he said to them, Attend with care to what you hear. With the same measure you give, it will be measured back to you. And to you who hear, more will be given. ²⁵ For to him who has, it will be given, but from him who has not shall be taken away even what he has.

²⁶ And he said, The kingdom of God is like this: it is as if a man sows seed in the ground, ²⁷ and sleeps, and rises up night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows up, he knows not how. ²⁸ For the earth brings forth fruit of herself: first the blade, then the ears, after that the full grain in the ears. ²⁹ And as soon as the fruit is brought forth, immediately the man thrusts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.

³⁰ And he said, To what may we liken the kingdom of God? or what comparison can we use? ³¹ It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is the least of all seeds that are in the earth. ³² But after it is sown, it grows up and is greatest of all shrubs, and bears great branches, so that the birds of the air may dwell under the cover of it.

³³ And with many such similitudes he preached the word to the people, as they were able to hear it. ³⁴ And without similitude he spoke nothing to them. But when they were apart, he expounded all things to his disciples.

³⁵ And the same day, when evening was come, he said to them, Let us pass over to the other side. ³⁶ And they left the people and took him just as he was in the boat. And there were also with him other boats. ³⁷ And there arose a great storm of wind, and it dashed the waves into the boat so that it was full. ³⁸ And he was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke him and said to him, Teacher, do you not care if we perish?

³⁹ And he rose up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Peace, and be still! And the wind allayed, and there followed a great calm. ⁴⁰ And he said to them, Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith? ⁴¹ And they feared exceedingly and said to one another, What manner of man is this? For both wind and sea obey him.

He delivers the possessed man from the unclean spirits, and the woman from the flow of blood, and raises the synagogue leader’s daughter.

5 And they went over to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. ² And when he got out of the boat, there met him out of the graves a man possessed by an unclean spirit, ³ who had his dwelling among the graves. And no man could bind him, no, not with chains. ⁴ For he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he pulled the chains apart and broke the shackles in pieces. Neither could anyone quiet him. ⁵ And always, both night and day, he wailed in the mountains and in the graves, and beat himself with stones.

⁶ When he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and knelt before him, ⁷ and cried out with a loud voice and said, What have I to do with you, Jesus Son of the most high God? I call on you in the name of God not to torment me. ⁸ For Jesus had said to him, Come out of the man, you foul spirit! ⁹ And Jesus asked him, What is your name? He answered, saying, My name is Legion, for we are many. ¹⁰ And he pressed Jesus urgently not to send them away out of the region.

¹¹ And there was there, near to the mountains, a great herd of swine feeding. ¹² All the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the herd of swine, so that we may enter into them. ¹³ And at once Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out and entered into the swine. And the herd started, and ran headlong into the sea. There were about 2,000 swine, and they were drowned in the sea.

¹⁴ And the swineherds fled and told this in the town and in the country. And the people came out to see what had happened, ¹⁵ and came to Jesus. They saw the man who had been vexed with the fiend and had the legion sitting both clothed and in his right mind, and were afraid. ¹⁶ And those who had seen it told them what had happened to the man possessed with the devil, and also about the swine. ¹⁷ And they began to urge Jesus to depart from their shores.

¹⁸ And when he got into the boat, the man who had been possessed with the devil asked him if he could be with him. ¹⁹ However Jesus would not allow him, but said to him, Go home to your own house and to your friends, and show them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how he had compassion on you.

²⁰ And he departed and began to tell everywhere in the Ten Cities what great things Jesus had done for him. And all the people marvelled.

²¹ And when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, crowds of people gathered to him. And he was near to the sea. ²² And there came one of the leaders of the synagogue, whose name was Jairus. And when he saw him, he fell down at his feet, ²³ and besought him greatly, saying, My daughter lies at the point of death. Please come and lay your hand on her, so that she can be saved and live.

²⁴ And Jesus went with him, and the crowds followed him and thronged him. ²⁵ And there was a certain woman who had been troubled by a flow of blood for twelve years. ²⁶ She had endured many things from many physicians, and spent all that she had, and was not helped at all, but grew worse and worse. ²⁷ When she heard of Jesus, she penetrated the press behind him and touched his garment. ²⁸ For she thought, If I can but touch his clothes, I shall be healed. ²⁹ And straightaway her flow of blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the illness.

³⁰ And Jesus immediately felt in himself the power that went out of him, and turned around in the press of people and said, Who touched my clothes? ³¹ And his disciples said to him, You see the people thronging you, and yet you ask, Who touched me?

³² And he looked round about to see who had done it. ³³ The woman feared and trembled (for she knew what was done within her), and she came and fell down before him, and told him the truth of everything. ³⁴ And he said to her, Daughter, your faith has made you whole. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.

³⁵ While he was yet speaking, certain people came from the house of the synagogue leader and said, Your daughter is dead; why trouble the Teacher any further? ³⁶ As soon as Jesus heard that word spoken, he said to the leader of the synagogue, Be not afraid; only believe.

³⁷ And he let no one follow him other than Peter, James, and John the brother of James. ³⁸ And he went to the house of the synagogue leader and saw the disturbance, and the people who wept and wailed greatly, ³⁹ and went in and said to them, Why do you make this ado, and weep? The maiden is not dead, but sleeping. ⁴⁰ And they laughed him to scorn.

Then he put them all out, and took the father and the mother of the maiden and those who were with him, and entered in where the maiden lay. ⁴¹ He took the maiden by the hand and said to her, Tabitha, cumi! which translated is, Child, I say to you, arise! ⁴² And at once the maiden arose, and she walked on her feet, for she was twelve years of age. And they were astonished at it beyond measure. ⁴³ And he charged them strictly that no one should know of it, and said to give her food.

Christ sends his apostles to heal people who were diseased. Of John and Herod. Of the five loaves and two fishes, and of the walking on the sea.

6 And he departed from there and went into his own country, and his disciples followed him. ² And when the Sabbath day came, he began to teach in the synagogue. And many who heard him were astonished and said, Where does he have these things from? And what wisdom is this that is given to him? And such miracles that are wrought by his hands! ³ Is this not that carpenter – Mary’s son, the brother of James and Joses, and of Judas and Simon? And are his sisters not here with us?

And they were offended by him. ⁴ And Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honour but in his own country, and among his own kin, and among those who are of the same household. ⁵ And he could show no miracles there, except he laid his hands upon a few sick folk and healed them. ⁶ And he marvelled at their unbelief.

And he went about by the towns that lay on every side, teaching. ⁷ And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits. ⁸ And he commanded them to take nothing for their journey save only a rod – no bag, no bread, no money in their belts – ⁹ but to be shod with sandals, and not to put on two coats. ¹⁰ And he said to them, Wherever you enter into a house, stay there till you move on from that town. ¹¹ And whoever does not receive you or hear you, when you leave there, shake off the dust that is under your feet, for a witness to them. I say truly to you, it will be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah at the day of judgment than for that place.

¹² And they went out and preached that the people should repent. ¹³ And they cast out many devils, and anointed many who were sick with oil, and healed them.

¹⁴ And King Herod heard of Jesus (for his name was spread abroad) and said, John the Baptist has risen again from death, and therefore  miracles are wrought by him. ¹⁵ Others said, It is Elijah; and some said, It is a prophet, or like one of the prophets. ¹⁶ But when Herod heard of him, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he has risen back up from death. ¹⁷ For Herod himself had sent forth and seized John, and bound him and cast him into prison for the sake of Herodias, who was his brother Philip’s wife. For Herod had married her. ¹⁸ John said to Herod, It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife. ¹⁹ So Herodias was laying in wait for him, and would have killed him. But she could not, ²⁰ because Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and gave him reverence. And he heeded him in many things, and heard him gladly.

²¹ But when an opportune day came, Herod on his birthday put on a supper for the lords, captains, and chief personages of Galilee. ²² And the daughter of the said Herodias came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him. Then the king said to the maiden, Ask of me what you will, and I will give it to you. ²³ And he swore to her, Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you, even up to one half of my kingdom.

²⁴ And she went out and said to her mother, What should I ask for? And she said, The head of John the Baptist. ²⁵ And the maiden went in straightaway with haste to the king and asked, saying, I would like you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.

²⁶ And the king was sorry. However, for his oath’s sake, and because of those who sat at supper also, he did not want to put her beside her purpose. ²⁷ And immediately the king sent the hangman and commanded John’s head to be brought in. And he went and beheaded him in the prison, ²⁸ and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the maiden, and the maiden gave it to her mother.

²⁹ And when John’s disciples heard of it, they came and took up his body and put it in a tomb.

³⁰ And the apostles gathered themselves together to Jesus and told him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. ³¹ And he said to them, Come apart into the countryside and rest awhile. For there were so many comers and goers that they had no time so much as to eat. ³² And they went by boat out of the way into an isolated place.

³³ But the people noticed them when they departed, and many recognized him. And they ran there by foot out of all the towns and got there before them, and came together to him. ³⁴ And Jesus went out and saw the crowds of people, and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

³⁵ And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came to him, saying, This is an isolated place, and now the day is far gone. ³⁶ Let the people depart so that they can go into the country round about and into the towns and buy themselves bread, for they have nothing to eat. ³⁷ He answered and said to them, You give them to eat. And they said to him, Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them to eat? ³⁸ He said to them, How many loaves do you have? Go and look. And when they had searched, they said, Five, and two fishes.

³⁹ And Jesus directed them to make all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. ⁴⁰ And they sat down here a row and there a row, by hundreds and by fifties. ⁴¹ And he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to put before the people. And he divided the two fishes among them all. ⁴² And they all did eat and were satisfied. ⁴³ And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments and of the fishes. ⁴⁴ And those who ate were about 5,000 men.

⁴⁵ And straightaway he made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead over the water to Bethsaida while he sent the people away. ⁴⁶ And as soon as he had sent them away, he went apart to a mountain to pray.

⁴⁷ And when evening was come, the boat was in the middle of the sea and he was alone on the land. ⁴⁸ And he saw them having trouble rowing, for the wind was contrary to them. And about the fourth quarter of the night he went out to them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. ⁴⁹ When they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it was a spirit and cried out. ⁵⁰ For they all saw him and were afraid. And immediately he spoke to them and said to them, Be of good cheer, it is I. Be not afraid. ⁵¹ And he went up to them into the boat, and the wind ceased; and they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and taken aback. ⁵² For they did not remember about the loaves, because their hearts were blinded.

⁵³ And they crossed over and went into the land of Gennesaret, and drew up to anchorage. ⁵⁴ And as soon as they got out of the boat, people quickly recognized Jesus, ⁵⁵ and ran everywhere throughout all the region round about, and began to carry all who were sick in beds to the place where they heard he was. ⁵⁶ And wherever he entered into towns, cities, or villages, they laid their sick in the streets and begged to touch even just the edge of his vesture. And as many as touched him were made well.