Read the Gospels in 40 Days

He sends the seventy on before him to preach, and instructs them how to conduct themselves. He prays to his heavenly Father, answers the scribe that tested him, and by the example of the Samaritan, shows who is our neighbour. Martha receives the Lord into her house. Mary Magdalene is fervent in hearing his word.

10 After these things, the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before him into every city and place where he himself would come. ² And he said to them, The harvest is great, but the labourers are few. Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send forth labourers into his harvest. ³ Go your ways. Behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

⁴ Carry no wallet, nor bag, nor shoes, and address no man by the way. ⁵ Into whatever house you enter, first say, Peace be to this house. ⁶ And if a child of peace be there, your peace will rest upon him; if not, it will return to you again. ⁷ And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they have. For the labourer is worthy of his reward. Go not from house to house.

⁸ And into whatever town you enter, if they receive you, eat such things as are set before you, ⁹ and heal the sick that are there, and say to them, The kingdom of God is come nigh upon you! ¹⁰ But into whatever town you enter, if they do not receive you, go your ways out into the streets of the same and say, ¹¹ Even the very dust that cleaves on us from your city, we wipe off against you. But yet mark this, that the kingdom of God came nigh upon you.

¹² Yea and I say to you that it shall be easier in that day for Sodom than for that town. ¹³ Woe is to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had been done in Tyre and Sidon that have been done in you, they would have repented a great while ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. ¹⁴ But it will be easier for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. ¹⁵ And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be thrust down to hell.

¹⁶ He who hears you, hears me; and he who rejects you, rejects me; and he who rejects me, rejects him who sent me.

¹⁷ And the seventy returned back again with joy, saying, Lord, even the very devils are subject to us through your name! ¹⁸ And he said to them, I saw Satan, like lightning as it were, fall down from heaven. ¹⁹ Behold, I give to you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all manner of power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. ²⁰ Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are under your power, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.

²¹ At the same time, Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, I confess unto you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hid these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to the babes. Even so, Father, for so pleased it you. ²² All things are given me by my Father. And no man knows who the Son is except the Father, nor who the Father is except the Son, and the person to whom the Son will show him.

²³ And he turned to his disciples and said privately, Happy are the eyes that see what you see. ²⁴ For I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things that you see, and have not seen them, and to hear those things that you hear, and have not heard them.

²⁵ And a certain doctor of the law stood up and tested him, saying, Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? ²⁶ Jesus said to him, What is written in the law? How do you read it? ²⁷ And he answered and said, Love your Lord God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself.

²⁸ And Jesus said to him, You have answered right. This do, and you shall live. ²⁹ But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, Who then is my neighbour?

³⁰ Jesus answered and said, A certain man descended from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of thieves who robbed him of his clothing and wounded him, and departed leaving him half dead. ³¹ And by chance there came a certain priest that same way. And when he saw him, he passed by. ³² And likewise a Levite, when he came near to the place, went and looked on him, and passed by. ³³ Then a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came near to him, and when he saw him had compassion on him, ³⁴ and went and bound up his wounds, and poured in oil and wine. And he put him on his own animal and brought him to a common inn, and made provision for him. ³⁵ And when he departed the next day, he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said to him, Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come back, I will recompense you. ³⁶ Which now of these three do you think was neighbour to the man that fell into the thieves’ hands?

³⁷ And the doctor of law said, He that showed mercy on him.

Then Jesus said to him, Go then and do likewise.

³⁸ It happened as they journeyed that he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. ³⁹ And this woman had a sister called Mary, who sat at Jesus’ feet and heard his preaching. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted with much work of serving, and stood and said, Master, do you not care that my sister has left me to minister alone? Tell her therefore that she should help me. ⁴¹ And Jesus answered and said to her, Martha, Martha, you care and are troubled about many things. ⁴² Truly one is needful, and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

He teaches his disciples to pray, drives out a devil, and rebukes the blasphemous Pharisees. They require signs and tokens. He eats with the Pharisee, and reproves the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, scribes, and hypocrites.

11 And it happened as he was praying in a certain place that when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, Master, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples. ² And he said to them, When you pray, say, Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, even in earth as it is in heaven. ³ Give us our daily bread evermore. ⁴ And forgive us our sins, for even we forgive every person that trespasses against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

⁵ And he said to them, If any of you had a friend, and went to him at midnight and said to him, Friend, lend me three loaves, ⁶ because a friend of mine has come from a journey to me and I have nothing to set before him, ⁷ and the man inside were to answer and say, Don’t trouble me; the door is now shut, and my servants are with me in the chamber; I cannot rise and give them to you – ⁸ I say to you, though he would not arise and give him a loaf because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he would rise and give him as many as he needed. ⁹ And so I say to you: ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

¹⁰ For everyone that asks, receives, and he that seeks, finds, and to him who knocks, it will be opened. ¹¹ If the son asks for bread from any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for fish, will he give him a serpent for a fish? ¹² Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? ¹³ If you then who are evil can give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father of heaven give a holy spirit to those who desire it of him? 

¹⁴ And he was a casting out a devil that was dumb. And it followed, when the devil was gone out, the dumb man spoke. And the people were filled with wonder. ¹⁵ But some of them said, He casts out devils by the power of Beelzebub, the chief of the devils. ¹⁶ And others challenged him, seeking from him a sign from heaven.

¹⁷ But Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, Every kingdom divided within itself will be brought to desolation, and one house will fall upon another. ¹⁸ So if Satan is divided within himself, how shall his kingdom endure? For you say that I cast out devils by the power of Beelzebub. ¹⁹ If I cast out devils by the power of Beelzebub, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. ²⁰ But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, without question the kingdom of God has come upon you.

²¹ When a strong man armed guards his house, that which he possesses is in peace. ²² But when one stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him his weapons in which he trusted, and divides up his goods. ²³ He who is not with me, is against me. And he who does not gather with me, scatters.

²⁴ When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he walks through waterless places, seeking rest. And when he finds none, he says, I will return again to my house from which I came out. ²⁵ And when he comes back, he finds it swept and set in order. ²⁶ Then he goes and gets seven other spirits worse than himself, and they enter in and dwell there, and the end of that man is worse than the beginning.

²⁷ And it happened, as he spoke those things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice and said to him, Happy is the womb that bore you, and the paps that gave you suck. ²⁸ But he said, Yea, happy are those who hear the word of God and keep it.

²⁹ When the people were gathered thick together, he began and said, This is an evil nation. They seek a sign, but no sign will be given to them except the sign of Jonah the prophet. ³⁰ For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of man be to this nation. ³¹ The queen of the south will rise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the end of the world to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, one greater than Solomon is here. ³² The men of Nineveh will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn them, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, one greater than Jonah is here.

³³ No man lights a candle and puts it in a concealed place, nor under a bushel, but on a candlestick, so that those who come in may see the light. ³⁴ The light of your body is the eye. Therefore when your eye is single, then is all your body full of light. But if your eye is bad, then shall all your body be full of darkness. ³⁵ Take heed therefore that the light which is in you be not darkness. ³⁶ For if all your body is lighted, having no part dark, then shall all be full of light, even as when a candle lights you with its brightness.

³⁷ And as he spoke, a certain Pharisee asked him to dine with him, and Jesus went in and sat down to food. ³⁸ When the Pharisee saw that, he was shocked that he had not first washed before dinner. ³⁹ And the Lord said to him, Now you Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter, but your inward parts are full of greed and wickedness. ⁴⁰ O foolish men, did not he who made the outside also make that which is within? ⁴¹ But rather give alms of what you have, and behold, all is clean to you. ⁴² But woe is to you Pharisees. For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, but pass over justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, but yet not have left the others undone.

⁴³ Woe to you, Pharisees, for you love the uppermost seats in the synagogues and greetings in the markets. ⁴⁴ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves that are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them.

⁴⁵ Then one of the wise men of the law answered and said to him, Teacher, by so saying, you put us to rebuke also.

⁴⁶ Then he said, Woe is to you also, doctors of the law. For you load men with burdens grievous to be borne, and you yourselves do not touch the packs with one of your fingers. ⁴⁷ Woe to you! You build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them; ⁴⁸ truly you bear witness that you accept the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their sepulchres. ⁴⁹ Therefore the wisdom of God spoke: I will send them prophets and apostles, and some they will slay, and some persecute, ⁵⁰ so that the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the beginning of the world, may be required of this generation, ⁵¹ from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the temple. Truly I say to you, it shall be required of this nation.

⁵² Woe to you, doctors of the law, for you have taken away the key of knowledge. You yourselves did not enter in, and those who came in, you opposed.

⁵³ When he spoke this way to them, the teachers of the law and the Pharisees began to hound him, and to stop his mouth with many questions, ⁵⁴ laying wait for him, and attempting to catch something out of his mouth that they could use to accuse him.

The leaven of the Pharisees. Christ strengthens his disciples against persecution, and warns them to beware of covetousness by the similitude of a certain rich man. He does not want them to hang upon earthly things, but to watch and to be ready for his coming.

12 As there gathered together an innumerable multitude of people (insomuch that they trod on one another), he began and said to his disciples, First of all, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. ² For there is nothing covered that will not be uncovered, nor hid that will not be known. ³ For whatever you have spoken in darkness, that same shall be heard in the light. And that which you have spoken in the ear, even in secret places, shall be declared even on the top of the houses.

⁴ I say to you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. ⁵ But I will show you whom you should fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has power to cast into hell. Yea, I say to you: him fear!

⁶ Are not five sparrows bought for two copper coins? And yet not one of them is forgotten by God. ⁷ Indeed, even the very hairs of your heads are numbered. Fear not, therefore. You are of more value than many sparrows.

⁸ I say to you, whoever confesses me before men, him also shall the Son of man confess before the angels of God. ⁹ And he who denies me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. ¹⁰ And whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it may be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.

¹¹ When they bring you before the synagogues, and before the rulers and officers, take no thought how or what thing to answer, or what you will say. ¹² For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that same hour what you ought to say.

¹³ A man in the company said to him, Master, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me. ¹⁴ And he said to him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? ¹⁵ And he said to them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness. For no man’s life stands in the abundance of the things that he possesses.

¹⁶ And he put forth a similitude to them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth fruits plenteously, ¹⁷ and he thought in himself, saying, What should I do, since I have no room to store my fruits? ¹⁸ And he said, This I will do: I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my fruits and my goods. ¹⁹ And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have goods enough laid up in store for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry! ²⁰ But God said to him, You fool, this night they will call away your soul back from you. Then whose will be those things that you have laid up?

²¹ This is how it is with him who gathers riches, but is not rich in God.

²² And he spoke to his disciples: Therefore I say to you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat; neither for your body, what you will put on. ²³ Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. ²⁴ Consider the ravens. For they neither sow nor reap, and have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. How much more of value are you than the birds? ²⁵ Which of you, with taking thought, can add one cubit to his stature? ²⁶ If you then are not able to do that which is least, why be anxious about the rest? ²⁷ Consider the lilies, how they grow: they do not labour, they do not spin, and yet I say to you that Solomon in all his royalty was not clothed like one of these. ²⁸ If God so clothes the grass that is today in the field and tomorrow will be cast into the furnace, how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? ²⁹ And ask not what you shall eat or what you shall drink, neither climb up on high. ³⁰ For all such things the heathen people of the world seek for. Your Father knows that you have need of such things. ³¹ Therefore seek the kingdom of God, and all these things will be ministered unto you.

³² Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s pleasure to give you a kingdom. ³³ Sell what you have and give alms, and make yourselves pouches that won’t wear out, and treasure that won’t fail in heaven, where no thief comes or moth destroys. ³⁴ For where your treasure is, there will your hearts be also.

³⁵ Let your loins be girded about and your lights burning, ³⁶ and you yourselves like men waiting for their master, for when he will return from a wedding, so that as soon as he comes and knocks, they can open to him. ³⁷ Happy are those servants whom the Lord, when he comes, finds watching. Truly I say to you, he will gird himself about and make them sit down to food, and walk by and minister to them. ³⁸ And if he comes in the second watch, yea if he comes in the third watch, and finds them so, happy are those servants. ³⁹ This understand: if the householder knew what hour the thief would come, he would surely watch, and not allow his house to be broken into. ⁴⁰ Be prepared therefore, for the Son of man will come at an hour when you think not.

⁴¹ Then Peter said to him, Master, do you speak this similitude to us, or to all men? ⁴² And the Lord said, If there be any servant faithful and wise, whom his lord appoints over his household to give them their portion of food at due season, ⁴³ happy is that servant whom his master, when he comes, finds so doing. ⁴⁴ Of a truth I say to you, he will appoint him over all that he has. ⁴⁵ But if the evil servant says in his heart, My master will defer his coming, and begins to smite the menservants and maidservants, and to eat and drink and to be drunken, ⁴⁶ the lord of that servant will come in a day when he thinks not, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will separate him, and will give him his reward with the unbelievers.

⁴⁷ The servant that knew his master’s will and did not prepare himself, nor do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. ⁴⁸ But he who did not know, and yet committed things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few stripes. For to whom much is given, of him will much be required. And to whom men commit much, the more will they ask of him.

⁴⁹ I have come to send fire on earth. And what is my desire, but that it were already kindled? ⁵⁰ But I must be baptized with a baptism – and how I am pained till it be ended! ⁵¹ Do you suppose that I have come to send peace on earth? I tell you no, but rather division. ⁵² For from henceforth there will be five in one house, divided three against two, and two against three. ⁵³ The father will be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

⁵⁴ Then he said to the people, When you see a cloud rise out of the west, straightaway you say we will have a rain shower, and so it is. ⁵⁵ And when you see the south wind blow, you say we will have heat, and it comes to pass. ⁵⁶ Hypocrites, you know how to interpret the aspect of the earth and of the sky, but why is it that you cannot interpret this present time?

⁵⁷ Yea, and why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? ⁵⁸ When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, as you are in the way, be diligent to be delivered from him, lest he bring you to the judge, and the judge commit you to the jailer, and the jailer cast you into prison. ⁵⁹ I tell you, you will not get out of there until you have made good the last mite.