Read the Gospels in 40 Days
4 Then Jesus was led of a Spirit into desert, to be tempted of the fiend [to be tempted of the devil].
2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward he hungered.
3 And the tempter came nigh, and said to him, If thou be God's Son [If thou art the Son of God], say that these stones be made loaves.
4 Which answered, and said to him, It is written, Not only in bread liveth man, but in each word that cometh forth of God's mouth. [Which answering said to him, It is written, A man liveth not in bread alone, but in every word that cometh forth from the mouth of God.]
5 Then the fiend took him into the holy city, and setted him on the pinnacle of the temple, [Then the devil took him into the holy city, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple,]
6 and said to him, If thou art God's Son, send thee adown [and said to him, If thou art the Son of God, send thee down]; for it is written, That to his angels he commanded of thee, and they shall take thee in [the] hands, lest peradventure thou hurt thy foot at a stone.
7 Again Jesus said to him, It is written, Thou shalt not tempt thy Lord God. [Again Jesus said to him, It is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.]
8 Again the fiend [Again the devil] took him [up] into a full high hill, and showed to him all the realms of the world, and the joy of them [and the glory of them];
9 and said to him, All these I shall give to thee, if thou fall down and worship me.
10 Then Jesus said to him, Go, Satan; for it is written, Thou shalt worship thy Lord God [for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God], and to him alone thou shalt serve.
11 Then the fiend left him [Then the devil left him]; and lo! angels came nigh, and served to him.
12 But when Jesus had heard that John was taken, he went into Galilee.
13 And he left the city of Nazareth, and came [And the city of Nazareth left, he came], and dwelt in the city of Capernaum, beside the sea, in the coasts [in the ends] of Zabulon and Nephthalim,
14 that it should be fulfilled, that was said by Esaias, the prophet, saying,
15 The land of Zabulon and the land of Nephthalim, the way of the sea over Jordan, of Galilee of heathen men,
16 the people that walked in darknesses saw great light [the people that dwelt in darknesses saw great light], and while men sat in the country of [the] shadow of death, light arose to them [light is sprung to them].
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and [to] say, Do ye penance, for the kingdom of heavens shall come nigh [for the realm of heaven hath nighed].
18 And Jesus walked beside the sea of Galilee, and saw two brethren [Soothly Jesus, walking beside the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren], Simon, that is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting nets [sending a net] into the sea; for they were fishers.
19 And he said to them, Come ye after me, and I shall make you to be made fishers of men.
20 And at once [And anon] they left their nets, and followed him.
21 And he went forth from that place, and saw twain other brethren [And he going forth from that place, saw two other brethren], James of Zebedee, and John, his brother, in a ship with Zebedee, their father, amending their nets, and he called them.
22 And at once [Soothly anon] they left the nets and the father, and followed him.
23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in the synagogues of them, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every languor and each sickness among the people [and healing all sorrow, or ache, and all sickness in the people].
24 And his fame went into all Syria; and they brought to him all that were at mal-ease, and that were taken with diverse languors and torments, and them that had fiends, and lunatic men, and men in palsy [and they brought to him all men having evil, taken with diverse sores and torments, and them that had devils, and lunatic men, and men in the palsy], and he healed them.
25 And there followed him much people of Galilee [And there followed him many companies of Galilee], and of Decapolis, and of Jerusalem, and of Judaea, and of beyond Jordan.
5 And Jesus, seeing the people, went up into the hill; and when he was set, his disciples came to him.[a]
2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, and said [saying],
3 Blessed be poor men in spirit, for the kingdom of heavens is theirs. [Blessed be the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.]
4 Blessed be mild men [Blessed mild], for they shall wield the earth.
5 Blessed be they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.
6 Blessed be they that hunger and thirst rightwiseness, for they shall be fulfilled [for they shall be filled].
7 Blessed be merciful men [Blessed the merciful], for they shall get mercy.
8 Blessed be they that be of clean heart, for they shall see God.
9 Blessed be peaceable men, for they shall be called God's children. [Blessed the peaceable, for they shall be called the sons of God.]
10 Blessed be they that suffer persecution for rightwiseness, for the kingdom of heavens is theirs [for the kingdom of heaven is theirs].
11 Blessed be ye, when men shall curse you, and shall pursue you [and pursue you], and shall say all evil against you lying, for me.
12 Joy ye, and be ye glad [full out], for your meed is plenteous in heavens; for so they have pursued the prophets also that were before you.
13 Ye be salt of the earth; that if the salt [shall] vanish away, wherein shall it be salted? To nothing it is worth over, but that it be cast out, and be defouled of men.
14 Ye be [the] light of the world; a city set on an hill may not be hid;
15 nor men tendeth a lantern, and putteth it under a bushel [neither men tend a lantern, and put it under a bushel], but on a candlestick, that it give light to all that be in the house.
16 So shine your light before men, that they see your good works, and glorify your Father that is in heavens.
17 Do not ye deem, that I came to undo the law, or the prophets; I came not to undo the law, but to fulfill.[b]
18 Forsooth I say to you, till heaven and earth pass, one letter [one i, that is the least letter,] or one tittle shall not pass from the law, till all things be done.
19 Therefore he that breaketh one of these least commandments, and teacheth thus men, shall be called the least in the realm of heavens; but he that doeth, and teacheth, shall be called great in the kingdom of heavens.
20 And I say to you, that but your rightwiseness [shall] be more plenteous than of scribes and of Pharisees[c], ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heavens.
21 Ye have heard that it was said to old men, Thou shalt not slay; and he that slayeth, shall be guilty to the doom [shall be guilty of doom].
22 But I say to you, that each man that is wroth to his brother, shall be guilty to doom; and he that saith to his brother, Fie! shall be guilty to the council; but he that saith Fool, shall be guilty to the fire of hell. [But I say to you, that ever-each that is wroth to his brother, shall be guilty of doom; forsooth he that shall say to his brother, Raca, that is, a word of scorn, shall be guilty of council; soothly he that shall say, Fool, that is, a word of despising, shall be guilty of the fire of hell.]
23 Therefore if thou offerest thy gift at the altar, and there thou bethinkest, that thy brother hath somewhat against thee [and there bethinkest, that thy brother hath something against thee],
24 leave there thy gift before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother, and then thou shalt come, and shalt offer thy gift.
25 Be thou consenting to thine adversary soon, while thou art in the way with him, lest peradventure thine adversary take thee to the doomsman, and the doomsman take thee to the minister [lest peradventure thine adversary take thee to the judge, and the judge take thee to the minister], and thou be sent into prison.
26 Truly I say to thee, Thou shalt not go out from thence [Thou shalt not go thence], till thou yield the last farthing.
27 Ye have heard that it was said to old men, Thou shalt not do lechery.
28 But I say to you, that every man that seeth a woman [for] to covet her, hath now done lechery by her in his heart [now he hath done lechery with her in his heart].
29 That if thy right eye cause thee to stumble [That if thy right eye offend thee], pull it out, and cast it from thee; for it speedeth to thee, that one of thy members perish, than that all thy body go into hell.
30 And if thy right hand cause thee to stumble [And if thy right hand offend thee], cut it away, and cast [it] from thee; for it speedeth to thee that one of thy members perish, than that all thy body go into hell.
31 And it hath been said, Whoever leaveth his wife, give he to her a bill of forsaking. [Forsooth it is said, Whoever shall leave his wife, give he to her a libel, that is, a little book of forsaking.]
32 But I say to you, that every man that leaveth his wife [that every man that shall leave his wife], except (for) [the] cause of fornication, maketh her to do lechery, and he that weddeth the forsaken wife, doeth adultery.
33 Again ye have heard, that it was said to old men, Thou shalt not forswear, but thou shalt yield thine oaths to the Lord. [Again ye have heard, that it was said to old men, Thou shalt not forswear, but to the Lord thou shalt yield thine oaths.]
34 But I say to you, that ye swear not for any thing [Forsooth I say to you, to not swear on all manner]; neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God;
35 neither by the earth, for it is the stool of his feet; neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of a great king [for it is the city of the great king];
36 neither thou shalt swear by thine head, for thou mayest not make one hair white, or black;
37 but be your word, Yea, yea; Nay, nay [but your word be Yea, yea; Nay, nay]; and that that is more than these, is of evil.
38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.
39 But I say to you, that ye against-stand not an evil man; but if any smite thee in the right cheek, show to him also the other;[d]
40 and to him that will strive with thee in doom, and take away thy coat, leave to him also thy mantle [leave thou to him and thine over-cloth];
41 and whoever constraineth thee a thousand paces, go thou with him other twain. [and whoever constrain thee a thousand paces, go thou with him other two.]
42 Give thou to him that asketh of thee [Forsooth give to him that asketh of thee], and turn thou not away from him that will borrow of thee.
43 Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say to you, love ye your enemies, do ye well to them that hate you, and pray ye for them that pursue, and slander you [and pray ye for men pursuing, and falsely challenging you];
45 that ye be the sons of your Father that is in heavens, that maketh his sun to rise upon good men and evil [that maketh his sun to rise on good and on evil men], and raineth on just men and unjust.
46 For if ye love them that love you, what meed shall ye have? whether [the] publicans do not this thing?
47 And if ye greet your brethren only, what shall ye do more? do not heathen men this? [And if ye greet, or salute, your brethren only, what moreover shall ye do? whether and pagans do not this thing?]
48 Therefore be ye perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
6 Take heed, that ye do not your rightwiseness before men, to be seen of them, else ye shall have no meed at your Father that is in heavens [else ye shall not have meed of your Father which is in heavens].
2 Therefore when thou doest alms, do not thou trumpet before thee, as hypocrites do in synagogues and streets, that they be worshipped of men[e]; soothly I say to you, they have received their meed.
3 But when thou doest alms, know not thy left hand what thy right hand doeth,
4 that thine alms be in huddles, and thy Father that seeth in huddles, shall requite thee [shall yield to thee].
5 And when ye pray, ye shall not be as hypocrites, that love to pray standing in synagogues and [in] corners of streets, to be seen of men [that they be seen of men]; truly I say to you, they have received their meed.
6 But when thou shalt pray, enter into thy bedchamber, and when the door is shut, pray thy Father in huddles, and thy Father that seeth in huddles, shall yield to thee.
7 But in praying do not ye speak much, as heathen men do, for they guess that they be heard in their much speech.
8 Therefore do not ye be made like to them, for your Father knoweth what is need to you [for your Father knoweth what is needful to you], before that ye ask him.
9 And thus ye shall pray, Our Father that art in heavens, hallowed be thy name;
10 thy kingdom come to; be thy will done in earth as it is in heaven[f];
11 give to us this day our each day's bread;
12 and forgive to us our debts, as we forgive to our debtors;
13 and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
14 For if ye forgive to men their sins, [and] your heavenly Father shall forgive to you your trespasses. [Forsooth if ye shall forgive to men their sins, and your heavenly Father shall forgive to you your sins.]
15 Soothly if ye forgive not to men [the sins of them], neither your Father shall forgive to you your sins.
16 But when ye fast, do not ye be made as hypocrites sorrowful, for they deface themselves, to seem fasting to men [for they put their faces out of natural terms, that they seem fasting to men]; truly I say to you, they have received their meed.
17 But when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face,
18 that thou be not seen fasting to men, but to thy Father that is in huddles, and thy Father that seeth in privy [and thy Father that seeth in huddles], shall yield to thee.
19 Do not ye treasure to you treasures [here] in earth, where rust and moth destroyeth, and where thieves delve out and steal;
20 but gather to you treasures in heaven [but treasure to you treasures in heaven], where neither rust nor moth destroyeth, and where thieves delve not out, nor steal.
21 For where thy treasure is, there also thine heart is.
22 The lantern of thy body is thine eye; if thine eye be simple, all thy body shall be light-full;
23 but if thine eye be wayward, all thy body shall be dark[-full]. If then the light that is in thee be darknesses, how great shall those darknesses be? [but if thine eye be wayward, all thy body shall be dark-full. Therefore if the light that is in thee be darkness, how great shall those darknesses be?]
24 No man may serve two lords, for either he shall hate the one, and love the other; either he shall sustain the one [or he shall sustain the one], and despise the other. Ye be not able to serve God and riches.
25 Therefore I say to you, that ye be not busy to your life, what ye shall eat; nor to your body, with what ye shall be clothed [or to your body, with what ye shall be clad]. Whether [the] life is not more than meat, and the body more than the cloak [and the body more than cloth]?
26 Behold ye the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither reap, neither gather into barns [nor gather into barns]; and your Father of heaven feedeth them. Whether ye be not more worthy than they [Whether ye be not more worth than they]?
27 But who of you thinking may put to his stature one cubit? [Soothly who of you by thinking may add to his stature one cubit?]
28 And of clothing what be ye busy? Behold the lilies of the field, how they wax. They travail not, neither they spin;
29 and I say to you, that Solomon in all his glory was not covered as one of these.
30 And if God clotheth thus the hay of the field, that to day is, and to morrow is cast into an oven [and to morrow is sent into the furnace], how much more you of little faith?
31 Therefore do not ye be busy, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, With what thing shall we be covered [or, With what shall we be covered]?
32 For heathen men seek all these things; and your Father knoweth, that ye have need to all these things.
33 Therefore seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his rightwiseness, and all these things shall be cast to you.
34 Therefore do not ye be busy into the morrow, for the morrow shall be busy to itself; for it sufficeth to the day his own malice.
2001 by Terence P. Noble