Read the Gospels in 40 Days

The conception and birth of John the Baptist. The conception of Christ. The thankful songs of Mary and Zacharias.

1 Since many have taken in hand to compile an account of those things that are known for certain among us, ² as told to us by those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning, and ministered at the doing of them, ³ I determined also that, as soon as I had searched out diligently all things from the beginning, then I would write to you, good Theophilus, ⁴ so that you may know the certainty of those things of which you are informed.

⁵ There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the shift of Abijah. And his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. ⁶ Both were perfect before God, and walked in all the laws and observances of the Lord, and no man could find fault with them. ⁷ And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were well stricken in age.

⁸ And it came to pass as he executed the priest’s office before God, when his shift came ⁹ according to the custom of the priest’s office, the lot fell to him to burn incense. And he went into the temple of the Lord, ¹⁰ and the whole host of the people were outside in prayer while the incense was a-burning. ¹¹ And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. ¹² And when Zacharias saw him, he was startled, and fear came on him.

¹³ And the angel said to him, Fear not, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard. And your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. ¹⁴ And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. ¹⁵ For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. And he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even in his mother’s womb. ¹⁶ And he will turn many of the children of Israel to their Lord God. ¹⁷ And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the unbelievers to the wisdom of the just men: to make the people ready for the Lord.

¹⁸ And Zacharias said to the angel, How may I be sure of this, seeing that I am old, and my wife well stricken in years?

¹⁹ And the angel answered and said to him, I am Gabriel who stands in the presence of God, and have been sent to speak to you and to show you these glad tidings. ²⁰ And behold, you shall be dumb and not able to speak until the time that these things are performed, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their season.

²¹ And the people waited for Zacharias, and wondered that he was so long in the temple. ²² And when he came out, he could not speak to them, whereby they perceived that he had seen some vision in the temple. And he gestured to them and remained speechless.

²³ And eventually, as soon as the time of his ministration was up, he departed home to his own house. ²⁴ And after those days, his wife Elizabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, ²⁵ Thus has God dealt with me in the days when he looked on me, to take from me the disgrace that I suffered among men.

²⁶ In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ And the angel went in to her and said, Hail, thou full of grace! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.

²⁹ When she saw him, she was bewildered at his words, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this could be. ³⁰ And the angel said to her, Fear not, Mary, for you have found grace with God. ³¹ Lo, you shall conceive in your womb, and shall bear a son, and shall call his name Jesus. ³² He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God will give to him the seat of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom shall be no end.

³⁴ Then said Mary to the angel, How will this be, seeing I do not know a man?

³⁵ And the angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you. Therefore also, that holy thing which will be born of you will be called the Son of God. ³⁶ And behold: your cousin Elizabeth, she has also conceived a son in her old age. And this is her sixth month, though she be called barren. ³⁷ For with God, nothing is impossible.

³⁸ And Mary said, Behold the handmaiden of the Lord! Be it unto me even as you have said. 

And the angel departed from her.

³⁹ And Mary arose in those days, and went into the mountains with haste, into a town of Judea, ⁴⁰ and entered into the house of Zacharias, and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ And it happened, as Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe sprang in her belly. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, ⁴² and cried out with a loud voice and said, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! ⁴³ And how does it happen that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ For lo, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe sprang in my belly for joy. ⁴⁵ And blessed are you who believed, for those things will be performed that were told you from the Lord.

⁴⁶ And Mary said, My soul does magnify the Lord, ⁴⁷ and my spirit rejoices in God my saviour. ⁴⁸ For he has looked on the poor degree of his handmaiden. Behold, now from henceforth all generations will call me blessed. ⁴⁹ For he who is mighty has done great things unto me, and holy is his name. ⁵⁰ And his mercy is on them who fear him, throughout all generations. ⁵¹ He shows strength with his arm. He scatters those who are proud in the imagination of their hearts. ⁵² He puts down the mighty from their seats and exalts those of low degree. ⁵³ He fills the hungry with good things and sends the rich away empty. ⁵⁴ He remembers mercy and helps his servant Israel, ⁵⁵ even as he promised to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever.

⁵⁶ And Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months, and returned again to her own house.

⁵⁷ Elizabeth’s time came to be delivered, and she brought forth a son. ⁵⁸ And her neighbours and her relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy upon her, and they rejoiced with her.

⁵⁹ And when it was the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child, and were calling him by the name Zacharias, after his father. ⁶⁰ However his mother spoke and said, Not so, but he shall be called John. ⁶¹ And they said to her, There is no one in your family called by this name.

⁶² And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. ⁶³ And he asked for writing tablets and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they all marvelled. ⁶⁴ And Zacharias’ mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue also, and he spoke, lauding God.

⁶⁵ And awe came on all those who dwelt near to them. And also these stories were spread abroad throughout all the hill country of Judea, ⁶⁶ and everyone who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child will this be? And the hand of the Lord was with him.

⁶⁷ And his father, Zacharias, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, ⁶⁸ Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people. ⁶⁹ And he has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, ⁷⁰ just as he promised by the mouth of his holy prophets, who have been since the world began: ⁷¹ that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hands of all who hate us, ⁷² to fulfil the mercy promised to our fathers, to remember his holy covenant, ⁷³ and to perform the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, ⁷⁴ to give us, so that we, delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear all the days of our life, ⁷⁵ in such holiness and righteousness as are accepted before him.

⁷⁶ And thou, child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest. For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways, ⁷⁷ and to give knowledge of salvation to his people for the remission of sins, ⁷⁸ through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the Dayspring from on high has visited us, ⁷⁹ to give light to those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

⁸⁰ And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was out in the wilderness till the day came when he was to show himself to the Israelites.

The birth and circumcision of Christ. How he was received into the temple. How Simeon and Anna prophesy of him, and how he was found in the temple among the learned instructors of the Jews.

2 And it happened in those days that there went out a commandment from Augustus the Emperor that all the world should be taxed. ² And this taxing was the first, and executed when Quirinius was governor in Syria. ³ And every man went to his own town to be taxed. ⁴ And Joseph also ascended from Galilee out of a town called Nazareth, into Judea to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, who was with child.

⁶ And it came to pass while they were there that her time came to be delivered. ⁷ And she brought forth her first begotten son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them within the inn.

⁸ And there were in the same region shepherds abiding in the field and watching their flock by night. ⁹ And lo, the angel of the Lord stood right by them, and the brightness of the Lord shone round about them, and they were very afraid. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, Be not afraid. For behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which will come to all the people. ¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a saviour, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And take this for a sign: you will find the child swaddled and laid in a manger.

¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly soldiers, lauding God and saying, ¹⁴ Glory be to God on high, and peace on earth, and to men rejoicing.

¹⁵ And it so was, as soon as the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let us go straight to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has shown to us. ¹⁶ And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe laid in a manger.

¹⁷ And when they had seen this, they proclaimed everywhere the message that had been given them concerning that child. ¹⁸ And all who heard it wondered at those things the shepherds told them. ¹⁹ But Mary laid up all those sayings, and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ And the shepherds returned, praising and lauding God for all that they had heard and seen, even as it had been told to them.

²¹ And when the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised, his name was called Jesus, which was the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

²² And when the time of their purification according to the law of Moses came, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the law of the Lord: every man-child that first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord), ²⁴ and to offer (as it is said in the law of the Lord) a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.

²⁵ And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. And the same man was just, and feared God, and longed for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was in him. ²⁶ And a revelation had been given him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷ And he came by inspiration into the temple. And when the father and mother brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, ²⁸ then he took him up in his arms and said, ²⁹ Lord, now let your servant depart in peace according to your promise. ³⁰ For my eyes have seen the saviour sent from you, ³¹ whom you have prepared before the face of all people – ³² a light to give sight to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.

³³ And his father and mother marvelled at those things that were spoken of him. ³⁴ And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, Behold, this child shall be the fall and the resurrection of many in Israel, and a sign that shall be spoken against. ³⁵ And moreover, the sword will pierce your soul, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

³⁶ And there was a prophetess, one Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity, ³⁷ and been a widow for about eighty-four years. She never went out of the temple, but served God with fasting and prayer night and day. ³⁸ And she came forth also that same hour, and praised the Lord, and spoke of him to all who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

³⁹ And as soon as they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee to their own town, Nazareth. ⁴⁰ And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was with him.

⁴¹ Now his father and mother went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. ⁴² And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast.  ⁴³ And when the days had come to an end, as they turned back for home, the child Jesus remained still in Jerusalem, unbeknownst to his father and mother. ⁴⁴ For they supposed he would be with the caravan. And therefore they went a day’s journey, and were searching for him among their kinsfolk and companions. ⁴⁵ When they did not find him, they went back again to Jerusalem and searched for him. ⁴⁶ And eventually, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ And everyone who heard him marvelled at his understanding and answers.

⁴⁸ When his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, Son, why have you dealt with us this way? Look, your father and I have been searching for you, sorrowing.

⁴⁹ And he said to them, How is it that you were searching for me? Did you not know that I must go about my Father’s business?

⁵⁰ But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

⁵¹ And he went with them, and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. And his mother kept all these things in her heart. ⁵² And Jesus increased in wisdom and age, and in favour with God and man.

The preaching, baptism, and imprisonment of John. The baptism of Christ. A recital of the lineage of the fathers.

3 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius the Emperor (Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch in Iturea and in the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene), ² when Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. ³ And he came into all the country about the Jordan River preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, ⁴ as it is written in the book of the sayings of Isaiah the prophet, which says: The voice of a crier in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord; make his paths straight! ⁵ Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low. And crooked things shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth. ⁶ And all flesh shall see the saviour sent by God.

⁷ Then he said to the people who came to be baptized by him, O offspring of vipers, who has taught you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ Bring forth the due fruits of repentance, and do not begin to say in yourselves, We have Abraham for our father. For I say to you, God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. ⁹ And now also is the axe laid to the root of the trees, so that every tree that does not bring forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire.

¹⁰ And the people asked him, saying, What should we do then? ¹¹ He answered and said to them, He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.

¹² Then there came publicans to be baptized, who asked him, Master, what should we do? ¹³ And he said to them, Require no more than that which is appointed to you.

¹⁴ The soldiers likewise enquired of him, saying, And what should we do? And he said to them, Do violence to no man, neither trouble any man wrongfully, but be content with your wages.

¹⁵ And as the people were in expectation, and all musing in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ, ¹⁶ John answered and said to them all, I baptize you with water, but one stronger than I is coming after me, whose shoe latchet I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. ¹⁷ He has his fan in his hand, and will purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but the chaff he will burn with fire that never shall be quenched.

¹⁸ And with many other exhortations, John preached to the people.

¹⁹ Then Herod the tetrarch (when he was rebuked by him concerning Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils that Herod had done) ²⁰ added this above all, and shut up John in prison.

²¹ And it came to pass, as all the people were receiving baptism, and when Jesus was baptized and did pray, that heaven was opened, ²² and the Holy Spirit came down in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven saying, You are my dear Son; in you I do delight.

²³ And Jesus himself was about thirty years of age when he began, being as men supposed the son of Joseph, who was the son of Heli, ²⁴ who was the son of Matthat, who was the son of Levi, who was the son of Melchi, who was the son of Janna, who was the son of Joseph, ²⁵ who was the son of Mattathiah, who was the son of Amos, who was the son of Nahum, who was the son of Esli, who was the son of Naggai, ²⁶ who was the son of Maath,  who was the son of Mattathiah, who was the son of Semei, who was the son of Joseph, who was the son of Judah, ²⁷ who was the son of Joannas, who was the son of Rhesa, who was the son of Zerubbabel, who was the son of Shealtiel, who was the son of Neri, ²⁸ who was the son of Melchi, who was the son of Addi, who was the son of Cosam, who was the son of Elmodam, who was the son of Er, ²⁹ who was the son of Jose, who was the son of Eliezer, who was the son of Jorim, who was the son of Matthat, who was the son of Levi, ³⁰ who was the son of Simeon, who was the son of Judah, who was the son of Joseph, who was the son of Jonan, who was the son of Eliakim, ³¹ who was the son of  Melea, who was the son of Menan, who was the son of Mattathah, who was the son of Nathan, who was the son of David, ³² who was the son of Jesse, who was the son of Obed, who was the son of Boaz, who was the son of Salmon, who was the son of Nahshon, ³³ who was the son of Amminadab, who was the son of Ram, who was the son of Hezron, who was the son of Perez, who was the son of Judah, ³⁴ who was the son of Jacob, who was the son of Isaac, who was the son of Abraham, who was the son of Terah, who was the son of Nahor, ³⁵ who was the son of Serug, who was the son of Reu, who was the son of Peleg, who was the son of Eber, who was the son of Shelah, ³⁶ who was the son of Cainan, who was the son of Arphaxad, who was the son of Shem, who was the son of Noah, who was the son of Lamech, ³⁷ who was the son of Methuselah, who was the son of Enoch, who was the son of Jared, who was the son of Mahalalel, who was the son of Cainan, ³⁸ who was the son of Enos, who was the son of Seth, who was the son of Adam, who was the son of God.