Read the Gospels in 40 Days
The Parable of the Sower(A)
4 Again He began to teach by the seaside. A large crowd was gathered before Him, so that He entered a boat and sat in it on the sea. And the whole crowd was by the sea on the land. 2 He taught them many things in parables and said to them in His teaching: 3 “Listen! And take note: A sower went out to sow. 4 As he sowed, some seed fell beside the path, and the birds of the air came and devoured it. 5 Some seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and soon it sprang up because it did not have deep soil. 6 But when the sun rose, it was scorched. And because it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 And other seed fell on good ground, and it yielded grain that sprang up and increased by thirty, sixty, or a hundred times as much.”
9 Then He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
The Purpose of the Parables(B)
10 When He was alone, those who were around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. 11 He said to them, “To you is given the secret of the kingdom of God, but to those who are outside, everything is said in parables, 12 so that
‘seeing they may see, and not perceive,
and hearing they may hear and not understand;
lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven them.’[a]”
The Parable of the Sower Explained(C)
13 Then He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 These are those beside the path, where the word is sown. But when they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word which is sown in their hearts. 16 Others, likewise, are seed sown on rocky ground, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness, 17 but have no root in themselves, and so endure for a time. Afterward, when affliction or persecution rises for the word’s sake, immediately they fall away. 18 And others are seed sown among thorns, the ones who hear the word. 19 But the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 20 Still others are seed sown on good ground, those who hear the word, and receive it, and bear fruit: thirty, sixty, or a hundred times as much.”
A Light Under a Basket(D)
21 He said to them, “Is a candle brought to be put under a basket or under a bed and not to be set on a candlestick? 22 For there is nothing hidden except to be revealed; neither is anything kept secret except to be proclaimed. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
24 He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. The measure you give will be measured for you, and to you who hear will more be given. 25 For to him who has will more be given. And from him who has not will be taken, even what he has.”
The Parable of the Growing Seed
26 He said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he does not know how. 28 For the earth bears fruit by itself: first the blade, then the head, then the full seed in the head. 29 But when the grain is ripe, immediately he applies the sickle because the harvest has come.”
The Parable of the Mustard Seed(E)
30 He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God, or with what parable shall we compare it? 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed which, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest seed on earth. 32 Yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all shrubs, and shoots out great branches, so that the birds of the air may nest in its shade.”
The Use of Parables(F)
33 With many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it. 34 Without a parable He did not speak to them. But when they were alone, He expounded on all things to His disciples.
The Calming of a Storm(G)
35 That same day, when the evening came, He said to them, “Let us go cross to the other side.” 36 When they had sent the crowd away, they took Him in the boat just as He was. There were also other little boats with Him. 37 A great wind storm arose, and the waves splashed into the boat, so that it was now filling the boat. 38 He was in the stern asleep on a pillow. They woke Him and said, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”
39 He rose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” Then the wind ceased and there was a great calm.
40 He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is that you have no faith?”
41 They feared greatly and said to one another, “What kind of Man is He, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”
The Healing of the Gadarene Demoniac(H)
5 They went to the other side of the sea to the region of the Gadarenes. 2 When He had come out of the boat, immediately a man with an unclean spirit came out of the tombs and met Him. 3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could constrain him, not even with chains, 4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. But he had pulled the chains apart and broken the shackles to pieces. And no one could subdue him. 5 Always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.
6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran up and kneeled before Him, 7 and cried out with a loud voice, “What have You to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure You by God, do not torment me.” 8 For Jesus said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”
9 Then He asked him, “What is your name?”
He answered, “My name is Legion. For we are many.” 10 And he begged Him repeatedly not to send them away out of the country.
11 Now there was a great herd of swine feeding near the mountains. 12 All the demons pleaded with Him, asking, “Send us to the swine, so that we may enter them.” 13 At once, Jesus gave them leave. Then the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine. And the herd, numbering about two thousand, ran wildly down a steep hill into the sea and were drowned in the sea.
14 Those who fed the swine fled and reported it in the city and in the country. And people went out to see what it was that had happened. 15 They came to Jesus and saw him who had been possessed with the legion of demons sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 16 Those who saw it told them how it befell him who had been possessed with the demons and also concerning the swine. 17 Then they began to plead with Him to depart out of their region.
18 When He entered the boat, he who had been possessed with the demons prayed Him that he might be with Him. 19 Jesus did not let him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you and how He has had compassion on you.” 20 So he departed and began to proclaim in the Decapolis[b] what great things Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.
Jairus’ Daughter and the Woman Who Touched Jesus’ Garment(I)
21 When Jesus had crossed again by boat to the other side, many people gathered to Him. And He was beside the sea. 22 One of the rulers of the synagogue, named Jairus, saw Jesus and came and fell at His feet 23 and earnestly asked Him, “My little daughter is lying at the point of death. I ask You, come and lay Your hands on her, so that she may be healed. And she will live.” 24 So Jesus went with him.
And many people followed Him and pressed in on Him. 25 And a certain woman had a hemorrhage for twelve years, 26 and had suffered much under many physicians. She had spent all that she had, and was not better but rather grew worse. 27 When she had heard of Jesus, she came in the crowd behind Him and touched His garment. 28 For she said, “If I may touch His garments, I shall be healed.” 29 And immediately her hemorrhage dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.
30 At once, Jesus knew within Himself that power had gone out of Him. He turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?”
31 His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing against You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”
32 And He looked around to see her who had done it. 33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the entire truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”
35 While He was still speaking, some came from the house of the synagogue ruler and said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?”
36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid, only believe.”
37 He let no one follow Him, except Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. 38 He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw the tumult, and those who wept and wailed loudly. 39 When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this uproar and weep? The girl is not dead, but sleeping.” 40 They laughed at Him in ridicule.
But when He had put them all out, He took the father and the mother of the girl and those who were with Him and entered where the girl was lying. 41 He took the girl by the hand and said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” 42 Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were greatly astonished. 43 He strictly ordered them to let no one know of it and directed them to give her something to eat.
The Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth(J)
6 He went away from there and came into His own country. And His disciples followed Him. 2 When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get this? What is this wisdom that is given Him, that even miracles are done by His hands? 3 Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary and the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us?” And they took offense at Him.
4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own relatives, and in his own house.” 5 He could not do any miracles there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And He was amazed because of their unbelief.
The Mission of the Twelve(K)
Then He went to the surrounding villages, teaching. 7 He called to Him the twelve, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over unclean spirits.
8 He commanded them to take nothing for their journey except a staff: no bag, no bread, and no money in their purse, 9 but to wear sandals, and not put on two tunics. 10 He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, remain there until you depart from that place. 11 And whoever will not receive you or hear you, when you depart from there, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them. Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the Day of Judgment than for that city.”
12 So they went out and preached that men should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.
The Death of John the Baptist(L)
14 King Herod heard of Him, for His name was spread publicly. He said, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and therefore these miracles are at work in him.”
15 But others said, “He is Elijah.”
And yet others said, “He is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets.”
16 But when Herod heard of it, he said, “It is John, whom I beheaded. He has been raised from the dead!”
17 Herod had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, for he had married her. 18 For John said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 So Herodias had a grudge against him and would have killed him, but she could not, 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, but heard him gladly.
21 But a convenient day came when Herod on his birthday prepared a ceremonial dinner for his lords and commanding officers and leading men of Galilee. 22 When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, “Ask of me whatever you desire, and I will give it to you.” 23 And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.”
24 She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?”
She said, “The head of John the Baptist.”
25 She came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter at once.”
26 The king was extremely sorrowful. Yet for the sake of his oath and those who sat with him, he would not reject her. 27 So the king immediately sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. He went and beheaded him in the prison, 28 and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. And the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse and laid it in a tomb.
The Feeding of the Five Thousand(M)
30 The apostles met with Jesus and told him everything, both what they had done and what they had taught. 31 Then He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest a while,” for many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.
32 So they went into a remote place privately by boat. 33 But the people saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot out of every city. They arrived first and came together to Him. 34 When Jesus came out and saw many people, He was moved with compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And He began to teach them many things.
35 When the day was now getting late, His disciples came to Him and said, “This is a remote place, and now the time is passing. 36 Send them away into the surrounding country and villages to buy themselves bread, for they have nothing to eat.”
37 But He answered, “You give them something to eat.”
They said to Him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii[c] worth of bread and give it to them to eat?”
38 He said to them, “How many loaves have you? Go and see.”
When they found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.”
39 Then He commanded them to make everyone sit down by companies on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in ranks, by hundreds and by fifties. 41 When He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them. And He divided the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate and were filled. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments and of the fish. 44 Those who ate of the loaves were about five thousand men.
Walking on the Water(N)
45 Immediately He compelled His disciples to get into the boat and to go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the crowd away. 46 When He had sent them away, He departed to a mountain to pray.
47 When evening came, the boat was in the midst of the sea. And He was alone on the land. 48 He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea and would have passed by them. 49 But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out. 50 For they all saw Him and were troubled.
Immediately He spoke to them and said, “Be of good cheer, it is I. Do not be afraid.” 51 Then He went up to them in the boat and the wind ceased. They were greatly astonished in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. 52 For they had not comprehended the miracle of the loaves, for their hearts were hardened.
The Healing of the Sick in Gennesaret(O)
53 When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored on the shore. 54 When they had come out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, 55 and ran throughout the surrounding region, and began to carry the sick on beds to wherever they heard He was. 56 And wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and pleaded with Him that they might touch even the fringe of His garment. And as many as touched Him were healed.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.