Read the Gospels in 40 Days
4 And He began again to teach by the seaside. And there was gathered unto Him a great multitude, so that He entered into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.
2 And He taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in His doctrine:
3 “Hearken! Behold, there went out a sower to sow.
4 And it came to pass as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
5 And some fell on stony ground where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth.
6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
8 And other fell on good ground; and it yielded fruit that sprang up and increased and brought forth: some thirty, and some sixty, and some a hundredfold.”
9 And He said unto them, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”
10 And when He was alone, those who were about Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable.
11 And He said unto them, “Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the Kingdom of God; but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables,
12 that, ‘seeing they may see, and not perceive, and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted and their sins should be forgiven them.’”
13 And He said unto them, “Know you not this parable? And how then will ye know all parables?
14 The sower soweth the Word.
15 And these are they by the wayside, where the Word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately and taketh away the Word that was sown in their hearts.
16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground who, when they have heard the Word, immediately receive it with gladness;
17 but they have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time. Afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the Word’s sake, immediately they are offended.
18 And these are they which are sown among thorns, such as hear the Word,
19 but the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the Word, and it becometh unfruitful.
20 And these are they which are sown on good ground, such as hear the Word and receive it and bring forth fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
21 And He said unto 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 hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was anything kept secret, but that it should be revealed.
23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.”
24 And He said unto them, “Take heed what ye hear. With what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you; and unto you that hear shall more be given.
25 For he that hath, to him shall be given; and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.”
26 And He said, “So is the Kingdom of God as if a man should cast seed into the ground,
27 and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, he knoweth not how.
28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself: first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.”
30 And He said, “To what shall we liken the Kingdom of God? Or with what comparison shall we compare it?
31 It is like a grain of mustard seed which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that are in the earth.
32 But when it is sown, it groweth up and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches, so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.”
33 And with many such parables He spoke the Word unto them, as they were able to hear it;
34 but without a parable spoke He not unto them. And when they were alone, He expounded all things to His disciples.
35 And that same day, when the evening had come, He said unto them, “Let us pass over unto the other side.”
36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took Him even as He was in the boat; and there were also with Him other little boats.
37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was now full.
38 But He was in the hind part of the boat, asleep on a pillow; and they awoke Him and said unto Him, “Master, carest thou not that we perish?”
39 And He arose, and rebuked the wind and said unto the sea, “Peace, be still.” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40 And He said unto them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?”
41 And they feared exceedingly and said one to another, “What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
5 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.
2 And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him from out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
3 who had his dwelling among the tombs. And no man could bind him, no, not even with chains,
4 because he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been rent asunder by him and the fetters broken in pieces; neither could any man tame him.
5 And 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 and worshiped Him,
7 and cried with a loud voice, and said, “What have I to do with Thee, Jesus, Thou Son of the Most High God? I adjure Thee by God that Thou torment me not!”
8 For He had said unto him, “Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.”
9 And Jesus asked him, “What is thy name?” And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”
10 And he besought Him much that He would not send them away out of the country.
11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.
12 And all the devils besought Him, saying, “Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.”
13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out and entered into the swine; and the herd ran violently down a steep place and into the sea (they were about two thousand), and were choked in the sea.
14 And those who fed the swine fled, and told it in the city and in the country. And the people went out to see what it was that had been done.
15 And they came to Jesus, and saw him that had been possessed by the devil and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
16 And those who saw it told the people what had befallen him that was possessed by the devil, and also concerning the swine.
17 And they began to pray Him to depart from their borders.
18 And when He had gotten into the boat, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed Him that he might be with Him.
19 But Jesus suffered him not, and said unto him, “Go home to thy friends, and tell them what great things the Lord hath done for thee, and how He hath had compassion on thee.”
20 And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him. And all men marveled.
21 And when Jesus had passed over again by boat unto the other side, many people gathered unto Him; and He was nigh unto the sea.
22 And behold, there came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw Him, he fell at His feet
23 and besought Him greatly, saying, “My little daughter lieth at the point of death. I pray Thee, come and lay Thy hands on her, that she may be healed, and she shall live.”
24 And Jesus went with him, and many people followed Him and thronged Him.
25 And a certain woman who had an issue of blood twelve years,
26 and had suffered many things under many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse,
27 when she had heard of Jesus, came up behind Him in the press of the crowd and touched His garment;
28 for she said, “If I may touch but His clothes, I shall be whole.”
29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that virtue had gone out of Him, turned about in the press of the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”
31 And His disciples said unto Him, “Thou seest the multitude thronging Thee, and sayest Thou, ‘Who touched Me?’”
32 And He looked round about to see her who had done this thing.
33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had been done in her, came and fell down before Him and told Him all the truth.
34 And He said unto her, “Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole. Go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.”
35 While He yet spoke, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain ones who said, “Thy daughter is dead; why troublest thou the master any further?”
36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that had been spoken, He said unto the ruler of the synagogue, “Be not afraid; only believe.”
37 And He suffered no man to follow Him, save Peter and James and John, the brother of James.
38 And He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw the tumult and those who wept and wailed greatly.
39 And when He had come in, He said unto them, “Why make ye this ado and weep? The damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.”
40 And they laughed Him to scorn. But when He had put them all out, He took the father and the mother of the damsel and those who were with Him, and entered in where the damsel was lying.
41 And He took the damsel by the hand and said unto her, “Talitha cumi,” which is, being interpreted, “Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.”
42 And straightway the damsel arose and walked, for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.
43 And He charged them strictly that no man should know about it, and commanded that something should be given her to eat.
6 And He went out from thence and came into His own country, and His disciples followed Him.
2 And when the Sabbath day had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “From whence hath this man these things? And what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joses, and of Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they were offended at Him.
4 But Jesus said unto them, “A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.”
5 And He could do no mighty works there, except that He laid His hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
6 And He marveled because of their unbelief. And He went round about the villages teaching.
7 And He called unto Him the twelve, and began to send them forth two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits,
8 and commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only — no wallet, no bread, and no money in their purse,
9 but be shod with sandals, and not put on two coats.
10 And He said unto them, “In whatever place ye enter into a house, there abide until ye depart from that place.
11 And whosoever shall not receive you nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment than for that city.”
12 And they went out and preached that men should repent.
13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.
14 And King Herod heard of Him, for His name was spread abroad. And he said, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and therefore these mighty works show forth themselves in him.”
15 Others said, “It is Elijah,” and others said, “It is a prophet, or like one of the prophets.”
16 But when Herod heard of it, he said, “It is John, whom I beheaded; he is risen from the dead.”
17 For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and had bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married her.
18 For John had said unto Herod, “It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife.”
19 Therefore Herodias had an inward grudge against him and would have killed him, but she could not;
20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and holy, and kept him safe. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
21 And when a convenient day had come, when Herod on his birthday gave a supper for his lords, high officers, and chief officials of Galilee,
22 and when the daughter of the said Herodias came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, “Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it to thee.”
23 And he swore unto her, “Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it to thee, unto the half of my kingdom.”
24 And she went forth and said unto her mother, “What shall I ask?” And Herodias said, “The head of John the Baptist.”
25 And she came back straightway with haste unto the king and asked, saying, “I will that thou give me at once on a charger the head of John the Baptist.”
26 And the king was exceedingly sorry, yet for his oath’s sake and for their sakes who sat with him, he would not reject her.
27 And immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded John’s head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison,
28 and brought his head on a charger and gave it to the damsel; and the damsel gave it to her mother.
29 And when John’s disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse and laid it in a tomb.
30 And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught.
31 And He said unto them, “Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure, even so much as to eat.
32 And they departed into a desert place by boat privately.
33 And the people saw them departing, and many recognized Him and ran thither on foot out of all the cities and outdistanced them, and came together unto Him.
34 And Jesus, when He came out, saw many people and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.
35 And when the day was now far spent, His disciples came unto Him and said, “This is a desert place, and now the day is far spent.
36 Send them away, that they may go into the country round about and into the villages and buy themselves bread, for they have nothing to eat.”
37 He answered and said unto them, “Give ye them to eat.” And they said to Him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread and give them to eat?”
38 He said unto them, “How many loaves have ye? Go and see.” And when they knew, they said, “Five, and two fishes.”
39 And He commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass.
40 And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds and by fifties.
41 And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, 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 fishes among them all.
42 And they all ate and were filled.
43 And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments and of the fishes.
44 And those who ate of the loaves were about five thousand men.
45 And straightway He constrained His disciples to get into the boat, and go to the other side before Him unto Bethsaida, while He sent away the people.
46 And when He had sent them away, He departed onto a mountain to pray.
47 And when evening had come, the boat was in the midst of the sea; and He was alone on the land.
48 And He saw them toiling in rowing, for the wind was contrary unto them. And about the fourth watch of the night, He came unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.
49 But 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 troubled. And immediately He talked with them, and said unto them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; be not afraid.”
51 And He went up unto them and into the boat, and the wind ceased. And they were sore amazed within themselves beyond measure and wondered,
52 for they had considered not the miracle of the loaves, as their hearts were hardened.
53 And when they had crossed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore.
54 And when they had come out of the boat, straightway the people recognized Him,
55 and ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry on beds those who were sick to where they heard He was.
56 And whithersoever He entered, into villages or cities or the country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought Him that they might touch even the border of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made whole.
Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.