M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

4 Then the Spirit led Jesus into the desert. The devil tried to make Jesus do wrong.

² Jesus did not eat anything for forty days and forty nights. Then he was very hungry.

³ The one who tries to make people do wrong came and said to him, `If you are God's Son, tell these stones to be changed into bread.'

⁴ But Jesus answered him, `The holy writings say, "Man cannot live on bread only. He needs to live by every word that God says." '

⁵ Then the devil took Jesus to the holy city. He put him on a high part of the temple.

⁶ The devil said to him, `If you are God's Son, jump down. The holy writings say, "God will tell his angels to take care of you. They will hold you up in their hands so that you will not knock your foot on a stone." '

⁷ Jesus answered him, `The holy writings say, "You must not test the Lord your God." '

⁸ The devil took Jesus to a very high hill. He showed him all the countries of the world and how great they were.

⁹ He said to Jesus, `I will give you all these if you kneel down and worship me.'

¹⁰ But Jesus answered him, `Get away, Satan. The holy writings say, "You must worship the Lord your God. and he is the only one you are to worship." '

¹¹ Then the devil left Jesus. Angels came and took care of him.

¹² Jesus heard that John was put in prison, so he went to Galilee.

¹³ He left the town of Nazareth and went to live in the town of Capernaum. It is by the sea (of Galilee) in the district of Zebulun and Naphtali.

¹⁴ So what the prophet Isaiah said came true.

¹⁵ He talked about, `The country of Zebulun and the country of Naphtali, the road by the sea, the land on the other side of the Jordan River, Galilee where the people are not Jews.'

¹⁶ And he said, `The people who lived in darkness have seen a great Light. Light has come to those who lived in a land covered by the dark shadow of death.'

¹⁷ From then on, Jesus began to tell God's word to the people. He said, `Stop your wrong ways and turn back to God! The kingdom of heaven is here!'

¹⁸ Jesus was walking by the sea of Galilee. There he saw two brothers, Simon who later was named Peter, and his brother Andrew. They were throwing a fishing net into the water. Their work was to catch fish.

¹⁹ Jesus said to them, `Come with me. The work I will give you will be to catch people.'

²⁰ Right away they left their nets and went with him.

²¹ Jesus went on from there and saw two other brothers, James and John. Their father's name was Zebedee. They were in the boat with their father mending their nets.

²² Jesus called them. Right away they left the boat and their father and went with him.

²³ Jesus went all around through Galilee. He taught people in their meeting houses and told them the good news about the kingdom of heaven. He healed all the sick and weak people.

²⁴ The people in all the country of Syria heard about him. They brought all who were sick in any way, or had bad spirits in them, and those who could not walk or use their hands. Jesus healed them.

²⁵ Many people went with him. They came from Galilee, the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, Judea, and from the other side of the Jordan river.

4 Peter and John were talking to the people. The priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came to them.

² They were angry at Peter and John because they taught the people. They were angry because they told them that Jesus was brought back from death.

³ They caught them and put them in prison until the next day, because it was already evening.

⁴ But many of the people who heard them speak the word of God, believed what they said. The number of men who believed was about five thousand.

⁵ The next day their rulers, leaders, and scribes met in Jerusalem.

⁶ Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all of the high priest's family were there also.

⁷ Peter and John were brought before them. They asked the apostles, `By what power or in what name have you done this?'

^8-9 hen Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, `Rulers of the people and leaders of Israel, have you brought us to court today because of the good thing that was done to the lame man? Do you want to find out how he was healed?

¹⁰ Well, let it be known by all the people of Israel. This man standing before you is healed by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. He has done this. You nailed him to a cross, but God raised him from death.

¹¹ Jesus Christ is the stone which you, the builders, would not use. But he is now the chief corner stone.

¹² No one else can save us. Of all the people in the world, God chose him to save us. It is by him we must be saved.'

¹³ They saw that Peter and John were not afraid to speak out. They knew that they were like any other men. They did not have much training. So the people were very much surprised. They knew that Peter and John had been with Jesus.

¹⁴ They saw the man who had been healed standing beside them. So they could say nothing against them.

¹⁵ They told Peter and John to leave the court. Then they talked the matter over among themselves.

¹⁶ They said, `What shall we do to these men? All the people who live in Jerusalem know about this big work they have done. And we cannot say they did not do it.

¹⁷ But we do not want any more people to hear about it. So let us say to these men, "Take care! Never speak to anyone in this name again." '

¹⁸ They called them in and said, `Never speak or teach in this name again.'

¹⁹ But Peter and John answered them, `How does God look at it? Is it right for us to obey you or to obey him? You judge that for yourselves.

²⁰ As for us, we must tell the things we have seen and heard.'

²¹ So the high priest and those with him told them again. Then they let them go. They could not punish them because of the people. They all praised God for what had been done.

²² The man who had been healed was more than forty years old.

²³ When they were free, Peter and John went back to their own friends. They told them all that the chief priests and leaders had said to them.

²⁴ When they heard it, they talked to God together. They said, `Lord, you are God. You made the sky, and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them.

²⁵ Our father David was your servant. Through him you said by the Holy Spirit, "Why are the people who are not Jews so angry? And why do the people plan things for nothing?

²⁶ The kings of the earth joined their forces. And the rulers met together against the Lord and his Christ."

²⁷ `It is true that Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with Jews and those who were not Jews here in this city. They met to make secret plans against your holy Son Jesus, whom you made Christ.

²⁸ But they only did what you had already planned should be done.

^29-30 ord, hear their words. Listen to the wrong things they say against us. We are your servants. Help us to speak your word without fear. And heal the sick by your own power. Let signs and wonderful things be done in the name of your holy Son Jesus.'

³¹ When they had talked to God, the room they were in shook. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. And they spoke the word of God without fear.

³² All the believers were one in heart and mind. Not one of them said, `This is mine.' But everything they had was for the use of all.

³³ With much power the apostles told how the Lord Jesus was raised from death. And God blessed them all very much.

^34-35 one of them was in need of anything. Those who owned fields and houses sold them. They brought the money to the apostles. Then the apostles gave each one what he needed.

³⁶ There was a man named Joseph, a Levite. He was born in the country of Cyprus. The apostles called him Barnabas. That means "one who helps."

³⁷ He had a field and sold it. He brought the money to the apostles and gave it to them.