Majority Standard Bible (MSB)

Chapter 1

The Mission of John the Baptist (Isa. 40:1–5; Matthew 3:1–17; Luke 3:1–22; John 1:19–34)

1 This is the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in

the prophets: “Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You.” 3 “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’” 4 John came baptizing in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 People went out to him from all of Jerusalem and the countryside of Judea. Confessing their sins, they were all baptized by him in the Jordan River.

6 John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and

wild honey. 7 And he proclaimed: “After me will come One more powerful than I, the straps of

whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I indeed baptize you with water,

but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” 9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 As soon as Jesus came up out of the water, He saw the heavens breaking open and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove. 11And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son, in whomk

I am well pleased.”

The Temptation and Preaching of Jesus (Matthew 4:1–17; Luke 4:1–15)

12 At once the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness, 13 and He was there in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels ministered to Him. 14 After the arrest of John, Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom of God. 15 “The time is fulfilled,” He said, “and the

kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe in the gospel!” 

The First Disciples (Matthew 4:18–22; Luke 5:1–11; John 1:35–42)

16 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” 18 And at once they left their nets and followed Him. 19 Going on a little farther from there, He saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat, mending their nets. 20Immediately Jesus called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed Him.

Jesus Expels an Unclean Spirit (Luke 4:31–37)

21 Then Jesus and His companions went to Capernaum, and right away Jesus entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and began to teach. 22 The people were astonished at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Now a man with an unclean spirit cried out in the synagogue: 24 “Let us alone! What do You want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” 25 But Jesus rebuked the spirit. “Be silent!” He said. “Come out of him!” 26 At this, the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and came out with a loud shriek. 27 All the people were amazed and began to ask one another, “What is this? What new teaching is this that with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him?” 28 And the news about Jesus spread quickly through the whole region of Galilee.

Jesus Heals at Peter’s House (Matthew 8:14–17; Luke 4:38–41)

29 As soon as Jesus and His companions had left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a fever, and they promptly told Jesus about her. 31 So He went to her, took her by the hand, and helped her up. Immediately the fever left her, and she began to serve them. 32 That evening, after sunset, people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed, 33 and

the whole town gathered at the door. 34 And He healed many who were ill with various diseases and drove out many demons. But He would not allow the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.

Jesus Prays and Preaches (Luke 4:42–44)

35 Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and went out to a solitary place to pray. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for Him, 37 and when they found Him, they said, “Everyone is looking for You!” 38 But Jesus answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns so I can preach there as well, for that is why I have come.” 39 So He went throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

The Leper’s Prayer (Leviticus 14:1–32; Matthew 8:1–4; Luke 5:12–16)

40 Then a leper came to Jesus, begging and kneeling before Himd and saying to Him: “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” 41 Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He

said. “Be clean!” 42 And when He had said this, immediately the leprosy left him, and the man was cleansed. 43 Jesus promptly sent him away with a stern warning: 44“See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering Moses prescribed for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 45 But the man went out and openly began to proclaim and spread the news. Consequently, Jesus could no longer enter a town in plain view, but He stayed out in solitary places. Yet people came to Him from every quarter.

Chapter 2

Jesus Heals a Paralytic (Matthew 9:1–8; Luke 5:17–26)

1 A few days later Jesus went back to Capernaum. And when the people heard that He was home, 2 immediately they gathered in such large numbers that there was no more room, not even outside the door, as Jesus spoke the word to

them. 3 Then a paralytic was brought to Him, carried by four men. 4 Since they were unable to get to Jesus through the crowd, they uncovered the roof above Him, made an opening, and lowered the paralytic on his mat. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” 6 But some of the scribes were sitting there and thinking in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak such blasphemies? j Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 At once Jesus knew in His spirit that they were thinking this way within themselves. “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?” He asked. 9 “Which is easier: to say to a paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your mat, and walk’? 10 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth

to forgive sins...” He said to the paralytic, 11“I tell you, get up, pick up your mat, and go home.” 12 And immediately the man got up, picked up his mat, and walked out in front of them all. As a result, they were all astounded and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

Jesus Calls Levi (Matt. 9:9–13; Luke 5:27–32)

13 Once again Jesus went out beside the sea. All the people came to Him, and He taught them there. 14 As He was walking along, He saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth. “Follow Me,” He told him, and Levi got up and followed Him. 15 While Jesus was dining at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with Him and His disciples—for there were many who followed Him. 16 When the scribes and Pharisees saw Jesus eating with these people, they asked His disciples, “Why does He eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

17 On hearing this, Jesus told them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have

not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

Questions about Fasting (Matthew 9:14–15; Luke 5:33–35)

18 Now the disciples of John and of the Pharisees were often fasting. So people came to Jesus and asked, “Why don’t Your disciples fast like John’s disciples and those of the Pharisees?” 19 Jesus replied, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while He is with them? As long as He is with them, they cannot fast. 20 But the time will

come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

The Patches and the Wineskins (Matthew 9:16–17; Luke 5:36–39)

21No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the new piece will pull

away from the old, and a worse tear will result. 22 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will spill out, and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, new wine is poured into new wineskins.”

The Lord of the Sabbath (1 Samuel 21:1–7; Matthew 12:1–8; Luke 6:1–5)

23 One Sabbath Jesus was passing through the grainfields, and His disciples began to pick the heads of grain as they walked along. 24 So the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” 25 Jesus replied, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26 During the high priesthood of Abiathar, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, i which was lawful only for the priests. And he gave some to his companions as well.” 27 Then Jesus declared, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Chapter 3

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:9–14; Luke 6:6–11)

1 Once again Jesus entered the synagogue,   and a man with a withered hand was there. 2 In order to accuse Jesus, they were watching to see if He would heal on the Sabbath. 3 Then Jesus said to the man with the withered hand, “Stand up among us.” 4 And He asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” But they were silent. 5 Jesus looked around at them with anger and sorrow at their hardness of heart. Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was restored, as sound as the other.

6 At this, the Pharisees went out and began plotting with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

Jesus Heals the Multitudes (Matthew 4:23–25; Luke 6:17–19)

7 So Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea, accompanied by a large crowd from Galilee, Judea, 8Jerusalem, Idumea, the region beyond the Jordan, and the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon. The large crowd came to Him when they heard what great things He was doing. 9Jesus asked His disciples to have a boat ready for Him so that the crowd would not crush Him. 10 For He had healed so many that all who had diseases were pressing forward to touch Him.

11 And when the unclean spirits saw Him, they fell down before Him and cried out, “You are the Son of God!” 12 But He warned them sternly not to make Him known.

The Twelve Apostles (Matthew 10:1–4; Luke 6:12–16)

13 Then Jesus went up on the mountain and called for those He wanted, and they came to Him. 14 He appointed twelve of them to accompany Him, to be sent out to preach, 15 and to have authority to heal sicknesses and to drive out demons: 16 Simon (whom He named Peter), 17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (whom He named Boanerges, meaning “Sons of Thunder”), 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.

A House Divided (Matthew 12:22–30; Luke 11:14–23)

20 Then they went into a house, and once again a crowd gathered, so that they could not even eat. 21 When His family heard about this, they went out to take custody of Him, saying, “He is out of His mind.” 22 And the scribes who had come down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and, “By the prince of the demons He drives out demons.” 23 So Jesus called them together and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, it cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, it cannot stand. 26 And if Satan is divided and rises against himself, he cannot stand; his end has come. 27 No one can enter a strong man’s house to steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house.

The Unpardonable Sin (Matthew 12:31–32)

28 Truly I tell you, the sons of men will be forgiven all sins and blasphemies, as many as they utter. 29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is subject to eternal judgment.” 30 Jesus made this statement because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers (Matthew 12:46–50; Luke 8:19–21)

31Then Jesus’ brothers and mother h came and stood outside. They sent someone in to summon Him, 32and a crowd was sitting around Him. “Look,” He was told, “Your mother and brothers and sisters i are outside, asking for You.” 33 But Jesus replied, “Who is My mother, or who are My brothers?” 34 Looking at those seated in a circle around Him, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God is My brother and sister and mother.”

Chapter 4

The Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1–9; Luke 8:4–8)

1 Once again Jesus began to teach beside the sea, and such a large crowd gathered around Him that He got into the boat and sat in it, while all the people crowded along the shore. 2 And He taught them many things in parables, and in His teaching He said, 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5 Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings, and they yielded no crop. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it sprouted, grew up, and produced a crop—one bearing thirtyfold, another sixtyfold, and another a hundredfold.” 9 Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let

him hear.”

The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables (Isa. 6:1–13; Matthew 13:10–17; Luke 8:9–10)

10 As soon as Jesus was alone with the Twelve and those around Him, they asked Him about the parable. 11 He replied, “To know the mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those on the outside everything is expressed in parables, 12 so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven their sins.’ ”

The Parable of the Sower Explained (Matthew 13:18–23; Luke 8:11–15)

13 Then Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some are like the seeds along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 Some are like the seeds sown on rocky ground. They hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But they themselves have no root, and they remain for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Others are like the seeds sown among the thorns. They hear the word, 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 Still others are like the seeds sown on good soil. They hear the word, receive it, and produce a crop—thirtyfold, sixtyfold, or a hundredfold.”

The Lesson of the Lamp (Luke 8:16–18)

21 Jesus also said to them, “Does anyone bring in a lamp to put it under a basket or under a bed? Doesn’t he set it on a stand? 22For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be brought to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 He went on to say, “Pay attention to what you

hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and even more will be added to you who hear. 25 For whoever has will be given more. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”

The Seed Growing Secretly

26 Jesus also said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day he sleeps and wakes, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he knows not how. 28 For all by itself the earth produces a crop— first the stalk, then the head, then grain that ripens within. 29And as soon as the grain is ripe, he swings the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31–32; Luke 13:18–19)

30 Then He asked, “To what can we compare the kingdom of God? With what parable shall we illustrate it? 31It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds sown upon the earth. 32 But after it is planted, it grows to be the largest of all garden plants and puts forth great branches, so that the birds of the air nest in its shade.” 33 With many such parables Jesus spoke the word to them, to the extent that they could understand. 34He did not tell them anything without using a parable. But privately He explained everything to His own disciples.

Jesus Calms the Storm (Psalm 107:1–43; Matthew 8:23–27; Luke 8:22–25)

35 When that evening came, He said to His disciples, “Let us cross to the other side.” 36 After they had dismissed the crowd, they took Jesus with them, since He was already in the boat. And there were other little boatsg with Him.

37 Soon a violent windstorm came up, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that it

was being swamped. 38 But Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him and said, “Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?” 39Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm. 40“Why are you so afraid?” He asked. 

“How do you still have no faith?” 41 Overwhelmed with fear, they asked one another, “Who thenj is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

Chapter 5

The Demons and the Pigs (Matthew 8:28–34; Luke 8:26–39)

1 On the other side of the sea, they arrived in the region of the Gadarenes. 2 As soon as Jesus got out of the boat, He was met by a man with an unclean spirit, who was coming from the tombs. 3 This man had been living in the tombs

and could not be restrained, l even with chains. 4 Though he was often bound with chains and shackles, he had broken the chains and shattered the shackles. Now there was no one with the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day in the mountains and in the tombsa he kept crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 When the man saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees before Him. 7 And he shouted in a loud voice, “What do You want with

me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You before God not to torture me!” 8 For Jesus had already declared, “Come out of this man, you unclean spirit!” 9“What is your name?” Jesus asked. “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” 10 And he begged Jesus repeatedly not to send them out of that region. 11 There on the nearby hillside a large herd of pigs was feeding. 12So all the demons begged Jesus, “Send us to the pigs, so that we may enter them.” 13 So Jesus immediately gave them permission, and the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs, and the herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the water. 14 Those tending the pigse ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons sitting there, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen it described what had

happened to the demon-possessed man and also to the pigs. 17 And the people began to beg Jesus to leave their region. 18 As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by the demons begged to go

with Him. 19But Jesus would not allow him. “Go home to your own people,” He said, “and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy He has shown you.” 20So the man went away and began to proclaim

throughout the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.

The Healing Touch of Jesus (Matthew 9:18–26; Luke 8:40–56)

21 When Jesus had again crossed by boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him

beside the sea. 22 And behold,  a synagogue leader named Jairus arrived, and seeing Jesus, he

fell at His feet 23 and pleaded with Him urgently, “My little daughter is near death. Please come

and place Your hands on her so that she will be healed, and she will live.” 24 So Jesus went with him, and a large crowd followed and pressed around Him. 25 And a woman was there who had suffered from bleeding for

twelve years. 26 She had borne much agony under the care of many physicians and had spent all

she had, but to no avail. Instead, her condition had only grown worse. 27 When the woman heard about Jesus, she came up through the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak. 28 For she kept saying, “If only I touch His garments, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped, and she sensed in her body that she was healed of her affliction. 30 At once Jesus was aware that power had gone out from Him. Turning to the crowd, He asked, “Who touched My garments?” 31 His disciples answered, “You can see the crowd pressing in on You, and yet You ask, ‘Who touched Me? ’”32 But He kept looking around to see who had done this. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him trembling in fear, and she told Him the whole truth. 34 “Daughter,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be free of your affliction.” 35 While He was still speaking, messengers from the house of Jairus arrived and said, “Your daughter is dead; why bother the Teacher anymore?” 36 But Jesus overheard their conversation and immediately said to Jairus, “Do not be afraid; just believe.” 37 And He did not allow anyone to accompany Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. 38 When He arriveda at the house of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw the commotion and the people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 He went inside and asked, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead, but asleep.” 40 And they laughed at Him. After He had put them all outside, He took the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and went in where the child was lying. 41 Taking her by the hand, Jesus said, “Talitha koumi!  ” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” 42 Immediately the girl got up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). And they were utterly astounded. 43Then Jesus gave strict orders that no one should know about this, and He told them to give her something to eat.

Chapter 6

The Rejection at Nazareth (Matthew 13:53–58; Luke 4:16–30)

1 Jesus went on from there and came to His hometown, accompanied by His disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were astonished. “Where did this man get these ideas?” they asked. “What is this wisdom He has been given? And how can He perform such miracles? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Aren’t His sisters here with us as well?” And they took offense at Him. 4 Then Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his own household is a prophet without honor.” 5 So He could not perform any miracles there, except to lay His hands on a few of the sick and heal them. 6And He was amazed at their unbelief. And He went around from village to village, teaching the people.

The Ministry of the Twelve (Matthew 10:5–15; Luke 9:1–6)

7 Then Jesus called the Twelve to Him and began to send them out two by two, giving them authority over unclean spirits. 8 He instructed them to take nothing but a staff for the journey—no bag, no bread, no money in their belts— 9 and to wear sandals, but not a second tunic. 10 And He told them, “When you enter a house, stay there until you leave that area. 11 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that place, as a testimony against them. Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the

day of judgment than for that town.” 12 So they set out and preached that the people should repent. 13 They also drove out many demons and healed many of the sick, anointing them with oil.

The Beheading of John (Matthew 14:1–12; Luke 9:7–9)

14 Now King Herod heard about this (for Jesus’ name had become well known) and he said “John the Baptist has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15 Others were saying, “He is Elijah,” and still others, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16 But when Herod heard this, he said, “This is John, whom I beheaded; he has risen from the dead!” 17For Herod himself had ordered that John be arrested and bound and imprisoned, on account of his brother Philip’s wife Herodias, whom Herod had married. 18 For John had been

telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife!” 19 So Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she had been unable, 20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man. When he heard John’s words, he did much of what he said; and he listened to him gladly. 21 On Herod’s birthday, her opportunity arose. Herod held a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22When the daughter of Herodias came and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests, and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, 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 my kingdom!” 24 Then she went out and asked her mother, “What should I request?” And her mother answered, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25 At once the girl hurried back to the king with her request: “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter immediately.” 26 The king was consumed with sorrow, but because of his oaths and his guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27 So without delay, the king commanded that John’s head be brought in. He sent an executioner, who went and beheaded him in the prison. 28The man brought John’s head on a platter and presented it to the girl, who gave it to her mother. 29 When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and placed it in a tomb.

The Feeding of the Five Thousand (Matthew 14:13–21; Luke 9:10–17; John 6:1–15)

30 Meanwhile, the apostles gathered around Jesus and brought Him news of all they had done and taught. 31 And He said to them, “Come with Me privately to a solitary place, and let us rest for a while.” For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. 32 So they went away in the boata by themselves to a solitary place. 33 But many people saw them leaving and recognized Him. They ran together on foot from all the towns and arrived before them. 34 When Jesus stepped ashore and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And He began to teach them many things. 35 By now the hour was already late. So the disciples came to Jesus and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is already late. 36Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves food, for they have nothing to eat. ” 37 But Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat." They asked Him, “Should we go out and spend two hundred denariid to give all of them bread to eat?” 38“Go and see how many loaves you have,” He told them. And after checking, they said, “Five—and two fish.” 39 Then Jesus directed them to have the people sit in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus spoke a blessing and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And He divided the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate and were satisfied, 43and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 44And there were five thousand men who had eaten the loaves.

Jesus Walks on Water (Matthew 14:22–33; John 6:16–21)

45 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd. 46 After bidding them farewell, He went up on the mountain to pray. 47 When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and Jesus was alone on land. 48 He could see that the disciples were straining to row, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night,f Jesus went out to them, walking on the sea. He intended to pass by them, 49 but when they saw Him walking on the sea, they cried out, thinking He was a ghost— 50 for they all saw Him and were terrified. But Jesus spoke up at once: “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” 51Then He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. And the disciples were utterly astounded beyond measure, and were marveling. 52 For they had not understood about the loaves because their hearts had been hardened.

Jesus Heals at Gennesaret (Matt. 14:34–36)

53 When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesareti and moored the boat. 54 As soon as they got out of the boat, the people recognized Jesus 55and ran through that whole surrounding region,j carrying the sick on mats to wherever they heard He was. 56And wherever He went—villages and towns and countrysides—they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged Him just to let them touch the fringe of His cloak. And all who touched Him were healed.

Chapter 7

The Tradition of the Elders (Matthew 15:1–9)

Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus. 2 And seeing some of His disciples eating with hands that were defiled (that is, unwashed), they found fault. 3 Now in holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially. 4 And on returning from the market, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions for

them to observe, including the washing of cups, pitchers, kettles, and couches for dining. 5 So the Pharisees and scribes questioned Jesus: “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat with unwashedd hands.” 6 Jesus answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written:

‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. 7 They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’ 8 You have disregarded the commandment of God to keep the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other similar things you do. 9 He went on to say, “You neatly set aside the

command of God to maintaing your own tradition. 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ 11 But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever you would have received from me is Corban’ (that is, a gift devoted to God), 12 he is no longer permitted to do anything for his father or mother. 13 Thus you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters.”

What Defiles a Man (Matthew 15:10–20)

14 Once again Jesus called the whole crowd to Him and said, “All of you, listen to Me and understand: 15 Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him; but the things that come out of a man, these are what defile him. 16 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 17 After Jesus had left the crowd and gone into the house, His disciples inquired about the parable. 18 “Are you still so dull?” He asked. “Do you not understand? Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him, 19 because it does not enter his heart, but it goes into the stomach and then is eliminated, thus purifying all foods.” 20 He continued: “What comes out of a man, that is what defiles him. 21 For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, adultery, sexual immorality, murder, theft, 22 greed, wickedness,

deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness. 23 All these evils come from within, and these are what defile a man.”

The Faith of the Gentile Woman (Matthew 15:21–28)

24 Jesus left that place and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. Not wanting anyone to know He was there, He entered a house, but was unable to escape their notice. 25 For a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heardp about Jesus, and she came and fell at His feet. 26 Now she was a Greek woman of Syrophoenician origin, and she kept asking Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. 27 “First let the children have their fill,” Jesus said. “For it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” 28 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “for even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29 Then Jesus told her, “Because of this answer, you may go. The demon has left your daughter.” 30 And she went home and found the demon was gone, and her daughter was lying on the bed.

The Deaf and Mute Man (Matthew 9:27–34)

31 Then Jesus left the region of Tyre and Sidon and went toward the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. 32 Some people brought to Him a man who was deaf and hardly able to speak, and they begged Jesus to place His hand on him. 33 So Jesus took him aside privately, away from the crowd, and put His fingers into the man’s

ears. Then He spit and touched the man’s tongue. 34 And looking up to heaven, He sighed deeply and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”). 35 Immediately the man’s ears were opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak plainly. 36 Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more He ordered them, the more widely they proclaimed it. 37 The people were utterly astonished and said, “He has done all things well! He

makes even the deaf hear and the mute speak!”

Chapter 8

The Feeding of the Four Thousand (2 Kings 4:42–44; Matthew 15:29–39)

1 In those days the crowd became very large, and they had nothing to eat. Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, 2 “I have compassionfor this crowd, because they have already been with Me three days and have nothing to eat. 3 If

I send them home hungry, they will faint along the way. For f some of them have come a great distance.” 4 His disciples replied, “Where in this desolate place could anyone find enough bread to feed all these people?” 5 “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied. 6 And He instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then He took the seven loaves, gave thanks and broke them, and gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And they distributed them to the crowd. 7 They also had a few small fish, and Jesus blessed them and ordered that these be set before them as well. 8 The people ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 9And about four thousand meng who had eaten were present.

And when Jesus had dismissed the crowd, 10 He immediately got into the boat with His disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.

The Demand for a Sign (Matthew 16:1–4; Luke 12:54–56)

11 Then the Pharisees came and began to argue with Jesus, testing Him by demanding from Him a sign from heaven. 12 Jesus sighed deeply in His spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek after a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13 And He left them, got back into the boat, and crossed to the other side.

The Leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod (Matthew 16:5–12; Luke 12:1–3)

14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. 15“Watch out!” He cautioned them. “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod.” 16 So they began to discuss this with one another, saying, “It is because we have no bread.” 17 Aware of their conversation, Jesus asked them, “Why are you debating about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Do you still have such hard hearts? 18‘Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear?’ And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces did you collect?” “Twelve,” they answered. 20 "And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces did you collect?" “Seven,” they said. 21Then He asked them, “Howm do you still not understand?”

The Blind Man at Bethsaida

22When He arrivedn at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then He spit on the man’s eyes and placed His hands on him, asking if he could see anything. 24 The man looked up and said, “I can see the people, but they look like trees walking around.” 25 Once again Jesus placed His hands on the man’s eyes and made him look up, and his sight

was restored, and he could see everything clearly. 26Jesus sent him home and said, “Do not go back or tell anyone in the village." 

Peter’s Confession of Christ (Matt. 16:13–20; Luke 9:18–20; John 6:67–71)

27 Then Jesus and His disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way, He questioned His disciples: “Who do people say I am?” 28 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” 29 “But what about you?” Jesus asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.” 30 And Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about Him.

Christ’s Passion Foretold (Matthew 16:21–23; Luke 9:21–22)

31 Then He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and that He must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke this message quite frankly, and Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33 But Jesus, turning and looking at His disciples,  rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

Take Up Your Cross (Mt. 16:24-28; Lk. 9:23-27)

34 Then Jesus called the crowd to Him along with His disciples, and He told them, “If anyone wants

to follow after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. 35 For whoever want to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will save it. 36 What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world yet forfeits his soul? 37 Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 If anyone is

ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in His Father’s glory with the holy angels.” 

{CHAPTERS 9-16 coming soon}