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Contents

Introduction to The Daily Walk Bible: 31 Days with Jesus

How to Get the Most out of The Daily Walk Bible

About Walk Thru the Bible Ministries

A Note to Readers

31 Days with Jesus

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

NLT Textual Notes

Introduction

MOST PEOPLE agree that Jesus was an amazing teacher and someone we could all learn from. At the same time, most of us have spent little time actually reading his story. The Daily Walk Bible: 31 Days with Jesus is an open invitation to do just that. In just 31 days you will read through all four Gospels, seeing Jesus and gaining insight into his purpose and message for us.

This special e-book, taken from the pages of The Daily Walk Bible includes a simple reading plan to help you through. Each day includes an Overview which provides a bird’s-eye view of that day’s reading, an inspirational and practical My Daily Walk devotion, and an Insight which offers an interesting fact about the passage. Every seventh day you will be invited to pause and reflect – looking back over what you have read, looking forward to what is coming, and most importantly looking up to God.

It’s that simple, but be warned, Jesus has been changing lives for two thousand years—31 days, and yours won’t be the same either.

How to Get the Most out of the Daily Walk Bible

The Daily Walk Bible is conveniently arranged in 366 readings so it can be read through in the course of a year. In addition to the Scripture reading, each segment, or walk, contains three components:

Overview provides a bird’s-eye view of your Bible reading walk for the day. A chart also maps out the main ideas of the Scripture section.

My Daily Walk is a wayside refreshment area that encourages you to think carefully about one scriptural insight from the day’s reading. Here you’ll find specific ways to put the Bible’s truths into action in your own life. Principles from God’s Word are explained practically to help you successfully cope with life today.

Insights offer interesting facts along the way about the day’s passage to help build your Bible knowledge.

Approximately every seventh reading provides an opportunity to pause in your journey through the Bible with a special devotional to review the past several sections. After you Look Back at the broad sweep of your reading for the previous week, you can Look Up to God and consider what he wants to say to you through his Word and Look Ahead at what’s to come. You can also use this seventh day as a breather to catch up on any reading from the past few days.

You will also find in The Daily Walk Bible a helpful introductory page for each of the sixty-six books of the Bible. A concise overview of the background and purpose of each book is followed by a useful chart summarizing its content and flow.

Every feature of The Daily Walk Bible is designed to help you get the most out of your time with the Lord. It’s a tool you will find many ways to use—and a tool that God can use in many ways in your life.

About Walk Thru the Bible Ministries

For more than three decades, Walk Thru the Bible has been dedicated to igniting passion for God’s Word worldwide through live events, devotional magazines, and resources designed for both small groups and individual use. Known for innovative methods and high-quality resources, we serve the whole body of Christ across denominational, cultural, and national lines.

Walk Thru the Bible communicates the truths of God’s Word in a way that makes the Bible readily accessible to anyone. We are committed to developing user-friendly resources that are Bible centered; of excellent quality; life changing for individuals; and catalytic for churches, ministries, and movements; and we are committed to maintaining our global reach through strategic partnerships while adhering to the highest levels of integrity in all we do.

Walk Thru the Bible partners with the local church worldwide to fulfill its mission, helping people “walk thru” the Bible with greater clarity and understanding. Live events and small-group curricula are taught in over 45 languages by more than 80,000 people in more than 80 countries, and more than 100 million devotionals have been packaged into daily magazines, books, and other publications that reach over 5 million people each year.

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A Note to Readers

The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, was first published in 1996. It quickly became one of the most popular Bible translations in the English-speaking world. While the NLT’s influence was rapidly growing, the Bible Translation Committee determined that an additional investment in scholarly review and text refinement could make it even better. So shortly after its initial publication, the committee began an eight-year process with the purpose of increasing the level of the NLT’s precision without sacrificing its easy-to-understand quality. This second-generation text was completed in 2004, with minor changes subsequently introduced in 2007 and 2013.

The goal of any Bible translation is to convey the meaning and content of the ancient Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts as accurately as possible to contemporary readers. The challenge for our translators was to create a text that would communicate as clearly and powerfully to today’s readers as the original texts did to readers and listeners in the ancient biblical world. The resulting translation is easy to read and understand, while also accurately communicating the meaning and content of the original biblical texts. The NLT is a general-purpose text especially good for study, devotional reading, and reading aloud in worship services.

We believe that the New Living Translation—which combines the latest biblical scholarship with a clear, dynamic writing style—will communicate God’s word powerfully to all who read it. We publish it with the prayer that God will use it to speak his timeless truth to the church and the world in a fresh, new way.

The Publishers

January 2013

31 Days with Jesus

Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

31

Day 1 READ MATTHEW 1–4

Pedigree of the King

OVERVIEW

The Messiah, the one whose coming is promised with such anticipation in the Old Testament, now arrives in the first book of the New Testament, and his name is Jesus. He comes from the kingly line of David. His name means “the LORD saves.” He is worthy of worship—and wise men from the east travel great distances to pay homage to him. He will be a light to the Gentiles, be announced by a forerunner, and demonstrate power over Satan, demons, disease, and death. Jesus will do all this and more. The Messiah has finally come!

MY DAILY WALK

How well do you know your Old Testament?

That may seem like an unusual question to ask as you begin reading the New Testament. But you’ll quickly discover that the key to unlocking the New is a foundational knowledge of the Old. In order to persuade his fellow Jews to believe in Jesus as their long-awaited Messiah and King, Matthew used the Old Testament as proof. When Jesus faced the triple temptation by Satan in the wilderness, he quoted Deuteronomy as his basis of defense.

Underline each Old Testament quotation you find in today’s reading. (Hint: watch for such phrases as “this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet.”) Then spend a few extra minutes looking up those Old Testament prophecies that became New Testament realities. Wouldn’t it be fitting to close your time in God’s Word today by thanking God that his centuries-old promises are trustworthy?

YOU CAN NEVER STARVE THE PERSON WHO FEEDS ON GOD’S PROMISES.

INSIGHT

Déjà Vu | Matt. 2:16

This isn’t the first time a brutal ruler tried to wipe out a generation of Jewish infants (2:16). That’s how Moses ended up in Pharaoh’s household; he was floated down the Nile in a basket to escape Pharaoh’s massacre of baby Hebrew boys. In both cases, God had foretold the time that a deliverer would come. And, in both cases, God’s enemies sought to stamp out the possibility of deliverance.

INSIGHT

Great Expectations . . . Unfulfilled | Matt. 3:5

Most Jews in Jesus’ day longed for a deliverer to free them from the iron heel of Roman oppression. But many thought the Messiah would not arrive until they were good enough to “deserve” him. One commonly held notion was that the Messiah would come only when the nation had kept the Sabbath for four consecutive weeks. There was just one problem. Collectively, they could not keep all the Mosaic laws for even one day. God sent the Savior as a gift for imperfect people, which we all are, not as a reward for the righteous.

Matthew

THE FIRST verse of the Gospel of Matthew announces the event predicted by Old Testament prophets and long awaited by Israel: the coming of the Anointed One, “Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham.” Under the Spirit’s guidance, Matthew carefully documents Jesus’ claim to be the Messiah and the evidence of his life and ministry: He possesses the credentials of the Messiah and ministers in the predicted pattern of the Messiah; he preaches messages only the Messiah could deliver, and, though crucified by the Roman authorities, God vindicates him by raising him from the dead.

Vital Statistics

■ AUTHOR: Matthew (Levi).

■ DATE WRITTEN: Probably between a.d. 60 and 65.

■ PURPOSE: To present Jesus as the Messiah, who has brought the Kingdom of Heaven to earth.

■ THEMES: Jesus the Messiah, the Kingdom of Heaven, Gentiles’ inclusion in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Matthew 1

1This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham*:

2Abraham was the father of Isaac.

Isaac was the father of Jacob.

Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers.

3Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar).

Perez was the father of Hezron.

Hezron was the father of Ram.*

4Ram was the father of Amminadab.

Amminadab was the father of Nahshon.

Nahshon was the father of Salmon.

5Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab).

Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth).

Obed was the father of Jesse.

6Jesse was the father of King David.

David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah).

7Solomon was the father of Rehoboam.

Rehoboam was the father of Abijah.

Abijah was the father of Asa.*

8Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat.

Jehoshaphat was the father of Jehoram.*

Jehoram was the father* of Uzziah.

9Uzziah was the father of Jotham.

Jotham was the father of Ahaz.

Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah.

10Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh.

Manasseh was the father of Amon.*

Amon was the father of Josiah.

11Josiah was the father of Jehoiachin* and his brothers (born at the time of the exile to Babylon).

12After the Babylonian exile: Jehoiachin was the father of Shealtiel.

Shealtiel was the father of Zerubbabel.

13Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud.

Abiud was the father of Eliakim.

Eliakim was the father of Azor.

14Azor was the father of Zadok.

Zadok was the father of Akim.

Akim was the father of Eliud.

15Eliud was the father of Eleazar.

Eleazar was the father of Matthan.

Matthan was the father of Jacob.

16Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.

Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.

17All those listed above include fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and fourteen from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah.

18This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement* quietly.

20As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus,* for he will save his people from their sins.”

22All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

23“Look! The virgin will conceive a child!

She will give birth to a son,

and they will call him Immanuel,*

which means ‘God is with us.’”

24When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

Matthew 2

1Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men* from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2“Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose,* and we have come to worship him.”

3King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. 4He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”

5“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:

6‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities* of Judah, for a ruler will come from you

who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’*”

7Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. 8Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”

9After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. 10When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! 11They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

12When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.

13After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

14That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, 15and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.”*

16Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance. 17Herod’s brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:

18“A cry was heard in Ramah— weeping and great mourning.

Rachel weeps for her children,

refusing to be comforted,

for they are dead.”*

19When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. 20“Get up!” the angel said. “Take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead.”

21So Joseph got up and returned to the land of Israel with Jesus and his mother. 22But when he learned that the new ruler of Judea was Herod’s son Archelaus, he was afraid to go there. Then, after being warned in a dream, he left for the region of Galilee. 23So the family went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what the prophets had said: “He will be called a Nazarene.”

Matthew 3

1In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, 2“Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.*” 3The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said,

“He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,

‘Prepare the way for the LORD’s coming!

Clear the road for him!’”*

4John’s clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey. 5People from Jerusalem and from all of Judea and all over the Jordan Valley went out to see and hear John. 6And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.

7But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize,* he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee God’s coming wrath? 8Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. 9Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. 10Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.

11“I baptize with* water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.* 12He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.”

13Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. 14But John tried to talk him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?”

15But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.*” So John agreed to baptize him.

16After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened* and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. 17And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”

Matthew 4

1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. 2For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry.

3During that time the devil* came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”

4But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say,

‘People do not live by bread alone,

but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’*”

5Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, 6and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say,

‘He will order his angels to protect you.

And they will hold you up with their hands

so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’*”

7Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the LORD your God.’*”

8Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9“I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.”

10“Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say,

‘You must worship the LORD your God and serve only him.’*”

11Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.

12When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he left Judea and returned to Galilee. 13He went first to Nazareth, then left there and moved to Capernaum, beside the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14This fulfilled what God said through the prophet Isaiah:

15“In the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali, beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River,

in Galilee where so many Gentiles live,

16the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light.

And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined.”*

17From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.*”

18One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. 19Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” 20And they left their nets at once and followed him.

21A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. 22They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.

23Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. 24News about him spread as far as Syria, and people soon began bringing to him all who were sick. And whatever their sickness or disease, or if they were demon possessed or epileptic or paralyzed—he healed them all. 25Large crowds followed him wherever he went—people from Galilee, the Ten Towns,* Jerusalem, from all over Judea, and from east of the Jordan River.

Day 2 READ MATTHEW 5–7

Preaching of the King

OVERVIEW

Matthew’s Gospel alternates between Jesus’ deeds and his discourses, between his miracles and his message. Today’s reading is traditionally called the Sermon on the Mount because it was preached on a mountainside overlooking the Sea of Galilee.

MY DAILY WALK

If spirituality were measured in units of activity, the Pharisees of Jesus’ day were candidates for spiritual greatness. They gave a tithe of all their income, right down to the herbs in their gardens (Luke 11:42), and they fasted twice a week (Luke 18:12). Judging from externals, they were models of holy zeal. But really they were like “whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones” (Matthew 23:27).

That’s why Jesus said, “Unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!” (Matthew 5:20).

It’s not that we need to do more activities than the Pharisees (Luke 11:42), but we must couple their outer zeal with an inner heart for God’s love and justice—the kind of heart portrayed in the Beatitudes of Matthew 5:3-12. Think of these as “Be Attitudes”—attitudes God wants you to demonstrate in your life and service for him.

ALTHOUGH DISCIPLES ARE TO BE SEEN DOING GOOD WORKS, THEY MUST NOT DO GOOD WORKS IN ORDER TO BE SEEN.

INSIGHT

The Teacher and the Taught | Matt. 5:2

Matthew introduces Jesus’ sermon by saying, “He began to teach them” (5:2). People typically responded to Jesus’ teaching in one of two ways: by being drawn to him or driven away. Many who were drawn to him became his disciples, a term in Greek that is related to the word translated, “to teach.”

INSIGHT

To Be Seen, or Not to Be Seen? | Matt. 5:16

Jesus had just told his followers in 5:16 to let their light shine in order to be seen. Now he tells them not to do good works in order to be seen (6:1). Why the apparent contradiction? From the context, it’s clear that motive makes the difference. If we shine so that God may be glorified, shining is good. If we show off in order to glorify ourselves, we can expect no reward from God.

Matthew 5

1One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, 2and he began to teach them.

3“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,*

for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

4God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.

6God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,*

for they will be satisfied.

7God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

8God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.

9God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.

10God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

11“God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. 12Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

13“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.

14“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

17“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. 18I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. 19So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

20“But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!

21“You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’* 22But I say, if you are even angry with someone,* you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot,* you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone,* you are in danger of the fires of hell.*

23“So if you are presenting a sacrifice* at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, 24leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.

25“When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison. 26And if that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny.*

27“You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’* 28But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29So if your eye—even your good eye*—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30And if your hand—even your stronger hand*—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

31“You have heard the law that says, ‘A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.’* 32But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery.

33“You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the LORD.’* 34But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. 35And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. 36Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black. 37Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.

38“You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’* 39But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. 40If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. 41If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile,* carry it two miles. 42Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.

43“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’* and hate your enemy. 44But I say, love your enemies!* Pray for those who persecute you! 45In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47If you are kind only to your friends,* how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Matthew 6

1“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. 2When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. 3But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

5“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

7“When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! 9Pray like this:

Our Father in heaven,

may your name be kept holy.

10May your Kingdom come soon.

May your will be done on earth,

as it is in heaven.

11Give us today the food we need,*

12and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.

13And don’t let us yield to temptation,*

but rescue us from the evil one.*

14“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

16“And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. 17But when you fast, comb your hair* and wash your face. 18Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

19“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

22“Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. 23But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!

24“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

25“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

28“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

31“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33Seek the Kingdom of God* above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

34“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Matthew 7

1“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2For you will be treated as you treat others.* The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.*

3“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye* when you have a log in your own? 4How can you think of saying to your friend,* ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? 5Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.

6“Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy.* Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.

7“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

9“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? 10Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! 11So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

12“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.

13“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell* is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

15“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. 16You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 19So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.

21“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 22On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

24“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. 26But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. 27When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

28When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law.

Day 3 READ MATTHEW 8–11

Power of the King

OVERVIEW

It is one thing for a preacher to proclaim the words of the Sermon on the Mount; it is something else to be able to back up those words with power—power that could only come from God. Jesus’ miracles serve at least two vital functions: (1) they demonstrate his authority over sin, sickness, demons, and nature; and (2) they show his heart of compassion toward those who were like sheep without a shepherd. An incurable leper, a disillusioned woman who suffered from bleeding for twelve years, a timid boatful of disciples on the raging Sea of Galilee—each receives comfort and consolation from the powerful words of the Savior.

MY DAILY WALK

Jesus’ statement in Matthew 11:27, “My Father has entrusted everything to me,” is similar to one of the last things Jesus said to his disciples while he was still on earth: “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth” (28:18).

In isolation, either of these statements might seem like the proud boast of an egotist. But in this case, the first statement alone has been preceded by no fewer than nine miracles. You have watched hopeless medical cases healed, violent storms silenced, even dead people raised to life. Now how do you react to Christ’s words?

Seeing is believing, or so the old saying goes. One of the strongest encouragements for trusting God today is seeing God’s power in the past. Write down the nine miracles found in today’s reading. Can you think of a time in your own life when you saw God’s power at work in a mighty way?

HAS YOUR FAITH LOST ITS WONDER? HAVE YOU TAKEN YOUR EYES OFF OF HIM WHO IS TRULY WONDERFUL?

INSIGHT

The Costs of Discipleship . . . and the Alternative | Matt. 8:18-22

Jesus often made it clear that those who followed him would have to make great sacrifices (8:18-22). There is always a cost to discipleship. But many people forget that the cost of non-discipleship is much higher. See John 3:36 for the unappealing alternative to following Jesus.

INSIGHT

“If You Refuse to Take Up Your Cross” | Matt. 10:38

The cross casts its terrible shadow across all four Gospels (10:38). In Matthew it’s mentioned numerous times. Jesus knew he would die by crucifixion when he spoke these words, but he pointed to a deeper reality for his followers: following Jesus would mean dying to self on a daily basis.

Matthew 8

1Large crowds followed Jesus as he came down the mountainside. 2Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. “Lord,” the man said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.”

3Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared. 4Then Jesus said to him, “Don’t tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy.* This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.”

5When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer* came and pleaded with him, 6“Lord, my young servant* lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.”

7Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.”

8But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. 9I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”

10When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! 11And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. 12But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

13Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour.

14When Jesus arrived at Peter’s house, Peter’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. 15But when Jesus touched her hand, the fever left her. Then she got up and prepared a meal for him.

16That evening many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick. 17This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said,

“He took our sicknesses

and removed our diseases.”*

18When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he instructed his disciples to cross to the other side of the lake.

19Then one of the teachers of religious law said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”

20But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man* has no place even to lay his head.”

21Another of his disciples said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”

22But Jesus told him, “Follow me now. Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead.*”

23Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. 24Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

26Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.

27The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!”

28When Jesus arrived on the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gadarenes,* two men who were possessed by demons met him. They lived in a cemetery and were so violent that no one could go through that area.

29They began screaming at him, “Why are you interfering with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before God’s appointed time?”

30There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding in the distance. 31So the demons begged, “If you cast us out, send us into that herd of pigs.”

32“All right, go!” Jesus commanded them. So the demons came out of the men and entered the pigs, and the whole herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.

33The herdsmen fled to the nearby town, telling everyone what happened to the demon-possessed men. 34Then the entire town came out to meet Jesus, but they begged him to go away and leave them alone.

Matthew 9

1Jesus climbed into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town. 2Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven.”

3But some of the teachers of religious law said to themselves, “That’s blasphemy! Does he think he’s God?”

4Jesus knew* what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? 5Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? 6So I will prove to you that the Son of Man* has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”

7And the man jumped up and went home! 8Fear swept through the crowd as they saw this happen. And they praised God for sending a man with such great authority.*

9As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.

10Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. 11But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?*”

12When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” 13Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’* For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

14One day the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked him, “Why don’t your disciples fast* like we do and the Pharisees do?”

15Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

16“Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before.

17“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved.”

18As Jesus was saying this, the leader of a synagogue came and knelt before him. “My daughter has just died,” he said, “but you can bring her back to life again if you just come and lay your hand on her.”

19So Jesus and his disciples got up and went with him. 20Just then a woman who had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding came up behind him. She touched the fringe of his robe, 21for she thought, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.”

22Jesus turned around, and when he saw her he said, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was healed at that moment.

23When Jesus arrived at the official’s home, he saw the noisy crowd and heard the funeral music. 24“Get out!” he told them. “The girl isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” But the crowd laughed at him. 25After the crowd was put outside, however, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up! 26The report of this miracle swept through the entire countryside.

27After Jesus left the girl’s home, two blind men followed along behind him, shouting, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”

28They went right into the house where he was staying, and Jesus asked them, “Do you believe I can make you see?”

“Yes, Lord,” they told him, “we do.”

29Then he touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen.” 30Then their eyes were opened, and they could see! Jesus sternly warned them, “Don’t tell anyone about this.” 31But instead, they went out and spread his fame all over the region.

32When they left, a demon-possessed man who couldn’t speak was brought to Jesus. 33So Jesus cast out the demon, and then the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed. “Nothing like this has ever happened in Israel!” they exclaimed.

34But the Pharisees said, “He can cast out demons because he is empowered by the prince of demons.”

35Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. 36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. 38So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

Matthew 10

1Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil* spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness. 2Here are the names of the twelve apostles:

first, Simon (also called Peter),

then Andrew (Peter’s brother),

James (son of Zebedee),

John (James’s brother),

3Philip, Bartholomew,

Thomas,

Matthew (the tax collector),

James (son of Alphaeus),

Thaddaeus,*

4Simon (the zealot*), Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).

5Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with these instructions: “Don’t go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, 6but only to the people of Israel—God’s lost sheep. 7Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.* 8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!

9“Don’t take any money in your money belts—no gold, silver, or even copper coins. 10Don’t carry a traveler’s bag with a change of clothes and sandals or even a walking stick. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve to be fed.

11“Whenever you enter a city or village, search for a worthy person and stay in his home until you leave town. 12When you enter the home, give it your blessing. 13If it turns out to be a worthy home, let your blessing stand; if it is not, take back the blessing. 14If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as you leave. 15I tell you the truth, the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be better off than such a town on the judgment day.

16“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. 17But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues. 18You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me.* 19When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. 20For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

21“A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed. 22And all nations will hate you because you are my followers.* But everyone who endures to the end will be saved. 23When you are persecuted in one town, flee to the next. I tell you the truth, the Son of Man* will return before you have reached all the towns of Israel.

24“Students* are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master. 25Students are to be like their teacher, and slaves are to be like their master. And since I, the master of the household, have been called the prince of demons,* the members of my household will be called by even worse names!

26“But don’t be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. 27What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear!

28“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.* 29What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin*? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. 30And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. 31So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

32“Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.

34“Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword.

35‘I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother,

and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

36Your enemies will be right in your own household!’*

37“If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. 38If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. 39If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.

40“Anyone who receives you receives me, and anyone who receives me receives the Father who sent me. 41If you receive a prophet as one who speaks for God,* you will be given the same reward as a prophet. And if you receive righteous people because of their righteousness, you will be given a reward like theirs. 42And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.”

Matthew 11

1When Jesus had finished giving these instructions to his twelve disciples, he went out to teach and preach in towns throughout the region.

2John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, 3“Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting,* or should we keep looking for someone else?”

4Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen—5the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor. 6And tell him, ‘God blesses those who do not turn away because of me.*’”

7As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds. “What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by every breath of wind? 8Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? No, people with expensive clothes live in palaces. 9Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet. 10John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say,

‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,

and he will prepare your way before you.’*

11“I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is! 12And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing,* and violent people are attacking it. 13For before John came, all the prophets and the law of Moses looked forward to this present time. 14And if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come.* 15Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!

16“To what can I compare this generation? It is like children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends,

17‘We played wedding songs, and you didn’t dance,

so we played funeral songs,

and you didn’t mourn.’

18For John didn’t spend his time eating and drinking, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’ 19The Son of Man,* on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by its results.”

20Then Jesus began to denounce the towns where he had done so many of his miracles, because they hadn’t repented of their sins and turned to God. 21“What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse. 22I tell you, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you.

23“And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead.* For if the miracles I did for you had been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here today. 24I tell you, even Sodom will be better off on judgment day than you.”

25At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. 26Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way!

27“My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

28Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Day 4 READ MATTHEW 12–15

Parables of the King

OVERVIEW

Even as the multitudes press around Jesus to experience his healing touch, the religious leaders are plotting his downfall and ultimate destruction. Those who refuse to acknowledge the clear evidence of his miracles rashly attribute his power to Satan. To them, Jesus responds with warnings of judgment and condemnation. But to all who will accept his claims, he offers the promise of blessing and reward. In the midst of this drama involving both growing reception and growing rejection, Jesus portrays the Kingdom of Heaven in seven parables—earthly stories portraying heavenly realities.

MY DAILY WALK

It’s one thing to have a legitimate question for which you are seeking an answer. Jesus welcomed seekers and questioners, promising to teach them, take their burdens, and grant them rest (11:28-30). But it’s quite another thing to demand a sign and refuse to be convinced in spite of ample evidence (12:38-42).

Different people are portrayed in today’s reading, and each responded to Jesus with a different heart attitude.

The teachers of religious law said, “We want you to show us a miraculous sign” (12:38).

The people of Nazareth said, “He’s just the carpenter’s son” (13:55).

The apostle Peter exclaimed, “Tell me to come to you” (14:28).

Think about your own relationship with God. In what ways are you honestly and sincerely seeking answers from God with a humble disposition to obey? In what areas are you demanding that God conform to your will, with an attitude that says, “My mind is made up, God, so don’t confuse me with your plan for my life”?

FAITH IS TO BELIEVE WHAT WE DO NOT SEE, AND THE REWARD OF THIS FAITH IS TO SEE WHAT WE BELIEVE.

INSIGHT

Teaching Techniques from the Master Teacher | Matt. 13:1-9

Notice in Jesus’ parables how his teaching was characterized by simplicity, informality, and specificity. His goal was to communicate truth to those who were genuinely seeking it, not to impress his audience.

INSIGHT

Which Kingdom Come? | Matt. 13:44-51

“The Kingdom of Heaven” occurs thirty-two times in Matthew and zero times anywhere else in the Bible. Why? Because Matthew was a Jew writing specifically to Jews to convince them that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah. And many Jewish readers considered (and still consider) God’s name too holy to be mentioned too often—or even at all. When Matthew writes “the Kingdom of Heaven,” he means “the Kingdom of God.”

Matthew 12

1At about that time Jesus was walking through some grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began breaking off some heads of grain and eating them. 2But some Pharisees saw them do it and protested, “Look, your disciples are breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath.”

3Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4He went into the house of God, and he and his companions broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. 5And haven’t you read in the law of Moses that the priests on duty in the Temple may work on the Sabbath? 6I tell you, there is one here who is even greater than the Temple! 7But you would not have condemned my innocent disciples if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’* 8For the Son of Man* is Lord, even over the Sabbath!”

9Then Jesus went over to their synagogue, 10where he noticed a man with a deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Does the law permit a person to work by healing on the Sabbath?” (They were hoping he would say yes, so they could bring charges against him.) 11And he answered, “If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work to pull it out? Of course you would. 12And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath.”

13Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored, just like the other one! 14Then the Pharisees called a meeting to plot how to kill Jesus.

15But Jesus knew what they were planning. So he left that area, and many people followed him. He healed all the sick among them, 16but he warned them not to reveal who he was. 17This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning him:

18“Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen.

He is my Beloved, who pleases me.

I will put my Spirit upon him,

and he will proclaim justice to the nations.

19He will not fight or shout or raise his voice in public.

20He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle.

Finally he will cause justice to be victorious.

21And his name will be the hope of all the world.”*

22Then a demon-possessed man, who was blind and couldn’t speak, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he could both speak and see. 23The crowd was amazed and asked, “Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?”

24But when the Pharisees heard about the miracle, they said, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan,* the prince of demons.”

25Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart. 26And if Satan is casting out Satan, he is divided and fighting against himself. His own kingdom will not survive. 27And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said. 28But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. 29For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man like Satan and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.

30“Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.

31“So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven—except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. 32Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come.

33“A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. 34You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. 35A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. 36And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. 37The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.”

38One day some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority.”

39But Jesus replied, “Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.

41“The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here—but you refuse to repent. 42The queen of Sheba* will also stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here—but you refuse to listen.

43“When an evil* spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. 44Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order. 45Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation.”

46As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 47Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and they want to speak to you.”*

48Jesus asked, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” 49Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. 50Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!”

Matthew 13

1Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake. 2A large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat there and taught as the people stood on the shore. 3He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one: “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. 4As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. 5Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. 6But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. 7Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. 8Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! 9Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

10His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”

11He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets* of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. 12To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. 13That is why I use these parables,

For they look, but they don’t really see.

They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.

14This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,

‘When you hear what I say,

you will not understand.

When you see what I do,

you will not comprehend.

15For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear,

and they have closed their eyes—

so their eyes cannot see,

and their ears cannot hear,

and their hearts cannot understand,

and they cannot turn to me

and let me heal them.’*

16“But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.

18“Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: 19The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. 20The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 21But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. 22The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. 23The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

24Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 25But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. 26When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.

27“The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’

28“‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed.

“‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked.

29“‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. 30Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’”

31Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. 32It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.”

33Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”

34Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables. 35This fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet:

“I will speak to you in parables.

I will explain things hidden since the creation of the world.*”

36Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said, “Please explain to us the story of the weeds in the field.”

37Jesus replied, “The Son of Man* is the farmer who plants the good seed. 38The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. 39The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world,* and the harvesters are the angels.

40“Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. 41The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!

44“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.

45“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. 46When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!

47“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind. 48When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away. 49That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous, 50throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 51Do you understand all these things?”

“Yes,” they said, “we do.”

52Then he added, “Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old.”

53When Jesus had finished telling these stories and illustrations, he left that part of the country. 54He returned to Nazareth, his hometown. When he taught there in the synagogue, everyone was amazed and said, “Where does he get this wisdom and the power to do miracles?” 55Then they scoffed, “He’s just the carpenter’s son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers—James, Joseph,* Simon, and Judas. 56All his sisters live right here among us. Where did he learn all these things?” 57And they were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.

Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family.” 58And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief.

Matthew 14

1When Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee,* heard about Jesus, 2he said to his advisers, “This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead! That is why he can do such miracles.”

3For Herod had arrested and imprisoned John as a favor to his wife Herodias (the former wife of Herod’s brother Philip). 4John had been telling Herod, “It is against God’s law for you to marry her.” 5Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of a riot, because all the people believed John was a prophet.

6But at a birthday party for Herod, Herodias’s daughter performed a dance that greatly pleased him, 7so he promised with a vow to give her anything she wanted. 8At her mother’s urging, the girl said, “I want the head of John the Baptist on a tray!” 9Then the king regretted what he had said; but because of the vow he had made in front of his guests, he issued the necessary orders. 10So John was beheaded in the prison, 11and his head was brought on a tray and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. 12Later, John’s disciples came for his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus what had happened.

13As soon as Jesus heard the news, he left in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed on foot from many towns. 14Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

15That evening the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.”

16But Jesus said, “That isn’t necessary—you feed them.”

17“But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish!” they answered.

18“Bring them here,” he said. 19Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people. 20They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers. 21About 5,000 men were fed that day, in addition to all the women and children!

22Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. 23After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.

24Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. 25About three o’clock in the morning* Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. 26When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”

27But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!*”

28Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”

29“Yes, come,” Jesus said.

So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30But when he saw the strong* wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

31Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”

32When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. 33Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.

34After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. 35When the people recognized Jesus, the news of his arrival spread quickly throughout the whole area, and soon people were bringing all their sick to be healed. 36They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.

Matthew 15

1Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They asked him, 2“Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat.”

3Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? 4For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’* and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’* 5But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ 6In this way, you say they don’t need to honor their parents.* And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition. 7You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,

8‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

9Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’*”

10Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “Listen,” he said, “and try to understand. 11It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.”

12Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you realize you offended the Pharisees by what you just said?”

13Jesus replied, “Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted, 14so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.”

15Then Peter said to Jesus, “Explain to us the parable that says people aren’t defiled by what they eat.”

16“Don’t you understand yet?” Jesus asked. 17“Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer. 18But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. 19For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. 20These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.”

21Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22A Gentile* woman who lived there came to him, pleading, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely.”

23But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. “Tell her to go away,” they said. “She is bothering us with all her begging.”

24Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.”

25But she came and worshiped him, pleading again, “Lord, help me!”

26Jesus responded, “It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”

27She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table.”

28“Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed.

29Jesus returned to the Sea of Galilee and climbed a hill and sat down. 30A vast crowd brought to him people who were lame, blind, crippled, those who couldn’t speak, and many others. They laid them before Jesus, and he healed them all. 31The crowd was amazed! Those who hadn’t been able to speak were talking, the crippled were made well, the lame were walking, and the blind could see again! And they praised the God of Israel.

32Then Jesus called his disciples and told them, “I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat. I don’t want to send them away hungry, or they will faint along the way.”

33The disciples replied, “Where would we get enough food here in the wilderness for such a huge crowd?”

34Jesus asked, “How much bread do you have?”

They replied, “Seven loaves, and a few small fish.”

35So Jesus told all the people to sit down on the ground. 36Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, thanked God for them, and broke them into pieces. He gave them to the disciples, who distributed the food to the crowd.

37They all ate as much as they wanted. Afterward, the disciples picked up seven large baskets of leftover food. 38There were 4,000 men who were fed that day, in addition to all the women and children. 39Then Jesus sent the people home, and he got into a boat and crossed over to the region of Magadan.

Day 5 READ MATTHEW 16–19

Principles of the King

OVERVIEW

Though Jesus takes time to minister to hungry crowds, confront the increasingly hostile Pharisees, and comfort the believing Gentile woman, his focus is on the disciples—those he will soon leave behind to continue the work he has begun. His miracles and parables, healings and discourses all serve to teach his faithful followers who he is and prepare them for difficult days just ahead.

MY DAILY WALK

Think of the book of Matthew as a mountain with the action rising to a peak and then subsiding. Some commentators have suggested you’ll find the “peak” in Peter’s confession in chapter 16. Up to this point, Jesus has been seeking to demonstrate that he is the Messiah through words and deeds. Now it is time to see if the lesson has been learned.

Jesus begins with a “public opinion” survey: “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (16:13). His disciples report that some say he’s John, others Elijah or one of the prophets. Then Jesus cuts to the heart of the matter: “Who do you say I am?” And suddenly the disciples must make a personal assessment based on what they’ve seen and heard.

On the basis of what you have read in the first half of Matthew’s Gospel, what would your response be to Jesus’ penetrating question, “Who do you say I am?” Now read 16:16 to find the correct answer. Take a few moments to consider whether it is your own.

CHRIST IS THE MEETING POINT BETWEEN THE TRINITY AND THE SINNER’S SOUL.

INSIGHT

An Inspired Commentary on the Transfiguration | Matthew 17:9

What does the transfiguration of Jesus mean? Peter, one of the observers, gives the inspired explanation in 2 Peter 1:17-18. It was the unveiling of the glory of Jesus, a “sneak preview” of what heaven will be like.

INSIGHT

Something’s Missing | Matt. 19:20

The rich young man had it all together—money, status, morals, a good reputation. Still, he apparently knew something was missing, or he wouldn’t have asked the questions he did (19:20). The writer of Philippians 3:7-9 also knew what it was like to have a full life and an empty heart. What do you think he would say to the man who walked away from Jesus?

Matthew 16

1One day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, demanding that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.

2He replied, “You know the saying, ‘Red sky at night means fair weather tomorrow; 3red sky in the morning means foul weather all day.’ You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the signs of the times!* 4Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign, but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah.*” Then Jesus left them and went away.

5Later, after they crossed to the other side of the lake, the disciples discovered they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6“Watch out!” Jesus warned them. “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

7At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn’t brought any bread. 8Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, “You have so little faith! Why are you arguing with each other about having no bread? 9Don’t you understand even yet? Don’t you remember the 5,000 I fed with five loaves, and the baskets of leftovers you picked up? 10Or the 4,000 I fed with seven loaves, and the large baskets of leftovers you picked up? 11Why can’t you understand that I’m not talking about bread? So again I say, ‘Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’”

12Then at last they understood that he wasn’t speaking about the yeast in bread, but about the deceptive teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

13When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”*

14“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”

15Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah,* the Son of the living God.”

17Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John,* because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. 18Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’),* and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell* will not conquer it. 19And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid* on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit* on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

20Then he sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

21From then on Jesus* began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead.

22But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him* for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!”

23Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

24Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. 25If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 26And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?* Is anything worth more than your soul? 27For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. 28And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”

Matthew 17

1Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. 2As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. 3Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus.

4Peter exclaimed, “Lord, it’s wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I’ll make three shelters as memorials*—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

5But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.” 6The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground.

7Then Jesus came over and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8And when they looked up, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus.

9As they went back down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man* has been raised from the dead.”

10Then his disciples asked him, “Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?*”

11Jesus replied, “Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready. 12But I tell you, Elijah has already come, but he wasn’t recognized, and they chose to abuse him. And in the same way they will also make the Son of Man suffer.” 13Then the disciples realized he was talking about John the Baptist.

14At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, 15“Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.”

17Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well.

19Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?”

20“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.*”

22After they gathered again in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. 23He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.” And the disciples were filled with grief.

24On their arrival in Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax* came to Peter and asked him, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the Temple tax?”

25“Yes, he does,” Peter replied. Then he went into the house.

But before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, “What do you think, Peter?* Do kings tax their own people or the people they have conquered?*”

26“They tax the people they have conquered,” Peter replied.

“Well, then,” Jesus said, “the citizens are free! 27However, we don’t want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin.* Take it and pay the tax for both of us.”

Matthew 18

1About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

2Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. 3Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

5“And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf* is welcoming me. 6But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.

7“What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting. 8So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand or one foot than to be thrown into eternal fire with both of your hands and feet. 9And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.*

10“Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father.*

12“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? 13And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! 14In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.

15“If another believer* sins against you,* go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. 16But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. 17If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.

18“I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid* on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit* on earth will be permitted in heaven.

19“I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. 20For where two or three gather together as my followers,* I am there among them.”

21Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone* who sins against me? Seven times?”

22“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!*

23“Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. 24In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars.* 25He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.

26“But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ 27Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.

28“But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars.* He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.

29“His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. 30But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.

31“When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. 32Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. 33Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ 34Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.

35“That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters* from your heart.”

Matthew 19

1When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went down to the region of Judea east of the Jordan River. 2Large crowds followed him there, and he healed their sick.

3Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for just any reason?”

4“Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’*” 5And he said, “‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’* 6Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”

7“Then why did Moses say in the law that a man could give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away?”* they asked.

8Jesus replied, “Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended. 9And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful.*”

10Jesus’ disciples then said to him, “If this is the case, it is better not to marry!”

11“Not everyone can accept this statement,” Jesus said. “Only those whom God helps. 12Some are born as eunuchs, some have been made eunuchs by others, and some choose not to marry* for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.”

13One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.

14But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” 15And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.

16Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher,* what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”

17“Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep* the commandments.”

18“Which ones?” the man asked.

And Jesus replied: “‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. 19Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’*”

20“I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?”

21Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

22But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

23Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 24I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

25The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.

26Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

27Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get?”

28Jesus replied, “I assure you that when the world is made new* and the Son of Man* sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. 30But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.*

Day 6 READ MATTHEW 20–23

More Parables of the King

OVERVIEW

Though public opinion regarding Jesus is divided, there can be no mistaking the murderous intent of the religious leaders and Pharisees. Jesus repeatedly warns his disciples of the fast-approaching dark days of his suffering and death (16:21; 20:18-19). Arriving in Jerusalem to a hero’s welcome, Jesus is hailed as King while making his entrance into the city. But even in the midst of this joyful reception, he mourns over the fickleness and fate of the people.

MY DAILY WALK

A voice of authority (a teacher, parent, boss, church leader) speaks, and one of three things happens: (1) because of inattention you fail to hear and act on the leader’s words; (2) because of irritation you refuse to obey; or (3) because of conviction you respond obediently. Which response(s) do you see modeled in the parable of the vineyard workers (20:1-16)? the parable of the two sons (21:28-32)? the parable of the evil farmers (21:33-46)?

God’s Word has a way of being irritatingly convicting. You wish you could ignore its truth, but there it is—persistent, penetrating, uncompromising. And until you respond in obedience, you will feel uncomfortable and without peace. Like the Pharisees whom Christ called “blind guides,” “hypocrites,” and “whitewashed tombs,” you will either find a way to turn a deaf ear to the Word of God or submit your life to its truth.

Is there a burr under your spiritual saddle today? Don’t ignore it; God has placed it there for a purpose—to make it too painful not to change.

THE MORE YOUR HEART IS WASHED, THE MORE YOU’LL DISLIKE NEW STAINS.

INSIGHT

Condemned by Jews, Crucified by Gentiles | Matt. 20:19

Jesus’ declaration of his coming death was accurate in every detail (20:17-19). The crime of which Jesus was accused by the Jews—blasphemy—was, under Jewish custom, punishable by death. But since only the Roman civil authorities could execute such a sentence, Jesus was taken before Pilate and Herod—Roman rulers of that day.

INSIGHT

Something Old, Something New | Matt. 21:5

Chapters 20–23 employ at least eleven quotations from the Old Testament. All together, Matthew contains about seventy-four such quotations and allusions—more than any other New Testament book.

INSIGHT

A Not-So-Subtle Hint | Matt. 21:33

Isaiah’s description of Israel as a vineyard and God as the gardener (Isaiah 5:1-7; 27:2-6) was one of Israel’s most memorable pictures of its relationship with God—which is probably why Jesus used it (Matthew 21:33-40). What better way to give the religious leaders a picture of what God was doing through Jesus?

Matthew 20

1“For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2He agreed to pay the normal daily wage* and sent them out to work.

3“At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing. 4So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. 5So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing.

6“At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’

7“They replied, ‘Because no one hired us.’

“The landowner told them, ‘Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.’

8“That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first. 9When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage. 10When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage. 11When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, 12‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’

13“He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? 14Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. 15Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’

16“So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”

17As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him. 18“Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man* will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die. 19Then they will hand him over to the Romans* to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.”

20Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. 21“What is your request?” he asked.

She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”

22But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?”

“Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”

23Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”

24When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. 25But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

29As Jesus and the disciples left the town of Jericho, a large crowd followed behind. 30Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

31“Be quiet!” the crowd yelled at them.

But they only shouted louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

32When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, “What do you want me to do for you?”

33“Lord,” they said, “we want to see!” 34Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him.

Matthew 21

1As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. 2“Go into the village over there,” he said. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to me. 3If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will immediately let you take them.”

4This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said,

5“Tell the people of Jerusalem,*

‘Look, your King is coming to you.

He is humble, riding on a donkey—

riding on a donkey’s colt.’”*

6The two disciples did as Jesus commanded. 7They brought the donkey and the colt to him and threw their garments over the colt, and he sat on it.*

8Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting,

“Praise God* for the Son of David!

Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!

Praise God in highest heaven!”*

10The entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as he entered. “Who is this?” they asked.

11And the crowds replied, “It’s Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

12Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. 13He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!”*

14The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them. 15The leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David.”

But the leaders were indignant. 16They asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?”

“Yes,” Jesus replied. “Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, ‘You have taught children and infants to give you praise.’*” 17Then he returned to Bethany, where he stayed overnight.

18In the morning, as Jesus was returning to Jerusalem, he was hungry, 19and he noticed a fig tree beside the road. He went over to see if there were any figs, but there were only leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” And immediately the fig tree withered up.

20The disciples were amazed when they saw this and asked, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?”

21Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. 22You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”

23When Jesus returned to the Temple and began teaching, the leading priests and elders came up to him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?”

24“I’ll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question,” Jesus replied. 25“Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?”

They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask us why we didn’t believe John. 26But if we say it was merely human, we’ll be mobbed because the people believe John was a prophet.” 27So they finally replied, “We don’t know.”

And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.

28“But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ 29The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. 30Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.

31“Which of the two obeyed his father?”

They replied, “The first.”*

Then Jesus explained his meaning: “I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do. 32For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.

33“Now listen to another story. A certain landowner planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country. 34At the time of the grape harvest, he sent his servants to collect his share of the crop. 35But the farmers grabbed his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. 36So the landowner sent a larger group of his servants to collect for him, but the results were the same.

37“Finally, the owner sent his son, thinking, ‘Surely they will respect my son.’

38“But when the tenant farmers saw his son coming, they said to one another, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Come on, let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’ 39So they grabbed him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and murdered him.

40“When the owner of the vineyard returns,” Jesus asked, “what do you think he will do to those farmers?”

41The religious leaders replied, “He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the vineyard to others who will give him his share of the crop after each harvest.”

42Then Jesus asked them, “Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures?

‘The stone that the builders rejected

has now become the cornerstone.

This is the LORD’s doing,

and it is wonderful to see.’*

43I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit. 44Anyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.*”

45When the leading priests and Pharisees heard this parable, they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. 46They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, who considered Jesus to be a prophet.

Matthew 22

1Jesus also told them other parables. He said, 2“The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. 3When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come!

4“So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!’ 5But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. 6Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them.

7“The king was furious, and he sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town. 8And he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren’t worthy of the honor. 9Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.’ 10So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests.

11“But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. 12‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. 13Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

14“For many are called, but few are chosen.”

15Then the Pharisees met together to plot how to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. 16They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him. “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. 17Now tell us what you think about this: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

18But Jesus knew their evil motives. “You hypocrites!” he said. “Why are you trying to trap me? 19Here, show me the coin used for the tax.” When they handed him a Roman coin,* 20he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”

21“Caesar’s,” they replied.

“Well, then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”

22His reply amazed them, and they went away.

23That same day Jesus was approached by some Sadducees—religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead. They posed this question: 24“Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother’s name.’* 25Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children, so his brother married the widow. 26But the second brother also died, and the third brother married her. This continued with all seven of them. 27Last of all, the woman also died. 28So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her.”

29Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God. 30For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven.

31“But now, as to whether there will be a resurrection of the dead—haven’t you ever read about this in the Scriptures? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said,* 32‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’* So he is the God of the living, not the dead.”

33When the crowds heard him, they were astounded at his teaching.

34But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. 35One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: 36“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”

37Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’* 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’* 40The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

41Then, surrounded by the Pharisees, Jesus asked them a question: 42“What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”

They replied, “He is the son of David.”

43Jesus responded, “Then why does David, speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit, call the Messiah ‘my Lord’? For David said,

44‘The LORD said to my Lord, Sit in the place of honor at my right hand

until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.’*

45Since David called the Messiah ‘my Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?”

46No one could answer him. And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Matthew 23

1Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2“The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses.* 3So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. 4They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.

5“Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels.* 6And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. 7They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’*

8“Don’t let anyone call you ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters.* 9And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven is your spiritual Father. 10And don’t let anyone call you ‘Teacher,’ for you have only one teacher, the Messiah. 11The greatest among you must be a servant. 12But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

13“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either.*

15“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell* you yourselves are!

16“Blind guides! What sorrow awaits you! For you say that it means nothing to swear ‘by God’s Temple,’ but that it is binding to swear ‘by the gold in the Temple.’ 17Blind fools! Which is more important—the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred? 18And you say that to swear ‘by the altar’ is not binding, but to swear ‘by the gifts on the altar’ is binding. 19How blind! For which is more important—the gift on the altar or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20When you swear ‘by the altar,’ you are swearing by it and by everything on it. 21And when you swear ‘by the Temple,’ you are swearing by it and by God, who lives in it. 22And when you swear ‘by heaven,’ you are swearing by the throne of God and by God, who sits on the throne.

23“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens,* but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. 24Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel!*

25“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! 26You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish,* and then the outside will become clean, too.

27“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. 28Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.

29“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed, and you decorate the monuments of the godly people your ancestors destroyed. 30Then you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would never have joined them in killing the prophets.’

31“But in saying that, you testify against yourselves that you are indeed the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32Go ahead and finish what your ancestors started. 33Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?

34“Therefore, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers of religious law. But you will kill some by crucifixion, and you will flog others with whips in your synagogues, chasing them from city to city. 35As a result, you will be held responsible for the murder of all godly people of all time—from the murder of righteous Abel to the murder of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you killed in the Temple between the sanctuary and the altar. 36I tell you the truth, this judgment will fall on this very generation.

37“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me. 38And now, look, your house is abandoned and desolate.* 39For I tell you this, you will never see me again until you say, ‘Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!’*”

Day 7 Reflection & Worship

Something Old, Something New

WE ARE NEVER ALONE WHEN WE ARE ALONE WITH JESUS.

LOOK BACK “The Old is in the New revealed; the New is in the Old concealed.” With those words, one poet has attempted to explain the relationship between the two main sections of the Bible. The Old Testament prophets provided hundreds of details about the coming Messiah: where he would be born, how he would be born, how he would live, how he would die, and what would be accomplished by his death. Now as you read the book of Matthew, you will see predictions that were concealed in the Old Testament revealed in the New Testament.

Matthew, a Jewish tax collector, writes to a Jewish audience presenting Jesus as the promised King of the Jews. As with any king, his genealogy, upbringing, and demeanor come under intense scrutiny to determine whether he has the qualifications to be king. By word and deed, through miracle and message, Jesus validates his credentials, setting the stage for the dramatic conclusion of his earthly life and mission.

LOOK UP Find the last verse in the Old Testament. Write its reference here: _________________________

Now find the first verse in the New Testament. Write its reference here: _________________________

How far apart are those two verses in your Bible? In terms of inches, the answer may be as short as the thickness of one or two sheets of paper. But in terms of time, between Malachi 4:6 and Matthew 1:1 there is an “intermission” of no less than four hundred years. Four long centuries come and go before the silence that begins with the last verse of Malachi is broken by the first verse of Matthew.

Galatians 4:4 tells us why the long intermission was necessary between the close of the Old Testament and the opening of the New Testament: “But when the right time came, God sent his Son. . . .” Like a pregnant woman awaiting the precise moment when her child is due to enter the world, so God was awaiting the precise moment when the world was uniquely prepared for the coming of his Son.

If the good news of his coming was to spread quickly around the world, there had to be a language common to all. And there was! It was called Koine Greek.

If the good news of his coming was to be carried to the farthest corners of the known world, there had to be an extensive network of roads. And there was! The Roman legions had seen to that.

LOOK AHEAD If Jesus were walking the earth in bodily form today instead of in the first century A.D., just think what a stir his presence would create. Imagine how many television cameras would follow his every move . . . how many talk shows would clamor for interviews . . . the crowds that would shadow his every step.

But God knew that the perfect moment for his Son to enter human history was not the twenty-first century but the first. As you continue to read about Jesus’ encounters with men and women, boys and girls, don’t overlook the fact that today he longs to welcome all who will come to him in childlike faith (Matthew 19:14). His arms are open.

Day 8 READ MATTHEW 24–25

Predictions of the King

OVERVIEW

In Jesus’ day a prominent sight on the skyline of Jerusalem was the magnificent Temple of Herod. The disciples, duly impressed with its immense splendor, are stunned by Jesus’ words that it will one day lie in rubble. This naturally raises questions in their minds regarding how and when such destruction will occur—an occasion Jesus uses to teach them about events even more significant than the conquest of Jerusalem. He goes on to instruct them about his future second coming to earth and the unmistakable signs preceding it.

MY DAILY WALK

There is no medicine like hope—the expectation that tomorrow will be better than today. And for the Christian, that hope is no idle dream. Your future can brim with expectation because of Jesus’ promise, “I will come and get you” (John 14:3). But in the meantime, you need the daily reminder and encouragement that your waiting is not in vain. In Jesus’ response to his disciples’ questions, he offers several principles to help them—and you—pass the time until his return: 1. Don’t get sidetracked (Matthew 24:4). False christs will abound, but there will be no doubt when Jesus returns (24:24-31).

2. Don’t become a date-setter (24:36). Only the Father knows when that great event will happen.

3. Be a wise steward of your time and opportunities (24:14, 45-46). God wants you to plant seed, not scan the horizon.

On your appointment calendar, pick a date later this month and add this memo: “It’s later than it’s ever been before. Am I more prepared than I’ve ever been before?”

THERE IS NO TRIAL SO BIG THAT IT CANNOT BE CONQUERED BY CHRISTIAN HOPE.

INSIGHT

Time Makes a Difference | Matt. 25:5

How can you tell the difference between wise and foolish people? Only with time. Few can predict the fruitfulness of a seed; we have to see the fruit before we know how good the seed was. The delay of the bridegroom proves the amount of wisdom each bridesmaid has (25:5). How wisely are you living as you await Jesus’ return?

INSIGHT

Surprise, Surprise | Matt. 25:44

The sheep and the goats have a lot in common (25:44). They both had opportunities to demonstrate God’s mercy; they both encountered Jesus in those who were needy; and they were both completely surprised to discover that they had encountered Jesus without knowing it. The only differences between the sheep and goats were their acts of service (or lack thereof) and their final destinations.

Matthew 24

1As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples pointed out to him the various Temple buildings. 2But he responded, “Do you see all these buildings? I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!”

3Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?*”

4Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, 5for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. 6And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. 7Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. 8But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.

9“Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers.* 10And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. 11And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. 12Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. 13But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations* will hear it; and then the end will come.

15“The day is coming when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about—the sacrilegious object that causes desecration* standing in the Holy Place.” (Reader, pay attention!) 16“Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. 17A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. 18A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat. 19How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. 20And pray that your flight will not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again. 22In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones.

23“Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. 24For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. 25See, I have warned you about this ahead of time.

26“So if someone tells you, ‘Look, the Messiah is out in the desert,’ don’t bother to go and look. Or, ‘Look, he is hiding here,’ don’t believe it! 27For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man* comes. 28Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near.*

29“Immediately after the anguish of those days,

the sun will be darkened,

the moon will give no light,

the stars will fall from the sky,

and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.*

30And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.* 31And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world*—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.

32“Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. 33In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. 34I tell you the truth, this generation* will not pass from the scene until all these things take place. 35Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

36“However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself.* Only the Father knows.

37“When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. 38In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. 39People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.

40“Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left. 41Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left.

42“So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. 43Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. 44You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.

45“A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. 46If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. 47I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. 48But what if the servant is evil and thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ 49and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? 50The master will return unannounced and unexpected, 51and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 25

1“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids* who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, 4but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. 5When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

6“At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’

7“All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. 8Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’

9“But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’

10“But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. 11Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’

12“But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’

13“So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.

14“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. 15He gave five bags of silver* to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.

16“The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. 17The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. 18But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.

19“After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. 20The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’

21“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!*’

22“The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’

23“The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

24“Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’

26“But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, 27why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’

28“Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

31“But when the Son of Man* comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. 32All the nations* will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.

34“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

37“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

40“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,* you were doing it to me!’

41“Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.* 42For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. 43I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’

44“Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’

45“And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’

46“And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”

Day 9 READ MATTHEW 26–28

Passion of the King

OVERVIEW

The one who only days before was hailed as King now experiences arrest, scourging, ridicule, and crucifixion as a criminal. His royal title hangs in mockery from the top of his cross. And in his death, he fulfills more Old Testament prophecies than he did in his life. Not one of his bones is broken, as befitting the Passover lamb. And at the moment of his death, the veil in the Temple is split from top to bottom, indicating free and unlimited access to God through him. Buried in haste in a borrowed tomb and mourned by his followers for three dark days, he rises in victory at dawn on that first Easter morning, later commissioning all who have put their saving trust in him to go and teach all nations (28:19-20).

MY DAILY WALK

Perhaps the worst time to celebrate Christmas is at Christmas.

Why? Because the truth of that great event all too often gets lost in the tinsel and trappings with which the culture has gift-wrapped the holiday.

Similarly, the worst time to celebrate Easter is when the bunnies, baskets, and bonnets overshadow its true meaning—which means right now would be a wonderful time to celebrate the Resurrection.

Don’t hurry through today’s reading. The story of Jesus’ crucifixion is one of the most graphic depictions of love ever recorded. Ask the Holy Spirit to take the familiar phrases of the Calvary story and infuse them with fresh meaning and life for you. If you can, read the three chapters in today’s section straight through at a single sitting. Then, with your Bible open and your heart brimming with gratitude, offer God a sacrifice of praise for the Savior, whose suffering and death made it all possible. “He has risen from the dead” (28:7), so rejoice!

DEATH DIED WHEN CHRIST AROSE.

INSIGHT

How Distressed? | Matt. 26:37

Matthew says Jesus was “anguished and distressed” (26:37)—somewhat of an understatement in light of other passages. Read Luke 22:44 and Hebrews 5:7 for a clearer picture of the agony of the Savior’s prayers.

INSIGHT

Taunting the King with the Truth | Matt. 27:37

An inscription of the person’s crime was posted over the head of every victim of Roman crucifixion. In Jesus’ case the indictment was meant as mockery: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews” (27:37). Even from the malicious mouths of unbelievers, the truth was proclaimed.

Matthew 26

1When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2“As you know, Passover begins in two days, and the Son of Man* will be handed over to be crucified.”

3At that same time the leading priests and elders were meeting at the residence of Caiaphas, the high priest, 4plotting how to capture Jesus secretly and kill him. 5“But not during the Passover celebration,” they agreed, “or the people may riot.”

6Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. 7While he was eating,* a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head.

8The disciples were indignant when they saw this. “What a waste!” they said. 9“It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.”

10But Jesus, aware of this, replied, “Why criticize this woman for doing such a good thing to me? 11You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me. 12She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. 13I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”

14Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests 15and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. 16From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

17On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal for you?”

18“As you go into the city,” he told them, “you will see a certain man. Tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My time has come, and I will eat the Passover meal with my disciples at your house.’” 19So the disciples did as Jesus told them and prepared the Passover meal there.

20When it was evening, Jesus sat down at the table* with the Twelve. 21While they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.”

22Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one, Lord?”

23He replied, “One of you who has just eaten from this bowl with me will betray me. 24For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!”

25Judas, the one who would betray him, also asked, “Rabbi, am I the one?”

And Jesus told him, “You have said it.”

26As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.”

27And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, 28for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant* between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. 29Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”

30Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.

31On the way, Jesus told them, “Tonight all of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say,

‘God will strike* the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

32But after I have been raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.”

33Peter declared, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you.”

34Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.”

35“No!” Peter insisted. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the other disciples vowed the same.

36Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” 37He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. 38He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

39He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

40Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? 41Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”

42Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away* unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open.

44So he went to pray a third time, saying the same things again. 45Then he came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”

47And even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests and elders of the people. 48The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss.” 49So Judas came straight to Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!” he exclaimed and gave him the kiss.

50Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.”

Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 51But one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear.

52“Put away your sword,” Jesus told him. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword. 53Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands* of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? 54But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?”

55Then Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there teaching every day. 56But this is all happening to fulfill the words of the prophets as recorded in the Scriptures.” At that point, all the disciples deserted him and fled.

57Then the people who had arrested Jesus led him to the home of Caiaphas, the high priest, where the teachers of religious law and the elders had gathered. 58Meanwhile, Peter followed him at a distance and came to the high priest’s courtyard. He went in and sat with the guards and waited to see how it would all end.

59Inside, the leading priests and the entire high council* were trying to find witnesses who would lie about Jesus, so they could put him to death. 60But even though they found many who agreed to give false witness, they could not use anyone’s testimony. Finally, two men came forward 61who declared, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the Temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”

62Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Well, aren’t you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for yourself?” 63But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I demand in the name of the living God—tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”

64Jesus replied, “You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand* and coming on the clouds of heaven.”*

65Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Blasphemy! Why do we need other witnesses? You have all heard his blasphemy. 66What is your verdict?”

“Guilty!” they shouted. “He deserves to die!”

67Then they began to spit in Jesus’ face and beat him with their fists. And some slapped him, 68jeering, “Prophesy to us, you Messiah! Who hit you that time?”

69Meanwhile, Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl came over and said to him, “You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean.”

70But Peter denied it in front of everyone. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.

71Later, out by the gate, another servant girl noticed him and said to those standing around, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.*”

72Again Peter denied it, this time with an oath. “I don’t even know the man,” he said.

73A little later some of the other bystanders came over to Peter and said, “You must be one of them; we can tell by your Galilean accent.”

74Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!” And immediately the rooster crowed.

75Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he went away, weeping bitterly.

Matthew 27

1Very early in the morning the leading priests and the elders of the people met again to lay plans for putting Jesus to death. 2Then they bound him, led him away, and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor.

3When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders. 4“I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.”

“What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.”

5Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself.

6The leading priests picked up the coins. “It wouldn’t be right to put this money in the Temple treasury,” they said, “since it was payment for murder.”* 7After some discussion they finally decided to buy the potter’s field, and they made it into a cemetery for foreigners. 8That is why the field is still called the Field of Blood. 9This fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah that says,

“They took* the thirty pieces of silver— the price at which he was valued by the people of Israel,

10and purchased the potter’s field, as the LORD directed.*”

11Now Jesus was standing before Pilate, the Roman governor. “Are you the king of the Jews?” the governor asked him.

Jesus replied, “You have said it.”

12But when the leading priests and the elders made their accusations against him, Jesus remained silent. 13“Don’t you hear all these charges they are bringing against you?” Pilate demanded. 14But Jesus made no response to any of the charges, much to the governor’s surprise.

15Now it was the governor’s custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner to the crowd—anyone they wanted. 16This year there was a notorious prisoner, a man named Barabbas.* 17As the crowds gathered before Pilate’s house that morning, he asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you—Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” 18(He knew very well that the religious leaders had arrested Jesus out of envy.) 19Just then, as Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Leave that innocent man alone. I suffered through a terrible nightmare about him last night.”

20Meanwhile, the leading priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be put to death. 21So the governor asked again, “Which of these two do you want me to release to you?”

The crowd shouted back, “Barabbas!”

22Pilate responded, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”

They shouted back, “Crucify him!”

23“Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?”

But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!”

24Pilate saw that he wasn’t getting anywhere and that a riot was developing. So he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. The responsibility is yours!”

25And all the people yelled back, “We will take responsibility for his death—we and our children!”*

26So Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.

27Some of the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into their headquarters* and called out the entire regiment. 28They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. 29They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” 30And they spit on him and grabbed the stick and struck him on the head with it. 31When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.

32Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene,* and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. 33And they went out to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). 34The soldiers gave Jesus wine mixed with bitter gall, but when he had tasted it, he refused to drink it.

35After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.* 36Then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there. 37A sign was fastened above Jesus’ head, announcing the charge against him. It read: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” 38Two revolutionaries* were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.

39The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. 40“Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!”

41The leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked Jesus. 42“He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him! 43He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44Even the revolutionaries who were crucified with him ridiculed him in the same way.

45At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 46At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli,* lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”*

47Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. 48One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. 49But the rest said, “Wait! Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.”*

50Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. 51At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, 52and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. 53They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people.

54The Roman officer* and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God!”

55And many women who had come from Galilee with Jesus to care for him were watching from a distance. 56Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James and Joseph), and the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee.

57As evening approached, Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea who had become a follower of Jesus, 58went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. And Pilate issued an order to release it to him. 59Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long sheet of clean linen cloth. 60He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance and left. 61Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting across from the tomb and watching.

62The next day, on the Sabbath,* the leading priests and Pharisees went to see Pilate. 63They told him, “Sir, we remember what that deceiver once said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise from the dead.’ 64So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he was raised from the dead! If that happens, we’ll be worse off than we were at first.”

65Pilate replied, “Take guards and secure it the best you can.” 66So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it.

Matthew 28

1Early on Sunday morning,* as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb.

2Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. 3His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint.

5Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”

8The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. 9And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. 10Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”

11As the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and told the leading priests what had happened. 12A meeting with the elders was called, and they decided to give the soldiers a large bribe. 13They told the soldiers, “You must say, ‘Jesus’ disciples came during the night while we were sleeping, and they stole his body.’ 14If the governor hears about it, we’ll stand up for you so you won’t get in trouble.” 15So the guards accepted the bribe and said what they were told to say. Their story spread widely among the Jews, and they still tell it today.

16Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted!

18Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,* baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Day 10 READ MARK 1–3

Power of the Servant

OVERVIEW

Mark’s unadorned opening to his account (“This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God”) introduces the tone of his entire book: succinct and to the point—just like the tone and conduct of the active servant his book portrays. For this is the story of Jesus Christ, the perfect servant. Over and over, Mark uses the word immediately to accelerate the pace of events in the book. He omits details of Christ’s genealogy and childhood and plunges immediately into Christ’s public ministry in the region of Galilee.

MY DAILY WALK

Do you have a balanced view of Jesus Christ? Through the centuries, Christians have wrestled with the incarnation of Jesus Christ, trying to describe adequately that unique blend of perfect humanity and undiminished deity that he possessed. Some Christians emphasize his deity, focusing on the attributes and actions that could only belong to God, forgetting that Jesus ate, slept, and wept like other men. Others focus on his humanity, neglecting the many things Jesus did that only God could do.

Today’s reading portrays both attributes of Jesus: his deity (e.g., healing the sick and casting out demons, 1:23-26, 29-34) and his humanity (e.g., rising early the next morning to pray, 1:35). With this last example, Mark alerts his readers at the very beginning of the book to the power behind Jesus’ ministry.

What about you? Are you engaged in a busy schedule of ministry for God? Are you taking the necessary time in prayer and preparation first? If Jesus needed to pray, how can we expect to minister effectively without prayer?

I HAVE A GREAT NEED FOR CHRIST; I HAVE A GREAT CHRIST FOR MY NEED.

INSIGHT

Mark, a Gospel of Actions, Not Words | Mark 1:21-45

Of the seventy parables the Gospel writers recorded, only eighteen are contained in Mark, and many are only one sentence in length. However, of Jesus’ thirty-five recorded miracles, Mark gives an account of more than half.

INSIGHT

Real Authority | Mark 2:28

Mark quickly establishes the fact that Jesus came in authority. In just two chapters, he records that Jesus has demonstrated power and authority in his teaching (1:22), over demons (1:25-27), over diseases (1:30-34), over uncleanness (1:41-42), over sin (2:10), and as overseer of the law (2:28). Later he will even demonstrate his authority over the laws of nature (4:39-41).

Mark

IN CONVINCING style, Mark sets forth the credentials of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, the Servant of God. In pithy statements and brief paragraphs, Mark captures the ministry of Jesus but focuses more on what Jesus does than on what he says. The theme of Mark’s Gospel is that Jesus’ service and sacrifice provide the pattern of living for his followers.

Vital Statistics

■ AUTHOR: John Mark.

■ DATE WRITTEN: Probably between a.d. 55 and 65.

■ PURPOSE: To present Jesus Christ as both servant and Son of God by recounting his ministry and teachings in a basic biographical outline.

■ THEMES: Jesus the Messiah, servanthood/ministry, miracles.

Mark 1

1This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.* It began 2just as the prophet Isaiah had written:

“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,

and he will prepare your way.*

3He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the LORD’s coming!

Clear the road for him!’*”

4This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. 5All of Judea, including all the people of Jerusalem, went out to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. 6His clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey.

7John announced: “Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals. 8I baptize you with* water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!”

9One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River. 10As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him* like a dove. 11And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.”

12The Spirit then compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness, 13where he was tempted by Satan for forty days. He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him.

14Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God’s Good News.* 15“The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”

16One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon* and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. 17Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” 18And they left their nets at once and followed him.

19A little farther up the shore Jesus saw Zebedee’s sons, James and John, in a boat repairing their nets. 20He called them at once, and they also followed him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired men.

21Jesus and his companions went to the town of Capernaum. When the Sabbath day came, he went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22The people were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike the teachers of religious law.

23Suddenly, a man in the synagogue who was possessed by an evil* spirit began shouting, 24“Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

25Jesus cut him short. “Be quiet! Come out of the man,” he ordered. 26At that, the evil spirit screamed, threw the man into a convulsion, and then came out of him.

27Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened. “What sort of new teaching is this?” they asked excitedly. “It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey his orders!” 28The news about Jesus spread quickly throughout the entire region of Galilee.

29After Jesus left the synagogue with James and John, they went to Simon and Andrew’s home. 30Now Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. They told Jesus about her right away. 31So he went to her bedside, took her by the hand, and helped her sit up. Then the fever left her, and she prepared a meal for them.

32That evening after sunset, many sick and demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. 33The whole town gathered at the door to watch. 34So Jesus healed many people who were sick with various diseases, and he cast out many demons. But because the demons knew who he was, he did not allow them to speak.

35Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray. 36Later Simon and the others went out to find him. 37When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.”

38But Jesus replied, “We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came.” 39So he traveled throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and casting out demons.

40A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. “If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean,” he said.

41Moved with compassion,* Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” 42Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed. 43Then Jesus sent him on his way with a stern warning: 44“Don’t tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy.* This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.”

45But the man went and spread the word, proclaiming to everyone what had happened. As a result, large crowds soon surrounded Jesus, and he couldn’t publicly enter a town anywhere. He had to stay out in the secluded places, but people from everywhere kept coming to him.

Mark 2

1When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. 2Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, 3four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. 4They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. 5Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”

6But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, 7“What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!”

8Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? 9Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’? 10So I will prove to you that the Son of Man* has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, 11“Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”

12And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!”

13Then Jesus went out to the lakeshore again and taught the crowds that were coming to him. 14As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him.

15Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus’ followers.) 16But when the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees* saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with such scum?*”

17When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

18Once when John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and asked, “Why don’t your disciples fast like John’s disciples and the Pharisees do?”

19Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. They can’t fast while the groom is with them. 20But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

21“Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before.

22“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the wine would burst the wineskins, and the wine and the skins would both be lost. New wine calls for new wineskins.”

23One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples began breaking off heads of grain to eat. 24But the Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look, why are they breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?”

25Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you ever read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 26He went into the house of God (during the days when Abiathar was high priest) and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. He also gave some to his companions.”

27Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. 28So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!”

Mark 3

1Jesus went into the synagogue again and noticed a man with a deformed hand. 2Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus’ enemies watched him closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath.

3Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” 4Then he turned to his critics and asked, “Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?” But they wouldn’t answer him.

5He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! 6At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus.

7Jesus went out to the lake with his disciples, and a large crowd followed him. They came from all over Galilee, Judea, 8Jerusalem, Idumea, from east of the Jordan River, and even from as far north as Tyre and Sidon. The news about his miracles had spread far and wide, and vast numbers of people came to see him.

9Jesus instructed his disciples to have a boat ready so the crowd would not crush him. 10He had healed many people that day, so all the sick people eagerly pushed forward to touch him. 11And whenever those possessed by evil* spirits caught sight of him, the spirits would throw them to the ground in front of him shrieking, “You are the Son of God!” 12But Jesus sternly commanded the spirits not to reveal who he was.

13Afterward Jesus went up on a mountain and called out the ones he wanted to go with him. And they came to him. 14Then he appointed twelve of them and called them his apostles.* They were to accompany him, and he would send them out to preach, 15giving them authority to cast out demons. 16These are the twelve he chose:

Simon (whom he named Peter),

17James and John (the sons of Zebedee, but Jesus nicknamed them “Sons of Thunder”*), 18Andrew, Philip,

Bartholomew,

Matthew,

Thomas,

James (son of Alphaeus),

Thaddaeus,

Simon (the zealot*), 19Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).

20One time Jesus entered a house, and the crowds began to gather again. Soon he and his disciples couldn’t even find time to eat. 21When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. “He’s out of his mind,” they said.

22But the teachers of religious law who had arrived from Jerusalem said, “He’s possessed by Satan,* the prince of demons. That’s where he gets the power to cast out demons.”

23Jesus called them over and responded with an illustration. “How can Satan cast out Satan?” he asked. 24“A kingdom divided by civil war will collapse. 25Similarly, a family splintered by feuding will fall apart. 26And if Satan is divided and fights against himself, how can he stand? He would never survive. 27Let me illustrate this further. Who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man like Satan and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.

28“I tell you the truth, all sin and blasphemy can be forgiven, 29but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. This is a sin with eternal consequences.” 30He told them this because they were saying, “He’s possessed by an evil spirit.”

31Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him. They stood outside and sent word for him to come out and talk with them. 32There was a crowd sitting around Jesus, and someone said, “Your mother and your brothers* are outside asking for you.”

33Jesus replied, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” 34Then he looked at those around him and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. 35Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Day 11 READ MARK 4–7

Compassion of the Servant

OVERVIEW

Beginning with chapter 4, Mark pauses in his rapid portrayal of Jesus’ life and ministry to focus briefly on his teaching concerning the Kingdom of God. Then, returning to his action-packed narrative, Mark relates four miracles that reveal Jesus’ power over nature, demons, disease, and death. After a brief (and discouraging) visit to his hometown of Nazareth, Jesus multiplies his ministry by sending out the twelve disciples to teach and to heal. Upon their return, Jesus performs a different kind of ministry of multiplication as he takes a boy’s lunch and increases it to feed thousands of hungry seekers.

MY DAILY WALK

The Sea of Galilee is usually calm and tranquil, but it can become treacherous when violent storms spring up. The lake is like life itself: beautiful and tranquil at times, stormy and threatening at others.

At the end of a long day, Jesus and his disciples got into a boat to cross the lake (4:35-36). After pushing away from the shore, Jesus fell asleep . . . and then a storm exploded. Twelve frightened men rushed to Jesus and exclaimed, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” (4:38). Now go back to verse 35. What did Jesus say to his disciples just before entering the boat? “Let’s go to the middle of the lake and drown”? Of course not! He said, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.”

What stormy, unexpected event in your life has you feeling panicked and fretful? Remember, Christ intends to take you to the other side safe and secure. Invite him into your “boat” right now, and let him still your storms of doubt.

NO TRIAL TROUBLES THE CHILD OF GOD WHO KNOWS GOD HAS A REASON FOR ALLOWING IT.

INSIGHT

The Power of Peace | Mark 4:39

The command Jesus gives to the storm in today’s reading (4:39) is the same command (in Greek) that he uses to heal the tortured soul in verse 1:25. Is it any wonder Paul identifies the peace Jesus gives as that “which exceeds anything we can understand” (Philippians 4:7)?

INSIGHT

Uncleanness Undone | Mark 5:30

According to Leviticus 15:25, this woman’s bleeding made her ceremonially “unclean.” The Law’s instructions on ceremonial uncleanness had nothing to do with sin; it was a normal human condition that everyone experienced from time to time. But the woman’s condition had excluded her from the Temple and its sacrifices for twelve years. When she touched Jesus’ garment, she was not only healed, she was made clean.

Mark 4

1Once again Jesus began teaching by the lakeshore. A very large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat in the boat while all the people remained on the shore. 2He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables, such as this one: 3“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed. 4As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it. 5Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. 6But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died. 7Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain. 8Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” 9Then he said, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

10Later, when Jesus was alone with the twelve disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked him what the parables meant.

11He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secret* of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders, 12so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled:

‘When they see what I do,

they will learn nothing.

When they hear what I say,

they will not understand.

Otherwise, they will turn to me

and be forgiven.’*”

13Then Jesus said to them, “If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables? 14The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others. 15The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. 16The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 17But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. 18The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, 19but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. 20And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

21Then Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine. 22For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light. 23Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

24Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given*—and you will receive even more. 25To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.”

26Jesus also said, “The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. 27Night and day, while he’s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens. 28The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens. 29And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle, for the harvest time has come.”

30Jesus said, “How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it? 31It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, 32but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade.”

33Jesus used many similar stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they could understand. 34In fact, in his public ministry he never taught without using parables; but afterward, when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them.

35As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” 36So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). 37But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.

38Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”

39When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

41The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”

Mark 5

1So they arrived at the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gerasenes.* 2When Jesus climbed out of the boat, a man possessed by an evil* spirit came out from a cemetery to meet him. 3This man lived among the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain. 4Whenever he was put into chains and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones.

6When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him, ran to meet him, and bowed low before him. 7With a shriek, he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don’t torture me!” 8For Jesus had already said to the spirit, “Come out of the man, you evil spirit.”

9Then Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”

And he replied, “My name is Legion, because there are many of us inside this man.” 10Then the evil spirits begged him again and again not to send them to some distant place.

11There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby. 12“Send us into those pigs,” the spirits begged. “Let us enter them.”

13So Jesus gave them permission. The evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd of about 2,000 pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.

14The herdsmen fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. People rushed out to see what had happened. 15A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. 16Then those who had seen what happened told the others about the demon-possessed man and the pigs. 17And the crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone.

18As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him. 19But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” 20So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns* of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.

21Jesus got into the boat again and went back to the other side of the lake, where a large crowd gathered around him on the shore. 22Then a leader of the local synagogue, whose name was Jairus, arrived. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet, 23pleading fervently with him. “My little daughter is dying,” he said. “Please come and lay your hands on her; heal her so she can live.”

24Jesus went with him, and all the people followed, crowding around him. 25A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding. 26She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse. 27She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. 28For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” 29Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition.

30Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my robe?”

31His disciples said to him, “Look at this crowd pressing around you. How can you ask, ‘Who touched me?’”

32But he kept on looking around to see who had done it. 33Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell to her knees in front of him and told him what she had done. 34And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.”

35While he was still speaking to her, messengers arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. They told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.”

36But Jesus overheard* them and said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.”

37Then Jesus stopped the crowd and wouldn’t let anyone go with him except Peter, James, and John (the brother of James). 38When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw much commotion and weeping and wailing. 39He went inside and asked, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.”

40The crowd laughed at him. But he made them all leave, and he took the girl’s father and mother and his three disciples into the room where the girl was lying. 41Holding her hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means “Little girl, get up!” 42And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around! They were overwhelmed and totally amazed. 43Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell anyone what had happened, and then he told them to give her something to eat.

Mark 6

1Jesus left that part of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown. 2The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. They asked, “Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?” 3Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary* and the brother of James, Joseph,* Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.

4Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” 5And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6And he was amazed at their unbelief.

Then Jesus went from village to village, teaching the people. 7And he called his twelve disciples together and began sending them out two by two, giving them authority to cast out evil* spirits. 8He told them to take nothing for their journey except a walking stick—no food, no traveler’s bag, no money.* 9He allowed them to wear sandals but not to take a change of clothes.

10“Wherever you go,” he said, “stay in the same house until you leave town. 11But if any place refuses to welcome you or listen to you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.”

12So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God. 13And they cast out many demons and healed many sick people, anointing them with olive oil.

14Herod Antipas, the king, soon heard about Jesus, because everyone was talking about him. Some were saying,* “This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead. That is why he can do such miracles.” 15Others said, “He’s the prophet Elijah.” Still others said, “He’s a prophet like the other great prophets of the past.”

16When Herod heard about Jesus, he said, “John, the man I beheaded, has come back from the dead.”

17For Herod had sent soldiers to arrest and imprison John as a favor to Herodias. She had been his brother Philip’s wife, but Herod had married her. 18John had been telling Herod, “It is against God’s law for you to marry your brother’s wife.” 19So Herodias bore a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But without Herod’s approval she was powerless, 20for Herod respected John; and knowing that he was a good and holy man, he protected him. Herod was greatly disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, he liked to listen to him.

21Herodias’s chance finally came on Herod’s birthday. He gave a party for his high government officials, army officers, and the leading citizens of Galilee. 22Then his daughter, also named Herodias,* came in and performed a dance that greatly pleased Herod and his guests. “Ask me for anything you like,” the king said to the girl, “and I will give it to you.” 23He even vowed, “I will give you whatever you ask, up to half my kingdom!”

24She went out and asked her mother, “What should I ask for?”

Her mother told her, “Ask for the head of John the Baptist!”

25So the girl hurried back to the king and told him, “I want the head of John the Baptist, right now, on a tray!”

26Then the king deeply regretted what he had said; but because of the vows he had made in front of his guests, he couldn’t refuse her. 27So he immediately sent an executioner to the prison to cut off John’s head and bring it to him. The soldier beheaded John in the prison, 28brought his head on a tray, and gave it to the girl, who took it to her mother. 29When John’s disciples heard what had happened, they came to get his body and buried it in a tomb.

30The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught. 31Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.

32So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone. 33But many people recognized them and saw them leaving, and people from many towns ran ahead along the shore and got there ahead of them. 34Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

35Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. 36Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms and villages and buy something to eat.”

37But Jesus said, “You feed them.”

“With what?” they asked. “We’d have to work for months to earn enough money* to buy food for all these people!”

38“How much bread do you have?” he asked. “Go and find out.”

They came back and reported, “We have five loaves of bread and two fish.”

39Then Jesus told the disciples to have the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40So they sat down in groups of fifty or a hundred.

41Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. He also divided the fish for everyone to share. 42They all ate as much as they wanted, 43and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish. 44A total of 5,000 men and their families were fed.*

45Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and head across the lake to Bethsaida, while he sent the people home. 46After telling everyone good-bye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray.

47Late that night, the disciples were in their boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land. 48He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About three o’clock in the morning* Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. He intended to go past them, 49but when they saw him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost. 50They were all terrified when they saw him.

But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here!*” 51Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed, 52for they still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.

53After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. They brought the boat to shore 54and climbed out. The people recognized Jesus at once, 55and they ran throughout the whole area, carrying sick people on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56Wherever he went—in villages, cities, or the countryside—they brought the sick out to the marketplaces. They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.

Mark 7

1One day some Pharisees and teachers of religious law arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. 2They noticed that some of his disciples failed to follow the Jewish ritual of hand washing before eating. 3(The Jews, especially the Pharisees, do not eat until they have poured water over their cupped hands,* as required by their ancient traditions. 4Similarly, they don’t eat anything from the market until they immerse their hands* in water. This is but one of many traditions they have clung to—such as their ceremonial washing of cups, pitchers, and kettles.*) 5So the Pharisees and teachers of religious law asked him, “Why don’t your disciples follow our age-old tradition? They eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony.”

6Jesus replied, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,

‘These people honor me with their lips,

but their hearts are far from me.

7Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’*

8For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition.”

9Then he said, “You skillfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold on to your own tradition. 10For instance, Moses gave you this law from God: ‘Honor your father and mother,’* and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’* 11But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’* 12In this way, you let them disregard their needy parents. 13And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition. And this is only one example among many others.”

14Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “All of you listen,” he said, “and try to understand. 15It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart.*”

17Then Jesus went into a house to get away from the crowd, and his disciples asked him what he meant by the parable he had just used. 18“Don’t you understand either?” he asked. “Can’t you see that the food you put into your body cannot defile you? 19Food doesn’t go into your heart, but only passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.” (By saying this, he declared that every kind of food is acceptable in God’s eyes.) 20And then he added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. 21For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. 23All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”

24Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre.* He didn’t want anyone to know which house he was staying in, but he couldn’t keep it a secret. 25Right away a woman who had heard about him came and fell at his feet. Her little girl was possessed by an evil* spirit, 26and she begged him to cast out the demon from her daughter.

Since she was a Gentile, born in Syrian Phoenicia, 27Jesus told her, “First I should feed the children—my own family, the Jews.* It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”

28She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are allowed to eat the scraps from the children’s plates.”

29“Good answer!” he said. “Now go home, for the demon has left your daughter.” 30And when she arrived home, she found her little girl lying quietly in bed, and the demon was gone.

31Jesus left Tyre and went up to Sidon before going back to the Sea of Galilee and the region of the Ten Towns.* 32A deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him, and the people begged Jesus to lay his hands on the man to heal him.

33Jesus led him away from the crowd so they could be alone. He put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then, spitting on his own fingers, he touched the man’s tongue. 34Looking up to heaven, he sighed and said, “Ephphatha,” which means, “Be opened!” 35Instantly the man could hear perfectly, and his tongue was freed so he could speak plainly!

36Jesus told the crowd not to tell anyone, but the more he told them not to, the more they spread the news. 37They were completely amazed and said again and again, “Everything he does is wonderful. He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak.”

Day 12 READ MARK 8–10

Teaching of the Servant

OVERVIEW

Many of Christ’s sayings and sermons are uttered in response to the questions and attacks of the Pharisees. He follows up in private conversations with the disciples—discussions that include important teachings on such subjects as discipleship, humility, stumbling blocks, and proper priorities. But even as he teaches, Jesus is constantly on the move, traveling across the Sea of Galilee to Caesarea Philippi and finally through Perea to Jerusalem.

MY DAILY WALK

In today’s section you read two accounts of Jesus healing blind men (8:22-26; 10:46-52). In the case of the blind man of Bethsaida, Jesus led the man out of town, spit on his eyes, and placed his hands on the man’s face twice. With Bartimaeus of Jericho, full healing came with just a spoken word. Blindness in both cases, but why the different approaches to healing? Most likely it was because Jesus’ methods were often tailor-made to the individual’s needs.

So it is with spiritual lessons God wants to teach us. God may teach your friend to depend on him through financial problems; you learn the same lesson through an illness. Another Christian learns to walk by faith in affluence; you learn it in poverty. One person learns patience through being single; another learns it through being married and having children. In each case, it is dangerous to compare—rather than commit to—God’s perfect curriculum.

THOSE WHO FIND THEIR SENSE OF SECURITY IN CHRIST ARE NOT EASILY SHAKEN BY CIRCUMSTANCES OR OTHER PEOPLE’S OPINION OF THEM.

INSIGHT

The Law and the Prophets | Mark 9:4

Out of all the prominent figures in the Old Testament, why were Moses and Elijah the only ones to appear with Jesus at the Transfiguration (9:4)? Because at the time of Jesus, the entire Old Testament was often referred to as “the Law and the Prophets.” The appearance of Moses the lawgiver and Elijah the great prophet was God’s shorthand for communicating that, “All of Scripture points to Jesus, and he is greater than the greatest who have come before.”

INSIGHT

The Toughest of the Ten | Mark 10:20-22

The rich young man gloried in his observance of the Ten Commandments (10:20-22), but he had never really gotten past the first one (Exodus 20:3). His possessions had become his god, his idol, the focus of his affections. Read 1 John 5:21 and restate it in your own words.

Mark 8

1About this time another large crowd had gathered, and the people ran out of food again. Jesus called his disciples and told them, 2“I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat. 3If I send them home hungry, they will faint along the way. For some of them have come a long distance.”

4His disciples replied, “How are we supposed to find enough food to feed them out here in the wilderness?”

5Jesus asked, “How much bread do you have?”

“Seven loaves,” they replied.

6So Jesus told all the people to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves, thanked God for them, and broke them into pieces. He gave them to his disciples, who distributed the bread to the crowd. 7A few small fish were found, too, so Jesus also blessed these and told the disciples to distribute them.

8They ate as much as they wanted. Afterward, the disciples picked up seven large baskets of leftover food. 9There were about 4,000 people in the crowd that day, and Jesus sent them home after they had eaten. 10Immediately after this, he got into a boat with his disciples and crossed over to the region of Dalmanutha.

11When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had arrived, they came and started to argue with him. Testing him, they demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.

12When he heard this, he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why do these people keep demanding a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, I will not give this generation any such sign.” 13So he got back into the boat and left them, and he crossed to the other side of the lake.

14But the disciples had forgotten to bring any food. They had only one loaf of bread with them in the boat. 15As they were crossing the lake, Jesus warned them, “Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod.”

16At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn’t brought any bread. 17Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, “Why are you arguing about having no bread? Don’t you know or understand even yet? Are your hearts too hard to take it in? 18‘You have eyes—can’t you see? You have ears—can’t you hear?’* Don’t you remember anything at all? 19When I fed the 5,000 with five loaves of bread, how many baskets of leftovers did you pick up afterward?”

“Twelve,” they said.

20“And when I fed the 4,000 with seven loaves, how many large baskets of leftovers did you pick up?”

“Seven,” they said.

21“Don’t you understand yet?” he asked them.

22When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged him to touch the man and heal him. 23Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then, spitting on the man’s eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything now?”

24The man looked around. “Yes,” he said, “I see people, but I can’t see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around.”

25Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly. 26Jesus sent him away, saying, “Don’t go back into the village on your way home.”

27Jesus and his disciples left Galilee and went up to the villages near Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”

28“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other prophets.”

29Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

Peter replied, “You are the Messiah.*”

30But Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

31Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man* must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead. 32As he talked about this openly with his disciples, Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things.*

33Jesus turned around and looked at his disciples, then reprimanded Peter. “Get away from me, Satan!” he said. “You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

34Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. 35If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. 36And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?* 37Is anything worth more than your soul? 38If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Mark 9

1Jesus went on to say, “I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God arrive in great power!”

2Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed, 3and his clothes became dazzling white, far whiter than any earthly bleach could ever make them. 4Then Elijah and Moses appeared and began talking with Jesus.

5Peter exclaimed, “Rabbi, it’s wonderful for us to be here! Let’s make three shelters as memorials*—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6He said this because he didn’t really know what else to say, for they were all terrified.

7Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him.” 8Suddenly, when they looked around, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus with them.

9As they went back down the mountain, he told them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man* had risen from the dead. 10So they kept it to themselves, but they often asked each other what he meant by “rising from the dead.”

11Then they asked him, “Why do the teachers of religious law insist that Elijah must return before the Messiah comes?*”

12Jesus responded, “Elijah is indeed coming first to get everything ready. Yet why do the Scriptures say that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be treated with utter contempt? 13But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they chose to abuse him, just as the Scriptures predicted.”

14When they returned to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd surrounding them, and some teachers of religious law were arguing with them. 15When the crowd saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with awe, and they ran to greet him.

16“What is all this arguing about?” Jesus asked.

17One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. 18And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid.* So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.”

19Jesus said to them,* “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

20So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.

21“How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father.

He replied, “Since he was a little boy. 22The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.”

23“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”

24The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

25When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil* spirit. “Listen, you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak,” he said. “I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!”

26Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd as people said, “He’s dead.” 27But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up.

28Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, “Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?”

29Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer.*”

30Leaving that region, they traveled through Galilee. Jesus didn’t want anyone to know he was there, 31for he wanted to spend more time with his disciples and teach them. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. He will be killed, but three days later he will rise from the dead.” 32They didn’t understand what he was saying, however, and they were afraid to ask him what he meant.

33After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked his disciples, “What were you discussing out on the road?” 34But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. 35He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”

36Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37“Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf* welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me.”

38John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he wasn’t in our group.”

39“Don’t stop him!” Jesus said. “No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. 40Anyone who is not against us is for us. 41If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong to the Messiah, I tell you the truth, that person will surely be rewarded.

42“But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck. 43If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand than to go into the unquenchable fires of hell* with two hands.* 45If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one foot than to be thrown into hell with two feet.* 47And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. It’s better to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48‘where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out.’*

49“For everyone will be tested with fire.* 50Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with each other.”

Mark 10

1Then Jesus left Capernaum and went down to the region of Judea and into the area east of the Jordan River. Once again crowds gathered around him, and as usual he was teaching them.

2Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife?”

3Jesus answered them with a question: “What did Moses say in the law about divorce?”

4“Well, he permitted it,” they replied. “He said a man can give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away.”*

5But Jesus responded, “He wrote this commandment only as a concession to your hard hearts. 6But ‘God made them male and female’* from the beginning of creation. 7‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife,* 8and the two are united into one.’* Since they are no longer two but one, 9let no one split apart what God has joined together.”

10Later, when he was alone with his disciples in the house, they brought up the subject again. 11He told them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery against her. 12And if a woman divorces her husband and marries someone else, she commits adultery.”

13One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.

14When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. 15I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” 16Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.

17As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

18“Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. 19But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’*”

20“Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”

21Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

22At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

23Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” 24This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard* to enter the Kingdom of God. 25In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

26The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.

27Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”

28Then Peter began to speak up. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said.

29“Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, 30will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. 31But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.*”

32They were now on the way up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were filled with awe, and the people following behind were overwhelmed with fear. Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus once more began to describe everything that was about to happen to him. 33“Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man* will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die and hand him over to the Romans.* 34They will mock him, spit on him, flog him with a whip, and kill him, but after three days he will rise again.”

35Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over and spoke to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do us a favor.”

36“What is your request?” he asked.

37They replied, “When you sit on your glorious throne, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”

38But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?”

39“Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”

Then Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup and be baptized with my baptism of suffering. 40But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. God has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”

41When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. 42So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 43But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 44and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. 45For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

46Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road. 47When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

48“Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him.

But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

49When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.”

So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, he’s calling you!” 50Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.

51“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked.

“My Rabbi,*” the blind man said, “I want to see!”

52And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road.*

Day 13 READ MARK 11–13

Signs of the Servant

OVERVIEW

Mark, who has written seven chapters covering the first three years of Jesus’ active ministry and three chapters describing the next six months, now devotes six chapters—about 40 percent of his book—to the final eight days. Throughout this last week Jesus’ activities revolve around the Temple as he confronts “the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders” with his irrefutable claims. Though the adoring cries of “Praise God!” announce his arrival in Jerusalem, only a few days later he will hear the frenzied cry, “Crucify him!” Jesus is now taking his final steps toward the cross.

MY DAILY WALK

Sometimes it’s difficult to remember that the people living in Jesus’ day did not have the New Testament to read. They knew no John 3:16 to declare the good news of the gospel, no Romans 3:23-24 to explain the significance of the cross, no Ephesians 2:1-10 to describe the miracle of new life in Jesus Christ. They anticipated and understood the events of their day through the lens of the Old Testament: the law of Moses, the predictions of the prophets, the word pictures contained in the Psalms and other poetic books.

Mark draws heavily on that vital material to show the significance of events during Christ’s final days on earth. Put yourself in the sandals of a first-century Jew. See if you can walk your way through today’s section by reading these Old Testament passages in sequence: Psalm 118:25-26; Isaiah 56:7; Jeremiah 7:11; Psalm 118:22-23; Exodus 3:6; Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Leviticus 19:18; Psalm 110:1; Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11; Isaiah 13:10.

JESUS CHRIST IS GOD’S EVERYTHING FOR EVERYONE’S TOTAL NEED.

INSIGHT

The Unridden Donkey | Mark 11:2

In Old Testament times an object to be consecrated to God—set apart for special service—could never have been used previously for common purposes (Numbers 19:2; 1 Samuel 6:7). This may explain why Christ selected a young colt that had never been ridden (Mark 11:2) and why he would later be buried in a new tomb that had never been occupied (Luke 23:53).

INSIGHT

From One Rock to Another | Mark 12:11

Jesus’ quote of Psalm 118:22 appears five times in the New Testament: this instance (Mark 12:10-11) and similar accounts in Matthew and Luke, and twice by one other person. Read Acts 4:11 and 1 Peter 2:7 to find out who. Then read Matthew 16:18 to find out why this person might have utilized “the cornerstone concept” more than others.

Mark 11

1As Jesus and his disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. 2“Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3If anyone asks, ‘What are you doing?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it and will return it soon.’”

4The two disciples left and found the colt standing in the street, tied outside the front door. 5As they were untying it, some bystanders demanded, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6They said what Jesus had told them to say, and they were permitted to take it. 7Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it, and he sat on it.

8Many in the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others spread leafy branches they had cut in the fields. 9Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting,

“Praise God!*

Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!

10Blessings on the coming Kingdom of our ancestor David!

Praise God in highest heaven!”*

11So Jesus came to Jerusalem and went into the Temple. After looking around carefully at everything, he left because it was late in the afternoon. Then he returned to Bethany with the twelve disciples.

12The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13He noticed a fig tree in full leaf a little way off, so he went over to see if he could find any figs. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. 14Then Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat your fruit again!” And the disciples heard him say it.

15When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, 16and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace.* 17He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.”*

18When the leading priests and teachers of religious law heard what Jesus had done, they began planning how to kill him. But they were afraid of him because the people were so amazed at his teaching.

19That evening Jesus and the disciples left* the city.

20The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up. 21Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree on the previous day and exclaimed, “Look, Rabbi! The fig tree you cursed has withered and died!”

22Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. 23I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. 24I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. 25But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.*”

27Again they entered Jerusalem. As Jesus was walking through the Temple area, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders came up to him. 28They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right to do them?”

29“I’ll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question,” Jesus replied. 30“Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human? Answer me!”

31They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn’t believe John. 32But do we dare say it was merely human?” For they were afraid of what the people would do, because everyone believed that John was a prophet. 33So they finally replied, “We don’t know.”

And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Mark 12

1Then Jesus began teaching them with stories: “A man planted a vineyard. He built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country. 2At the time of the grape harvest, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. 3But the farmers grabbed the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed. 4The owner then sent another servant, but they insulted him and beat him over the head. 5The next servant he sent was killed. Others he sent were either beaten or killed, 6until there was only one left—his son whom he loved dearly. The owner finally sent him, thinking, ‘Surely they will respect my son.’

7“But the tenant farmers said to one another, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’ 8So they grabbed him and murdered him and threw his body out of the vineyard.

9“What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do?” Jesus asked. “I’ll tell you—he will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others. 10Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures?

‘The stone that the builders rejected

has now become the cornerstone.

11This is the LORD’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.’*”

12The religious leaders* wanted to arrest Jesus because they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. But they were afraid of the crowd, so they left him and went away.

13Later the leaders sent some Pharisees and supporters of Herod to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. 14“Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. You teach the way of God truthfully. Now tell us—is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? 15Should we pay them, or shouldn’t we?”

Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you trying to trap me? Show me a Roman coin,* and I’ll tell you.” 16When they handed it to him, he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

17“Well, then,” Jesus said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”

His reply completely amazed them.

18Then Jesus was approached by some Sadducees—religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead. They posed this question: 19“Teacher, Moses gave us a law that if a man dies, leaving a wife without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother’s name.* 20Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children. 21So the second brother married the widow, but he also died without children. Then the third brother married her. 22This continued with all seven of them, and still there were no children. Last of all, the woman also died. 23So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her.”

24Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God. 25For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven.

26“But now, as to whether the dead will be raised—haven’t you ever read about this in the writings of Moses, in the story of the burning bush? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said to Moses,* ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’* 27So he is the God of the living, not the dead. You have made a serious error.”

28One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

29Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD. 30And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’* 31The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’* No other commandment is greater than these.”

32The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. 33And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.”

34Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.

35Later, as Jesus was teaching the people in the Temple, he asked, “Why do the teachers of religious law claim that the Messiah is the son of David? 36For David himself, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said,

‘The LORD said to my Lord,

Sit in the place of honor at my right hand

until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.’*

37Since David himself called the Messiah ‘my Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?” The large crowd listened to him with great delight.

38Jesus also taught: “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. 39And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets. 40Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be more severely punished.”

41Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. 42Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.*

43Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. 44For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”

Mark 13

1As Jesus was leaving the Temple that day, one of his disciples said, “Teacher, look at these magnificent buildings! Look at the impressive stones in the walls.”

2Jesus replied, “Yes, look at these great buildings. But they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!”

3Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives across the valley from the Temple. Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to him privately and asked him, 4“Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will show us that these things are about to be fulfilled?”

5Jesus replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, 6for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’* They will deceive many. 7And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. 8Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, as well as famines. But this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.

9“When these things begin to happen, watch out! You will be handed over to the local councils and beaten in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me.* 10For the Good News must first be preached to all nations.* 11But when you are arrested and stand trial, don’t worry in advance about what to say. Just say what God tells you at that time, for it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

12“A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed. 13And everyone will hate you because you are my followers.* But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

14“The day is coming when you will see the sacrilegious object that causes desecration* standing where he* should not be.” (Reader, pay attention!) “Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. 15A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. 16A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat. 17How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. 18And pray that your flight will not be in winter. 19For there will be greater anguish in those days than at any time since God created the world. And it will never be so great again. 20In fact, unless the Lord shortens that time of calamity, not a single person will survive. But for the sake of his chosen ones he has shortened those days.

21“Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. 22For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. 23Watch out! I have warned you about this ahead of time!

24“At that time, after the anguish of those days,

the sun will be darkened,

the moon will give no light,

25the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.*

26Then everyone will see the Son of Man* coming on the clouds with great power and glory.* 27And he will send out his angels to gather his chosen ones from all over the world*—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.

28“Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. 29In the same way, when you see all these things taking place, you can know that his return is very near, right at the door. 30I tell you the truth, this generation* will not pass from the scene before all these things take place. 31Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

32“However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. 33And since you don’t know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert*!

34“The coming of the Son of Man can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. When he left home, he gave each of his slaves instructions about the work they were to do, and he told the gatekeeper to watch for his return. 35You, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know when the master of the household will return—in the evening, at midnight, before dawn, or at daybreak. 36Don’t let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning. 37I say to you what I say to everyone: Watch for him!”

Day 14 Reflection & Worship

Committed to the Task

THOSE ON THE ROAD TO HEAVEN WILL NOT BE CONTENT TO GO THERE ALONE.

LOOK BACK The final week of Jesus’ life is so important that about 40 percent of the verses in the four Gospel accounts focus on the “week that changed the world.” This past week you have read Matthew’s account, and tomorrow you will finish reading Mark’s (and in the next three weeks you’ll come to Luke’s and John’s record of that week). Notice which elements are repeated, which are omitted, and which are elaborated upon by the different Gospel writers. In each case, the author’s intent is not to confuse you but to convince you that Jesus is indeed

the King of the Jews (Matthew)

the Selfless Servant (Mark)

the Son of Man (Luke)

the Son of God (John)

As you see the final days of Jesus’ life through the eyes of a tax collector (Matthew), a missionary (Mark), a physician (Luke), and a fisherman (John), don’t be surprised if your vision is sharpened to see his purpose in coming and his purpose for leaving you here on earth until his return.

LOOK UP Last words have a tendency to be lasting words. And the final utterances of Jesus are no different.

The Great Commission is the name given to the final marching orders Jesus delivered to his disciples just before his Ascension. You’ll find the Great Commission in each of the four Gospel accounts and (for good measure) in the book of Acts. Take a few moments to look up each of the following verses, and on a separate sheet of paper write down in your own words what Jesus told his disciples to do while he was away preparing an eternal home for them:

Matthew 28:19-20

Mark 16:15

Luke 24:47

John 20:21

Acts 1:8

LOOK AHEAD Coca-Cola . . . Honda . . . Microsoft . . . Why is it that a cola or car or computer software can become a household word in places most people can hardly find on a map, while the good news of Jesus Christ remains a mystery to millions nearly twenty centuries after the news first broke?

Is it because their “product” has a better name than ours? Not likely. After all, we’re introducing people to the one whose name is so majestic that it fills the earth (Psalm 8:1).

Is it because their “product” is better for you than ours? Hardly. We have the privilege of introducing people to the bread of life and the living water.

Is it because their budget is bigger than ours? Maybe. And yet, more than two billion dollars are invested in world missions every year.

Or is it perhaps because they are simply more committed to their commission than we as Christians are committed to ours? It’s well worth pondering and praying over.

Day 15 READ MARK 14–16

Suffering of the Servant

OVERVIEW

While the devout Jews prepare for the Passover celebration, the chief priests prepare for an execution. The target of their conspiracy: Jesus of Nazareth, the Passover Lamb of God. Judas’s treachery and Jesus’ last supper with his disciples set the stage for his arrest, trial, flogging, crucifixion, and burial. But the story is not finished. On the third day, he will rise from the dead, securing salvation for all who trust in him.

MY DAILY WALK

What if . . .? Pretend for a moment that the book of Mark ended at 15:37. Would that change the way you face life today?

The apostle Paul wrote an entire chapter probing the question, “What if Jesus had died . . . and that was all?” See if you agree with his conclusions (1 Corinthians 15:12-19).

Faith in Christ would be useless (v. 14).

Christians would be liars (v. 15).

Christians would still be condemned for their sins (v. 17).

Deceased Christians would be hopelessly lost (v. 18).

Christians would be the most miserable people alive (v. 19).

Now read Paul’s triumphant declaration in verse 20 (the same message all the Gospel writers declare). The heart of Christianity is Christ’s resurrection. In the margin jot down three life-changing implications of that truth from 1 Corinthians 15:20-28. The message of Easter is not “What if?” but “Because he lives!”

JESUS CHRIST CHANGED SUNSET INTO SUNRISE.

INSIGHT

Passover’s Population Bulge | Mark 14:2

Why did the chief priests want to wait until after the Passover to apprehend Jesus? Perhaps because Jerusalem’s population skyrocketed from about fifty thousand to several hundred thousand each year during the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. In a city flooded by pilgrims from different regions, any disturbances could have caused a large-scale riot (14:2).

INSIGHT

An Eyewitness Account? | Mark 14:50-52

The young man must have woken up from the commotion and gone hastily to see what it was all about, because he was only wearing one piece of clothing—probably a cloak that served as both an outer garment and a prayer shawl. Because Mark is the only Gospel writer to record this event, many commentators speculate that the young man was none other than the author himself (14:50-52).

Mark 14

1It was now two days before Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The leading priests and the teachers of religious law were still looking for an opportunity to capture Jesus secretly and kill him. 2“But not during the Passover celebration,” they agreed, “or the people may riot.”

3Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating,* a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head.

4Some of those at the table were indignant. “Why waste such expensive perfume?” they asked. 5“It could have been sold for a year’s wages* and the money given to the poor!” So they scolded her harshly.

6But Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why criticize her for doing such a good thing to me? 7You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But you will not always have me. 8She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. 9I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”

10Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests to arrange to betray Jesus to them. 11They were delighted when they heard why he had come, and they promised to give him money. So he began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

12On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go to prepare the Passover meal for you?”

13So Jesus sent two of them into Jerusalem with these instructions: “As you go into the city, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him. 14At the house he enters, say to the owner, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ 15He will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up. That is where you should prepare our meal.” 16So the two disciples went into the city and found everything just as Jesus had said, and they prepared the Passover meal there.

17In the evening Jesus arrived with the Twelve. 18As they were at the table* eating, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, one of you eating with me here will betray me.”

19Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one?”

20He replied, “It is one of you twelve who is eating from this bowl with me. 21For the Son of Man* must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!”

22As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it, for this is my body.”

23And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24And he said to them, “This is my blood, which confirms the covenant* between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice for many. 25I tell you the truth, I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.”

26Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.

27On the way, Jesus told them, “All of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say,

‘God will strike* the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’

28But after I am raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.”

29Peter said to him, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will.”

30Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me.”

31“No!” Peter declared emphatically. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the others vowed the same.

32They went to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, “Sit here while I go and pray.” 33He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he became deeply troubled and distressed. 34He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

35He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. 36“Abba, Father,”* he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

37Then he returned and found the disciples asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? 38Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

39Then Jesus left them again and prayed the same prayer as before. 40When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open. And they didn’t know what to say.

41When he returned to them the third time, he said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But no—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”

43And immediately, even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders. 44The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss. Then you can take him away under guard.” 45As soon as they arrived, Judas walked up to Jesus. “Rabbi!” he exclaimed, and gave him the kiss.

46Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 47But one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear.

48Jesus asked them, “Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? 49Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there among you teaching every day. But these things are happening to fulfill what the Scriptures say about me.”

50Then all his disciples deserted him and ran away. 51One young man following behind was clothed only in a long linen shirt. When the mob tried to grab him, 52he slipped out of his shirt and ran away naked.

53They took Jesus to the high priest’s home where the leading priests, the elders, and the teachers of religious law had gathered. 54Meanwhile, Peter followed him at a distance and went right into the high priest’s courtyard. There he sat with the guards, warming himself by the fire.

55Inside, the leading priests and the entire high council* were trying to find evidence against Jesus, so they could put him to death. But they couldn’t find any. 56Many false witnesses spoke against him, but they contradicted each other. 57Finally, some men stood up and gave this false testimony: 58“We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this Temple made with human hands, and in three days I will build another, made without human hands.’” 59But even then they didn’t get their stories straight!

60Then the high priest stood up before the others and asked Jesus, “Well, aren’t you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for yourself?” 61But Jesus was silent and made no reply. Then the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”

62Jesus said, “I AM.* And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand* and coming on the clouds of heaven.*”

63Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Why do we need other witnesses? 64You have all heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?”

“Guilty!” they all cried. “He deserves to die!”

65Then some of them began to spit at him, and they blindfolded him and beat him with their fists. “Prophesy to us,” they jeered. And the guards slapped him as they took him away.

66Meanwhile, Peter was in the courtyard below. One of the servant girls who worked for the high priest came by 67and noticed Peter warming himself at the fire. She looked at him closely and said, “You were one of those with Jesus of Nazareth.*”

68But Peter denied it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, and he went out into the entryway. Just then, a rooster crowed.*

69When the servant girl saw him standing there, she began telling the others, “This man is definitely one of them!” 70But Peter denied it again.

A little later some of the other bystanders confronted Peter and said, “You must be one of them, because you are a Galilean.”

71Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know this man you’re talking about!” 72And immediately the rooster crowed the second time.

Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he broke down and wept.

Mark 15

1Very early in the morning the leading priests, the elders, and the teachers of religious law—the entire high council*—met to discuss their next step. They bound Jesus, led him away, and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor.

2Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

Jesus replied, “You have said it.”

3Then the leading priests kept accusing him of many crimes, 4and Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer them? What about all these charges they are bringing against you?” 5But Jesus said nothing, much to Pilate’s surprise.

6Now it was the governor’s custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner—anyone the people requested. 7One of the prisoners at that time was Barabbas, a revolutionary who had committed murder in an uprising. 8The crowd went to Pilate and asked him to release a prisoner as usual.

9“Would you like me to release to you this ‘King of the Jews’?” Pilate asked. 10(For he realized by now that the leading priests had arrested Jesus out of envy.) 11But at this point the leading priests stirred up the crowd to demand the release of Barabbas instead of Jesus. 12Pilate asked them, “Then what should I do with this man you call the king of the Jews?”

13They shouted back, “Crucify him!”

14“Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?”

But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!”

15So to pacify the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.

16The soldiers took Jesus into the courtyard of the governor’s headquarters (called the Praetorium) and called out the entire regiment. 17They dressed him in a purple robe, and they wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head. 18Then they saluted him and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” 19And they struck him on the head with a reed stick, spit on him, and dropped to their knees in mock worship. 20When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.

21A passerby named Simon, who was from Cyrene,* was coming in from the countryside just then, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. (Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus.) 22And they brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). 23They offered him wine drugged with myrrh, but he refused it.

24Then the soldiers nailed him to the cross. They divided his clothes and threw dice* to decide who would get each piece. 25It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. 26A sign announced the charge against him. It read, “The King of the Jews.” 27Two revolutionaries* were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.*

29The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. “Ha! Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. 30Well then, save yourself and come down from the cross!”

31The leading priests and teachers of religious law also mocked Jesus. “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! 32Let this Messiah, this King of Israel, come down from the cross so we can see it and believe him!” Even the men who were crucified with Jesus ridiculed him.

33At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 34Then at three o’clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”*

35Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. 36One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. “Wait!” he said. “Let’s see whether Elijah comes to take him down!”

37Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last. 38And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.

39When the Roman officer* who stood facing him* saw how he had died, he exclaimed, “This man truly was the Son of God!”

40Some women were there, watching from a distance, including Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James the younger and of Joseph*), and Salome. 41They had been followers of Jesus and had cared for him while he was in Galilee. Many other women who had come with him to Jerusalem were also there.

42This all happened on Friday, the day of preparation,* the day before the Sabbath. As evening approached, 43Joseph of Arimathea took a risk and went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. (Joseph was an honored member of the high council, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.) 44Pilate couldn’t believe that Jesus was already dead, so he called for the Roman officer and asked if he had died yet. 45The officer confirmed that Jesus was dead, so Pilate told Joseph he could have the body. 46Joseph bought a long sheet of linen cloth. Then he took Jesus’ body down from the cross, wrapped it in the cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone in front of the entrance. 47Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where Jesus’ body was laid.

Mark 16

1Saturday evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went out and purchased burial spices so they could anoint Jesus’ body. 2Very early on Sunday morning,* just at sunrise, they went to the tomb. 3On the way they were asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” 4But as they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled aside.

5When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked, 6but the angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth,* who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body. 7Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died.”

8The women fled from the tomb, trembling and bewildered, and they said nothing to anyone because they were too frightened.*

Then they briefly reported all this to Peter and his companions. Afterward Jesus himself sent them out from east to west with the sacred and unfailing message of salvation that gives eternal life. Amen.

9After Jesus rose from the dead early on Sunday morning, the first person who saw him was Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10She went to the disciples, who were grieving and weeping, and told them what had happened. 11But when she told them that Jesus was alive and she had seen him, they didn’t believe her.

12Afterward he appeared in a different form to two of his followers who were walking from Jerusalem into the country. 13They rushed back to tell the others, but no one believed them.

14Still later he appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked them for their stubborn unbelief because they refused to believe those who had seen him after he had been raised from the dead.*

15And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. 16Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. 17These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages.* 18They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.”

19When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 20And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs.

Day 16 READ LUKE 1–2

Advent of the Son of Man

OVERVIEW

A careful historian, Luke attends to the details of Jesus’ life to a greater extent than the other Gospel writers. He begins with the angelic announcements of two miraculous births: John the forerunner, who would prepare the way for the Messiah, and Jesus the “Christ” (or “Messiah”), who would be born of a virgin. The arrival of the Christ child is described in meticulous detail, as you would expect from a physician. Angelic hosts and humble shepherds proclaim his arrival. The law is fulfilled in the infant Jesus’ circumcision. Simeon and Anna, representatives of Israel’s godly remnant, proclaim his identity. The silent years of childhood in Nazareth are broken only when we get a glimpse of an amazing child in the Temple at age twelve, an event that foreshadows the ministry of the Perfect Man.

MY DAILY WALK

How abandoned are you to the will of God? How much of your life is available for God to direct? Have you given him your finances? your social relationships? your career plans? your family?

Consider the case of a young Jewish girl named Mary. God-fearing, virtuous, engaged, and no doubt full of dreams for the future, Mary was confronted by the angel Gabriel who announced she was God’s choice to bear the Messiah. What must have gone through her mind? Who will believe I have conceived as a virgin? How will Joseph react to the news? What will happen to our wedding plans? What will my parents and friends think? In spite of her questions, Mary’s response was faith-inspired. “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true” (1:38).

God will never ask of you what he did of Mary, but he desires the same attitude from you: abandonment, availability, allegiance. Now go back and reread the questions in the first paragraph.

WHEN YOU PRAY, MAKE SURE YOUR WILL IS IN NEUTRAL SO GOD CAN SHIFT IT.

INSIGHT

Know Your Angels by Name | Luke 1:26

Two angels are explicitly named in the Bible: Gabriel, the revealing angel (Daniel 8:16; 9:21; Luke 1:19, 26); and Michael, the archangel (Daniel 10:13, 21; 12:1; Jude 1:9; Revelation 12:7).

INSIGHT

Messiah or Christ? | Luke 2:11

In the Old Testament, priests, prophets, and kings were consecrated to their offices by being anointed with oil. The Hebrew word for “anointed” is mashiach—or “messiah.” That word is translated into Greek as christos—or “Christ” (2:11). Jews highly anticipated the coming of this Anointed One, the Messiah, or Christ. When we speak of “Jesus Christ” or “Jesus the Messiah,” it’s more than a name. We are describing his anointing to the offices of priest, prophet, and king.

INSIGHT

Straight to the Source | Luke 2:51

Matthew and Luke take their histories as far back as Jesus’ birth, but Luke’s account is much more detailed, even relating many of Mary’s thoughts (2:51)—suggesting that much of his information may have come directly from her.

Luke

LUKE, a Greek physician and missionary companion of the apostle Paul, intends his Gospel—along with the book of Acts—to be a primer for a new Christian named Theophilus. Luke stresses the humanity of Jesus as the one who understands people’s weaknesses and cares for their needs. Luke’s interest in historical accuracy leads him, under divine inspiration, to research and record the details of Jesus’ life, including his ancestry, social contacts, and life of prayer and compassion.

Vital Statistics

■ AUTHOR: Luke, a Gentile physician and associate of Paul.

■ DATE WRITTEN: Around a.d. 60.

■ PURPOSE: To present an accurate account of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.

■ THEMES: Jesus Christ the Savior, the Holy Spirit, compassion for the oppressed, salvation for Gentiles.

Luke 1

1Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. 2They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples.* 3Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write a careful account for you, most honorable Theophilus, 4so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.

5When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. 6Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. 7They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.

8One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. 9As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. 10While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.

11While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. 12Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. 13But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. 14You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth.* 16And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. 17He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children,* and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”

18Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”

19Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! 20But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”

21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long. 22When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary.

23When Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home. 24Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. 25“How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”

26In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!*”

29Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30“Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33And he will reign over Israel* forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

34Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

35The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. 37For the word of God will never fail.*”

38Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

39A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. 41At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. 43Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? 44When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. 45You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”

46Mary responded,

“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.

47How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!

48For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed.

49For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me.

50He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him.

51His mighty arm has done tremendous things!

He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.

52He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble.

53He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands.

54He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful.

55For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.”

56Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.

57When it was time for Elizabeth’s baby to be born, she gave birth to a son. 58And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her.

59When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!”

61“What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.” 62So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to name him. 63He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John.” 64Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God.

65Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. 66Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, “What will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way.

67Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy:

68“Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people.

69He has sent us a mighty Savior*

from the royal line of his servant David,

70just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago.

71Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us.

72He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant— 73the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham.

74We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear,

75in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live.

76“And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High,

because you will prepare the way for the Lord.

77You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins.

78Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,*

79to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.”

80John grew up and became strong in spirit. And he lived in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.

Luke 2

1At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2(This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 4And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant.

6And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

8That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

13Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

14“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

15When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

21Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.

22Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 23The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the LORD.”* 24So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”*

25At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him 26and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, 28Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,

29“Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised.

30I have seen your salvation, 31which you have prepared for all people.

32He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”

33Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. 34Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. 35As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.”

36Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. 37Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four.* She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. 38She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.

39When Jesus’ parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. 40There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.

41Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. 42When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. 43After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first, 44because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends.

45When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. 46Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. 47All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

48His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.”

49“But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”* 50But they didn’t understand what he meant.

51Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart.

52Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.

Day 17 READ LUKE 3–6

Authority of the Son of Man

OVERVIEW

Before Jesus can begin his public ministry, he undertakes a period of necessary preparation that will show that he is worthy to minister. John, the promised forerunner, baptizes Jesus in the Jordan—an occasion marked by an audible voice from heaven declaring God’s approval of his beloved Son. The character and obedience of Jesus are tested through a series of temptations by Satan in the wilderness. Again Jesus emerges victorious. Returning “to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power” (4:14), Jesus is ready to begin his earthly ministry as the approved, obedient Savior sent from God. He is the long-awaited Anointed One, the Messiah.

MY DAILY WALK

How important is Scripture memory in your daily routine? Is it something you do hit-or-miss? (Usually that will result in missing more than you hit.) Study carefully Jesus’ defense against the attacks of Satan (4:1-13). He did not preach; he did not argue; he merely quoted Scripture from the Old Testament. Three times Jesus responded, “The Scriptures say” (4:4, 8, 12). Even more surprising, he quoted from a book of the Old Testament that most Christians have trouble spelling, much less explaining.

How well stocked are you with scriptural ammunition to counter the attacks of Satan? One good source of ammunition is a supply of memorized verses. Stop by your local Christian bookstore, or ask your pastor to recommend a plan. Also consider asking a friend or family member to listen as you recite your verses from time to time. Begin with a single verse and learn it well. You might want to start with one of the three verses that Christ found to be valuable in his own personal struggles with Satan: Deuteronomy 6:13, 16; 8:3.

APPLY YOURSELF WHOLLY TO THE SCRIPTURES AND THE SCRIPTURES WHOLLY TO YOURSELF.

INSIGHT

The King and the Curse | Luke 3:31

God had promised David that his descendants would rule forever (2 Samuel 7:10-16). Although some of David’s descendants proved not to be worthy of the throne, notably Jehoiachin, Jesus is the perfect descendant of David (Luke 3:23-31). He truly is a righteous ruler, and in him God’s promise to David is eternally fulfilled.

INSIGHT

Significant Preparation for a Significant Decision | Luke 6:12

What steps of preparation do you take before making a major decision in your life? Notice what Jesus did the night before he selected the twelve disciples: “One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night” (6:12).

Luke 3

1It was now the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius, the Roman emperor. Pontius Pilate was governor over Judea; Herod Antipas was ruler* over Galilee; his brother Philip was ruler* over Iturea and Traconitis; Lysanias was ruler over Abilene. 2Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests. At this time a message from God came to John son of Zechariah, who was living in the wilderness. 3Then John went from place to place on both sides of the Jordan River, preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. 4Isaiah had spoken of John when he said,

“He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,

‘Prepare the way for the LORD’s coming!

Clear the road for him!

5The valleys will be filled, and the mountains and hills made level.

The curves will be straightened,

and the rough places made smooth.

6And then all people will see the salvation sent from God.’”*

7When the crowds came to John for baptism, he said, “You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee God’s coming wrath? 8Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. 9Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.”

10The crowds asked, “What should we do?”

11John replied, “If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.”

12Even corrupt tax collectors came to be baptized and asked, “Teacher, what should we do?”

13He replied, “Collect no more taxes than the government requires.”

14“What should we do?” asked some soldiers.

John replied, “Don’t extort money or make false accusations. And be content with your pay.”

15Everyone was expecting the Messiah to come soon, and they were eager to know whether John might be the Messiah. 16John answered their questions by saying, “I baptize you with* water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.* 17He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.” 18John used many such warnings as he announced the Good News to the people.

19John also publicly criticized Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee,* for marrying Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for many other wrongs he had done. 20So Herod put John in prison, adding this sin to his many others.

21One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened, 22and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.*”

23Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his public ministry.

Jesus was known as the son of Joseph.

Joseph was the son of Heli.

24Heli was the son of Matthat.

Matthat was the son of Levi.

Levi was the son of Melki.

Melki was the son of Jannai.

Jannai was the son of Joseph.

25Joseph was the son of Mattathias.

Mattathias was the son of Amos.

Amos was the son of Nahum.

Nahum was the son of Esli.

Esli was the son of Naggai.

26Naggai was the son of Maath.

Maath was the son of Mattathias.

Mattathias was the son of Semein.

Semein was the son of Josech.

Josech was the son of Joda.

27Joda was the son of Joanan.

Joanan was the son of Rhesa.

Rhesa was the son of Zerubbabel.

Zerubbabel was the son of Shealtiel.

Shealtiel was the son of Neri.

28Neri was the son of Melki.

Melki was the son of Addi.

Addi was the son of Cosam.

Cosam was the son of Elmadam.

Elmadam was the son of Er.

29Er was the son of Joshua.

Joshua was the son of Eliezer.

Eliezer was the son of Jorim.

Jorim was the son of Matthat.

Matthat was the son of Levi.

30Levi was the son of Simeon.

Simeon was the son of Judah.

Judah was the son of Joseph.

Joseph was the son of Jonam.

Jonam was the son of Eliakim.

31Eliakim was the son of Melea.

Melea was the son of Menna.

Menna was the son of Mattatha.

Mattatha was the son of Nathan.

Nathan was the son of David.

32David was the son of Jesse.

Jesse was the son of Obed.

Obed was the son of Boaz.

Boaz was the son of Salmon.*

Salmon was the son of Nahshon.

33Nahshon was the son of Amminadab.

Amminadab was the son of Admin.

Admin was the son of Arni.*

Arni was the son of Hezron.

Hezron was the son of Perez.

Perez was the son of Judah.

34Judah was the son of Jacob.

Jacob was the son of Isaac.

Isaac was the son of Abraham.

Abraham was the son of Terah.

Terah was the son of Nahor.

35Nahor was the son of Serug.

Serug was the son of Reu.

Reu was the son of Peleg.

Peleg was the son of Eber.

Eber was the son of Shelah.

36Shelah was the son of Cainan.

Cainan was the son of Arphaxad.

Arphaxad was the son of Shem.

Shem was the son of Noah.

Noah was the son of Lamech.

37Lamech was the son of Methuselah.

Methuselah was the son of Enoch.

Enoch was the son of Jared.

Jared was the son of Mahalalel.

Mahalalel was the son of Kenan.

38Kenan was the son of Enosh.*

Enosh was the son of Seth.

Seth was the son of Adam.

Adam was the son of God.

Luke 4

1Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness,* 2where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry.

3Then the devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread.”

4But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone.’*”

5Then the devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6“I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,” the devil said, “because they are mine to give to anyone I please. 7I will give it all to you if you will worship me.”

8Jesus replied, “The Scriptures say,

‘You must worship the LORD your God and serve only him.’*”

9Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! 10For the Scriptures say,

‘He will order his angels to protect and guard you.

11And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’*”

12Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the LORD your God.’*”

13When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came.

14Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region. 15He taught regularly in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

16When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. 17The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written:

18“The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see,

that the oppressed will be set free,

19and that the time of the LORD’s favor has come.*”

20He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. 21Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!”

22Everyone spoke well of him and was amazed by the gracious words that came from his lips. “How can this be?” they asked. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”

23Then he said, “You will undoubtedly quote me this proverb: ‘Physician, heal yourself’—meaning, ‘Do miracles here in your hometown like those you did in Capernaum.’ 24But I tell you the truth, no prophet is accepted in his own hometown.

25“Certainly there were many needy widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the heavens were closed for three and a half years, and a severe famine devastated the land. 26Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them. He was sent instead to a foreigner—a widow of Zarephath in the land of Sidon. 27And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, but the only one healed was Naaman, a Syrian.”

28When they heard this, the people in the synagogue were furious. 29Jumping up, they mobbed him and forced him to the edge of the hill on which the town was built. They intended to push him over the cliff, 30but he passed right through the crowd and went on his way.

31Then Jesus went to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and taught there in the synagogue every Sabbath day. 32There, too, the people were amazed at his teaching, for he spoke with authority.

33Once when he was in the synagogue, a man possessed by a demon—an evil* spirit—began shouting at Jesus, 34“Go away! Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

35Jesus cut him short. “Be quiet! Come out of the man,” he ordered. At that, the demon threw the man to the floor as the crowd watched; then it came out of him without hurting him further.

36Amazed, the people exclaimed, “What authority and power this man’s words possess! Even evil spirits obey him, and they flee at his command!” 37The news about Jesus spread through every village in the entire region.

38After leaving the synagogue that day, Jesus went to Simon’s home, where he found Simon’s mother-in-law very sick with a high fever. “Please heal her,” everyone begged. 39Standing at her bedside, he rebuked the fever, and it left her. And she got up at once and prepared a meal for them.

40As the sun went down that evening, people throughout the village brought sick family members to Jesus. No matter what their diseases were, the touch of his hand healed every one. 41Many were possessed by demons; and the demons came out at his command, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But because they knew he was the Messiah, he rebuked them and refused to let them speak.

42Early the next morning Jesus went out to an isolated place. The crowds searched everywhere for him, and when they finally found him, they begged him not to leave them. 43But he replied, “I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God in other towns, too, because that is why I was sent.” 44So he continued to travel around, preaching in synagogues throughout Judea.*

Luke 5

1One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee,* great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. 2He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 3Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon,* its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.

4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”

5“Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” 6And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! 7A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.

8When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m too much of a sinner to be around you.” 9For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. 10His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed.

Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” 11And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.

12In one of the villages, Jesus met a man with an advanced case of leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground, begging to be healed. “Lord,” he said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.”

13Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared. 14Then Jesus instructed him not to tell anyone what had happened. He said, “Go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy.* This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.”

15But despite Jesus’ instructions, the report of his power spread even faster, and vast crowds came to hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases. 16But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.

17One day while Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and teachers of religious law were sitting nearby. (It seemed that these men showed up from every village in all Galilee and Judea, as well as from Jerusalem.) And the Lord’s healing power was strongly with Jesus.

18Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to take him inside to Jesus, 19but they couldn’t reach him because of the crowd. So they went up to the roof and took off some tiles. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus. 20Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, “Young man, your sins are forgiven.”

21But the Pharisees and teachers of religious law said to themselves, “Who does he think he is? That’s blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!”

22Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? 23Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? 24So I will prove to you that the Son of Man* has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”

25And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped up, picked up his mat, and went home praising God. 26Everyone was gripped with great wonder and awe, and they praised God, exclaiming, “We have seen amazing things today!”

27Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. 28So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.

29Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them. 30But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?*”

31Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. 32I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”

33One day some people said to Jesus, “John the Baptist’s disciples fast and pray regularly, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees. Why are your disciples always eating and drinking?”

34Jesus responded, “Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. 35But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

36Then Jesus gave them this illustration: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to patch an old garment. For then the new garment would be ruined, and the new patch wouldn’t even match the old garment.

37“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the new wine would burst the wineskins, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. 38New wine must be stored in new wineskins. 39But no one who drinks the old wine seems to want the new wine. ‘The old is just fine,’ they say.”

Luke 6

1One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples broke off heads of grain, rubbed off the husks in their hands, and ate the grain. 2But some Pharisees said, “Why are you breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?”

3Jesus replied, “Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4He went into the house of God and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests can eat. He also gave some to his companions.” 5And Jesus added, “The Son of Man* is Lord, even over the Sabbath.”

6On another Sabbath day, a man with a deformed right hand was in the synagogue while Jesus was teaching. 7The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath.

8But Jesus knew their thoughts. He said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” So the man came forward. 9Then Jesus said to his critics, “I have a question for you. Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?”

10He looked around at them one by one and then said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! 11At this, the enemies of Jesus were wild with rage and began to discuss what to do with him.

12One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night. 13At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles. Here are their names:

14Simon (whom he named Peter), Andrew (Peter’s brother),

James,

John,

Philip,

Bartholomew,

15Matthew,

Thomas,

James (son of Alphaeus),

Simon (who was called the zealot),

16Judas (son of James),

Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).

17When they came down from the mountain, the disciples stood with Jesus on a large, level area, surrounded by many of his followers and by the crowds. There were people from all over Judea and from Jerusalem and from as far north as the seacoasts of Tyre and Sidon. 18They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those troubled by evil* spirits were healed. 19Everyone tried to touch him, because healing power went out from him, and he healed everyone.

20Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said,

“God blesses you who are poor,

for the Kingdom of God is yours.

21God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied.

God blesses you who weep now,

for in due time you will laugh.

22What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man. 23When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way.

24“What sorrow awaits you who are rich, for you have your only happiness now.

25What sorrow awaits you who are fat and prosperous now, for a time of awful hunger awaits you.

What sorrow awaits you who laugh now,

for your laughing will turn to mourning and sorrow.

26What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets.

27“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 28Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. 29If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. 30Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. 31Do to others as you would like them to do to you.

32“If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! 33And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! 34And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.

35“Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. 36You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.

37“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. 38Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.*”

39Then Jesus gave the following illustration: “Can one blind person lead another? Won’t they both fall into a ditch? 40Students* are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher.

41“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye* when you have a log in your own? 42How can you think of saying, ‘Friend,* let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.

43“A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 44A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. 45A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.

46“So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? 47I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. 48It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. 49But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.”

Day 18 READ LUKE 7–9

Activities of the Son of Man

OVERVIEW

Today’s reading may leave you just a little breathless. In the space of these three chapters Jesus travels from the region of Galilee to the surrounding provinces east of the Sea of Galilee, north to Caesarea Philippi, and finally south through Samaria. As he travels, the demands on him increase. He is busily engaged in healing the sick, raising the dead, teaching through parables, calming storms, and casting out demons. But Jesus knows his days on earth will be short. So he chooses twelve men—disciples—to whom he delegates his power and authority to minister. This is no halfhearted call to discipleship, for the terms of commitment are drastic indeed (9:23-26, 57-62).

MY DAILY WALK

What would be different about your life if you were a “drastic disciple” of Jesus Christ?

The lessons for disciples and tests of discipleship that are contained in chapter 9 do not make for easy reading. They are painfully pointed, calling for commitment in matters of allegiance, lifestyle, and goals. Christ made the terms of discipleship unmistakably clear. Read the following verses prayerfully, asking yourself, How do I need to change if my Christian life is to reflect this kind of commitment?

“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me” (9:23).

“If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person” (9:26).

“Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God” (9:62).

GOD DESERVES THE SAME PLACE IN YOUR HEART THAT HE HOLDS IN THE UNIVERSE.

INSIGHT

“Listen to Him” | Luke 9:35

Long before Jesus, Moses had foretold that a prophet like himself would come to God’s people. “You must listen to him,” Moses told the Israelites (Deuteronomy 18:15). The voice of God did more than simply advise Peter, James, and John that it was important to listen to Jesus (Luke 9:35). It also confirmed that Jesus was the prophet of whom Moses spoke.

Luke 7

1When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people, he returned to Capernaum. 2At that time the highly valued slave of a Roman officer* was sick and near death. 3When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some respected Jewish elders to ask him to come and heal his slave. 4So they earnestly begged Jesus to help the man. “If anyone deserves your help, he does,” they said, 5“for he loves the Jewish people and even built a synagogue for us.”

6So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at the house, the officer sent some friends to say, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. 7I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. 8I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”

9When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!” 10And when the officer’s friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed.

11Soon afterward Jesus went with his disciples to the village of Nain, and a large crowd followed him. 12A funeral procession was coming out as he approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her. 13When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!” he said. 14Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. “Young man,” he said, “I tell you, get up.” 15Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother.

16Great fear swept the crowd, and they praised God, saying, “A mighty prophet has risen among us,” and “God has visited his people today.” 17And the news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding countryside.

18The disciples of John the Baptist told John about everything Jesus was doing. So John called for two of his disciples, 19and he sent them to the Lord to ask him, “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting,* or should we keep looking for someone else?”

20John’s two disciples found Jesus and said to him, “John the Baptist sent us to ask, ‘Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?’”

21At that very time, Jesus cured many people of their diseases, illnesses, and evil spirits, and he restored sight to many who were blind. 22Then he told John’s disciples, “Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor. 23And tell him, ‘God blesses those who do not turn away because of me.*’”

24After John’s disciples left, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds. “What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by every breath of wind? 25Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? No, people who wear beautiful clothes and live in luxury are found in palaces. 26Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet. 27John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say,

‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,

and he will prepare your way before you.’*

28I tell you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of God is greater than he is!”

29When they heard this, all the people—even the tax collectors—agreed that God’s way was right,* for they had been baptized by John. 30But the Pharisees and experts in religious law rejected God’s plan for them, for they had refused John’s baptism.

31“To what can I compare the people of this generation?” Jesus asked. “How can I describe them? 32They are like children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends,

‘We played wedding songs,

and you didn’t dance,

so we played funeral songs,

and you didn’t weep.’

33For John the Baptist didn’t spend his time eating bread or drinking wine, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’ 34The Son of Man,* on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ 35But wisdom is shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it.*”

36One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat.* 37When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. 38Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.

39When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!”

40Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” he said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.”

“Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied.

41Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver* to one and 50 pieces to the other. 42But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?”

43Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”

“That’s right,” Jesus said. 44Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.

47“I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” 48Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”

49The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?”

50And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Luke 8

1Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him, 2along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons; 3Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing from their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples.

4One day Jesus told a story in the form of a parable to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him: 5“A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it. 6Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture. 7Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants. 8Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” When he had said this, he called out, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

9His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets* of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled:

‘When they look, they won’t really see.

When they hear, they won’t understand.’*

11“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word. 12The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved. 13The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation. 14The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity. 15And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.

16“No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house. 17For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all.

18“So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.”

19Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they couldn’t get to him because of the crowd. 20Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and they want to see you.”

21Jesus replied, “My mother and my brothers are all those who hear God’s word and obey it.”

22One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and started out. 23As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger.

24The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”

When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. 25Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?”

The disciples were terrified and amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!”

26So they arrived in the region of the Gerasenes,* across the lake from Galilee. 27As Jesus was climbing out of the boat, a man who was possessed by demons came out to meet him. For a long time he had been homeless and naked, living in a cemetery outside the town.

28As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down in front of him. Then he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please, I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29For Jesus had already commanded the evil* spirit to come out of him. This spirit had often taken control of the man. Even when he was placed under guard and put in chains and shackles, he simply broke them and rushed out into the wilderness, completely under the demon’s power.

30Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”

“Legion,” he replied, for he was filled with many demons. 31The demons kept begging Jesus not to send them into the bottomless pit.*

32There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby, and the demons begged him to let them enter into the pigs.

So Jesus gave them permission. 33Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned.

34When the herdsmen saw it, they fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. 35People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been freed from the demons. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. 36Then those who had seen what happened told the others how the demon-possessed man had been healed. 37And all the people in the region of the Gerasenes begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone, for a great wave of fear swept over them.

So Jesus returned to the boat and left, crossing back to the other side of the lake. 38The man who had been freed from the demons begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him home, saying, 39“No, go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you.” So he went all through the town proclaiming the great things Jesus had done for him.

40On the other side of the lake the crowds welcomed Jesus, because they had been waiting for him. 41Then a man named Jairus, a leader of the local synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come home with him. 42His only daughter,* who was about twelve years old, was dying.

As Jesus went with him, he was surrounded by the crowds. 43A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding,* and she could find no cure. 44Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped.

45“Who touched me?” Jesus asked.

Everyone denied it, and Peter said, “Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against you.”

46But Jesus said, “Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me.” 47When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. 48“Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

49While he was still speaking to her, a messenger arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. He told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.”

50But when Jesus heard what had happened, he said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith, and she will be healed.”

51When they arrived at the house, Jesus wouldn’t let anyone go in with him except Peter, John, James, and the little girl’s father and mother. 52The house was filled with people weeping and wailing, but he said, “Stop the weeping! She isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.”

53But the crowd laughed at him because they all knew she had died. 54Then Jesus took her by the hand and said in a loud voice, “My child, get up!” 55And at that moment her life* returned, and she immediately stood up! Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56Her parents were overwhelmed, but Jesus insisted that they not tell anyone what had happened.

Luke 9

1One day Jesus called together his twelve disciples* and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. 2Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3“Take nothing for your journey,” he instructed them. “Don’t take a walking stick, a traveler’s bag, food, money,* or even a change of clothes. 4Wherever you go, stay in the same house until you leave town. 5And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.”

6So they began their circuit of the villages, preaching the Good News and healing the sick.

7When Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee,* heard about everything Jesus was doing, he was puzzled. Some were saying that John the Baptist had been raised from the dead. 8Others thought Jesus was Elijah or one of the other prophets risen from the dead.

9“I beheaded John,” Herod said, “so who is this man about whom I hear such stories?” And he kept trying to see him.

10When the apostles returned, they told Jesus everything they had done. Then he slipped quietly away with them toward the town of Bethsaida. 11But the crowds found out where he was going, and they followed him. He welcomed them and taught them about the Kingdom of God, and he healed those who were sick.

12Late in the afternoon the twelve disciples came to him and said, “Send the crowds away to the nearby villages and farms, so they can find food and lodging for the night. There is nothing to eat here in this remote place.”

13But Jesus said, “You feed them.”

“But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Or are you expecting us to go and buy enough food for this whole crowd?” 14For there were about 5,000 men there.

Jesus replied, “Tell them to sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15So the people all sat down. 16Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread and fish to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. 17They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers!

18One day Jesus left the crowds to pray alone. Only his disciples were with him, and he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”

19“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other ancient prophets risen from the dead.”

20Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

Peter replied, “You are the Messiah* sent from God!”

21Jesus warned his disciples not to tell anyone who he was. 22“The Son of Man* must suffer many terrible things,” he said. “He will be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.”

23Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. 24If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 25And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed? 26If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in his glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels. 27I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God.”

28About eight days later Jesus took Peter, John, and James up on a mountain to pray. 29And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white. 30Suddenly, two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared and began talking with Jesus. 31They were glorious to see. And they were speaking about his exodus from this world, which was about to be fulfilled in Jerusalem.

32Peter and the others had fallen asleep. When they woke up, they saw Jesus’ glory and the two men standing with him. 33As Moses and Elijah were starting to leave, Peter, not even knowing what he was saying, blurted out, “Master, it’s wonderful for us to be here! Let’s make three shelters as memorials*—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 34But even as he was saying this, a cloud overshadowed them, and terror gripped them as the cloud covered them.

35Then a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, my Chosen One.* Listen to him.” 36When the voice finished, Jesus was there alone. They didn’t tell anyone at that time what they had seen.

37The next day, after they had come down the mountain, a large crowd met Jesus. 38A man in the crowd called out to him, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, my only child. 39An evil spirit keeps seizing him, making him scream. It throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It batters him and hardly ever leaves him alone. 40I begged your disciples to cast out the spirit, but they couldn’t do it.”

41Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you and put up with you?” Then he said to the man, “Bring your son here.”

42As the boy came forward, the demon knocked him to the ground and threw him into a violent convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil* spirit and healed the boy. Then he gave him back to his father. 43Awe gripped the people as they saw this majestic display of God’s power.

While everyone was marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, 44“Listen to me and remember what I say. The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies.” 45But they didn’t know what he meant. Its significance was hidden from them, so they couldn’t understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.

46Then his disciples began arguing about which of them was the greatest. 47But Jesus knew their thoughts, so he brought a little child to his side. 48Then he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf* welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.”

49John said to Jesus, “Master, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he isn’t in our group.”

50But Jesus said, “Don’t stop him! Anyone who is not against you is for you.”

51As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for his arrival. 53But the people of the village did not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to Jerusalem. 54When James and John saw this, they said to Jesus, “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up*?” 55But Jesus turned and rebuked them.* 56So they went on to another village.

57As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

58But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”

59He said to another person, “Come, follow me.”

The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”

60But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead!* Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.”

61Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.”

62But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”

Day 19 READ LUKE 10–12

Antagonism toward the Son of Man

OVERVIEW

The number of disciples expands as Jesus sends out thirty-six pairs of ministers to prepare the way before him. As the opportunities for ministry increase, so too does the opposition. Open rejection by the Pharisees leads Jesus to pronounce woes on the hypocritical religious leaders and to warn his disciples against being like them. This leads to a series of parables and warnings concerning the future judgment of God on those who are indifferent or unfaithful in their service to God.

MY DAILY WALK

What do sparrows, hairs, ravens, lilies, and you have in common?

Answer: They are all objects of God’s special care.

Go to the nearest window and watch for a bird. Then ponder this: God has its welfare on his mind (12:6). Run a comb through your hair and take note of the hairs that pull out. Then ponder this: God knows exactly how many you have left (12:7). Take a walk today and enjoy the beauty of God’s creation around you. Then ponder this: God is making sure that the flowers have rain and the birds have food (12:24, 27-28).

Now stand in front of a mirror to see one of God’s creations about which he cares infinitely more than the flowers and birds: you! If God expends such energy and tender attention on the less important parts of his creation, how much more must he be interested in your welfare and happiness? Spend a few extra minutes meditating on 12:22-31 until your faith is rekindled.

FAITH NEVER KNOWS WHERE IT IS BEING LED, BUT IT LOVES AND KNOWS THE ONE WHO IS LEADING.

INSIGHT

Worthier of Judgment | Luke 10:14

Tyre and Sidon were two Gentile cities north of Galilee. So why did Jesus contrast them with Korazin and Bethsaida? Because in spite of their wickedness (see Ezekiel 28 for harsh judgments against both), they hadn’t witnessed and then rejected the Kingdom of God coming in power (Luke 10:13-14). Their wickedness was done in ignorance of God. Cities that rejected Jesus were wicked in spite of seeing God at work in their midst.

INSIGHT

Something’s Fishy about This Sign | Luke 11:30

Luke records Jesus’ words comparing himself with the prophet Jonah and speaking of the “sign of Jonah” (11:29-30). But what is the sign of Jonah? Luke doesn’t say. Check Matthew 12:38-40 for an explanation.

Luke 10

1The Lord now chose seventy-two* other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit. 2These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields. 3Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. 4Don’t take any money with you, nor a traveler’s bag, nor an extra pair of sandals. And don’t stop to greet anyone on the road.

5“Whenever you enter someone’s home, first say, ‘May God’s peace be on this house.’ 6If those who live there are peaceful, the blessing will stand; if they are not, the blessing will return to you. 7Don’t move around from home to home. Stay in one place, eating and drinking what they provide. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve their pay.

8“If you enter a town and it welcomes you, eat whatever is set before you. 9Heal the sick, and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God is near you now.’ 10But if a town refuses to welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 11‘We wipe even the dust of your town from our feet to show that we have abandoned you to your fate. And know this—the Kingdom of God is near!’ 12I assure you, even wicked Sodom will be better off than such a town on judgment day.

13“What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse. 14Yes, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you. 15And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead.*”

16Then he said to the disciples, “Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me.”

17When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!”

18“Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning! 19Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. 20But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.”

21At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.

22“My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

23Then when they were alone, he turned to the disciples and said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you have seen. 24I tell you, many prophets and kings longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.”

25One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”

26Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?”

27The man answered, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”*

28“Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!”

29The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.

31“By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. 32A Temple assistant* walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.

33“Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. 34Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins,* telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’

36“Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.

37The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”

Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

38As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. 40But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”

41But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! 42There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 11

1Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

2Jesus said, “This is how you should pray:*

“Father, may your name be kept holy.

May your Kingdom come soon.

3Give us each day the food we need,*

4and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

And don’t let us yield to temptation.*”

5Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, 6‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ 7And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ 8But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.*

9“And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

11“You fathers—if your children ask* for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

14One day Jesus cast out a demon from a man who couldn’t speak, and when the demon was gone, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed, 15but some of them said, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan,* the prince of demons.” 16Others, trying to test Jesus, demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.

17He knew their thoughts, so he said, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A family splintered by feuding will fall apart. 18You say I am empowered by Satan. But if Satan is divided and fighting against himself, how can his kingdom survive? 19And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said. 20But if I am casting out demons by the power of God,* then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. 21For when a strong man like Satan is fully armed and guards his palace, his possessions are safe—22until someone even stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and carries off his belongings.

23“Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.

24“When an evil* spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, searching for rest. But when it finds none, it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ 25So it returns and finds that its former home is all swept and in order. 26Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before.”

27As he was speaking, a woman in the crowd called out, “God bless your mother—the womb from which you came, and the breasts that nursed you!”

28Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.”

29As the crowd pressed in on Jesus, he said, “This evil generation keeps asking me to show them a miraculous sign. But the only sign I will give them is the sign of Jonah. 30What happened to him was a sign to the people of Nineveh that God had sent him. What happens to the Son of Man* will be a sign to these people that he was sent by God.

31“The queen of Sheba* will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here—but you refuse to listen. 32The people of Nineveh will also stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here—but you refuse to repent.

33“No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a basket.* Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house.

34“Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when it is bad, your body is filled with darkness. 35Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness. 36If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light.”

37As Jesus was speaking, one of the Pharisees invited him home for a meal. So he went in and took his place at the table.* 38His host was amazed to see that he sat down to eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony required by Jewish custom. 39Then the Lord said to him, “You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and wickedness! 40Fools! Didn’t God make the inside as well as the outside? 41So clean the inside by giving gifts to the poor, and you will be clean all over.

42“What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens,* but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.

43“What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you love to sit in the seats of honor in the synagogues and receive respectful greetings as you walk in the marketplaces. 44Yes, what sorrow awaits you! For you are like hidden graves in a field. People walk over them without knowing the corruption they are stepping on.”

45“Teacher,” said an expert in religious law, “you have insulted us, too, in what you just said.”

46“Yes,” said Jesus, “what sorrow also awaits you experts in religious law! For you crush people with unbearable religious demands, and you never lift a finger to ease the burden. 47What sorrow awaits you! For you build monuments for the prophets your own ancestors killed long ago. 48But in fact, you stand as witnesses who agree with what your ancestors did. They killed the prophets, and you join in their crime by building the monuments! 49This is what God in his wisdom said about you:* ‘I will send prophets and apostles to them, but they will kill some and persecute the others.’

50“As a result, this generation will be held responsible for the murder of all God’s prophets from the creation of the world—51from the murder of Abel to the murder of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, it will certainly be charged against this generation.

52“What sorrow awaits you experts in religious law! For you remove the key to knowledge from the people. You don’t enter the Kingdom yourselves, and you prevent others from entering.”

53As Jesus was leaving, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees became hostile and tried to provoke him with many questions. 54They wanted to trap him into saying something they could use against him.

Luke 12

1Meanwhile, the crowds grew until thousands were milling about and stepping on each other. Jesus turned first to his disciples and warned them, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees—their hypocrisy. 2The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. 3Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear!

4“Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that. 5But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell.* Yes, he’s the one to fear.

6“What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins*? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. 7And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

8“I tell you the truth, everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man* will also acknowledge in the presence of God’s angels. 9But anyone who denies me here on earth will be denied before God’s angels. 10Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

11“And when you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how to defend yourself or what to say, 12for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said.”

13Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.”

14Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?” 15Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”

16Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. 17He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ 18Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. 19And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’

20“But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’

21“Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”

22Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. 23For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. 24Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! 25Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 26And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?

27“Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 28And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

29“And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. 30These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. 31Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.

32“So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.

33“Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. 34Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

35“Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, 36as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. 37The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! 38He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn.* But whenever he comes, he will reward the servants who are ready.

39“Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would not permit his house to be broken into. 40You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.”

41Peter asked, “Lord, is that illustration just for us or for everyone?”

42And the Lord replied, “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. 43If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. 44I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. 45But what if the servant thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? 46The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant in pieces and banish him with the unfaithful.

47“And a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn’t prepared and doesn’t carry out those instructions, will be severely punished. 48But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.

49“I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning! 50I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished. 51Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to divide people against each other! 52From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against—or two in favor and three against.

53‘Father will be divided against son and son against father;

mother against daughter

and daughter against mother;

and mother-in-law against daughter-in-law

and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’*”

54Then Jesus turned to the crowd and said, “When you see clouds beginning to form in the west, you say, ‘Here comes a shower.’ And you are right. 55When the south wind blows, you say, ‘Today will be a scorcher.’ And it is. 56You fools! You know how to interpret the weather signs of the earth and sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the present times.

57“Why can’t you decide for yourselves what is right? 58When you are on the way to court with your accuser, try to settle the matter before you get there. Otherwise, your accuser may drag you before the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, who will throw you into prison. 59And if that happens, you won’t be free again until you have paid the very last penny.*”

Day 20 READ LUKE 13–15

Parables of the Son of Man / Part One

OVERVIEW

Jesus uses a recent report of Pilate’s slaughter of some Galileans to emphasize the need for repentance. God is patient, but his sense of justice is perfect. Though it may sometimes seem overdue, justice will indeed come—a truth that brings tears to the Savior’s eyes as he gazes at the hard-hearted city of Jerusalem. Jesus knows that, just as the people have spurned his message, so too they will treat his disciples with contempt. Discipleship will be costly for those who take up their cross to follow him. But in God’s sight, every lost sinner is a worthy cause for seeking, and every converted sinner a cause for heavenly rejoicing.

MY DAILY WALK

In military operations the machinery, equipment, supplies, and even personnel are commonly considered expendable in order to ensure ultimate victory. Contrast that with spiritual warfare, in which each human being is infinitely valuable. In spiritual conflict only one person was deemed “expendable”—the Lord Jesus Christ—and even his seeming defeat on the cross was turned into victory three days later.

How great is God’s love for lost people? “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8). How can you help to send this good news of sins forgiven across the street—or halfway around the world—to those who need it?

Why not send a special gift to the mission agency of your choice today and share your faith with a neighbor, so that people far and near might learn of God’s love firsthand? After all, what if you had been considered “expendable” by those who shared the gospel with you?

YOU CAN GIVE WITHOUT LOVING, BUT YOU CANNOT LOVE WITHOUT GIVING.

INSIGHT

More than Mere Gifts | Luke 15:22

The lost son’s father had more in mind than simply providing for his son’s needs when he gave him a robe, a ring, and sandals (15:22). The gifts symbolized how he again accepted him as a son: a robe signified honor; a ring, power; and sandals set him apart from the barefooted servants.

Luke 13

1About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. 2“Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered? 3Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. 4And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? 5No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.”

6Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. 7Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’

8“The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. 9If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’”

10One Sabbath day as Jesus was teaching in a synagogue, 11he saw a woman who had been crippled by an evil spirit. She had been bent double for eighteen years and was unable to stand up straight. 12When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Dear woman, you are healed of your sickness!” 13Then he touched her, and instantly she could stand straight. How she praised God!

14But the leader in charge of the synagogue was indignant that Jesus had healed her on the Sabbath day. “There are six days of the week for working,” he said to the crowd. “Come on those days to be healed, not on the Sabbath.”

15But the Lord replied, “You hypocrites! Each of you works on the Sabbath day! Don’t you untie your ox or your donkey from its stall on the Sabbath and lead it out for water? 16This dear woman, a daughter of Abraham, has been held in bondage by Satan for eighteen years. Isn’t it right that she be released, even on the Sabbath?”

17This shamed his enemies, but all the people rejoiced at the wonderful things he did.

18Then Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like? How can I illustrate it? 19It is like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in a garden; it grows and becomes a tree, and the birds make nests in its branches.”

20He also asked, “What else is the Kingdom of God like? 21It is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”

22Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he went, always pressing on toward Jerusalem. 23Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?”

He replied, 24“Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail. 25When the master of the house has locked the door, it will be too late. You will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ 26Then you will say, ‘But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27And he will reply, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you or where you come from. Get away from me, all you who do evil.’

28“There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, for you will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, but you will be thrown out. 29And people will come from all over the world—from east and west, north and south—to take their places in the Kingdom of God. 30And note this: Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now will be least important then.*”

31At that time some Pharisees said to him, “Get away from here if you want to live! Herod Antipas wants to kill you!”

32Jesus replied, “Go tell that fox that I will keep on casting out demons and healing people today and tomorrow; and the third day I will accomplish my purpose. 33Yes, today, tomorrow, and the next day I must proceed on my way. For it wouldn’t do for a prophet of God to be killed except in Jerusalem!

34“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me. 35And now, look, your house is abandoned. And you will never see me again until you say, ‘Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!’*”

Luke 14

1One Sabbath day Jesus went to eat dinner in the home of a leader of the Pharisees, and the people were watching him closely. 2There was a man there whose arms and legs were swollen.* 3Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in religious law, “Is it permitted in the law to heal people on the Sabbath day, or not?” 4When they refused to answer, Jesus touched the sick man and healed him and sent him away. 5Then he turned to them and said, “Which of you doesn’t work on the Sabbath? If your son* or your cow falls into a pit, don’t you rush to get him out?” 6Again they could not answer.

7When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice: 8“When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? 9The host will come and say, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table!

10“Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!’ Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. 11For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

12Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. 13Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.”

15Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet* in the Kingdom of God!”

16Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. 17When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ 18But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’ 19Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ 20Another said, ‘I now have a wife, so I can’t come.’

21“The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ 22After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ 23So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. 24For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.’”

25A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, 26“If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. 27And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.

28“But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? 29Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. 30They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’

31“Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? 32And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. 33So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.

34“Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? 35Flavorless salt is good neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown away. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!”

Luke 15

1Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. 2This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!

3So Jesus told them this story: 4“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? 5And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. 6When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!

8“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins* and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it? 9And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’ 10In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.”

11To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. 12The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.

13“A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. 14About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. 15He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.

17“When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! 18I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’

20“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.*’

22“But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, 24for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.

25“Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, 26and he asked one of the servants what was going on. 27‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’

28“The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, 29but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. 30Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’

31“His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. 32We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”

Day 21 Reflection & Worship

Going with the Gospel

IT IS GOOD TO BE A CHRISTIAN AND KNOW IT; IT IS BETTER TO BE A CHRISTIAN AND SHOW IT.

LOOK BACK Mark presents Jesus as the Selfless Servant, laying down his life for others: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

Luke presents Jesus as the Perfect Man, keenly interested in the human condition. “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost” (Luke 19:10).

Mark and Luke are two of the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew being the third), so called because they recount many of the same events from the life and ministry of Jesus and so can be profitably studied side by side (synoptic comes from the root idea “to see side by side”).

LOOK UP Be careful where you get your information; your facts will be no more reliable than your source.

After reading the Christmas accounts in the Gospels, try this Christmas story trivia quiz. It may surprise you to learn how many of the “facts” that you thought you knew are merely the stuff of Christmas cards and carols.

____ 1. How did Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem? (a) by donkey (b) by camel (c) on foot (d) the Bible doesn’t say.

____ 2. Which animals were present at Jesus’ birth? (a) cows, sheep, and goats (b) cows, donkeys, and sheep (c) sheep and goats (d) the Bible doesn’t say.

____ 3. What did the angels sing? (a) “Joy to the World” (b) “Alleluia” (c) “For unto Us a Child Is Born” (d) “Glory to God in the Highest” (e) none of the above.

____ 4. How many wise men came to see Jesus? (a) three (b) more than three (c) less than three (d) the Bible doesn’t say.

____ 5. Where did the wise men find Jesus? (a) in the manger (b) in a stable (c) in a house (d) in an inn.

____ 6. What is frankincense? (a) a precious metal (b) a precious fabric (c) a precious perfume (d) an Eastern monster.

____ 7. Where do we find the Christmas story in order to check up on all these facts? (a) Matthew (b) Mark (c) Luke (d) John (e) all of these (f) only a and b (g) only a and c (h) only a, b, and c (i) none of the above.

Answers: 1. d, 2. d, 3. e (the Bible doesn’t say they sang), 4. d, 5. c, 6. c, 7. g

LOOK AHEAD Good news deserves to be shared. As you continue to read through the Gospels, notice how Jesus engages in conversations with those who need to know God’s love firsthand. Some individuals come to him with questions and needs (Luke 8:41-42; 10:25); at other times, Jesus initiates the conversation (Luke 9:1-5).

Today, you will likely experience both kinds of encounters: those you initiate (such as shopping at a store or greeting a coworker) and those initiated by others (such as having your mail delivered or someone making an appointment to see you at work). In both cases, follow the advice of 1 Peter 3:15: “And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.”

Day 22 READ LUKE 16–18

Parables of the Son of Man / Part Two

OVERVIEW

Christ continues his “School of Discipleship” with an assortment of parables designed to teach stewardship of money, time, and talents; the importance of forgiveness and faith; and the primacy of prayer in a disciple’s life. The curriculum is concentrated because time is short. Just beyond Jericho lies the city of Jerusalem, where the final dramatic events in the life of the Son of Man will soon be played out.

MY DAILY WALK

Select the proper response to complete this verse (1 Corinthians 4:2): “A person who is put in charge as a manager must be . . .” (a) gifted (b) dynamic (c) faithful (d) famous (e) educated (f) wealthy. The correct answer, of course, is (c) faithful; in other words, trustworthy and dependable.

But how do you know if you are faithful, the kind of steward God is looking for? Luke 16 will help you. There you’ll find the threefold test of a faithful man or woman, boy or girl. Take this “trustworthiness checkup” for yourself; then enlist the aid of your spouse, child, or friend in helping you work on any area that is weak.

Are you faithful in little things (v. 10)? little promises? small amounts of time, talent, and responsibility? Are you faithful with money (v. 11)? God’s Word has much to say on money matters. Are you faithful in the affairs of others (v. 12)? Are you as careful with their possessions and reputations as you are with your own?

A STEWARD IS MORE A GIVER THAN A GUARDIAN.

INSIGHT

The Big “Little Horn” of the Scriptures | Luke 16:17

The Hebrew letter yod looks like a little hook or horn. It is the smallest of Hebrew letters. Jesus was saying that even down to the smallest detail, God’s Word will maintain its authority “until heaven and earth disappear” (Luke 16:17; compare Matthew 5:18).

INSIGHT

A Heavy Penalty | Luke 17:2

The millstones of Jesus’ day (17:2) weighed several hundred pounds and could be turned only with the aid of a donkey—a definite handicap for a person tossed in the sea with one tied around his neck.

Luke 16

1Jesus told this story to his disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a manager handling his affairs. One day a report came that the manager was wasting his employer’s money. 2So the employer called him in and said, ‘What’s this I hear about you? Get your report in order, because you are going to be fired.’

3“The manager thought to himself, ‘Now what? My boss has fired me. I don’t have the strength to dig ditches, and I’m too proud to beg. 4Ah, I know how to ensure that I’ll have plenty of friends who will give me a home when I am fired.’

5“So he invited each person who owed money to his employer to come and discuss the situation. He asked the first one, ‘How much do you owe him?’ 6The man replied, ‘I owe him 800 gallons of olive oil.’ So the manager told him, ‘Take the bill and quickly change it to 400 gallons.*’

7“‘And how much do you owe my employer?’ he asked the next man. ‘I owe him 1,000 bushels of wheat,’ was the reply. ‘Here,’ the manager said, ‘take the bill and change it to 800 bushels.*’

8“The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light. 9Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your earthly possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.*

10“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. 11And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? 12And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own?

13“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

14The Pharisees, who dearly loved their money, heard all this and scoffed at him. 15Then he said to them, “You like to appear righteous in public, but God knows your hearts. What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God.

16“Until John the Baptist, the law of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in.* 17But that doesn’t mean that the law has lost its force. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest point of God’s law to be overturned.

18“For example, a man who divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery. And anyone who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.”

19Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury. 20At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. 21As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores.

22“Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to be with Abraham.* The rich man also died and was buried, 23and his soul went to the place of the dead.* There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side.

24“The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’

25“But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish. 26And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.’

27“Then the rich man said, ‘Please, Father Abraham, at least send him to my father’s home. 28For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they don’t end up in this place of torment.’

29“But Abraham said, ‘Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.’

30“The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.’

31“But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Luke 17

1One day Jesus said to his disciples, “There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting! 2It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin. 3So watch yourselves!

“If another believer* sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. 4Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.”

5The apostles said to the Lord, “Show us how to increase our faith.”

6The Lord answered, “If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘May you be uprooted and thrown into the sea,’ and it would obey you!

7“When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, does his master say, ‘Come in and eat with me’? 8No, he says, ‘Prepare my meal, put on your apron, and serve me while I eat. Then you can eat later.’ 9And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not. 10In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.’”

11As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. 12As he entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance, 13crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

14He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.”* And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.

15One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” 16He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan.

17Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? 18Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.*”

20One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, “When will the Kingdom of God come?”

Jesus replied, “The Kingdom of God can’t be detected by visible signs.* 21You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you.*”

22Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see the day when the Son of Man returns,* but you won’t see it. 23People will tell you, ‘Look, there is the Son of Man,’ or ‘Here he is,’ but don’t go out and follow them. 24For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so it will be on the day* when the Son of Man comes. 25But first the Son of Man must suffer terribly* and be rejected by this generation.

26“When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. 27In those days, the people enjoyed banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat and the flood came and destroyed them all.

28“And the world will be as it was in the days of Lot. People went about their daily business—eating and drinking, buying and selling, farming and building—29until the morning Lot left Sodom. Then fire and burning sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. 30Yes, it will be ‘business as usual’ right up to the day when the Son of Man is revealed. 31On that day a person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. A person out in the field must not return home. 32Remember what happened to Lot’s wife! 33If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it. 34That night two people will be asleep in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. 35Two women will be grinding flour together at the mill; one will be taken, the other left.*”

37“Where will this happen, Lord?”* the disciples asked.

Jesus replied, “Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near.”*

Luke 18

1One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. 2“There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. 3A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ 4The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, 5but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”

6Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. 7Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man* returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

9Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: 10“Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer*: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! 12I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’

13“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ 14I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

15One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him.

16Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. 17I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”

18Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”

19“Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “Only God is truly good. 20But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother.’*”

21The man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”

22When Jesus heard his answer, he said, “There is still one thing you haven’t done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

23But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was very rich.

24When Jesus saw this,* he said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God! 25In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

26Those who heard this said, “Then who in the world can be saved?”

27He replied, “What is impossible for people is possible with God.”

28Peter said, “We’ve left our homes to follow you.”

29“Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the Kingdom of God, 30will be repaid many times over in this life, and will have eternal life in the world to come.”

31Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus said, “Listen, we’re going up to Jerusalem, where all the predictions of the prophets concerning the Son of Man will come true. 32He will be handed over to the Romans,* and he will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit upon. 33They will flog him with a whip and kill him, but on the third day he will rise again.”

34But they didn’t understand any of this. The significance of his words was hidden from them, and they failed to grasp what he was talking about.

35As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. 36When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. 37They told him that Jesus the Nazarene* was going by. 38So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

39“Be quiet!” the people in front yelled at him.

But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

40When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him, 41“What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord,” he said, “I want to see!”

42And Jesus said, “All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.” 43Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too.

Day 23 READ LUKE 19–21

Praise for the Son of Man

OVERVIEW

People don’t just “peacefully coexist” with the Son of Man. They either embrace his claims and call him Messiah or reject his claims and become his enemy. A Jewish tax collector named Zacchaeus finds new life in Jesus, while the Jewish religious leaders plot to destroy him. Jesus’ disciples flock to the streets to welcome their Teacher to Jerusalem, while his enemies question his authority at every turn. In less than a week, the Triumphal Entry will turn into a tragic exit as the Son of Man is led out of the city to die.

MY DAILY WALK

Today’s section might well be titled “Money—Its Use and Abuse.” Notice how prominent the subject of earthly wealth becomes in the final days of Jesus’ ministry: Zacchaeus’s use of money becomes a testimony of his new faith (19:8-10); the parable of ten servants teaches the disciples to use wealth for God’s glory (19:11-27); Jesus cleanses the Temple of those who have turned his Father’s house into a place for moneychangers (19:45-48); paying taxes to Caesar becomes a test of Christ’s authority (20:20-26); and the widow’s offering of two small coins becomes an object lesson of sacrificial giving (21:1-4).

Why is your use of money such a good barometer of your walk with God? Because “wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be” (Matthew 6:21). Type out a verse dealing with money from today’s section (you might want to use Luke 20:25 or 21:3-4), but instead of using the s key, use the dollar sign ($). Print it out to remind you of God’s principles regarding the use and abuse of material blessings.

MONEY ALONE HAS NEVER YET MADE ANYONE RICH.

INSIGHT

The Clearest Cloudy Day on Record | Luke 21:27

Jesus predicted that he would come back to earth “on a cloud with power and great glory” (21:27). The cloud would not obscure the event but rather make it unmistakably clear that the event and the person are the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy (Daniel 7:13-14; see also Acts 1:9-11 and Revelation 1:7). Do you remember another occasion in Luke when a cloud highlighted, rather than hid, Jesus’ identity? (See Luke 9:28-36.)

Luke 19

1Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. 3He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.

5When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.”

6Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. 7But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled.

8Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!”

9Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man* came to seek and save those who are lost.”

11The crowd was listening to everything Jesus said. And because he was nearing Jerusalem, he told them a story to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin right away. 12He said, “A nobleman was called away to a distant empire to be crowned king and then return. 13Before he left, he called together ten of his servants and divided among them ten pounds of silver,* saying, ‘Invest this for me while I am gone.’ 14But his people hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We do not want him to be our king.’

15“After he was crowned king, he returned and called in the servants to whom he had given the money. He wanted to find out what their profits were. 16The first servant reported, ‘Master, I invested your money and made ten times the original amount!’

17“‘Well done!’ the king exclaimed. ‘You are a good servant. You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, so you will be governor of ten cities as your reward.’

18“The next servant reported, ‘Master, I invested your money and made five times the original amount.’

19“‘Well done!’ the king said. ‘You will be governor over five cities.’

20“But the third servant brought back only the original amount of money and said, ‘Master, I hid your money and kept it safe. 21I was afraid because you are a hard man to deal with, taking what isn’t yours and harvesting crops you didn’t plant.’

22“‘You wicked servant!’ the king roared. ‘Your own words condemn you. If you knew that I’m a hard man who takes what isn’t mine and harvests crops I didn’t plant, 23why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’

24“Then, turning to the others standing nearby, the king ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one who has ten pounds.’

25“‘But, master,’ they said, ‘he already has ten pounds!’

26“‘Yes,’ the king replied, ‘and to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 27And as for these enemies of mine who didn’t want me to be their king—bring them in and execute them right here in front of me.’”

28After telling this story, Jesus went on toward Jerusalem, walking ahead of his disciples. 29As he came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead. 30“Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying that colt?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

32So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said. 33And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?”

34And the disciples simply replied, “The Lord needs it.” 35So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on.

36As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him. 37When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.

38“Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the LORD!

Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!”*

39But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!”

40He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”

41But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. 42“How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. 43Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. 44They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you.*”

45Then Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people selling animals for sacrifices. 46He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.”*

47After that, he taught daily in the Temple, but the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders of the people began planning how to kill him. 48But they could think of nothing, because all the people hung on every word he said.

Luke 20

1One day as Jesus was teaching the people and preaching the Good News in the Temple, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders came up to him. 2They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?”

3“Let me ask you a question first,” he replied. 4“Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?”

5They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn’t believe John. 6But if we say it was merely human, the people will stone us because they are convinced John was a prophet.” 7So they finally replied that they didn’t know.

8And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.”

9Now Jesus turned to the people again and told them this story: “A man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenant farmers, and moved to another country to live for several years. 10At the time of the grape harvest, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers attacked the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed. 11So the owner sent another servant, but they also insulted him, beat him up, and sent him away empty-handed. 12A third man was sent, and they wounded him and chased him away.

13“‘What will I do?’ the owner asked himself. ‘I know! I’ll send my cherished son. Surely they will respect him.’

14“But when the tenant farmers saw his son, they said to each other, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’ 15So they dragged him out of the vineyard and murdered him.

“What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do to them?” Jesus asked. 16“I’ll tell you—he will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others.”

“How terrible that such a thing should ever happen,” his listeners protested.

17Jesus looked at them and said, “Then what does this Scripture mean?

‘The stone that the builders rejected

has now become the cornerstone.’*

18Everyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.”

19The teachers of religious law and the leading priests wanted to arrest Jesus immediately because they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. But they were afraid of the people’s reaction.

20Watching for their opportunity, the leaders sent spies pretending to be honest men. They tried to get Jesus to say something that could be reported to the Roman governor so he would arrest Jesus. 21“Teacher,” they said, “we know that you speak and teach what is right and are not influenced by what others think. You teach the way of God truthfully. 22Now tell us—is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

23He saw through their trickery and said, 24“Show me a Roman coin.* Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

25“Well then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”

26So they failed to trap him by what he said in front of the people. Instead, they were amazed by his answer, and they became silent.

27Then Jesus was approached by some Sadducees—religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead. 28They posed this question: “Teacher, Moses gave us a law that if a man dies, leaving a wife but no children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother’s name.* 29Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children. 30So the second brother married the widow, but he also died. 31Then the third brother married her. This continued with all seven of them, who died without children. 32Finally, the woman also died. 33So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her!”

34Jesus replied, “Marriage is for people here on earth. 35But in the age to come, those worthy of being raised from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage. 36And they will never die again. In this respect they will be like angels. They are children of God and children of the resurrection.

37“But now, as to whether the dead will be raised—even Moses proved this when he wrote about the burning bush. Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, he referred to the Lord* as ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’* 38So he is the God of the living, not the dead, for they are all alive to him.”

39“Well said, Teacher!” remarked some of the teachers of religious law who were standing there. 40And then no one dared to ask him any more questions.

41Then Jesus presented them with a question. “Why is it,” he asked, “that the Messiah is said to be the son of David? 42For David himself wrote in the book of Psalms:

‘The LORD said to my Lord,

Sit in the place of honor at my right hand

43until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.’*

44Since David called the Messiah ‘Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?”

45Then, with the crowds listening, he turned to his disciples and said, 46“Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets. 47Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be severely punished.”

Luke 21

1While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. 2Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins.*

3“I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. 4For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”

5Some of his disciples began talking about the majestic stonework of the Temple and the memorial decorations on the walls. But Jesus said, 6“The time is coming when all these things will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!”

7“Teacher,” they asked, “when will all this happen? What sign will show us that these things are about to take place?”

8He replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’* and saying, ‘The time has come!’ But don’t believe them. 9And when you hear of wars and insurrections, don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place first, but the end won’t follow immediately.” 10Then he added, “Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines and plagues in many lands, and there will be terrifying things and great miraculous signs from heaven.

12“But before all this occurs, there will be a time of great persecution. You will be dragged into synagogues and prisons, and you will stand trial before kings and governors because you are my followers. 13But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me.* 14So don’t worry in advance about how to answer the charges against you, 15for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you! 16Even those closest to you—your parents, brothers, relatives, and friends—will betray you. They will even kill some of you. 17And everyone will hate you because you are my followers.* 18But not a hair of your head will perish! 19By standing firm, you will win your souls.

20“And when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that the time of its destruction has arrived. 21Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. Those in Jerusalem must get out, and those out in the country should not return to the city. 22For those will be days of God’s vengeance, and the prophetic words of the Scriptures will be fulfilled. 23How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. For there will be disaster in the land and great anger against this people. 24They will be killed by the sword or sent away as captives to all the nations of the world. And Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the period of the Gentiles comes to an end.

25“And there will be strange signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides. 26People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 27Then everyone will see the Son of Man* coming on a cloud with power and great glory.* 28So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!”

29Then he gave them this illustration: “Notice the fig tree, or any other tree. 30When the leaves come out, you know without being told that summer is near. 31In the same way, when you see all these things taking place, you can know that the Kingdom of God is near. 32I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things have taken place. 33Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

34“Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, 35like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. 36Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.”

37Every day Jesus went to the Temple to teach, and each evening he returned to spend the night on the Mount of Olives. 38The crowds gathered at the Temple early each morning to hear him.

Day 24 READ LUKE 22–24

Passion of the Son of Man

OVERVIEW

In his account of the closing days of Jesus’ earthly ministry, Luke includes a number of details not given by the other Gospel writers. Only Luke records Jesus’ warning to Peter of Satan’s desire to test him. Only Luke records the healing of the high priest’s servant. Only Luke provides the details of Jesus’ trial before Herod Antipas. Only Luke reveals the repentance of one of the two thieves crucified with Jesus. And only Luke presents the resurrection-day appearance to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus.

MY DAILY WALK

Do you have a hard time understanding the Word of God? You’re not alone. The disciples on the road to Emmaus needed Jesus to explain to them the truth concerning himself (24:27). The Ethiopian eunuch confessed to Philip that he did not understand what he read in the book of Isaiah (Acts 8:30-31). Even the apostle Peter admitted that some of Paul’s letters were difficult to understand (2 Peter 3:15-16).

Two elements are necessary if you are to understand God’s Word. On your part, there must be a diligent reading and study of the Scriptures. (This may include the use of tools like Bible concordances and commentaries.) On God’s part, there is the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit, providing spiritual insight and understanding (John 16:13-15). God has promised to do his part; are you doing yours? Today would be a good day to drop by your church library or local Christian bookstore to find a tool that will help you in your daily study of God’s Word.

WHEN YOU DON’T FEEL LIKE READING YOUR BIBLE, THAT’S THE TIME TO READ IT.

INSIGHT

End of Volume I, Beginning of Volume II | Luke 24:51

Luke closes his Gospel of the incarnate Son of God with a report of Jesus’ ascension to heaven (24:51), exactly the same event he will use to open his continuing account of the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 1:1-2).

Luke 22

1The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is also called Passover, was approaching. 2The leading priests and teachers of religious law were plotting how to kill Jesus, but they were afraid of the people’s reaction.

3Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, 4and he went to the leading priests and captains of the Temple guard to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them. 5They were delighted, and they promised to give him money. 6So he agreed and began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus so they could arrest him when the crowds weren’t around.

7Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread arrived, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed. 8Jesus sent Peter and John ahead and said, “Go and prepare the Passover meal, so we can eat it together.”

9“Where do you want us to prepare it?” they asked him.

10He replied, “As soon as you enter Jerusalem, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him. At the house he enters, 11say to the owner, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ 12He will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up. That is where you should prepare our meal.” 13They went off to the city and found everything just as Jesus had said, and they prepared the Passover meal there.

14When the time came, Jesus and the apostles sat down together at the table.* 15Jesus said, “I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. 16For I tell you now that I won’t eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.”

17Then he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. Then he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18For I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has come.”

19He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.”

20After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.*

21“But here at this table, sitting among us as a friend, is the man who will betray me. 22For it has been determined that the Son of Man* must die. But what sorrow awaits the one who betrays him.” 23The disciples began to ask each other which of them would ever do such a thing.

24Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. 25Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’ 26But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. 27Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves.

28“You have stayed with me in my time of trial. 29And just as my Father has granted me a Kingdom, I now grant you the right 30to eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom. And you will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

31“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. 32But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.”

33Peter said, “Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you, and even to die with you.”

34But Jesus said, “Peter, let me tell you something. Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.”

35Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you out to preach the Good News and you did not have money, a traveler’s bag, or an extra pair of sandals, did you need anything?”

“No,” they replied.

36“But now,” he said, “take your money and a traveler’s bag. And if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one! 37For the time has come for this prophecy about me to be fulfilled: ‘He was counted among the rebels.’* Yes, everything written about me by the prophets will come true.”

38“Look, Lord,” they replied, “we have two swords among us.”

“That’s enough,” he said.

39Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives. 40There he told them, “Pray that you will not give in to temptation.”

41He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42“Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” 43Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. 44He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.*

45At last he stood up again and returned to the disciples, only to find them asleep, exhausted from grief. 46“Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.”

47But even as Jesus said this, a crowd approached, led by Judas, one of the twelve disciples. Judas walked over to Jesus to greet him with a kiss. 48But Jesus said, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”

49When the other disciples saw what was about to happen, they exclaimed, “Lord, should we fight? We brought the swords!” 50And one of them struck at the high priest’s slave, slashing off his right ear.

51But Jesus said, “No more of this.” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.

52Then Jesus spoke to the leading priests, the captains of the Temple guard, and the elders who had come for him. “Am I some dangerous revolutionary,” he asked, “that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? 53Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there every day. But this is your moment, the time when the power of darkness reigns.”

54So they arrested him and led him to the high priest’s home. And Peter followed at a distance. 55The guards lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it, and Peter joined them there. 56A servant girl noticed him in the firelight and began staring at him. Finally she said, “This man was one of Jesus’ followers!”

57But Peter denied it. “Woman,” he said, “I don’t even know him!”

58After a while someone else looked at him and said, “You must be one of them!”

“No, man, I’m not!” Peter retorted.

59About an hour later someone else insisted, “This must be one of them, because he is a Galilean, too.”

60But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.

61At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.” 62And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly.

63The guards in charge of Jesus began mocking and beating him. 64They blindfolded him and said, “Prophesy to us! Who hit you that time?” 65And they hurled all sorts of terrible insults at him.

66At daybreak all the elders of the people assembled, including the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. Jesus was led before this high council,* 67and they said, “Tell us, are you the Messiah?”

But he replied, “If I tell you, you won’t believe me. 68And if I ask you a question, you won’t answer. 69But from now on the Son of Man will be seated in the place of power at God’s right hand.*”

70They all shouted, “So, are you claiming to be the Son of God?”

And he replied, “You say that I am.”

71“Why do we need other witnesses?” they said. “We ourselves heard him say it.”

Luke 23

1Then the entire council took Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor. 2They began to state their case: “This man has been leading our people astray by telling them not to pay their taxes to the Roman government and by claiming he is the Messiah, a king.”

3So Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

Jesus replied, “You have said it.”

4Pilate turned to the leading priests and to the crowd and said, “I find nothing wrong with this man!”

5Then they became insistent. “But he is causing riots by his teaching wherever he goes—all over Judea, from Galilee to Jerusalem!”

6“Oh, is he a Galilean?” Pilate asked. 7When they said that he was, Pilate sent him to Herod Antipas, because Galilee was under Herod’s jurisdiction, and Herod happened to be in Jerusalem at the time.

8Herod was delighted at the opportunity to see Jesus, because he had heard about him and had been hoping for a long time to see him perform a miracle. 9He asked Jesus question after question, but Jesus refused to answer. 10Meanwhile, the leading priests and the teachers of religious law stood there shouting their accusations. 11Then Herod and his soldiers began mocking and ridiculing Jesus. Finally, they put a royal robe on him and sent him back to Pilate. 12(Herod and Pilate, who had been enemies before, became friends that day.) 13Then Pilate called together the leading priests and other religious leaders, along with the people, 14and he announced his verdict. “You brought this man to me, accusing him of leading a revolt. I have examined him thoroughly on this point in your presence and find him innocent. 15Herod came to the same conclusion and sent him back to us. Nothing this man has done calls for the death penalty. 16So I will have him flogged, and then I will release him.”*

18Then a mighty roar rose from the crowd, and with one voice they shouted, “Kill him, and release Barabbas to us!” 19(Barabbas was in prison for taking part in an insurrection in Jerusalem against the government, and for murder.) 20Pilate argued with them, because he wanted to release Jesus. 21But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

22For the third time he demanded, “Why? What crime has he committed? I have found no reason to sentence him to death. So I will have him flogged, and then I will release him.”

23But the mob shouted louder and louder, demanding that Jesus be crucified, and their voices prevailed. 24So Pilate sentenced Jesus to die as they demanded. 25As they had requested, he released Barabbas, the man in prison for insurrection and murder. But he turned Jesus over to them to do as they wished.

26As they led Jesus away, a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene,* happened to be coming in from the countryside. The soldiers seized him and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27A large crowd trailed behind, including many grief-stricken women. 28But Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29For the days are coming when they will say, ‘Fortunate indeed are the women who are childless, the wombs that have not borne a child and the breasts that have never nursed.’ 30People will beg the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and plead with the hills, ‘Bury us.’* 31For if these things are done when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?*”

32Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. 33When they came to a place called The Skull,* they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left.

34Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”* And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.*

35The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. “He saved others,” they said, “let him save himself if he is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” 36The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. 37They called out to him, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38A sign was fastened above him with these words: “This is the King of the Jews.”

39One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”

40But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? 41We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” 42Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

43And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

44By this time it was about noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 45The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. 46Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!”* And with those words he breathed his last.

47When the Roman officer* overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he worshiped God and said, “Surely this man was innocent.*” 48And when all the crowd that came to see the crucifixion saw what had happened, they went home in deep sorrow.* 49But Jesus’ friends, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching.

50Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish high council, 51but he had not agreed with the decision and actions of the other religious leaders. He was from the town of Arimathea in Judea, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come. 52He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 53Then he took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock. 54This was done late on Friday afternoon, the day of preparation,* as the Sabbath was about to begin.

55As his body was taken away, the women from Galilee followed and saw the tomb where his body was placed. 56Then they went home and prepared spices and ointments to anoint his body. But by the time they were finished the Sabbath had begun, so they rested as required by the law.

Luke 24

1But very early on Sunday morning* the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 3So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.

5The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? 6He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, 7that the Son of Man* must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.”

8Then they remembered that he had said this. 9So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. 10It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened. 11But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it. 12However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened.

13That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles* from Jerusalem. 14As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. 15As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. 16But God kept them from recognizing him.

17He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”

They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. 18Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.”

19“What things?” Jesus asked.

“The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. 20But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. 21We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.

22“Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. 23They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! 24Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said.”

25Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. 26Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” 27Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

28By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, 29but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them. 30As they sat down to eat,* he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. 31Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!

32They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” 33And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, 34who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.*”

35Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread. 36And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 37But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost!

38“Why are you frightened?” he asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt? 39Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.” 40As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet.

41Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43and he ate it as they watched.

44Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. 47It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations,* beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ 48You are witnesses of all these things.

49“And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”

50Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. 51While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. 52So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. 53And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.

Day 25 READ JOHN 1–2

Manifestation of the Son of God

OVERVIEW

The opening of John’s Gospel makes it clear that he is giving a different perspective on the life and ministry of Jesus Christ than did the other three Gospel writers. John begins with the preexistence and deity of the Word, the one who became human to reveal who God is and to fulfill God’s promises of a Messiah to Israel. Proclaiming the identity of Jesus as the Chosen One of God is the ministry of John the Baptist, who leads his disciples to become Jesus’ first followers. At a wedding in Cana, Jesus demonstrates his miraculous power for the first time. Later in Jerusalem, his zeal for his Father’s house causes him to challenge the status quo, an act which forces an early confrontation over his claims.

MY DAILY WALK

Turn to Acts 1:13. There you will find the names of eleven of the twelve disciples of Jesus. Glance down the list, and see if you can recall one significant fact about each man. (For example, Peter—walked on the water, and so on). Which disciples come up “anonymous” in your mind?

Chances are, Andrew fits that category. Although he was one of the twelve apostles, he lived his life in the shadow of his brother, Peter. Outside of John’s Gospel he is mentioned only in descriptions with Peter, casting a fishing net, and in the lists of the apostles. He was an ordinary and little-known person. Yet Andrew was distinctive in at least one way: He was frequently bringing people to Jesus. First his brother (John 1:40-42) and later a little boy (6:8-9) came to the Savior because of Andrew’s invitation.

Sharing your faith may sound scary, but could you “invite” another person to meet a Friend who has changed your life? This week invite a neighbor to go to church with you. You’ll both be glad you did.

THE OBJECT IN WITNESSING IS NOT TO WIN ARGUMENTS BUT TO WIN DISCIPLES.

INSIGHT

A Handy Outline in a Handy Place | John 1:1-4

Prologue: 1:1-4

Description: Revelation of the Son of God

Expanded in . . .: 1:19–6:71

Prologue: 1:5-11

Description: Rejection of the Son of God

Expanded in . . .: 7:1–12:50

Prologue: 1:12-18

Description: Acceptance of the Son of God

Expanded in . . .: 13:1–21:25

INSIGHT

Which Prophet? | John 1:21

The people had already asked John if he was Elijah, who was prophesied to return one day (Malachi 4:5). So who was this other “Prophet” they expected (John 1:21)? In Deuteronomy 18:15, Moses told the Israelites that a prophet like him would come one day and that they must listen to him. The “prophet like Moses,” as he was known—a deliverer, rescuer, and representative of God’s covenant—was highly anticipated. Later the people figured out who the Prophet was. You can read about their discovery in John 6:14 and 7:40.

John

EVEN though the book of John covers the same basic outline of Jesus’ life as the other three Gospels, it displays marked differences in content and viewpoint. John highlights many encounters with the Son of God that are found nowhere else: the miracle at Cana, the visit by Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman at the well, a lame man at the pool of Bethesda, the man born blind, the beloved Lazarus. John’s choices of what to include are governed by a clear goal: “These are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God” (20:31).

Vital Statistics

■ AUTHOR: John the apostle, son of Zebedee and brother of James the apostle.

■ DATE WRITTEN: Around a.d. 90.

■ PURPOSE: To show that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that all who believe in him will have eternal life.

■ THEMES: Jesus as the unique Son of God, eternal life, the Holy Spirit, light vs. dark, Jesus’ “I am” declarations.

John 1

1In the beginning the Word already existed.

The Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

2He existed in the beginning with God.

3God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.

4The Word gave life to everything that was created,*

and his life brought light to everyone.

5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.*

6God sent a man, John the Baptist,* 7to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. 8John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. 9The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

10He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

14So the Word became human* and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.* And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

15John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’”

16From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.* 17For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God,* is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.

19This was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants* from Jerusalem to ask John, “Who are you?” 20He came right out and said, “I am not the Messiah.”

21“Well then, who are you?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?”

“No,” he replied.

“Are you the Prophet we are expecting?”*

“No.”

22“Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?”

23John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah:

“I am a voice shouting in the wilderness,

‘Clear the way for the LORD’s coming!’”*

24Then the Pharisees who had been sent 25asked him, “If you aren’t the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?”

26John told them, “I baptize with* water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize. 27Though his ministry follows mine, I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal.”

28This encounter took place in Bethany, an area east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.

29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30He is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’ 31I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.”

32Then John testified, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. 33I didn’t know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God.*”

35The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples. 36As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” 37When John’s two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus.

38Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them.

They replied, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

39“Come and see,” he said. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying, and they remained with him the rest of the day.

40Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. 41Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”*).

42Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”*).

43The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come, follow me.” 44Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter’s hometown.

45Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses* and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.”

46“Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”

“Come and see for yourself,” Philip replied.

47As they approached, Jesus said, “Now here is a genuine son of Israel—a man of complete integrity.”

48“How do you know about me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus replied, “I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.”

49Then Nathanael exclaimed, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!”

50Jesus asked him, “Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” 51Then he said, “I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth.*”

John 2

1The next day* there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. 3The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.”

4“Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”

5But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

6Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons.* 7Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, 8he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions.

9When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. 10“A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!”

11This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

12After the wedding he went to Capernaum for a few days with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples.

13It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. 14In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money. 15Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. 16Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!”

17Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God’s house will consume me.”*

18But the Jewish leaders demanded, “What are you doing? If God gave you authority to do this, show us a miraculous sign to prove it.”

19“All right,” Jesus replied. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

20“What!” they exclaimed. “It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple, and you can rebuild it in three days?” 21But when Jesus said “this temple,” he meant his own body. 22After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered he had said this, and they believed both the Scriptures and what Jesus had said.

23Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. 24But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew all about people. 25No one needed to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person’s heart.

Day 26 READ JOHN 3–5

Ministry to Individuals by God’s Son

OVERVIEW

Today’s section centers around Jesus’ encounters with three individuals: Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman at the well, and the lame man at the pool of Bethesda. In each instance, Christ’s dealings with the individual have a far-reaching impact on others as well. His contact with the Samaritan woman (John 4) leads to the hearing and believing of Jesus’ message by many in the town of Sychar. The healing of the lame man (John 5) produces an angry confrontation with Jewish leaders intent on killing Jesus. Christ’s night visit from Nicodemus (John 3) provides the context for one of the most beloved verses in all of Scripture: John 3:16. “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son. . . .”

MY DAILY WALK

Have you ever used a freeway on-ramp? Though the on-ramp is not technically part of the freeway itself, without it the freeway would be virtually useless. On-ramps get you onto the freeway. They provide access to the highway itself.

Now think of the gospel of Jesus Christ as a freeway. How are you at finding “on-ramps” to share that Good News with others? In each of the three chapters you will read today, Jesus uses an on-ramp to open a door of opportunity for his listener to hear and receive the gospel. Can you discover the on-ramps he used? Would one of them help you introduce a friend or coworker to Jesus today?

“GOD HAS SENT YOU TO TEACH US,” SAID NICODEMUS OF JESUS. JESUS WAS MORE—HE WAS GOD COME TO TEACH.

INSIGHT

Tracing the Roots of the Samaritans | John 4:4-5

The Samaritans were a mixed race of people (4:4-5) that came from the intermarriage of Jews with the pagan colonists the Assyrians used to repopulate the northern kingdom after its dispersal in 722 B.C. Racial discord ensued, causing the Samaritans to form their own national and religious identity, complete with their own holy mountain and sacred writings. Though Samaria was considered off-limits to devout Jews, Jesus and his disciples passed through it in order to keep a divine appointment.

INSIGHT

A Unique Claim | John 5:18

Jews did not have a problem with people addressing God as father. However, those in verse 5:18 who sought to kill Jesus knew he was saying something more, something radical. Jesus was somehow equating himself to the Father. Though not the Father, he, the Son, was also God. The doctrine of the Trinity is a formal expression of this profound mystery.

John 3

1There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”

3Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again,* you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

4“What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”

5Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.* 6Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.* 7So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You* must be born again.’ 8The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”

9“How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.

10Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? 11I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. 12But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man* has come down from heaven. 14And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.*

16“For this is how God loved the world: He gave* his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

18“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.*”

22Then Jesus and his disciples left Jerusalem and went into the Judean countryside. Jesus spent some time with them there, baptizing people.

23At this time John the Baptist was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because there was plenty of water there; and people kept coming to him for baptism. 24(This was before John was thrown into prison.) 25A debate broke out between John’s disciples and a certain Jew* over ceremonial cleansing. 26So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going to him instead of coming to us.”

27John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. 28You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.’ 29It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the best man is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. 30He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.

31“He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else.* 32He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! 33Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true. 34For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit. 35The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands. 36And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”

John 4

1Jesus* knew the Pharisees had heard that he was baptizing and making more disciples than John 2(though Jesus himself didn’t baptize them—his disciples did). 3So he left Judea and returned to Galilee.

4He had to go through Samaria on the way. 5Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. 7Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” 8He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.

9The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans.* She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”

10Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”

11“But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? 12And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?”

13Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”

15“Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.”

16“Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her.

17“I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied.

Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband—18for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!”

19“Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. 20So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim,* where our ancestors worshiped?”

21Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 22You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. 23But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

25The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

26Then Jesus told her, “I AM the Messiah!”*

27Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?” or “Why are you talking to her?” 28The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, 29“Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” 30So the people came streaming from the village to see him.

31Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, “Rabbi, eat something.”

32But Jesus replied, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about.”

33“Did someone bring him food while we were gone?” the disciples asked each other.

34Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. 35You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe* for harvest. 36The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! 37You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true. 38I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.”

39Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” 40When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, 41long enough for many more to hear his message and believe. 42Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world.”

43At the end of the two days, Jesus went on to Galilee. 44He himself had said that a prophet is not honored in his own hometown. 45Yet the Galileans welcomed him, for they had been in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration and had seen everything he did there.

46As he traveled through Galilee, he came to Cana, where he had turned the water into wine. There was a government official in nearby Capernaum whose son was very sick. 47When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged Jesus to come to Capernaum to heal his son, who was about to die.

48Jesus asked, “Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?”

49The official pleaded, “Lord, please come now before my little boy dies.”

50Then Jesus told him, “Go back home. Your son will live!” And the man believed what Jesus said and started home.

51While the man was on his way, some of his servants met him with the news that his son was alive and well. 52He asked them when the boy had begun to get better, and they replied, “Yesterday afternoon at one o’clock his fever suddenly disappeared!” 53Then the father realized that that was the very time Jesus had told him, “Your son will live.” And he and his entire household believed in Jesus. 54This was the second miraculous sign Jesus did in Galilee after coming from Judea.

John 5

1Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. 2Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda,* with five covered porches. 3Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches.* 5One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. 6When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?”

7“I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.”

8Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”

9Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath, 10so the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, “You can’t work on the Sabbath! The law doesn’t allow you to carry that sleeping mat!”

11But he replied, “The man who healed me told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’”

12“Who said such a thing as that?” they demanded.

13The man didn’t know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd. 14But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.” 15Then the man went and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had healed him.

16So the Jewish leaders began harassing* Jesus for breaking the Sabbath rules. 17But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.” 18So the Jewish leaders tried all the harder to find a way to kill him. For he not only broke the Sabbath, he called God his Father, thereby making himself equal with God.

19So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. 20For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing. In fact, the Father will show him how to do even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished. 21For just as the Father gives life to those he raises from the dead, so the Son gives life to anyone he wants. 22In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the Son absolute authority to judge, 23so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son is certainly not honoring the Father who sent him.

24“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.

25“And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice—the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live. 26The Father has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son. 27And he has given him authority to judge everyone because he is the Son of Man.* 28Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, 29and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment. 30I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will.

31“If I were to testify on my own behalf, my testimony would not be valid. 32But someone else is also testifying about me, and I assure you that everything he says about me is true. 33In fact, you sent investigators to listen to John the Baptist, and his testimony about me was true. 34Of course, I have no need of human witnesses, but I say these things so you might be saved. 35John was like a burning and shining lamp, and you were excited for a while about his message. 36But I have a greater witness than John—my teachings and my miracles. The Father gave me these works to accomplish, and they prove that he sent me. 37And the Father who sent me has testified about me himself. You have never heard his voice or seen him face to face, 38and you do not have his message in your hearts, because you do not believe me—the one he sent to you.

39“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! 40Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.

41“Your approval means nothing to me, 42because I know you don’t have God’s love within you. 43For I have come to you in my Father’s name, and you have rejected me. Yet if others come in their own name, you gladly welcome them. 44No wonder you can’t believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don’t care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God.*

45“Yet it isn’t I who will accuse you before the Father. Moses will accuse you! Yes, Moses, in whom you put your hopes. 46If you really believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me. 47But since you don’t believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?”

Day 27 READ JOHN 6–8

Ministry to the Multitudes by God’s Son

OVERVIEW

John relates his record of Jesus’ life and ministry to the major festivals of the Jews. The feeding of the five thousand and Jesus’ discourse on the true bread of life take place during the Passover (6:4). The discourses of chapters 7 and 8 are given during Jesus’ visit to Jerusalem for the Festival of Shelters, also known as the Festival of Tabernacles (7:2, 10). Though in both cases it is a time for feasting, clearly the temperament of the Jewish leaders is more akin to murder than to merriment as they take up rocks to stone Jesus (8:59).

MY DAILY WALK

Do you stand alone in your family circle as a Christian? Is your home environment hard on your spiritual life and growth? Then take heart. Jesus faced the same problem in his earthly family (7:5). His mother, Mary, of course, knew her Son’s true identity. But none of his brothers believed he was the Messiah until after his resurrection. Not only were they unbelieving, but they also made fun of his claims and ministry.

The way Jesus dealt with unbelief and sarcasm in his family will work for you, too. First, he ignored their taunts. Do not respond to scoffing, either in anger or in rebuttal. It only feeds the fire. Second, Jesus quietly and consistently continued his ministry for God. Do not be intimidated by unbelieving family members. Remember, you may be the only “Bible” your unsaved family will ever read. Third, Jesus drew strength from those who believed in him (Matthew 12:46-50). Schedule a time of prayer with one of your brothers or sisters in Christ. You need it—and so do they.

WHEREVER YOU SEE PERSECUTION, TRUTH IS OFTEN ON THE PERSECUTED SIDE.

INSIGHT

Will the Real Followers Please Stand Up! | John 6:26, 34

Not everyone who benefited from Jesus’ miracles responded with true faith. Jesus knew many of the people following him after he fed the five thousand were interested only in a full stomach (6:26, 34), not living for him. Jesus uses startling language in chapter 6 to show that people must radically internalize him through faith. Those who were false followers couldn’t accept it, and they left (6:66-68).

INSIGHT

True Pedigree | John 8:39-41

Many Jews in Jesus’ day thought that they had nothing to worry about because they were descendants of Abraham (8:39-41). Jesus pointed out that Abraham’s true children act a certain way. Another important person in the New Testament makes this point. See for yourself in Romans 4 and Galatians 3:6-14.

John 6

1After this, Jesus crossed over to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias. 2A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went, because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick. 3Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him. 4(It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.) 5Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?” 6He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.

7Philip replied, “Even if we worked for months, we wouldn’t have enough money* to feed them!”

8Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. 9“There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?”

10“Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.) 11Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. 12After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, “Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted.” 13So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves.

14When the people saw him* do this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, “Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!”* 15When Jesus saw that they were ready to force him to be their king, he slipped away into the hills by himself.

16That evening Jesus’ disciples went down to the shore to wait for him. 17But as darkness fell and Jesus still hadn’t come back, they got into the boat and headed across the lake toward Capernaum. 18Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough. 19They had rowed three or four miles* when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified, 20but he called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!*” 21Then they were eager to let him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination!

22The next day the crowd that had stayed on the far shore saw that the disciples had taken the only boat, and they realized Jesus had not gone with them. 23Several boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the Lord had blessed the bread and the people had eaten. 24So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for him. 25They found him on the other side of the lake and asked, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”

26Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. 27But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man* can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”

28They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?”

29Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”

30They answered, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? 31After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.’*”

32Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. 33The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

34“Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.”

35Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36But you haven’t believed in me even though you have seen me. 37However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. 38For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. 39And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. 40For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.”

41Then the people* began to murmur in disagreement because he had said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42They said, “Isn’t this Jesus, the son of Joseph? We know his father and mother. How can he say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”

43But Jesus replied, “Stop complaining about what I said. 44For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up. 45As it is written in the Scriptures,* ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46(Not that anyone has ever seen the Father; only I, who was sent from God, have seen him.) 47“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life. 48Yes, I am the bread of life! 49Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. 50Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. 51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.”

52Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant. “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” they asked.

53So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. 54But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. 55For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. 58I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.”

59He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

60Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?”

61Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, “Does this offend you? 62Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? 63The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64But some of you do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.) 65Then he said, “That is why I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me.”

66At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. 67Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?”

68Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. 69We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.*”

70Then Jesus said, “I chose the twelve of you, but one is a devil.” 71He was speaking of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, one of the Twelve, who would later betray him.

John 7

1After this, Jesus traveled around Galilee. He wanted to stay out of Judea, where the Jewish leaders were plotting his death. 2But soon it was time for the Jewish Festival of Shelters, 3and Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles! 4You can’t become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!” 5For even his brothers didn’t believe in him.

6Jesus replied, “Now is not the right time for me to go, but you can go anytime. 7The world can’t hate you, but it does hate me because I accuse it of doing evil. 8You go on. I’m not going* to this festival, because my time has not yet come.” 9After saying these things, Jesus remained in Galilee.

10But after his brothers left for the festival, Jesus also went, though secretly, staying out of public view. 11The Jewish leaders tried to find him at the festival and kept asking if anyone had seen him. 12There was a lot of grumbling about him among the crowds. Some argued, “He’s a good man,” but others said, “He’s nothing but a fraud who deceives the people.” 13But no one had the courage to speak favorably about him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders.

14Then, midway through the festival, Jesus went up to the Temple and began to teach. 15The people* were surprised when they heard him. “How does he know so much when he hasn’t been trained?” they asked.

16So Jesus told them, “My message is not my own; it comes from God who sent me. 17Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own. 18Those who speak for themselves want glory only for themselves, but a person who seeks to honor the one who sent him speaks truth, not lies. 19Moses gave you the law, but none of you obeys it! In fact, you are trying to kill me.”

20The crowd replied, “You’re demon possessed! Who’s trying to kill you?”

21Jesus replied, “I did one miracle on the Sabbath, and you were amazed. 22But you work on the Sabbath, too, when you obey Moses’ law of circumcision. (Actually, this tradition of circumcision began with the patriarchs, long before the law of Moses.) 23For if the correct time for circumcising your son falls on the Sabbath, you go ahead and do it so as not to break the law of Moses. So why should you be angry with me for healing a man on the Sabbath? 24Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly.”

25Some of the people who lived in Jerusalem started to ask each other, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? 26But here he is, speaking in public, and they say nothing to him. Could our leaders possibly believe that he is the Messiah? 27But how could he be? For we know where this man comes from. When the Messiah comes, he will simply appear; no one will know where he comes from.”

28While Jesus was teaching in the Temple, he called out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I come from. But I’m not here on my own. The one who sent me is true, and you don’t know him. 29But I know him because I come from him, and he sent me to you.” 30Then the leaders tried to arrest him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his time* had not yet come.

31Many among the crowds at the Temple believed in him. “After all,” they said, “would you expect the Messiah to do more miraculous signs than this man has done?”

32When the Pharisees heard that the crowds were whispering such things, they and the leading priests sent Temple guards to arrest Jesus. 33But Jesus told them, “I will be with you only a little longer. Then I will return to the one who sent me. 34You will search for me but not find me. And you cannot go where I am going.”

35The Jewish leaders were puzzled by this statement. “Where is he planning to go?” they asked. “Is he thinking of leaving the country and going to the Jews in other lands?* Maybe he will even teach the Greeks! 36What does he mean when he says, ‘You will search for me but not find me,’ and ‘You cannot go where I am going’?”

37On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”* 39(When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given,* because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.) 40When the crowds heard him say this, some of them declared, “Surely this man is the Prophet we’ve been expecting.”* 41Others said, “He is the Messiah.” Still others said, “But he can’t be! Will the Messiah come from Galilee? 42For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born.”* 43So the crowd was divided about him. 44Some even wanted him arrested, but no one laid a hand on him.

45When the Temple guards returned without having arrested Jesus, the leading priests and Pharisees demanded, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”

46“We have never heard anyone speak like this!” the guards responded.

47“Have you been led astray, too?” the Pharisees mocked. 48“Is there a single one of us rulers or Pharisees who believes in him? 49This foolish crowd follows him, but they are ignorant of the law. God’s curse is on them!”

50Then Nicodemus, the leader who had met with Jesus earlier, spoke up. 51“Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?” he asked.

52They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Search the Scriptures and see for yourself—no prophet ever comes* from Galilee!”

53Then the meeting broke up, and everybody went home.

John 8

1Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.

4“Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”

6They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

9When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

11“No, Lord,” she said.

And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

12Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

13The Pharisees replied, “You are making those claims about yourself! Such testimony is not valid.”

14Jesus told them, “These claims are valid even though I make them about myself. For I know where I came from and where I am going, but you don’t know this about me. 15You judge me by human standards, but I do not judge anyone. 16And if I did, my judgment would be correct in every respect because I am not alone. The Father* who sent me is with me. 17Your own law says that if two people agree about something, their witness is accepted as fact.* 18I am one witness, and my Father who sent me is the other.”

19“Where is your father?” they asked.

Jesus answered, “Since you don’t know who I am, you don’t know who my Father is. If you knew me, you would also know my Father.” 20Jesus made these statements while he was teaching in the section of the Temple known as the Treasury. But he was not arrested, because his time* had not yet come.

21Later Jesus said to them again, “I am going away. You will search for me but will die in your sin. You cannot come where I am going.”

22The people* asked, “Is he planning to commit suicide? What does he mean, ‘You cannot come where I am going’?”

23Jesus continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not. 24That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I AM who I claim to be,* you will die in your sins.”

25“Who are you?” they demanded.

Jesus replied, “The one I have always claimed to be.* 26I have much to say about you and much to condemn, but I won’t. For I say only what I have heard from the one who sent me, and he is completely truthful.” 27But they still didn’t understand that he was talking about his Father.

28So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I AM he.* I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me. 29And the one who sent me is with me—he has not deserted me. For I always do what pleases him.” 30Then many who heard him say these things believed in him.

31Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

33“But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?”

34Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. 37Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there’s no room in your hearts for my message. 38I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father.”

39“Our father is Abraham!” they declared.

“No,” Jesus replied, “for if you were really the children of Abraham, you would follow his example.* 40Instead, you are trying to kill me because I told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing. 41No, you are imitating your real father.”

They replied, “We aren’t illegitimate children! God himself is our true Father.”

42Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. 43Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! 44For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! 46Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.”

48The people retorted, “You Samaritan devil! Didn’t we say all along that you were possessed by a demon?”

49“No,” Jesus said, “I have no demon in me. For I honor my Father—and you dishonor me. 50And though I have no wish to glorify myself, God is going to glorify me. He is the true judge. 51I tell you the truth, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!”

52The people said, “Now we know you are possessed by a demon. Even Abraham and the prophets died, but you say, ‘Anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!’ 53Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”

54Jesus answered, “If I want glory for myself, it doesn’t count. But it is my Father who will glorify me. You say, ‘He is our God,’* 55but you don’t even know him. I know him. If I said otherwise, I would be as great a liar as you! But I do know him and obey him. 56Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad.”

57The people said, “You aren’t even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham?*”

58Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I AM!*” 59At that point they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple.

Day 28 Reflection & Worship

Ready with an Answer

YOUR MISSION FIELD IS THE NEXT UNSAVED PERSON YOU MEET.

LOOK BACK In contrast to the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), John’s Gospel might well be called the supplemental Gospel; about ninety-three percent of his account is found nowhere else in the Gospel records. Such favorite characters as the woman at the well, Nicodemus, and Jesus’ dear friend Lazarus are found in John’s Gospel alone.

Luke writes with the precision of a careful historian as he documents the life and times of Jesus, for that is his purpose: “to write a careful account for you, . . . so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught” (Luke 1:3-4). By contrast, John focuses on the miraculous signs Jesus performed (seven in the first twelve chapters alone) “that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life” (John 20:31).

Many verses you have read this past week would make excellent memory work projects. Why not hide a bit of God’s Word in your heart this next week, beginning with one of the following verses: Luke 16:13; 18:16; 19:10; 20:25; John 1:12, 14; 3:16, 36; 5:24; 8:32.

LOOK UP There is a knock at your door. It is late, and visitors at night are rare. But this visitor turns out to be your minister or religious leader. After a few minutes of polite conversation, the discussion takes a serious turn. He asks you, “How can I know I am a Christian?”

Would you be surprised? Of course you would. After all, spiritual leaders are supposed to know the answers to spiritual questions.

In John 3 you’ve read a true account that in many ways parallels the fictitious story about your minister. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a religious man. Trained in the Mosaic law, he was an expert in the Old Testament Scriptures. Quite likely he taught children in the synagogue school. But here he was asking Jesus the very question he should have been prepared to answer himself: “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” (John 3:4). In other words, how can a person experience the second birth?

Jesus’ answer has become the most familiar verse in the entire Bible—John 3:16. There you will find the best piece of good news ever broadcast to the world. Do you know what it is?

LOOK AHEAD Here is a handy way to remember what Jesus told Nicodemus during that evening encounter. By writing down the letters in the word gospel, you are ready not only to discover the Good News for yourself but also to share it with anyone who will listen to you for two minutes. Just fill in the words from that familiar verse below.

G___________ loved the world so much that he gave his one and

O___________

S___________, so that everyone who believes in him will not

P___________ but have

E___________

L___________

If you have put your confident trust in Jesus as the one who bears your sins, it means that you have experienced the second birth. Eternal life is God’s gift to all who acknowledge their need of a Savior and turn to Jesus in believing faith. Have you heard the Good News? Good! Now pass it on to someone else who has yet to hear.

Day 29 READ JOHN 9–12

Mounting Anger toward God’s Son

OVERVIEW

Continuing his ministry in Jerusalem following the Festival of Shelters, Jesus first gives physical sight to a blind man, then opens his spiritual eyes as well. This leads to a discussion with the Jews about “the blind leading the blind” and the importance of a shepherd who both guides and guards his sheep. Jesus’ seventh and most climactic miracle takes place in Bethany, where he raises Lazarus from the dead. Though Bethany is astir with wonderment and belief, from this point on Jesus is a marked man (11:53), his every step leading closer to the cross.

MY DAILY WALK

Mary of Bethany is a woman every Christian should emulate. She is mentioned three times in the Gospels, and each time she is described as being at Jesus’ feet (Luke 10:39; John 11:32; 12:3). It was there that she worshiped him, received instruction from him, and experienced his comfort. You cannot physically take Mary’s position, but in attitude you can. It is the position of submission and dependence.

Mary also was willing to sacrifice her most precious possession in an act of devotion to Jesus. The twelve-ounce jar of perfume was worth hundreds of dollars by today’s standards. It may well have been her dowry in anticipation of a wedding proposal. Yet she poured it over the feet of Jesus in an offering of love.

Perhaps you are wondering, What do I have that I can give to Jesus as an act of worship? The most precious thing you possess is yourself. If you have never done so before, assume the posture of Mary as you prayerfully read Romans 12:1, and give yourself as an offering today.

WE MUST GIVE NOT ONLY WHAT WE HAVE; WE MUST ALSO GIVE WHAT WE ARE.

INSIGHT

The Gateless Gate for the Sheep | John 10:7

In ancient times the sheepfold was a circular stone corral with a single narrow opening. After the sheep were inside, the shepherd would lie down across the opening, using his own body to form the gate or “door” of the sheepfold (10:7). Nothing could enter or leave the fold without the shepherd knowing about it.

INSIGHT

When a Little Means a Lot | John 11:35

John 11:35 is well known to be the shortest verse in the entire Bible. But it packs a big truth. Jesus wept because he was compassionate and cared deeply about his friends, who were experiencing deep sorrow. The Lord we serve is not cold and aloof. He is close, and he cares.

John 9

1As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2“Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?”

3“It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. 4We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us.* The night is coming, and then no one can work. 5But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.”

6Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes. 7He told him, “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “sent”). So the man went and washed and came back seeing!

8His neighbors and others who knew him as a blind beggar asked each other, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?” 9Some said he was, and others said, “No, he just looks like him!”

But the beggar kept saying, “Yes, I am the same one!”

10They asked, “Who healed you? What happened?”

11He told them, “The man they call Jesus made mud and spread it over my eyes and told me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash yourself.’ So I went and washed, and now I can see!”

12“Where is he now?” they asked.

“I don’t know,” he replied.

13Then they took the man who had been blind to the Pharisees, 14because it was on the Sabbath that Jesus had made the mud and healed him. 15The Pharisees asked the man all about it. So he told them, “He put the mud over my eyes, and when I washed it away, I could see!”

16Some of the Pharisees said, “This man Jesus is not from God, for he is working on the Sabbath.” Others said, “But how could an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs?” So there was a deep division of opinion among them.

17Then the Pharisees again questioned the man who had been blind and demanded, “What’s your opinion about this man who healed you?”

The man replied, “I think he must be a prophet.”

18The Jewish leaders still refused to believe the man had been blind and could now see, so they called in his parents. 19They asked them, “Is this your son? Was he born blind? If so, how can he now see?”

20His parents replied, “We know this is our son and that he was born blind, 21but we don’t know how he can see or who healed him. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself.” 22His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who had announced that anyone saying Jesus was the Messiah would be expelled from the synagogue. 23That’s why they said, “He is old enough. Ask him.”

24So for the second time they called in the man who had been blind and told him, “God should get the glory for this,* because we know this man Jesus is a sinner.”

25“I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!”

26“But what did he do?” they asked. “How did he heal you?”

27“Look!” the man exclaimed. “I told you once. Didn’t you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?”

28Then they cursed him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses! 29We know God spoke to Moses, but we don’t even know where this man comes from.”

30“Why, that’s very strange!” the man replied. “He healed my eyes, and yet you don’t know where he comes from? 31We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. 32Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. 33If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it.”

34“You were born a total sinner!” they answered. “Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out of the synagogue.

35When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?*”

36The man answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.”

37“You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you!”

38“Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus.

39Then Jesus told him,* “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see* that they are blind.”

40Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and asked, “Are you saying we’re blind?”

41“If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.

John 10

1“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! 2But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. 5They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”

6Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, 7so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who came before me* were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. 9Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved.* They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. 10The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. 12A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. 13The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep.

14“I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, 15just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.

17“The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. 18No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”

19When he said these things, the people* were again divided in their opinions about him. 20Some said, “He’s demon possessed and out of his mind. Why listen to a man like that?” 21Others said, “This doesn’t sound like a man possessed by a demon! Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

22It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication. 23He was in the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon’s Colonnade. 24The people surrounded him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

25Jesus replied, “I have already told you, and you don’t believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father’s name. 26But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep. 27My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, 29for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else.* No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. 30The Father and I are one.”

31Once again the people picked up stones to kill him. 32Jesus said, “At my Father’s direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone me?”

33They replied, “We’re stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy! You, a mere man, claim to be God.”

34Jesus replied, “It is written in your own Scriptures* that God said to certain leaders of the people, ‘I say, you are gods!’* 35And you know that the Scriptures cannot be altered. So if those people who received God’s message were called ‘gods,’ 36why do you call it blasphemy when I say, ‘I am the Son of God’? After all, the Father set me apart and sent me into the world. 37Don’t believe me unless I carry out my Father’s work. 38But if I do his work, believe in the evidence of the miraculous works I have done, even if you don’t believe me. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father.”

39Once again they tried to arrest him, but he got away and left them. 40He went beyond the Jordan River near the place where John was first baptizing and stayed there awhile. 41And many followed him. “John didn’t perform miraculous signs,” they remarked to one another, “but everything he said about this man has come true.” 42And many who were there believed in Jesus.

John 11

1A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. 2This is the Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair.* Her brother, Lazarus, was sick. 3So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.”

4But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” 5So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, 6he stayed where he was for the next two days. 7Finally, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.”

8But his disciples objected. “Rabbi,” they said, “only a few days ago the people* in Judea were trying to stone you. Are you going there again?”

9Jesus replied, “There are twelve hours of daylight every day. During the day people can walk safely. They can see because they have the light of this world. 10But at night there is danger of stumbling because they have no light.” 11Then he said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up.”

12The disciples said, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will soon get better!” 13They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died.

14So he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15And for your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe. Come, let’s go see him.”

16Thomas, nicknamed the Twin,* said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go, too—and die with Jesus.”

17When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days. 18Bethany was only a few miles* down the road from Jerusalem, 19and many of the people had come to console Martha and Mary in their loss. 20When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed in the house. 21Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.”

23Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.”

24“Yes,” Martha said, “he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.”

25Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life.* Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”

27“Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.” 28Then she returned to Mary. She called Mary aside from the mourners and told her, “The Teacher is here and wants to see you.” 29So Mary immediately went to him.

30Jesus had stayed outside the village, at the place where Martha met him. 31When the people who were at the house consoling Mary saw her leave so hastily, they assumed she was going to Lazarus’s grave to weep. So they followed her there. 32When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

33When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him,* and he was deeply troubled. 34“Where have you put him?” he asked them.

They told him, “Lord, come and see.” 35Then Jesus wept. 36The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much he loved him!” 37But some said, “This man healed a blind man. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?”

38Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. 39“Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them.

But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.”

40Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” 41So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. 42You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.” 43Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” 44And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”

45Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen. 46But some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council* together. “What are we going to do?” they asked each other. “This man certainly performs many miraculous signs. 48If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him. Then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple* and our nation.”

49Caiaphas, who was high priest at that time,* said, “You don’t know what you’re talking about! 50You don’t realize that it’s better for you that one man should die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed.”

51He did not say this on his own; as high priest at that time he was led to prophesy that Jesus would die for the entire nation. 52And not only for that nation, but to bring together and unite all the children of God scattered around the world.

53So from that time on, the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus’ death. 54As a result, Jesus stopped his public ministry among the people and left Jerusalem. He went to a place near the wilderness, to the village of Ephraim, and stayed there with his disciples.

55It was now almost time for the Jewish Passover celebration, and many people from all over the country arrived in Jerusalem several days early so they could go through the purification ceremony before Passover began. 56They kept looking for Jesus, but as they stood around in the Temple, they said to each other, “What do you think? He won’t come for Passover, will he?” 57Meanwhile, the leading priests and Pharisees had publicly ordered that anyone seeing Jesus must report it immediately so they could arrest him.

John 12

1Six days before the Passover celebration began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus—the man he had raised from the dead. 2A dinner was prepared in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those who ate* with him. 3Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar* of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance.

4But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray him, said, 5“That perfume was worth a year’s wages.* It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.” 6Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself.

7Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial. 8You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

9When all the people* heard of Jesus’ arrival, they flocked to see him and also to see Lazarus, the man Jesus had raised from the dead. 10Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus, too, 11for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them* and believed in Jesus.

12The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crowd of Passover visitors 13took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted,

“Praise God!*

Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!

Hail to the King of Israel!”*

14Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said:

15“Don’t be afraid, people of Jerusalem.*

Look, your King is coming,

riding on a donkey’s colt.”*

16His disciples didn’t understand at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. But after Jesus entered into his glory, they remembered what had happened and realized that these things had been written about him.

17Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, and they were telling others* about it. 18That was the reason so many went out to meet him—because they had heard about this miraculous sign. 19Then the Pharisees said to each other, “There’s nothing we can do. Look, everyone* has gone after him!”

20Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration 21paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, “Sir, we want to meet Jesus.” 22Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus.

23Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man* to enter into his glory. 24I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. 25Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. 26Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.

27“Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came! 28Father, bring glory to your name.”

Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, “I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again.” 29When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him.

30Then Jesus told them, “The voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out. 32And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” 33He said this to indicate how he was going to die.

34The crowd responded, “We understood from Scripture* that the Messiah would live forever. How can you say the Son of Man will die? Just who is this Son of Man, anyway?”

35Jesus replied, “My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going. 36Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.”

After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them.

37But despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe in him. 38This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted:

“LORD, who has believed our message?

To whom has the LORD revealed his powerful arm?”*

39But the people couldn’t believe, for as Isaiah also said,

40“The Lord has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts— so that their eyes cannot see,

and their hearts cannot understand,

and they cannot turn to me

and have me heal them.”*

41Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he said this, because he saw the future and spoke of the Messiah’s glory. 42Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. 43For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.

44Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. 45For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. 46I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark. 47I will not judge those who hear me but don’t obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. 48But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken. 49I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. 50And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say.”

Day 30 READ JOHN 13–17

Ministry to the Disciples by God’s Son

OVERVIEW

Today’s section includes what has traditionally been called the Upper Room Discourse. It actually takes place partly in an upper room (John 13–14) and partly in an unspecified location (John 15–17; see 14:31). These verses constitute Jesus’ final instructions to his disciples before his death. In them you will read of the importance of a servant’s heart, the necessity of Jesus’ return to the Father, and the provision of the Holy Spirit in his absence. There are many spiritual insights yet to be grasped by the disciples—a realization that drives Jesus to his knees as he prays for his followers both present and future.

MY DAILY WALK

Reflect upon this thought-provoking statement by Robert Murray McCheyne: “If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference. He is praying for me.”

In John 17, Jesus Christ prayed fervently and specifically for his disciples—those he would leave behind to continue the work in his absence. And that means he was praying for you. Read the chapter that way, inserting your name in the appropriate places beginning in verse 6: I have revealed you to __________ . . . __________ was always yours. You gave __________ to me. . . . My prayer is not for the world, but for __________, whom you have given me. . . . Now I am departing from the world; _______ is staying in this world. . . . I’m not asking you to take __________ out of the world, but to keep _________ safe from the evil one.

JESUS HIMSELF PRAYED FOR US, AND GOD LISTENED. WHAT ENCOURAGEMENT!

INSIGHT

Go and Do Likewise | John 13:12-17

There are times in our Christian walk when we wonder what God wants us to do to serve him. While God might call us to specific tasks at specific times, there is one way to serve him that is always applicable—serving others. Jesus gave us a powerful example when he washed his disciple’s dusty feet (13:12-17). How are you serving others these days?

INSIGHT

Mission Accomplished . . . Cross Yet to Come | John 17:4

In his prayer to God the Father, Jesus reported, “I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do” (17:4). Though Jesus’ death was still a day away, victory was certain as the Savior steadied each step to the cross with prayer. You can face today with confidence, too, as you stay in touch with the Father.

John 13

1Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end.* 2It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas,* son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.

6When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

7Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”

8“No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!”

Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”

9Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”

10Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet,* to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” 11For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

12After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? 13You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. 14And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 15I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. 16I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. 17Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.

18“I am not saying these things to all of you; I know the ones I have chosen. But this fulfills the Scripture that says, ‘The one who eats my food has turned against me.’* 19I tell you this beforehand, so that when it happens you will believe that I AM the Messiah.* 20I tell you the truth, anyone who welcomes my messenger is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me.”

21Now Jesus was deeply troubled,* and he exclaimed, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me!”

22The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean. 23The disciple Jesus loved was sitting next to Jesus at the table.* 24Simon Peter motioned to him to ask, “Who’s he talking about?” 25So that disciple leaned over to Jesus and asked, “Lord, who is it?”

26Jesus responded, “It is the one to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl.” And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. 27When Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, “Hurry and do what you’re going to do.” 28None of the others at the table knew what Jesus meant. 29Since Judas was their treasurer, some thought Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor. 30So Judas left at once, going out into the night.

31As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for the Son of Man* to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. 32And since God receives glory because of the Son,* he will give his own glory to the Son, and he will do so at once. 33Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going. 34So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

36Simon Peter asked, “Lord, where are you going?”

And Jesus replied, “You can’t go with me now, but you will follow me later.”

37“But why can’t I come now, Lord?” he asked. “I’m ready to die for you.”

38Jesus answered, “Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter—before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.

John 14

1“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2There is more than enough room in my Father’s home.* If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?* 3When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4And you know the way to where I am going.”

5“No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

6Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. 7If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is.* From now on, you do know him and have seen him!”

8Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”

9Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? 10Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. 11Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.

12“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 13You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!

15“If you love me, obey* my commandments. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,* who will never leave you. 17He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.* 18No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. 19Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. 20When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”

22Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to him, “Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large?”

23Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. 24Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me. 25I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. 26But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

27“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. 28Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am. 29I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe.

30“I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me, 31but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let’s be going.

John 15

1“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

5“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.

9“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. 16You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 17This is my command: Love each other.

18“If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. 19The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. 20Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. 21They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me. 22They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin. 23Anyone who hates me also hates my Father. 24If I hadn’t done such miraculous signs among them that no one else could do, they would not be guilty. But as it is, they have seen everything I did, yet they still hate me and my Father. 25This fulfills what is written in their Scriptures*: ‘They hated me without cause.’

26“But I will send you the Advocate*—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me. 27And you must also testify about me because you have been with me from the beginning of my ministry.

John 16

1“I have told you these things so that you won’t abandon your faith. 2For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God. 3This is because they have never known the Father or me. 4Yes, I’m telling you these things now, so that when they happen, you will remember my warning. I didn’t tell you earlier because I was going to be with you for a while longer.

5“But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. 6Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. 7But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate* won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. 8And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. 9The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. 10Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. 11Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.

12“There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. 13When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. 15All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’

16“In a little while you won’t see me anymore. But a little while after that, you will see me again.”

17Some of the disciples asked each other, “What does he mean when he says, ‘In a little while you won’t see me, but then you will see me,’ and ‘I am going to the Father’? 18And what does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand.”

19Jesus realized they wanted to ask him about it, so he said, “Are you asking yourselves what I meant? I said in a little while you won’t see me, but a little while after that you will see me again. 20I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy. 21It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world. 22So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy. 23At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. 24You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.

25“I have spoken of these matters in figures of speech, but soon I will stop speaking figuratively and will tell you plainly all about the Father. 26Then you will ask in my name. I’m not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf, 27for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God.* 28Yes, I came from the Father into the world, and now I will leave the world and return to the Father.”

29Then his disciples said, “At last you are speaking plainly and not figuratively. 30Now we understand that you know everything, and there’s no need to question you. From this we believe that you came from God.”

31Jesus asked, “Do you finally believe? 32But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. 33I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

John 17

1After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. 2For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. 3And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. 4I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.

6“I have revealed you* to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, 8for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me.

9“My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. 10All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. 11Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name;* now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are. 12During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me.* I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.

13“Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. 14I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. 16They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. 18Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. 19And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.

20“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

22“I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. 23I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. 24Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!

25“O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. 26I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them.”

Day 31 READ JOHN 18–21

The Resurrected Son of God

OVERVIEW

After reading the closing events of Jesus’ life in each of the other three Gospels, you may be tempted to skim John’s account. But don’t! Put yourself in the sandals of the key individuals in the narrative, and feel the emotions as the crucifixion unfolds: Judas’s disillusionment . . . Peter’s denial . . . Pilate’s concession . . . the crowd’s frenzied outcries . . . the rugged cross . . . the nail-pierced hands . . . the bleeding side . . . the hurried burial. Experience with the women the shock of finding the tomb empty. Follow Thomas’s transformation from a doubting disciple to a devoted believer. Listen as Peter receives his marching orders—to feed God’s flock until the Shepherd returns.

MY DAILY WALK

Read John 20:30-31 carefully to refresh your memory regarding John’s purpose in writing. He is not just trying to satisfy your curiosity about the historical Jesus or fill your head with little-known facts about him or teach you all the events from Bethlehem to Calvary in chronological order. Rather, John is seeking to move you to a point of commitment. Unless Jesus Christ has invaded your life, you are lost in your sins—without God, without life, without hope of heaven.

Becoming a Christian is not simply joining a church, signing a card, or walking an aisle—though these can certainly be valid expressions of your desire to become a Christian. True faith comes as the result of believing on Jesus Christ, God’s Son, to solve your sin problem. It is trusting him to do something for you that you cannot do yourself. Have you done that? If not, what better way to finish your reading of the Gospels than by opening your heart to the Savior of whom those Gospels speak: Jesus Christ.

IF EVER A MAN WAS GOD, OR GOD MAN, JESUS WAS BOTH.

INSIGHT

True Power | John 19:11

Most people standing before Pilate would have trembled with fear. Note the calm confidence in Jesus’ words as he reveals to Pilate the true source of Pilate’s power (19:11). The Bible consistently teaches that no human king or kingdom, no matter how powerful, can do anything unless the King of the Universe allows it.

INSIGHT

Evidence Enough for John | John 20:3-8

John records that he saw the grave clothes and head cloth lying folded in Jesus’ tomb with a space between them (20:3-8). For him this was clear and convincing evidence that Jesus had no further need of them and that Jesus was alive. John saw and believed.

John 18

1After saying these things, Jesus crossed the Kidron Valley with his disciples and entered a grove of olive trees. 2Judas, the betrayer, knew this place, because Jesus had often gone there with his disciples. 3The leading priests and Pharisees had given Judas a contingent of Roman soldiers and Temple guards to accompany him. Now with blazing torches, lanterns, and weapons, they arrived at the olive grove.

4Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him, so he stepped forward to meet them. “Who are you looking for?” he asked.

5“Jesus the Nazarene,”* they replied.

“I AM he,”* Jesus said. (Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.) 6As Jesus said “I AM he,” they all drew back and fell to the ground! 7Once more he asked them, “Who are you looking for?”

And again they replied, “Jesus the Nazarene.”

8“I told you that I AM he,” Jesus said. “And since I am the one you want, let these others go.” 9He did this to fulfill his own statement: “I did not lose a single one of those you have given me.”*

10Then Simon Peter drew a sword and slashed off the right ear of Malchus, the high priest’s slave. 11But Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath. Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given me?”

12So the soldiers, their commanding officer, and the Temple guards arrested Jesus and tied him up. 13First they took him to Annas, since he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest at that time.* 14Caiaphas was the one who had told the other Jewish leaders, “It’s better that one man should die for the people.”

15Simon Peter followed Jesus, as did another of the disciples. That other disciple was acquainted with the high priest, so he was allowed to enter the high priest’s courtyard with Jesus. 16Peter had to stay outside the gate. Then the disciple who knew the high priest spoke to the woman watching at the gate, and she let Peter in. 17The woman asked Peter, “You’re not one of that man’s disciples, are you?”

“No,” he said, “I am not.”

18Because it was cold, the household servants and the guards had made a charcoal fire. They stood around it, warming themselves, and Peter stood with them, warming himself.

19Inside, the high priest began asking Jesus about his followers and what he had been teaching them. 20Jesus replied, “Everyone knows what I teach. I have preached regularly in the synagogues and the Temple, where the people* gather. I have not spoken in secret. 21Why are you asking me this question? Ask those who heard me. They know what I said.”

22Then one of the Temple guards standing nearby slapped Jesus across the face. “Is that the way to answer the high priest?” he demanded.

23Jesus replied, “If I said anything wrong, you must prove it. But if I’m speaking the truth, why are you beating me?”

24Then Annas bound Jesus and sent him to Caiaphas, the high priest.

25Meanwhile, as Simon Peter was standing by the fire warming himself, they asked him again, “You’re not one of his disciples, are you?”

He denied it, saying, “No, I am not.”

26But one of the household slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Didn’t I see you out there in the olive grove with Jesus?” 27Again Peter denied it. And immediately a rooster crowed.

28Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas ended in the early hours of the morning. Then he was taken to the headquarters of the Roman governor.* His accusers didn’t go inside because it would defile them, and they wouldn’t be allowed to celebrate the Passover. 29So Pilate, the governor, went out to them and asked, “What is your charge against this man?”

30“We wouldn’t have handed him over to you if he weren’t a criminal!” they retorted.

31“Then take him away and judge him by your own law,” Pilate told them.

“Only the Romans are permitted to execute someone,” the Jewish leaders replied. 32(This fulfilled Jesus’ prediction about the way he would die.*) 33Then Pilate went back into his headquarters and called for Jesus to be brought to him. “Are you the king of the Jews?” he asked him.

34Jesus replied, “Is this your own question, or did others tell you about me?”

35“Am I a Jew?” Pilate retorted. “Your own people and their leading priests brought you to me for trial. Why? What have you done?”

36Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.”

37Pilate said, “So you are a king?”

Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”

38“What is truth?” Pilate asked. Then he went out again to the people and told them, “He is not guilty of any crime. 39But you have a custom of asking me to release one prisoner each year at Passover. Would you like me to release this ‘King of the Jews’?”

40But they shouted back, “No! Not this man. We want Barabbas!” (Barabbas was a revolutionary.)

John 19

1Then Pilate had Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip. 2The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put a purple robe on him. 3“Hail! King of the Jews!” they mocked, as they slapped him across the face.

4Pilate went outside again and said to the people, “I am going to bring him out to you now, but understand clearly that I find him not guilty.” 5Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said, “Look, here is the man!”

6When they saw him, the leading priests and Temple guards began shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

“Take him yourselves and crucify him,” Pilate said. “I find him not guilty.”

7The Jewish leaders replied, “By our law he ought to die because he called himself the Son of God.”

8When Pilate heard this, he was more frightened than ever. 9He took Jesus back into the headquarters* again and asked him, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave no answer. 10“Why don’t you talk to me?” Pilate demanded. “Don’t you realize that I have the power to release you or crucify you?”

11Then Jesus said, “You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you from above. So the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.”

12Then Pilate tried to release him, but the Jewish leaders shouted, “If you release this man, you are no ‘friend of Caesar.’* Anyone who declares himself a king is a rebel against Caesar.”

13When they said this, Pilate brought Jesus out to them again. Then Pilate sat down on the judgment seat on the platform that is called the Stone Pavement (in Hebrew, Gabbatha). 14It was now about noon on the day of preparation for the Passover. And Pilate said to the people,* “Look, here is your king!”

15“Away with him,” they yelled. “Away with him! Crucify him!”

“What? Crucify your king?” Pilate asked.

“We have no king but Caesar,” the leading priests shouted back.

16Then Pilate turned Jesus over to them to be crucified.

So they took Jesus away. 17Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha). 18There they nailed him to the cross. Two others were crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus between them. 19And Pilate posted a sign on the cross that read, “Jesus of Nazareth,* the King of the Jews.” 20The place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, so that many people could read it.

21Then the leading priests objected and said to Pilate, “Change it from ‘The King of the Jews’ to ‘He said, I am King of the Jews.’”

22Pilate replied, “No, what I have written, I have written.”

23When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided his clothes among the four of them. They also took his robe, but it was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. 24So they said, “Rather than tearing it apart, let’s throw dice* for it.” This fulfilled the Scripture that says, “They divided my garments among themselves and threw dice for my clothing.”* So that is what they did.

25Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” 27And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home.

28Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.”* 29A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. 30When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released his spirit.

31It was the day of preparation, and the Jewish leaders didn’t want the bodies hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath, because it was the Passover). So they asked Pilate to hasten their deaths by ordering that their legs be broken. Then their bodies could be taken down. 32So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus. 33But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn’t break his legs. 34One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. 35(This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account. He speaks the truth so that you also may continue to believe.*) 36These things happened in fulfillment of the Scriptures that say, “Not one of his bones will be broken,”* 37and “They will look on the one they pierced.”*

38Afterward Joseph of Arimathea, who had been a secret disciple of Jesus (because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate for permission to take down Jesus’ body. When Pilate gave permission, Joseph came and took the body away. 39With him came Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night. He brought about seventy-five pounds* of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes. 40Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus’ body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth. 41The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before. 42And so, because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover* and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

John 20

1Early on Sunday morning,* while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 2She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

3Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb. 4They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn’t go in. 6Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, 7while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings. 8Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed—9for until then they still hadn’t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead. 10Then they went home.

11Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. 12She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. 13“Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her.

“Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”

14She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. 15“Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?”

She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.”

16“Mary!” Jesus said.

She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”).

17“Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

18Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message.

19That Sunday evening* the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. 20As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! 21Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” 22Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

24One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin),* was not with the others when Jesus came. 25They told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”

26Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”

28“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.

29Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

30The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. 31But these are written so that you may continue to believe* that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.

John 21

1Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee.* This is how it happened. 2Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin),* Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples.

3Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.”

“We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.

4At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. 5He called out, “Fellows,* have you caught any fish?”

“No,” they replied.

6Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.

7Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore. 8The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards* from shore. 9When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread.

10“Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said. 11So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn.

12“Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. 14This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.

15After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?*”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”

“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.

16Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”

“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.

17A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.

18“I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others* will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” 19Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”

20Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved—the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, “Lord, who will betray you?” 21Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?”

22Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.” 23So the rumor spread among the community of believers* that this disciple wouldn’t die. But that isn’t what Jesus said at all. He only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”

24This disciple is the one who testifies to these events and has recorded them here. And we know that his account of these things is accurate.

25Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written.

Matthew

Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Mark

Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Luke

Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19

20 21 22 23 24

John

Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19

20 21

Matthew Text Notes

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Matthew 1:1-25 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 1:1 Greek Jesus the Messiah, Son of David and son of Abraham.

*Matt 1:3 Greek Aram, a variant spelling of Ram; also in 1:4. See 1 Chr 2:9-10.

*Matt 1:7 Greek Asaph, a variant spelling of Asa; also in 1:8. See 1 Chr 3:10.

*Matt 1:8a Greek Joram, a variant spelling of Jehoram; also in 1:8b. See 1 Kgs 22:50 and note at 1 Chr 3:11.

*Matt 1:8b Or ancestor; also in 1:11.

*Matt 1:10 Greek Amos, a variant spelling of Amon; also in 1:10b. See 1 Chr 3:14.

*Matt 1:11 Greek Jeconiah, a variant spelling of Jehoiachin; also in 1:12. See 2 Kgs 24:6 and note at 1 Chr 3:16.

*Matt 1:19 Greek to divorce her.

*Matt 1:21 Jesus means “The LORD saves.”

*Matt 1:23 Isa 7:14; 8:8, 10 (Greek version).

Matthew 2:1-23 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 2:1 Or royal astrologers; Greek reads magi; also in 2:7, 16.

*Matt 2:2 Or star in the east.

*Matt 2:6a Greek the rulers.

*Matt 2:6b Mic 5:2; 2 Sam 5:2.

*Matt 2:15 Hos 11:1.

*Matt 2:18 Jer 31:15.

Matthew 3:1-17 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 3:2 Or has come, or is coming soon.

*Matt 3:3 Isa 40:3 (Greek version).

*Matt 3:7 Or coming to be baptized.

*Matt 3:11a Or in.

*Matt 3:11b Or in the Holy Spirit and in fire.

*Matt 3:15 Or for we must fulfill all righteousness.

*Matt 3:16 Some manuscripts read opened to him.

Matthew 4:1-25 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 4:3 Greek the tempter.

*Matt 4:4 Deut 8:3.

*Matt 4:6 Ps 91:11-12.

*Matt 4:7 Deut 6:16.

*Matt 4:10 Deut 6:13.

*Matt 4:15-16 Isa 9:1-2 (Greek version).

*Matt 4:17 Or has come, or is coming soon.

*Matt 4:25 Greek Decapolis.

Matthew 5:1-48 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 5:3 Greek poor in spirit.

*Matt 5:6 Or for righteousness.

*Matt 5:21 Exod 20:13; Deut 5:17.

*Matt 5:22a Some manuscripts add without cause.

*Matt 5:22b Greek uses an Aramaic term of contempt: If you say to your brother, ‘Raca.’

*Matt 5:22c Greek if you say, ‘You fool.’

*Matt 5:22d Greek Gehenna; also in 5:29, 30.

*Matt 5:23 Greek gift; also in 5:24.

*Matt 5:26 Greek the last kodrantes [i.e., quadrans].

*Matt 5:27 Exod 20:14; Deut 5:18.

*Matt 5:29 Greek your right eye.

*Matt 5:30 Greek your right hand.

*Matt 5:31 Deut 24:1.

*Matt 5:33 Num 30:2.

*Matt 5:38 Greek the law that says: ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ Exod 21:24; Lev 24:20; Deut 19:21.

*Matt 5:41 Greek milion [4,854 feet or 1,478 meters].

*Matt 5:43 Lev 19:18.

*Matt 5:44 Some manuscripts add Bless those who curse you. Do good to those who hate you. Compare Luke 6:27-28.

*Matt 5:47 Greek your brothers.

Matthew 6:1-34 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 6:11 Or Give us today our food for the day; or Give us today our food for tomorrow.

*Matt 6:13a Or And keep us from being tested.

*Matt 6:13b Or from evil. Some manuscripts add For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

*Matt 6:17 Greek anoint your head.

*Matt 6:33 Some manuscripts do not include of God.

Matthew 7:1-29 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 7:2a Or For God will judge you as you judge others.

*Matt 7:2b Or The measure you give will be the measure you get back.

*Matt 7:3 Greek your brother’s eye; also in 7:5.

*Matt 7:4 Greek your brother.

*Matt 7:6 Greek Don’t give the sacred to dogs.

*Matt 7:13 Greek The road that leads to destruction.

Matthew 8:1-34 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 8:4 See Lev 14:2-32.

*Matt 8:5 Greek a centurion; similarly in 8:8, 13.

*Matt 8:6 Or child; also in 8:13.

*Matt 8:17 Isa 53:4.

*Matt 8:20 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Matt 8:22 Greek Let the dead bury their own dead.

*Matt 8:28 Other manuscripts read Gerasenes; still others read Gergesenes. Compare Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26.

Matthew 9:1-38 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 9:4 Some manuscripts read saw.

*Matt 9:6 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Matt 9:8 Greek for giving such authority to human beings.

*Matt 9:11 Greek with tax collectors and sinners?

*Matt 9:13 Hos 6:6 (Greek version).

*Matt 9:14 Some manuscripts read fast often.

Matthew 10:1-42 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 10:1 Greek unclean.

*Matt 10:3 Other manuscripts read Lebbaeus; still others read Lebbaeus who is called Thaddaeus.

*Matt 10:4 Greek the Cananean, an Aramaic term for Jewish nationalists.

*Matt 10:7 Or has come, or is coming soon.

*Matt 10:18 Or But this will be your testimony against the rulers and other unbelievers.

*Matt 10:22 Greek on account of my name.

*Matt 10:23 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Matt 10:24 Or Disciples.

*Matt 10:25 Greek Beelzeboul; other manuscripts read Beezeboul; Latin version reads Beelzebub.

*Matt 10:28 Greek Gehenna.

*Matt 10:29 Greek one assarion [i.e., one “as,” a Roman coin equal to 1/16 of a denarius].

*Matt 10:35-36 Mic 7:6.

*Matt 10:41 Greek receive a prophet in the name of a prophet.

Matthew 11:1-30 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 11:3 Greek Are you the one who is coming?

*Matt 11:6 Or who are not offended by me.

*Matt 11:10 Mal 3:1.

*Matt 11:12 Or the Kingdom of Heaven has suffered from violence.

*Matt 11:14 See Mal 4:5.

*Matt 11:19 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Matt 11:23 Greek to Hades.

Matthew 12:1-50 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 12:7 Hos 6:6 (Greek version).

*Matt 12:8 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Matt 12:18-21 Isa 42:1-4 (Greek version for 42:4).

*Matt 12:24 Greek Beelzeboul; also in 12:27. Other manuscripts read Beezeboul; Latin version reads Beelzebub.

*Matt 12:42 Greek The queen of the south.

*Matt 12:43 Greek unclean.

*Matt 12:47 Some manuscripts do not include verse 47. Compare Mark 3:32 and Luke 8:20.

Matthew 13:1-58 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 13:11 Greek the mysteries.

*Matt 13:14-15 Isa 6:9-10 (Greek version).

*Matt 13:35 Some manuscripts do not include of the world. Ps 78:2.

*Matt 13:37 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Matt 13:39 Or the age; also in 13:40, 49.

*Matt 13:55 Other manuscripts read Joses; still others read John.

Matthew 14:1-36 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 14:1 Greek Herod the tetrarch. Herod Antipas was a son of King Herod and was ruler over Galilee.

*Matt 14:25 Greek In the fourth watch of the night.

*Matt 14:27 Or The ‘I AM’ is here; Greek reads I am. See Exod 3:14.

*Matt 14:30 Some manuscripts do not include strong.

Matthew 15:1-39 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 15:4a Exod 20:12; Deut 5:16.

*Matt 15:4b Exod 21:17 (Greek version); Lev 20:9 (Greek version).

*Matt 15:6 Greek their father; other manuscripts read their father or their mother.

*Matt 15:8-9 Isa 29:13 (Greek version).

*Matt 15:22 Greek Canaanite.

Matthew 16:1-28 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 16:2-3 Several manuscripts do not include any of the words in 16:2-3 after He replied.

*Matt 16:4 Greek the sign of Jonah.

*Matt 16:13 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Matt 16:16 Or the Christ. Messiah (a Hebrew term) and Christ (a Greek term) both mean “anointed one.”

*Matt 16:17 Greek Simon bar-Jonah; see John 1:42; 21:15-17.

*Matt 16:18a Greek that you are Peter.

*Matt 16:18b Greek and the gates of Hades.

*Matt 16:19a Or bind, or lock.

*Matt 16:19b Or loose, or open.

*Matt 16:21 Some manuscripts read Jesus the Messiah.

*Matt 16:22 Or began to correct him.

*Matt 16:26 Or your self? also in 16:26b.

Matthew 17:1-27 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 17:4 Greek three tabernacles.

*Matt 17:9 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Matt 17:10 Greek that Elijah must come first?

*Matt 17:20 Some manuscripts add verse 21, But this kind of demon won’t leave except by prayer and fasting. Compare Mark 9:29.

*Matt 17:24 Greek the two-drachma [tax]; also in 17:24b. See Exod 30:13-16; Neh 10:32-33.

*Matt 17:25a Greek Simon?

*Matt 17:25b Greek their sons or others?

*Matt 17:27 Greek a stater [a Greek coin equivalent to four drachmas].

Matthew 18:1-35 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 18:5 Greek in my name.

*Matt 18:9 Greek the Gehenna of fire.

*Matt 18:10 Some manuscripts add verse 11, And the Son of Man came to save those who are lost. Compare Luke 19:10.

*Matt 18:15a Greek If your brother.

*Matt 18:15b Some manuscripts do not include against you.

*Matt 18:18a Or bind, or lock.

*Matt 18:18b Or loose, or open.

*Matt 18:20 Greek gather together in my name.

*Matt 18:21 Greek my brother.

*Matt 18:22 Or seventy-seven times.

*Matt 18:24 Greek 10,000 talents [375 tons or 340 metric tons of silver].

*Matt 18:28 Greek 100 denarii. A denarius was equivalent to a laborer’s full day’s wage.

*Matt 18:35 Greek your brother.

Matthew 19:1-30 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 19:4 Gen 1:27; 5:2.

*Matt 19:5 Gen 2:24.

*Matt 19:7 See Deut 24:1.

*Matt 19:9 Some manuscripts add And anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. Compare Matt 5:32.

*Matt 19:12 Greek and some make themselves eunuchs.

*Matt 19:16 Some manuscripts read Good Teacher.

*Matt 19:17 Some manuscripts read continue to keep.

*Matt 19:18-19 Exod 20:12-16; Deut 5:16-20; Lev 19:18.

*Matt 19:28a Or in the regeneration.

*Matt 19:28b “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Matt 19:30 Greek But many who are first will be last; and the last, first.

Matthew 20:1-34 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 20:2 Greek a denarius, the payment for a full day’s labor; similarly in 20:9, 10, 13.

*Matt 20:18 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Matt 20:19 Greek the Gentiles.

Matthew 21:1-46 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 21:5a Greek Tell the daughter of Zion. Isa 62:11.

*Matt 21:5b Zech 9:9.

*Matt 21:7 Greek over them, and he sat on them.

*Matt 21:9a Greek Hosanna, an exclamation of praise that literally means “save now”; also in 21:9b, 15.

*Matt 21:9b Pss 118:25-26; 148:1.

*Matt 21:13 Isa 56:7; Jer 7:11.

*Matt 21:16 Ps 8:2 (Greek version).

*Matt 21:29-31 Other manuscripts read “The second.” In still other manuscripts the first son says “Yes” but does nothing, the second son says “No” but then repents and goes, and the answer to Jesus’ question is that the second son obeyed his father.

*Matt 21:42 Ps 118:22-23.

*Matt 21:44 This verse is not included in some early manuscripts. Compare Luke 20:18.

Matthew 22:1-46 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 22:19 Greek a denarius.

*Matt 22:24 Deut 25:5-6.

*Matt 22:31 Greek read about this? God said.

*Matt 22:32 Exod 3:6.

*Matt 22:37 Deut 6:5.

*Matt 22:39 Lev 19:18.

*Matt 22:44 Ps 110:1.

Matthew 23:1-39 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 23:2 Greek and the Pharisees sit in the seat of Moses.

*Matt 23:5 Greek They enlarge their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.

*Matt 23:7 Rabbi, from Aramaic, means “master” or “teacher.”

*Matt 23:8 Greek brothers.

*Matt 23:13 Some manuscripts add verse 14, What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! You shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, you will be severely punished. Compare Mark 12:40 and Luke 20:47.

*Matt 23:15 Greek of Gehenna; also in 23:33.

*Matt 23:23 Greek tithe the mint, the dill, and the cumin.

*Matt 23:24 See Lev 11:4, 23, where gnats and camels are both forbidden as food.

*Matt 23:26 Some manuscripts do not include and the dish.

*Matt 23:38 Some manuscripts do not include and desolate.

*Matt 23:39 Ps 118:26.

Matthew 24:1-51 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 24:3 Or the age?

*Matt 24:9 Greek on account of my name.

*Matt 24:14 Or all peoples.

*Matt 24:15 Greek the abomination of desolation. See Dan 9:27; 11:31; 12:11.

*Matt 24:27 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Matt 24:28 Greek Wherever the carcass is, the vultures gather.

*Matt 24:29 See Isa 13:10; 34:4; Joel 2:10.

*Matt 24:30 See Dan 7:13.

*Matt 24:31 Greek from the four winds.

*Matt 24:34 Or this age, or this nation.

*Matt 24:36 Some manuscripts do not include or the Son himself.

Matthew 25:1-46 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 25:1 Or virgins; also in 25:7, 11.

*Matt 25:15 Greek talents; also throughout the story. A talent is equal to 75 pounds or 34 kilograms.

*Matt 25:21 Greek Enter into the joy of your master [or your Lord]; also in 25:23.

*Matt 25:31 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Matt 25:32 Or peoples.

*Matt 25:40 Greek my brothers.

*Matt 25:41 Greek his angels.

Matthew 26:1-75 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 26:2 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Matt 26:7 Or reclining.

*Matt 26:20 Or Jesus reclined.

*Matt 26:28 Some manuscripts read the new covenant.

*Matt 26:31 Greek I will strike. Zech 13:7.

*Matt 26:42 Greek If this cannot pass.

*Matt 26:53 Greek twelve legions.

*Matt 26:59 Greek the Sanhedrin.

*Matt 26:64a Greek seated at the right hand of the power. See Ps 110:1.

*Matt 26:64b See Dan 7:13.

*Matt 26:71 Or Jesus the Nazarene.

Matthew 27:1-66 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 27:6 Greek since it is the price for blood.

*Matt 27:9 Or I took.

*Matt 27:9-10 Greek as the LORD directed me. Zech 11:12-13; Jer 32:6-9.

*Matt 27:16 Some manuscripts read Jesus Barabbas; also in 27:17.

*Matt 27:25 Greek “His blood be on us and on our children.”

*Matt 27:27 Or into the Praetorium.

*Matt 27:32 Cyrene was a city in northern Africa.

*Matt 27:35 Greek by casting lots. A few late manuscripts add This fulfilled the word of the prophet: “They divided my garments among themselves and cast lots for my robe.” See Ps 22:18.

*Matt 27:38 Or criminals; also in 27:44.

*Matt 27:46a Some manuscripts read Eloi, Eloi.

*Matt 27:46b Ps 22:1.

*Matt 27:49 Some manuscripts add And another took a spear and pierced his side, and out flowed water and blood. Compare John 19:34.

*Matt 27:54 Greek The centurion.

*Matt 27:62 Or On the next day, which is after the Preparation.

Matthew 28:1-20 NLT Text Notes

*Matt 28:1 Greek After the Sabbath, on the first day of the week.

*Matt 28:19 Or all peoples.

Mark Text Notes

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16

Mark 1:1-45 NLT Text Notes

*Mark 1:1 Some manuscripts do not include the Son of God.

*Mark 1:2 Mal 3:1.

*Mark 1:3 Isa 40:3 (Greek version).

*Mark 1:8 Or in; also in 1:8b.

*Mark 1:10 Or toward him, or into him.

*Mark 1:14 Some manuscripts read the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

*Mark 1:16 Simon is called “Peter” in 3:16 and thereafter.

*Mark 1:23 Greek unclean; also in 1:26, 27.

*Mark 1:41 Some manuscripts read Moved with anger.

*Mark 1:44 See Lev 14:2-32.

Mark 2:1-28 NLT Text Notes

*Mark 2:10 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Mark 2:16a Greek the scribes of the Pharisees.

*Mark 2:16b Greek with tax collectors and sinners?

Mark 3:1-35 NLT Text Notes

*Mark 3:11 Greek unclean; also in 3:30.

*Mark 3:14 Some manuscripts do not include and called them his apostles.

*Mark 3:17 Greek whom he named Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder.

*Mark 3:18 Greek the Cananean, an Aramaic term for Jewish nationalists.

*Mark 3:22 Greek Beelzeboul; other manuscripts read Beezeboul; Latin version reads Beelzebub.

*Mark 3:32 Some manuscripts add and sisters.

Mark 4:1-41 NLT Text Notes

*Mark 4:11 Greek mystery.

*Mark 4:12 Isa 6:9-10 (Greek version).

*Mark 4:24 Or The measure you give will be the measure you get back.

Mark 5:1-43 NLT Text Notes

*Mark 5:1 Other manuscripts read Gadarenes; still others read Gergesenes. See Matt 8:28; Luke 8:26.

*Mark 5:2 Greek unclean; also in 5:8, 13.

*Mark 5:20 Greek Decapolis.

*Mark 5:36 Or ignored.

Mark 6:1-56 NLT Text Notes

*Mark 6:3a Some manuscripts read He’s just the son of the carpenter and of Mary.

*Mark 6:3b Most manuscripts read Joses; see Matt 13:55.

*Mark 6:7 Greek unclean.

*Mark 6:8 Greek no copper coins in their money belts.

*Mark 6:14 Some manuscripts read He was saying.

*Mark 6:22 Some manuscripts read the daughter of Herodias herself.

*Mark 6:37 Greek It would take 200 denarii. A denarius was equivalent to a laborer’s full day’s wage.

*Mark 6:44 Some manuscripts read fed from the loaves.

*Mark 6:48 Greek About the fourth watch of the night.

*Mark 6:50 Or The ‘I AM’ is here; Greek reads I am. See Exod 3:14.

Mark 7:1-37 NLT Text Notes

*Mark 7:3 Greek have washed with the fist.

*Mark 7:4a Some manuscripts read sprinkle themselves.

*Mark 7:4b Some manuscripts add and dining couches.

*Mark 7:7 Isa 29:13 (Greek version).

*Mark 7:10a Exod 20:12; Deut 5:16.

*Mark 7:10b Exod 21:17 (Greek version); Lev 20:9 (Greek version).

*Mark 7:11 Greek ‘What I would have given to you is Corban’ (that is, a gift).

*Mark 7:15 Some manuscripts add verse 16, Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand. Compare 4:9, 23.

*Mark 7:24 Some manuscripts add and Sidon.

*Mark 7:25 Greek unclean.

*Mark 7:27 Greek Let the children eat first.

*Mark 7:31 Greek Decapolis.

Mark 8:1-38 NLT Text Notes

*Mark 8:18 Jer 5:21.

*Mark 8:29 Or the Christ. Messiah (a Hebrew term) and Christ (a Greek term) both mean “anointed one.”

*Mark 8:31 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Mark 8:32 Or began to correct him.

*Mark 8:36 Or your self? also in 8:37.

Mark 9:1-50 NLT Text Notes

*Mark 9:5 Greek three tabernacles.

*Mark 9:9 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Mark 9:11 Greek that Elijah must come first?

*Mark 9:18 Or becomes weak.

*Mark 9:19 Or said to his disciples.

*Mark 9:25 Greek unclean.

*Mark 9:29 Some manuscripts read by prayer and fasting.

*Mark 9:37 Greek in my name.

*Mark 9:43a Greek Gehenna; also in 9:45, 47.

*Mark 9:43b Some manuscripts add verse 44, ‘where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out.’ See 9:48.

*Mark 9:45 Some manuscripts add verse 46, ‘where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out.’ See 9:48.

*Mark 9:48 Isa 66:24.

*Mark 9:49 Greek salted with fire; other manuscripts add and every sacrifice will be salted with salt.

Mark 10:1-52 NLT Text Notes

*Mark 10:4 See Deut 24:1.

*Mark 10:6 Gen 1:27; 5:2.

*Mark 10:7 Some manuscripts do not include and is joined to his wife.

*Mark 10:7-8 Gen 2:24.

*Mark 10:19 Exod 20:12-16; Deut 5:16-20.

*Mark 10:24 Some manuscripts read very hard for those who trust in riches.

*Mark 10:31 Greek But many who are first will be last; and the last, first.

*Mark 10:33a “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Mark 10:33b Greek the Gentiles.

*Mark 10:51 Greek uses the Hebrew term Rabboni.

*Mark 10:52 Or on the way.

Mark 11:1-33 NLT Text Notes

*Mark 11:9 Greek Hosanna, an exclamation of praise that literally means “save now”; also in 11:10.

*Mark 11:9-10 Pss 118:25-26; 148:1.

*Mark 11:16 Or from carrying merchandise through the Temple.

*Mark 11:17 Isa 56:7; Jer 7:11.

*Mark 11:19 Greek they left; other manuscripts read he left.

*Mark 11:25 Some manuscripts add verse 26, But if you refuse to forgive, your Father in heaven will not forgive your sins. Compare Matt 6:15.

Mark 12:1-44 NLT Text Notes

*Mark 12:10-11 Ps 118:22-23.

*Mark 12:12 Greek They.

*Mark 12:15 Greek a denarius.

*Mark 12:19 See Deut 25:5-6.

*Mark 12:26a Greek in the story of the bush? God said to him.

*Mark 12:26b Exod 3:6.

*Mark 12:29-30 Deut 6:4-5.

*Mark 12:31 Lev 19:18.

*Mark 12:36 Ps 110:1.

*Mark 12:42 Greek two lepta, which is a kodrantes [i.e., a quadrans].

Mark 13:1-37 NLT Text Notes

*Mark 13:6 Greek claiming, ‘I am.’

*Mark 13:9 Or But this will be your testimony against them.

*Mark 13:10 Or all peoples.

*Mark 13:13 Greek on account of my name.

*Mark 13:14a Greek the abomination of desolation. See Dan 9:27; 11:31; 12:11.

*Mark 13:14b Or it.

*Mark 13:24-25 See Isa 13:10; 34:4; Joel 2:10.

*Mark 13:26a “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Mark 13:26b See Dan 7:13.

*Mark 13:27 Greek from the four winds.

*Mark 13:30 Or this age, or this nation.

*Mark 13:33 Some manuscripts add and pray.

Mark 14:1-72 NLT Text Notes

*Mark 14:3 Or reclining.

*Mark 14:5 Greek for 300 denarii. A denarius was equivalent to a laborer’s full day’s wage.

*Mark 14:18 Or As they reclined.

*Mark 14:21 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Mark 14:24 Some manuscripts read the new covenant.

*Mark 14:27 Greek I will strike. Zech 13:7.

*Mark 14:36 Abba is an Aramaic term for “father.”

*Mark 14:55 Greek the Sanhedrin.

*Mark 14:62a Or The ‘I AM’ is here; or I am the LORD. See Exod 3:14.

*Mark 14:62b Greek at the right hand of the power. See Ps 110:1.

*Mark 14:62c See Dan 7:13.

*Mark 14:67 Or Jesus the Nazarene.

*Mark 14:68 Some manuscripts do not include Just then, a rooster crowed.

Mark 15:1-47 NLT Text Notes

*Mark 15:1 Greek the Sanhedrin; also in 15:43.

*Mark 15:21 Cyrene was a city in northern Africa.

*Mark 15:24 Greek cast lots. See Ps 22:18.

*Mark 15:27a Or Two criminals.

*Mark 15:27b Some manuscripts add verse 28, And the Scripture was fulfilled that said, “He was counted among those who were rebels.” See Isa 53:12; also compare Luke 22:37.

*Mark 15:34 Ps 22:1.

*Mark 15:39a Greek the centurion; similarly in 15:44, 45.

*Mark 15:39b Some manuscripts add heard his cry and.

*Mark 15:40 Greek Joses; also in 15:47. See Matt 27:56.

*Mark 15:42 Greek It was the day of preparation.

Mark 16:1-20 NLT Text Notes

*Mark 16:2 Greek on the first day of the week; also in 16:9.

*Mark 16:6 Or Jesus the Nazarene.

*Mark 16:8 The most reliable early manuscripts of the Gospel of Mark end at verse 8. Other manuscripts include various endings to the Gospel. A few include both the “shorter ending” and the “longer ending.” The majority of manuscripts include the “longer ending” immediately after verse 8.

*Mark 16:14 Some early manuscripts add: And they excused themselves, saying, “This age of lawlessness and unbelief is under Satan, who does not permit God’s truth and power to conquer the evil [unclean] spirits. Therefore, reveal your justice now.” This is what they said to Christ. And Christ replied to them, “The period of years of Satan’s power has been fulfilled, but other dreadful things will happen soon. And I was handed over to death for those who have sinned, so that they may return to the truth and sin no more, and so they may inherit the spiritual, incorruptible, and righteous glory in heaven.”

*Mark 16:17 Or new tongues; some manuscripts do not include new.

Luke Text Notes

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24

Luke 1:1-80 NLT Text Notes

*Luke 1:2 Greek from those who from the beginning were servants of the word.

*Luke 1:15 Or even from birth.

*Luke 1:17 See Mal 4:5-6.

*Luke 1:28 Some manuscripts add Blessed are you among women.

*Luke 1:33 Greek over the house of Jacob.

*Luke 1:37 Some manuscripts read For nothing is impossible with God.

*Luke 1:69 Greek has raised up a horn of salvation for us.

*Luke 1:78 Or the Morning Light from Heaven is about to visit us.

Luke 2:1-52 NLT Text Notes

*Luke 2:23 Exod 13:2.

*Luke 2:24 Lev 12:8.

*Luke 2:37 Or She had been a widow for eighty-four years.

*Luke 2:49 Or “Didn’t you realize that I should be involved with my Father’s affairs?”

Luke 3:1-38 NLT Text Notes

*Luke 3:1a Greek Herod was tetrarch. Herod Antipas was a son of King Herod.

*Luke 3:1b Greek tetrarch; also in 3:1c.

*Luke 3:4-6 Isa 40:3-5 (Greek version).

*Luke 3:16a Or in.

*Luke 3:16b Or in the Holy Spirit and in fire.

*Luke 3:19 Greek Herod the tetrarch.

*Luke 3:22 Some manuscripts read my Son, and today I have become your Father.

*Luke 3:32 Greek Sala, a variant spelling of Salmon; also in 3:32b. See Ruth 4:20-21.

*Luke 3:33 Some manuscripts read Amminadab was the son of Aram. Arni and Aram are alternate spellings of Ram. See 1 Chr 2:9-10.

*Luke 3:38 Greek Enos, a variant spelling of Enosh; also in 3:38b. See Gen 5:6.

Luke 4:1-44 NLT Text Notes

*Luke 4:1 Some manuscripts read into the wilderness.

*Luke 4:4 Deut 8:3.

*Luke 4:8 Deut 6:13.

*Luke 4:10-11 Ps 91:11-12.

*Luke 4:12 Deut 6:16.

*Luke 4:18-19 Or and to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD. Isa 61:1-2 (Greek version); 58:6.

*Luke 4:33 Greek unclean; also in 4:36.

*Luke 4:44 Some manuscripts read Galilee.

Luke 5:1-39 NLT Text Notes

*Luke 5:1 Greek Lake Gennesaret, another name for the Sea of Galilee.

*Luke 5:3 Simon is called “Peter” in 6:14 and thereafter.

*Luke 5:14 See Lev 14:2-32.

*Luke 5:24 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Luke 5:30 Greek with tax collectors and sinners?

Luke 6:1-49 NLT Text Notes

*Luke 6:5 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Luke 6:18 Greek unclean.

*Luke 6:38 Or The measure you give will be the measure you get back.

*Luke 6:40 Or Disciples.

*Luke 6:41 Greek your brother’s eye; also in 6:42.

*Luke 6:42 Greek Brother.

Luke 7:1-50 NLT Text Notes

*Luke 7:2 Greek a centurion; similarly in 7:6.

*Luke 7:19 Greek Are you the one who is coming? Also in 7:20.

*Luke 7:23 Or who are not offended by me.

*Luke 7:27 Mal 3:1.

*Luke 7:29 Or praised God for his justice.

*Luke 7:34 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Luke 7:35 Or But wisdom is justified by all her children.

*Luke 7:36 Or and reclined.

*Luke 7:41 Greek 500 denarii. A denarius was equivalent to a laborer’s full day’s wage.

Luke 8:1-56 NLT Text Notes

*Luke 8:10a Greek mysteries.

*Luke 8:10b Isa 6:9 (Greek version).

*Luke 8:26 Other manuscripts read Gadarenes; still others read Gergesenes; also in 8:37. See Matt 8:28; Mark 5:1.

*Luke 8:29 Greek unclean.

*Luke 8:31 Or the abyss, or the underworld.

*Luke 8:42 Or His only child, a daughter.

*Luke 8:43 Some manuscripts add having spent everything she had on doctors.

*Luke 8:55 Or her spirit.

Luke 9:1-62 NLT Text Notes

*Luke 9:1 Greek the Twelve; other manuscripts read the twelve apostles.

*Luke 9:3 Or silver coins.

*Luke 9:7 Greek Herod the tetrarch. Herod Antipas was a son of King Herod and was ruler over Galilee.

*Luke 9:20 Or the Christ. Messiah (a Hebrew term) and Christ (a Greek term) both mean “anointed one.”

*Luke 9:22 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Luke 9:33 Greek three tabernacles.

*Luke 9:35 Some manuscripts read This is my dearly loved Son.

*Luke 9:42 Greek unclean.

*Luke 9:48 Greek in my name.

*Luke 9:54 Some manuscripts add as Elijah did.

*Luke 9:55 Some manuscripts add an expanded conclusion to verse 55 and an additional sentence in verse 56: And he said, “You don’t realize what your hearts are like. 56For the Son of Man has not come to destroy people’s lives, but to save them.”

*Luke 9:60 Greek Let the dead bury their own dead.

Luke 10:1-42 NLT Text Notes

*Luke 10:1 Some manuscripts read seventy; also in 10:17.

*Luke 10:15 Greek to Hades.

*Luke 10:27 Deut 6:5; Lev 19:18.

*Luke 10:32 Greek A Levite.

*Luke 10:35 Greek two denarii. A denarius was equivalent to a laborer’s full day’s wage.

Luke 11:1-54 NLT Text Notes

*Luke 11:2 Some manuscripts add additional phrases from the Lord’s Prayer as it reads in Matt 6:9-13.

*Luke 11:3 Or Give us each day our food for the day; or Give us each day our food for tomorrow.

*Luke 11:4 Or And keep us from being tested.

*Luke 11:8 Or in order to avoid shame, or so his reputation won’t be damaged.

*Luke 11:11 Some manuscripts add for bread, do you give them a stone? Or [if they ask].

*Luke 11:15 Greek Beelzeboul; also in 11:18, 19. Other manuscripts read Beezeboul; Latin version reads Beelzebub.

*Luke 11:20 Greek by the finger of God.

*Luke 11:24 Greek unclean.

*Luke 11:30 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Luke 11:31 Greek The queen of the south.

*Luke 11:33 Some manuscripts do not include or puts it under a basket.

*Luke 11:37 Or and reclined.

*Luke 11:42 Greek tithe the mint, the rue, and every herb.

*Luke 11:49 Greek Therefore, the wisdom of God said.

Luke 12:1-59 NLT Text Notes

*Luke 12:5 Greek Gehenna.

*Luke 12:6 Greek two assaria [Roman coins equal to 1/16 of a denarius].

*Luke 12:8 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Luke 12:38 Greek in the second or third watch.

*Luke 12:53 Mic 7:6.

*Luke 12:59 Greek last lepton [the smallest Jewish coin].

Luke 13:1-35 NLT Text Notes

*Luke 13:30 Greek Some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.

*Luke 13:35 Ps 118:26.

Luke 14:1-35 NLT Text Notes

*Luke 14:2 Or who had dropsy.

*Luke 14:5 Some manuscripts read donkey.

*Luke 14:15 Greek to eat bread.

Luke 15:1-32 NLT Text Notes

*Luke 15:8 Greek ten drachmas. A drachma was the equivalent of a full day’s wage.

*Luke 15:21 Some manuscripts add Please take me on as a hired servant.

Luke 16:1-31 NLT Text Notes

*Luke 16:6 Greek 100 baths . . . 50 [baths].

*Luke 16:7 Greek 100 korous . . . 80 [korous].

*Luke 16:9 Or you will be welcomed into eternal homes.

*Luke 16:16 Or everyone is urged to enter in.

*Luke 16:22 Greek into Abraham’s bosom.

*Luke 16:23 Greek to Hades.

Luke 17:1-37 NLT Text Notes

*Luke 17:3 Greek If your brother.

*Luke 17:14 See Lev 14:2-32.

*Luke 17:19 Or Your faith has saved you.

*Luke 17:20 Or by your speculations.

*Luke 17:21 Or is within you, or is in your grasp.

*Luke 17:22 Or long for even one day with the Son of Man. “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Luke 17:24 Some manuscripts do not include on the day.

*Luke 17:25 Or suffer many things.

*Luke 17:35 Some manuscripts add verse 36, Two men will be working in the field; one will be taken, the other left. Compare Matt 24:40.

*Luke 17:37a Greek “Where, Lord?”

*Luke 17:37b Greek “Wherever the carcass is, the vultures gather.”

Luke 18:1-43 NLT Text Notes

*Luke 18:8 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Luke 18:11 Some manuscripts read stood and prayed this prayer to himself.

*Luke 18:20 Exod 20:12-16; Deut 5:16-20.

*Luke 18:24 Some manuscripts read When Jesus saw how sad the man was.

*Luke 18:32 Greek the Gentiles.

*Luke 18:37 Or Jesus of Nazareth.

Luke 19:1-48 NLT Text Notes

*Luke 19:10 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Luke 19:13 Greek ten minas; one mina was worth about three months’ wages.

*Luke 19:38 Pss 118:26; 148:1.

*Luke 19:44 Greek did not recognize the time of your visitation, a reference to the Messiah’s coming.

*Luke 19:46 Isa 56:7; Jer 7:11.

Luke 20:1-47 NLT Text Notes

*Luke 20:17 Ps 118:22.

*Luke 20:24 Greek a denarius.

*Luke 20:28 See Deut 25:5-6.

*Luke 20:37a Greek when he wrote about the bush. He referred to the Lord.

*Luke 20:37b Exod 3:6.

*Luke 20:42-43 Ps 110:1.

Luke 21:1-38 NLT Text Notes

*Luke 21:2 Greek two lepta [the smallest of Jewish coins].

*Luke 21:8 Greek claiming, ‘I am.’

*Luke 21:13 Or This will be your testimony against them.

*Luke 21:17 Greek on account of my name.

*Luke 21:27a “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Luke 21:27b See Dan 7:13.

Luke 22:1-71 NLT Text Notes

*Luke 22:14 Or reclined together.

*Luke 22:19-20 Some manuscripts do not include 22:19b-20, which is given for you . . . which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.

*Luke 22:22 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Luke 22:37 Isa 53:12.

*Luke 22:43-44 Verses 43 and 44 are not included in the most ancient manuscripts.

*Luke 22:66 Greek before their Sanhedrin.

*Luke 22:69 See Ps 110:1.

Luke 23:1-56 NLT Text Notes

*Luke 23:16 Some manuscripts add verse 17, Now it was necessary for him to release one prisoner to them during the Passover celebration. Compare Matt 27:15; Mark 15:6; John 18:39.

*Luke 23:26 Cyrene was a city in northern Africa.

*Luke 23:30 Hos 10:8.

*Luke 23:31 Or If these things are done to me, the living tree, what will happen to you, the dry tree?

*Luke 23:33 Sometimes rendered Calvary, which comes from the Latin word for “skull.”

*Luke 23:34a This sentence is not included in many ancient manuscripts.

*Luke 23:34b Greek by casting lots. See Ps 22:18.

*Luke 23:46 Ps 31:5.

*Luke 23:47a Greek the centurion.

*Luke 23:47b Or righteous.

*Luke 23:48 Greek went home beating their breasts.

*Luke 23:54 Greek It was the day of preparation.

Luke 24:1-53 NLT Text Notes

*Luke 24:1 Greek But on the first day of the week, very early in the morning.

*Luke 24:7 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*Luke 24:13 Greek 60 stadia [11.1 kilometers].

*Luke 24:30 Or As they reclined.

*Luke 24:34 Greek Simon.

*Luke 24:47 Or all peoples.

John Text Notes

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21

John 1:1-51 NLT Text Notes

*John 1:3-4 Or and nothing that was created was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything.

*John 1:5 Or and the darkness has not understood it.

*John 1:6 Greek a man named John.

*John 1:14a Greek became flesh.

*John 1:14b Or grace and truth; also in 1:17.

*John 1:16 Or received the grace of Christ rather than the grace of the law; Greek reads received grace upon grace.

*John 1:18 Some manuscripts read But the one and only Son.

*John 1:19 Greek and Levites.

*John 1:21 Greek Are you the Prophet? See Deut 18:15, 18; Mal 4:5-6.

*John 1:23 Isa 40:3.

*John 1:26 Or in; also in 1:31, 33.

*John 1:34 Some manuscripts read the Son of God.

*John 1:41 Messiah (a Hebrew term) and Christ (a Greek term) both mean “anointed one.”

*John 1:42 The names Cephas (from Aramaic) and Peter (from Greek) both mean “rock.”

*John 1:45 Greek Moses in the law.

*John 1:51 Greek going up and down on the Son of Man; see Gen 28:10-17. “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

John 2:1-25 NLT Text Notes

*John 2:1 Greek On the third day; see 1:35, 43.

*John 2:6 Greek 2 or 3 measures [75 to 113 liters].

*John 2:17 Or “Concern for God’s house will be my undoing.” Ps 69:9.

John 3:1-36 NLT Text Notes

*John 3:3 Or born from above; also in 3:7.

*John 3:5 Or and spirit. The Greek word for Spirit can also be translated wind; see 3:8.

*John 3:6 Greek what is born of the Spirit is spirit.

*John 3:7 The Greek word for you is plural; also in 3:12.

*John 3:13 Some manuscripts add who lives in heaven. “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*John 3:15 Or everyone who believes will have eternal life in him.

*John 3:16 Or For God loved the world so much that he gave.

*John 3:21 Or can see God at work in what he is doing.

*John 3:25 Some manuscripts read some Jews.

*John 3:31 Some manuscripts do not include and is greater than anyone else.

John 4:1-54 NLT Text Notes

*John 4:1 Some manuscripts read The Lord.

*John 4:9 Some manuscripts do not include this sentence.

*John 4:20 Greek on this mountain.

*John 4:26 Or “The ‘I AM’ is here”; or “I am the LORD”; Greek reads “I am, the one speaking to you.” See Exod 3:14.

*John 4:35 Greek white.

John 5:1-47 NLT Text Notes

*John 5:2 Other manuscripts read Beth-zatha; still others read Bethsaida.

*John 5:3 Some manuscripts add an expanded conclusion to verse 3 and all of verse 4: waiting for a certain movement of the water, 4for an angel of the Lord came from time to time and stirred up the water. And the first person to step in after the water was stirred was healed of whatever disease he had.

*John 5:16 Or persecuting.

*John 5:27 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*John 5:44 Some manuscripts read from the only One.

John 6:1-71 NLT Text Notes

*John 6:7 Greek Two hundred denarii would not be enough. A denarius was equivalent to a laborer’s full day’s wage.

*John 6:14a Some manuscripts read Jesus.

*John 6:14b See Deut 18:15, 18; Mal 4:5-6.

*John 6:19 Greek 25 or 30 stadia [4.6 or 5.5 kilometers].

*John 6:20 Or The ‘I AM’ is here; Greek reads I am. See Exod 3:14.

*John 6:27 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*John 6:31 Exod 16:4; Ps 78:24.

*John 6:41 Greek Jewish people; also in 6:52.

*John 6:45 Greek in the prophets. Isa 54:13.

*John 6:69 Other manuscripts read you are the Christ, the Holy One of God; still others read you are the Christ, the Son of God; and still others read you are the Christ, the Son of the living God.

John 7:1-53 NLT Text Notes

*John 7:8 Some manuscripts read not yet going.

*John 7:15 Greek Jewish people.

*John 7:30 Greek his hour.

*John 7:35 Or the Jews who live among the Greeks?

*John 7:37-38 Or “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from the heart of anyone who believes in me.’”

*John 7:39 Several early manuscripts read But as yet there was no Spirit. Still others read But as yet there was no Holy Spirit.

*John 7:40 See Deut 18:15, 18; Mal 4:5-6.

*John 7:42 See Mic 5:2.

*John 7:52 Some manuscripts read the prophet does not come.

John 8:1-59 NLT Text Notes

*John 8:16 Some manuscripts read The One.

*John 8:17 See Deut 19:15.

*John 8:20 Greek his hour.

*John 8:22 Greek Jewish people; also in 8:31, 48, 52, 57.

*John 8:24 Greek unless you believe that I am. See Exod 3:14.

*John 8:25 Or Why do I speak to you at all?

*John 8:28 Greek When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am. “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*John 8:39 Some manuscripts read if you are really the children of Abraham, follow his example.

*John 8:54 Some manuscripts read You say he is your God.

*John 8:57 Some manuscripts read How can you say Abraham has seen you?

*John 8:58 Or before Abraham was even born, I have always been alive; Greek reads before Abraham was, I am. See Exod 3:14.

John 9:1-41 NLT Text Notes

*John 9:4 Other manuscripts read I must quickly carry out the tasks assigned me by the one who sent me; still others read We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent me.

*John 9:24 Or Give glory to God, not to Jesus; Greek reads Give glory to God.

*John 9:35 Some manuscripts read the Son of God? “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*John 9:38-39a Some manuscripts do not include “Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus. Then Jesus told him.

*John 9:39b Greek those who see.

John 10:1-42 NLT Text Notes

*John 10:8 Some manuscripts do not include before me.

*John 10:9 Or will find safety.

*John 10:19 Greek Jewish people; also in 10:24, 31.

*John 10:29 Other manuscripts read for what my Father has given me is more powerful than anything; still others read for regarding that which my Father has given me, he is greater than all.

*John 10:34a Greek your own law.

*John 10:34b Ps 82:6.

John 11:1-57 NLT Text Notes

*John 11:2 This incident is recorded in chapter 12.

*John 11:8 Greek Jewish people; also in 11:19, 31, 33, 36, 45, 54.

*John 11:16 Greek Thomas, who was called Didymus.

*John 11:18 Greek was about 15 stadia [about 2.8 kilometers].

*John 11:25 Some manuscripts do not include and the life.

*John 11:33 Or he was angry in his spirit.

*John 11:47 Greek the Sanhedrin.

*John 11:48 Or our position; Greek reads our place.

*John 11:49 Greek that year; also in 11:51.

John 12:1-50 NLT Text Notes

*John 12:2 Or who reclined.

*John 12:3 Greek took 1 litra [327 grams].

*John 12:5 Greek worth 300 denarii. A denarius was equivalent to a laborer’s full day’s wage.

*John 12:9 Greek Jewish people; also in 12:11.

*John 12:11 Or had deserted their traditions; Greek reads had deserted.

*John 12:13a Greek Hosanna, an exclamation of praise adapted from a Hebrew expression that means “save now.”

*John 12:13b Ps 118:25-26; Zeph 3:15.

*John 12:15a Greek daughter of Zion.

*John 12:15b Zech 9:9.

*John 12:17 Greek were testifying.

*John 12:19 Greek the world.

*John 12:23 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*John 12:34 Greek from the law.

*John 12:38 Isa 53:1.

*John 12:40 Isa 6:10.

John 13:1-38 NLT Text Notes

*John 13:1 Or he showed them the full extent of his love.

*John 13:2 Or the devil had already intended for Judas.

*John 13:10 Some manuscripts do not include except for the feet.

*John 13:18 Ps 41:9.

*John 13:19 Or that the ‘I AM’ has come; or that I am the LORD; Greek reads that I am. See Exod 3:14.

*John 13:21 Greek was troubled in his spirit.

*John 13:23 Greek was reclining on Jesus’ bosom. The “disciple Jesus loved” was probably John.

*John 13:31 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

*John 13:32 Several early manuscripts do not include And since God receives glory because of the Son.

John 14:1-31 NLT Text Notes

*John 14:2a Or There are many rooms in my Father’s house.

*John 14:2b Or If this were not so, I would have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you. Some manuscripts read If this were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you.

*John 14:7 Some manuscripts read If you have really known me, you will know who my Father is.

*John 14:15 Other manuscripts read you will obey; still others read you should obey.

*John 14:16 Or Comforter, or Encourager, or Counselor. Greek reads Paraclete; also in 14:26.

*John 14:17 Some manuscripts read and is in you.

John 15:1-27 NLT Text Notes

*John 15:25 Greek in their law. Pss 35:19; 69:4.

*John 15:26 Or Comforter, or Encourager, or Counselor. Greek reads Paraclete.

John 16:1-33 NLT Text Notes

*John 16:7 Or Comforter, or Encourager, or Counselor. Greek reads Paraclete.

*John 16:27 Some manuscripts read from the Father.

John 17:1-26 NLT Text Notes

*John 17:6 Greek have revealed your name; also in 17:26.

*John 17:11 Some manuscripts read you have given me these [disciples].

*John 17:12 Some manuscripts read I protected those you gave me, by the power of your name.

John 18:1-40 NLT Text Notes

*John 18:5a Or Jesus of Nazareth; also in 18:7.

*John 18:5b Or “The ‘I AM’ is here”; or “I am the LORD”; Greek reads I am; also in 18:6, 8. See Exod 3:14.

*John 18:9 See John 6:39 and 17:12.

*John 18:13 Greek that year.

*John 18:20 Greek Jewish people; also in 18:38.

*John 18:28 Greek to the Praetorium; also in 18:33.

*John 18:32 See John 12:32-33.

John 19:1-42 NLT Text Notes

*John 19:9 Greek the Praetorium.

*John 19:12 “Friend of Caesar” is a technical term that refers to an ally of the emperor.

*John 19:14 Greek Jewish people; also in 19:20.

*John 19:19 Or Jesus the Nazarene.

*John 19:24a Greek cast lots.

*John 19:24b Ps 22:18.

*John 19:28 See Pss 22:15; 69:21.

*John 19:35 Some manuscripts read that you also may believe.

*John 19:36 Exod 12:46; Num 9:12; Ps 34:20.

*John 19:37 Zech 12:10.

*John 19:39 Greek 100 litras [32.7 kilograms].

*John 19:42 Greek because of the Jewish day of preparation.

John 20:1-31 NLT Text Notes

*John 20:1 Greek On the first day of the week.

*John 20:19 Greek In the evening of that day, the first day of the week.

*John 20:24 Greek Thomas, who was called Didymus.

*John 20:31 Some manuscripts read that you may believe.

John 21:1-25 NLT Text Notes

*John 21:1 Greek Sea of Tiberias, another name for the Sea of Galilee.

*John 21:2 Greek Thomas, who was called Didymus.

*John 21:5 Greek Children.

*John 21:8 Greek 200 cubits [90 meters].

*John 21:15 Or more than these others do?

*John 21:18 Some manuscripts read and another one.

*John 21:23 Greek the brothers.

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Table of Contents

Introduction to The Daily Walk Bible: 31 Days with Jesus

How to Get the Most out of The Daily Walk Bible

About Walk Thru the Bible Ministries

A Note to Readers

31 Days with Jesus

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

NLT Textual Notes