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The bible commands us to renew our minds daily in Ephesians 4:23: 

“And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude]”

AMPC

This daily bible reading plan gives us the tools to do this. Reading one chapter per day throughout the week, allows us to renew and live in the full blessings of God. Click on the scripture below to read it.

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Matthew 26

1 1 WHEN JESUS had ended this discourse, He said to His disciples,
2 2 You know that the Passover is in two days–and the Son of Man will be delivered up treacherously to be crucified.
3 3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the [open] court of the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,
4 4 And consulted together in or der to arrest Jesus by stratagem secretly and put Him to death.
5 5 But they said, It must not be during the Feast, for fear that there will be a riot among the people.
6 6 Now when Jesus came back to Bethany and was in the house of Simon the leper,
7 7 A woman came up to Him with an alabaster flask of very precious perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at table.
8 8 And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, For what purpose is all this waste?
9 9 For this perfume might have been sold for a large sum and the money given to the poor.
10 10 But Jesus, fully aware of this, said to them, Why do you bother the woman? She has done a noble (praiseworthy and beautiful) thing to Me.
11 11 For you always have the poor among you, but you will not always have Me. [Deut. 15:11.]
12 12 In pouring this perfume on My body she has done something to prepare Me for My burial.
13 13 Truly I tell you, wherever this good news (the Gospel) is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will be told also, in memory of her.
14 14 Then one of the Twelve [apostles], who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests
15 15 And said, What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you? And they weighed out for and paid to him thirty pieces of silver [about twenty-one dollars and sixty cents]. [Exod. 21:32; Zech. 11:12.]
16 16 And from that moment he sought a fitting opportunity to betray Him.
17 17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread [Passover week], the disciples came to Jesus and said to Him,Where do You wish us to prepare for You to eat the Passover supper?
18 18 He said, Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, The Master says: My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.
19 19 And accordingly the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they made ready the Passover supper. [Deut. 16:5-8.]
20 20 When it was evening, He was reclining at table with the twelve disciples.
21 21 And as they were eating, He said, Solemnly I say to you, one of you will betray Me!
22 22 They were exceedingly pained and distressed and deeply hurt and sorrowful and began to say to Him one after another, Surely it cannot be I, Lord, can it?
23 23 He replied, He who has [just] dipped his hand in the same dish with Me will betray Me!
24 24 The Son of Man is going just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better (more profitable and wholesome) for that man if he had never been born! [Ps. 41:9.]
25 25 Judas, the betrayer, said, Surely it is not I, is it, Master? He said to him, You have stated [the fact].
26 26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread and, praising God, gave thanks and asked Him to bless it to their use, and when He had broken it, He gave it to the disciples and said, Take, eat; this is My body.
27 27 And He took a cup, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, Drink of it, all of you;
28 28 For this is My blood of the newcovenant, which [ratifies the agreement and] is being poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. [Exod. 24:6-8.]
29 29 I say to you, I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it with you new and of superior quality in My Father’s kingdom.
30 30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
31 31 Then Jesus said to them, You will all be offended and stumble and fall away because of Me this night [distrusting and deserting Me], for it is written, I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. [Zech. 13:7.]
32 32 But after I am raised up [to life again], I will go ahead of you to Galilee.
33 33 Peter declared to Him, Though they all are offended and stumble and fall away because of You [and distrust and desert You], I will never do so.
34 34 Jesus said to him, Solemnly I declare to you, this very night, before a single rooster crows, you will deny and disown Me three times.
35 35 Peter said to Him, Even if I must die with You, I will not deny or disown You! And all the disciples said the same thing.
36 36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and He told His disciples, Sit down here while I go over yonder and pray.
37 37 And taking with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He began to show grief and distress of mind and was deeply depressed.
38 38 Then He said to them, My soul is very sad and deeply grieved, so that I am almost dying of sorrow. Stay here and keep awake and keep watch with Me.
39 39 And going a little farther, He threw Himself upon the ground on His face and prayed saying, My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will [not what I desire], but as You will and desire.
40 40 And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and He said to Peter, What! Are you so utterly unable to stay awake and keep watch with Me for one hour?
41 41 All of you must keep awake (give strict attention, be cautious and active) and watch and pray, that you may not come into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
42 42 Again a second time He went away and prayed, My Father, if this cannot pass by unless I drink it, Your will be done.
43 43 And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were weighed down with sleep.
44 44 So, leaving them again, He went away and prayed for the third time, using the same words.
45 45 Then He returned to the disciples and said to them, Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of especially wicked sinners [whose way or nature it is to act in opposition to God].
46 46 Get up, let us be going! See, My betrayer is at hand!
47 47 As He was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve [apostles], came up, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and elders of the people.
48 48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, The One I shall kiss is the Man; seize Him.
49 49 And he came up to Jesus at once and said, Hail (greetings, good health to You, long life to You), Master! And he embraced Him and kissed Him with [pretended] warmth and devotion.
50 50 Jesus said to him, Friend, for what are you here? Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and arrested Him.
51 51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached out his hand and drew his sword and, striking the body servant of the high priest, cut off his ear.
52 52 Then Jesus said to him, Put your sword back into its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. [Gen. 9:6.]
53 53 Do you suppose that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will immediately provide Me with more than twelve legions [more than 80,000] of angels?
54 54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must come about this way?
55 55 At that moment Jesus said to the crowds, Have you come out with swords and clubs as [you would] against a robber to capture Me? Day after day I was accustomed to sit in the porches and courts of the temple teaching, and you did not arrest Me.
56 56 But all this has taken place in or der that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples deserted Him and, fleeing, escaped.
57 57 But those who had seized Jesus took Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had assembled.
58 58 But Peter followed Him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest’s home; he even went inside and sat with the guards to see the end.
59 59 Now the chief priests and the whole council (the Sanhedrin) sought to get false witnesses to testify against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death;
60 60 But they found none, though many witnesses came forward [to testify]. At last two men came forward
61 61 And testified, This Fellow said, I am able to tear down the sanctuary of the temple of God and to build it up again in three days.
62 62 And the high priest stood up and said, Have You no answer to make? What about this that these men testify against You?
63 63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, I call upon you to swear by the living God, and tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God.
64 64 Jesus said to him, You have stated [the fact]. More than that, I tell you: You will in the future see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Almighty and coming on the clouds of the sky. [Ps. 110:1; Dan. 7:13.]
65 65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and exclaimed, He has uttered blasphemy! What need have we of further evidence? You have now heard His blasphemy. [Lev. 24:16; Num. 14:6.]
66 66 What do you think now? They answered, He deserves to be put to death.
67 67 Then they spat in His face and struck Him with their fists; and some slapped Him in the face, [Isa. 50:6.]
68 68 Saying, Prophesy to us, You Christ (the Messiah)! Who was it that struck You?
69 69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and one maid came up to him and said, You were also with Jesus the Galilean!
70 70 But he denied it falsely before them all, saying, I do not know what you mean.
71 71 And when he had gone out to the porch, another maid saw him, and she said to the bystanders, This fellow was with Jesus the Nazarene!
72 72 And again he denied it and disowned Him with an oath, saying, I do not know the Man!
73 73 After a little while, the bystanders came up and said to Peter, You certainly are one of them too, for even your accent betrays you.
74 74 Then Peter began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, I do not even know the Man! And at that moment a rooster crowed.
75 75 And Peter remembered Jesus’ words, when He had said, Before a single rooster crows, you will deny and disown Me three times. And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Matthew 27

1 1 WHEN IT was morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people held a consultation against Jesus to put Him to death;
2 2 And they bound Him and led Him away and handed Him over to Pilate the governor.
3 3 When Judas, His betrayer, saw that [Jesus] was condemned, [Judas was afflicted in mind and troubled for his former folly; and] with remorse [with little more than a selfish dread of the consequences] he brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, [Exod. 21:32.]
4 4 Saying, I have sinned in betraying innocent blood. They replied, What is that to us? See to that yourself.
5 5 And casting the pieces of silver [forward] into the [Holy Place of the sanctuary of the] temple, he departed; and he went off and hanged himself.
6 6 But the chief priests, picking up the pieces of silver, said, It is not legal to put these in the [consecrated] treasury, for it is the price of blood.
7 7 So after consultation they bought with them [the pieces of silver] the potter’s field [as a place] in which to bury strangers.
8 8 Therefore that piece of ground has been called the Field of Blood to the present day.
9 9 Then were fulfilled the words spoken by Jeremiah the prophet when he said, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of Him on Whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, [Zech. 11:12, 13.]
10 10 And they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.
11 11 Now Jesus stood before the governor [Pilate], and the governor asked Him, Are you the King of the Jews? Jesus said to him, You have stated [the fact].
12 12 But when the charges were made against Him by the chief priests and elders, He made no answer. [Isa. 53:7.]
13 13 Then Pilate said to Him, Do You not hear how many and how serious are the things they are testifying against You?
14 14 But He made no reply to him, not even to a single accusation, so that the governor marveled greatly.
15 15 Now at the Feast [of the Passover] the governor was in the habit of setting free for the people any one prisoner whom they chose.
16 16 And at that time they had a notorious prisoner whose name was Barabbas.
17 17 So when they had assembled for this purpose, Pilate said to them, Whom do you want me to set free for you, Barabbas, or Jesus Who is called Christ?
18 18 For he knew that it was because of envy that they had handed Him over to him.
19 19 Also, while he was seated on the judgment bench, his wife sent him a message, saying, Have nothing to do with that just and upright Man, for I have had a painful experience today in a dream because of Him.
20 20 But the chief priests and the elders prevailed on the people to ask for Barabbas, and put Jesus to death.
21 21 Again the governor said to them, Which of the two do you wish me to release for you? And they said, Barabbas!
22 22 Pilate said to them, Then what shall I do with Jesus Who is called Christ?
23 23 They all replied, Let Him be crucified! And he said, Why? What has He done that is evil? But they shouted all the louder, Let Him be crucified!
24 24 So when Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but rather that a riot was about to break out, he took water and washed his hands in the presence of the crowd, saying, I am not guilty of norresponsible for this righteousMan’s blood; see to it yourselves. [Deut. 21:6-9; Ps. 26:6.]
25 25 And all the people answered, Let His blood be on us and on our children! [Josh. 2:19.]
26 26 So he set free for them Barabbas; and he [had] Jesus whipped, and delivered Him up to be crucified.
27 27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the palace, and they gathered the whole battalion about Him.
28 28 And they stripped off His clothes and put a scarlet robe (garment of dignity and office worn by Roman officers of rank) upon Him,
29 29 And, weaving a crown of thorns, they put it on His head and put a reed (staff) in His right hand. And kneeling before Him, they made sport of Him, saying, Hail (greetings, good health to You, long life to You), King of the Jews!
30 30 And they spat on Him, and took the reed (staff) and struck Him on the head.
31 31 And when they finished making sport of Him, they stripped Him of the robe and put His own garments on Him and led Him away to be crucified.
32 32 As they were marching forth, they came upon a man of Cyrene named Simon; this man they forced to carry the cross of Jesus.
33 33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha [Latin: Calvary], which means The Place of a Skull,
34 34 They offered Him wine mingled with gall to drink; but when He tasted it, He refused to drink it.
35 35 And when they had crucified Him, they divided and distributed His garments [among them] by casting lots so that the prophet’s saying was fulfilled, They parted My garments among them and over My apparel they cast lots.[Ps. 22:18.]
36 36 Then they sat down there and kept watch over Him.
37 37 And over His head they put the accusation against Him (the cause of His death), which read, This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.
38 38 At the same time two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right hand and one on the left.
39 39 And those who passed by spoke reproachfully and abusively and jeered at Him, wagging their heads, [Ps. 22:7, 8; 109:25.]
40 40 And they said, You Who would tear down the sanctuary of the temple and rebuild it in three days, rescue Yourself from death. If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.
41 41 In the same way the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, made sport of Him, saying,
42 42 He rescued others from death; Himself He cannot rescue from death. He is the King of Israel? Let Him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in and acknowledge and cleave to Him.
43 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver Him now if He cares for Him and will have Him, for He said, I am the Son of God.
44 44 And the robbers who were crucified with Him also abused and reproached and made sport of Him in the same way.
45 45 Now from the sixth hour (noon) there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour (three o’clock).
46 46 And about the ninth hour (three o’clock) Jesus cried with a loud voice, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?–that is, My God, My God, why have You abandoned Me [leaving Me helpless, forsaking and failing Me in My need]? [Ps. 22:1.]
47 47 And some of the bystanders, when they heard it, said, This Man is calling for Elijah!
48 48 And one of them immediately ran and took a sponge, soaked it with vinegar (a sour wine), and put it on a reed (staff), and was about to give it to Him to drink. [Ps. 69:21.]
49 49 But the others said, Wait! Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him from death.
50 50 And Jesus cried again with a loud voice and gave up His spirit.
51 51 And at once the curtain of the sanctuary of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; the earth shook and the rocks were split. [Exod. 26:31-35.]
52 52 The tombs were opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep in death were raised [to life];
53 53 And coming out of the tombs after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
54 54 When the centurion and those who were with him keeping watch over Jesus observed the earthquake and all that was happening, they were terribly frightened and filled with awe, and said, Truly this was God’s Son!
55 55 There were also numerous women there, looking on from a distance, who were of those who had accompanied Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him.
56 56 Among them were Mary of Magdala, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
57 57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus.
58 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, and Pilate or dered that it be given to him.
59 59 And Joseph took the body and rolled it up in a clean linen cloth used for swathing dead bodies
60 60 And laid it in his own fresh (undefiled) tomb, which he had hewn in the rock; and he rolled a big boulder over the door of the tomb and went away.
61 61 And Mary of Magdala and the other Mary kept sitting there opposite the tomb.
62 62 The next day, that is, the day after the day of Preparation [for the Sabbath], the chief priests and the Pharisees assembled before Pilate
63 63 And said, Sir, we have just remembered how that vagabond Imposter said while He was still alive, After three days I will rise again.
64 64 Therefore give an or der to have the tomb made secure and safeguarded until the third day, for fear that His disciples will come and steal Him away and tell the people that He has risen from the dead, and the last deception and fraud will be worse than the first.
65 65 Pilate said to them, You have a guard [of soldiers; take them and] go, make it as secure as you can.
66 66 So they went off and made the tomb secure by sealing the boulder, a guard of soldiers being with them and remaining to watch.

Matthew 28

1 1 NOW AFTER the Sabbath, near dawn of the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary went to take a look at the tomb.
2 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled the boulder back and sat upon it.
3 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his garments as white as snow.
4 4 And those keeping guard were so frightened at the sight of him that they were agitated and they trembled and became like dead men.
5 5 But the angel said to the women, Do not be alarmed and frightened, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, Who was crucified.
6 6 He is not here; He has risen, as He said [He would do]. Come, see the place where He lay.
7 7 Then go quickly and tell His disciples, He has risen from the dead, and behold, He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.
8 8 So they left the tomb hastily with fear and great joy and ran to tell the disciples.
9 9 And as they went,behold, Jesus met them and said, Hail (greetings)! And they went up to Him and clasped His feet and worshiped Him.
10 10 Then Jesus said to them, Do not be alarmed and afraid; go and tell My brethren to go into Galilee, and there they will see Me.
11 11 While they were on their way, behold, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had occurred.
12 12 And when they [the chief priests] had gathered with the elders and had consulted together, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers,
13 13 And said, Tell people, His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we were sleeping.
14 14 And if the governor hears of it, we will appease him and make you safe and free from trouble and care.
15 15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this story has been current among the Jews to the present day.
16 16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed and made appointment with them.
17 17 And when they saw Him, they fell down and worshiped Him; but some doubted.
18 18 Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
19 19 Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 20 Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age. Amen (so let it be).

Mark 1

1 1 THE BEGINNING [of the facts] of the good news (the Gospel) of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2 2 Just as it is written in the prophet Isaiah: Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will make ready Your way–[Mal. 3:1.]
3 3 A voice of one crying in the wilderness [shouting in the desert], Prepare the way of the Lord, make His beaten tracks straight (level and passable)! [Isa. 40:3.]
4 4 John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness (desert), preaching a baptism [obligating] repentance (a change of one’s mind for the better, heartily amending one’s ways, with abhorrence of his past sins) in or der to obtain forgiveness of and release from sins.
5 5 And there kept going out to him [continuously] all the country of Judea and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, as they were confessing their sins.
6 6 And John wore clothing woven of camel’s hair and had a leather girdle around his loins and ate locusts and wild honey.
7 7 And he preached, saying, After me comes He Who is stronger (more powerful and more valiant) than I, the strap of Whose sandals I am not worthy or fit to stoop down and unloose.
8 8 I have baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.
9 9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
10 10 And when He came up out of the water, at once he [John] saw the heavens torn open and the [Holy] Spirit like a dove coming down [to enter] into Him. [John 1:32.]
11 11 And there came a voice out from within heaven, You are My Beloved Son; in You I am well pleased. [Ps. 2:7; Isa. 42:1.]
12 12 Immediately the [Holy] Spirit [from within] drove Him out into the wilderness (desert),
13 13 And He stayed in the wilderness (desert) forty days, being tempted [all the while] by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels ministered to Him [continually].
14 14 Now after John was arrested and put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the good news (the Gospel) of the kingdomof God,
15 15 And saying, The [appointed period of] time is fulfilled (completed), and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent (have a change of mind which issues in regret for past sins and in change of conduct for the better) and believe (trust in, rely on, and adhere to) the good news (the Gospel).
16 16 And passing along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon [Peter] and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net [to and fro] in the sea, for they were fishermen.
17 17 And Jesus said to them, Come after Me and be My disciples, and I will make you to become fishers of men.
18 18 And at once they left their nets and [yielding up all claim to them] followed [with] Him [joining Him as disciples and siding with His party].
19 19 He went on a little farther and saw James the sonof Zebedee, and John his brother, who were in [their] boat putting their nets in or der.
20 20 And immediately He called out to them, and [abandoning all mutual claims] they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and went off after Him [to be His disciples, side with His party, and follow Him].
21 21 And they entered into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He went into the synagogue and began to teach.
22 22 And they were completely astonished at His teaching, for He was teaching as One Who possessed authority, and not as the scribes.
23 23 Just at that time there was in their synagogue a man [who was in the power] of an unclean spirit; and now [immediately] he raised a deep and terrible cry from the depths of his throat, saying,
24 24 What have You to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are–the Holy One of God!
25 25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hush up (be muzzled, gagged), and come out of him!
26 26 And the unclean spirit, throwing the man into convulsions and screeching with a loud voice, came out of him.
27 27 And they were all so amazed and almost terrified that they kept questioning and demanding one of another, saying, What is this? What new (fresh) teaching! With authority He gives or ders even to the unclean spirits and they obey Him!
28 28 And immediately rumors concerning Him spread [everywhere] throughout all the region surrounding Galilee.
29 29 And at once He left the synagogue and went into the house of Simon [Peter] and Andrew, accompanied by James and John.
30 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law had for some time been lying sick with a fever, and at once they told Him about her.
31 31 And He went up to her and took her by the hand and raised her up; and the fever left her, and she began to wait on them.
32 32 Now when it was evening, after the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those under the power of demons,
33 33 Until the whole town was gathered together about the door.
34 34 And He cured many who were afflicted with various diseases; and He drove out many demons, but would not allow the demons to talk because they knew Him [intuitively].
35 35 And in the morning, long before daylight, He got up and went out to a deserted place, and there He prayed.
36 36 And Simon [Peter] and those who were with him followed Him [pursuing Him eagerly and hunting Him out],
37 37 And they found Him and said to Him, Everybody is looking for You.
38 38 And He said to them, Let us be going on into the neighboring country towns, that I may preach there also; for that is why I came out.
39 39 [So] He went throughout the whole of Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
40 40 And a leper came to Him, begging Him on his knees and saying to Him, If You are willing, You are able to make me clean.
41 41 And being moved with pity and sympathy, Jesus reached out His hand and touched him, and said to him, I am willing; be made clean!
42 42 And at once the leprosy [completely] left him and he was made clean [by being healed].
43 43 And Jesus charged him sternly (sharply and threateningly, and with earnest admonition) and [acting with deep feeling thrust him forth and] sent him away at once,
44 44 And said to him, See that you tell nothing [of this] to anyone; but begone, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your purification what Moses commanded, as a proof (an evidence and witness) to the people [that you are really healed]. [Lev. 13:49; 14:2-32.]
45 45 But he went out and began to talk so freely about it and blaze abroad the news [spreading it everywhere] that [Jesus] could no longer openly go into a town but was outside in [lonely] desert places. But the people kept on coming to Him from all sides and every quarter.

Mark 2

1 1 AND JESUS having returned to Capernaum, after some days it was rumored about that He was in the house [probably Peter’s].
2 2 And so many people gathered together there that there was no longer room [for them], not even around the door; and He was discussing the Word.
3 3 Then they came, bringing a paralytic to Him, who had been picked up and was being carried by four men.
4 4 And when they could not get him to a place in front of Jesus because of the throng, they dug through the roof above Him; and when they had scooped out an opening, they let down the [thickly padded] quilt or mat upon which the paralyzed man lay.
5 5 And when Jesus saw their faith [their confidence in God through Him], He said to the paralyzed man, Son, your sins are forgiven [you] and put away [that is, the penalty is remitted, the sense of guilt removed, and you are made upright and in right standing with God].
6 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, holding a dialogue with themselves as they questioned in their hearts,
7 7 Why does this Man talk like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins [remove guilt, remit the penalty, and bestow righteousness instead] except God alone?
8 8 And at once Jesus, becoming fully aware in His spirit that they thus debated within themselves, said to them, Why do you argue (debate, reason) about all this in your hearts?
9 9 Which is easier: to say to the paralyzed man, Your sins are forgiven and put away, or to say, Rise, take up your sleeping pad or mat, and start walking about [and keep on walking]?
10 10 But that you may know positively and beyond a doubt that the Son of Man has right and authority and power on earth to forgive sins–He said to the paralyzed man,
11 11 I say to you, arise, pick up and carry your sleeping pad or mat, and be going on home.
12 12 And he arose at once and picked up the sleeping pad or mat and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and recognized and praised and thanked God, saying, We have never seen anything like this before!
13 13 [Jesus] went out again along the seashore; and all the multitude kept gathering about Him, and He kept teaching them.
14 14 And as He was passing by, He saw Levi (Matthew) son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, Follow Me! [Be joined to Me as a disciple, side with My party!] And he arose and joined Him as His disciple and sided with His party and accompanied Him.
15 15 And as Jesus, together with His disciples, sat at table in his [Levi’s] house, many tax collectors and persons [definitely stained] with sin were dining with Him, for there were many who walked the same road (followed) with Him.
16 16 And the scribes [belonging to the party] of the Pharisees, when they saw that He was eating with [those definitely known to be especially wicked] sinners and tax collectors, said to His disciples, Why does He eat and drinkwith tax collectors and [notorious] sinners?
17 17 And when Jesus heard it, He said to them, Those who are strong and well have no need of a physician, but those who are weak and sick; I came not to call the righteous ones to repentance,but sinners (the erring ones and all those not free from sin).
18 18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were observing a fast; and [some people] came and asked Jesus, Why are John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fasting, but Your disciples are not doing so?
19 19 Jesus answered them, Can the wedding guests fast (abstain from food and drink) while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.
20 20 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and they will fast in that day.
21 21 No one sews a patch of unshrunken (new) goods on an old garment; if he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and the rent (tear) becomes bigger and worse [than it was before].
22 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the bottles destroyed; but new wine is to be put in new (fresh) wineskins.
23 23 One Sabbath He was going along beside the fields of standing grain, and as they made their way, His disciples began to pick off the grains. [Deut. 23:25.]
24 24 And the Pharisees said to Him, Look! Why are they doing what is not permitted or lawful on the Sabbath?
25 25 And He said to them, Have you never [even] read what David did when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were accompanying him?–
26 26 How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was the high priest, and ate the sacred loaves set forth [before God], which it is not permitted or lawful for any but the priests to eat, and [how he] also gave [them] to those who were with him? [I Sam. 21:1-6; II Sam. 8:17.]
27 27 And Jesus said to them, The Sabbath was made on account and for the sake of man, not man for the Sabbath; [Exod. 23:12; Deut. 5:14.]
28 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.

Mark 3

1 1 AGAIN JESUS went into a synagogue, and a man was there who had one withered hand [as the result of accident or disease].
2 2 And [the Pharisees] kept watching Jesus [closely] to see whether He would cure him on the Sabbath, so that they might get a charge to bring against Him [formally].
3 3 And He said to the man who had the withered hand, Get up [and stand here] in the midst.
4 4 And He said to them, Is it lawful and right on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to take it? But they kept silence.
5 5 And He glanced around at them with vexation and anger, grieved at the hardening of their hearts, and said to the man, Hold out your hand. He held it out, and his hand was [completely] restored.
6 6 Then the Pharisees went out and immediately held a consultation with the Herodians against Him, how they might [devise some means to] put Him to death.
7 7 And Jesus retired with His disciples to the lake, and a great throng from Galilee followed Him. Also from Judea
8 8 And from Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from about Tyre and Sidon–a vast multitude, hearing all the many things that He was doing, came to Him.
9 9 And He told His disciples to have a little boat in [constant] readiness for Him because of the crowd, lest they press hard upon Him and crush Him.
10 10 For He had healed so many that all who had distressing bodily diseases kept falling upon Him and pressing upon Him in or der that they might touch Him.
11 11 And the spirits, the unclean ones, as often as they might see Him, fell down before Him and kept screaming out, You are the Son of God!
12 12 And He charged them strictly and severely under penalty again and again that they should not make Him known.
13 13 And He went up on the hillside and called to Him [for Himself] those whom He wanted and chose, and they came to Him.
14 14 And He appointed twelve to continue to be with Him, and that He might send them out to preach [as apostles or special messengers]
15 15 And to have authority and power to heal the sick and todrive out demons:
16 16 [They were] Simon, and He surnamed [him] Peter;
17 17 James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, and He surnamed them Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder;
18 18 And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew (Nathaniel), and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus (Judas, not Iscariot), and Simon the Cananaean [also called Zelotes],
19 19 And Judas Iscariot, he who betrayed Him.
20 20 Then He went to a house [probably Peter’s], but a throng came together again, so that Jesus and His disciples could not even take food.
21 21 And when those who belonged to Him (His kinsmen) heard it, they went out to take Him by force, for they kept saying, He is out of His mind (beside Himself, deranged)!
22 22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, He is possessed by Beelzebub, and, By [the help of] the prince of demons He is casting out demons.
23 23 And He summoned them to Him and said to them in parables (illustrations or comparisons put beside truths to explain them), How can Satan drive out Satan?
24 24 And if a kingdom is divided and rebelling against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
25 25 And if a house is divided (split into factions and rebelling) against itself, that house will not be able to last.
26 26 And if Satan has raised an insurrection against himself and is divided, he cannot stand but is [surely] coming to an end.
27 27 But no one can go into a strong man’s house and ransack his household goods right and left and seize them as plunder unless he first binds the strong man; then indeed he may [thoroughly] plunder his house. [Isa. 49:24, 25.]
28 28 Truly and solemnly I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever abusive and blasphemous things they utter;
29 29 But whoever speaks abusively against or maliciously misrepresents the Holy Spirit can never get forgiveness, but is guilty of and is in the grasp of an everlasting trespass.
30 30 For they persisted in saying, He has an unclean spirit.
31 31 Then His mother and His brothers came and, standing outside, they sent word to Him, calling [for] Him.
32 32 And a crowd was sitting around Him, and they said to Him, Your mother and Your brothers and Your sistersare outside asking for You.
33 33 And He replied, Who are My mother and My brothers?
34 34 And looking around on those who sat in a circle about Him, He said, See! Here are My mother and My brothers;
35 35 For whoever does the things God wills is My brother and sister and mother!

Mark 4

1 1 AGAIN JESUS began to teach beside the lake. And a very great crowd gathered about Him, so that He got into a ship in or der to sit in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was at the lakeside on the shore.
2 2 And He taught them many things in parables (illustrations or comparisons put beside truths to explain them), and in His teaching He said to them:
3 3 Give attention to this! Behold, a sower went out to sow.
4 4 And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
5 5 Other seed [of the same kind] fell on ground full of rocks, where it had not much soil; and at once it sprang up, because it had no depth of soil;
6 6 And when the sun came up, it was scorched, and because it had not taken root, it withered away.
7 7 Other seed [of the same kind] fell among thorn plants, and the thistles grew and pressed together and utterly choked and suffocated it, and it yielded no grain.
8 8 And other seed [of the same kind] fell into good (well-adapted) soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing, and yielded up to thirty times as much, and sixty times as much, and even a hundred times as much as had been sown.
9 9 And He said, He who has ears to hear, let him be hearing [and let him consider, and comprehend].
10 10 And as soon as He was alone, those who were around Him, with the Twelve [apostles], began to ask Him about the parables.
11 11 And He said to them, To you has been entrusted the mystery of the kingdom of God [that is, the secret counsels of God which are hidden from the ungodly]; but for those outside [of our circle] everything becomes a parable,
12 12 In or der that they may [indeed] look and look but not see and perceive, and may hear and hear but not grasp and comprehend, lest haply they should turn again, and it [their willful rejection of the truth] should be forgiven them. [Isa. 6:9, 10; Matt. 13:13-15.]
13 13 And He said to them, Do you not discern and understand this parable? How then is it possible for you to discern and understand all the parables?
14 14 The sower sows the Word.
15 15 The ones along the path are those who have the Word sown [in their hearts], but when they hear, Satan comes at once and [by force] takes away the message which is sown in them.
16 16 And in the same way the ones sown upon stony ground are those who, when they hear the Word, at once receive and accept and welcome it with joy;
17 17 And they have no real root in themselves, and so they endure for a little while; then when trouble or persecution arises on account of the Word, they immediately are offended (become displeased, indignant, resentful) and they stumble and fall away.
18 18 And the ones sown among the thorns are others who hear the Word;
19 19 Then the cares and anxieties of the world and distractions of the age, and the pleasure and delight and false glamour and deceitfulness of riches, and the craving and passionate desire for other things creep in and choke and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless.
20 20 And those sown on the good (well-adapted) soil are the ones who hear the Word and receive and accept and welcome it and bear fruit–some thirty times as much as was sown, some sixty times as much, and some [even] a hundred times as much.
21 21 And He said to them, Is the lamp brought in to be put under a peck measure or under a bed, and not [to be put] on the lampstand?
22 22 [Things are hidden temporarily only as a means to revelation.] For there is nothing hidden except to be revealed, nor is anything [temporarily] kept secret except in or der that it may be made known.
23 23 If any man has ears to hear, let him be listening and let him perceive and comprehend.
24 24 And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you–and more [besides] will be given to you who hear.
25 25 For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away [by force],
26 26 And He said, The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed upon the ground,
27 27 And then continues sleeping and rising night and day while the seed sprouts and grows and increases–he knows not how.
28 28 The earth produces [acting] by itself–first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
29 29 But when the grain is ripe and permits, immediately he sends forth [the reapers] and puts in the sickle, because the harvest stands ready.
30 30 And He said, With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use to illustrate and explain it?
31 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all seeds upon the earth;
32 32 Yet after it is sown, it grows up and becomes the greatest of all garden herbs and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air are able to make nests and dwell in its shade.
33 33 With many such parables [Jesus] spoke the Word to them, as they were able to hear and to comprehend and understand.
34 34 He did not tell them anything without a parable; but privately to His disciples (those who were peculiarly His own) He explained everything [fully].
35 35 On that same day [when] evening had come, He said to them, Let us go over to the other side [of the lake].
36 36 And leaving the throng, they took Him with them, [just] as He was, in the boat [in which He was sitting]. And other boats were with Him.
37 37 And a furious storm of wind [of hurricane proportions] arose, and the waves kept beating into the boat, so that it was already becoming filled.
38 38 But He [Himself] was in the stern [of the boat], asleep on the [leather] cushion; and they awoke Him and said to Him, Master, do You not care that we are perishing?
39 39 And He arose and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, Hush now! Be still (muzzled)! And the wind ceased (sank to rest as if exhausted by its beating) and there was [immediately] a great calm (a perfect peacefulness).
40 40 He said to them, Why are you so timid and fearful? How is it that you have no faith (no firmly relying trust)?
41 41 And they were filled with great awe and feared exceedingly and said one to another, Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey Him?

Mark 5

1 1 THEY CAME to the other side of the sea to the region of the Gerasenes.
2 2 And as soon as He got out of the boat, there met Him out of the tombs a man [under the power] of an unclean spirit.
3 3 This man continually lived among the tombs, and no one could subdue him any more, even with a chain;
4 4 For he had been bound often with shackles for the feet and handcuffs, but the handcuffs of [light] chains he wrenched apart, and the shackles he rubbed and ground together and broke in pieces; and no one had strength enough to restrain or tame him.
5 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always shrieking and screaming and beating and bruising and cutting himself with stones.
6 6 And when from a distance he saw Jesus, he ran and fell on his knees before Him in homage,
7 7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, What have You to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? [What is there in common between us?] I solemnly implore you by God, do not begin to torment me!
8 8 For Jesus was commanding, Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!
9 9 And He asked him, What is your name? He replied, My name is Legion, for we are many.
10 10 And he kept begging Him urgently not to send them [himself and the other demons] away out of that region.
11 11 Now a great herd of hogs was grazing there on the hillside.
12 12 And the demonsbegged Him, saying, Send us to the hogs, that we may go into them!
13 13 So He gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out [of the man] and entered into the hogs; and the herd, numbering about 2,000, rushed headlong down the steep slope into the sea and were drowned in the sea.
14 14 The hog feeders ran away, and told [it] in the town and in the country. And [the people] came to see what it was that had taken place.
15 15 And they came to Jesus and looked intently and searchingly at the man who had been a demoniac, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, [the same man] who had had the legion [of demons]; and they were seized with alarm and struck with fear.
16 16 And those who had seen it related in full what had happened to the man possessed by demons and to the hogs.
17 17 And they began to beg [Jesus] to leave their neighborhood.
18 18 And when He had stepped into the boat, the man who had been controlled by the unclean spirits kept begging Him that he might be with Him.
19 19 But Jesus refused to permit him, but said to him, Go home to your own [family and relatives and friends] and bring back word to them of how much the Lord has done for you, and [how He has] had sympathy for you and mercy on you.
20 20 And he departed and began to publicly proclaim in Decapolis [the region of the ten cities] how much Jesus had done for him, and all the people were astonished and marveled. [Matt. 4:25.]
21 21 And when Jesus had recrossed in the boat to the other side, a great throng gathered about Him, and He was at the lakeshore.
22 22 Then one of the rulers of the synagogue came up, Jairus by name; and seeing Him, he prostrated himself at His feet
23 23 And begged Him earnestly, saying, My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, so that she may be healed and live.
24 24 And Jesus went with him; and a great crowd kept following Him and pressed Him from all sides [so as almost to suffocate Him].
25 25 And there was a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years,
26 26 And who had endured much suffering under [the hands of] many physicians and had spent all that she had, and was no better but instead grew worse.
27 27 She had heard the reports concerning Jesus, and she came up behind Him in the throng and touched His garment,
28 28 For she kept saying, If I only touch His garments, I shall be restored to health.
29 29 And immediately her flow of blood was dried up at the source, and [suddenly] she felt in her body that she was healed of her [distressing] ailment.
30 30 And Jesus, recognizing in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around immediately in the crowd and said, Who touched My clothes?
31 31 And the disciples kept saying to Him, You see the crowd pressing hard around You from all sides, and You ask, Who touched Me?
32 32 Still He kept looking around to see her who had done it.
33 33 But the woman, knowing what had been done for her, though alarmed and frightened and trembling, fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.
34 34 And He said to her, Daughter, your faith (your trust and confidence in Me, springing from faith in God) has restored you to health. Go in (into) peace and be continually healed and freed from your [distressing bodily] disease.
35 35 While He was still speaking, there came some from the ruler’s house, who said [to Jairus], Your daughter has died. Why bother and distress the Teacher any further?
36 36 Overhearingbut ignoring what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, Do not be seized with alarm and struck with fear; only keep on believing.
37 37 And He permitted no one to accompany Him except Peter and James and John the brother of James.
38 38 When they arrived at the house of the ruler of the synagogue, He looked [carefully and with understanding] at [the] tumult and the peopleweeping and wailing loudly.
39 39 And when He had gone in, He said to them, Why do you make an uproar and weep? The little girl is not dead but is sleeping.
40 40 And they laughed and jeered at Him. But He put them all out, and, taking the child’s father and mother and those who were with Him, He went in where the little girl was lying.
41 41 Gripping her [firmly] by the hand, He said to her, Talitha cumi–which translated is, Little girl, I say to you, arise [from the sleep of death]!
42 42 And instantly the girl got up and started walking around–for she was twelve years old. And they were utterly astonished and overcome with amazement.
43 43 And He strictly commanded and warned them that no one should know this, and He [expressly] told them to give her [something] to eat.

Mark 6

1 1 JESUS WENT away from there and came to His [own] country and hometown [Nazareth], and His disciples followed [with] Him.
2 2 And on the Sabbath He began to teach in the synagogue; and many who listened to Him were utterly astonished, saying, Where did this Man acquire all this? What is the wisdom [the broad and full intelligence which has been] given to Him? What mighty works and exhibitions of power are wrought by His hands!
3 3 Is not this the Carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not His sisters here among us? And they took offense at Him and were hurt [that is, they disapproved of Him, and it hindered them from acknowledging His authority] and they were caused to stumble and fall.
4 4 But Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honor (deference, reverence) except in his [own] country and among [his] relatives and in his [own] house.
5 5 And He was not able to do even one work of power there, except that He laid His hands on a few sickly people [and] cured them.
6 6 And He marveled because of their unbelief (their lack of faith in Him). And He went about among the surrounding villages and continued teaching.
7 7 And He called to Him the Twelve [apostles] and began to send them out [as His ambassadors] two by two and gave them authority and power over the unclean spirits.
8 8 He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a walking stick–no bread, no wallet for a collection bag, no money in their belts (girdles, purses)–
9 9 But to go with sandals on their feet and not to put on two tunics (undergarments).
10 10 And He told them, Wherever you go into a house, stay there until you leave that place.
11 11 And if any community will not receive and accept and welcome you, and they refuse to listen to you, when you depart, shake off the dust that is on your feet, for a testimony against them. Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the judgment day than for that town.
12 12 So they went out and preached that men should repent [that they should change their minds for the better and heartily amend their ways, with abhorrence of their past sins].
13 13 And they drove out many unclean spirits and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
14 14 King Herod heard of it, for [Jesus’] name had become well known. He and they [of his court] said, John the Baptist has been raised from the dead; that is why these mighty powers [of performing miracles] are at work in Him.
15 15 [But] others kept saying, It is Elijah! And others said, It is a prophet, like one of the prophets [of old].
16 16 But when Herod heard [of it], he said, [This very] John, whom I beheaded, has been raised [from the dead].
17 17 For [this] Herod himself had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he [Herod] had married her.
18 18 For John had told Herod, It is not lawful and you have no right to have your brother’s wife.
19 19 And Herodias was angry (enraged) with him and held a grudge against him and wanted to kill him; but she could not,
20 20 For Herod had [a reverential] fear of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and [continually] kept him safe [under guard]. When he heard [John speak], he was much perplexed; and [yet] he heard him gladly.
21 21 But an opportune time came [for Herodias] when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and the high military commanders and chief men of Galilee.
22 22 For when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased and fascinated Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, Ask me for whatever you desire, and I will give it to you.
23 23 And he put himself under oath to her, Whatever you ask me, I will give it to you, even to the half of my kingdom. [Esth. 5:3, 6.]
24 24 Then she left the room and said to her mother, What shall I ask for [myself]? And she replied, The head of John the Baptist!
25 25 And she rushed back instantly to the king and requested, saying, I wish you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.
26 26 And the king was deeply pained and grieved and exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests, he did not want to slight her [by breaking faith with her].
27 27 And immediately the king sent off one [of the soldiers] of his bodyguard and gave him or ders to bring [John’s] head. He went and beheaded him in the prison
28 28 And brought his head on a platter and handed it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.
29 29 When his disciples learned of it, they came and took [John’s] body and laid it in a tomb.
30 30 The apostles [sent out as missionaries] came back and gathered together to Jesus, and told Him all that they had done and taught.
31 31 And He said to them, [As for you] come away by yourselves to a deserted place, and rest a while–for many were [continually] coming and going, and they had not even leisure enough to eat.
32 32 And they went away in a boat to a solitary place by themselves.
33 33 Now many [people] saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the surrounding towns, and they got there ahead [of those in the boat].
34 34 As Jesus landed, He saw a great crowd waiting, and He was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.
35 35 And when the day was already far gone, His disciples came to Him and said, This is a desolate and isolated place, and the hour is now late.
36 36 Send the crowds away to go into the country and villages round about and buy themselves something to eat.
37 37 But He replied to them, Give them something to eat yourselves. And they said to Him, Shall we go and buy 200 denarii [about forty dollars] worth of bread and give it to them to eat? [II Kings 4:42-44.]
38 38 And He said to them, How many loaves do you have? Go and see. And when they [had looked and] knew, they said, Five [loaves] and two fish.
39 39 Then He commanded the people all to recline on the green grass by companies.
40 40 So they threw themselves down in ranks of hundreds and fifties [with the regularity of an arrangement of beds of herbs, looking like so many garden plots].
41 41 And taking the five loaves and two fish, He looked up to heaven and, praising God, gave thanks and broke the loaves and kept on giving them to the disciples to set before the people; and He [also] divided the two fish among [them] all.
42 42 And they all ate and were satisfied.
43 43 And they took up twelve [small hand] baskets full of broken pieces [from the loaves] and of the fish.
44 44 And those who ate the loaves were 5,000 men.
45 45 And at once He insisted that the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He was sending the throng away.
46 46 And after He had taken leave of them, He went off into the hills to pray.
47 47 Now when evening had come, the boat was out in the middle of the lake, and He was by Himself on the land.
48 48 And having seen that they were troubled and tormented in [their] rowing, for the wind was against them, about the fourth watch of the night [between 3:00-6:00 a.m.] He came to them, walking [directly] on the sea. And He acted as if He meant to pass by them,
49 49 But when they saw Him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and raised a [deep, throaty] shriek of terror.
50 50 For they all saw Him and were agitated (troubled and filled with fear and dread). But immediately He talked with them and said, Take heart! I AM! Stop being alarmed and afraid. [Exod. 3:14.]
51 51 And He went up into the boat with them, and the wind ceased (sank to rest as if exhausted by its own beating). And they were astonished exceedingly [beyond measure],
52 52 For they failed to consider or understand [the teaching and meaning of the miracle of] the loaves; [in fact] their hearts had grown callous [had become dull and had lost the power of understanding].
53 53 And when they had crossed over, they reached the land of Gennesaret and came to [anchor at] the shore.
54 54 As soon as they got out of the boat, [the people] recognized Him,
55 55 And they ran about the whole countryside, and began to carry around sick people on their sleeping pads or mats to any place where they heard that He was.
56 56 And wherever He came into villages or cities or the country, they would lay the sick in the marketplaces and beg Him that they might touch even the fringe of His outer garment, and as many as touched Him were restored to health.

Mark 7

1 1 NOW THERE gathered together to [Jesus] the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem,
2 2 For they had seen that some of His disciples ate with common hands, that is, unwashed [with hands defiled and unhallowed, because they had not given them a ceremonial washing]–
3 3 For the Pharisees and all of the Jews do not eat unless [merely for ceremonial reasons] they wash their hands [diligently up to the elbow] with clenched fist, adhering [carefully and faithfully] to the tradition of [practices and customs handed down to them by] their forefathers [to be observed].
4 4 And [when they come] from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they purify themselves; and there are many other traditions [or al, man-made laws handed down to them, which they observe faithfully and diligently, such as], the washing of cups and wooden pitchers and widemouthed jugs and utensils of copper and beds–
5 5 And the Pharisees and scribes kept asking [Jesus], Why do Your disciples not or der their way of living according to the tradition handed down by the forefathers [to be observed], but eat with hands unwashed and ceremonially not purified?
6 6 But He said to them, Excellently and truly [so that there will be no room for blame] did Isaiah prophesy of you, the pretenders and hypocrites, as it stands written: These people [constantly] honor Me with their lips, but their hearts hold off and are far distant from Me.
7 7 In vain (fruitlessly and without profit) do they worship Me, or dering and teaching [to be obeyed] as doctrines the commandments and precepts of men. [Isa. 29:13.]
8 8 You disregard and give up and ask to depart from you the commandment of God and cling to the tradition of men [keeping it carefully and faithfully].
9 9 And He said to them, You have a fine way of rejecting [thus thwarting and nullifying and doing away with] the commandment of God in or der to keep your tradition (your own human regulations)!
10 10 For Moses said, Honor (revere with tenderness of feeling and deference) your father and your mother, and, He who curses or reviles or speaks evil of or abuses or treats improperly his father or mother, let him surely die. [Exod. 20:12; 21:17; Lev. 20:9; Deut. 5:16.]
11 11 But [as for you] you say, A man is exempt if he tells [his] father or [his] mother, What you would otherwise have gained from me [everything I have that would have been of use to you] is Corban, that is, is a gift [already given as an offering to God],
12 12 Then you no longer are permitting him to do anything for [his] father or mother [but are letting him off from helping them].
13 13 Thus you are nullifying and making void and of no effect [the authority of] the Word of God through your tradition, which you [in turn] hand on. And many things of this kind you are doing.
14 14 And He called the people to [Him] again and said to them, Listen to Me, all of you, and understand [what I say].
15 15 There is not [even] one thing outside a man which by going into him can pollute and defile him; but the things which come out of a man are what defile him and make him unhallowed and unclean.
16 16 If any man has ears to hear, let him be listening [and let him perceive and comprehend by hearing].
17 17 And when He had left the crowd and had gone into the house, His disciples began asking Him about the parable.
18 18 And He said to them, Then are you also unintelligent and dull and without understanding? Do you not discern and see that whatever goes into a man from the outside cannot make him unhallowed or unclean,
19 19 Since it does not reach and enter his heart but [only his] digestive tract, and so passes on [into the place designed to receive waste]? Thus He was making and declaring all foods [ceremonially] clean [that is, abolishing the ceremonial distinctions of the Levitical Law].
20 20 And He said, What comes out of a man is what makes a man unclean and renders [him] unhallowed.
21 21 For from within, [that is] out of the hearts of men, come base and wicked thoughts, sexual immorality, stealing, murder, adultery,
22 22 Coveting (a greedy desire to have more wealth), dangerous and destructive wickedness, deceit; unrestrained (indecent) conduct; an evil eye (envy), slander (evil speaking, malicious misrepresentation, abusiveness), pride (the sin of an uplifted heart against God and man), foolishness (folly, lack of sense, recklessness, thoughtlessness).
23 23 All these evil [purposes and desires] come from within, and they make the man unclean and render him unhallowed.
24 24 And Jesus arose and went away from there to the region of Tyre and Sidon.And He went into a house and did not want anyone to know [that He was there]; but it was not possible for Him to be hidden [from public notice].
25 25 Instead, at once, a woman whose little daughter had (was under the control of) an unclean spirit heard about Him and came and flung herself down at His feet.
26 26 Now the woman was a Greek (Gentile), a Syrophoenician by nationality. And she kept begging Him to drive the demon out of her little daughter.
27 27 And He said to her, First let the children be fed, for it is not becoming or proper or right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the [little house] dogs.
28 28 But she answered Him, Yes, Lord, yet even the small pups under the table eat the little children’s scraps of food.
29 29 And He said to her, Because of this saying, you may go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter [permanently].
30 30 And she went home and found the child thrown on the couch, and the demon departed.
31 31 Soon after this, Jesus, coming back from the region of Tyre, passed through Sidon on to the Sea of Galilee, through the region of Decapolis [the ten cities].
32 32 And they brought to Him a man who was deaf and had difficulty in speaking, and they begged Jesus to place His hand upon him.
33 33 And taking him aside from the crowd [privately], He thrust His fingers into the man’s ears and spat and touched his tongue;
34 34 And looking up to heaven, He sighed as He said, Ephphatha, which means, Be opened!
35 35 And his ears were opened, his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak distinctly and as he should.
36 36 And Jesus [in His own interest] admonished and ordered them sternly and expressly to tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.
37 37 And they were overwhelmingly astonished, saying, He has done everything excellently (commendably and nobly)! He even makes the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak!

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