The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ.

It was in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

After John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee proclaiming the good news from God,

Jesus said to them, "Come, follow me, and I will make you fish for men."

"What do you want of us, Jesus, you Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, you are God's holy One!"

Jesus reproved him, and said, "Silence! Get out of him!"

And Jesus immediately drove him away with stern injunctions,

But he went off and began to talk so much about it, and to spread the story so widely, that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in unfrequented places, and people came to him from every direction.

As they could not get him near Jesus on account of the crowd, they broke open the roof just over his head, and through the opening they lowered the mat with the paralytic lying on it.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven."

Jesus, at once perceiving by his spirit that they were pondering over this, said to them, "Why do you ponder over this in your minds?

Jesus heard it, and said to them, "It is not well people but the sick who have to have the doctor. I did not come to invite the pious but the irreligious."

Jesus said to them, "Can wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.

Then the Pharisees left the synagogue and immediately consulted with the Herodians about Jesus, with a view to putting him to death.

So Jesus retired with his disciples to the seashore, and a great many people from Galilee followed him, and from Judea

And Jesus said, "If you do not understand this figure, then how will you understand my other figures?

And catching sight of Jesus in the distance he ran up and made obeisance to him

and screamed out, "What do you want of me, Jesus, son of the Most High God? In God's name, I implore you, do not torture me."

When they came to Jesus and found the demoniac sitting quietly with his clothes on and in his right mind??he same man who had been possessed by Legion??hey were frightened.

And he went off and began to tell everybody in the Ten Towns all Jesus had done for him; and they were all astonished.

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him as he stood on the shore.

had heard about Jesus. And she came up in the crowd behind him and touched his coat,

Jesus instantly perceived that healing power had passed from him, and he turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched my clothes?"

But Jesus paid no attention to what they said, but said to the leader of the synagogue, "Do not be afraid, just have faith."

And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, "A prophet is treated with honor everywhere except in his native place and among his relatives and at his home."

The apostles rejoined Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught.

As soon as they came ashore, the people recognized Jesus,

And Jesus forbade them to tell anyone about it, but the more he forbade them the more they spread the news far and wide.

Then Jesus and his disciples went away to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he questioned his disciples and said to them, "Who do people say that I am?"

Six days after this Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him, and led them up on a high mountain, off by themselves. And his appearance underwent a change in their presence,

And Elijah appeared to them, accompanied by Moses, and they talked with Jesus.

Then Peter spoke, and said to Jesus, "Master, how good it is that we are here! Let us put up three huts, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah."

And suddenly, on looking around, they saw that there was now no one with them but Jesus alone.

Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" And he said,

Jesus said to him, " 'If there is anything I can do!' Everything is possible for one who has faith!"

Then Jesus, seeing that a crowd was rapidly gathering, reproved the foul spirit and said to it, "You deaf and dumb spirit, get out of him, I charge you, and never enter him again!"

But Jesus grasped his hand and made him rise, and he stood up.

But Jesus said, "Do not tell him not to do so, for there is no one who will use my name to do a mighty act, and be able soon after to abuse me.

But Jesus said to them, "It was on account of your perversity that he laid down that law for you.

When Jesus saw it, he was indignant, and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not try to stop them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as they.

But Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God himself.

And Jesus looked at him and loved him, and he said to him, "There is one thing that you lack. Go, sell all you have, and give the money to the poor, and then you will have riches in heaven; and come back and be a follower of mine."

But his face fell at Jesus' words, and he went away much cast down, for he had a great deal of property.

And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have money to enter the Kingdom of God!"

But the disciples were amazed at what he said. And Jesus said to them again, "My children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God!

Jesus looked at them and said, "For men it is impossible, but not for God, for anything is possible for God."

Jesus said, "I tell you, there is no one who has given up home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or land for me and for the good news,

As they went on their way up to Jerusalem, Jesus walked ahead of them, and they were in dismay, and those who still followed were afraid. And he took the Twelve aside again and began to tell them what was going to happen to him.

Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking for. Can you drink what I am drinking, or undergo the baptism that I am undergoing?"

They said to him, "Yes, we can." Jesus said to them, "Then you shall drink what I am drinking, and you shall undergo the baptism that I am undergoing;

And Jesus called them to him, and said to them, "You know that those who are supposed to rule the heathen lord it over them, and their great men tyrannize over them;

When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth he began to cry out, "Jesus, you son of David, take pity on me!"

Jesus stopped and said, "Call him here." And they called the blind man and said to him, "Courage now! Get up, he is calling you!"

And he threw off his coat and sprang to his feet and went up to Jesus.

Jesus spoke to him and said, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man said to him, "Master, let me regain my sight!"

Jesus said to him, "Go your way. Your faith has cured you." And he immediately regained his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

When they were getting near Jerusalem, and had come to Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples on ahead,

But they answered them as Jesus had told them to do, and the men let them take it.

So they brought the colt to Jesus, and they threw their coats over it and Jesus mounted it.

Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God!

Then they went into Jerusalem again. And as Jesus was walking about in the Temple, the high priests, scribes, and elders came up

Jesus said to them, "Let me ask you one question, and if you answer me, I will tell you what authority I have for doing as I do.

So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." Jesus said to them, "Nor will I tell you what authority I have for doing as I do."

And Jesus said, "Pay the emperor what belongs to the emperor, and pay God what belongs to God!" And they were astonished at him.

Jesus said to them, "Does not this show that you are wrong, and do not understand either the Scriptures or the power of God?

One of the scribes came up and heard them arguing. He saw that Jesus had answered them well, and he asked him, "Which is the first of all the commands?"

Jesus answered, "The first one is, 'Hear, Israel! The Lord our God is one lord,

And Jesus saw that he answered thoughtfully, and he said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God!" And no one ventured to ask him any more questions.

As Jesus was teaching in the Temple, he answered them and said, "How can the scribes say that the Christ is a son of David?

Jesus said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left here upon another that shall not be torn down."

And Jesus said to them, "Take care that no one misleads you about this.

Jesus was in Bethany, at the house of Simon the leper, and as he was at table, a woman came in, with an alabaster flask of pure nard perfume, very expensive; she broke the flask and poured the perfume on his head.

And they grumbled at her. But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why do you bother her? It is a fine thing that she has done to me.

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the high priests to betray Jesus to them.

On the first day of the festival of Unleavened Bread, on which it was customary to kill the Passover lamb, Jesus' disciples said to him, "Where do you wish us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the Passover supper?"

And when they were at the table eating, Jesus said, "I tell you, one of you is going to betray me??ne who is eating with me."

And Jesus said to them, "You will all desert me, for the Scriptures say, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.'

Jesus said to him, "I tell you, this very night before the cock crows twice you yourself will disown me three times!"

So when he came he went straight up to Jesus and said, "Master!" and kissed him affectionately.

And Jesus spoke and said to them, "Have you come out to arrest me with swords and clubs, as though I were a robber?

They took Jesus away to the high priest, and all the high priests, elders, and scribes came together.

The high priests and the whole council tried to get evidence against Jesus in order to put him to death, and they could find none,

Then the high priest got up and came forward into the center and asked Jesus, "Have you no answer to make? What about their evidence against you?"

But Jesus was silent and made no answer. The high priest again questioned him and said to him, "Are you the Christ, the son of the Blessed One?"

But Jesus said, "I am! and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Almighty and coming in the clouds of the sky!"

and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You were with this Jesus of Nazareth too!"

At that moment for the second time a cock crowed. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, "Before the cock crows twice, you will disown me three times!" And at that, he wept aloud.

As soon as it was daylight, the high priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes, and they and the whole council bound Jesus and took him away and handed him over to Pilate.

But Jesus made no further answer at all, so that Pilate wondered.

And as Pilate wanted to satisfy the crowd, he set Barabbas free for them, and after having Jesus flogged handed him over to be crucified.

And at three o'clock Jesus called out loudly, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

But Jesus gave a loud cry, and expired.

Joseph of Arimathea, a highly respected member of the council, who was himself living in expectation of the reign of God, made bold to go to Pilate and ask for Jesus' body.

But he said to them, "You must not be amazed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here. See! This is where they laid him.

And they fled out of the tomb, for they were all trembling and bewildered, and they said nothing about it to anyone, for they were afraid to do so. AN ANCIENT APPENDIX But they reported briefly to Peter and his companions all they had been told. And afterward Jesus himself sent out by them from the east to the west the sacred and incorruptible message of eternal salvation. \b ANOTHER ANCIENT APPENDIX

So the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was caught up into heaven and took his seat at God's right hand.