Bible Reading Plan

Matthew 3

Chapter 3

The Messiah's Herald

¹ In those days John the Baptist came,^(a) preaching in the Wilderness of Judea^{(b) 2} and saying, "Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near!"^{(c) 3} For he is the one spoken of through the prophet Isaiah, who said:

⁴ John himself had a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ Then people from Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the vicinity of the Jordan were flocking to him, ⁶ and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.^(e)

⁷ When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees^(f) coming to the place of his baptism,^[b] he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?^{(g) 8} Therefore produce fruit^(h) consistent with^[c] repentance. ⁹ And don't presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.'⁽ⁱ⁾ For I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones! ¹⁰ Even now the ax is ready to strike the root of the trees! Therefore, every tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.^(j)

¹¹ "I baptize you with^[d] water for repentance,^[e](k) but the One who is coming after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to remove^[f] His sandals. He Himself will baptize you with^[g] the Holy Spirit and fire.^{(l) 12} His winnowing shovel^[h] is in His hand, and He will clear His threshing floor and gather His wheat into the barn. But the chaff He will burn up with fire that never goes out."^(m)

The Baptism of Jesus

¹³ Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him.^{(n) 14} But John tried to stop Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and yet You come to me?"

¹⁵ Jesus answered him, "Allow it for now, because this is the way for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him to be baptized.

¹⁶ After Jesus was baptized, He went up immediately from the water. The heavens^(o) suddenly opened for Him,^[i] and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on Him.^{(p) 17} And there came a voice from heaven:

Mark 1

Chapter 1

The Messiah's Herald

¹ The beginning^(a) of the gospel^(b) of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.^{(c) 2} As it is written in Isaiah^(d) the prophet:^[a](e)

⁴ John came baptizing^[d](j) in the wilderness^(k) and preaching a baptism of repentance^[e](l) for the forgiveness^(m) of sins.^{(n) 5} The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem^(o) were flocking to him, and they were baptized by him in the Jordan^(p) River as they confessed^(q) their sins.^{(r) 6} John wore a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts^(s) and wild honey.^{(t) 7} He was preaching: "Someone more powerful^(u) than I will come after me.^(v) I am not worthy^(w) to stoop down and untie the strap of His sandals.^{(x) 8} I have baptized you with^[f] water,^(y) but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."^(z)

The Baptism of Jesus

⁹ In^(aa) those days Jesus came from Nazareth^(ab) in Galilee^(ac) and was baptized in the Jordan by John. ¹⁰ As soon as He came up out of the water, He saw the heavens^(ad) being torn open and the Spirit descending to Him like a dove. ¹¹ And a voice^(ae) came from heaven:^(af)

The Temptation of Jesus

¹² Immediately^(aj) the Spirit^(ak) drove^(al) Him into the wilderness.^{(am) 13} He was in the wilderness 40 days, being tempted^(an) by Satan.^(ao) He was with the wild animals,^(ap) and the angels^(aq) began to serve Him.

Ministry in Galilee

¹⁴ After^(ar) John was arrested,^(as) Jesus went to Galilee,^(at) preaching^(au) the good news^[h][i](av) of God:^{[j](aw) 15} "The time^(ax) is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God^(ay) has come^(az) near.^(ba) Repent^(bb) and believe^(bc) in the good news!"

The First Disciples

¹⁶ As^(bd) He was passing along by the Sea of Galilee,^(be) He saw Simon^(bf) and Andrew,^(bg) Simon's brother. They were casting a net into the sea,^(bh) since they were fishermen.

¹⁷ "Follow Me," ^(bi) Jesus told them, "and I will make you fish for^[k](bj) people!" ^{(bk) 18} Immediately they left their nets and followed^(bl) Him.^{(bm) 19} Going on a little farther, He saw James^(bn) the son of Zebedee^(bo) and his brother John.^(bp) They were in their boat mending their nets. ²⁰ Immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed Him.^(bq)

Driving Out an Unclean Spirit

²¹ Then^(br) they went into Capernaum,^(bs) and right away He entered the synagogue^(bt) on the Sabbath^(bu) and began to teach.^{(bv) 22} They were astonished^(bw) at His teaching^(bx) because, unlike the scribes,^(by) He was teaching them as one having authority.

²³ Just then a man with an unclean^(bz) spirit^(ca) was in their synagogue.^(cb) He cried out,^{[l] 24} "What do You have to do with us,^[m] Jesus—Nazarene?^(cc) Have You come to destroy^(cd) us? I know who You are—the Holy^(ce) One of God!"^(cf)

²⁵ But Jesus rebuked^(cg) him and said, "Be quiet, ^[n](ch) and come out of him!" ²⁶ And the unclean spirit convulsed him,^(ci) shouted with a loud voice, and came out of him.

²⁷ Then they were all amazed,^(cj) so they began to argue^(ck) with one another, saying, "What is this? A new teaching^(cl) with authority!^[o](cm) He commands even the unclean^(cn) spirits,^(co) and they obey Him." ²⁸ News about Him then spread throughout the entire vicinity of Galilee.^(cp)

Healings at Capernaum

²⁹ As^(cq) soon as they left the synagogue,^(cr) they went into Simon^(cs) and Andrew's^(ct) house^(cu) with James^(cv) and John.^{(cw) 30} Simon's mother-in-law was lying in bed with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. ³¹ So He went to her, took her by the hand, and raised her up.^(cx) The fever^(cy) left her,^[p] and she began to serve^(cz) them.^(da)

³² When^(db) evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all those who were sick^(dc) and those who were demon-possessed.^{(dd) 33} The whole town was assembled at the door, ³⁴ and He healed^(de) many who were sick with various diseases^(df) and drove out^(dg) many demons.^(dh) But He would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew Him.^(di)

Preaching in Galilee

³⁵ Very^(dj) early in the morning, while it was still dark, He got up, went out, and made His way to a deserted place.^(dk) And He was praying^(dl) there. ³⁶ Simon^(dm) and his companions went searching for Him. ³⁷ They found Him and said, "Everyone's looking for You!"

³⁸ And He said to them, "Let's go on to the neighboring villages so that I may preach^(dn) there too. This is why I have come." ³⁹ So He went into all of Galilee,^(do) preaching in their synagogues^(dp) and driving out demons.

A Man Cleansed

⁴⁰ Then^(dq) a man with a serious skin disease^(dr) came to Him and, on his knees,^[q](ds) begged Him: "If You are willing, You can make me clean."^(dt)

⁴¹ Moved with compassion,^(du) Jesus reached out His hand and touched^(dv) him. "I am willing," He told him. "Be made clean." ⁴² Immediately the disease^(dw) left him, and he was healed.^{[r] 43} Then He sternly warned^(dx) him and sent him away^(dy) at once, ⁴⁴ telling him, "See that you say nothing to anyone;^(dz) but go and show^(ea) yourself to the priest,^(eb) and offer^(ec) what Moses prescribed for your cleansing,^(ed) as a testimony^(ee) to them." ⁴⁵ Yet he went out and began to proclaim^(ef) it widely and to spread the news,^(eg) with the result that Jesus could no longer enter a town openly. But He was out in deserted places, and they would come to Him from everywhere.

Luke 3

Chapter 3

The Messiah's Herald

¹ In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,^[a] while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea,^(a) Herod was tetrarch^[b] of Galilee,^(b) his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Iturea^[c] and Trachonitis,^[d] and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,^{[e] 2} during the high priesthood of Annas^(c) and Caiaphas,^(d) God's word came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.^{(e) 3} He went into all the vicinity of the Jordan,^(f) preaching a baptism of repentance^[f] for the forgiveness of sins, ⁴ as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:

⁷ He then said to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, "Brood of vipers!^(h) Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance. And don't start saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,'⁽ⁱ⁾ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones! ⁹ Even now the ax is ready to strike^[j] the root of the trees! Therefore, every tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."^(j)

¹⁰ "What then should we do?"^(k) the crowds were asking him.

¹¹ He replied to them, "The one who has two shirts^[k] must share with someone who has none, and the one who has food must do the same."^(l)

¹² Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?"^(m)

¹³ He told them, "Don't collect any more than what you have been authorized."

¹⁴ Some soldiers also questioned him: "What should we do?"

He said to them, "Don't take money from anyone by force or false accusation; be satisfied with your wages."

¹⁵ Now the people were waiting expectantly, and all of them were debating in their minds^[l] whether John might be the Messiah.^{(n) 16} John answered them all,^(o) "I baptize you with^[m] water, but One is coming who is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to untie the strap of His sandals. He will baptize you with^[n] the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷ His winnowing shovel^[o](p) is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and gather the wheat into His barn, but the chaff He will burn up with a fire that never goes out."^{(q) 18} Then, along with many other exhortations, he proclaimed good news to the people. ¹⁹ But Herod the tetrarch,^(r) being rebuked by him about Herodias, his brother's wife, and about all the evil things Herod had done,^{(s) 20} added this to everything else—he locked John up in prison.^(t)

The Baptism of Jesus

²¹ When all the people were baptized,^(u) Jesus also was baptized. As He was praying,^(v) heaven opened, ²² and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in a physical appearance like a dove. And a voice came from heaven:

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ

²³ As He began His ministry, Jesus was about 30 years old and was thought to be^[p] the