Month: December 2019

Categories
Mark

Mark 13

Jesus Speaks of the Destruction of the Temple

1 As Jesus was leaving the Temple, one of his disciples said, “Look, Teacher! What wonderful stones and buildings!”

2 Jesus answered, “You see these great buildings? Not a single stone here will be left in its place; every one of them will be thrown down.”

Troubles and Persecutions

3 Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, across from the Temple, when Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to him in private.

4 “Tell us when this will be,” they said, “and tell us what will happen to show that the time has come for all these things to take place.”

5 Jesus said to them, “Watch out, and don’t let anyone fool you.

6 Many men, claiming to speak for me, will come and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will fool many people.

7 And don’t be troubled when you hear the noise of battles close by and news of battles far away. Such things must happen, but they do not mean that the end has come.

8 Countries will fight each other; kingdoms will attack one another. There will be earthquakes everywhere, and there will be famines. These things are like the first pains of childbirth.

9 “You yourselves must watch out. You will be arrested and taken to court. You will be beaten in the synagogues; you will stand before rulers and kings for my sake to tell them the Good News.

10 But before the end comes, the gospel must be preached to all peoples.

11 And when you are arrested and taken to court, do not worry ahead of time about what you are going to say; when the time comes, say whatever is then given to you. For the words you speak will not be yours; they will come from the Holy Spirit.

12 Men will hand over their own brothers to be put to death, and fathers will do the same to their children. Children will turn against their parents and have them put to death.

13 Everyone will hate you because of me. But whoever holds out to the end will be saved.

The Awful Horror

14 “You will see ‘The Awful Horror’ standing in the place where he should not be.” (Note to the reader: understand what this means!) “Then those who are in Judea must run away to the hills.

15 Someone who is on the roof of a house must not lose time by going down into the house to get anything to take along.

16 Someone who is in the field must not go back to the house for a cloak.

17 How terrible it will be in those days for women who are pregnant and for mothers with little babies!

18 Pray to God that these things will not happen in the winter!

19 For the trouble of those days will be far worse than any the world has ever known from the very beginning when God created the world until the present time. Nor will there ever be anything like it again.

20 But the Lord has reduced the number of those days; if he had not, nobody would survive. For the sake of his chosen people, however, he has reduced those days.

21 “Then, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’—do not believe it.

22 For false Messiahs and false prophets will appear. They will perform miracles and wonders in order to deceive even God’s chosen people, if possible.

23 Be on your guard! I have told you everything ahead of time.

The Coming of the Son of Man

24 “In the days after that time of trouble the sun will grow dark, the moon will no longer shine,

25 the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers in space will be driven from their courses.

26 Then the Son of Man will appear, coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

27 He will send the angels out to the four corners of the earth to gather God’s chosen people from one end of the world to the other.

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

28 “Let the fig tree teach you a lesson. When its branches become green and tender and it starts putting out leaves, you know that summer is near.

29 In the same way, when you see these things happening, you will know that the time is near, ready to begin.

30 Remember that all these things will happen before the people now living have all died.

31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

No One Knows the Day or Hour

32 “No one knows, however, when that day or hour will come—neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son; only the Father knows.

33 Be on watch, be alert, for you do not know when the time will come.

34 It will be like a man who goes away from home on a trip and leaves his servants in charge, after giving to each one his own work to do and after telling the doorkeeper to keep watch.

35 Watch, then, because you do not know when the master of the house is coming—it might be in the evening or at midnight or before dawn or at sunrise.

36 If he comes suddenly, he must not find you asleep.

37 What I say to you, then, I say to all: Watch!”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/MRK/13-0775dd510afec21c25f43a0f1f1da6d0.mp3?version_id=68—

Categories
Mark

Mark 14

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The Plot against Jesus

1 It was now two days before the Festival of Passover and Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the teachers of the Law were looking for a way to arrest Jesus secretly and put him to death.

2 “We must not do it during the festival,” they said, “or the people might riot.”

Jesus Is Anointed at Bethany

3 Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon, a man who had suffered from a dreaded skin disease. While Jesus was eating, a woman came in with an alabaster jar full of a very expensive perfume made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on Jesus’ head.

4 Some of the people there became angry and said to one another, “What was the use of wasting the perfume?

5 It could have been sold for more than three hundred silver coinsand the money given to the poor!” And they criticized her harshly.

6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone! Why are you bothering her? She has done a fine and beautiful thing for me.

7 You will always have poor people with you, and any time you want to, you can help them. But you will not always have me.

8 She did what she could; she poured perfume on my body to prepare it ahead of time for burial.

9 Now, I assure you that wherever the gospel is preached all over the world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went off to the chief priests in order to betray Jesus to them.

11 They were pleased to hear what he had to say, and promised to give him money. So Judas started looking for a good chance to hand Jesus over to them.

Jesus Eats the Passover Meal with His Disciples

12 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the day the lambs for the Passover meal were killed, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and get the Passover meal ready for you?”

13 Then Jesus sent two of them with these instructions: “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him

14 to the house he enters, and say to the owner of the house: ‘The Teacher says, Where is the room where my disciples and I will eat the Passover meal?’

15 Then he will show you a large upstairs room, fixed up and furnished, where you will get everything ready for us.”

16 The disciples left, went to the city, and found everything just as Jesus had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.

17 When it was evening, Jesus came with the twelve disciples.

18 While they were at the table eating, Jesus said, “I tell you that one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.”

19 The disciples were upset and began to ask him, one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, do you?”

20 Jesus answered, “It will be one of you twelve, one who dips his bread in the dish with me.

21 The Son of Man will die as the Scriptures say he will; but how terrible for that man who will betray the Son of Man! It would have been better for that man if he had never been born!”

The Lord’s Supper

22 While they were eating, Jesus took a piece of bread, gave a prayer of thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples. “Take it,” he said, “this is my body.”

23 Then he took a cup, gave thanks to God, and handed it to them; and they all drank from it.

24 Jesus said, “This is my blood which is poured out for many, my blood which seals God’s covenant.

25 I tell you, I will never again drink this wine until the day I drink the new wine in the Kingdom of God.”

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

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

27 Jesus said to them, “All of you will run away and leave me, for the scripture says, ‘God will kill the shepherd, and the sheep will all be scattered.’

28 But after I am raised to life, I will go to Galilee ahead of you.”

29 Peter answered, “I will never leave you, even though all the rest do!”

30 Jesus said to Peter, “I tell you that before the rooster crows two times tonight, you will say three times that you do not know me.”

31 Peter answered even more strongly, “I will never say that, even if I have to die with you!”

And all the other disciples said the same thing.

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

32 They came to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”

33 He took Peter, James, and John with him. Distress and anguish came over him,

34 and he said to them, “The sorrow in my heart is so great that it almost crushes me. Stay here and keep watch.”

35 He went a little farther on, threw himself on the ground, and prayed that, if possible, he might not have to go through that time of suffering.

36 “Father,” he prayed, “my Father! All things are possible for you. Take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet not what I want, but what you want.”

37 Then he returned and found the three disciples asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Weren’t you able to stay awake for even one hour?”

38 And he said to them, “Keep watch, and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

39 He went away once more and prayed, saying the same words.

40 Then he came back to the disciples and found them asleep; they could not keep their eyes open. And they did not know what to say to him.

41 When he came back the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come! Look, the Son of Man is now being handed over to the power of sinners.

42 Get up, let us go. Look, here is the man who is betraying me!”

The Arrest of Jesus

43 Jesus was still speaking when Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs and sent by the chief priests, the teachers of the Law, and the elders.

44 The traitor had given the crowd a signal: “The man I kiss is the one you want. Arrest him and take him away under guard.”

45 As soon as Judas arrived, he went up to Jesus and said, “Teacher!” and kissed him.

46 So they arrested Jesus and held him tight.

47 But one of those standing there drew his sword and struck at the High Priest’s slave, cutting off his ear.

48 Then Jesus spoke up and said to them, “Did you have to come with swords and clubs to capture me, as though I were an outlaw?

49 Day after day I was with you teaching in the Temple, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must come true.”

50 Then all the disciples left him and ran away.

51 A certain young man, dressed only in a linen cloth, was following Jesus. They tried to arrest him,

52 but he ran away naked, leaving the cloth behind.

Jesus before the Council

53 Then Jesus was taken to the High Priest’s house, where all the chief priests, the elders, and the teachers of the Law were gathering.

54 Peter followed from a distance and went into the courtyard of the High Priest’s house. There he sat down with the guards, keeping himself warm by the fire.

55 The chief priests and the whole Council tried to find some evidence against Jesus in order to put him to death, but they could not find any.

56 Many witnesses told lies against Jesus, but their stories did not agree.

57 Then some men stood up and told this lie against Jesus:

58 “We heard him say, ‘I will tear down this Temple which men have made, and after three days I will build one that is not made by men.’”

59 Not even they, however, could make their stories agree.

60 The High Priest stood up in front of them all and questioned Jesus, “Have you no answer to the accusation they bring against you?”

61 But Jesus kept quiet and would not say a word. Again the High Priest questioned him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed God?”

62 “I am,” answered Jesus, “and you will all see the Son of Man seated at the right side of the Almighty and coming with the clouds of heaven!”

63 The High Priest tore his robes and said, “We don’t need any more witnesses!

64 You heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?”

They all voted against him: he was guilty and should be put to death.

65 Some of them began to spit on Jesus, and they blindfolded him and hit him. “Guess who hit you!” they said. And the guards took him and slapped him.

Peter Denies Jesus

66 Peter was still down in the courtyard when one of the High Priest’s servant women came by.

67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked straight at him and said, “You, too, were with Jesus of Nazareth.”

68 But he denied it. “I don’t know … I don’t understand what you are talking about,” he answered, and went out into the passageway. Just then a rooster crowed.

69 The servant woman saw him there and began to repeat to the bystanders, “He is one of them!”

70 But Peter denied it again.

A little while later the bystanders accused Peter again, “You can’t deny that you are one of them, because you, too, are from Galilee.”

71 Then Peter said, “I swear that I am telling the truth! May God punish me if I am not! I do not know the man you are talking about!”

72 Just then a rooster crowed a second time, and Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows two times, you will say three times that you do not know me.” And he broke down and cried.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/MRK/14-73418c71d959ec92652215abc76f12f6.mp3?version_id=68—

Categories
Mark

Mark 15

Jesus before Pilate

1 Early in the morning the chief priests met hurriedly with the elders, the teachers of the Law, and the whole Council, and made their plans. They put Jesus in chains, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate.

2 Pilate questioned him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

Jesus answered, “So you say.”

3 The chief priests were accusing Jesus of many things,

4 so Pilate questioned him again, “Aren’t you going to answer? Listen to all their accusations!”

5 Again Jesus refused to say a word, and Pilate was amazed.

Jesus Is Sentenced to Death

6 At every Passover Festival Pilate was in the habit of setting free any one prisoner the people asked for.

7 At that time a man named Barabbas was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder in the riot.

8 When the crowd gathered and began to ask Pilate for the usual favor,

9 he asked them, “Do you want me to set free for you the king of the Jews?”

10 He knew very well that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him because they were jealous.

11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to ask, instead, that Pilate set Barabbas free for them.

12 Pilate spoke again to the crowd, “What, then, do you want me to do with the one you call the king of the Jews?”

13 They shouted back, “Crucify him!”

14 “But what crime has he committed?” Pilate asked.

They shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

15 Pilate wanted to please the crowd, so he set Barabbas free for them. Then he had Jesus whipped and handed him over to be crucified.

The Soldiers Make Fun of Jesus

16 The soldiers took Jesus inside to the courtyard of the governor’s palace and called together the rest of the company.

17 They put a purple robe on Jesus, made a crown out of thorny branches, and put it on his head.

18 Then they began to salute him: “Long live the King of the Jews!”

19 They beat him over the head with a stick, spat on him, fell on their knees, and bowed down to him.

20 When they had finished making fun of him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.

Jesus Is Crucified

21 On the way they met a man named Simon, who was coming into the city from the country, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. (Simon was from Cyrene and was the father of Alexander and Rufus.)

22 They took Jesus to a place called Golgotha, which means “The Place of the Skull.”

23 There they tried to give him wine mixed with a drug called myrrh, but Jesus would not drink it.

24 Then they crucified him and divided his clothes among themselves, throwing dice to see who would get which piece of clothing.

25 It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him.

26 The notice of the accusation against him said: “The King of the Jews.”

27 They also crucified two bandits with Jesus, one on his right and the other on his left.

29 People passing by shook their heads and hurled insults at Jesus: “Aha! You were going to tear down the Temple and build it back up in three days!

30 Now come down from the cross and save yourself!”

31 In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the Law made fun of Jesus, saying to one another, “He saved others, but he cannot save himself!

32 Let us see the Messiah, the king of Israel, come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him!”

And the two who were crucified with Jesus insulted him also.

The Death of Jesus

33 At noon the whole country was covered with darkness, which lasted for three hours.

34 At three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud shout,“Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?”which means, “My God, my God, why did you abandon me?”

35 Some of the people there heard him and said, “Listen, he is calling for Elijah!”

36 One of them ran up with a sponge, soaked it in cheap wine, and put it on the end of a stick. Then he held it up to Jesus’ lips and said, “Wait! Let us see if Elijah is coming to bring him down from the cross!”

37 With a loud cry Jesus died.

38 The curtain hanging in the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.

39 The army officer who was standing there in front of the cross saw how Jesus had died.“This man was really the Son of God!” he said.

40 Some women were there, looking on from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joseph, and Salome.

41 They had followed Jesus while he was in Galilee and had helped him. Many other women who had come to Jerusalem with him were there also.

The Burial of Jesus

42-43 It was toward evening when Joseph of Arimathea arrived. He was a respected member of the Council, who was waiting for the coming of the Kingdom of God. It was Preparation day (that is, the day before the Sabbath), so Joseph went boldly into the presence of Pilate and asked him for the body of Jesus.

44 Pilate was surprised to hear that Jesus was already dead. He called the army officer and asked him if Jesus had been dead a long time.

45 After hearing the officer’s report, Pilate told Joseph he could have the body.

46 Joseph bought a linen sheet, took the body down, wrapped it in the sheet, and placed it in a tomb which had been dug out of solid rock. Then he rolled a large stone across the entrance to the tomb.

47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph were watching and saw where the body of Jesus was placed.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/MRK/15-3886afc58d604578be158d9f9de797e8.mp3?version_id=68—

Categories
Mark

Mark 16

The Resurrection

1 After the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices to go and anoint the body of Jesus.

2 Very early on Sunday morning, at sunrise, they went to the tomb.

3-4 On the way they said to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” (It was a very large stone.) Then they looked up and saw that the stone had already been rolled back.

5 So they entered the tomb, where they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe—and they were alarmed.

6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is not here—he has been raised! Look, here is the place where he was placed.

7 Now go and give this message to his disciples, including Peter: ‘He is going to Galilee ahead of you; there you will see him, just as he told you.’”

8 So they went out and ran from the tomb, distressed and terrified. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

AN OLD ENDING TO THE GOSPEL

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

[

9 After Jesus rose from death early on Sunday, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had driven out seven demons.

10 She went and told his companions. They were mourning and crying;

11 and when they heard her say that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe her.

Jesus Appears to Two Followers

12 After this, Jesus appeared in a different manner to two of them while they were on their way to the country.

13 They returned and told the others, but these would not believe it.

Jesus Appears to the Eleven

14 Last of all, Jesus appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating. He scolded them, because they did not have faith and because they were too stubborn to believe those who had seen him alive.

15 He said to them, “Go throughout the whole world and preach the gospel to all people.

16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.

17 Believers will be given the power to perform miracles: they will drive out demons in my name; they will speak in strange tongues;

18 if they pick up snakes or drink any poison, they will not be harmed; they will place their hands on sick people, and these will get well.”

Jesus Is Taken Up to Heaven

19 After the Lord Jesus had talked with them, he was taken up to heaven and sat at the right side of God.

20 The disciples went and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and proved that their preaching was true by the miracles that were performed.]

ANOTHER OLD ENDING

[

9 The women went to Peter and his friends and gave them a brief account of all they had been told.

10 After this, Jesus himself sent out through his disciples from the east to the west the sacred and everliving message of eternal salvation.]

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/MRK/16-ccc01242618a44517c02583c16c9cc6c.mp3?version_id=68—

Categories
Luke

Luke Introduction

Scripture Book Bible Open Book Open Bible

Introduction

The Gospel according to Luke

presents Jesus as both the promised Savior of Israel and as the Savior of all people.

Luke

records that Jesus was called by the Spirit of the Lord to “bring good news to the poor,” and this Gospel is filled with a concern for people with all kinds of need. The note of joy is also prominent in

Luke

, especially in the opening chapters that announce the coming of Jesus, and again at the conclusion, when Jesus ascends to heaven. The story of the growth and spread of the Christian faith after the ascension of Jesus is told by the same writer in the book of

Acts

.

Parts 2 and 6 (see the outline below) contain much material that is found only in this Gospel, such as the stories about the song of the angels and the shepherds’ visit at the birth of Jesus, Jesus in the Temple as a boy, and the parables of the Good Samaritan and the Lost Son. Throughout the Gospel great emphasis is placed on prayer, the Holy Spirit, the role of women in the ministry of Jesus, and God’s forgiveness of sins.

Outline of Contents

Introduction (1.1-4)

Birth and childhood of John the Baptist and of Jesus (1.5—2.52)

The ministry of John the Baptist (3.1-20)

The baptism and temptation of Jesus (3.21—4.13)

Jesus’ public ministry in Galilee (4.14—9.50)

From Galilee to Jerusalem (9.51—19.27)

The last week in and near Jerusalem (19.28—23.56)

The resurrection, appearances, and ascension of the Lord (24.1-53)

Categories
Luke

Luke 1

Introduction

1 Dear Theophilus:

Many people have done their best to write a report of the things that have taken place among us.

2 They wrote what we have been told by those who saw these things from the beginning and who proclaimed the message.

3 And so, Your Excellency, because I have carefully studied all these matters from their beginning, I thought it would be good to write an orderly account for you.

4 I do this so that you will know the full truth about everything which you have been taught.

The Birth of John the Baptist Is Announced

5 During the time when Herod was king of Judea,there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife’s name was Elizabeth; she also belonged to a priestly family.

6 They both lived good lives in God’s sight and obeyed fully all the Lord’s laws and commands.

7 They had no children because Elizabeth could not have any, and she and Zechariah were both very old.

8 One day Zechariah was doing his work as a priest in the Temple, taking his turn in the daily service.

9 According to the custom followed by the priests, he was chosen by lot to burn incense on the altar. So he went into the Temple of the Lord,

10 while the crowd of people outside prayed during the hour when the incense was burned.

11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar where the incense was burned.

12 When Zechariah saw him, he was alarmed and felt afraid.

13 But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son. You are to name him John.

14 How glad and happy you will be, and how happy many others will be when he is born!

15 John will be great in the Lord’s sight. He must not drink any wine or strong drink. From his very birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit,

16 and he will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.

17 He will go ahead of the Lord, strong and mighty like the prophet Elijah. He will bring fathers and children together again; he will turn disobedient people back to the way of thinking of the righteous; he will get the Lord’s people ready for him.”

18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know if this is so? I am an old man, and my wife is old also.”

19 “I am Gabriel,” the angel answered. “I stand in the presence of God, who sent me to speak to you and tell you this good news.

20 But you have not believed my message, which will come true at the right time. Because you have not believed, you will be unable to speak; you will remain silent until the day my promise to you comes true.”

21 In the meantime the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he was spending such a long time in the Temple.

22 When he came out, he could not speak to them, and so they knew that he had seen a vision in the Temple. Unable to say a word, he made signs to them with his hands.

23 When his period of service in the Temple was over, Zechariah went back home.

24 Some time later his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and did not leave the house for five months.

25 “Now at last the Lord has helped me,” she said. “He has taken away my public disgrace!”

The Birth of Jesus Is Announced

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee named Nazareth.

27 He had a message for a young woman promised in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was a descendant of King David. Her name was Mary.

28 The angel came to her and said, “Peace be with you! The Lord is with you and has greatly blessed you!”

29 Mary was deeply troubled by the angel’s message, and she wondered what his words meant.

30 The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary; God has been gracious to you.

31 You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.

32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God. The Lord God will make him a king, as his ancestor David was,

33 and he will be the king of the descendants of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end!”

34 Mary said to the angel, “I am a virgin. How, then, can this be?”

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and God’s power will rest upon you. For this reason the holy child will be called the Son of God.

36 Remember your relative Elizabeth. It is said that she cannot have children, but she herself is now six months pregnant, even though she is very old.

37 For there is nothing that God cannot do.”

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary; “may it happen to me as you have said.” And the angel left her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 Soon afterward Mary got ready and hurried off to a town in the hill country of Judea.

40 She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.

41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby moved within her. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit

42 and said in a loud voice, “You are the most blessed of all women, and blessed is the child you will bear!

43 Why should this great thing happen to me, that my Lord’s mother comes to visit me?

44 For as soon as I heard your greeting, the baby within me jumped with gladness.

45 How happy you are to believe that the Lord’s message to you will come true!”

Mary’s Song of Praise

46 Mary said,

“My heart praises the Lord;

47 my soul is glad because of God my Savior,

48 for he has remembered me, his lowly servant!

From now on all people will call me happy,

49 because of the great things the Mighty God has done for me.

His name is holy;

50 from one generation to another

he shows mercy to those who honor him.

51 He has stretched out his mighty arm

and scattered the proud with all their plans.

52 He has brought down mighty kings from their thrones,

and lifted up the lowly.

53 He has filled the hungry with good things,

and sent the rich away with empty hands.

54 He has kept the promise he made to our ancestors,

and has come to the help of his servant Israel.

55 He has remembered to show mercy to Abraham

and to all his descendants forever!”

56 Mary stayed about three months with Elizabeth and then went back home.

The Birth of John the Baptist

57 The time came for Elizabeth to have her baby, and she gave birth to a son.

58 Her neighbors and relatives heard how wonderfully good the Lord had been to her, and they all rejoiced with her.

59 When the baby was a week old, they came to circumcise him, and they were going to name him Zechariah, after his father.

60 But his mother said, “No! His name is to be John.”

61 They said to her, “But you don’t have any relative with that name!”

62 Then they made signs to his father, asking him what name he would like the boy to have.

63 Zechariah asked for a writing pad and wrote, “His name is John.” How surprised they all were!

64 At that moment Zechariah was able to speak again, and he started praising God.

65 The neighbors were all filled with fear, and the news about these things spread through all the hill country of Judea.

66 Everyone who heard of it thought about it and asked, “What is this child going to be?” For it was plain that the Lord’s power was upon him.

Zechariah’s Prophecy

67 John’s father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he spoke God’s message:

68 “Let us praise the Lord, the God of Israel!

He has come to the help of his people and has set them free.

69 He has provided for us a mighty Savior,

a descendant of his servant David.

70 He promised through his holy prophets long ago

71 that he would save us from our enemies,

from the power of all those who hate us.

72 He said he would show mercy to our ancestors

and remember his sacred covenant.

73-74 With a solemn oath to our ancestor Abraham

he promised to rescue us from our enemies

and allow us to serve him without fear,

75 so that we might be holy and righteous before him

all the days of our life.

76 “You, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High God.

You will go ahead of the Lord

to prepare his road for him,

77 to tell his people that they will be saved

by having their sins forgiven.

78 Our God is merciful and tender.

He will cause the bright dawn of salvation to rise on us

79 and to shine from heaven on all those who live in the dark shadow of death,

to guide our steps into the path of peace.”

80 The child grew and developed in body and spirit. He lived in the desert until the day when he appeared publicly to the people of Israel.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/LUK/1-83fcb3ddef2fd094a4f383da8f5353ff.mp3?version_id=68—

Categories
Luke

Luke 2

The Birth of Jesus

1 At that time Emperor Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Roman Empire.

2 When this first census took place, Quirinius was the governor of Syria.

3 Everyone, then, went to register himself, each to his own hometown.

4 Joseph went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to the town of Bethlehem in Judea, the birthplace of King David. Joseph went there because he was a descendant of David.

5 He went to register with Mary, who was promised in marriage to him. She was pregnant,

6 and while they were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have her baby.

7 She gave birth to her first son, wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger—there was no room for them to stay in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

8 There were some shepherds in that part of the country who were spending the night in the fields, taking care of their flocks.

9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone over them. They were terribly afraid,

10 but the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people.

11 This very day in David’s town your Savior was born—Christ the Lord!

12 And this is what will prove it to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great army of heaven’s angels appeared with the angel, singing praises to God:

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!”

15 When the angels went away from them back into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and saw the baby lying in the manger.

17 When the shepherds saw him, they told them what the angel had said about the child.

18 All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said.

19 Mary remembered all these things and thought deeply about them.

20 The shepherds went back, singing praises to God for all they had heard and seen; it had been just as the angel had told them.

Jesus Is Named

21 A week later, when the time came for the baby to be circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name which the angel had given him before he had been conceived.

Jesus Is Presented in the Temple

22 The time came for Joseph and Mary to perform the ceremony of purification, as the Law of Moses commanded. So they took the child to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord,

23 as it is written in the law of the Lord: “Every first-born male is to be dedicated to the Lord.”

24 They also went to offer a sacrifice of a pair of doves or two young pigeons, as required by the law of the Lord.

25 At that time there was a man named Simeon living in Jerusalem. He was a good, God-fearing man and was waiting for Israel to be saved. The Holy Spirit was with him

26 and had assured him that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s promised Messiah.

27 Led by the Spirit, Simeon went into the Temple. When the parents brought the child Jesus into the Temple to do for him what the Law required,

28 Simeon took the child in his arms and gave thanks to God:

29 “Now, Lord, you have kept your promise,

and you may let your servant go in peace.

30 With my own eyes I have seen your salvation,

31 which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples:

32 A light to reveal your will to the Gentiles

and bring glory to your people Israel.”

33 The child’s father and mother were amazed at the things Simeon said about him.

34 Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, “This child is chosen by God for the destruction and the salvation of many in Israel. He will be a sign from God which many people will speak against

35 and so reveal their secret thoughts. And sorrow, like a sharp sword, will break your own heart.”

36-37 There was a very old prophet, a widow named Anna, daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher. She had been married for only seven years and was now eighty-four years old.She never left the Temple; day and night she worshiped God, fasting and praying.

38 That very same hour she arrived and gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were waiting for God to set Jerusalem free.

The Return to Nazareth

39 When Joseph and Mary had finished doing all that was required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to their hometown of Nazareth in Galilee.

40 The child grew and became strong; he was full of wisdom, and God’s blessings were upon him.

The Boy Jesus in the Temple

41 Every year the parents of Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival.

42 When Jesus was twelve years old, they went to the festival as usual.

43 When the festival was over, they started back home, but the boy Jesus stayed in Jerusalem. His parents did not know this;

44 they thought that he was with the group, so they traveled a whole day and then started looking for him among their relatives and friends.

45 They did not find him, so they went back to Jerusalem looking for him.

46 On the third day they found him in the Temple, sitting with the Jewish teachers, listening to them and asking questions.

47 All who heard him were amazed at his intelligent answers.

48 His parents were astonished when they saw him, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been terribly worried trying to find you.”

49 He answered them, “Why did you have to look for me? Didn’t you know that I had to be in my Father’s house?”

50 But they did not understand his answer.

51 So Jesus went back with them to Nazareth, where he was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.

52 Jesus grew both in body and in wisdom, gaining favor with God and people.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/LUK/2-54f301427a9563b5113d123a4fedd478.mp3?version_id=68—

Categories
Luke

Luke 3

Bible Mugs Book Read

The Preaching of John the Baptist

1 It was the fifteenth year of the rule of Emperor Tiberius; Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip was ruler of the territory of Iturea and Trachonitis; Lysanias was ruler of Abilene,

2 and Annas and Caiaphas were High Priests. At that time the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert.

3 So John went throughout the whole territory of the Jordan River, preaching, “Turn away from your sins and be baptized, and God will forgive your sins.”

4 As it is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah:

“Someone is shouting in the desert:

‘Get the road ready for the Lord;

make a straight path for him to travel!

5 Every valley must be filled up,

every hill and mountain leveled off.

The winding roads must be made straight,

and the rough paths made smooth.

6 The whole human race will see God’s salvation!’”

7 Crowds of people came out to John to be baptized by him. “You snakes!” he said to them. “Who told you that you could escape from the punishment God is about to send?

8 Do those things that will show that you have turned from your sins. And don’t start saying among yourselves that Abraham is your ancestor. I tell you that God can take these rocks and make descendants for Abraham!

9 The ax is ready to cut down the trees at the roots; every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown in the fire.”

10 The people asked him, “What are we to do, then?”

11 He answered, “Whoever has two shirts must give one to the man who has none, and whoever has food must share it.”

12 Some tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what are we to do?”

13 “Don’t collect more than is legal,” he told them.

14 Some soldiers also asked him, “What about us? What are we to do?”

He said to them, “Don’t take money from anyone by force or accuse anyone falsely. Be content with your pay.”

15 People’s hopes began to rise, and they began to wonder whether John perhaps might be the Messiah.

16 So John said to all of them, “I baptize you with water, but someone is coming who is much greater than I am. I am not good enough even to untie his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

17 He has his winnowing shovel with him, to thresh out all the grain and gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn the chaff in a fire that never goes out.”

18 In many different ways John preached the Good News to the people and urged them to change their ways.

19 But John reprimanded Governor Herod, because he had married Herodias, his brother’s wife, and had done many other evil things.

20 Then Herod did an even worse thing by putting John in prison.

The Baptism of Jesus

21 After all the people had been baptized, Jesus also was baptized. While he was praying, heaven was opened,

22 and the Holy Spirit came down upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my own dear Son. I am pleased with you.”

The Ancestors of Jesus

23 When Jesus began his work, he was about thirty years old. He was the son, so people thought, of Joseph, who was the son of Heli,

24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,

25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,

26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda,

27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,

28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,

29 the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,

30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,

31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,

32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,

33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,

34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,

35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,

36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,

37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Kenan,

38 the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/LUK/3-637f7d1f5175e1e3099530366597ef1f.mp3?version_id=68—

Categories
Luke

Luke 4

The Temptation of Jesus

1 Jesus returned from the Jordan full of the Holy Spirit and was led by the Spirit into the desert,

2 where he was tempted by the Devil for forty days. In all that time he ate nothing, so that he was hungry when it was over.

3 The Devil said to him, “If you are God’s Son, order this stone to turn into bread.”

4 But Jesus answered, “The scripture says, ‘Human beings cannot live on bread alone.’”

5 Then the Devil took him up and showed him in a second all the kingdoms of the world.

6 “I will give you all this power and all this wealth,” the Devil told him. “It has all been handed over to me, and I can give it to anyone I choose.

7 All this will be yours, then, if you worship me.”

8 Jesus answered, “The scripture says, ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve only him!’”

9 Then the Devil took him to Jerusalem and set him on the highest point of the Temple, and said to him, “If you are God’s Son, throw yourself down from here.

10 For the scripture says, ‘God will order his angels to take good care of you.’

11 It also says, ‘They will hold you up with their hands so that not even your feet will be hurt on the stones.’”

12 But Jesus answered, “The scripture says, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

13 When the Devil finished tempting Jesus in every way, he left him for a while.

Jesus Begins His Work in Galilee

14 Then Jesus returned to Galilee, and the power of the Holy Spirit was with him. The news about him spread throughout all that territory.

15 He taught in the synagogues and was praised by everyone.

Jesus Is Rejected at Nazareth

16 Then Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath he went as usual to the synagogue. He stood up to read the Scriptures

17 and was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it is written,

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to set free the oppressed

19 and announce that the time has come

when the Lord will save his people.”

20 Jesus rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. All the people in the synagogue had their eyes fixed on him,

21 as he said to them, “This passage of scripture has come true today, as you heard it being read.”

22 They were all well impressed with him and marveled at the eloquent words that he spoke. They said, “Isn’t he the son of Joseph?”

23 He said to them, “I am sure that you will quote this proverb to me, ‘Doctor, heal yourself.’ You will also tell me to do here in my hometown the same things you heard were done in Capernaum.

24 I tell you this,” Jesus added, “prophets are never welcomed in their hometown.

25 Listen to me: it is true that there were many widows in Israel during the time of Elijah, when there was no rain for three and a half years and a severe famine spread throughout the whole land.

26 Yet Elijah was not sent to anyone in Israel, but only to a widow living in Zarephath in the territory of Sidon.

27 And there were many people suffering from a dreaded skin disease who lived in Israel during the time of the prophet Elisha; yet not one of them was healed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”

28 When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were filled with anger.

29 They rose up, dragged Jesus out of town, and took him to the top of the hill on which their town was built. They meant to throw him over the cliff,

30 but he walked through the middle of the crowd and went his way.

A Man with an Evil Spirit

31 Then Jesus went to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, where he taught the people on the Sabbath.

32 They were all amazed at the way he taught, because he spoke with authority.

33 In the synagogue was a man who had the spirit of an evil demon in him; he screamed out in a loud voice,

34 “Ah! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Are you here to destroy us? I know who you are: you are God’s holy messenger!”

35 Jesus ordered the spirit, “Be quiet and come out of the man!” The demon threw the man down in front of them and went out of him without doing him any harm.

36 The people were all amazed and said to one another, “What kind of words are these? With authority and power this man gives orders to the evil spirits, and they come out!”

37 And the report about Jesus spread everywhere in that region.

Jesus Heals Many People

38 Jesus left the synagogue and went to Simon’s home. Simon’s mother-in-law was sick with a high fever, and they spoke to Jesus about her.

39 He went and stood at her bedside and ordered the fever to leave her. The fever left her, and she got up at once and began to wait on them.

40 After sunset all who had friends who were sick with various diseases brought them to Jesus; he placed his hands on every one of them and healed them all.

41 Demons also went out from many people, screaming, “You are the Son of God!”

Jesus gave the demons an order and would not let them speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.

Jesus Preaches in the Synagogues

42 At daybreak Jesus left the town and went off to a lonely place. The people started looking for him, and when they found him, they tried to keep him from leaving.

43 But he said to them, “I must preach the Good News about the Kingdom of God in other towns also, because that is what God sent me to do.”

44 So he preached in the synagogues throughout the country.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/LUK/4-2f476be195f62bbb383fe82b0b53d791.mp3?version_id=68—

Categories
Luke

Luke 5

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

1 One day Jesus was standing on the shore of Lake Gennesaret while the people pushed their way up to him to listen to the word of God.

2 He saw two boats pulled up on the beach; the fishermen had left them and were washing the nets.

3 Jesus got into one of the boats—it belonged to Simon—and asked him to push off a little from the shore. Jesus sat in the boat and taught the crowd.

4 When he finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Push the boat out further to the deep water, and you and your partners let down your nets for a catch.”

5 “Master,” Simon answered, “we worked hard all night long and caught nothing. But if you say so, I will let down the nets.”

6 They let them down and caught such a large number of fish that the nets were about to break.

7 So they motioned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats so full of fish that the boats were about to sink.

8 When Simon Peter saw what had happened, he fell on his knees before Jesus and said, “Go away from me, Lord! I am a sinful man!”

9 He and the others with him were all amazed at the large number of fish they had caught.

10 The same was true of Simon’s partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.”

11 They pulled the boats up on the beach, left everything, and followed Jesus.

Jesus Heals a Man

12 Once Jesus was in a town where there was a man who was suffering from a dreaded skin disease. When he saw Jesus, he threw himself down and begged him, “Sir, if you want to, you can make me clean!”

13 Jesus reached out and touched him. “I do want to,” he answered. “Be clean!” At once the disease left the man.

14 Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go straight to the priest and let him examine you; then to prove to everyone that you are cured, offer the sacrifice as Moses ordered.”

15 But the news about Jesus spread all the more widely, and crowds of people came to hear him and be healed from their diseases.

16 But he would go away to lonely places, where he prayed.

Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man

17 One day when Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and teachers of the Law were sitting there who had come from every town in Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was present for Jesus to heal the sick.

18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a bed, and they tried to carry him into the house and put him in front of Jesus.

19 Because of the crowd, however, they could find no way to take him in. So they carried him up on the roof, made an opening in the tiles, and let him down on his bed into the middle of the group in front of Jesus.

20 When Jesus saw how much faith they had, he said to the man, “Your sins are forgiven, my friend.”

21 The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees began to say to themselves, “Who is this man who speaks such blasphemy! God is the only one who can forgive sins!”

22 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Why do you think such things?

23 Is it easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?

24 I will prove to you, then, that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, pick up your bed, and go home!”

25 At once the man got up in front of them all, took the bed he had been lying on, and went home, praising God.

26 They were all completely amazed! Full of fear, they praised God, saying, “What marvelous things we have seen today!”

Jesus Calls Levi

27 After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting in his office. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.”

28 Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.

29 Then Levi had a big feast in his house for Jesus, and among the guests was a large number of tax collectors and other people.

30 Some Pharisees and some teachers of the Law who belonged to their group complained to Jesus’ disciples. “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and other outcasts?” they asked.

31 Jesus answered them, “People who are well do not need a doctor, but only those who are sick.

32 I have not come to call respectable people to repent, but outcasts.”

The Question about Fasting

33 Some people said to Jesus, “The disciples of John fast frequently and offer prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same; but your disciples eat and drink.”

34 Jesus answered, “Do you think you can make the guests at a wedding party go without food as long as the bridegroom is with them? Of course not!

35 But the day will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

36 Jesus also told them this parable: “You don’t tear a piece off a new coat to patch up an old coat. If you do, you will have torn the new coat, and the piece of new cloth will not match the old.

37 Nor do you pour new wine into used wineskins, because the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will pour out, and the skins will be ruined.

38 Instead, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins!

39 And you don’t want new wine after drinking old wine. ‘The old is better,’ you say.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/LUK/5-b4f9a9da707c4d2a2180168c2b0a7577.mp3?version_id=68—