Jesus

18Here is how Jesus Christ was born. His mother Mary had promised to marry Joseph. Before they lived together, people learned she was going to have a baby. The baby was hers by the Holy Spirit.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

NoteA promise to marry was very serious then. The two were already called husband and wife. Only a divorce could end it. The King James says "Holy Ghost." Ghost was simply an old word for spirit.

19Joseph was her husband, and he was a good man. He did not want to shame her in front of everyone. So he planned to end the marriage promise quietly.

Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.

NoteThe King James says Joseph was "a just man." That means he was good and fair. To "put her away privily" means to end the marriage quietly. Joseph did not want people talking about Mary. In those days a man promised in marriage was already called the woman's husband.

20While Joseph was thinking about this, he had a dream. An angel, a messenger from God, came to him and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife. The baby inside her is from the Holy Spirit.

But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

Note"Behold" is an old word. It means look, or listen carefully. The angel calls Joseph "son of David." That means Joseph came from King David's family, long after David died.

21She will have a son. You are to name him Jesus. He will save his people from their sins."

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

NoteThe name Jesus means "God saves." The name tells what the boy would do.

22All of this happened so that what the Lord had said would come true. He had said it through a prophet, someone who told people what God said.

Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

23"Look, a virgin will have a baby. She will give birth to a son. People will call him Immanuel." That name means "God with us."

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

NoteA virgin is a woman who has never been with a man. These words were written long before by Isaiah, a prophet.

24Then Joseph woke up. He did just what the angel of the Lord had told him. He took Mary home as his wife.

Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:

NoteTaking a wife home meant something special then. The bride left her family and moved into her husband's house.

25But he did not come together with her as her husband until her son was born. And Joseph named the boy Jesus.

And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

NoteThe King James says he "knew her not." That is a polite old way of speaking. It means they did not sleep together as husband and wife. "Firstborn" means her first baby.

1Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem, in the land of Judea. Herod was king at that time. Wise men from a country in the east came to Jerusalem.

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

NoteBethlehem was a small town. Judea was the part of the land around Jerusalem. Herod was a king who ruled there for the Romans. The wise men were men who studied the stars.

2They asked, "Where is the baby who was born to be king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east. We have come to worship him."

Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

Note"The Jews" means God's people who lived in that land. Long ago people watched the sky for signs. A new star could mean a new king had been born.

3When King Herod heard this, he was upset. Everyone in Jerusalem was upset too.

When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

NoteHerod was upset because he wanted to stay king. A new king could take his place.

4Herod called together the leading priests and the scribes, the men who studied and copied God's writings. He asked them where the Christ, God's promised king, would be born.

And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

NotePriests were men who led worship at God's temple. Scribes copied God's words by hand, so they knew them well. "Christ" means "the chosen one." God had promised to send him.

5They told him, "In Bethlehem, in Judea. A prophet, a man who told people what God said, wrote it this way:

And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

NoteA prophet was a person who told others what God said. Prophets lived long before Jesus was born.

6'Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are not the smallest of Judah's leading towns. A ruler will come out of you. He will care for my people Israel like a shepherd.'"

And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

NoteJudah was the family group that lived in that part of the land. A shepherd takes care of sheep and keeps them safe. So a ruler like a shepherd takes care of his people.

7Then Herod called the wise men to meet him in secret. He asked them carefully when the star first appeared.

Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

8He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and look hard for the child. When you find him, come and tell me. Then I can go and worship him too."

And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

NoteHerod said he wanted to worship the child. He was not telling the truth.

9After they listened to the king, they left. The star they had seen in the east went ahead of them. It stopped over the place where the child was.

When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

10When they saw the star, they were filled with great joy.

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

11They went into the house. They saw the child with Mary his mother. They bowed down to the ground and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure bags. They gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

NoteFrankincense and myrrh came from the sap of trees. They smelled sweet when they were burned. They cost as much as gold. These were gifts fit for a king. Bowing all the way to the ground showed great honor.

12God warned them in a dream not to go back to Herod. So they went home to their own country by a different road.

And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

NoteIn those days God sometimes gave people a message while they were asleep.

13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River. He came to John so John would baptize him.

Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

NoteGalilee was the part of the country up north. Jesus grew up there. Walking from Galilee to the Jordan took several days.

14But John tried to stop him. John said, "I am the one who needs you to baptize me. So why are you coming to me?"

But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

NoteIn the King James, "forbad" means he tried to stop him. John was not angry. He felt too small for the job.

15Jesus answered him, "Let it be this way for now. This is how we do everything that is right." So John let him do it.

And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

NoteIn the King James, "Suffer it to be so" means "let it happen." Here "suffer" means allow, not hurt. "Righteousness" means doing what is right. "Then he suffered him" means then John let him.

16As soon as Jesus was baptized, he came up out of the water. Right then the heavens opened. He saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and resting on him.

And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

NoteA dove is a gentle bird, a lot like a pigeon. In the King James, "lo" means "look!" "Straightway" means right away.

17And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son. I love him, and I am very pleased with him."

And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Note"Beloved" means dearly loved. "I am well pleased" means "I am very happy with him."

1The Spirit led Jesus out into the wilderness, a wild and empty place. He was led there so the devil could try to get him to do wrong.

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

NoteThe Spirit here means God's own Spirit. The devil is God's enemy. To tempt someone means to try to talk them into doing wrong.

2Jesus went forty days and forty nights without eating any food. After that he was very hungry.

And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

NoteGoing without food on purpose is called fasting. People did it while they prayed. Forty days is almost six weeks.

3The devil came to tempt him. He said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to turn into bread."

And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

NoteBread was the main food people ate every day. Loaves were flat and round. Small stones in that desert looked a lot like them.

4Jesus answered, "The scriptures say this. People do not live on bread alone. They live on every word that comes from God's mouth."

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

NoteThe scriptures are the holy books Jewish people read. Jesus is quoting words written down long before he was born.

5Then the devil took Jesus to Jerusalem, the holy city. He put him on the highest point of the temple.

Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

NoteThe temple in Jerusalem was God's special house. It was very large. From its highest corner it was a long way down.

6The devil said, "If you are the Son of God, jump down. The scriptures say God will tell his angels to guard you. They will catch you in their hands. Your foot will not even hit a stone."

And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

NoteAngels are God's messengers and helpers. Here the devil is quoting a song from the scriptures.

7Jesus said, "The scriptures also say this. Do not test the Lord your God."

Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

NoteTo test God means to make him prove himself. It means doing something risky on purpose, just to see if God saves you.

8Then the devil took Jesus up a very high mountain. He showed him all the kingdoms of the world and all their glory.

Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

NoteA kingdom is a land ruled by a king. The King James says "the glory of them." Glory means their riches, shine and power.

9The devil said, "I will give you all of this. Just bow down and worship me."

And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

NoteTo worship someone means to treat them as your god. Bowing all the way down showed that.

10Jesus said, "Go away, Satan! The scriptures say to worship the Lord your God. Serve him only."

Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

NoteSatan is another name for the devil. The name means "the enemy."

11Then the devil left Jesus. Angels came and took care of him.

Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

NoteThe King James says the angels "ministered unto him." That means they took care of him and brought what he needed.

12Jesus heard that John had been put in prison. So he went away to the region called Galilee.

Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;

NoteThis is John the Baptist. He told people that Jesus was coming. A ruler named Herod had him locked up.

13He left the town of Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum. That town sits by the lake, in the land of Zebulun and Naphtali.

And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:

NoteCapernaum was a busy fishing town beside the lake. Zebulun and Naphtali were sons of Jacob long ago. Their families had lived in that land, and people still used the old names.

14This happened so that the words of Isaiah would come true. Isaiah was a prophet, someone who told people what God said.

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

NoteIsaiah lived hundreds of years before Jesus was born. His words were kept in a book.

15Isaiah said, "Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, along the road by the sea, on the far side of the Jordan River, Galilee where many people are not Jewish.

The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;

NoteThe road by the sea was a big trading road. Traders and armies used it for hundreds of years. The Jordan was the main river of that land.

16The people who lived in the dark have seen a great light. A light has come up for those who lived where death's shadow lay."

The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

NoteSitting in the dark is a word picture. It means people felt lost and sad. The light means good news finally coming.

17From that time on, Jesus began to preach. He said, "Turn away from wrong and come back to God. God's kingdom is near."

From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Note"The kingdom of heaven" means God ruling as king. Matthew says "heaven" as a polite way of saying God.

18Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, which is a big lake. He saw two brothers, Simon (also called Peter) and Andrew. They were throwing a net into the water. Catching fish was their job.

And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

NoteSimon and Peter are two names for the same man. Fishermen threw a round net with weights on the edge. It sank fast and trapped the fish under it.

19Jesus said to them, "Come and follow me. I will make you catch people instead of fish."

And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Note"Fishers of men" plays with their job. Jesus means they will now gather people to God.

20Right away they left their nets and went with him.

And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

21Jesus walked on and saw two more brothers, James and John. Their father was Zebedee. They were in a boat with him, fixing their nets. Jesus called them to come.

And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

NoteNets tore all the time and had to be sewn up again. Fishing was this family's work, with their own boat.

22Right away they left the boat and their father, and they went with him.

And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

NoteLeaving their father meant leaving the family work too. Sons usually fished with their father all their lives.

23Jesus traveled all over Galilee. He taught in the synagogues, the places where Jewish people met to worship. He told the good news about God's kingdom. He also healed every kind of sickness the people had.

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

24News about Jesus spread all through Syria. People brought him everyone who was sick. Some were in great pain. Some had demons in them. Some had shaking fits, and some could not move their bodies. Jesus healed them all.

And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

NoteSyria was a big land to the north. The King James calls some people "lunatick." That word comes from the moon. People then thought the moon caused shaking fits. "Palsy" means a body that cannot move.

25Huge crowds followed him. They came from Galilee, from the ten towns called Decapolis, from Jerusalem, from Judea, and from across the Jordan River.

And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.

NoteDecapolis is a Greek word. It means "ten towns." Judea is the land around Jerusalem. Some people walked for days to reach Jesus.

24So anyone who hears my words and obeys them is like a wise man. That man built his house on solid rock.

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

NoteHouses then were built of mud bricks and stone. A careful builder dug down until he hit solid rock.

25The rain poured down. The water rose high. The winds blew and beat on that house. It did not fall, because it was built on rock.

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

NoteThat land was dry most of the year. When the rain came, water rushed down the dry valleys very fast.

26But anyone who hears my words and does not obey them is like a foolish man. That man built his house on sand.

And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

27The rain poured down. The water rose high. The winds blew and beat on that house. The house fell, and it fell with a great crash.

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

28When Jesus finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching.

And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

Note"Doctrine" simply means teaching. "Astonished" means very surprised.

29He taught them like someone who had real authority. He did not teach like the scribes, the men who copied and taught God's law.

For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

NoteScribes copied God's books by hand, letter by letter. They taught by repeating what other teachers had said. "Authority" means the right to say how things really are.

1Jesus came down from the mountain. Large crowds followed him.

When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.

2A man with leprosy came to him and knelt down. The man said, "Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean."

And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

NoteLeprosy was a bad skin disease. People with it had to live away from everyone else. Clean here does not mean washed. It meant well enough to be with people again. Kneeling was how people showed great respect.

3Jesus reached out his hand and touched him. Jesus said, "I want to. Be clean!" Right away the man's skin disease was gone.

And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

4Then Jesus told him, "Do not tell anyone about this. Go and show yourself to the priest. Bring the gift that Moses said to bring. That will be proof for them."

And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

NoteA priest was a man who worked at God's temple. One of his jobs was to look at sick skin. He would tell people when someone was well again. Moses was a leader long before Jesus. Moses told people to bring God a gift when they got better.

28They came to the other side, to the land of the Gergesenes. Two men with demons inside them met Jesus. They came out from the graves. They were so wild that no one could walk on that road.

And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.

NoteThe Gergesenes were the people living on that side of the lake. Most of them were not Jewish. Graves there were caves cut into rock. A person could go inside one and stay there.

29They shouted, "What do you want with us, Jesus, Son of God? Did you come here to hurt us before the right time?"

And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

30Some way off, a big herd of pigs was eating.

And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.

NoteJewish people did not eat pigs or keep them. A herd of pigs shows that other people lived here.

31So the demons begged Jesus, "If you send us out, let us go into the pigs."

So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.

32He said to them, "Go." So they came out and went into the pigs. The whole herd rushed down the steep hill into the lake. They all drowned in the water.

And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.

33The men who looked after the pigs ran away. They went into the town and told everyone what had happened. They told about the two men with demons too.

And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.

34Then the whole town came out to meet Jesus. When they saw him, they begged him to leave their part of the country.

And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.

NoteThe old words say "coasts." That did not mean the beach. It meant the edges of their land.