Bible Reading Plan
October 15
Matthew 8-11
Chapter 8
1 When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him.
2 And a leper came to Him and bowed down before Him, and said, “Lord,
if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
3 Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing;
be cleansed.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
4 And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go, show
yourself to the priest and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a
testimony to them.”
5 And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him,
6 and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully
tormented.”
7 Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”
8 But the centurion said, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under
my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.
9 “For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I
say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and
he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”
10 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly
I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.
11 “I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline
at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven;
12 but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness;
in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
13 And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; it shall be done for you as
you have believed.” And the servant was healed that very moment.
Peter’s Mother-in-law and Many Others Healed
14 When Jesus came into Peter’s home, He saw his mother-in-law lying
sick in bed with a fever.
15 He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she got up and waited on
Him.
16 When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and
He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill.
17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “He
Himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases.”
Discipleship Tested
18 Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to depart to the other
side of the sea.
19 Then a scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever
You go.”
20 Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air
have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
21 Another of the disciples said to Him, “Lord, permit me first to go and
bury my father.”
22 But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their
own dead.”
23 When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him.
24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being
covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep.
25 And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are
perishing!”
26 He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then
He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.
27 The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even
the winds and the sea obey Him?”
Jesus Casts Out Demons
28 When He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men
who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They
were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way.
29 And they cried out, saying, “What business do we have with each
other, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”
30 Now there was a herd of many swine feeding at a distance from them.
31 The demons began to entreat Him, saying, “If You are going to cast us
out, send us into the herd of swine.”
32 And He said to them, “Go!” And they came out and went into the
swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished
in the waters.
33 The herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, including
what had happened to the demoniacs.
34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him,
they implored Him to leave their region.
Chapter 9
A Paralytic Healed
1 Getting into a boat, Jesus crossed over the sea and came to His own
city.
2 And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their
faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.”
3 And some of the scribes said to themselves, “This fellow blasphemes.”
4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, “Why are you thinking evil in
your hearts?
5 “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or
to say, ‘Get up, and walk’?
6 “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth
to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Get up,
pick up your bed and go home.”
7 And he got up and went home.
8 But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God,
who had given such authority to men.
Matthew Called
9 As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man called Matthew, sitting in
the tax collector’s booth; and He said to him, “Follow Me!” And
he got up and followed Him.
10 Then it happened that as Jesus was reclining at the table in the house,
behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were dining with Jesus and
His disciples.
11 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why is your
Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?”
12 But when Jesus heard this, He said, “It is not those who are healthy
who need a physician, but those who are sick.
13 “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire compassion,
and not sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
The Question about Fasting
14 Then the disciples of John came to Him, asking, “Why do we and the
Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”
15 And Jesus said to them, “The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn
as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when
the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.
16 “But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for
the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results.
17 “Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins
burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new
wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”
Miracles of Healing
18 While He was saying these things to them, a synagogue official came
and bowed down before Him, and said, “My daughter has just died; but
come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live.”
19 Jesus got up and began to follow him, and so did His disciples.
20 And a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years, came
up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak;
21 for she was saying to herself, “If I only touch His garment, I will
get well.”
22 But Jesus turning and seeing her said, “Daughter, take courage; your
faith has made you well.” At once the woman was made well.
23 When Jesus came into the official’s house, and saw the flute-players
and the crowd in noisy disorder,
24 He said, “Leave; for the girl has not died, but is asleep.” And
they began laughing at Him.
25 But when the crowd had been sent out, He entered and took her by the
hand, and the girl got up.
26 This news spread throughout all that land.
27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out, “Have
mercy on us, Son of David!”
28 When He entered the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said
to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said
to Him, “Yes, Lord.”
29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “It shall be done to you according
to your faith.”
30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them: “See that
no one knows about this!”
31 But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout all that land.
32 As they were going out, a mute, demon-possessed man was brought to
Him.
33 After the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed,
and were saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”
34 But the Pharisees were saying, “He casts out the demons by the ruler
of the demons.”
35 Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their
synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind
of disease
and every kind of sickness.
36 Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were
distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.
37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the
workers are few.
38 “Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into
His harvest.”
Chapter 10
The Twelve Disciples; Instructions for Service
1 Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over
unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease
and every kind
of sickness.
2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who
is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee,
and
John his brother;
3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James
the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;
4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him.
5 These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: “Do not go in
the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans;
6 but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7 “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is
at hand.’
8 “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons.
Freely you received, freely give.
9 “Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts,
10 or a bag for your journey, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff;
for the worker is worthy of his support.
11 “And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it,
and stay at his house until you leave that city.
12 “As you enter the house, give it your greeting.
13 “If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if it
is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace.
14 “Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of
that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.
15 “Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom
and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.
A Hard Road before Them
16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd
as serpents and innocent as doves.
17 “But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and
scourge you in their synagogues;
18 and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as
a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.
19 “But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you
are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say.
20 “For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father
who speaks in you.
21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and
children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.
22 “You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one
who has endured to the end who will be saved.
23 “But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next;
for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel
until the Son of Man comes.
The Meaning of Discipleship
24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master.
25 “It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and
the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul,
how much more will they malign the members of his household!
26 “Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that
will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.
27 “What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you
hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.
28 “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul;
but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
29 “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will
fall to the ground apart from your Father.
30 “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 “So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.
32 “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess
him before My Father who is in heaven.
33 “But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My
Father who is in heaven.
34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not
come to bring peace, but a sword.
35 “For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against
her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.
37 “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and
he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
38 “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy
of Me.
39 “He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his
life for My sake will find it.
The Reward of Service
40 “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives
Him who sent Me.
41 “He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive
a prophet’s reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of
a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.
42 “And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little
ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose
his reward.”
Chapter 11
John’s Questions
1 When Jesus had finished giving instructions to His twelve disciples,
He departed from there to teach and preach in their cities.
2 Now when John, while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent
word by his disciples
3 and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for
someone else?”
4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear
and see:
5 the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and
the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached
to them.
6 “And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.”
Jesus’ Tribute to John
7 As these men were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What
did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
8 “But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those
who wear soft clothing are in kings’ palaces!
9 “But what did you go out to see?A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and
one who is more than a prophet.
10 “This is the one about whom it is written,
‘
Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You,
Who will prepare Your way before You.’
11 “Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen
anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom
of heaven is greater than he.
12 “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven
suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.
13 “For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John.
14 “And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was
to come.
15 “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting
in the market places, who call out to the other children,
17 and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang
a dirge, and you did not mourn.’
18 “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He
has a demon!’
19 “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold,
a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet
wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”
The Unrepenting Cities
20 Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles were
done, because they did not repent.
21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles
had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented
long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
22 “Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and
Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.
23 “And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You
will descend to Hades; for if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which
occurred in you, it would have remained to this day.
24 “Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the
land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.”
Come to Me
25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven
and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent
and have revealed them to infants.
26 “Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.
27 “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows
the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son,
and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.
28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give
you rest.
29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble
in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)