The Easy Study Bible: New Testament

This edition of the Easy Study Bible translation is in paragraph form, which is basically what most other Bibles are.

The following is a description of the diagramed version which is also available.

The Easy Study Bible translation, is the result of my twenty-six years in the Gospel Ministry, and from being a high school English teacher before that.

Many times over my early years as a pastor, I would grow frustrated in my efforts to teach the Bible for understanding to church members who didn't understand the basics of Hebrew and Greek. True, some passages jump out at anyone reading them, no matter which translation they use. My goal has always been that all who read the Bible would not only understand it the way God intended for them to, but also to be able to apply each truth to their lives. That, I think, takes greater understanding.

When I began teaching a Pastor's Sunday School Class in the early 1990s, I searched for a way to help my class understand better. I felt this was important since the class started out as a New Members Class. Too many new Christians become frustrated at their first attempts to study the Bible.

Well, the answer came to me from my English teacher background. Do you remember when you had to diagram sentences in your English classes? Please don't run away screaming yet! I know. They were usually painful experiences. I felt the same way when I was a student.

If you can get past the painful memories, please think about the finished product. Once you diagramed a long complicated sentence, it became much more clear to you. You could understand what was modifying what, and what the action was and what or who was causing it. In other words, it made the sentence much more understandable.

That is what I began to do with the Bible passages we studied in that class. I took the principles of the sentence diagram and adjusted it to fit verses of the Bible. Immediately, the whole class began to gain a better understanding of each passage we studied.

Over the years since then, I have used this method constantly, not only in small group studies, but also in church Bible studies with great success.

One benefit that I didn't expect is that this method helps tremendously in sermon preparation. When I begin to prepare a sermon, I take the focal passage and diagram it. This allows me to see how the verses naturally (the way I think God intended) fall into separate thoughts. Many times, this process will give me all the points of the outline without trying to make the passage say what it does not say.

Now, let's look at this project. Do we need another translation of the Bible? In a word, No!

I have long admired the Wycliffe Bible Translators whose goal is to translate the Bible into every language of the world so all will have the opportunity to read God's message to them. I've also admired the Gideons International whose goal is to place a Bible in every hand in the world.

My goal is a combination of the goals of the Wycliffe Bible Translators and the Gideons International. I want to take God's word and make it easier for everyone to read and understand.

Now, here is why we need a new translation of the Bible. Simply put, the major Bible publishers do not seem to be interested in a Bible version which is diagramed. Therefore, to avoid infringing on any existing copyrights, I had to start with my own translation.

You will find The Easy Study Bible translation to be as close to literal as possible while still preserving proper English grammatical structure. This is important to me. I find that many of the modern translations, especially ones that are more literal, are clumsy at best and grammatically inaccurate at worst.

James Free!

In order to give everyone an opportunity to sample the Easy Study Bible before purchasing it, the book of James will be available in E-Book version free. It will be available on my webpage, and other online distributors.

The book of James will soon be included in a new release, which will also contain 1 Peter and 2 Peter.

I want to hear from you as you use the Easy Study Bible translation. If you have suggestions, corrections, or any comments, please email me at trennis@trenniskillian.com.

How to Use the Easy Study Bible

You may read the Easy Study Bible it the same way you would any other Bible. Each of the releases will have a paragraph version in the back of the book.

The Easy Study Bible is most effective when used as a study tool. This is where the structure of the diagram allows for better understanding of each passage that you study.

I will use James 4:7-8 to illustrate how to do several of the actions that were mentioned in the introduction.

⁷ Therefore,

submit to God.

Resist the devil,

and he will flee from you.

⁸ Draw near to God

and He will draw near to you.

Cleanse your hands,

sinners,

and purify your hearts

you double-minded.

First, if I were writing a sermon on this passage, I can immediately see the perfect three-point sermon in it.

I. Submit to God

II. Resist the Devil

III. Draw Near to God

Notice how easy that was. Next I would flesh out point II. a little.

II. Resist the Devil

He will flee from you

Next, point III.

III. Draw Near to God

He will draw near to you

How do we do this?

Cleanse our hands

Purify our hearts

You can easily see how to continue from there.

Second, for those who want to get to the full meaning of the passage, they can easily answer the following questions from the diagram:

1. What is the subject of this passage?

Submission to God

2. How do we do this?

Resist the Devil

Draw near to God

3. What will be the result of this action?

The devil will flee from you.

God will draw near to you.

Do you get the idea? It's easy and fun to study the Bible, especially when you understand it better each time you do.

Try it out, and if you discover new and different ways to use the Easy Study Bible, please let me know so I can share them with others.

My webpage will have a whole section devoted to the Easy Study Bible, and one page will be dedicated to reader feedback. There will also be a page of Hints & Tips.

www.trenniskillian.com

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Matthew

Outline

I. Infancy Narrative (1:1-2:24

A. From Abraham to David (1:2-6a)

B. From David to the Babylonian Exile (1:6b-11)

C. From the Exile to Christ (1:12-17)

D. The Birth of Christ (1:18-24)

II. Beginning of Christ's Ministry (3:1-4:25

A. The Magi (2:1-12)

B. The Flight to Egypt (2:1318)

C. The Move to Nazareth (2:19-23)

D. John the Baptist (3:1-12)

E. The Baptism of Jesus (3:13-17)

F. The Temptation of Jesus (4:1-11)

G. Ministry in Galilee (4:12-17)

H. The First Disciples (4:18-22)

I. Ministry (4:23-25)

III. The Sermon on the Mount (5:1-7:29)

A. The Beatitudes (5:3-12)

B. Salt and Light (5:13-16)

C. Christ Fulfills the Law (5:17-20

D. Murder Begins in the Heart (5:21-26)

E. Adultery in the Heart (5:27-30)

F. Divorce (5:31-32)

G. Oaths (5:33-37)

H. Go the Second Mile (5:38-42)

I. Love Your Enemies (5:43-48)

J. Giving (6:1-4)

K. Praying (6:5-8)

L. The Model Prayer (6:9-15)

M. Fasting (6:16-18)

N. Possessions (6:19-24)

O. Anxiety (6:25-34)

P. Judging (7:1-6)

Q. Persistence (7:7-12)

R. Entering the Kingdom (7:13-23)

S. The Two Foundations (7:24-29)

IV. Healings and Calling of Disciples (8:1-9:38)

A. Cleansing a Leper (8:1-4)

B. The Centurion's Servant (8:5-13)

C. Peter's Mother-in-Law (8:14-17)

D. Following Jesus (8:18-22)

E. Calming the Sea (8:23-27)

F. The Gadarene Demoniacs (8:28-34)

G. The Paralytic Is Healed (9:1-8)

H. The Calling of Matthew (9:9-13)

I. Fasting (9:14-17)

J. Raising a Girl from the Dead (9:18-26)

K. Healing the Blind (9:27-31)

L. Driving Out a Demon (9:32-38)

V. Sending the Disciples (10:1-42)

A. Commissioning the Twelve (10:1-15)

B. Prediction of Persecutions (10:16-25)

C. Fearing God (10:26-31)

D. Acknowledging Christ (10:32-39)

E. Receiving Him (10:40-42)

VI. Teaching in Galilee (11:1-12:50)

A. John's Followers Question Jesus (11:1-15)

B. An Unresponsive Generation (11:16:24)

C. Invitation to Come to Jesus (11:25-30)

D. Lord of the Sabbath (12:1-8)

E. Controversy over Healing on the Sabbath (12:9-13)

F. The Pharisees Plot against Jesus (12:14-21)

G. A House Divided (12:22-32)

H. A Tree and Its Fruit (12:33-37)

I. The Sign of Jonah (12:38-42)

J. The Unclean Spirit's Return (12:43-45)

K. True Relationships (12:46-50)

VII. Parables of the Kingdom (13:1-53)

A. The Parable of the Sower (13:1-9)

B. Why Jesus Used Parables (13:10-16)

C. The Parable of the Sower Explained (13:18-23)

D. The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares (13:24-30)

E. The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast (13:31-33)

F. Using Parables Fulfills Prophecy (13:34-35)

G. Interpretation of the Wheat and the Tares (13:36-43)

H. The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Priceless Pearl (13:44-46)

I. The Parable of the Net (13:47-50)

J. Parable of the Head of the House (13:51-53)

VIII. Ministry in Galilee (13:54-16:12)

A. Rejection at Nazareth (13:54-58)

B. John the Baptist Beheaded (14:1-12)

C. Feeding of the Five Thousand (14:13-21)

D. Walking on Water (14:22-33)

E. Healing Many (14:34-36)

F. The Tradition of the Elders (15:1-9)

G. Defilement Is from Within (15:10-20)

H. Jesus Heals the Gentile Woman (15:21-28)

I. Jesus Heals Many (15:29-31)

J. Feeding of the Four Thousand (15:32-39)

K. Debate over a Sign from Heaven (16:1-12)

IX. The Suffering Messiah (16:13-17:27)

A. Peter's Confession of Christ (16:13-20)

B. Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection (16:21-23)

C. Take Up Your Cross (16:24-26)

D. Prophecy of the Second Coming (16:27-28)

E. The Transfiguration (17:1-13)

F. Faith (17:14-21)

G. The Second Prediction of His Death (17:22-27)

X. Instruction in View of Rejection (18:1-20:34)

A. Who Is the Greatest? (18:1-9)

B. The Parable of the Lost Sheep (18:10-14)

C. The Offended Brother (18:15-20)

D. The Parable of the Unforgiving Slave (18:21-35)

E. Instruction about Divorce (19:1-12)

F. Blessing the Children (19:13-15)

G. The Rich Young Ruler (19:16-22)

H. Possessions and the Kingdom (19:23-30)

I. Parable of the Workers (20:1-16)

J. The Third Prediction of His Death (20:17-19)

K. Suffering and Service (20:20-28)

L. Healing of Two Blind Men (20:29-34)

XI. Christ in Jerusalem (21:1-25:46)

A. The Triumphal Entry (21:1-11)

B. Cleansing of the Temple (21:12-17)

C. Cursing the Fig Tree (21:18-22)

D. Question of Jesus' Authority (21:23-27)

E. The Parable of the Two Sons (21:28-32)

F. The Parable of the Vineyard Owner (21:33-46)

G. The Parable of the Wedding Banquet (22:1-14)

H. God and Caesar (22:15-22)

I. Conflict with Sadducees on Resurrection (22:23-33)

J. The Greatest Commandment (22:34-40)

K. Question about the Son of David (22:41-46)

L. Scribes and Pharisees Denounced (23:1-36)

M. Jesus Laments over Jerusalem (23:37-39)

N. Destruction of the Temple Predicted (24:1-2)

O. Signs of the End of the Age (24:3-8)

P. Persecution Predicted (24:9-14)

Q. The Tribulation (24:15-28)

R. The Second Coming (24:29-31)

S. The Parable of the Fig Tree (24:32-35)

T. Illustration of the Days of Noah (24:36-44)

U. The Two Servants (24:45-51)

V. The Parable of the Ten Virgins (25:1-13)

W. The Parable of the Talents (25:14-30)

X. The Sheep and the Goats (25:31-46)

XII. Passion and Death (26:1-27:66)

A. The Religious Leaders Plot to Kill Jesus (26:1-5)

B. The Anointing at Bethany (26:6-16)

C. Preparation for the Passover (26:17-19)

D. The Passover Is Celebrated (26:20-25)

E. The First Lord's Supper (26:26-30)

F. Peter's Denial Is Predicted (26:31-35)

G. Jesus' Prayer in the Garden (26:36-46)

H. Jesus' Betrayal and Arrest (26:47-56)

I. Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin (26:57-68)

J. Peter Denies Christ (26:69-75)

K. Jesus Is Taken to Pilate (27:1-2)

L. Judas Hangs Himself (27:3-10)

M. Jesus Faces Pilate (27:11-14)

N. Barabbas Is Freed (27:15-25)

O. Jesus Is Scourged (27:26-29)

P. Jesus Is Led to Golgotha (27:29-33)

Q. Jesus Is Crucified (27:34-44)

R. The Death of Jesus (27:45-56)

S. The Burial of Jesus (27:57-66)

T. The Empty Tomb (28:1-8)

U. Jesus Appears to the Women (28:9-10)

V. The Soldiers Are Bribed (28:11-15)

W. Jesus Appears to the Disciples (28:16-17)

X. The Great Commission (28:18-20)

Matthew in Paragraph Form

Chapter One

¹ The record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham,

From Abraham to David

² Abraham fathered Isaac,

Isaac fathered Jacob,

Jacob fathered Judah and his brothers.

³ Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar,

Perez fathered Hezron,

Hezron fathered Ram.

⁴ Ram fathered Amminadab,

Amminadab fathered Nahshon,

Hahshon fathered Salmon.

⁵ Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab,

Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth,

Obed fathered Jesse.

⁶ Jesse fathered King David.

From David to the Babylonian Exile

David the king fathered Solomon by Uriah's wife.

⁷ Solomon fathered Rehoboam,

Rehoboam fathered Abijah,

Abijah fathered Asa.

⁸ Asa fathered Jehoshaphat,

Jehoshaphat fathered Joram,

Jora fathered Uzziah.

⁹ Uzziah fathered Jotham,

Jotham fathered Ahaz,

Ahaz fathered Hezekiah.

¹⁰ Hezekiah fathered Manasseh,

Manasseh fathered Amon,

Amon fathered Josiah.

¹¹ Josiah fathered Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

From the Exile to Christ

¹² After the deportation to Babylon,

Jechoniah fathered Salathiel,

Salathiel fathered Zerubbabel.

¹³ Zerubbabel fathered Abiud,

Abiud fathered Eliakim,

Eliakim fathered Azor.

¹⁴ Azor fathered Zadok,

Zadok fathered Achim,

Achim fathered Eliud.

¹⁵ Eliud fathered Eleazar,

Eleazar fathered Matthan,

Matthan fathered Jacob.

¹⁶ Jacob fathered Joseph the husband of Mary, who gave birth to Jesus, who is called Christ.

¹⁷ So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen, and from David until the deportation of Babylon, fourteen generations, and from the deportation of Babylon to the Christ, fourteen generations.

The Birth of Christ

¹⁸ The birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: When Mary, His mother, was promised in marriage to Joseph, she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Joseph, her husband, being righteous, and not willing to disgrace her thought to send her away secretly.

²⁰ But after he thought about these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying, Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for what is in her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will bring forth a son and you will name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.

²² Now all this happened to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, ²³ The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call his name Immanuel, which is translated, 'God is with us.'

²⁴ Awakening from sleep, Joseph did as the angel of the Lord ordered him and took his wife, ²⁵ but did not know her until she gave birth to a son. And he named Him Jesus.

Chapter Two

The Magi

¹ After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east, arrived in Jerusalem, ² saying, "where is He who was born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east and came to worship Him.

³ When Herod the King heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ would be born.

⁵ They said to him, In Bethlehem of Judea as it was written by the prophet: ⁶ But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah are in no wise least among the leaders of Judah, for out of you will come a shepherd who will lead my people Israel.

⁷ Then, Herod secretly called the magi and asked them the exact time the star appeared. ⁸ He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search carefully for the child. When you have found him, bring word back to me, so that I may also come and worship Him.