The Consolidated Chronological Gospels – WEB Edition

This consolidation of the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John combines them into one chronological narrative. The purpose is to put all the information from the four Gospels into one continuous chronicle that is compiled in sequential order. All the events, all the details, all the miracles, and all the parables are included in one seamless narrative, with no changes whatsoever to the selected Scriptures. While not intended as a replacement of the four individual Gospels, the Consolidated Chronological Gospels (CCG) is a supplemental study aid that is especially useful for new Christians because it flows like a book and tells the complete Gospel story in one reading. But it can also assist students of the Bible to see how all the pieces of the four Gospels fit together into one seamless account that includes all the details about any particular event. The Scriptures selected had to be taken from a Bible version that is out of copyright and in the public domain. This first CCG edition is taken from the World English Bible (WEB) which is an updated revision of the American Standard Version from 1901. Published in 2000, it is freely distributed to the public. I will later release a second edition using the King James Version which many Christians still regard as the most authoritative, but others find it more difficult to read. The WEB version is written in more modern English and also includes the specific references to Old Testament verses quoted or referenced by the Gospel writers. For events that are described in two or more of the Gospels, the most detailed account is included. Sometimes passages from two or more Gospels are combined to provide additional details revealed by each writer about the same event. By eliminating repetition, the narrative flows more naturally and succinctly. This makes it easier to see the entire Gospel story in the order that events occurred. Only one of Jesus’ miracles were recorded in all four Gospels – the feeding of the 5,000. In this CCG version, all the miracles are included. There are many events and teachings that are exclusive to just one Gospel writer. In some cases, these parallel similar verses made in another of the Gospels at a different time and place. This is not surprising since it is likely that Jesus often repeated many of his primary teachings to the Twelve Disciples as well as to the hordes of other followers. The genealogies contained in Matthew (chapter one) and Luke (chapter three) are placed in the Appendix in order to enhance reading the Gospels as a freely flowing narrative. The genealogies are worthy of serious study in and of themselves, and there are many fine works available for that purpose. Biblical Scholars have disagreed over the time order of some events with none of the four Gospels in true chronological order (e.g., the exact timeframe of the Sermon on the Mount). The order contained herein has been taken from The Reese Chronological Bible and Aschmann’s Chronology of the Four Gospels which have some differences of their own, in which case I opted for what fit the flow of the narrative better. If I erred or left something out, I apologize in advance, but do not let that deter from the Scriptures. You can email any corrections to me at [email protected]. All the Scriptures included are fully referenced in superscript format. Jesus’ spoken words are highlighted in red. God the Father’s spoken words are in royal purple. The topic headings are mine. It should be noted that chapter and verse numbers were not part of the original Bible but were added afterwards in various translations of the original Hebrew, as was all the punctuation to which I made only minor changes. It is my hope that this consolidation of the four Gospels will enhance your understanding and appreciation of Jesus Christ.