Author: Matthew (Levi)
Written: Written c. AD 60–85
Genre: Gospel
Length: 28 chapters · 1,068 verses

What Matthew is about

Matthew opens with a genealogy (biblos geneseōs) tracing Jesus from Abraham through David to Joseph, structured in three sets of fourteen generations. The birth narrative establishes Jesus as conceived by the Holy Spirit, with Joseph's righteous response guided by angelic revelation.

Written by the apostle Matthew primarily for a Jewish-Christian audience, likely from Antioch in the 60s–80s AD. The genealogy's tripartite structure around Abraham, David, and the exile reflects deliberate theological architecture linking Jesus to Israel's covenant story.

Key themes

Kingdom Fulfilment Discipleship Righteousness

Every verse in Matthew, explained

All 1,068 verses of Matthew have a page of their own — what the verse means, who is speaking, and where it sits in the story. Tap any verse number inside a chapter to open it.

Where to start in Matthew

Matthew 1 · The King Arrives Matthew 5 · The Sermon on the Mount Matthew 6 · Treasures and Worry Matthew 13 · Secrets of the Kingdom Matthew 28 · He Is Risen

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All 28 chapters

Matthew

1 The King Arrives The New Testament opens with a genealogy — and every name carries a story. Two great promises converge in one person. This is where it all comes together. 2 The Magi and the Escape Foreign stargazers arrive bearing gifts while a jealous king plots murder. From the start, following Jesus means danger. 3 A Voice in the Wilderness John the Baptist thunders from the desert, calling an entire nation to repentance. Then the heavens themselves split open. 4 Tested and Triumphant Forty days of hunger, three devastating temptations, and the devil's best offer — Jesus refuses every shortcut to power. 5 The Sermon on the Mount Jesus turns the world's values upside down. The blessed aren't the powerful — they're the poor in spirit, the grieving, the meek. 6 Treasures and Worry Jesus redefines wealth, prayer, and anxiety in a single breath. The lilies and the birds become his unlikely teachers. 7 The Narrow Gate Judge not, ask boldly, and choose the hard road. Jesus closes his great sermon with a storm that separates the wise from the foolish. 8 Authority Over Everything A leper, a centurion's servant, a raging storm — nothing resists Jesus' word. His authority isn't theoretical; it's immediate. 9 The Doctor for the Sick Jesus eats with sinners, forgives the paralyzed, and raises the dead. The religious leaders are horrified; the broken are set free. 10 Sent Out Like Sheep Jesus hands his authority to twelve ordinary men and sends them into a hostile world. The mission briefing is searingly honest. 11 Come to Me John the Baptist doubts from prison. Cities refuse to repent. And in the middle of it all, Jesus offers rest to the weary. 12 Lord of the Sabbath Grain fields on a Saturday spark a furious confrontation. Jesus claims an authority that makes the Pharisees begin plotting his death. 13 Secrets of the Kingdom A farmer scatters seed, a woman hides yeast, a merchant finds a pearl. Jesus teaches in parables — and not everyone is meant to understand. 14 Bread on the Hillside A king's guilty banquet ends with a prophet's head on a platter. Hours later, Jesus feeds thousands and walks on water through the night. 15 Clean and Unclean Jesus dismantles the purity codes the Pharisees have built and shows that what defiles a person comes from within, not without. 16 The Rock and the Cross Peter makes the greatest confession in history — then immediately tries to talk Jesus out of the cross. Both responses are profoundly human. 17 Glory on the Mountain Three disciples witness Jesus transfigured in blinding light alongside Moses and Elijah. Then they come back down to a world that still needs healing. 18 The Greatest and the Lost Who is the greatest? A child. What matters most? The one who wandered off. Forgiveness isn't optional — it's the air the kingdom breathes. 19 The Cost of Following A rich young man walks away sad, children are welcomed, and the disciples wonder who can possibly be saved. Jesus redefines what it costs to follow him. 20 The Last Will Be First Workers hired at day's end receive the same wage as those who sweated since dawn. God's generosity offends our scorekeeping instincts. 21 The King Enters Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey while the crowds shout hosanna. Within hours, he's overturning tables in the temple. 22 Render Unto Caesar A wedding banquet, a trick question about taxes, and the greatest commandment — Jesus outmaneuvers every trap set for him. 23 Woe to the Hypocrites Seven devastating woes crash down on the religious establishment. Jesus doesn't whisper his critique — he thunders it. 24 Signs of the End The disciples ask when the end will come. Jesus answers with wars, earthquakes, and a warning: stay awake, because no one knows the hour. 25 Ready or Not Ten bridesmaids, three servants, and a flock of sheep and goats. Jesus paints the final judgment in vivid, unsettling detail. 26 The Last Supper Bread broken. Wine poured. A betrayal predicted. The longest night in history begins around a table. 27 The Crucifixion The climax of the story. Every thread — sacrifice, covenant, prophecy, promise — converges at a cross outside Jerusalem. 28 He Is Risen An earthquake. An angel. An empty tomb. And then the most important words ever spoken: He is not here. He has risen.

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