A simple paraphrase of the Gospel of Matthew, at a grade 6 reading level. This is a paraphrase, designed for easy reading, not for serious study. Paraphrases are commentaries in disguise - people put their own ideas into the text. This is unavoidable - even a translation must make choices about the meaning of words - but I have tried to keep my own commentary to a minimum. I just want to say the same thing, in the way that I might explain it to one of my grandchildren. I explain theological words, ancient customs, and background information the original readers would have already known but modern readers might not. I also avoid familiar religious terminology (such as "faith") so that people do not think they already know what it means. I am not always consistent.

I have a PhD in New Testament Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary. I have worked for Grace Communion International since 1980 and am now the president and professor of New Testament at Grace Communion Seminary, www.gcs.edu. I live in southern California with my wife, Janet. We have two children, both married, and four grandchildren. My hobby is bird banding.

I am the author of several books, including Sabbath, Circumcision and Tithing: Which Old Testament Laws Apply Today? And Who Needs a New Covenant? Rhetorical Function of the Covenant Motif in the Argument of Hebrews.

I recently worked on an introductory theology course in which extra attention was given to the reading level of the lessons. I realized that the Bible isn't always easy to read, either, so as I am reading through the New Testament in 2026, I am creating a paraphrase. I started with the New English Translation, but more than 95 percent of that translation was altered in sentence structure and vocabulary. I sometimes looked at the Greek text to help with some of the changes.