The Greatest Story Ever Told As You Never Heard it Before Brought to you by Bible Society and dramatised by Riding Lights Theatre Company, this audio CD set brings to life the whole New Testament in a dynamic and vibrant way. Let the power of audio storytelling take you back to first century Palestine Listen to the extraordinary life and teaching of Jesus Hear the compelling dramas of the early Church Discover more than you thought possible – enter into this audio experience and encounter the New Testament afresh. The stunning recording is an unabridged reading of the Contemporary English Version (CEV) New Testament – featuring Russell Boulter, Israel Oyelumade and 31 other actors. Sections from this recording previously used as part of Bible Society’s You’ve Got the Time programme. Running time approximately 20 hours The multi-voice recording of the New Testament was created by Riding Lights Theatre Company in May 2010 at the Digital Audio Studios in Skipton. Engineered and edited by Dave Aston. The text was adapted for voices by Paul Burbridge, with assistance from Yvonne Morley. Director: Paul Burbridge Assistant Director: Yvonne Morley Performed by: Kolade Agboke, Nadia Albina, Nicholas Bensberg, Susan Beresford, Russell Boulter, Paul Burbridge, Tim Charrington, Ruben Crow, Fred Denno, Emma Flett, Nigel Forde, Bud Gemmell, Rob Gooch, Pethrow Gooden, Abby Guinness, Vicki Hackett, Andrew Harrison, Julie Higginson, Zannah Hodson, Chris Jack, Gail Kemp, Rebecca Kennedy, Israel Oyelumade, Chris Pearse, Patrick Pearson-Miles, Tom Peters, Jonathan Race, Frances Simon, Luke Waldock, Mal Whiteley, Rachel Wilcock.

The New Testament - Contemporary English Version (Anglicised) 2010

<div class="version vid294 iso6393eng" data-vid="294" data-iso6393="eng">
    <div class="book bkMAT">
        <div class="chapter ch1" data-usfm="MAT.1">
            <div class="label">1</div><div class="ms1"><span class="heading">The ancestors and birth of Jesus</span></div><div class="s1"><span class="heading">The ancestors of Jesus</span></div><div class="r"><span class="heading">(</span><span class="heading">Luke 3.23-38</span><span class="heading">)</span></div><div class="p"><span class="content">  </span><span class="verse v1" data-usfm="MAT.1.1"><span class="label">1</span><span class="content">Jesus Christ came from the family of King David and also from the family of Abraham. And this is a list of his ancestors. </span></span><span class="verse v2 v3 v4 v5 v6" data-usfm="MAT.1.2+MAT.1.3+MAT.1.4+MAT.1.5+MAT.1.6"><span class="label">2-6a</span><span class="content">From Abraham to King David, his ancestors were:</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v2 v3 v4 v5 v6" data-usfm="MAT.1.2+MAT.1.3+MAT.1.4+MAT.1.5+MAT.1.6"><span class="content">Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah and his brothers (Judah's sons were Perez and Zerah, and their mother was Tamar), Hezron;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v2 v3 v4 v5 v6" data-usfm="MAT.1.2+MAT.1.3+MAT.1.4+MAT.1.5+MAT.1.6"><span class="content">Ram, Amminadab, Nahshon, Salmon, Boaz (his mother was Rahab), Obed (his mother was Ruth), Jesse, and King David.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v2 v3 v4 v5 v6" data-usfm="MAT.1.2+MAT.1.3+MAT.1.4+MAT.1.5+MAT.1.6"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v6 v7 v8 v9 v10 v11" data-usfm="MAT.1.6+MAT.1.7+MAT.1.8+MAT.1.9+MAT.1.10+MAT.1.11"><span class="label">6b-11</span><span class="content">From David to the time of the exile in Babylonia, the ancestors of Jesus were:</span><span class="note x"><span class="label">#</span><span class=" body">2 K 24.14,15; 2 Ch 36.10; Jr 27.20.</span></span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v6 v7 v8 v9 v10 v11" data-usfm="MAT.1.6+MAT.1.7+MAT.1.8+MAT.1.9+MAT.1.10+MAT.1.11"><span class="content">David, Solomon (his mother had been Uriah's wife), Rehoboam, Abijah, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v6 v7 v8 v9 v10 v11" data-usfm="MAT.1.6+MAT.1.7+MAT.1.8+MAT.1.9+MAT.1.10+MAT.1.11"><span class="content">Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, Amon, Josiah, and Jehoiachin and his brothers.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v6 v7 v8 v9 v10 v11" data-usfm="MAT.1.6+MAT.1.7+MAT.1.8+MAT.1.9+MAT.1.10+MAT.1.11"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v12 v13 v14 v15 v16" data-usfm="MAT.1.12+MAT.1.13+MAT.1.14+MAT.1.15+MAT.1.16"><span class="label">12-16</span><span class="content">From the exile to the birth of Jesus, his ancestors were:</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v12 v13 v14 v15 v16" data-usfm="MAT.1.12+MAT.1.13+MAT.1.14+MAT.1.15+MAT.1.16"><span class="content">Jehoiachin, Shealtiel, Zerubbabel, Abiud, Eliakim, Azor, Zadok, Achim;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v12 v13 v14 v15 v16" data-usfm="MAT.1.12+MAT.1.13+MAT.1.14+MAT.1.15+MAT.1.16"><span class="content">Eliud, Eleazar, Matthan, Jacob, and Joseph, the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus, who is called the Messiah.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v12 v13 v14 v15 v16" data-usfm="MAT.1.12+MAT.1.13+MAT.1.14+MAT.1.15+MAT.1.16"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v17" data-usfm="MAT.1.17"><span class="label">17</span><span class="content">There were fourteen generations from Abraham to David. There were also fourteen from David to the exile in Babylonia and fourteen more to the birth of the Messiah.</span></span></div><div class="s1"><span class="heading">The birth of Jesus</span></div><div class="r"><span class="heading">(</span><span class="heading">Luke 2.1-7</span><span class="heading">)</span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v17" data-usfm="MAT.1.17"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v18" data-usfm="MAT.1.18"><span class="label">18</span><span class="content">This is how Jesus Christ was born. A young woman named Mary was engaged to Joseph from King David's family. But before they were married, she learnt that she was going to have a baby by God's Holy Spirit.</span><span class="note x"><span class="label">#</span><span class=" body">Lk 1.27.</span></span><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v19" data-usfm="MAT.1.19"><span class="label">19</span><span class="content">Joseph was a good man</span><span class="note fe"><span class="label">#</span><span class=" body"><span class="fr">1.19 </span><span class="fq">good man</span><span class="ft">: Or &#8220;kind man&#8221;, or &#8220;man who always did the right thing&#8221;.</span></span></span><span class="content"> and did not want to embarrass Mary in front of everyone. So he decided to call off the wedding quietly.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v19" data-usfm="MAT.1.19"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v20" data-usfm="MAT.1.20"><span class="label">20</span><span class="content">While Joseph was thinking about this, an angel from the Lord came to him in a dream. The angel said, &#8220;Joseph, the baby that Mary will have is from the Holy Spirit. Go ahead and marry her. </span></span><span class="verse v21" data-usfm="MAT.1.21"><span class="label">21</span><span class="content">Then after her baby is born, name him Jesus,</span><span class="note f"><span class="label">#</span><span class=" body"><span class="fr">1.21 </span><span class="fq">name him Jesus</span><span class="ft">: In Hebrew the name &#8220;Jesus&#8221; means &#8220;the Lord saves&#8221;.</span></span></span><span class="content"> because he will save his people from their sins.&#8221;</span><span class="note x"><span class="label">#</span><span class=" body">Lk 1.31.</span></span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v21" data-usfm="MAT.1.21"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v22" data-usfm="MAT.1.22"><span class="label">22</span><span class="content">So the Lord's promise came true, just as the prophet had said, </span></span><span class="verse v23" data-usfm="MAT.1.23"><span class="label">23</span><span class="content">&#8220;A virgin will have a baby boy, and he will be called Immanuel,&#8221; which means &#8220;God is with us.&#8221;</span><span class="note x"><span class="label">#</span><span class=" body">Is 7.14 (LXX).</span></span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v23" data-usfm="MAT.1.23"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v24" data-usfm="MAT.1.24"><span class="label">24</span><span class="content">After Joseph woke up, he and Mary were soon married, just as the Lord's angel had told him to do. </span></span><span class="verse v25" data-usfm="MAT.1.25"><span class="label">25</span><span class="content">But they did not sleep together before her baby was born. Then Joseph named him Jesus.</span><span class="note x"><span class="label">#</span><span class=" body">Lk 2.21.</span></span></span></div>
        </div>
    </div>
</div>

Jesus Christ came from the family of King David and also from the family of Abraham. And this is a list of his ancestors. From Abraham to King David, his ancestors were:
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah and his brothers (Judah's sons were Perez and Zerah, and their mother was Tamar), Hezron;
Ram, Amminadab, Nahshon, Salmon, Boaz (his mother was Rahab), Obed (his mother was Ruth), Jesse, and King David.
From David to the time of the exile in Babylonia, the ancestors of Jesus were:
David, Solomon (his mother had been Uriah's wife), Rehoboam, Abijah, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram;
Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, Amon, Josiah, and Jehoiachin and his brothers.
From the exile to the birth of Jesus, his ancestors were:
Jehoiachin, Shealtiel, Zerubbabel, Abiud, Eliakim, Azor, Zadok, Achim;
Eliud, Eleazar, Matthan, Jacob, and Joseph, the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus, who is called the Messiah.
There were fourteen generations from Abraham to David. There were also fourteen from David to the exile in Babylonia and fourteen more to the birth of the Messiah.


This is how Jesus Christ was born. A young woman named Mary was engaged to Joseph from King David's family. But before they were married, she learnt that she was going to have a baby by God's Holy Spirit. Joseph was a good man and did not want to embarrass Mary in front of everyone. So he decided to call off the wedding quietly.
While Joseph was thinking about this, an angel from the Lord came to him in a dream. The angel said, “Joseph, the baby that Mary will have is from the Holy Spirit. Go ahead and marry her. Then after her baby is born, name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
So the Lord's promise came true, just as the prophet had said, “A virgin will have a baby boy, and he will be called Immanuel,” which means “God is with us.”
After Joseph woke up, he and Mary were soon married, just as the Lord's angel had told him to do. But they did not sleep together before her baby was born. Then Joseph named him Jesus.

Listen to Matthew 1