Jesus Christ is the central figure in Western culture, and one of the most influential in all human history. Almost everything we know about him is contained in the four narratives of his life, death, and resurrection known as the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These form the first four books of the New Testament in the Bible, and are regarded by Christians as their most precious and sacred writings.

The Gospels are presented here in the words of the Authorized Version, or King James Bible, first published in 1611. This is the most widely-read translation of the Bible ever made, famous for the beauty and power of its language. The spelling of the original has been modernized, and the text is laid out in paragraphs for ease of reading. The Introduction guides the reader through the four Gospels in turn, highlighting how each offers its own distinctive and memorable portrait of Jesus.