Seeing himself as "unequal to so great a task", St. Bonaventure nevertheless endeavored to introduce his readers to the practice of "the most beneficial of all devout exercises, and that which is most capable of leading [them] to the summit of Christian perfection": the contemplation of the life of Our Lord. By "frequent and habitual meditations on that divine subject" even "very illiterate persons" have been raised to such "familiarity, confidence, and love of him" that they have become "profoundly versed in the most sublime mysteries of God". What better way "to arm our breast against the flattering, yet fleeting vanities of the world; to render us steady amidst tribulations and adversities; and finally, to preserve us from vice, and facilitate the possession of every virtue"? He addresses his reader in "plain and unpolished" language, "that you may the more easily comprehend the matter here treated, and study rather to improve your mind and heart than flatter your ears." "I hope still more, that if you are but diligent in the exercise of this devout study, that the Lord, whose life is here treated of, will become your master and instructor."

00 - St. Bonaventure's Preface
01 - Chapter I. The Angels intercede for Man's redemption
02 - Chapter II. The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and her seven petitions to God
03 - Chapter III. The Incarnation of Christ, and the angelical salutation of the Blessed Virgin
04 - Chapter IV. Our blessed Lady visits her cousin St. Elizabeth, in whose house the Magnificat and Benedictus were composed
05 - Chapter V. St. Joseph thinks of dismissing the Blessed Virgin, and God suffers his beloved to be afflicted
06 - Chapter VI. The Nativity of Jesus Christ
07 - Chapter VII. The Circumcision of our Lord Jesus Christ
08 - Chapter VIII. The Epiphany, or manifestation of our Lord Jesus
09 - Chapter IX. The Blessed Virgin remains at the crib at Bethlehem, till the full term of forty days is expired
10 - Chapter X. The Purification of our blessed Lady, or Candlemas-day
11 - Chapter XI. Christ's flight into Egypt
12 - Chapter XII. Our Lord's return from Egypt
13 - Chapter XIII. Our Lord remains at Jerusalem
14 - Chapter XIV. Our Lord's life from his twelfth to his thirtieth year
15 - Chapter XV. The Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ
16 - Chapter XVI. The fast and temptation of Christ; his return to his mother; the four means to attain to a perfect purity of heart; the great advantages of prayer; the resistance to be made to gluttony; why, and for whom God works his miracles
17 - Chapter XVII. Christ opens the book in the synagogue
18 - Chapter XVIII. He calls his disciples
19 - Chapter XIX. The conversion of water into wine at the marriage-feast
20 - Chapter XX. The sermon of our Lord on the mount, which he begins by poverty
21 - Chapter XXI. The servant of the centurion and the son of the prince cured
22 - Chapter XXII. The paralytic brought in to our Lord by the house-top and cured
23 - Chapter XXIII. Our Lord cures Simon's mother-in-law
24 - Chapter XXIV. Our Lord sleeps in the boat
25 - Chapter XXV. The widow's son raised by our Lord
26 - Chapter XXVI. Our Lord raises a girl from the dead, and cures Martha
27 - Chapter XXVII. The conversion of Magdalen, and other things
28 - Chapter XXVIII. John sends his disciples to Jesus
29 - Chapter XXIX. The death of St. John the Baptist
30 - Chapter XXX. The conference our Lord had with the Samaritan woman, as he sat, being faint and wearied, by the side of the well to rest himself
31 - Chapter XXXI. The disciples of our Lord pluck ears of corn and eat them, through hunger, on the Sabbath
32 - Chapter XXXII. The Jews having driven our Lord Jesus out of the city to the top of a steep mountain, endeavor to throw him down thence
33 - Chapter XXXIII. The man with a withered hand cured by our Lord Jesus
34 - Chapter XXXIV. The multiplication of the loaves, and how our Lord provides for those who truly love him
35 - Chapter XXXV. Our Lord's flight when they would have made him king; and against worldly honors in general
36 - Chapter XXXVI. Our Lord prays on the mount; and descending walks on the waters; some reflections on prayer
37 - Chapter XXXVII. Christ relieves the daughter of the woman of Canaan who was possessed with the devil; our guardian angels faithfully assist us
38 - Chapter XXXVIII. The Pharisees and others scandalized at the words of our Lord
39 - Chapter XXXIX. The reward promised by our Lord to those who forsake all for him
40 - Chapter XL. Our Lord Jesus asks his disciples what the Jews say of him
41 - Chapter XLI. The glorious transfiguration of our Lord Jesus on Mount Tabor
42 - Chapter XLII. Our Lord casts the buyers and sellers out of the temple
43 - Chapter XLIII. The sick man who was healed at the water in Jerusalem, called Probatica Piscina
44 - Chapter XLIV. Our Lord Jesus received by the two sisters, Mary and Martha; and of the two sorts of lives signified thereby
45 - Chapter XLV. Our Lord warns the Jews that the church shall devolve on the Gentiles, in the parable of the husbandmen who killed the son of their Lord
46 - Chapter XLVI. The Jews seek to ensnare our Lord by his own words
47 - Chapter XLVII. The blind man restored to sight at Jericho; etc.
48 - Chapter XLVIII. Our Lord goes into the house of Zacheus
49 - Chapter XLIX. Christ gives sight to the man born blind
50 - Chapter L. Our Lord retreats from the temple to hide himself, when the Jews would have stoned him
51 - Chapter LI. The Jews seek a second time to stone him
52 - Chapter LII. The raising of Lazarus
53 - Chapter LIII. Christ curses the fig-tree
54 - Chapter LIV. The woman detected in adultery
55 - Chapter LV. The conspiracy of the Jews against Christ, and his flight into the city of Ephraim
56 - Chapter LVI. Our Lord's return to Bethania, where Mary Magdalen anoints his feet
57 - Chapter LVII. Our Lord Jesus comes to Jerusalem en Palm Sunday riding on an ass
58 - Chapter LVIII. What our Lord Jesus did from Palm Sunday to the following Thursday
59 - Chapter LIX. Our Lord's supper the night before his passion, and circumstances relating to it
60 - Chapter LX. The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, and his prayer in the garden
61 - Chapter LXI. Our Lord Jesus betrayed by Judas
62 - Chapter LXII. Our blessed Lord is carried before Pilate, scourged at the pillar, and crowned with thorns
63 - Chapter LXIII. Our Lord is condemned to suffer a cruel death on the cross, and compelled to carry the same to Mount Calvary
64 - Chapter LXIV. Our Lord Jesus Christ is nailed to the cross
65 - Chapter LXV. The words which our Lord spoke while hanging upon the cross: he yields up his spirit
66 - Chapter LXVI. The opening of our blessed Savior's side with a spear
67 - Chapter LXVII. The descent of our Lord from the cross
68 - Chapter LXVIII. The embalming and burial of our Lord's body
69 - Chapter LXIX. Our blessed Lady's departure from the sepulchre, and return to Mount Sion
70 - Chapter LXX. A meditation on our blessed Lady's conversation with her devout companions
71 - Chapter LXXI. Our Lord Jesus descends into the Limbo of the Fathers
72 - Chapter LXXII. The glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus, and his appearance first to his mother
73 - Chapter LXXIII. The coming of the three Marys to the sepulchre, etc.
74 - Chapter LXXIV. Our Lord's appearance to the holy women
75 - Chapter LXXV. Our Lord's appearance to Joseph, to James the less, and to Peter
76 - Chapter LXXVI. Christ returns to the holy Fathers after his resurrection
77 - Chapter LXXVII. Christ appears to the two disciples going to Emmaus
78 - Chapter LXXVIII. Our Lord appears to the disciples who were shut up on the day of the resurrection
79 - Chapter LXXIX. Our Lord appears to the disciples on the octave of Easter, when St. Thomas was with them
80 - Chapter LXXX. Our Lord appears to his disciples in Galilee
81 - Chapter LXXXI. He appears to them again near the sea of Tiberias
82 - Chapter LXXXII. Our Lord appears to more than five hundred disciples together; some remarks relating to his apparitions in general
83 - Chapter LXXXIII. The glorious ascension of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
84 - Chapter LXXXIV. The coming of the Holy Ghost
85 - Appendix. Rhythmical Prayer to the Sacred Members of Jesus hanging upon the Cross. By St. Bernard