But they had no children because Elizabeth could not conceive, and both of them were well along in years.

But the angel said to him:

Do not be afraid, Zechariah,
because your prayer has been heard.
Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you will name him John.

But she was deeply troubled by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be.

But his mother responded, “No! He will be called John.”

But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people:

But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them.

After those days were over, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but His parents did not know it.

But they did not understand what He said to them.

John answered them all, “I baptize you with water, but One is coming who is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to untie the strap of His sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

His winnowing shovel is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and gather the wheat into His barn, but the chaff He will burn up with a fire that never goes out.”

But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him about Herodias, his brother’s wife, and about all the evil things Herod had done,

But Jesus answered him, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone.”

But I say to you, there were certainly many widows in Israel in Elijah’s days, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months while a great famine came over all the land.

Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them—but to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon.

But He passed right through the crowd and went on His way.

But Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet and come out of him!”

And throwing him down before them, the demon came out of him without hurting him at all.

Also, demons were coming out of many, shouting and saying, “You are the Son of God!” But He rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew He was the Messiah.

When it was day, He went out and made His way to a deserted place. But the crowds were searching for Him. They came to Him and tried to keep Him from leaving them.

But He said to them, “I must proclaim the good news about the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because I was sent for this purpose.”

“Master,” Simon replied, “we’ve worked hard all night long and caught nothing! But at Your word, I’ll let down the nets.”

Then He ordered him to tell no one: “But go and show yourself to the priest, and offer what Moses prescribed for your cleansing as a testimony to them.”

But the news about Him spread even more, and large crowds would come together to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses.

Then the scribes and the Pharisees began to think: “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

But perceiving their thoughts, Jesus replied to them, “Why are you thinking this in your hearts?

But so you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He told the paralyzed man, “I tell you: Get up, pick up your mat, and go home.”

But the Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to His disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

Jesus replied to them, “The healthy don’t need a doctor, but the sick do.

I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Then they said to Him, “John’s disciples fast often and say prayers, and those of the Pharisees do the same, but Yours eat and drink.”

But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them—then they will fast in those days.”

He also told them a parable: “No one tears a patch from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. Otherwise, not only will he tear the new, but also the piece from the new garment will not match the old.

But new wine should be put into fresh wineskins.

But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”

how he entered the house of God, and took and ate the sacred bread, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat? He even gave some to those who were with him.”

But He knew their thoughts and told the man with the paralyzed hand, “Get up and stand here.” So he got up and stood there.

But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your comfort.

“But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, do what is good to those who hate you,

But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is gracious to the ungrateful and evil.

A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.

“Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but don’t notice the log in your own eye?

But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The river crashed against it, and immediately it collapsed. And the destruction of that house was great!”

That is why I didn’t even consider myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be cured.

I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John, but the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

But since the Pharisees and experts in the law had not been baptized by him, they rejected the plan of God for themselves.)

They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to each other:

We played the flute for you,
but you didn’t dance;
we sang a lament,
but you didn’t weep!

Turning to the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she, with her tears, has washed My feet and wiped them with her hair.

You gave Me no kiss, but she hasn’t stopped kissing My feet since I came in.

You didn’t anoint My head with olive oil, but she has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.

Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; that’s why she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.”

So He said, “The secrets of the kingdom of God have been given for you to know, but to the rest it is in parables, so that

Looking they may not see,
and hearing they may not understand.

But the seed in the good ground—these are the ones who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring, bear fruit.

“No one, after lighting a lamp, covers it with a basket or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand so that those who come in may see its light.

Then His mother and brothers came to Him, but they could not meet with Him because of the crowd.

But He replied to them, “My mother and My brothers are those who hear and do the word of God.”

When He got out on land, a demon-possessed man from the town met Him. For a long time he had worn no clothes and did not stay in a house but in the tombs.

The man from whom the demons had departed kept begging Him to be with Him. But He sent him away and said,

Everyone was crying and mourning for her. But He said, “Stop crying, for she is not dead but asleep.”

Her parents were astounded, but He instructed them to tell no one what had happened.

“I beheaded John,” Herod said, “but who is this I hear such things about?” And he wanted to see Him.

“But you,” He asked them, “who do you say that I am?”

Peter answered, “God’s Messiah!”

But He strictly warned and instructed them to tell this to no one,

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will save it.

I begged Your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn’t.”

As the boy was still approaching, the demon knocked him down and threw him into severe convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, cured the boy, and gave him back to his father.

But they did not understand this statement; it was concealed from them so that they could not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask Him about it.

But Jesus, knowing the thoughts of their hearts, took a little child and had him stand next to Him.

But they did not welcome Him, because He determined to journey to Jerusalem.

But He turned and rebuked them,

Jesus told him, “Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.”

But He told him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.”

Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord, but first let me go and say good-bye to those at my house.”

But Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

He told them: “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.

If a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.

But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.

However, don’t rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion.

But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord, don’t You care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.”

but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.”

But some of them said, “He drives out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons!”

But when one stronger than he attacks and overpowers him, he takes from him all his weapons he trusted in, and divides up his plunder.

As the crowds were increasing, He began saying: “This generation is an evil generation. It demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.

“No one lights a lamp and puts it in the cellar or under a basket, but on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see its light.

Your eye is the lamp of the body. When your eye is good, your whole body is also full of light. But when it is bad, your body is also full of darkness.

But the Lord said to him: “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and evil.

But give from what is within to the poor, and then everything is clean for you.

“But woe to you Pharisees! You give a tenth of mint, rue, and every kind of herb, and you bypass justice and love for God. These things you should have done without neglecting the others.

But I will show you the One to fear: Fear Him who has authority to throw people into hell after death. Yes, I say to you, this is the One to fear!

but whoever denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is demanded of you. And the things you have prepared—whose will they be?’

“But seek His kingdom, and these things will be provided for you.

But know this: If the homeowner had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.

But if that slave says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and starts to beat the male and female slaves, and to eat and drink and get drunk,

But the one who did not know and did things deserving of blows will be beaten lightly. Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. And even more will be expected of the one who has been entrusted with more.

But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how it consumes Me until it is finished!

Do you think that I came here to give peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!

Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why don’t you know how to interpret this time?

No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well!