the mass of the people all remaining in prayer outside at the hour of incense.

He will go on ahead of the Messiah [See verse 76], in the spirit and power of Elijah, to rekindle the affections of fathers for their children, and [to influence] disobedient people to live wisely like righteous people. And he will prepare the people to be ready for [the coming of] the Lord."

For this day in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (the Messiah).

Now there was a righteous and devoted man named Simeon at Jerusalem, who was expecting the consolation of the Israelites [i.e., the coming of the Messiah to save them], and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).

when that was expired, they returned, but the young Jesus staid behind in Jerusalem, without being miss'd either by Joseph or his Mother.

Now the people were in a state of expectation, and all were wondering in their hearts about John, as to whether he was the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me (the Messiah),
Because He has anointed Me to preach the good news to the poor.
He has sent Me to announce release (pardon, forgiveness) to the captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed (downtrodden, bruised, crushed by tragedy),

Demons also were coming out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But He rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that He was the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).

And because of the mass of people, there was no way to get him in; so they went up on the top of the house and let him down through the roof, on his bed, into the middle in front of Jesus.

And when these things were said to Jesus, he was surprised, and, turning to the mass of people coming after him, said, I have not seen such great faith, no, not in Israel.

and sent two of them to Jesus, with this question, are you the Messiah, or must we yet wait for some other?

I declare unto you, among the whole race of mankind, there is not a prophet, who is superiour to John the Baptist: yet he that is most inferiour in the kingdom of the Messiah, is greater than he.

then sent them to proclaim the reign of the Messiah, and to heal the sick.

where the people, who were inform'd of it, followed him: which he did not discountenance, but explained to them the reign of the Messiah, and relieved those, who wanted to be cured.

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

Peter answered, “God’s Messiah!”

For whoever would [try to] save his life [i.e., by neglecting spiritual things] will lose it [i.e., miss out on the blessings of God]. But whoever [willingly] loses his life [i.e., in commitment to God's service] for my sake, that person will save it [i.e., obtain both temporal and spiritual blessings].

I declare unto you, there are some here present, who shall not die, till they see the Messiah reign.

And a certain lawyer [an expert in Mosaic Law] stood up to test Him, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

but if I cast out demons by the finger of God, it follows, that the reign of the Messiah is now begun among you.

"Do you suppose," He asked in reply, "that those Galilaeans were worse sinners than the mass of the Galilaeans, because this happened to them?

Outside his door lay a poor man called Lazarus; he was a mass of ulcers,

Then He said to the disciples, "The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of man [i.e., the time when the Messiah would deliver His people from tribulation], but you will not see it [i.e., such deliverance would not occur during their lifetimes].

A certain ruler asked Him, “Good Teacher [You who are essentially and morally good], what shall I do to inherit eternal life [that is, eternal salvation in the Messiah’s kingdom]?”

Then He said to them, “How is it that people say that the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) is David’s son?

David calls Him ‘Lord’; how then can the Messiah be his Son?”

He said, “Be careful and see to it that you are not misled; for many will come in My name [appropriating for themselves the name Messiah which belongs to Me alone], saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time is near!’ Do not follow them.

for I declare unto you, I shall not celebrate this passover with you any more, to the time, when it shall have its accomplishment in the kingdom of the messiah.

“If You are the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), tell us.” But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe [what I say],

They began to accuse Jesus, asserting, “We found this Man misleading and perverting our nation and forbidding us to pay taxes to Caesar, and claiming that He Himself is Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), a King.”

But they cried out in a mass saying, Away with this man and release Barabbas to us;

Now the people stood by, watching; but even the rulers ridiculed and sneered at Him, saying, “He saved others [from death]; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) of God, His Chosen One.”

One of the criminals who had been hanged [on a cross beside Him] kept hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us [from death]!”

he was of Arimathea, a city of Judea, and one of those, who were in expectation of the Messiah's reign.

though we expected he would have been the Messiah, that was to deliver Israel: and besides all this, it is now three days since these things were done.

Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and [only then to] enter His glory?”

and said, “And so it is written, that the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,