He then directed them to go to Bethlehem, adding, "Go and make careful inquiry about the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and do him homage."

There he remained till Herod's death, that what the Lord had said through the Prophet might be fulfilled, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."

Then Herod, finding that the Magi had trifled with him, was furious, and sent and massacred all the boys under two years of age, in Bethlehem and all its neighbourhood, according to the date he had so carefully ascertained from the Magi.

But hearing that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod on the throne of Judaea, he was afraid to go there; and being instructed by God in a dream he withdrew into Galilee,

and went and settled in a town called Nazareth, in order that these words spoken through the Prophets might be fulfilled, "He shall be called a Nazarene."

and do not imagine that you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our forefather,' for I tell you that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones.

And already the axe is lying at the root of the trees, so that every tree which does not produce good fruit will quickly be hewn down and thrown into the fire.

I indeed am baptizing you in water on a profession of repentance; but He who is coming after me is mightier than I: His sandals I am not worthy to carry for a moment; He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire.

Just at that time Jesus, coming from Galilee to the Jordan, presents Himself to John to be baptized by him.

and Jesus was baptized, and immediately went up from the water. At that moment the heavens opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him,

At that time Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the Desert in order to be tempted by the Devil.

There He fasted for forty days and nights; and after that He suffered from hunger.

"It is written," replied Jesus, "'It is not on bread alone that a man shall live, but on whatsoever God shall appoint.'"

Now when Jesus heard that John was thrown into prison, He withdrew into Galilee,

in order that these words, spoken through the Prophet Isaiah, might be fulfilled,

From that time Jesus began to preach. "Repent," He said, "for the Kingdom of the Heavens is now close at hand."

Just so let your light shine before all men, in order that they may see your holy lives and may give glory to your Father who is in Heaven.

"Do not for a moment suppose that I have come to abrogate the Law or the Prophets: I have not come to abrogate them but to give them their completion.

Solemnly I tell you that until Heaven and earth pass away, not one iota or smallest detail will pass away from the Law until all has taken place.

For I assure you that unless your righteousness greatly surpasses that of the Scribes and the Pharisees, you will certainly not find entrance into the Kingdom of the Heavens.

"You have heard that it was said to the ancients, 'Thou shalt not commit murder', and whoever commits murder will be answerable to the magistrate.

But I say to you that every one who becomes angry with his brother shall be answerable to the magistrate; that whoever says to his brother 'Raca,' shall be answerable to the Sanhedrin; and that whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be liable to the Gehenna of Fire.

If therefore when you are offering your gift upon the altar, you remember that your brother has a grievance against you,

I solemnly tell you that you will certainly not be released till you have paid the very last farthing.

"You have heard that it was said, 'Thou shalt not commit adultery.'

But I tell you that whoever looks at a woman and cherishes lustful thoughts has already in his heart become guilty with regard to her.

If therefore your eye, even the right eye, is a snare to you, tear it out and away with it; it is better for you that one member should be destroyed rather than that your whole body should be thrown into Gehenna.

And if your right hand is a snare to you, cut it off and away with it; it is better for you that one member should be destroyed rather than that your whole body should go into Gehenna.

But I tell you that every man who puts away his wife except on the ground of unfaithfulness causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries her when so divorced commits adultery.

"Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, 'Thou shalt not swear falsely, but shalt perform thy vows to the Lord.'

"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.'

"You have heard that it was said, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy.'

that so you may become true sons of your Father in Heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the wicked as well as the good, and sends rain upon those who do right and those who do wrong.

For if you love only those who love you, what reward have you earned? Do not even the tax-gatherers do that?

When you give in charity, never blow a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and streets in order that their praises may be sung by men. I solemnly tell you that they already have their reward.

that your charities may be in secret; and then your Father--He who sees in secret--will recompense you.

"And when praying, you must not be like the hypocrites. They are fond of standing and praying in the synagogues or at the corners of the wider streets, in order that men may see them. I solemnly tell you that they already have their reward.

"When any of you fast, never assume gloomy looks as the hypocrites do; for they disfigure their faces in order that it may be evident to men that they are fasting. I solemnly tell you that they already have their reward.

that it may not be apparent to men that you are fasting, but to your Father who is in secret; and your Father--He who sees in secret--will recompense you.

For this reason I charge you not to be over-anxious about your lives, inquiring what you are to eat or what you are to drink, nor yet about your bodies, inquiring what clothes you are to put on. Is not the life more precious than its food, and the body than its clothing?

Look at the birds which fly in the air: they do not sow or reap or store up in barns, but your Heavenly Father feeds them: are not you of much greater value than they?

and yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his magnificence could array himself like one of these.

And if God so clothes the wild herbage which to-day flourishes and to-morrow is thrown into the oven, is it not much more certain that He will clothe you, you men of little faith?

For all these are questions that Gentiles are always asking; but your Heavenly Father knows that you need these things--all of them.

"Judge not, that you may not be judged;

"Give not that which is holy to the dogs, nor throw your pearls to the swine; otherwise they will trample them under their feet and then turn and attack you.

For it is always he who asks that receives, he who seeks that finds, and he who knocks that has the door opened to him.

Everything, therefore, be it what it may, that you would have men do to you, do you also the same to them; for in this the Law and the Prophets are summed up.

"Beware of the false teachers--men who come to you in sheep's fleeces, but beneath that disguise they are ravenous wolves.

Many will say to me on that day, "'Master, Master, have we not prophesied in Thy name, and in Thy name expelled demons, and in Thy name performed many mighty works?'

For I myself am also under authority, and have soldiers under me. To one I say 'Go,' and he goes, to another 'Come,' and he comes, and to my slave 'Do this or that,' and he does it."

Jesus listened to this reply, and was astonished, and said to the people following Him, "I solemnly tell you that in no Israelite have I found faith as great as this.

And I tell you that many will come from the east and from the west and will recline at table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of the Heavens,

And Jesus said to the Captain, "Go, and just as you have believed, so be it for you." And the servant recovered precisely at that time.

in order that this prediction of the Prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled, "He took on Him our weaknesses, and bore the burden of our diseases."

But suddenly there arose a great storm on the Lake, so that the waves threatened to engulf the boat; but He was asleep.

On His arrival at the other side, in the country of the Gadarenes, there met Him two men possessed by demons, coming from among the tombs: they were so dangerously fierce that no one was able to pass that way.

But, to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to pardon sins" --He then says to the paralytic, "Rise, and take up your bed and go home."

But go and learn what this means, 'It is mercy that I desire, not sacrifice'; for I did not come to appeal to the righteous, but to sinners."

At that time John's disciples came and asked Jesus, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?"

And Jesus turned and saw her, and said, "Take courage, daughter; your faith has cured you." And the woman was restored to health from that moment.

And the report of this spread throughout all that district.

And when He had gone indoors, they came to Him. "Do you believe that I can do this?" He asked them. "Yes, Sir," they replied.

But they went out and published His fame in all that district.

But the Pharisees maintained, "It is by the power of the Prince of the demons that he drives out the demons."

but, instead of that, go to the lost sheep of Israel's race.

And whoever refuses to receive you or even to listen to your Message, as you leave that house or town, shake off the very dust from your feet.

I solemnly tell you that it will be more endurable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of Judgement than for that town.

But when they have delivered you up, have no anxiety as to how you shall speak or what you shall say; for at that very time it shall be given you what to say;

Whenever they persecute you in one town, escape to the next; for I solemnly tell you that you will not have gone the round of all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

Away then with fear; you are more precious than a multitude of sparrows.

"Do not suppose that I came to bring peace to the earth: I did not come to bring peace but a sword.

Any one who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and any one who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;

And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink because he is a disciple, I solemnly tell you that he will not lose his reward."

"Are you the Coming One, or is it a different person that we are to expect?"

But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a prophet.

"I solemnly tell you that among all of woman born no greater has ever been raised up than John the Baptist; yet one who is of lower rank in the Kingdom of the Heavens is greater than he.

Only I tell you that it will be more endurable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of Judgement than for you.

Only I tell you all, that it will be more endurable for the land of Sodom on the day of Judgement than for thee."

About that time Jesus exclaimed, "I heartily praise Thee, Father, Lord of Heaven and of earth, that Thou hast hidden these things from sages and men of discernment, and hast unveiled them to babes.

About that time Jesus passed on the Sabbath through the wheatfields; and His disciples became hungry, and began to gather ears of wheat and eat them.

But I tell you that there is here that which is greater than the Temple.

that those words of the Prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled,

At that time a demoniac was brought to Him, blind and dumb; and He cured him, so that the dumb man could speak and see.

And if it is by Baal-zebul's power that I expel the demons, by whose power do your disciples expel them? They therefore shall be your judges.

But if it is by the power of the Spirit of God that I expel the demons, it is evident that the Kingdom of God has come upon you.

This is why I tell you that men may find forgiveness for every other sin and impious word, but that for impious speaking against the Holy Spirit they shall find no forgiveness.

O vipers' brood, how can you speak what is good when you are evil? For it is from the overflow of the heart that the mouth speaks.

But I tell you that for every careless word that men shall speak they will be held accountable on the day of Judgement.

There will stand up men of Nineveh at the Judgement together with the present generation, and will condemn it; because they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and mark! there is One greater than Jonah here.

The Queen of the south will awake at the Judgement together with the present generation, and will condemn it; because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and mark! there is One greater than Solomon here.

Then he says, 'I will return to my house that I left;' and he comes and finds it unoccupied, swept clean, and in good order.

Then he goes and brings back with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they come in and dwell there; and in the end that man's condition becomes worse than it was at first. So will it be also with the present wicked generation."

To obey my Father who is in Heaven--that is to be my brother and my sister and my mother."

That same day Jesus had left the house and was sitting on the shore of the Lake,

I speak to them in figurative language for this reason, that while looking they do not see, and while hearing they neither hear nor understand.

For this people's mind is stupefied, their hearing has become dull, and their eyes they have closed; to prevent their ever seeing with their eyes, or hearing with their ears, or understanding with their minds, and turning back, so that I might heal them.'

For I solemnly tell you that many Prophets and holy men have longed to see the sights you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the words you hear, and have not heard them.

"So the farmer's men come and ask him, "'Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed on your land? Where then does the darnel come from?'

"'No,' he replied, 'for fear that while collecting the darnel you should at the same time root up the wheat with it.