11 Bible Verses about Boys

There was in the time of Herod, the king of Judaea, a priest of the name of Zechariah, belonging to the class of Abijah. He had a wife who was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. They were both of them upright before God, blamelessly obeying all the Lord's precepts and ordinances. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren; and both of them were far advanced in life.read more.
Now while he was doing priestly duty before God in the prescribed course of his class, it fell to his lot--according to the custom of the priesthood--to go into the Sanctuary of the Lord and burn the incense; and the whole multitude of the people were outside praying, at the hour of incense. Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense; and Zechariah on seeing him was agitated and terrified. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your petition has been heard: and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call his name John. Gladness and exultant joy shall be yours, and many will rejoice over his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; no wine or fermented drink shall he ever drink; but he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the very hour of his birth. Many of the descendants of Israel will he turn to the Lord their God; and he will be His forerunner in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn fathers' hearts to the children, and cause the rebellious to walk in the wisdom of the upright, to make a people perfectly ready for the lord." "By what proof," asked Zechariah, "shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is far advanced in years." "I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God," answered the angel, "and I have been sent to talk with you and tell you this good news. And now you will be dumb and unable to speak until the day when this has taken place; because you did not believe my words--words which will be fulfilled at their appointed time." Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, and were surprised that he stayed so long in the Sanctuary. When, however, he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they knew that he must have seen a vision in the Sanctuary; but he kept making signs to them and continued dumb. When his days of service were at an end, he went to his home; and in course of time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and kept herself secluded five months. "Thus has the Lord dealt with me," she said, "now that He has graciously taken away my reproach among men."

Now when Elizabeth's full time was come, she gave birth to a son; and her neighbours and relatives heard how the Lord had had great compassion on her; and they rejoiced with her. And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and were going to call him Zechariah, after his father.read more.
His mother, however, said, "No, he is to be called John." "There is not one of your family," they said, "who has that name." They asked his father by signs what he wished him to be called. So he asked for a writing-tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." And they all wondered. Instantly his mouth and his tongue were set free, and he began to speak and bless God. And all who lived round about them were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judaea reports of all these things were spread abroad. All who heard the story treasured it in their memories. "What then will this child be?" they said. For the lord's hand was indeed with him.

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a maiden betrothed to a man of the name of Joseph, a descendant of David. The maiden's name was Mary. So Gabriel went into the house and said to her, "Joy be to you, favoured one! the Lord is with you."read more.
She was greatly agitated at his words, and wondered what such a greeting meant. But the angel said, "Do not be frightened, Mary, for you have found favour with God. You will conceive in your womb and bear a son; and you are to call His name JESUS. He will be great and He will be called 'Son of the Most High.' And the Lord God will give Him the throne of His forefather David; and He will be King over the House of Jacob for the Ages, and of His Kingdom there will be no end." "How can this be," Mary replied, "seeing that I have no husband?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for this reason your holy offspring will be called 'the Son of God.' And see, your relative Elizabeth--she also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For no promise from God will be impossible of fulfilment." "I am the Lord's maidservant," Mary replied; "may it be with me in accordance with your words!" And then the angel left her.

But while he was contemplating this step, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to bring home your wife Mary, for she is with child through the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son, and you are to call His name JESUS for He it is who will save His People from their sins."

And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and were going to call him Zechariah, after his father.

When eight days had passed and the time for circumcising Him had come, He was called JESUS, the name given Him by the angel before His conception in the womb.

Now His parents used to go up year by year to Jerusalem at the Feast of the Passover. And when He was twelve years old they went up as was customary at the time of the Feast, and, after staying the full number of days, when they started back home the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not discover this,read more.
but supposing Him to be in the travelling company, they proceeded a day's journey. Then they searched up and down for Him among their relatives and acquaintances; but being unable to find Him they returned to Jerusalem, making anxious inquiry for Him. On the third day they found Him in the Temple sitting among the Rabbis, both listening to them and asking them questions, while all who heard Him were astonished at His intelligence and at the answers He gave. When they saw Him, they were smitten with amazement, and His mother said to Him, "My child, why have you behaved thus to us? Your father and I have been searching for you in anguish." "Why is it that you have been searching for me?" He replied; "did you not know that it is my duty to be engaged upon my Father's business?" But they did not understand the significance of these words.

When they had returned to the people, there came to Him a man who fell on his knees before Him and besought Him. "Sir," he said, "have pity on my son, for he is an epileptic and is very ill. Often he falls into the fire and often into the water. I have brought him to your disciples, and they have not been able to cure him."read more.
"O unbelieving and perverse generation!" replied Jesus; "how long shall I be with you? how long shall I endure you? Bring him to me." Then Jesus reprimanded the demon, and it came out and left him; and the boy was cured from that moment.

As they came to rejoin the disciples, they saw an immense crowd surrounding them and a party of Scribes disputing with them. Immediately the whole multitude on beholding Him were astonished and awe-struck, and yet they ran forward and greeted Him. "What is the subject you are discussing?" He asked them.read more.
"Rabbi," answered one of the crowd, "I have brought you my son. He has a dumb spirit in him; and wherever it comes upon him, it dashes him to the ground, and he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth, and he is pining away. I begged your disciples to expel it, but they had not the power." "O unbelieving generation!" replied Jesus; "how long must I be with you? how long must I have patience with you? Bring the boy to me." So they brought him to Jesus. And the spirit, when he saw Jesus, immediately threw the youth into convulsions, so that he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. Then Jesus asked the father, "How long has he been like this?" "From early childhood," he said; "and often it has thrown him into the fire or into pools of water to destroy him. But, if you possibly can, have pity on us and help us." "'If I possibly can!'" replied Jesus; "why, everything is possible to him who believes." Immediately the father cried out, "I do believe: strengthen my weak faith." Then Jesus, seeing that an increasing crowd was running towards Him, rebuked the foul spirit, and said to it, "Dumb and deaf spirit, *I* command you, come out of him and never enter into him again." So with a loud cry he threw the boy into fit after fit, and came out. The boy looked as if he were dead, so that most of them said he was dead; but Jesus took his hand and raised him up, and he stood on his feet.

On the following day, when they were come down from the mountain, a great crowd came to meet Him; and a man from the crowd called out, "Rabbi, I beg you to pity my son, for he is my only child. At times a spirit seizes him and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him, and makes him foam at the mouth, and does not leave him till it has well-nigh covered him with bruises.read more.
I entreated your disciples to expel the spirit, but they could not." "O unbelieving and perverse generation!" replied Jesus; "how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here to me." Now while the youth was coming, the spirit dashed him to the ground and cruelly convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the foul spirit, and cured the youth and gave him back to his father. And all were awe-struck at the mighty power of God. And while every one was expressing wonder at all that He was doing, He said to his disciples,

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.