Josiah fathered Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

After he had thought about it, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. "Joseph, son of David," he said, "don't be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

Now all this happened to fulfill what was declared by the Lord through the prophet when he said,

They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, because that is what was written by the prophet:

Then Herod secretly called together the wise men, found out from them the time the star had appeared,

After listening to the king, they set out, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.

So Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and left at night for Egypt.

He stayed there until Herod's death in order to fulfill what was declared by the Lord through the prophet when he said, "Out of Egypt I called my Son."

Then what was declared by the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled when he said,

and settled in a town called Nazareth in order to fulfill what was said by the prophets: "He will be called a Nazarene."

He was the one the prophet Isaiah was referring to when he said, "He is a voice calling out in the wilderness: "Prepare the way for the Lord! Make his paths straight!'"

I am baptizing you with water as evidence of repentance, but the one who is coming after me is stronger than I am, and I am not worthy to carry his sandals. It is he who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

But Jesus answered him, "Let it be this way for now, because this is the proper way for us to fulfill all righteousness."

At this, he permitted him to be baptized. When Jesus had been baptized, he immediately came up out of the water. Suddenly, the heavens opened up for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him.

But he answered, "It is written, "One must not live on bread alone, but on every word coming out of the mouth of God.'"

He told Jesus, "Since you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, because it is written, "God will put his angels in charge of you,' and, "With their hands they will hold you up, so that you will never hit your foot against a rock.'"

Jesus responded to him, "It is also written, "You must not tempt the Lord your God.'"

Then Jesus told him, "Go away, Satan! Because it is written, "You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.'"

in order to fulfill what was declared by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

So at once they left their nets and followed him.

"How blessed are those who mourn, because it is they who will be comforted!

"How blessed are those who are humble, because it is they who will inherit the earth!

"How blessed are those who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness, because it is they who will be satisfied!

"How blessed are those who are merciful, because it is they who will receive mercy!

"How blessed are those who are pure in heart, because it is they who will see God!

"How blessed are those who make peace, because it is they who will be called God's children!

"You are the salt of the world. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty again? It's good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled on by people.

People don't light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

"You have heard that it was told those who lived long ago, "You are not to commit murder,' and, "Whoever murders will be subject to punishment.'

"So if you are presenting your gift at the altar and remember there that your brother has something against you,

I tell you with certainty, you will not get out of there until you pay back the last dollar!"

"You have heard that it was said, "You are not to commit adultery.'

But I say to you, anyone who stares at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

So if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your body parts than to have your whole body thrown into hell.

And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away from you. It is better for you to lose one of your body parts than to have your whole body go into hell."

"It was also said, "Whoever divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce.'

"Again, you have heard that it was told those who lived long ago, "You must not swear an oath falsely,' but, "You must fulfill your oaths to the Lord.'

But I tell you not to swear at all, neither by heaven, because it is God's throne,

nor by the earth, because it is his footstool, nor by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the Great King.

Nor should you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.

"You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'

"You have heard that it was said, "You must love your neighbor' and hate your enemy.

If you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Even the tax collectors do the same, don't they?

And if you greet only your relatives, that's no great thing you're doing, is it? Even the unbelievers do the same, don't they?

But when you give to the poor, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

Don't be like them, because your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

May your kingdom come. May your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

"That's why I'm telling you to stop worrying about your life what you will eat or what you will drink or about your body what you will wear. Life is more than food, isn't it, and the body more than clothing?

Look at the birds in the sky. They don't plant or harvest or gather food into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. You are more valuable than they are, aren't you?

Can any of you add a single hour to the length of your life by worrying?

"So don't ever worry by saying, "What are we going to eat?' or "What are we going to drink?' or "What are we going to wear?'

because it is the unbelievers who are eager for all those things. Surely your heavenly Father knows that you need all of them!

Or how can you say to your brother, "Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when the beam is in your own eye?

"Never give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls before pigs. Otherwise, they will trample them with their feet and then turn around and attack you."

"Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened for you.

"Go in through the narrow gate, because the gate is wide and the road is spacious that leads to destruction, and many people are entering by it.

How narrow is the gate and how constricted is the road that leads to life, and there aren't many people who find it!"

Many will say to me on that day, "Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name, drove out demons in your name, and performed many miracles in your name, didn't we?'

The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, but it did not collapse because its foundation was on the rock.

The rain fell, the floods came, the winds blew and battered that house, and it collapsed and its collapse was total."

When Jesus had finished saying all these things, the crowds were utterly amazed at his teaching,

So Jesus reached out his hand, touched him, and said, "I do want to. Be clean!" And instantly his leprosy was made clean.

Then Jesus told him, "See to it that you don't speak to anyone. Instead, go and show yourself to the priest, and then offer the sacrifice that Moses commanded as proof to the authorities."

"Sir, my servant is lying at home paralyzed and in terrible pain."

because I, too, am a man under authority and I have soldiers under me. I say to one of them "Go' and he goes, to another "Come' and he comes, and to my servant "Do this' and he does it."

"Go," Jesus told the centurion, "and it will be done for you, just as you have believed." And his servant was healed that very hour.

When evening came, people brought to him many who were possessed by demons. He drove out the spirits by speaking a command and healed everyone who was sick.

This was to fulfill what was declared by the prophet Isaiah when he said, "It was he who took our illnesses away and removed our diseases."

Suddenly, a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat began to be swamped by the waves. Yet Jesus kept sleeping.

The men were amazed. "What kind of man is this?" they asked. "Even the winds and the sea obey him!"

When Jesus arrived on the other side in the region of the Gerasenes, two demon-possessed men met him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so violent that no one could travel on that road.

Suddenly, they screamed, "What do you want with us, Son of God? Did you come here to torture us before the proper time?"

So the demons began to plead with Jesus, saying, "If you drive us out, send us into that herd of pigs."

He told them, "Go," and they came out and went into the pigs. Suddenly, the whole herd rushed down a steep slope into the sea and drowned in the water.

Now when those who had been taking care of the pigs ran away, they came into the city and reported everything, especially what had happened to the demon-possessed men.

Then the whole city went out to meet Jesus, and as soon as they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.

All at once some people brought him a paralyzed man lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he told the paralyzed man, "Be courageous, son! Your sins are forgiven."

But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking, replied, "Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts?

As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's desk and told him, "Follow me." So he got up and followed him.

While he was having dinner at Matthew's home, many tax collectors and sinners arrived and began eating with Jesus and his disciples.

The Pharisees saw this and asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"

Go and learn what this means: "I want mercy and not sacrifice,' because I did not come to call righteous people, but sinners."

Nor do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will spill out, and the skins will be ruined. Instead, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved."

Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith, let it be done for you!"

And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly told them, "See to it that nobody knows about this."

But they went out and spread the news about him throughout that region.

As the men were going out, a man who couldn't talk because he was demon-possessed was brought to him.

As soon as the demon had been driven out, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed and said, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!"

But the Pharisees kept saying, "He drives out demons by the ruler of demons."

So ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest."

Then Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority over unclean spirits, so that they could drive them out and heal every disease and every illness.

These were the Twelve whom Jesus sent out after he had given them these instructions: "Don't turn on to the road that leads to the unbelievers, and don't enter Samaritan towns.

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. You have received without payment, so give without payment.

"Whatever town or village you enter, find out who is receptive in it and stay there until you leave.

If the household is receptive, let your blessing of peace come on it. But if it isn't receptive, let your blessing of peace return to you.

I tell all of you with certainty, it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town!"

"Pay attention, now! I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as cunning as serpents and as innocent as doves.

Watch out for people who will hand you over to the local councils and whip you in their synagogues.

When they hand you over, don't worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say, because in that hour what you are to say will be given to you.

It won't be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.