Now these were the circumstances of the birth of Jesus Christ. Mary, his mother, was engaged to Joseph, but before they were married it was found that she was about to become a mother through the influence of the holy Spirit.

Be glad and exult over it, for you will be richly rewarded in heaven, for that is the way they persecuted the prophets who went before you!

leave your gift right there before the altar and go and make up with your brother; then come back and present your gift.

So when you are going to give to charity, do not blow a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do, in the synagogues and the streets, to make people praise them. I tell you, that is all the reward they will get!

You must not be like them. For God, who is your Father, knows what you need before you ask him.

But you must make his kingdom, and uprightness before him, your greatest care, and you will have all these other things besides.

"Do not give what is sacred to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them under their feet and turn and tear you in pieces.

And a leper came up to him and fell on his knees before him, saying, "If you only choose, sir, you can cure me!"

And they suddenly screamed out, "What do you want of us, you Son of God? Have you come here before the appointed time to torture us?"

Just as he said this to them, an official came up and bowing low before him said to him, "My daughter has just died. But come! Lay your hand on her and she will come to life!"

and you will be brought before governors and kings on my account, to bear your testimony before them and the heathen.

But when they persecute you in one town, make your escape to another, for I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man arrives.

Therefore everyone who will acknowledge me before men I will acknowledge before my Father in heaven,

but anyone who disowns me before men, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

This is the man of whom the Scripture says, " 'Here I send my messenger on before you; He will prepare the road ahead of you.'

Then it goes and gets seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there, and in the end the man is worse off than he was before. That is the way it will be with this present wicked age."

But when Herod's birthday came, Herodias' daughter danced before the company. And Herod was delighted with her,

And he immediately made his disciples get into the boat and cross before him to the other side while he dismissed the crowds.

And the men in the boat fell down before him and said, "You are certainly God's Son!"

And she came and fell down before him, and said, "Help me, sir!"

So the slave threw himself down before him and implored him, 'Give me time, and I will pay you all of it.'

So his fellow-slave threw himself down before him, and begged him, 'Give me time, and I will pay you.'

And most of the crowd spread their coats in his way, and others cut branches from the trees and scattered them before him.

I tell you, these things will all happen before the present age passes away.

For just as in those days before the flood people were eating and drinking, marrying and being married, until the very day Noah entered the ark,

and all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them from one another, just as a shepherd separates his sheep from his goats,

But after I am raised to life again, I will go back to Galilee before you."

Jesus said to him, "I tell you, tonight, before a cock crows, you will disown me three times!"

And he left them and went away again and prayed a third time, in the same words as before.

But he denied it before them all, and said, "I do not know what you mean."

And Peter remembered Jesus' words when he had said, "Before a cock crows, you will disown me three times!" And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus said, "Yes."

and made a wreath of thorns and put it on his head, and they put a stick in his hand, and knelt down before him in mockery, saying, "Long live the king of the Jews!"

And Mary of Magdala and the other Mary remained there, sitting before the tomb.

Now go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He has risen from the dead, and is going back to Galilee before you. You will see him there.' Now I have given you my message."

And Jesus himself met them, and said, "Good morning!" And they went up to him and clasped his feet, and bowed to the ground before him.

There they saw him and bowed down before him, though some were in doubt about it.