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.

After hearing what the king said, they went to Bethlehem, while, strange to say, the star they had seen in the east led them on until it came and stood over the place where the babe was.

When they were gone, and angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise: take the babe and His mother and escape to Egypt, and remain there till I bring you word. For Herod is about to make search for the child in order to destroy Him."

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."

But after Herod's death an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said to him,

"Repent," he said, "for the Kingdom of the Heavens is now close at hand."

He it is who was spoken of through the Prophet Isaiah when he said, "The voice of one crying aloud, 'In the desert prepare ye a road for the Lord: make His highway straight.'"

John protested. "It is I," he said, "who have need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"

So the Tempter came and said, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to turn into loaves."

and said, "If you are God's Son, throw yourself down; for it is written, "'To His angels He will give orders concerning thee, and on their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any moment thou shouldst strike thy foot against a stone.'"

and said to Him, "All this I will give you, if you will kneel down and do me homage."

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

And He said to them, "Come and follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."

He proceeded to teach them, and said:

"Blessed are you when they have insulted and persecuted you, and have said every cruel thing about you falsely for my sake.

"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.

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

"It was also said, 'If any man puts away his wife, let him give her a written notice of divorce.'

"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.'

And a leper came to Him, and throwing himself at His feet, said, "Sir, if only you are willing you are able to cleanse me."

So Jesus put out His hand and touched him, and said, "I am willing: be cleansed." Instantly he was cleansed from his leprosy;

and Jesus said to him, "Be careful to tell no one, but go and show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift which Moses appointed as evidence for them."

"Sir," he said, "my servant at home is lying ill with paralysis, and is suffering great pain."

"I will come and cure him," said Jesus.

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 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.

when a Scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."

Another of the disciples said to Him, "Sir, allow me first to go and bury my father."

"Follow me," said Jesus, "and leave the dead to bury their own dead."

So the demons entreated Him. "If Thou drivest us out," they said, "send us into the herd of swine."

Here they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith Jesus said to the paralytic, "Take courage, my child; your sins are pardoned."

"Such language is impious," said some of the Scribes among themselves.

Knowing their thoughts Jesus said, "Why are you cherishing evil thoughts in your hearts?

Passing on thence Jesus saw a man called Matthew sitting at the Toll Office, and said to him, "Follow me." And he arose, and followed Him.

While He was thus speaking, a Ruler came up and profoundly bowing said, "My daughter is just dead; but come and put your hand upon her and she will return to life."

for she said to herself, "If I but touch His cloak, I shall be cured."

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 He said, "Go out of the room; the little girl is not dead, but asleep." And they laughed at Him.

So He touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith let it be to you."

Then their eyes were opened. And assuming a stern tone Jesus said to them, "Be careful to let no one know."

Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is abundant, but the reapers are few;

These twelve Jesus sent on a mission, after giving them their instructions: "Go not," He said, "among the Gentiles, and enter no Samaritan town;

But the Pharisees saw it and said to Him, "Look! your disciples are doing what the Law forbids them to do on the Sabbath."

Then He said to the man, "Stretch out your arm." And he stretched it out, and it was restored quite sound like the other.

And the crowds of people were all filled with amazement and said, "Can this be the Son of David?"

The Pharisees heard it and said, "This man only expels demons by the power of Baal-zebul, the Prince of demons."

Knowing their thoughts He said to them, "Every kingdom in which civil war has raged suffers desolation; and every city or house in which there is internal strife will be brought low.

Then He was accosted by some of the Scribes and of the Pharisees who said, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign given by you."

"Who is my mother?" He said to the man; "and who are my brothers?"

He then spoke many things to them in figurative language. "The sower goes out," He said, "to sow.

Another parable He put before them. "The Kingdom of the Heavens," He said, "may be compared to a man who has sown good seed in his field,

"'Some enemy has done this,' he said. "'Shall we go, and collect it?' the men inquire.

Another parable He put before them. "The Kingdom of the Heavens," He said, "is like a mustard-seed, which a man takes and sows in his ground.

Another parable He spoke to them. "The Kingdom of the Heavens," He said, "is like yeast which a woman takes and buries in a bushel of flour, for it to work there till the whole mass has risen."

"Have you understood all this?" He asked. "Yes," they said.

"Therefore," He said, "remember that every Scribe well trained for the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a householder who brings out of his storehouse new things and old."

So they turned angrily away from Him. But Jesus said to them, "There is no prophet left without honour except in his own country and among his own family."

and he said to his courtiers, "This is John the Baptist: he has come back to life--and that is why these miraculous Powers are working in him."

because John had persistently said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."

So she, instigated by her mother, said, "Give me here on a dish the head of John the Baptist."

But when evening was come, the disciples came to Him and said, "This is an uninhabited place, and the best of the day is now gone; send the people away to go into the villages and buy something to eat."

"We have nothing here," they said, "but five loaves and a couple of fish."

"Bring them here to me," He said,

But instantly Jesus spoke to them, and said, "There is no danger; it is I; do not be afraid."

"Come," said Jesus. Then Peter climbed down from the boat and walked upon the water to go to Him.

and the men on board fell down before him and said, "You are indeed God's Son."

For God said, 'Honour thy father and thy mother'; and 'Let him who reviles father or mother be certainly put to death';

Then, when He had called the people to Him, Jesus said, "Hear and understand.

Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were greatly shocked when they heard those words?"

"Explain to us this figurative language," said Peter.

Then she came and threw herself at His feet and entreated Him. "O Sir, help me," she said.

"It is not right," He said, "to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."

"Be it so, Sir," she said, "for even the dogs eat the scraps which fall from their masters' tables."

But Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, "My heart yearns over this mass of people, for it is now the third day that they have been with me and they have nothing to eat. I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they should faint on the road."

"How many loaves have you?" Jesus asked. "Seven," they said, "and a few small fish."

and when Jesus said to them, "See to it: beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees,"

Jesus perceived this and said, "Why are you reasoning among yourselves, you men of little faith, because you have no bread?

"Blessed are you, Simon Bar-jonah," said Jesus; "for mere human nature has not revealed this to you, but my Father in Heaven.

Then Peter took Him aside and began taking Him to task. "Master," he said, "God forbid; this will not be your lot."

But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Adversary; you are a hindrance to me, because your thoughts are not God's thoughts, but men's."

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If any one desires to follow me, let him renounce self and take up his cross, and so be my follower.

Then Peter said to Jesus, "Master, we are thankful to you that we are here. If you approve, I will put up three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

He was still speaking when a luminous cloud spread over them; and a voice was heard from within the cloud, which said, "This is My Son dearly beloved, in whom is My delight. Listen to Him."

But Jesus came and touched them, and said, "Rouse yourselves and have no fear."

As they were descending the mountain, Jesus laid a command upon them. "Tell no one," He said, "of the sight you have seen till the Son of Man has risen from among the dead."

"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.

As they were travelling about in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men;

"Yes," he replied, and then went into the house. But before he spoke a word Jesus said, "What think you, Simon? From whom do this world's kings receive customs or capitation tax? from their own children, or from others?"

"From others," he replied. "Then the children go free," said Jesus.

said, "In solemn truth I tell you that unless you turn and become like little children, you will in no case be admitted into the Kingdom of the Heavens.

The servant therefore falling down, prostrated himself at his feet and entreated him. "'Only give me time,' he said, 'and I will pay you the whole.'

"His fellow servant therefore fell at his feet and entreated him, "'Only give me time,' he said, 'and I will pay you.'

At once his master called him and said, "'Wicked servant, I forgave you all that debt, because you entreated me:

and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two shall be one'?

"Why then," said they, "did Moses command the husband to give her 'a written notice of divorce,' and so put her away?"

"If this is the case with a man in relation to his wife," said the disciples to Him, "it is better not to marry."

Jesus however said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them; for it is to those who are childlike that the Kingdom of the Heavens belongs."

"Teacher," said one man, coming up to Him, "what that is good shall I do in order to win the Life of the Ages?"