so that you may know the certainty of the things which you have been taught.

But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.

Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty,

And Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."

And he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end."

Now the time came for Elizabeth to be delivered, and she gave birth to a son.

but his mother said, "No; he shall be called John."

They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name."

Now his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:

And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now when they had seen him, they made widely known the saying which had been told them concerning this child.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

"Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word;

And when the feast was over, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it,

And he said to them, "Why did you seek me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,

And even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

And he said to them, "Collect no more than is appointed you."

Likewise the soldiers asked him, "And what shall we do?" So he said to them, "Rob no one by violence or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages."

Now Jesus himself, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,

the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,

Then he said, "Truly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country.

"Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you arethe Holy One of God!"

And he arose and left the synagogue, and entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they made request of him on her behalf.

And demons also came out of many, crying, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them, and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

Now when it was day, he departed and went into a deserted place. And the people sought him and came to him, and tried to keep him from leaving them;

Now as the people pressed around him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.

and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men."

And he charged him to tell no one, "But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded."

But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"he said to the man who was paralyzed "I say to you, rise, take up your bed and go home."

And Jesus answered them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

He told them a parable also: "No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old one; if he does, he will tear the new garment, and the piece from the new will not match the old.

And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined.

But new wine must be put into new wineskins.

And no one after drinking old wine desires the new; for he says, 'The old is better.'"

But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, "Rise and stand here." And he rose and stood there.

Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

Woe to you who are full now, for you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.

"For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.

I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."

Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner."

When they had nothing with which to pay him back, he freely forgave them both. Now which of them will love him more?"

Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.

You gave me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss my feet from the time I came in.

Some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture.

he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but to others it is given in parables, so that 'Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'

"Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.

"No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.

When he stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he lived not in a house but in the tombs.

Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside; and they begged him to let them enter them. So he gave them permission.

Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him.

But Jesus said, "Someone touched me; for I know that power has gone out from me."

When he came into the house he permitted no one to go in with him except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl.

Now all were wailing and mourning for her; but he said, "Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping."

And her parents were astonished, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.

And he said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics.

Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done; and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead,

Now the day began to wear away; and the twelve came and said to him, "Send the crowd away, to go to the surrounding villages and country, to lodge and get provisions; for we are here in a deserted place."

But he said to them, "You give them something to eat." And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fishunless we go and buy food for all these people."

Now it happened that as he was praying alone his disciples were with him; and he asked them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"

But he strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one,

Now about eight days after these sayings, he took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray.

When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.

Now John answered, "Master, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us."

Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."

Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road.

'Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.'

All things have been delivered to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."

Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.

Now as they went on their way, he entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.

and he will answer from within, 'Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything'?

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute man spoke; and the multitudes marveled.

When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, "This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.

"No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a stand, that those who come in may see the light.

If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light."

But the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.

"I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

Now when they bring you before the synagogues and rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you are to say;

And he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?'

Sell your possessions, and give alms; provide yourselves purses that do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.

But know this, that if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not ready himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

But he who did not know, and committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask the more.

Do you think that I came to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.

For from now on there will be five in one house divided: three against two, and two against three.

You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; but how is it you do not know how to interpret this present time?

I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.

I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."

Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.

When once the owner of the house has risen up and shut the door, you will begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, open for us.' He will answer you, 'I do not know where you come from.'

But he will say, 'I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity!'

And at the time of the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, 'Come, for all is now ready.'

Now great multitudes went with him; and he turned and said to them,

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.

I tell you that in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants."'

And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'