But they did not have a child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both very old.

But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son; you will name him John.

And now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will be silent, unable to speak, until the day these things take place."

When he came out, he was not able to speak to them. They realized that he had seen a vision in the holy place, because he was making signs to them and remained unable to speak.

So the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God!

Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?"

Now there were shepherds nearby living out in the field, keeping guard over their flock at night.

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid! Listen carefully, for I proclaim to you good news that brings great joy to all the people:

It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

She had lived as a widow since then for eighty-four years. She never left the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.

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

When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.

Yet his parents did not understand the remark he made to them.

Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."

John answered them all, "I baptize you with water, but one more powerful than I am is coming -- I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'Man does not live by bread alone.'"

and 'with their hands they will lift you up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'"

Jesus answered him, "It is said, 'You are not to put the Lord your God to the test.'"

Demons also came out of many, crying out, "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.

Simon answered, "Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing! But at your word I will lower the nets."

and so were James and John, Zebedee's sons, who were Simon's business partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people."

Jesus answered them, "Those who are well don't need a physician, but those who are sick do.

I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

He also told them a parable: "No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old garment. If he does, he will have torn the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old.

how he entered the house of God, took and ate the sacred bread, which is not lawful for any to eat but the priests alone, and gave it to his companions?"

Now it was during this time that Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and he spent all night in prayer to God.

To the person who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other as well, and from the person who takes away your coat, do not withhold your tunic either.

Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask for your possessions back from the person who takes them away.

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.

A disciple is not greater than his teacher, but everyone when fully trained will be like his teacher.

for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from brambles.

He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep, and laid the foundation on bedrock. When a flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built.

But the person who hears and does not put my words into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against that house, it collapsed immediately, and was utterly destroyed!"

So Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to say to him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.

That is why I did not presume to come to you. Instead, say the word, and my servant must be healed.

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him. He turned and said to the crowd that followed him, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith!"

When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, "Do not weep."

However, the Pharisees and the experts in religious law rejected God's purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)

They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another, 'We played the flute for you, yet you did not dance; we wailed in mourning, yet you did not weep.'

When they could not pay, he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"

You gave me no kiss of greeting, but from the time I entered she has not stopped kissing my feet.

You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfumed oil.

He said, "You have been given the opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that although they see they may not see, and although they hear they may not understand.

Those along the path are the ones who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.

As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the worries and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.

For nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing concealed that will not be made known and brought to light.

So listen carefully, for whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him."

Now Jesus' mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not get near him because of the crowd.

As Jesus stepped ashore, a certain man from the town met him who was possessed by demons. For a long time this man had worn no clothes and had not lived in a house, but among the tombs.

When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before him, and shouted with a loud voice, "Leave me alone, Jesus, Son of the Most High God! I beg you, do not torment me!"

And they began to beg him not to order them to depart into the abyss.

Now a woman was there who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years but could not be healed by anyone.

When the woman saw that she could not escape notice, she came trembling and fell down before him. In the presence of all the people, she explained why she had touched him and how she had been immediately healed.

While he was still speaking, someone from the synagogue ruler's house came and said, "Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the teacher any longer."

But when Jesus heard this, he told him, "Do not be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed."

Now when he came to the house, Jesus did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John, and James, and the child's father and mother.

Now they were all wailing and mourning for her, but he said, "Stop your weeping; she is not dead but asleep."

He said to them, "Take nothing for your journey -- no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, and do not take an extra tunic.

Wherever they do not receive you, as you leave that town, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them."

But he forcefully commanded them not to tell this to anyone,

But I tell you most certainly, there are some standing here who will not experience death before they see the kingdom of God."

Then as the men were starting to leave, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three shelters, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah" -- not knowing what he was saying.

I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not do so."

But they did not understand this statement; its meaning had been concealed from them, so that they could not grasp it. Yet they were afraid to ask him about this statement.

John answered, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he is not a disciple along with us."

But Jesus said to him, "Do not stop him, for whoever is not against you is for you."

Do not carry a money bag, a traveler's bag, or sandals, and greet no one on the road.

And if a peace-loving person is there, your peace will remain on him, but if not, it will return to you.

Stay in that same house, eating and drinking what they give you, for the worker deserves his pay. Do not move around from house to house.

But whenever you enter a town and the people do not welcome you, go into its streets and say,

Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names stand written in heaven."

For I tell you that many prophets and kings longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."

but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the best part; it will not be taken away from her."

and forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And do not lead us into temptation."

Then he will reply from inside, 'Do not bother me. The door is already shut, and my children and I are in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything.'

I tell you, even though the man inside will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of the first man's sheer persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

"When an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it passes through waterless places looking for rest but not finding any. Then it says, 'I will return to the home I left.'

Therefore see to it that the light in you is not darkness.

The Pharisee was astonished when he saw that Jesus did not first wash his hands before the meal.

But give from your heart to those in need, and then everything will be clean for you.

Woe to you experts in religious law! You have taken away the key to knowledge! You did not go in yourselves, and you hindered those who were going in."

Nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing is secret that will not be made known.

"I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more they can do.

Aren't five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God.

In fact, even the hairs on your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the person who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

But when they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, do not worry about how you should make your defense or what you should say,

Then he said to them, "Watch out and guard yourself from all types of greed, because one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded back from you, but who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'

So it is with the one who stores up riches for himself, but is not rich toward God."

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear.

Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn, yet God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than the birds!

Consider how the flowers grow; they do not work or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these!

So do not be overly concerned about what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not worry about such things.

For all the nations of the world pursue these things, and your Father knows that you need them.

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is well pleased to give you the kingdom.

Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves purses that do not wear out -- a treasure in heaven that never decreases, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.

Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night and finds them alert, blessed are those slaves!

But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.