Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things which have been fulfilled among us,

just as they were delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word,

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

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

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."

to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary.

The angel went to her and said, "Hail, O highly favored one, the Lord is with you!"

And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.

And she exclaimed with a loud voice, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

But why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

For behold, as soon as the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy.

And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."

For he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

And his mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation.

as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever."

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

And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." And they all marveled.

and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,

as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,

that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,

to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear,

through the tender mercy of our God, with which the sunrise from on high will visit us;

And Josnt also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,

For to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!"

When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us."

Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

(as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord"),

and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons."

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.

Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that will be spoken against

and as a widow till she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, but worshipped with fasting and prayer night and day.

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

And when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously."

As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

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."

As the people were in expectation, and all men questioned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he were the Christ,

John answered them all, "I baptize you with water; but one mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was also baptized. And as he was praying, the heaven was opened

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,

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

And Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.'"

for it is written: 'He will give his angels charge of you, to guard you,'

And Jesus answered him, "It is said, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'"

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.

And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written:

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,

And he began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

And all spoke well of him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth; and they said, "Is not this Joseph's son?"

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 they were all amazed and said to one another, "What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!"

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

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."

One day as he was teaching, there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal.

And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise up and walk'?

And Jesus said to them, "Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them?

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

But some of the Pharisees said, "Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?"

how he entered the house of God, took and ate the consecrated bread, and also gave some to those with him, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat?"

And he said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath."

On another Sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught, and a man was there whose right hand was withered.

Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?"

He lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: "Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.

Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.

And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them.

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.

And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much back.

But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For he is kind to the ungrateful and evil.

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you."

A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.

Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? You hypocrite! First take the plank from out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye.

For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a bramble bush.

Every one who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like:

he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it was well built.

But he who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation; against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great."

And when they came to Jesus, they begged him earnestly, saying, "He is worthy to have you do this for him,

for he loves our nation, and has built us our synagogue."

As he came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her.

Fear seized them all; and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us;" and "God has visited his people."

And John, calling to him two of his disciples, sent them to the Lord, saying, "Are you the One who is to come, or shall we look for another?"

When the men had come to him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, 'Are you the One who is to come, or shall we look for another?'"

And blessed is he who is not offended because of me."

This is he of whom it is written: 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.'

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."

But wisdom is justified by all her children."

and as she stood behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the perfume.

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."

Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little."

Then those who reclined at the table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"

"A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.

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.'