SINCE many have undertaken to compose a history of the things that are fully believed among us,

But the Angel said to him. "Do not be afraid, Zachariah, because your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.

Listen carefully, you will be continually silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe what I told you; but my words will be fulfilled at their proper time.”

And the angel came into her presence, and said: Hail, graciously accepted: the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women.

but the angel said to her, "Mary, be not afraid: for you are the object of divine favour.

You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must call his name Jesus.

And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke with a loud voice, and said: Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

He has done mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in the understanding of their hearts.

He has filled those who are hungry with good [things], and those who are rich he has sent away empty-handed.

And they replied to her, " [But] there are not any of your relatives named that."

Then all those who lived in the area became afraid; and people were talking about all these things throughout the entire hill country of Judea.

Salvation from those who are against us, and from the hands of those who have hate for us;

That we, being made free from the fear of those who are against us, might give him worship,

all the days of our life, in such holiness and righteousness that are accept before him.

To shine on them who, in the darkness and shade of death, are sitting, to guide our feet into a way of peace.

"May there be glory to God in the highest [heavens], and may there be peace on earth among men who are pleasing to God."

And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and while the parents are bringing in the little child Jesus, that they may do according to the provisions of law concerning Him,

Now you are letting your servant go in peace, O Lord, as you have said;

She came forward at that very time and thanked God [in prayer] and spoke about the child [Jesus] to everyone [in the Temple area] who was expecting the redemption of the people of Jerusalem [i.e., their liberation from sin].

Every hollow must be filled up, And every mountain and hill leveled. What is crooked is to be made straight, And the rough roads are to be made smooth,

So he said to the people who went out to him for baptism: You offspring of snakes, at whose word are you going in flight from the wrath to come?

Therefore produce fruit that is worthy of [and consistent with your] repentance [that is, live changed lives, turn from sin and seek God and His righteousness]. And do not even begin to say to yourselves [as a defense], ‘We have Abraham for our father [and so our heritage assures us of salvation]’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children (descendants) for Abraham [for God can replace the unrepentant, regardless of their heritage, with those who are obedient].

"What are we to do then?" the people asked.

Even tax-gatherers came to be baptized, and said to John: "Teacher, what are we to do?"

And he said to them, "Collect no more than {what you are ordered to}."

And when some soldiers on active service asked "And we--what are we to do?" he said: "Never use violence, or exact anything by false accusation; and be content with your pay."

And the people are looking forward, and all are reasoning in their hearts concerning John, whether or not he may be the Christ;

The Holy Spirit came down in the form of a dove, and a voice came from heaven, saying, You are my dearly loved Son, with whom I am well pleased.

And the Evil One said to him, If you are the Son of God, give orders to this stone to become bread.

all this power, said he, will I give thee, and the glory of them: for they are at my disposal, and where I please, I bestow them.

Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'You are to worship the Lord your God and serve only him.'"

And he took him to Jerusalem and put him on the highest point of the Temple and said to him, If you are the Son of God, let yourself go down from here; for it is said in the Writings,

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

Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and news about him spread through all the surrounding area.

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because I am marked out by him to give good news to the poor; he has sent me to make well those who are broken-hearted; to say that the prisoners will be let go, and the blind will see, and to make the wounded free from their chains,

He began speaking to them: “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing and in your presence.”

and all were bearing testimony to him, and were wondering at the gracious words that are coming forth out of his mouth, and they said, 'Is not this the son of Joseph?'

Let us be! what have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? have you come to put an end to us? I have knowledge who you are, the Holy One of God.

And wonder came on them all and they said to one another, What are these words? for with authority and power he gives orders to the evil spirits and they come out.

And evil spirits came out of a number of them, crying out and saying, You are the Son of God. But he gave them sharp orders not to say a word, because they had knowledge that he was the Christ.

and they beckoned to the partners, who are in the other boat, having come, to help them; and they came, and filled both the boats, so that they were sinking.

and so were Zebedee's sons, James and John, who were Simon's partners. Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From now on you are to catch men!"

On one occasion Jesus was staying in a town, when he saw a man who was covered with leprosy. When the leper saw Jesus, he threw himself on his face and implored his help: "Master, if only you are willing, you are able to make me clean."

But because they could not find a [suitable] way to get him in [to the house] because of the people crowded [around], they went up to the housetop [Note: This was a flat area, where people retired for rest, prayer, etc., with a stairway accessible from the outside] and lowered the man on his cot through the roof tiles into the presence of Jesus.

And seeing their faith, he said, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

but Jesus knowing their thoughts, answered and said unto them, What are ye disputing in your hearts?

Which is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee, or to say, Rise up and walk?

And the Pharisees and their scribes were murmuring against the disciples, saying, "Why are ye eating and drinking with the tax-collectors and sinners?"

And Jesus answered and said unto them, They that are in health have no need of a physician, but they that are sick: I am not come to call the righteous,

I did not come to call those who are doing right to repent [i.e., to change their hearts and lives], but [only those who are] sinners."

"John's disciples," they said to Jesus, "Often fast and say prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, while yours are eating and drinking!"

And Jesus said, Are you able to make the friends of the newly-married man go without food when he is with them?

But those days are coming, and when the bridegroom is taken from them, at that time they will fast."

but new wine must be put into new vessels, and then both are saved.

And some of the Pharisees said to them: Why are you doing what it is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?

And Jesus answering said unto them, 'Did ye not read even this that David did, when he hungered, himself and those who are with him,

That he went into the House of God, and took the consecrated bread and ate it, and gave some to his companions, though only the priests are allowed to eat it?"

Then Jesus said to them, "I put it to you all whether we are allowed to do good on the Sabbath, or to do evil; to save a life, or to destroy it."

And lifting up his eyes on his disciples He said, Blessed are ye though poor; for the kingdom of God is yours.

Blessed are ye that hunger now; for ye shall be satisfied. Blessed are ye that weep now; for ye shall laugh.

Blessed are ye when men shall hate you, and reject you, and reproach you, and cast out your name as infamous on account of the Son of man.

But wo unto you that are rich; for ye have received your consolation.

Wo unto you that are full; for ye shall be hungry. Wo unto you that laugh now: for ye shall mourn and weep.

Unhappy are you when all men give you their approval: for so their fathers did to the false prophets.

But I say to you who give ear to me, Have love for those who are against you, do good to those who have hate for you,

Give blessing to those who give you curses, say prayers for those who are cruel to you.

If ye love only them that love you, what thanks are due to you? for even the wicked love those that love them:

and if ye do good offices to them that do good to you, what thanks are due to you? for even wicked men do the same.

And if ye lend to those from whom ye expect to receive, what thanks are due to you? for sinners also lend to sinners that they may receive an equivalent.

But be loving to those who are against you and do them good, and give them your money, not giving up hope, and your reward will be great and you will be the sons of the Most High: for he is kind to evil men, and to those who have hard hearts.

How are you able to say to your brother, "Brother, allow [me] to remove the speck [that is] in your eye," [while] you yourself do not see the beam of wood in your [own] eye? Hypocrite! First remove the beam of wood from your [own] eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck [that is] in your brother's eye!

for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorn plants, nor are grapes harvested from thorn bushes.

"And why are you calling me Lord, Lord, and not doing what I tell you?

They are like a person building a house, who dug a deep hole to lay the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the floodwaters pushed against that house but couldn't shake it, because it had been founded on the rock.

and sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou He that was to come, or are we to expect another?

And the men came to Him, and said, John the baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou He that was to come, or are we to expect another?

And Jesus answering said unto them, Go and tell John what ye have seen and heard: that the blind recover sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them,

a reed shaken by the wind? but what did ye go out to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that are dressed in fine clothes and live delicately, are in palaces, not in deserts: but what went ye out to see?

I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there is none greater than John: yet he that is but little in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

And the Lord said, To what then shall I compare the men of this generation? and to what are they like?

and to what are they like? they are like children sitting in the market-place, and calling to one another, and saying, "We have played pleasant tunes to you, and ye have not danced; we have sung mournful ones and ye have not wept:"

For now that John the Baptist has come, not eating bread or drinking wine, you are saying 'He has a demon in him';

And now that the Son of Man has come, eating and drinking, you are saying 'Here is a glutton and a wine-drinker, a friend of tax- gatherers and outcasts.'

But wisdom is vindicated by all who are truly wise."

"I suppose," answered Simon, "it will be the man to whom he forgave the greater debt." "You are right," said Jesus,

Wherefore, I tell thee, her sins though many are forgiven, for she loved much: but he to whom little is forgiven, loveth but little.

And He said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith [in Me] has saved you; go in peace [free from the distress experienced because of sin].”

And it came to pass thereafter, that he was going through every city and village, preaching and proclaiming good news of the reign of God, and the twelve are with him,

And he said, To you is given knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God; but to the others, they are given in stories, so that seeing, they may not see, and though they give hearing, the sense will not be clear to them.

and those by the way-side, are such as hear indeed; but then the devil cometh and taketh away the word from their hearts, least they should believe and be saved.

And those on stony-ground are such as when they hear, receive the word with joy; but have no root, and so believe only for a while, and in the time of trial fall away.

And that which fell among thorns, are those who when they have heard the word go away and are choked with the cares and riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

But that on the good ground, are those who having heard the word, retain it in a good and honest heart, and bring forth fruit with patience.

No man lighting a lamp hides it with a cover, or putteth it under a bed, but on a stand, that they who are coming in, may see the light.

And it was told him, saying, Thy mother and thy brethren are standing without, desirous of seeing thee.

And He answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these that hear the word of God and do it.

and as they are sailing he fell deeply asleep, and there came down a storm of wind to the lake, and they were filling, and were in peril.

And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, Master, master, we are perishing. Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and the raging of the water, and they ceased, and there was a calm.

And He said to them, “Where is your faith [your confidence in Me]?” They were afraid and astonished, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the sea, and they obey Him?”