but they had no child, for Elizabeth was barren. Both of them were advanced in years.

but the angel said to him, "Fear not, Zechariah, your prayer has been heard; your wife Elizabeth will bear a son to you, and you must call his name John.

Zechariah said to the angel, "But how am I to be sure of this? I am an old man myself, and my wife is advanced in years."

But you will be silent and unable to speak till the day this happens, because you have not believed what I told you; it will be accomplished, for all that, in due time."

But the angel said to her, "Fear not, Mary, you have found favour with God.

but the mother told them, "No, the child is to be called John."

but the angel said to them, "Have no fear. This is good news I am bringing you, news of a great joy that is meant for all the People.

but Symeon blessed them, and to his mother Mary he said, "This child is destined for the downfall as well as for the rise of many a one in Israel; destined to be a Sign for man's attack ??35 to bring out the secret aims of many a heart. And your own soul will be pierced by a spear."

After spending the full number of days they came back, but the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know of this;

But they did not understand what he said.

Soldiers also asked him, "And what are we to do?" He said to them, "Never extort money, never lay a false charge, but be content with your pay."

John said to them all, "I baptize you with water, but after me one who is mightier will come, and I am not fit to untie the string of his sandals; he will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire.

But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias his brother's wife as well as for all the wickedness that he, Herod, had committed,

yet Elijah was not sent to any of these, but only to a widow woman at Zarephath in Sidon.

And in Israel there were many lepers in the time of the prophet Elisha, yet none of these was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian."

they rose up, put him out of the town, and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, in order to hurl him down.

But he made his way through them and went off.

But Jesus checked it, saying, "Be quiet, come out of him." And after throwing him down before them the daemon did come out of him without doing him any harm.

From many people daemons were also driven out, clamouring aloud, "You are God's son!" But he checked them and refused to let them say anything, as they knew he was the Christ.

When day broke he went away out to a lonely spot, but the crowds made inquiries about him, came to where he was, and tried to keep him from leaving them.

So he entered one of the boats, which belonged to Simon, and asked him to push out a little from the land. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

Then they made signals to their mates in the other boat to come and assist them. They came and filled both the boats, till they began to sink.

But when Simon Peter saw it he fell at the knees of Jesus, crying, "Lord, leave me; I am a sinful man."

Jesus ordered him not to say a word to anybody, but to "Go off and show yourself to the priest, and offer whatever Moses prescribed for your cleansing, to notify men."

But the news of him spread abroad more and more; large crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their complaints,

but when they could not find any means of getting him in, on account of the crowd, they climbed to the top of the house and let him down through the tiles, mattress and all among the people in front of Jesus.

Then the scribes and Pharisees began to argue, "Who is this blasphemer? Who can forgive sins, who but God alone?"

But to let you see the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins" ??he said to the paralysed man, "Rise, I tell you, lift your mattress and go home."

But the Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with taxgatherers and sinners?"

Jesus replied to them, "Healthy people have no need of a doctor, but those who are ill:

I have not come to call just men but sinners to repentance."

They said to him, "The disciples of John fast frequently and offer prayers, as do the disciples of the Pharisees; but your adherents eat and drink."

But Jesus answered them, "And have you never read what David did when he and his men were hungry?

But woe to you rich folk! you get all the comforts you will ever get.

He also told them a parabolic word: "Can one blind man lead another? will they not both fall into a pit?

A scholar is not above his teacher: but if he is perfectly trained he will be like his teacher.

He is like a man engaged in building a house, who dug deep down and laid his foundation on the rock; when a flood came, the river dashed against that house but could not shake it, for it had been well built.

So Jesus went with them. But he was not far from the house when the captain sent some friends to tell him, "Do not trouble yourself, sir, I am not fit to have you under my roof,

Then he went forward and touched the bier; the bearers stopped, and he said, "Young man, I bid you rise."

but the Pharisees and jurists, who had refused his baptism, frustrated God's purpose for themselves.)

Therefore I tell you, many as her sins are, they are forgiven, for her love is great; whereas he to whom little is forgiven has but little love."

But he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

some other seed dropped on the rock, but it withered away when it sprang up because it had no moisture;

so he said, "It is granted you to understand the open secrets of the Reign of God, but the others get it in parables, so that for all their seeing they may not see, and for all their hearing they may not understand.

Those 'on the road' are people who hear; but then the devil comes and carries off the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved.

Those 'on the rock' are people who on hearing the word welcome it with enthusiasm, but they have no root; they believe for a while and fall away in the hour of trial.

As for the seed that fell among thorns, that means people who hear but who go and get choked with worries and money and the pleasures of life, so that they never ripen.

No one lights a lamp and hides it under a vessel or puts it below the bed: he puts it on a stand so that those who come in can see the light.

His mother and brothers reached him but they were unable to join him for the crowd.

But he answered, "My mother and brothers are those who listen to the word of God and obey it."

It happened on one of these days that he embarked in a boat alone with his disciples and said to them, "Let us cross to the other side of the lake." So they set sail.

During the voyage he fell asleep. But when a gale of wind came down on the lake and they were being swamped and in peril,

They put in at the country of the Gergesenes, on the shore facing Galilee.

As he stepped out on land he was met by a man from the town who had daemons in him; for a long while he had worn no clothing, and he stayed not in a house but among the tombs.

(For he had charged the unclean spirit to come out of the man. Many a time when it had seized hold of him, he had been fastened secure in fetters and chains, but he would snap his bonds and be driven by the daemon into the desert.)

and then all the inhabitants of the surrounding country of the Gergesenes asked him to leave them, they were so seized with terror. He embarked in the boat and went back.

But when Jesus heard it he said to him, "Have no fear, only believe and she shall get well."

Everyone was weeping and bewailing her, but he said, "Stop weeping; she is not dead but asleep."

But he took her hand and called to her, "Rise, little girl."

Her parents were amazed, but he charged them not to tell anyone what had happened.

Herod said, "John I beheaded. But who is this, of whom I hear such tales?" And he made efforts to see him.

but the crowds learned this and followed him. He welcomed them, spoke to them of the Reign of God, and cured those who needed to be healed.

Now Peter and his companions had been overpowered with sleep, but on waking up they saw his glory and the two men who were standing beside him.

When they were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is a good thing we are here; let us put up three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" (not knowing what he was saying).

but a voice came from the cloud, "This is my Son, my Chosen one; listen to him."

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

Before the boy could reach Jesus, the daemon dashed him down and convulsed him, but Jesus checked the unclean spirit, cured the boy, and handed him back to his father.

And all were astounded at this grand display of God. But while all marvelled at all he did, he said to his disciples,

But they did not understand this saying ??indeed it was kept a secret from them, to prevent them from fathoming it ??and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

John said to him, "Master, we saw a man casting out daemons in your name, but we stopped him because he is not a follower of ours."

but the people would not receive him because his face was turned in the direction of Jerusalem.

So when the disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, will you have us bid fire come down from heaven and consume them?"

But he turned and checked them.

Jesus said to him, "The foxes have their holes, the wild birds have their nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head."

He said to another man, "Follow me"; but he said, "Let me go and bury my father first of all."

Another man also said to him, "I will follow you, Lord. But let me first say good-bye to my people at home."

He said to them, "The harvest is rich, but the labourers are few; so pray the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to gather his harvest.

But wherever you are not received on entering any town, go out into the streets of the town and cry,

'The very dust of your town that clings to us, we wipe off from our feet as a protest. But mark this, the Reign of God is near!'

But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.

For I tell you many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, but they have not seen it: and to hear what you hear, but they have not heard it."

Anxious to make an excuse for himself, however, he said to Jesus, "But who is my neighbour?"

Now it so chanced that a priest was going down the same road, but on seeing him he went past on the opposite side.

So did a Levite who came to the spot; he looked at him but passed on the opposite side.

Next morning he took out a couple of shillings and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Attend to him, and if you are put to any extra expense I will refund you on my way back.'

And suppose he answers from the inside, 'Don't bother me; the door is locked by this time, and my children are in bed with me. I can't get up and give you anything.'

but some of them said, "It is by Beelzebul the prince of daemons that he casts out daemons."

But if it is by the finger of God that I cast daemons out, then the Reign of God has reached you already.

but when a stronger man attacks and conquers him, he seizes the panoply on which he relied and divides up the spoil.

But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear and who observe the word of God!"

As the crowds were thronging to him, he proceeded to say, "This is an evil generation: it demands a Sign, but no Sign will be given to it except the Sign of Jonah;

No one lights a lamp to put it in a cellar or under a bowl, but on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.

Your eye is the lamp of the body: when your eye is sound, then the whole of your body has light, but if your eye is diseased, then your body is darkened.

but the Lord said to him, "You Pharisees do clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but your inner life is filled with rapacity and malice.

But woe to you Pharisees! you tithe mint and rue and every vegetable, but justice and the love of God you disregard; these latter you ought to have practised ??without omitting the former.

He said, "And woe to you jurists! you load men with irksome burdens, and you will not put a single finger to their burdens.

I tell you, my friends, have no fear of those who kill the body but after that can do no more;

But the very hairs on your head are all numbered; fear not, you are worth far more than sparrows.

Everyone also who says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven for it, but he who blasphemes against the holy Spirit will never be forgiven.

but he said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over your affairs?"