They had no children because Elizabeth was barren and because both of them were getting old.

But the angel told him, "Stop being afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to name him John.

because he will be great in the Lord's presence. He will never drink wine or any strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.

But because you did not believe my announcement, which will be fulfilled at its proper time, you will become silent and unable to speak until the day this happens."

Then the angel told her, "Stop being afraid, Mary, because you have found favor with God.

because he has looked favorably on his humble servant. From now on, all generations will call me blessed,

because the Almighty has done great things for me. His name is holy.

Everyone who heard about it kept thinking what had happened and asked, "What will this child become?" because it was obvious that the hand of the Lord was with him.

And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, because you will go ahead of the Lord to prepare his way

Because of the tender mercy of our God, his light from on high has visited us,

Joseph, too, went up from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the City of David (called Bethlehem), because he was a descendant of the household and family of David.

and she gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no place for them in the guest quarters.

because my eyes have seen your salvation,

Produce fruit that is consistent with repentance! Don't begin to say to yourselves, "We have father Abraham!' because I tell you that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones!

Now Herod the tetrarch had been rebuked by John because he had married his brother's wife Herodias and because of all of the other evil things Herod had done.

He told Jesus, "I will give you all this authority, along with their glory, because it has been given to me, and I give it to anyone I please.

because it is written, "God will put his angels in charge of you to watch over you carefully.

They were utterly amazed at what he taught, because his message was spoken with authority.

Overwhelmed with amazement, they all kept saying to one another, "What kind of statement is this? because with authority and power he gives orders to unclean spirits, and they come out!"

Even demons came out of many people, screaming, "You are the Son of God!" But Jesus rebuked them and ordered them not to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.

But he told them, "I have to proclaim the good news about the kingdom of God in other cities, because I was sent to do that also."

because Simon and all the people who were with him were amazed at the number of fish they had caught,

When they couldn't find a way to get him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down on his stretcher through the tiles into the middle of the room, right in front of Jesus.

Because Jesus knew that they were arguing, he asked them, "Why are you arguing about this among yourselves?

No one who has been drinking old wine wants new wine, because he says, "The old wine is good enough!'"

The entire crowd was trying to touch him, because power was coming out from him and healing all of them.

Then Jesus looked at his disciples and said, "How blessed are you who are destitute, because the kingdom of God is yours!

How blessed are you who are hungry now, because you will be satisfied! How blessed are you who are crying now, because you will laugh!

"How blessed are you whenever people hate you, avoid you, insult you, and slander you because of the Son of Man!

Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because your reward in heaven is great! That's the way their ancestors used to treat the prophets.

"But how terrible it will be for you who are rich, because you have had your comfort!

How terrible it will be for you who are full now, because you will be hungry! How terrible it will be for you who are laughing now, because you will mourn and cry!

"How terrible it will be for you when everyone says nice things about you, because that's the way their ancestors used to treat the false prophets!"

Rather, love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind even to ungrateful and evil people.

Give, and it will be given to you. A large quantity, pressed together, shaken down, and running over will be put into your lap, because you'll be evaluated by the same standard with which you evaluate others."

because every tree is known by its own fruit. People don't gather figs from thorny plants or pick grapes from a thorn bush.

A good person produces good from the good treasure of his heart, and an evil person produces evil from an evil treasure, because the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart."

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.

because he loves our people and built our synagogue for us."

So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to tell Jesus, "Sir, stop troubling yourself, because I'm not worthy to have you come under my roof.

because I, too, am a man under authority and have soldiers under me. I say to one "Go' and he goes, to another "Come' and he comes, and to my servant "Do this' and he does it."

Because John the Baptist has come neither eating bread nor drinking wine, yet you say, "He has a demon!'

Others fell on stony ground, and as soon as they came up, they dried up because they had no moisture.

So pay attention to how you listen, because to the one who has something, more will be given. However, from the one who doesn't have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him."

His mother and his brothers came to him, but they couldn't get near him because of the crowd.

because Jesus was in the process of ordering the unclean spirit to come out of the man. On many occasions the unclean spirit had seized the man, and though he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, he would break the chains and be driven by the demon into deserted places.

He answered, "Legion," because many demons had gone into him. Then the demons began begging Jesus not to order them to go into the bottomless pit.

Then all the people from the region surrounding the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were terrified. So he got into a boat and started back.

When Jesus came back, the crowd welcomed him, because everyone was expecting him.

because his only daughter, who was about twelve years old, was dying. While Jesus was on his way, the crowds continued to press in on him.

Still Jesus said, "Somebody touched me, because I know that power has gone out of me."

They laughed and laughed at him, because they knew she was dead.

Now Herod the tetrarch heard about everything that was happening. He was puzzled because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead,

As the day was drawing to a close, the Twelve came to him and said, "Send the crowd away to the neighboring villages and farms so they can rest and get some food, because we are here in a deserted place."

because whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

Suddenly, a man in the crowd shouted, "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, because he is my only child.

Then he told them, "Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me, because the one who is least among all of you is the one who is greatest."

John said, "Master, we saw someone driving out demons in your name. We tried to stop him, because he wasn't a follower like us."

Jesus told him, "Don't stop him! Because whoever is not against you is for you."

But the people would not welcome him, because he was determined to go to Jerusalem.

Stay with the same family, eating and drinking whatever they provide, because the worker deserves his pay. Don't move from house to house.

However, stop rejoicing because the spirits are submitting to you. Instead, rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

At that moment, the Holy Spirit made Jesus extremely joyful, so Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from wise and intelligent people and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, because this is what was pleasing to you.

Because I tell you, many prophets and kings wanted to see the things you see but didn't see them, and to hear the things you hear but didn't hear them."

I tell you, even though that man doesn't want to get up and give him anything because he is his friend, he will get up and give him whatever he needs because of his persistence.

because everyone who keeps asking will receive, and the person who keeps searching will find, and the person who keeps knocking will have the door opened.

because just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be a sign to this generation.

The queen of the south will stand up at the judgment and condemn the people living today, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. But look, something greater than Solomon is here!

The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment and condemn the people living today, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. But look, something greater than Jonah is here!"

So you are witnesses and approve of the deeds of your ancestors, because they killed those for whom you are building monuments.

because at that time the Holy Spirit will teach you what you are to say."

Then he told them, "Be careful to guard yourselves against every kind of greed, because a person's life doesn't consist of the amount of possessions he has."

because life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.

because it is the unbelievers who are concerned about all these things. Surely your Father knows that you need them!

Stop being afraid, little flock, because your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.

Because where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

So be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at a time when you don't expect him."

He asked them, "Do you think that these Galileans were more sinful than all the other Galileans because they suffered like this?

But the synagogue leader, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, told the crowd, "There are six days when work is to be done. So come on those days to be healed, and not on the Sabbath day."

He told them, "Keep on struggling to enter through the narrow door, because I tell you that many people will try to enter, but won't be able to do so.

At that hour some Pharisees came and told Jesus, "Leave and get away from here, because Herod wants to kill you!"

But I must be on my way today, tomorrow, and the next day, because it's not possible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.'

Because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the person who humbles himself will be exalted."

Then you will be blessed because they can't repay you. And you will be repaid when the righteous are resurrected."

Because I tell all of you, none of those men who were invited will taste anything at my banquet.'"

Then he goes home, calls his friends and neighbors together, and says to them, "Rejoice with me, because I've found my lost sheep!'

When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, "Rejoice with me, because I have found the coin that I lost!'

Because my son was dead and has come back to life. He was lost and has been found.' And they began to celebrate.

The servant told him, "Your brother has come home, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he got him back safely.'

But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come back to life. He was lost and has been found.'"

The master praised the dishonest servant manager for being so clever, because worldly people are more clever than enlightened people in dealing with their own.

"No servant can serve two masters, because either he will hate one and love the other, or be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and wealth!"

So he told them, "You try to justify yourselves in front of people, but God knows your hearts, because what is highly valued by people is detestable to God.

So he shouted, "Father Abraham, have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water to cool off my tongue, because I am suffering in this fire.'

because I have five brothers to warn them, so that they won't end up in this place of torture, too.'

People won't be saying, "Look! Here it is!' or "There it is!' because now the kingdom of God is among you."

Because just as lightning flashes and shines from one end of the sky to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his time.

yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice. Otherwise, she will keep coming and wear me out.'"

I tell you, this man, rather than the other one, went down to his home justified, because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the person who humbles himself will be exalted."

Jesus, however, called for the children and said, "Let the little children come to me, and stop keeping them away, because the kingdom of God belongs to people like these.