Just as they were reported to us by those who from the beginning were eye-witnesses, and afterwards became bearers of the Message.

They were both righteous people, who lived blameless lives, guiding their steps by all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.

But they had no child, Elizabeth being barren; and both of them were advanced in years.

And, as it was the Hour of Incense, the people were all praying outside.

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

For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord; he shall not drink any wine or strong drink, and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit from the very hour of his birth,

Meanwhile the people were watching for Zechariah, wondering at his remaining so long in the Temple.

And Elizabeth, your cousin, is herself also expecting a son in her old age; and it is now the sixth month with her, though she is called barren;

And cried aloud: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is your unborn child!

For, as soon as your greeting reached my ears, the child moved within me with delight!

Mighty are the deeds of his arm; He scatters the proud with their own devices,

(As he promised to our forefathers) For Abraham and his race for ever."

A week later they met to circumcise the child, and were about to call him 'Zechariah' after his father,

All their neighbors were awe-struck at this; and throughout the hill-country of Judea the whole story was much talked about;

And has raised up for us the Strength of our Salvation In the House of his servant David--

Salvation from our enemies and from the hands of all that hate us,

Showing mercy to our forefathers, And mindful of his sacred Covenant.

This was the oath which he swore to our forefather Abraham--

That we should be rescued from the hands of our enemies,

And should serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness, In his presence all our days.

Through the tender mercy of our God, Whereby the Dawn will break on us from Heaven,

To give light to those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, And guide our feet into the way of peace."

While they were there her time came,

In that same country-side were shepherds out in the open fields, watching their flocks that night,

When an angel of the Lord suddenly stood by them, and the Glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were seized with fear.

All who heard the shepherds were astonished at their story,

And also to offer the sacrifice enjoined in the Law of the Lord--'a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.'

While the child's father and mother were wondering at what was said about him,

Yes, the sword will pierce your own heart--and so the thoughts in many minds will be disclosed."

At that moment she came up, and began publicly to thank God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the deliverance of Jerusalem.

Every year the child's parents used to go to Jerusalem at the Passover Festival.

His parents were amazed when they saw him, and his mother said to him: "My child, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been searching for you in great distress."

In the fifteenth year of the reign of the Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was Governor of Judea, Herod Ruler of Galilee, his brother Philip Ruler of the territory comprising Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias Ruler of Abilene,

And when Annas and Caiaphas were High Priests, a Command from God came to John, the son of Zechariah, while he was in the wilderness.

Let your lives, then, prove your repentance; and do not begin to say among yourselves 'Abraham is our ancestor,' for I tell you that out of these very stones God is able to raise descendants for Abraham!

"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 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."

Then, while the people were in suspense, and were all debating with themselves whether John could be the Christ,

When beginning his work, Jesus was about thirty years old. He was regarded as the son of Joseph, whose ancestors were--Eli,

Melchiah, Addi, Cosam, Elmodam, Er,

So the Devil said to him: "If you are God's Son, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread."

The Devil next led him into Jerusalem, and, placing him on the parapet of the Temple, said: "If you are God's Son throw yourself down from here,

Coming to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, Jesus, as was his custom, went on the Sabbath into the Synagogue, and stood up to read the Scriptures.

The book given him was that of the Prophet Isaiah; and Jesus opened the book and found the place where it says--

To proclaim the accepted year of the Lord.'

Then, closing the book and returning it to the attendant, he sat down. The eyes of all in the Synagogue were fixed upon him,

And Jesus began: "This very day this passage has been fulfilled in your hearing."

All who were present spoke well of him, and were astonished at the beautiful words that fell from his lips. "Is not he Joseph's son?" they asked.

"Doubtless," said Jesus, "you will remind me of the saying-- 'Doctor, cure yourself;' and you will say 'Do here in your own country all that we have heard that has been done at Capernaum.'

There were, doubtless, many widows in Israel in Elijah's days, when the heavens were closed for three years and six months, and a severe famine prevailed throughout the country;

And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the Prophet Elisha, yet it was not one of them who was made clean, but Naaman the Syrian."

They were amazed at his teaching, because his words were spoken with authority.

"Stop! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!"

And they were all lost in amazement, and kept saying to one another: "What words are these? For he gives his commands to the foul spirits with a marvelous authority, and they come out."

And even demons came out from many people, screaming 'You are the Son of God.' Jesus rebuked them, and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

At daybreak, Jesus went out and walked to a lonely spot. But crowds of people began to look for him; and they came to where he was and tried to detain him and prevent his leaving them.

Once, when the people were pressing round Jesus as the listened to God's Message, he happened to be standing by the shore of the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats close to the shore.

The fishermen had gone away from them and were washing the nets.

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon: "Push off into deep water, and throw out your nets for a haul."

"We have been hard at work all night, Sir," answered Simon, "and have not caught anything, but, at your bidding, I will throw out the nets."

So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them; and they came and filled both the boats so full of fish that they were almost sinking.

For he and all who were with him were lost in amazement at the haul of fish which they had made;

And so, too, were James and John, Zebediah's sons, who were Simon's partners. "Do not be afraid," Jesus said to Simon; "from to-day you shall 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."

And then Jesus impressed upon him that he was not to say a word to any one, "but," he added, "set out and show yourself to the priest, and make the offerings for your cleansing, in the manner directed by Moses, as evidence of your cure."

On one of those days, when Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and Doctors of the Law were sitting near by. (They had come from all the villages in Galilee and Judea, and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was upon Jesus, so that he could work cures.)

When he saw their faith, Jesus said: "Friend, your sins have been forgiven you."

When Jesus became aware of the way in which they were debating, he turned to them and exclaimed: "What are you debating with yourselves?

Which is the easier?--to say 'Your sins have been forgiven you'? or to say 'Get up, and walk about'?

But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"-- he spoke to the paralyzed man-- "To you I say, Get up, and take up your pallet, and go to your home."

The people, one and all, were lost in amazement, and praised God; and in great awe they said: "We have seen marvelous things to-day!"

And Levi gave a great entertainment at his house, in honor of Jesus; and a large number of tax-gatherers and others were at table with them.

In answer Jesus said: "It is not those who are well that need a doctor, but those who are ill.

"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!"

One Sabbath Jesus was walking through cornfields, and hi disciples were picking the ears of wheat, and rubbing them in their hands, and eating them.

"Why are you doing what it is not allowable to do on the Sabbath?" asked some of the Pharisees.

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?"

And Jesus said to them: "I ask you, is it allowable to do good on the Sabbath--or harm? to save a life, or let it perish?"

Then, looking round at them all, he said to the man: "Stretch out your hand." The man did so; and his hand had become sound.

But the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees were goaded to madness, and consulted together what they could do to Jesus.

They were Simon (whom Jesus also named Peter), and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,

Afterwards Jesus came down the hill with them and took his stand on a level place. With him were a large crowd of his disciples, and great numbers of people from the whole of Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast district of Tyre and Sidon,

Who had come to hear him and to be restored to health. Those, too, who were troubled with foul spirits were cured;

Then, raising his eyes and looking at his disciples, Jesus spoke as follows: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God.

Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they expel you from among them, and taunt you, and reject your Name as an evil thing--on account of the Son of Man.

Then indeed you may be glad and dance for joy, for be sure that your reward in Heaven will be great; for that is what their ancestors did to the Prophets.

But 'alas for you who are rich,' for you have had your comforts in full.

Alas for you who are sated now, for you will hunger. Alas for you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.

But to you who hear I say--Love your enemies, show kindness to those who hate you,

When a man gives one of you a blow on the cheek, offer the other cheek as well; and, when any one takes away your cloak, do not keep back your coat either.

But love your enemies, and show them kindness, and lend to them, never despairing. Then your reward shall be great, and you shall be Sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the thankless and the bad.

Learn to be merciful--even as your Father is merciful.

Give, and others will give to you. A generous measure, pressed and shaken down, and running over, will they pour into your lap; For the measure that you mete will be meted out to you in return."

And why do you look at the straw in your brother's eye, while you pay no attention at all to the beam in your own?

How can you say to your brother 'Brother, let me take out the straw in your eye,' while you yourself do not see the beam in your own? Hypocrite! Take out the beam from your own eye first, and then you will see clearly how to take out the straw in your brother's.

There is no such thing as a good tree bearing worthless fruit, or, on the other hand, a worthless tree bearing good fruit.

"For he is devoted to our nation, and himself built our Synagogue for us."

Just as he approached the gate of the town, there was a dead man being carried out for burial--an only son, and his mother was a widow. A large number of the people of the town were with her.