For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.

He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

Zechariah said to the angel, "How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."

The people were waiting for Zechariah, and they marveled that he delayed in the temple.

The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

For with God nothing will be impossible."

For at that moment when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.

Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord."

for he has looked at the humble state of his servant girl. For look, from now on all generations will call me blessed.

For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name.

His mercy is for generations of generations on those who fear him.

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

"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and worked redemption for his people;

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

And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to make ready his ways,

She brought forth her firstborn son, and she wrapped him in bands of cloth, and placed him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for see, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.

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

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

At that time there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.

for my eyes have seen your salvation,

a light for revelation to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel."

and Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, his mother, "Look, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against.

and she had been a widow for about eighty-four years), who did not depart from the temple, worshipping with fastings and petitions night and day.

Coming up at that very hour, she gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

but supposing him to be in the company, they went a day's journey, and they looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances.

When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking for him.

When they saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us this way? Look, your father and I were anxiously looking for you."

He said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be doing the works of my Father?"

He came into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming the baptism of repentance for remission of sins.

Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say among yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father;' for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

but Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias, his brother's wife, and for all the evil things which Herod had done,

and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form as a dove on him; and a voice came out of the sky, saying "You are my beloved Son. In you I am well pleased."

for forty days, being tempted by the devil. He ate nothing in those days. When they were completed, he was hungry.

The devil said to him, "I will give you all this authority, and their glory, for it has been delivered to me; and I give it to whomever I want.

for it is written, 'He will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you;'

and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word was with authority.

Amazement came on all, and they spoke together, one with another, saying, "What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out."

He rose up from the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. Simon's mother-in-law was afflicted with a great fever, and they begged him for her.

When it was day, he departed and went into an uninhabited place, and the crowds looked for him, and came to him, and held on to him, so that he would not go away from them.

But he said to them, "I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God to the other cities also. For this reason I have been sent."

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch."

But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord."

For he was amazed, and all who were with him, at the catch of fish which they had caught;

He commanded him to tell no one, "But go your way, and show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing according to what Moses commanded, for a testimony to them."

Levi made a great feast for him in his house. There was a great crowd of tax collectors and others who were reclining with them.

Jesus answered them, "Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do.

No man having drunk old wine desires new, for he says, 'The old is good.'"

how he entered into the house of God, and took and ate the show bread, and gave also to those who were with him, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests alone?"

All the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.

He lifted up his eyes to his disciples, and said, "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God.

Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.

Blessed are you when men shall hate you, and when they shall exclude and mock you, and throw out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake.

Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for look, your reward is great in heaven, for their fathers did the same thing to the prophets.

"But woe to you who are rich. For you have received your consolation.

Woe to you, you who are full now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.

Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers did the same thing to the false prophets.

bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you.

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

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

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.

"Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be given to you. For with the same measure you measure it will be measured back to you."

For there is no good tree that brings forth rotten fruit; nor again a rotten tree that brings forth good fruit.

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

The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings out that which is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings out that which is evil, for out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks.

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

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

Jesus went with them. When he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy for you to come under my roof.

For I also am a man placed under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, 'Go.' and he goes; and to another, 'Come.' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

John, calling to himself two of his disciples, sent them to the Lord, saying, "Are you the one who is coming, or should 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 should we look for another?'"

"For I tell you, among those who are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John, yet he who is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he."

For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.'

Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered into your house, and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair.

Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little."

and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward; Susanna; and many others; who provided for them from their possessions.

Those on the rock are they who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; but these have no root, who believe for a while, then fall away in time of temptation.

For nothing is hidden, that will not be revealed; nor anything secret, that will not be known and come to light.

Be careful therefore how you hear. For whoever has, to him will be given; and whoever does not have, from him will be taken away even that which he thinks he has."

His mother and brothers came to him, and they could not come near him for the crowd.

When Jesus stepped ashore, a certain man out of the city who had demons for a long time met him. He wore no clothes, and did not live in a house, but in the tombs.

For Jesus was commanding the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For the unclean spirit had often seized the man. He was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters. Breaking the bands apart, he was driven by the demon into the desert.

Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" He said, "Legion," for many demons had entered into him.

All the people of the surrounding country of the Geresenes asked him to depart from them, for they were very much afraid. He entered into the boat, and returned.

"Return to your house, and declare what great things God has done for you." He went his way, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.

When Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him.

for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as he went, the crowds pressed against him.

A woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her living on physicians, and could not be healed by any,

But Jesus said, "Someone did touch me, for I perceived that power has gone out of me."

He said to them, "Take nothing for your journey?neither staffs, nor wallet, nor bread, nor money; neither have two coats apiece.

As many as do not receive you, when you depart from that city, shake off even the dust from your feet for a testimony against them."

The day began to wear away; and the twelve came, and said to him, "Send the crowd away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and farms, and lodge, and get food, for we are here in a deserted place."

But he said to them, "You give them something to eat." They said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we should go and buy food for all these people."

For they were about five thousand men. He said to his disciples, "Make them sit down in groups of about fifty each."

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever will lose his life for my sake, the same will save it.

For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits his own self?

For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed, when he comes in his glory, and the glory of the Father, and of the holy angels.

It happened, as they were parting from him, that Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three tents: one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah," not knowing what he said.

And suddenly a man from the crowd called out, saying, "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child.

"Let these words sink into your ears, for the Son of Man will be delivered up into the hands of men."