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

"This is what the Lord has done for me at the time when he has been gracious to me, to take away my disgrace among people."

"And look, your relative Elizabeth has also become pregnant with a son in her old age -- although she was called barren, she is now in her sixth month!

and my spirit has begun to rejoice in God my Savior,

because he has looked upon the humble state of his servant. For from now on all generations will call me blessed,

because he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name;

He has demonstrated power with his arm; he has scattered those whose pride wells up from the sheer arrogance of their hearts.

He has brought down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up those of lowly position;

he has filled the hungry with good things, and has sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy,

"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because he has come to help and has redeemed his people.

For he has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,

He has done this to show mercy to our ancestors, and to remember his holy covenant --

When the angels left them and went back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, that the Lord has made known to us."

John answered them, "The person who has two tunics must share with the person who has none, and the person who has food must do likewise."

And he said to him, "To you I will grant this whole realm -- and the glory that goes along with it, for it has been relinquished to me, and I can give it to anyone I wish.

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and the regaining of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed,

Then he began to tell them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled even as you heard it being read."

But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" -- he said to the paralyzed man -- "I tell you, stand up, take your stretcher and go home."

Fear seized them all, and they began to glorify God, saying, "A great prophet has appeared among us!" and "God has come to help his people!"

When the men came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?'"

For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, 'He has a demon!'

The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look at him, a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'

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

You gave me no kiss of greeting, but from the time I entered she has not stopped kissing my feet.

You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfumed oil.

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

But other seed fell on good soil and grew, and it produced a hundred times as much grain." As he said this, he called out, "The one who has ears to hear had better listen!"

So listen carefully, for whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him."

"Return to your home, and declare what God has done for you." So he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole town what Jesus had done for him.

But Jesus said, "Someone touched me, for I know that power has gone out from me."

Then he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace."

They answered, "John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others that one of the prophets of long ago has risen."

Jesus said to him, "Foxes have dens and the birds in the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

Heal the sick in that town and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come upon you!'

Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this: The kingdom of God has come.'

But Martha was distracted with all the preparations she had to make, so she came up to him and said, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do all the work alone? Tell her to help me."

but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the best part; it will not be taken away from her."

Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,

because a friend of mine has stopped here while on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him.'

But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has already overtaken you.

so that this generation may be held accountable for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world,

But I will warn you whom you should fear: Fear the one who, after the killing, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!

But the one who did not know his master's will and did things worthy of punishment will receive a light beating. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required, and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be asked.

Then he said to them, "Which of you, if you have a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?"

Then the slave said, 'Sir, what you instructed has been done, and there is still room.'

For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn't sit down first and compute the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?

Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish the tower, all who see it will begin to make fun of him.

It is of no value for the soil or for the manure pile; it is to be thrown out. The one who has ears to hear had better listen!"

"Which one of you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go look for the one that is lost until he finds it?

Then when he has found it, he places it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

"Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search thoroughly until she finds it?

Then when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.'

The slave replied, 'Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he got his son back safe and sound.'

But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!'

"The law and the prophets were in force until John; since then, the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is urged to enter it.

Besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us, so that those who want to cross over from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.'

Then he said to the man, "Get up and go your way. Your faith has made you well."

Then Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, there is no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of God's kingdom

Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you."

And when the people saw it, they all complained, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner."

Then Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this household, because he too is a son of Abraham!

So the first one came before him and said, 'Sir, your mina has made ten minas more.'

Then the second one came and said, 'Sir, your mina has made five minas.'

And he said to his attendants, 'Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has ten.'

But they said to him, 'Sir, he has ten minas already!'

I tell you that everyone who has will be given more, but from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

telling them, "Go to the village ahead of you. When you enter it, you will find a colt tied there that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here.

But Jesus looked straight at them and said, "Then what is the meaning of that which is written: 'The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone'?

He said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put in more than all of them.

"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.

For the Son of Man is to go just as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!"

"Simon, Simon, pay attention! Satan has demanded to have you all, to sift you like wheat,

He said to them, "But now, the one who has a money bag must take it, and likewise a traveler's bag too. And the one who has no sword must sell his cloak and buy one.

Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, he has done nothing deserving death.

A third time he said to them, "Why? What wrong has he done? I have found him guilty of no crime deserving death. I will therefore flog him and release him."

And we rightly so, for we are getting what we deserve for what we did, but this man has done nothing wrong."

He is not here, but has been raised! Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee,

and saying, "The Lord has really risen, and has appeared to Simon!"