it fell to him by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter into the temple of the Lord to burn incense.

And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.

And Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear came on him.

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

For he will be great in the sight of the Lord and he will not drink any wine or intoxicating drinks [Note: This restriction suggests that John may have taken the special vow of consecration making him a "Nazarite"]. And he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the time he is born.

And through him great numbers of the children of Israel will be turned to the Lord their God.

And he will go on 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 righteous, to prepare for the Lord a people made ready."

And the angel answered [and] said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news.

When she saw him, she was abashed at his saying: and cast in her mind what manner of salutation that should be.

Listen! You will become pregnant and bear a son, and you must name Him Jesus.

He will be great, and will be named the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God will give him the kingdom of David, his father:

His mercy is for all generations in whom is the fear of him.

“He has helped His servant Israel,
In remembrance of His mercy,

And on the eighth day they came to see to the circumcision of the child, and they would have given him the name of Zacharias, his father's name;

And they made signs to his father, to say what name was to be given to him.

And all who had word of them kept them in their minds and said, What will this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him.

That we, being made free from the fear of those who are against us, might give him worship,

In righteousness and holy living before him all our days.

And you moreover, O child, shall be called Prophet of the Most High; For you shall go on in front before the Lord to prepare the way for Him,

And the child grew and became strong in character, and lived in the Desert till the time came for him to appear publicly to Israel.

to be registered together with Mary, who was legally promised in marriage to him [and] was pregnant.

And she had her first son; and folding him in linen, she put him to rest in the place where the cattle had their food, because there was no room for them in the house.

and by this sign shall you know him; you will find the babe swathed, lying in a manger.

"Glory to God in highest heaven! And peace on earth to men who please him."

when they had seen him, they divulged what the angel had told them concerning this child.

And the shepherds went back glorifying God and praising him for all that they had heard and seen in fulfilment of what they had been told.

And when, after eight days, the time came for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name which the angel had given to him before his birth.

And when the necessary days for making them clean by the law of Moses had come to an end, they took him to Jerusalem to give him to the Lord

And there was then in Jerusalem a man whose name was Simeon; and he was an upright man, fearing God and waiting for the comfort of Israel: and the Holy Spirit was on him.

And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit [that he would] not see death before he would see the Lord's Christ.

And full of the Spirit he came into the Temple; and when the father and mother came in with the child Jesus, to do with him what was ordered by the law,

Then he took him in his arms and gave praise to God and said,

And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.

And his father and mother were full of wonder at the things which were said about him.

Then Simeon [asked God to] bless them and said to Jesus' mother Mary, "Look, many Israelites will be caused to fall [i.e., into spiritual ruin] or rise [i.e., to spiritual renewal] because of Him. And [He will be] a 'sign' [for people] to speak against,

Indeed, as a result of him the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed -- and a sword will pierce your own soul as well!"

And coming up at that time, she gave praise to God, talking of him to all those who were waiting for the freeing of Jerusalem.

And the child became tall and strong and full of wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

And in the belief that he was with some of their number, they went a day's journey; and after looking for him among their relations and friends,

And seeing that he was not there, they went back to Jerusalem, to make search for him.

And after three days they came across him in the Temple, seated among the wise men, giving ear to their words and putting questions to them.

And all who heard him were amazed at his insight and [his] answers.

And when they saw him they were surprised, and his mother said to him, Son, why have you done this to us? see, your father and I have been looking for you with sorrow.

Then he went down along with them to Nazaret, and did as they told him. His mother treasured up everything in her heart.

and he went into all the Jordan-district preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins ??4 as it is written in the book of the sayings of the prophet Isaiah, The voice of one who cries in the desert, 'Make the way ready for the Lord, level the paths for him.

as it is written in the sermon-book of the prophet Isaiah: "Here is a voice of one shouting in the desert, 'Get the road ready for the Lord, make the paths straight for Him.

So he said to the people who went out to him for baptism: You offspring of snakes, at whose word are you going in flight from the wrath to come?

And the people put questions to him, saying, What have we to do?

And he made answer and said to them, He who has two coats, let him give to him who has not even one; and he who has food, let him do the same.

Then tax-farmers came to him for baptism and said to him, Master, what have we to do?

And men of the army put questions to him, saying, And what have we to do? And he said to them, Do no violent acts to any man, and do not take anything without right, and let your payment be enough for you.

But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him concerning Herodias, his brother's wife, and concerning all the evil deeds that Herod had done,

Now it happened when all the people had been immersed [by John], that Jesus was also immersed [by him]. And while Jesus was praying, heaven was opened

and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."

and for forty days he was led by the Spirit in the desert, while the devil tempted him. During these days he ate nothing, and when they were over he felt hungry.

And the Evil One said to him, If you are the Son of God, give orders to this stone to become bread.

And Jesus made answer to him, It has been said in the Writings, Bread is not man's only need.

And he took him up and let him see all the kingdoms of the earth in a minute of time.

And the devil said to him, "I will give you all this domain and their glory, because it has been handed over to me, and I can give it to whomever I want.

And Jesus in answer said to him, It has been said in the Writings, Give worship to the Lord your God, and be his servant only.

And he took him to Jerusalem and put him on the highest point of the Temple and said to him, If you are the Son of God, let yourself go down from here; for it is said in the Writings,

And Jesus made answer and said to him, It is said in the Writings, You may not put the Lord your God to the test.

And when all these tests were ended the Evil One went away from him for a time.

And Jesus came back to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and the news of him went through all the country round about.

And he was teaching in their Synagogues and all men gave him praise.

And he came to Nazareth, where he was brought up. And according to that which was customary to him, he entered into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.

And the book of the prophet Isaiah was given to him and, opening the book, he came on the place where it is said,

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because I am marked out by him to give good news to the poor; he has sent me to make well those who are broken-hearted; to say that the prisoners will be let go, and the blind will see, and to make the wounded free from their chains,

And shutting the book he gave it back to the servant and took his seat: and the eyes of all in the Synagogue were fixed on him.

The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him, and he began to say to them, "Today is this scripture fulfilled in your hearing."

And they were all speaking well of him, and were astonished at the gracious words that were coming out of his mouth. And they were saying, "Is this man not the son of Joseph?"

upon hearing this, the whole synagogue were incensed against him.

And they got up and took him out of the town to the edge of the mountain on which their town was, so that they might send him down to his death.

In the Synagogue there was a man with the spirit of a foul demon in him, who called out loudly:

And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst, he came out of him, having done him no hurt.

And there went forth a rumor concerning him into every place of the region round about.

And he rose up from the synagogue, and entered into the house of Simon. And Simon's wife's mother was holden with a great fever; and they besought him for her.

And when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.

and demons also went out from many, crying out and saying, Thou art the Son of God. And rebuking them, he suffered them not to speak, because they knew him to be the Christ.

And when it was day, he came out and went into a desert place: and the multitudes sought after him, and came unto him, and would have stayed him, that he should not go from them.

Now it came to pass, while the multitude pressed upon him and heard the word of God, that he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret;

And he entered into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the multitudes out of the boat.

And Simon answering said to him, Master, having laboured through the whole night we have taken nothing, but at thy word I will let down the net.

And he made signs to his companions in the other ship to come and help him; and they came, and filled both ships, so that they began to sink.

For he was amazed, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken;

And when they had brought their boats to land, they left all, and followed him.

And it came to pass, while he was in one of the cities, behold, a man full of leprosy: and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

And he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou made clean. And straightway the leprosy departed from him.

And he charged him to tell no man: but go thy way, and show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

But so much the more went abroad the report concerning him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed of their infirmities.

And it came to pass on one of those days, that he was teaching; and there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, who were come out of every village of Galilee and Judaea and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was with him to heal.

And behold, men bring on a bed a man that was palsied: and they sought to bring him in, and to lay him before him.

And not finding by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went up to the housetop, and let him down through the tiles with his couch into the midst before Jesus.

When he saw their faith he said unto him, "Man, thy sins are forgiven thee."

But that ye may know that the Son of man hath authority on earth to forgive sins (he said unto him that was palsied), I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go unto thy house.

And after these things he went forth, and beheld a publican, named Levi, sitting at the place of toll, and said unto him, Follow me.

And he forsook all, and rose up and followed him.

And Levi made him a great feast in his house: and there was a great multitude of publicans and of others that were sitting at meat with them.

I came not to call saints, but sinners to repentance. Then they ask'd him, how comes it that John's disciples,

And they said unto him, The disciples of John fast often, and make supplications; likewise also the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink.