An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.

When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and overcome with fear.

But the angel said to him:

Do not be afraid, Zechariah,
because your prayer has been heard.
Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you will name him John.

And he will go before Him
in the spirit and power of Elijah,
to turn the hearts of fathers
to their children,
and the disobedient
to the understanding of the righteous,
to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.

The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and tell you this good news.

He will be great
and will be called the Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give Him
the throne of His father David.

His mercy is from generation to generation
on those who fear Him.

When they came to circumcise the child on the eighth day, they were going to name him Zechariah, after his father.

So they motioned to his father to find out what he wanted him to be called.

All who heard about him took it to heart, saying, “What then will this child become?” For, indeed, the Lord’s hand was with him.

since we have been rescued
from our enemies’ clutches,
to serve Him without fear

to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant.

Then she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and she wrapped Him snugly in cloth and laid Him in a feeding trough—because there was no room for them at the lodging place.

And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were finished, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord

There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel’s consolation, and the Holy Spirit was on him.

It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah.

Guided by the Spirit, he entered the temple complex. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for Him what was customary under the law,

Simeon took Him up in his arms, praised God, and said:

His father and mother were amazed at what was being said about Him.

At that very moment, she came up and began to thank God and to speak about Him to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

The boy grew up and became strong, filled with wisdom, and God’s grace was on Him.

Assuming He was in the traveling party, they went a day’s journey. Then they began looking for Him among their relatives and friends.

When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for Him.

After three days, they found Him in the temple complex sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

And all those who heard Him were astounded at His understanding and His answers.

When His parents saw Him, they were astonished, and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for You.”

He then said to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

“What then should we do?” the crowds were asking him.

Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?”

Some soldiers also questioned him: “What should we do?”

He said to them, “Don’t take money from anyone by force or false accusation; be satisfied with your wages.”

But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him about Herodias, his brother’s wife, and about all the evil things Herod had done,

and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in a physical appearance like a dove. And a voice came from heaven:

You are My beloved Son.
I take delight in You!

The Devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”

But Jesus answered him, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone.”

So he took Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

The Devil said to Him, “I will give You their splendor and all this authority, because it has been given over to me, and I can give it to anyone I want.

And Jesus answered him, “It is written:

Worship the Lord your God,
and serve Him only.”

So he took Him to Jerusalem, had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here.

And Jesus answered him, “It is said: Do not test the Lord your God.”

After the Devil had finished every temptation, he departed from Him for a time.

Then Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread throughout the entire vicinity.

The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to Him, and unrolling the scroll, He found the place where it was written:

He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. And the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on Him.

They were all speaking well of Him and were amazed by the gracious words that came from His mouth, yet they said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”

They got up, drove Him out of town, and brought Him to the edge of the hill that their town was built on, intending to hurl Him over the cliff.

But Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet and come out of him!”

And throwing him down before them, the demon came out of him without hurting him at all.

And news about Him began to go out to every place in the vicinity.

After He left the synagogue, He entered Simon’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Him about her.

When the sun was setting, all those who had anyone sick with various diseases brought them to Him. As He laid His hands on each one of them, He would heal them.

When it was day, He went out and made His way to a deserted place. But the crowds were searching for Him. They came to Him and tried to keep Him from leaving them.

He got into one of the boats, which belonged to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from the land. Then He sat down and was teaching the crowds from the boat.

For he and all those with him were amazed at the catch of fish they took,

Then they brought the boats to land, left everything, and followed Him.

While He was in one of the towns, a man was there who had a serious skin disease all over him. He saw Jesus, fell facedown, and begged Him: “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

Reaching out His hand, He touched him, saying, “I am willing; be made clean,” and immediately the disease left him.

Then He ordered him to tell no one: “But go and show yourself to the priest, and offer what Moses prescribed for your cleansing as a testimony to them.”

But the news about Him spread even more, and large crowds would come together to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses.

On one of those days while He was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea, and also from Jerusalem. And the Lord’s power to heal was in Him.

Just then some men came, carrying on a mat a man who was paralyzed. They tried to bring him in and set him down before Him.

Since they could not find a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the mat through the roof tiles into the middle of the crowd before Jesus.

After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, “Follow Me!”

So, leaving everything behind, he got up and began to follow Him.

Then Levi hosted a grand banquet for Him at his house. Now there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others who were guests with them.

Then they said to Him, “John’s disciples fast often and say prayers, and those of the Pharisees do the same, but Yours eat and drink.”

Jesus answered them, “Haven’t you read what David and those who were with him did when he was hungry—

how he entered the house of God, and took and ate the sacred bread, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat? He even gave some to those who were with him.”

The scribes and Pharisees were watching Him closely, to see if He would heal on the Sabbath, so that they could find a charge against Him.

After looking around at them all, He told him, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was restored.

They came to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases; and those tormented by unclean spirits were made well.

The whole crowd was trying to touch Him, because power was coming out from Him and healing them all.

A centurion’s slave, who was highly valued by him, was sick and about to die.

When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to Him, requesting Him to come and save the life of his slave.

When they reached Jesus, they pleaded with Him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy for You to grant this,

Jesus went with them, and when He was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell Him, “Lord, don’t trouble Yourself, since I am not worthy to have You come under my roof.

Jesus heard this and was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following Him, He said, “I tell you, I have not found so great a faith even in Israel!”

Soon afterward He was on His way to a town called Nain. His disciples and a large crowd were traveling with Him.

The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.

This report about Him went throughout Judea and all the vicinity.

Then John’s disciples told him about all these things. So John summoned two of his disciples

When the men reached Him, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask You, ‘Are You the One who is to come, or should we look for someone else?’”

But since the Pharisees and experts in the law had not been baptized by him, they rejected the plan of God for themselves.)

Then one of the Pharisees invited Him to eat with him. He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.

and stood behind Him at His feet, weeping, and began to wash His feet with her tears. She wiped His feet with the hair of her head, kissing them and anointing them with the fragrant oil.

When the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching Him—she’s a sinner!”

Jesus replied to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

“Teacher,” he said, “say it.”

Since they could not pay it back, he graciously forgave them both. So, which of them will love him more?”

Simon answered, “I suppose the one he forgave more.”

“You have judged correctly,” He told him.

Those who were at the table with Him began to say among themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?”

Soon afterward He was traveling from one town and village to another, preaching and telling the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with Him,

As a large crowd was gathering, and people were flocking to Him from every town, He said in a parable:

Then His disciples asked Him, “What does this parable mean?”

Therefore take care how you listen. For whoever has, more will be given to him; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.”

Then His mother and brothers came to Him, but they could not meet with Him because of the crowd.

They came and woke Him up, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to die!” Then He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves. So they ceased, and there was a calm.

He said to them, “Where is your faith?”

They were fearful and amazed, asking one another, “Who can this be? He commands even the winds and the waves, and they obey Him!”

When He got out on land, a demon-possessed man from the town met Him. For a long time he had worn no clothes and did not stay in a house but in the tombs.

When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and said in a loud voice, “What do You have to do with me, Jesus, You Son of the Most High God? I beg You, don’t torment me!”

For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was guarded, bound by chains and shackles, he would snap the restraints and be driven by the demon into deserted places.

“What is your name?” Jesus asked him.

“Legion,” he said—because many demons had entered him.

And they begged Him not to banish them to the abyss.