But because you did not believe my announcement, which will be fulfilled at its proper time, you will become silent and unable to speak until the day this happens."

Mary asked the angel, "How can this happen, since I have not had relations with a man?"

but his mother said, "Absolutely not! He must be named John."

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, watching their flock during the night.

It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah.

and then as a widow for 84 years. She never left the Temple, but continued to worship there night and day with times of fasting and prayer.

When the days of the festival were over, they left for home. The young man Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it.

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

But they did not understand what he told them.

The ax already lies against the roots of the trees. So every tree not producing good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire."

John replied to all of them, "I'm baptizing you with water, but one is coming who is more powerful than I, and I'm not worthy to untie his sandal straps. It is he who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Jesus answered him, "It is written, "One must not live on bread alone, but on every word of God.'"

Jesus answered him, "It has been said, "You must not tempt the Lord your God.'"

He added, "I tell all of you with certainty, a prophet is not accepted in his hometown.

There were also many lepers in Israel in the prophet Elisha's time, yet not one of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian."

Even demons came out of many people, screaming, "You are the Son of God!" But Jesus rebuked them and ordered them not to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.

Simon answered, "Master, we have worked hard all night and caught nothing. But if you say so, I'll lower the nets."

But Jesus answered them, "Healthy people don't need a physician, but sick people do.

I have not come to call righteous people, but sinners, to repentance."

How was it that he went into the house of God, took the Bread of the Presence and ate it, which was not lawful for anyone but the priests to eat, and then gave some of it to his companions?"

Now it was in those days that Jesus went to a mountain to pray, and he spent the whole night in prayer to God.

Keep on giving to everyone who asks you for something, and if anyone takes what is yours, do not insist on getting it back.

A disciple is not better than his teacher. But everyone who is fully-trained will be like his teacher.

So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to tell Jesus, "Sir, stop troubling yourself, because I'm not worthy to have you come under my roof.

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found this kind of faith!"

How blessed is anyone who is not offended by me!"

They're like little children who sit in the marketplace and shout to each other, "A wedding song we played for you, the dance you all did scorn. A woeful dirge we chanted, too, but then you would not mourn.'

You didn't give me a kiss, but this woman, from the moment I came in, has not stopped kissing my feet.

So he said, "You have been given knowledge about the secrets of the kingdom of God. But to others they are given in parables, so that "they might look but not see, and they might listen but not understand.'"

The ones on the path are the people who listen, but then the Devil comes and takes the word away from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.

When Jesus stepped out on the shore, a man from the city met him. This man was controlled by demons and had not worn clothes for a long time. He did not live in a house but in the tombs.

When he saw Jesus, he screamed, fell down in front of him, and cried out in a loud voice, "What do you want from me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you not to torture me!"

He answered, "Legion," because many demons had gone into him. Then the demons began begging Jesus not to order them to go into the bottomless pit.

Now everyone was crying and wailing for her. But Jesus said, "Stop crying! She's not dead. She's sleeping."

Her parents were amazed, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.

He gave them strict orders, commanding them not to tell this to anyone.

Jesus told him, "Don't stop him! Because whoever is not against you is for you."

But the people would not welcome him, because he was determined to go to Jerusalem.

If a peaceful person lives there, your greeting of peace will remain with him. But if that's not the case, your greeting will come back to you.

But there's only one thing you need. Mary has chosen what is better, and it is not to be taken away from her."

"Five sparrows are sold for two pennies, aren't they? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.

But God told him, "You fool! This very night your life will be demanded back from you. Now who will get the things you've accumulated?'

Consider how the lilies grow. They don't work or spin yarn, but I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them.

because it is the unbelievers who are concerned about all these things. Surely your Father knows that you need them!

How blessed they will be if their master comes in the middle of the night or near dawn and finds them awake!

But be sure of this: if the homeowner had known at what time the thief were coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into.

Do you think that I came to bring peace on earth? Not at all, I tell you, but rather division!

Absolutely not, I tell you! But if you don't repent, then you, too, will all die.

Absolutely not, I tell you! But if you don't repent, then you, too, will all die."

Maybe next year it will bear fruit. If not, then cut it down.'"

But the synagogue leader, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, told the crowd, "There are six days when work is to be done. So come on those days to be healed, and not on the Sabbath day."

But I must be on my way today, tomorrow, and the next day, because it's not possible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.'

Look! Your house is left vacant to you. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, "How blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!'"

So Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the Law, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?"

Every single one of them began asking to be excused. The first told him, "I bought a field, and I need to go out and inspect it. Please excuse me.'

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, as well as his own life, he can't be my disciple.

In the same way, I tell you that there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who don't need to repent."

After he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need.

"Then the servant manager told himself, "What should I do? My master is taking my position away from me. I'm not strong enough to plow, and I'm ashamed to beg.

"Then Abraham told him, "If your brothers do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded, even if someone were to rise from the dead.'"

Of course not. Instead, he would say to him, "Get dinner ready for me, and put on your apron and wait on me until I eat and drink. Then you can eat and drink.'

Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come. He answered them, "The kingdom of God is not coming with a visible display.

Then Jesus told the disciples, "The time will come during which you will long to see one of these days when the Son of Man is with you, but you will not see it.

"The person who is on the housetop that day must not come down to get his belongings out of his house. The person in the field, too, must not turn back to what's left behind.

I tell you, two will be seated on the same couch that night. The one will be taken, and the other will be left behind.

Jesus told his disciples a parable about their need to pray all the time and never give up.

Won't God grant his chosen people justice when they cry out to him day and night? Is he slow to help them?

The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, "O God, I thank you that I'm not like other people thieves, dishonest people, adulterers, or even this tax collector.

"But the tax collector stood at a distance and would not even look up to heaven. Instead, he continued to beat his chest and said, "O God, be merciful to me, the sinner that I am!'

Now some people were even bringing their infants to Jesus to have him touch them. But when the disciples saw this, they sternly told the people not to do that.

When Jesus heard this, he told him, "You still need to do one thing. Sell everything you have and give the money to the destitute, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come back and follow me."

who will not receive many times as much in this world, as well as eternal life in the age to come."

They will level you to the ground you and those who live within your city limits. They will not leave one stone on another within your walls, because you didn't recognize the time when you were visited."

Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"

He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, because he considers all people to be alive to him."

"As for these things that you see, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another that won't be knocked down."

He said, "Be careful that you are not deceived, because many will come in my name and say, "I AM' and, "The time has come.' Don't follow them.

So purpose in your hearts not to prepare your defense ahead of time,

And yet not a hair on your head will be lost.

Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains, those inside the city must leave it, and those in the countryside must not go into it,

"Constantly be on your guard so that your hearts will not be loaded down with self-indulgence, drunkenness, and the worries of this life, or that day will take you by surprise

Now during the day Jesus would teach in the Temple, but when evening came he would go out and spend the night on what is called the Mount of Olives.

But you are not to do so. On the contrary, the greatest among you should become like the youngest, and the one who leads should become like the one who serves.

but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail. When you have come back, you must strengthen your brothers."

But Jesus said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you deny three times that you know me."

When he arrived, he told them, "Keep on praying that you may not be tempted."

"Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done."

He asked them, "Why are you sleeping? Get up and keep on praying that you may not be tempted."

A little later, a man looked at him and said, "You are one of them, too." But Peter said, "Mister, I am not!"

"Why do we need any more testimony?" they asked. "We have heard it ourselves from his own mouth!"

Then Pilate told the high priests and crowds, "I do not find anything chargeable in this man."

and told them, "You brought this man to me as one who turns the people against the government. And here in your presence I have examined him and have found him "Not Guilty' of the charges you make against him.

he had not voted for their plan and action from the Jewish town of Arimathea; and he was waiting for the kingdom of God.

He is not here, but has been raised. Remember what he told you while he was still in Galilee:

But what they said seemed nonsense to them, so they did not believe them.