just as they were delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word,

And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.

And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.

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

And the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple.

And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.

And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.

Then Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

And she exclaimed with a loud voice, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

For behold, as soon as the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy.

as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever."

They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name."

And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea;

that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,

To perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,

the oath which he swore to our father Abraham:

to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear,

in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.

through the tender mercy of our God, with which the sunrise from on high will visit us;

to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."

And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered.

And in that region there were shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.

And all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.

and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons."

"Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word;

for my eyes have seen your salvation

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

(and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

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

His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.

And when the feast was over, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it,

And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

And when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously."

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,

Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

Likewise the soldiers asked him, "And what shall we do?" So he said to them, "Rob no one by violence or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages."

As the people were in expectation, and all men questioned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he were the Christ,

When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was also baptized. And as he was praying, the heaven was opened

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

the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,

And the devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread."

And Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.'"

He took him to Jerusalem, set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here;

and, 'In their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'"

And Jesus answered him, "It is said, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'"

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.

And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written:

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

to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."

Then he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.

And he began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

He said to them, "Surely you will quote this proverb to me: 'Physician, heal yourself! Do here also in your own country what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.'"

But I tell you truly, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land;

And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha; and not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian."

When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath.

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

And they were all amazed and said to one another, "What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!"

When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.

And demons also came out of many, crying, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them, and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

And he saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.

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

And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and caught nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets."

And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their nets were breaking.

For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken;

and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men."

While he was in one of the cities, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and begged him, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean."

And he charged him to tell no one, "But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded."

One day as he was teaching, there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal.

When he saw their faith he said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."

But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts?

Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise up and walk'?

But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"he said to the man who was paralyzed "I say to you, rise, take up your bed and go home."

And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, "We have seen strange things today."

Then Levi made him a great feast in his house; and there were a great number of tax collectors and others sitting at table with them.

And Jesus answered them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

But some of the Pharisees said, "Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?"

Jesus answered them, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him:

Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?"

And he looked around at them all, and said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did so, and his hand was restored.

But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.

and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured.

He lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: "Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.

Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.

But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.

Woe to you who are full now, for you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.

"But I say to you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic.

Give to everyone who asks of you, and from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.

But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For he is kind to the ungrateful and evil.

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you."

And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not notice the plank in your own eye?

Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? You hypocrite! First take the plank from out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye.

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

And John, calling to him two of his disciples, sent them to the Lord, saying, "Are you the One who is to come, or shall 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 shall we look for another?'"