just as they were passed down to us by those who had been eyewitnesses and servants of the word from the beginning,

Both of them were righteous before God, having lived blamelessly according to all of the commandments and regulations of the Lord.

They had no children because Elizabeth was barren and because both of them were getting old.

But the angel told him, "Stop being afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to name him John.

because he will be great in the Lord's presence. He will never drink wine or any strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.

When the days of his service were over, he went home.

The angel came to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you!"

Listen! You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus.

And listen! Elizabeth, your relative, has herself conceived a son in her old age, this woman who was rumored to be barren is in her sixth month.

and she loudly exclaimed, "How blessed are you among women, and how blessed is the infant in your womb!

As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.

He displayed his mighty power with his arm. He scattered people who were proud in mind and heart.

according to the promise he made to our ancestors to Abraham and his descendants forever."

On the eighth day they went to circumcise the child. They were going to name him Zechariah after his father,

Their friends told her, "None of your relatives has that name."

Fear came over all their neighbors, and throughout the hill country of Judea all these things were being discussed.

that he would save us from our enemies and from the grip of all who hate us.

He has shown mercy to our ancestors and remembered his holy covenant,

the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham.

He granted us deliverance from our enemies' grip so that we could serve him without fear

and be holy and righteous before him all of our days.

Because of the tender mercy of our God, his light from on high has visited us,

to shine on those who sit in darkness and in death's shadow, and to guide our feet into the way of peace."

While they were there, the time came for her to have her baby,

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

An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

Today your Savior, the Lord Messiah, was born in the City of David.

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

They also offered a sacrifice according to what is specified in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."

"Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace according to your promise,

because my eyes have seen your salvation,

a light that will reveal salvation to unbelievers and bring glory to your people Israel."

Indeed, a sword will pierce your own soul, too, so that the inner thoughts of many people might be revealed."

Every year Jesus' parents would go to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival.

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.

All who heard him were amazed at his intelligence and his answers.

When Jesus' parents saw him, they were shocked. His mother asked him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been worried sick looking for you!"

He asked them, "Why were you looking for me? Didn't you know that I had to be in my Father's house?"

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

John would say to the crowds that were coming out to be baptized by him, "You children of serpents! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

He told them, "Stop collecting more money than the amount you are told to collect."

Even some soldiers were asking him, "And what should we do?" He told them, "Never extort money from anyone by threats or blackmail, and be satisfied with your pay."

Now the people were filled with expectation, and all of them were wondering if John was perhaps the Messiah.

and the Holy Spirit descended on him, appearing in the form of a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, saying, "You are my Son, whom I love. I am pleased with you!"

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

where he was being tempted by the Devil for 40 days. During that time he ate nothing at all, and when they were over he became hungry.

The Devil told him, "Since you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread."

But Jesus answered him, "It is written, "You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.'"

The Devil also took him into Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the Temple. He told Jesus, "Since you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here,

With their hands they will hold you up, so that you will never hit your foot against a rock.'"

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

Then Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been raised. As was his custom, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. When he stood up to read,

the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written,

and to announce the year of the Lord's favor."

Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. While the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him,

So he told them, "You will probably quote this proverb to me, "Doctor, heal yourself! Do everything here in your hometown that we hear you did in Capernaum.'"

I'm telling you the truth there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when it didn't rain for three years and six months and there was a severe famine everywhere in the land.

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

They were utterly amazed at what he taught, because his message was spoken with authority.

"Oh, no! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are the Holy One of God!"

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.

He saw two boats lying on the shore, but the fishermen had stepped out of them and were washing their nets.

When he had finished speaking, he told Simon, "Push out into deep water, and lower your nets for a catch."

because Simon and all the people who were with him were amazed at the number of fish they had caught,

and so were James and John, Zebedee's sons and Simon's partners.

Then Jesus ordered him, "Don't tell anyone. Instead, go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, as proof to the authorities."

Some men were bringing a paralyzed man on a stretcher. They were trying to take him into the house and place him in front of Jesus.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Mister, your sins are forgiven."

Because Jesus knew that they were arguing, he asked them, "Why are you arguing about this among yourselves?

Which is easier: to say, "Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, "Get up and walk'?

But so you'll know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"." he told the paralyzed man, "I say to you: Get up, pick up your stretcher, and go home!"

Amazement seized all the people, and they began to praise God. They were filled with fear and declared, "We have seen wonderful things today!"

Later, Levi gave a large banquet at his home for Jesus. A large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them.

Then they told him, "John's disciples frequently fast and pray, and so do those of the Pharisees. But your disciples keep right on eating and drinking."

One time Jesus was walking through some grain fields on a Sabbath. His disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them.

Some of the Pharisees asked, "Why are you doing what isn't lawful on Sabbath days?"

The scribes and the Pharisees were watching Jesus closely to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, in order to find a way of accusing him of doing something wrong.

But Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he told the man with the paralyzed hand, "Get up, and stand in the middle of the synagogue." So he got up and stood there.

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

He looked around at all of them and then told the man, "Hold out your hand." The man did so, and his hand was restored to health.

The others were furious and began to discuss with each other what they could do to Jesus.

They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Even those who were being tormented by unclean spirits were being healed.

Then Jesus looked at his disciples and said, "How blessed are you who are destitute, because the kingdom of God is yours!

How blessed are you who are hungry now, because you will be satisfied! How blessed are you who are crying now, because you will laugh!

"How blessed are you whenever people hate you, avoid you, insult you, and slander you because of the Son of Man!

Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because your reward in heaven is great! That's the way their ancestors used to treat the prophets.

"But how terrible it will be for you who are rich, because you have had your comfort!

How terrible it will be for you who are full now, because you will be hungry! How terrible it will be for you who are laughing now, because you will mourn and cry!

"But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you.

If someone strikes you on the cheek, offer him the other one as well, and if someone takes your coat, don't keep back your shirt, either.

Rather, love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind even to ungrateful and evil people.

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."

Give, and it will be given to you. A large quantity, pressed together, shaken down, and running over will be put into your lap, because you'll be evaluated by the same standard with which you evaluate others."

"Why do you see the speck in your brother's eye but fail to notice the beam in your own eye?

How can you say to your brother, "Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you don't see the beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you'll see clearly enough to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

because every tree is known by its own fruit. People don't gather figs from thorny plants or pick grapes from a thorn bush.

They are like a person building a house, who dug a deep hole to lay the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the floodwaters pushed against that house but couldn't shake it, because it had been founded on the rock.

After Jesus had finished saying all these things to the people who were there listening, he went to Capernaum.

because he loves our people and built our synagogue for us."

Soon afterwards, Jesus went to a city called Nain. His disciples and a large crowd were going along with him.