just as they reported them to us, who were from beginning eye-witnesses and ministers of the word,

who was a descendant of Aaron. They were both righteous in the sight of the Lord, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the law, blameless.

Now they had no child, for Elizabeth was barren, and both were far advanced in years.

And the whole multitude of the people were without, praying at the hour of incense.

But the Angel said to him. "Do not be afraid, Zachariah, because your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.

Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zachariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the sanctuary.

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

"And behold your kinswoman, Elizabeth, she also has conceived a son in her old age, and this was the sixth month with her that was called barren.

and called out with a loud cry. "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is your unborn child!

"For behold when the sound of your salutation reached my ears, the babe leaped with joy within my womb.

"As he spoke to our forefathers, to Abraham and his offspring forever."

and came on the eighth day to circumcise the child. They were about to call him "Zachariah," after his father,

And there came a great fear upon all in the neighborhood; and throughout the hill country of Judea all these sayings were much talked about.

To deliver us from our enemies, and from the power Of all who hate us.

"He showed mercy to our forefathers, He remembered his holy covenant,

"The oath which he swore to Abraham, our forefather,

"That he we should be delivered out of the Hand of our enemies, And should serve him without fear,

"In holiness and righteousness before him All our days.

"Through the heart of mercy of our God, Whereby the Dayspring from on high shall visit us,

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

But while they were there the days were fulfilled for her delivery.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night.

And all who heard it were astonished at the things which were told to them by the shepherds.

And they also offered a sacrifice as commanded in the Law of the Lord A pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.

And while his father and mother were marveling at the words that were spoken concerning him, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother.

Yea, and a sword shall pierce through your own soul also, that the thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed."

She came up at that very hour, and gave thanks to God, and spoke of the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Now his parents were accustomed to go up to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover.

All that heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

When they saw him they were astonished, and his mother said to him "Child, why have you treated us so? Behold your father and I have been looking for you in anguish."

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

So John used to say to the crowd of those who were going out to be baptized by him. "You breed of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Then bring forth fruit befitting your penitence, and do not begin to say to yourselves, "We have Abraham as our father." I tell you that God is able to raise up sons to Abraham out of these stones.

The soldiers also repeatedly questioned him, saying, "And we, what shall we do?" "Do not intimidate any one," he replied, "nor lay false charges, and be content with your pay."

And while the people were in expectation, and all men were debating in their hearts about John,

whether perhaps he were the Christ, John answered, saying to all of them. "I indeed am baptizing you in water, but One is coming after me, mightier than I, whose shoe-latchet I am not worthy to unloose. He shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and in fire.

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

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

Then he brought him to Jerusalem, and caused him to stand upon the Temple roof, and said to him. "If you really are the Son of God throw yourself down here;

Then he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up. and, as was his custom, he entered into the synagogue on the Sabbath Day, and stood up to read.

And there was handed him the roll of the prophet Isaiah; and unrolling it he found the place where it was written,

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me Because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, He has sent me to proclaim release to the prisoners, And recovery of sight to the blind; To set at liberty those that are bruised,

To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.

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."

Jesus answered. "Doubtless you will quote the proverb to me, 'Physician, heal thyself!' Do also here in your own country all that we hear that you have done in Capernaum."

In very truth I tell you there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were closed for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land;

"And there were many lepers in Israel in the days of the prophet Elisha, yet none of them was cleansed but only Naaman the Syrian."

When they had heard these words, those in the synagogue were filled with fury;

They were deeply impressed by his teaching because his speech was with authority.

"Ha! Jesus of Nazareth, what business have you with us? Are you come to destroy us? I know you who you are, you holy one of God!"

All were amazed, and began to ask one another, saying. "What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits and they come out."

Now when he rose and left the synagogue, he entered into the house of Simon, where Simon's mother-in-law lay sick of a great fever. And they kept entreating him for her.

Demons also came out of many, screaming and saying, "You are the Son of God." But he rebuked them, and did not permit them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

But he saw two fishing-boats on the shore of the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets.

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Push out into deep water, and let down your nets for a haul."

"Master," answered Simon, "although we toiled all night, we took nothing; but at your bidding I will let down the nets."

(For he was amazed, and all who were with him, at the haul of fish which they had made;

and so were Simon's partners, James and John, sons of Zebedee.) But Jesus answered Simon. "Fear not; from this time on, you will be catching men."

And instantly the leprosy left him. Jesus ordered him to tell no one, "But be off," he said, "show yourself to the priest, and make the offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a testimony to them."

One day he was teaching, and near to him were seated Pharisees and teachers of the Law, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was with him to heal.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you!"

"What is this caviling in your hearts? Which is easier to say, "Your sins are forgiven," or to say, "Rise and walk?"

But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins (he said to the paralytic), "I bid you rise, take up your bed, and go to your house."

Astonishment fell upon them all, and they began to glorify God, and they were filled with awe, and they said, "We have seen strange things today."

Levi also made him a great reception at his house. There was a large party of tax-gatherers and others who were dining with them.

And the Pharisees and their scribes began complaining to his disciples, saying, "Why are you eating and drinking with tax-gatherers and sinners?"

Jesus answered them saying. "They who are well have no need of a physician, but they who are ill.

Again they said unto him. "Why do the disciples of John fast frequently, and make supplications, as also do the disciples of the Pharisees, but your disciples are eating and drinking?"

It happened that on a Sabbath he was going through the wheat-fields. His disciples were picking the ears and eating the wheat, rubbing it out with their hands.

And some of the Pharisees asked, "Why are you doing what it is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?"

"Have you never read," answered Jesus, "what David did when he and his followers were hungry?

So he rose and stood. Then Jesus said to them. "I ask you whether it is lawful on the Sabbath Day to do good or to do harm? To save a life or to destroy it?"

Then he looked round about on them in anger, and said to him, "Stretch out your hand!"

He did so; and his hand was restored. But they were filled with fury, and they began to talk over together what they could do to Jesus.

They were Simon, whom he had also called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John;

With these he came down till he reached a level place, where there was a great crowd of his disciples and a great many people from all Judea and Jerusalem and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon. These came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases.

Those who were tormented by unclean spirits were healed also.

The whole crowd were trying to touch him, because power emanated from him and cured them all.

Then raising his eyes upon his disciples he began to say to them. "Blessed are you poor, For the kingdom of God is yours.

"Blessed are you who are hungry now, For you shall be filled. "Blessed are you who are wailing now, For you shall laugh.

"Blessed are you when men shall hate you, And excommunicate you and reproach you, and cast out your name as evil because of the Son of man.

"Rejoice in that day and exult, For your reward is great in heaven; For even so did their fathers to the prophets.

"But woe to you rich! For you already have received your consolation.

"Woe unto you who are full now! For you shall suffer hunger. "Woe to you who are laughing now! For you shall wail and weep.

"But to you who are listening to me I say, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

To him who gives you a blow on the jaw Turn the other jaw also; And from him who is robbing you of your cloak Withhold not your coat also.

Give to every one who asks you; And do not demand your goods back from him who is taking them away.

"And if you are kind to those who are kind to you, what credit is it to you? Even sinners do the same.

"And if you lend to those from whom you are hoping to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, so as to get as much back.

"But you must love even your enemies and be kind to them, And lend, despairing of no man. Then your reward will be great, And you will be the sons of the Most High; For he is kind even to the ungrateful and to the evil.

"Do you therefore be merciful, As your Father is merciful.

"Pardon, and you shall be pardoned; Give, and gifts shall be given to you; Full measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they shall pour into your bosom. For with what measure you measure, they will measure back to you."

"And why do you look at the splinter that is in your brother's eye, but never consider the beam that is in your own eye?

"Or how can you say to your brother. "Brother, allow me to pull that splinter out of your eye," when you do not see the beam in your own eye? Hypocrite! Take out first the beam from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the splinter from your brother's eye.

"You do not gather figs from thorns, and grapes are not plucked from a bramble-bush.

"And why are you calling me Lord, Lord, and not doing what I tell you?

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

"For I also am a man obedient to authority, and have soldiers under me. And I say to one 'come,' and he comes, and to my slave 'do this or that,' and he does it."

Now when he drew near the gate of the city, behold, they were there carrying out one who was dead, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.

and, calling a certain two disciples to him, he sent them to Jesus, to say, "Are you 'the coming one,' or if we are to expect another?"