Just as they were reported to us by those who from the beginning were eye-witnesses, and afterwards became bearers of the Message.

In order that you may be able to satisfy yourself of the accuracy of the story which you have heard from the lips of others.]

They were both righteous people, who lived blameless lives, guiding their steps by all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.

It fell to him by lot, in accordance with the practice among the priests, to go into the Temple of the Lord and burn incense;

But the angel said to him: " Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth shall bear you a son, whom you shall call by the name John.

He shall be to you a joy and a delight; and many shall rejoice over his birth.

For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord; he shall not drink any wine or strong drink, and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit from the very hour of his birth,

"How can I be sure of this?" Zechariah asked the angel. "For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years."

And now you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when this takes place, because you did not believe what I said, though my words will be fulfilled in due course."

When the angel spoke again: "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

And now, you shall be with child and give birth to a son, and you shall give him the name Jesus.

The child shall be great and shall be called 'Son of the Most High,' and the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David,

And he shall reign over the descendants of Jacob for ever; And to his kingdom there shall be no end."

"How can this be?" Mary asked the angel. "For I have no husband."

"The Holy Spirit shall descend upon you," answered the angel, "and the Power of the Most High shall overshadow you; and therefore the child will be called 'holy,' and 'Son of God.'

For no promise from God shall fail to be fulfilled."

"I am the servant of the Lord," exclaimed Mary; "let it be with me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

Happy indeed is she who believed that the promise which she received from the Lord would be fulfilled."

When his mother interposed: "No, he is to be called John."

And they made signs to the child's father, to find out what he wished the child to be called.

And all who heard it kept it in mind, asking one another-- "What can this child be destined to become?" For the Power of the Lord was with him.

As he promised by the lips of his Holy Prophets of old--

That we should be rescued from the hands of our enemies,

And thou, Child, shalt be called Prophet of the Most High, For thou shalt go before the Lord to make ready his way,

About that time an edict was issued by the Emperor Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole Empire.

And every one went to his own town to be registered.

To be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was about to become a mother.

When an angel of the Lord suddenly stood by them, and the Glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were seized with fear.

And this shall be the sign for you. You will find the infant swathed, and lying in a manger."

Eight days after the birth of the child, when it was time to circumcise him, he received the name Jesus--the name given him by the angel before his conception.

When the period of purification of mother and child, enjoined by the Law of Moses, came to an end, his parents took the child up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord,

In compliance with the Law of the Lord that 'every first-born male shall be dedicated to the Lord,'

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

Moved by the Spirit, Simeon came into the Temple Courts, and, when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the Law,

A Light to bring light to the Gentiles, And to be the Glory of thy people Israel."

Simeon gave them his blessing, and said to Mary, the child's mother: "This child is appointed to be the cause of the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign much spoken against--

Yes, the sword will pierce your own heart--and so the thoughts in many minds will be disclosed."

When the child's parents had done everything enjoined by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.

And had finished their visit; but, when they started to return, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, without their knowing it.

"What made you search for me?" he answered. "Did not you know that I must be in my Father's House?"

Every chasm shall be filled, Every mountain and hill shall be leveled, The winding ways shall be straightened, The rough roads made smooth,

And John said to the crowds that went to be baptized by him: "You brood of vipers! who has prompted you to seek refuge from the coming judgment?

Already, indeed, the axe is lying at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that fails to bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."

Even tax-gatherers came to be baptized, and said to John: "Teacher, what are we to do?"

And when some soldiers on active service asked "And we--what are we to do?" he said: "Never use violence, or exact anything by false accusation; and be content with your pay."

Then, while the people were in suspense, and were all debating with themselves whether John could be the Christ,

But Prince Herod, being rebuked by John respecting Herodias, the wife of Herod's brother, and for all the evil things that he had done,

Crowned them all by shutting John up in prison.

On returning from the Jordan, full of the Holy Spirit, Jesus was led by the power of the Spirit through the Wilderness for forty days, tempted by the Devil.

If you, therefore, will do homage before me, it shall all be yours."

Moved by the power of the Spirit, Jesus returned to Galilee. Reports about him spread through all that neighborhood;

And he began to teach in their Synagogues, and was honored by every one.

But Jesus rebuked the demon. "Be silent! Come out from him," he said. The demon flung the man down in the middle of the people, and then came out from him, without causing him further harm.

Once, when the people were pressing round Jesus as the listened to God's Message, he happened to be standing by the shore of the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats close to the shore.

And so, too, were James and John, Zebediah's sons, who were Simon's partners. "Do not be afraid," Jesus said to Simon; "from to-day you shall catch men."

And then Jesus impressed upon him that he was not to say a word to any one, "but," he added, "set out and show yourself to the priest, and make the offerings for your cleansing, in the manner directed by Moses, as evidence of your cure."

However, the story about Jesus spread all the more, and great crowds came together to listen to him, and to be cured of their illnesses;

On one of those days, when Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and Doctors of the Law were sitting near by. (They had come from all the villages in Galilee and Judea, and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was upon Jesus, so that he could work cures.)

But the days will come--a time when the bridegroom will be parted from them; and they will fast then, when those days come."

And no man puts new wine into old wine-skins; for, if he does, the new wine will burst the skins, and the wine itself will run out, and the skins be lost.

But new wine must be put into fresh skins.

Who had come to hear him and to be restored to health. Those, too, who were troubled with foul spirits were cured;

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

Then indeed you may be glad and dance for joy, for be sure that your reward in Heaven will be great; for that is what their ancestors did to the Prophets.

If you love only those who love you, what thanks will be due to you? Why, even the outcast love those who love them!

For, if you show kindness only to those who show kindness to you, what thanks will be due to you? Even the outcast do that!

If you lend only to those from whom you expect to get something, what thanks will be due to you? Even the outcast lend to the outcast in the hope of getting as much in return!

But love your enemies, and show them kindness, and lend to them, never despairing. Then your reward shall be great, and you shall be Sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the thankless and the bad.

Learn to be merciful--even as your Father is merciful.

Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Give, and others will give to you. A generous measure, pressed and shaken down, and running over, will they pour into your lap; For the measure that you mete will be meted out to you in return."

A scholar is not above his teacher; yet every finished scholar shall be like his teacher.

And why do you look at the straw in your brother's eye, while you pay no attention at all to the beam in your own?

For every tree is known by its own fruit. People do not gather figs off thorn bushes, nor pick a bunch of grapes off a bramble.

Every one who comes to me and listens to my teaching and acts upon it--I will show you to whom he may be compared.

He may be compared to a man building a house, who dug, and went deep, and laid the foundation upon the rock. Then, when a flood came, the river swept down upon that house, but had no power to shake it, because it had been built well.

But those who have listened and not acted upon what they have heard may be compared to a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation. The river swept down upon it, and the house immediately collapsed; and great was the crash that followed."

That was why I did not even venture to come to you myself; but speak, and let my manservant be cured.

Then he went up and touched the bier, and the bearers stopped; and Jesus said: "Young man, I am speaking to you--Rise!"

All these events were reported to John by his disciples.

And yet Wisdom is vindicated by all her children."

As they were unable to pay, he forgave them both. Which of them, do you think, will love him the more?"

"I suppose," answered Simon, "it will be the man to whom he forgave the greater debt." "You are right," said Jesus,

But Jesus said to the woman: "Your faith has delivered you; go, and peace be with you."

By the seed which fell along the path are meant those who hear the Message; but then comes the Devil and carries away the Message from their minds, to prevent their believing it and being saved.

By the seed which fell upon the rock are meant those who, as soon as they hear the Message, welcome it joyfully; but they have no root, and believe it only for a time, and, when the time of temptation comes, they draw back.

By that which fell among the brambles are meant those who hear the Message, but who, as they go on their way, are completely choked by this world's cares and wealth and pleasures, and bring nothing to perfection.

But by that in the good ground are meant those who, having heard the Message, keep it in the good, rich soil of their hearts, and patiently yield a return.

Nothing is hidden which will not be brought into the light of day, not ever kept hidden which will not some day become known and come into the light of day.

Take care, then, how you listen. For, to all those who have, more will be given; while, from all those who have nothing, even what they seem to have will be taken away."

"Where is your faith?" he exclaimed. But in great awe and amazement they said to one another: "Who can this be, that he commands even the winds and the waves, and they obey him?"

For Jesus was commanding the foul spirit to come out from the man. On many occasions it had seized him, and, even when secured with chains and fetters, and watched, he would break through anything that bound him, and be driven by the demon into the Wilds.

There was a drove of many pigs close by feeding upon the hill- side; and the demons begged Jesus to give them leave to enter into them. Jesus gave them leave.

The man from whom the demons had gone out begged Jesus to let him be with him; but Jesus sent him away.

On his return, Jesus was welcomed by the people; for everyone was looking out for him.

"Daughter," he said, "your faith has delivered you. Go, and peace be with you."

But Jesus, hearing this, spoke to the President: "Do not be afraid; only have faith, and she shall yet be delivered."

But, taking her by the hand, Jesus said in a loud voice: "Child, rise!"

Prince Herod heard of all that was happening, and was perplexed, because it was said by some that John must be risen from the dead.

But Jesus said: "It is for you to give them something to eat." "We have not more than five loaves and two fishes," they answered; "unless indeed we are to go and buy food for all these people."