But they did not have a child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both very old.

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

But she was greatly troubled by his words and began to wonder about the meaning of this greeting.

But his mother replied, "No! He must be named John."

They said to her, "But none of your relatives bears this name."

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid! Listen carefully, for I proclaim to you good news that brings great joy to all the people:

But Mary treasured up all these words, pondering in her heart what they might mean.

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

but (because they assumed that he was in their group of travelers) they went a day's journey. Then they began to look for him among their relatives and acquaintances.

But he replied, "Why were you looking for me? Didn't you know that I must be in my Father's house?"

Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. But his mother kept all these things in her heart.

John answered them all, "I baptize you with water, but one more powerful than I am is coming -- I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

His winnowing fork is in his hand to clean out his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his storehouse, but the chaff he will burn up with inextinguishable fire."

But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of Herodias, his brother's wife, and because of all the evil deeds that he had done,

Jesus answered him, "It is said, 'You are not to put the Lord your God to the test.'"

But in truth I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's days, when the sky was shut up three and a half years, and there was a great famine over all the land.

Yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to a woman who was a widow at Zarephath in Sidon.

But he passed through the crowd and went on his way.

But Jesus rebuked him: "Silence! Come out of him!" Then, after the demon threw the man down in their midst, he came out of him without hurting him.

Demons also came out of many, crying out, "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.

But Jesus said to them, "I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, for that is what I was sent to do."

He saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets.

He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then Jesus sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.

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

Simon answered, "Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing! But at your word I will lower the nets."

So they motioned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they were about to sink.

But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!"

Then he ordered the man to tell no one, but commanded him, "Go and show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

But the news about him spread even more, and large crowds were gathering together to hear him and to be healed of their illnesses.

But since they found no way to carry him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down on the stretcher through the roof tiles right in front of Jesus.

Then the experts in the law and the Pharisees began to think to themselves, "Who is this man who is uttering blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" -- he said to the paralyzed man -- "I tell you, stand up, take your stretcher and go home."

But the Pharisees and their experts in the law complained to his disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"

Jesus answered them, "Those who are well don't need a physician, but those who are sick do.

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

Then they said to him, "John's disciples frequently fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours continue to eat and drink."

But those days are coming, and when the bridegroom is taken from them, at that time they will fast."

But some of the Pharisees said, "Why are you doing what is against the law on the Sabbath?"

how he entered the house of God, took and ate the sacred bread, which is not lawful for any to eat but the priests alone, and gave it to his companions?"

But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, "Get up and stand here." So he rose and stood there.

But they were filled with mindless rage and began debating with one another what they would do to Jesus.

"But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your comfort already.

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

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to ungrateful and evil people.

He also told them a parable: "Someone who is blind cannot lead another who is blind, can he? Won't they both fall into a pit?

A disciple is not greater than his teacher, but everyone when fully trained will be like his teacher.

Why do you see the speck in your brother's eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own?

"For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit,

He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep, and laid the foundation on bedrock. When a flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built.

But the person who hears and does not put my words into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against that house, it collapsed immediately, and was utterly destroyed!"

A centurion there had a slave who was highly regarded, but who was sick and at the point of death.

But wisdom is vindicated by all her children."

Then, turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house. You gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

You gave me no kiss of greeting, but from the time I entered she has not stopped kissing my feet.

You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfumed oil.

Therefore I tell you, her sins, which were many, are forgiven, thus she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little loves little."

But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this, who even forgives sins?"

But other seed fell on good soil and grew, and it produced a hundred times as much grain." As he said this, he called out, "The one who has ears to hear had better listen!"

He said, "You have been given the opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that although they see they may not see, and although they hear they may not understand.

Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in a time of testing fall away.

As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the worries and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.

But as for the seed that landed on good soil, these are the ones who, after hearing the word, cling to it with an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with steadfast endurance.

"No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand so that those who come in can see the light.

So listen carefully, for whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him."

Now Jesus' mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not get near him because of the crowd.

But he replied to them, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it."

One day Jesus got into a boat with his disciples and said to them, "Let's go across to the other side of the lake." So they set out,

and as they sailed he fell asleep. Now a violent windstorm came down on the lake, and the boat started filling up with water, and they were in danger.

Then he said to them, "Where is your faith?" But they were afraid and amazed, saying to one another, "Who then is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him!"

As Jesus stepped ashore, a certain man from the town met him who was possessed by demons. For a long time this man had worn no clothes and had not lived in a house, but among the tombs.

For Jesus had started commanding the evil spirit to come out of the man. (For it had seized him many times, so he would be bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard. But he would break the restraints and be driven by the demon into deserted places.)

Then all the people of the Gerasenes and the surrounding region asked Jesus to leave them alone, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and left.

The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying,

Now a woman was there who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years but could not be healed by anyone.

But Jesus said, "Someone touched me, for I know that power has gone out from me."

But when Jesus heard this, he told him, "Do not be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed."

Now they were all wailing and mourning for her, but he said, "Stop your weeping; she is not dead but asleep."

But Jesus gently took her by the hand and said, "Child, get up."

Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them to tell no one what had happened.

Herod said, "I had John beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?" So Herod wanted to learn about Jesus.

But when the crowds found out, they followed him. He welcomed them, spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and cured those who needed healing.

But he said to them, "You give them something to eat." They replied, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish -- unless we go and buy food for all these people."

Then he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered, "The Christ of God."

But he forcefully commanded them not to tell this to anyone,

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

For what does it benefit a person if he gains the whole world but loses or forfeits himself?

But I tell you most certainly, there are some standing here who will not experience death before they see the kingdom of God."

Now Peter and those with him were quite sleepy, but as they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.

I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not do so."

As the boy was approaching, the demon threw him to the ground and shook him with convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.

But they did not understand this statement; its meaning had been concealed from them, so that they could not grasp it. Yet they were afraid to ask him about this statement.

But when Jesus discerned their innermost thoughts, he took a child, had him stand by his side,

But Jesus said to him, "Do not stop him, for whoever is not against you is for you."

but the villagers refused to welcome him, because he was determined to go to Jerusalem.

But Jesus turned and rebuked them,

Jesus said to him, "Foxes have dens and the birds in the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

Jesus said to another, "Follow me." But he replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."

But Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God."

Yet another said, "I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say goodbye to my family."

He said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.