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.

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."

"This is what the Lord has done for me," she said, "now that he has deigned to take away the reproach under which I have been living."

Gabriel came into her presence and said: "Hail, you who have been highly favored! The Lord is with you."

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

And Mary said: "My soul exalts the Lord,

Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and, speaking under inspiration, said:

"Have no fear," the angel said. "For I bring you good news of a great joy in store for all the nation.

Now, when the angels had left them and gone back to Heaven, the shepherds said to one another: "Let us go at once to Bethlehem, and see this thing that has happened, of which the Lord has told us."

And, when they saw it, they told of all that had been said to them about this child.

While Mary treasured up all that they said, and dwelt upon it in her thoughts.

Simeon himself took the child in his arms, and blessed God, and said:

While the child's father and mother were wondering at what was said about him,

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--

His parents were amazed when they saw him, and his mother said to him: "My child, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been searching for you in great distress."

However he went down with them to Nazareth, and submitted himself to their control; and his mother treasured all that was said in her heart.

This was in fulfillment of what is said in the writings of the Prophet Isaiah--'The voice of one crying aloud in the wilderness: "Make ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight.

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?

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."

John, addressing them all, said: "I, indeed, baptize you with water; but there is coming one more powerful than I, and I am not fit even to unfasten his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

So the Devil said to him: "If you are God's Son, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread."

And the Devil led Jesus up, and showing him in a single moment all the kingdoms of the earth, said to him:

The Devil next led him into Jerusalem, and, placing him on the parapet of the Temple, said: "If you are God's Son throw yourself down from here,

But Jesus answered him: "It is said--'Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.'"

"Doubtless," said Jesus, "you will remind me of the saying-- 'Doctor, cure yourself;' and you will say 'Do here in your own country all that we have heard that has been done at Capernaum.'

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.

Jesus, however, said to them: "I must take the Good News of the Kingdom of God to the other town also, for that was why I was sent."

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

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."

When he saw their faith, Jesus said: "Friend, your sins have been forgiven you."

The people, one and all, were lost in amazement, and praised God; and in great awe they said: "We have seen marvelous things to-day!"

After this, Jesus went out; and he noticed a tax-gatherer, named Levi, sitting in the tax-office, and said to him: "Follow me."

In answer Jesus said: "It is not those who are well that need a doctor, but those who are ill.

"John's disciples," they said to Jesus, "Often fast and say prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, while yours are eating and drinking!"

Then, as an illustration, Jesus said to them: "No man ever tears a piece from a new garment and puts it upon an old one; for, if he does, he will not only tear the new garment, but the piece from the new one will not match the old.

Jesus, however, knew what was in the their minds, and said to the man whose hand was withered: "Stand up and come out into the middle." The man stood up;

And Jesus said to them: "I ask you, is it allowable to do good on the Sabbath--or harm? to save a life, or let it perish?"

Then, looking round at them all, he said to the man: "Stretch out your hand." The man did so; and his hand had become sound.

Then, speaking in parables, Jesus said: "Can one blind man guide another? Will they not both fall into a ditch?

When they found Jesus, they earnestly implored him to do so. "He is a man who deserves that you should show him this favor," they said,

Jesus was surprised to hear these words from him; and, turning to the crowd which was following him, he said: "I tell you, nowhere in Israel have I met with such faith as this!"

When he saw her, the Master was moved with compassion for her, and he said to her: "Do not weep."

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

Every one was awe-struck and began praising God. "A great Prophet has arisen among us," they said; "and God has visited his people."

When these men found Jesus, they said: "John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask--'Are you 'The Coming One,' or are we to look for somebody else?'"

When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself: "Had this man been 'The Prophet,' he would have known who, and what sort of woman, this is who is touching him, and that she is an outcast."

But, addressing him, Jesus said: "Simon, I have something to say to you." "Pray do so, Teacher," Simon answered; and Jesus began:

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

And then, turning to the woman, he said to Simon: "Do you see this woman? I came into your house--you gave me no water for my feet, but she has made my feet wet with her tears and dried them with her hair.

Then he said to the woman: "Your sins have been pardoned."

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

"To you," he said, "the knowledge of the hidden truths of the Kingdom of God has been imparted, but to others in parables only, that 'though they have eyes they may not see, and though they have ears, they may not understand.'

One day about that time, Jesus got into a boat with his disciples and said to them: "Let us go across the lake."

"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?"

"Go back to your home," he said, "and relate the story of all that God has done for you." So the man went through the whole town and proclaimed, as he went, all that Jesus had done for him.

"Somebody touched me," said Jesus; "for I felt that power had gone out from me."

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

Before he had finished speaking, some one came from the house of the President of the Synagogue and said: "Your daughter is dead! Do not trouble the Teacher further."

And every one was weeping and mourning for her. "Do not weep," Jesus said, "she is not dead; she is asleep."

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

"Do not," he said to them, "take anything for your journey; not even a staff, or a bag, or bread, or any silver, or a change of clothes with you.

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.

Some again said that Elijah had appeared, and others that one of the old Prophets had risen again.

But Herod himself said: "John I beheaded; but who is this of whom I hear such things?" And he endeavored to see him.

The day was drawing to a close, when the twelve came up to him, and said: "Send the crowd away, so that they may make their way to the villages and farms round about, and find themselves lodgings and provisions, for we are in a lonely spot here."

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."

Taking the five loaves and the two fishes, Jesus looked up to Heaven and said the blessing over them. Then he broke them in pieces, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people.

And to all present he said: "If any man wishes to walk in my steps, let him renounce self, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

And from the cloud came a voice which said--"This is my Son, the Chosen One; him you must hear."

And all present were struck with awe at the majesty of God. In the midst of the general astonishment at all that Jesus was doing, he said to his disciples:

And then said to them: "Any one who, for the sake of my Name, welcomes even this little child is welcoming me; and any one who welcomes me is welcoming him who sent me as his Messenger. For whoever is lowliest among you all--that man is great."

Thereupon John said: "Sir, we saw a man driving out demons by using your name, and we tried to prevent him, because he does not follow you with us."

"None of you must prevent him," Jesus said to John; "he who is not against you is for you."

When James and John saw this, they said: "Master, do you wish us to call for fire to come down from the heavens and consume them?"

And, while they were on their way, a man said to Jesus: "I will follow you wherever you go."

To another man Jesus said: "Follow me." "Let me first go and bury my father," said the man.

But Jesus said: "Leave the dead to bury their dead; but go yourself and carry far and wide the news of the Kingdom of God."

"Master," said another, "I will follow you; but first let me say good-bye to my family."

"The harvest," he said, "is abundant, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray to the Owner of the harvest to send laborers to gather in his harvest.

At that same time, moved to exultation by the Holy Spirit, Jesus said: "I thank thee, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that, though thou hast hidden these things from the wise and learned, thou hast revealed them to the childlike! Yes, Father, I thank thee that this has seemed good to thee.

Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said to them alone: "Blessed are the eyes that see what you are seeing;

Just then a Student of the Law came forward to test Jesus further. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do if I am to 'gain Immortal Life'?"

"What is said in the Law?" answered Jesus. "What do you read there?"

"You have answered right," said Jesus; "do that, and you shall live."

But the man, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus: "And who is my neighbor?"

The next day he took out four shillings and gave them to the inn-keeper. 'Take care of him,' he said, 'and whatever more you may spend I will myself repay you on my way back.'

"The one that took pity on him," was the answer; on which Jesus said: "Go and do the same yourself."

But Martha was distracted by the many preparations that she was making. So she went up to Jesus and said: "Master, do you approve of my sister's leaving me to make preparations alone? Tell her to help me."

One day Jesus was at a certain place praying, and, when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him: "Master, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples."

Jesus also said to them: "Suppose that one of you who has a friend were to go to him in the middle of the night and say 'Friend, lend me three loaves,

But some of them said: "He drives out demons by the help of Baal-zebub, the chief of the demons";

Jesus himself, however, was aware of what they were thinking, and said to them: "Any kingdom wholly divided against itself becomes a desolation; and a divided house falls.

But the Master said to him: "You Pharisees do, it is true, clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside you yourselves are filled with greed and wickedness.

That is why the Wisdom of God said--"I will send to them Prophets and Apostles,

Hence all that you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear, within closed doors, will be proclaimed upon the housetops.

"Teacher," a man in the crowd said to Jesus, "tell my brother to share the property with me."

But Jesus said to him: "Man, who made me a judge or an arbiter between you?"

This is what I will do,' he said; 'I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and store all my grain and my goods in them;

But God said to the man 'Fool! This very night your life is being demanded; and as for all you have prepared--who will have it?'