Many have undertaken to compile a narrative about the events that have been fulfilled among us,

so that you may know the certainty of the things about which you have been instructed.

it happened that he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary.

When he did come out, he could not speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept making signs to them and remained speechless.

How could this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

Then her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her His great mercy, and they rejoiced with her.

Then they said to her, “None of your relatives has that name.”

the oath that He swore to our father Abraham.
He has given us the privilege,

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered.

But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people:

It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah.

Then Simeon blessed them and told His mother Mary: “Indeed, this child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed—

and a sword will pierce your own soul—that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

At that very moment, she came up and began to thank God and to speak about Him to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

“Why were you searching for Me?” He asked them. “Didn’t you know that I had to be in My Father’s house?”

Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance. And don’t start saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones!

Even now the ax is ready to strike the root of the trees! Therefore, every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

His winnowing shovel is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and gather the wheat into His barn, but the chaff He will burn up with a fire that never goes out.”

and
they will support you with their hands,
so that you will not strike
your foot against a stone.”

They were all speaking well of Him and were amazed by the gracious words that came from His mouth, yet they said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”

Then He said to them, “No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me: ‘Doctor, heal yourself. So all we’ve heard that took place in Capernaum, do here in Your hometown also.’”

So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them; they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

But so you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He told the paralyzed man, “I tell you: Get up, pick up your mat, and go home.”

The scribes and Pharisees were watching Him closely, to see if He would heal on the Sabbath, so that they could find a charge against Him.

“Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! Take note—your reward is great in heaven, for this is the way their ancestors used to treat the prophets.

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.

If you do what is good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.

And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners to be repaid in full.

Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself don’t see the log in your eye? Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck in your brother’s eye.

He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. When the flood came, the river crashed against that house and couldn’t shake it, because it was well built.

But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The river crashed against it, and immediately it collapsed. And the destruction of that house was great!”

That is why I didn’t even consider myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be cured.

At that time Jesus healed many people of diseases, plagues, and evil spirits, and He granted sight to many blind people.

And a woman in the town who was a sinner found out that Jesus was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house. She brought an alabaster jar of fragrant oil

Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; that’s why she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.”

So He said, “The secrets of the kingdom of God have been given for you to know, but to the rest it is in parables, so that

Looking they may not see,
and hearing they may not understand.

The seed along the path are those who have heard and then the Devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.

As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who, when they have heard, go on their way and are choked with worries, riches, and pleasures of life, and produce no mature fruit.

“No one, after lighting a lamp, covers it with a basket or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand so that those who come in may see its light.

For nothing is concealed that won’t be revealed, and nothing hidden that won’t be made known and come to light.

“Go back to your home, and tell all that God has done for you.” And off he went, proclaiming throughout the town all that Jesus had done for him.

“Someone did touch Me,” said Jesus. “I know that power has gone out from Me.”

When the woman saw that she was discovered, she came trembling and fell down before Him. In the presence of all the people, she declared the reason she had touched Him and how she was instantly cured.

Her spirit returned, and she got up at once. Then He gave orders that she be given something to eat.

If they do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”

Herod the tetrarch heard about everything that was going on. He was perplexed, because some said that John had been raised from the dead,

some that Elijah had appeared, and others that one of the ancient prophets had risen.

When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus all that they had done. He took them along and withdrew privately to a town called Bethsaida.

While He was praying in private and His disciples were with Him, He asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”

They answered, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, that one of the ancient prophets has come back.”

“But you,” He asked them, “who do you say that I am?”

Peter answered, “God’s Messiah!”

For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and that of the Father and the holy angels.

But they did not understand this statement; it was concealed from them so that they could not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask Him about it.

‘We are wiping off as a witness against you even the dust of your town that clings to our feet. Know this for certain: The kingdom of God has come near.’

I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town.

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes!

However, don’t rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

In that same hour He rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and the learned and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, because this was Your good pleasure.

Then turning to His disciples He said privately, “The eyes that see the things you see are blessed!

For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see the things you see yet didn’t see them; to hear the things you hear yet didn’t hear them.”

A priest happened to be going down that road. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord, don’t You care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.”

Now He was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon came out, the man who had been mute, spoke, and the crowds were amazed.

Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that man’s last condition is worse than the first.”

As He was saying these things, a woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “The womb that bore You and the one who nursed You are blessed!”

“No one lights a lamp and puts it in the cellar or under a basket, but on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see its light.

Take care then, that the light in you is not darkness.

When the Pharisee saw this, he was amazed that He did not first perform the ritual washing before dinner.

Then He said: “Woe also to you experts in the law! You load people with burdens that are hard to carry, yet you yourselves don’t touch these burdens with one of your fingers.

Therefore, you are witnesses that you approve the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their monuments.

so that this generation may be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world—

In these circumstances, a crowd of many thousands came together, so that they were trampling on one another. He began to say to His disciples first: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

There is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered, nothing hidden that won’t be made known.

“And I say to you, My friends, don’t fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more.

For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what must be said.”

“That’s how it is with the one who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

If that’s how God clothes the grass, which is in the field today and is thrown into the furnace tomorrow, how much more will He do for you—you of little faith?

For the Gentile world eagerly seeks all these things, and your Father knows that you need them.

Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Make money-bags for yourselves that won’t grow old, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.

You must be like people waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once.

You also be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.”

That slave whose master finds him working when he comes will be rewarded.

But if that slave says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and starts to beat the male and female slaves, and to eat and drink and get drunk,

that slave’s master will come on a day he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

And that slave who knew his master’s will and didn’t prepare himself or do it will be severely beaten.

Do you think that I came here to give peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!

At that time, some people came and reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.

And He responded to them, “Do you think that these Galileans were more sinful than all Galileans because they suffered these things?

Or those 18 that the tower in Siloam fell on and killed—do you think they were more sinful than all the people who live in Jerusalem?

And He told this parable: “A man had a fig tree that was planted in his vineyard. He came looking for fruit on it and found none.

It’s like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the sky nested in its branches.”

It’s like yeast that a woman took and mixed into 50 pounds of flour until it spread through the entire mixture.”

There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth in that place, when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves thrown out.

At that time some Pharisees came and told Him, “Go, get out of here! Herod wants to kill You!”

He said to them, “Go tell that fox, ‘Look! I’m driving out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will complete My work.’

“But when you are invited, go and recline in the lowest place, so that when the one who invited you comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ You will then be honored in the presence of all the other guests.

“Then the master told the slave, ‘Go out into the highways and lanes and make them come in, so that my house may be filled.

After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing.

Then he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.