In the time of Herod, the king of Judea, there was a certain priest, named Zacharias, of the family of Abia, whose wife; nam'd Elizabeth, was of the race of Aaron:

when there appear'd to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the incense-altar.

he shall convert many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.

you shall now become dumb and not recover your speech, till the very day when these things shall happen; because you distrusted my words, which in due time shall have their effect.

he shall reign over the house of Jacob, and of his kingdom there shall be no end."

he hath displayed the strength of his arm, and has confounded the proud by the devices of their hearts.

he has cast down princes from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree,

Now Mary stay'd about three months with Elizabeth, and then return'd to her own house.

and on the eighth day were present at the circumcision of the child. but upon their proposing to call him by his father's name, Zacharias: his mother objected to it,

they answered her, there is not any of your family of that name.

All the neighbourhood were struck with reverence, and the rumour of these events ran thro' all the mountains of Judea,

by acquainting his people how they may be saved by the remission of their sins,

through the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun has visited us from on high,

now while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered.

and being brought to bed of her first born, she swathed him, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

In that country there were shepherds lying in the open fields, taking their turns to watch the stock in the night;

At that time there dwelt at Jerusalem one Simeon, an honest, religious man, one who expected the appearance of the Messiah, and was endued with the spirit of prophecy.

which like a dart will pierce even thro' your own soul, that thereby the sincerity of many may be revealed."

There was likewise one Anna a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser; she was of a great age, and had liv'd in a married state but seven years ever since she was a virgin:

and when they had performed every thing required by the divine law, they returned into Galilee, to Nazareth their city.

so that they went a whole day's journey, imagining he was somewhere among the company, and then they look'd for him among their relations and acquaintance; but not finding him,

they turn'd back to Jerusalem to enquire for him there.

three days after they found him in the temple, sitting near the doctors, attending to them and asking them questions.

when Joseph and his mother saw him, great was their surprize: and his mother said to him, son, why did you leave us thus? your father and I have been looking for you with great concern.

in pursuance of which, he went into all the country about Jordan, exhorting all to repent and be baptized, in order to obtain the remission of their sins.

he address'd himself to them all, saying, I indeed baptize you with water; but there is one coming, who is superiour to me, whose shoes I am unworthy to untie: he shall baptize you with the holy spirit, under the appearance of fire.

son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham, son of Thara, son of Nachor, son of Saruch,

next, the devil brought him to Jerusalem, and setting him on the battlements of the temple, said to him, if you be the son of God, throw your self down from this height,

and they shall bear you up in their hands, for fear your foot should hit against a stone."

for he preach'd in their synagogues with universal applause.

I assure you, though there were many widows in Israel, when the heaven had furnished no rain for three years and a half, and a great famine spread through all the land:

and there were many lepers in the time of Elisha the prophet: yet none of them obtain'd a cure, except Naaman the Syrian.

and breaking up the assembly, they drove him out of the city, to the precipice of the hill, upon which it was built, in order to throw him headlong down.

but he pass'd thro' the midst of them and went away.

now there was in the synagogue a man possess'd with the spirit of an impure demon, who roar'd out, in these words, let us alone;

but Jesus rebuk'd him, saying, be dumb, and come out of him. upon which the demon threw him down in the midst of the assembly, and came out, without doing him any harm.

and his fame spread through all the neighbouring country.

As soon as the sun was set, all sorts of diseased persons were brought before him by their friends, and he healed them all, by laying his hands upon them.

accordingly he went preaching in the synagogues through all Galilee.

where he saw two vessels lying near shore: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

having finished his sermon, he said to Simon, row into deep water, and throw out your nets for a draught.

master, said Simon, we have toil'd all the night, without any prize: however, since you give the word, I will throw the net.

so they made a signal to their partners in the other ship to come and help them. accordingly they came, and loaded both the boats so with fish that they began to sink.

then having brought their boats to shore, they left every thing, and followed him.

in the mean time his fame spread so much the more, and a vast multitude flock'd to hear him, and to be cured of their diseases,

At another time, as he was teaching, it happened that some Pharisees, and doctors of the law were sitting by, who came from the several towns of Galilee and Judea, and from Jerusalem: when the power of the Lord appear'd in their relief.

but when they found it impracticable to bring him in through the crowd, they went up the gallery to the leads, and let him down through the ceiling in his bed among the company, where Jesus was,

who perceiving their faith, said to him, O! man, your sins are forgiven you.

but Jesus perceiving their reflexions, said to them, what do you mean by such insinuations?

On the second-prime sabbath, as Jesus was passing through the corn-fields, his disciples happen'd to pluck the ears, and rubbing out the corn with their hands began to eat.

but as he knew their thoughts, he said to the man, whose hand was paralytic, rise up, and stand there in the middle. and he arose, and stood before him.

At length he came down the hill with them, and stayed with the rest of his disciples in the plain, where a great multitude of people from all Judea, from Jerusalem, and the maritime country of Tyre and Sidon, came to hear him, and to have their diseases cured.

then you may triumph with joy; secure of being greatly rewarded in heaven: for such was the treatment the prophets received from their forefathers.

wo unto you when the generality of men shall applaud you: for so did their forefathers behave to the false prophets.

as he drew near the gate of the city, there was a dead man just then carrying out to be buried, who was his mother's only son, and she a widow: and many people of the town came with her.

at that very time, he cured several of their diseases and distempers, dispossessing evil spirits, and restoring sight to many that were blind.

I declare unto you, among the whole race of mankind, there is not a prophet, who is superiour to John the Baptist: yet he that is most inferiour in the kingdom of the Messiah, is greater than he.

and several women, who had been delivered from evil spirits and cured of their diseases: particularly Mary Magdalene, who had been dispossess'd of seven demons:

Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's high-steward: Susanna, and several others, who assisted him with their fortunes.

by the beaten road is meant, they who only hear: the word, by the lurking wiles of the devil, being hinder'd from taking root in their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

while they were rowing, Jesus fell asleep: when there blew such a storm of wind upon the lake, as fill'd the boat with water, and endanger'd their lives.

when he was landed, there met him a man, who belong'd to the city Gadara, and had been for a long time possessed by demons. he did not wear any cloaths, nor dwell in any house, but among the tombs.

for he had commanded the impure spirit to quit the man, he had so long possessed: who, tho' bound in chains, and fastned with fetters, broke thro' all restraints, and was hurry'd by the demon into the desarts.

but there being a numerous herd of swine feeding on the mountain, they desired he would permit them to enter into the swine, which he granted.

then the Gadarenes of the adjacent parts unanimously desired him to leave their country: for they were greatly allarm'd. so he embark'd to cross over the lake.

saying, go home, and relate, what great things God hath done for you. whereupon he departed, and published through all the city, what a wonderful deliverance Jesus had wrought for him.

the company there were all in tears lamenting for her: but he said don't weep; she is not dead, but asleep.

when you are lodg'd in any house, there stay, till you leave the place.

if any refuse to entertain you, when you leave that city, shake off the dust from your feet, as a sign of their being abandon'd.

accordingly they departed, and travell'd thro' the towns, preaching the gospel, and performing cures every where.

The Apostles, upon their return to Jesus, acquainted him with what they had done. and taking them with him, he retired into a desart place over-against the city of Bethsaida:

and tho' they all eat sufficiently, there was a surplusage of twelve baskets full of fragments carried away.

I declare unto you, there are some here present, who shall not die, till they see the Messiah reign.

who were just departing from him, when Peter said to Jesus, master, it is best for us to stay here: let us build three apartments, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing well what he said.

while he was speaking, there came a cloud and over-shadowed them, who were seized with fear, at their vanishing in the cloud,

as the child was advancing, the demon threw him down, into convulsions: but Jesus rebuked the impure spirit, cured the child, and delivered him to his father.

Jesus answered him, foxes have their kennels, and birds of the air their nests, but the son of man hath not where to lay his head.

Jesus said to him, let the dead bury their dead; but do you go and preach the kingdom of God.

if any be there, who deserve your benediction, it shall have its effect upon them; otherwise, it shall redound to your own advantage.

and heal the sick you find there. tell the inhabitants the kingdom of God is drawing nigh unto them.

but when you enter into any city, and they refuse to entertain you, go through the streets,

which now of the three do you think was neighbour to the man that was robb'd.

Then he said to them, suppose any of you should go to his friend at midnight; and say to him, friend, lend me three loaves:

but Jesus perceiving their suspicions, said to them, every kingdom divided against itself will soon be desolate: one family divided against another, falls to ruin.

then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself: they all enter in and dwell there, and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.

they were guilty of slaughter, and you raise monuments to their memory.

for there is nothing conceal'd, which shall not be disclos'd; nothing secret, which shall not be made publick.

nay, the very hairs of your head can't fall without being number'd: be not then afraid; there is no comparison between you and sparrows.

this will I do, said he, I will pull down my barns, and build greater: and there I will bestow all my rich product.

for where your treasure is, there likewise will your affections be.

imitate those servants who stand waiting for their master's return from the wedding, to let him in as soon as he comes to the door.

Jesus answered, if there be a faithful prudent steward, appointed by his master to give his domesticks their stated allowance; happy is such a servant,

for the future, if there are five persons in one family, they will be divided; three against two, and two against three.

and when the south wind blows, you say, there will be heat; and so it happens.

When you are going with your adversary before the magistrate, pay the interest, and get your discharge, while you are on the way; for fear he should bring you before the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into jail.

At the same time, there were some present, who gave Jesus an account of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

then he said to the vine-dresser, you see, I have been looking these three years for fruit from this fig-tree, but find none: hew it down, why should it cumber my ground?

but the ruler of the synagogue being highly incensed at Jesus's healing on the sabbath-day, said to the people, there are six days for work, you should come therefore for cure on those days, and not on the sabbath.

to which Jesus replied, thou hypocrite, who is there among you that scruples to untie his ox or his ass, and lead him from the stall to water on the sabbath-day?

it is like a grain of mustard-seed, which a man took, and sowed in his garden: it grew, and became so large, that the birds of the air built their nests in its boughs.