Inasmuch as many took it in hand to present a history concerning these things which have been fulfilled among us,

[that is, people] who were ministers of the word and original eyewitnesses [of these events], and who passed them on to us; [and since]

And, therefore, I also, since I have investigated all these events with great care from their very beginning, have resolved to write a connected history of them for you,

And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.

And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

And after these days Elisabeth his wife conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying,

Thus has the Lord done to me in these days in which he looked upon me to take away my reproach among men.

But she was greatly troubled at his words, and said to herself, What may be the purpose of these words?

And Mary arose in these days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah;

then he made signs for a writing-book, and writ these words, "his name is John:" at which they were all surprized.

And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.

And all those who heard kept [these things] in their hearts, saying, "What then will this child be? For indeed the hand of the Lord was with him!"

And his father, Zacharias, was full of the Holy Spirit, and with the voice of a prophet said these words:

But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

then he took him up in his arms, and returned thanks to God in these words, "now,

His father and mother were astonished at these words about him,

and has been a widow [all these years], and is now eighty-four years old.) She has never left the Temple, but worships [God] by fasting [i.e., going without food and/or water for religious reasons] and praying night and day.

But they did not understand the significance of these words.

And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

Now it was the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod was ruler of Galilee, his brother Philip was ruler of the regions of Ituraea and Trachonitus [Note: These two men were sons of Herod the Great (See Matt. 2:1) and ruled over provinces east of the Jordan River] and Lysanias was ruler of Abilene [Note: This was a province just north of the two previously mentioned ones].

Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

With many exhortations besides these he declared the Good News to the people.

and for forty days he was led by the Spirit in the desert, while the devil tempted him. During these days he ate nothing, and when they were over he felt hungry.

And the Evil One said, I will give you authority over all these, and the glory of them, for it has been given to me, and I give it to anyone at my pleasure.

And when all these tests were ended the Evil One went away from him for a time.

yet Elijah was not sent to any of these, but only to a widow woman at Zarephath in Sidon.

And in Israel there were many lepers in the time of the prophet Elisha, yet none of these was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian."

And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

Now there was a man in the synagogue who was dominated by the spirit of an evil demon [Note: These "evil spirits" or "demons" were powerful beings sent by Satan to inhabit people, causing physical, mental and spiritual harm to them]. He was shouting with a loud voice,

And wonder came on them all and they said to one another, What are these words? for with authority and power he gives orders to the evil spirits and they come out.

And evil spirits also came out of many people, shouting [at Him], "You are the Son of God." And Jesus spoke sternly to them and would not allow them to speak [anymore] because they knew He was the Christ [Note: Jesus would not accept the endorsement of these Satanic spirits].

And it came about that on one of these days he was teaching; and some Pharisees and teachers of the law were seated there, who had come from every town of Galilee and Judaea and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was with him, to make those who were ill free from their diseases.

And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me.

This led the Pharisees and Scribes of their party to expostulate with His disciples and ask, "Why are you eating and drinking with these tax-gatherers and notorious sinners?"

And it came to pass in these days, that he went out into the mountain to pray; and he continued all night in prayer to God.

These were Simon, to whom also He had given the name of Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew;

With these He came down till He reached a level place, where there was a great crowd of His disciples, and a multitude of people from every part of Judaea, from Jerusalem, and from the sea-side district of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and to be cured of their diseases;

rejoice in that day, and leap, for lo, your reward is great in the heaven, for according to these things were their fathers doing to the prophets.

Woe to you when all men shall speak well of you -- for according to these things were their fathers doing to false prophets.

Be merciful (responsive, compassionate, tender) just as your [heavenly] Father is merciful.

After He had finished teaching all these things in the hearing of the people, He went into Capernaum.

When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things.

And when these men came to Jesus they said, "John the Immerser has sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the One who was to come, or should we look for someone else?'"

(And all the people, and the tax-farmers, to whom John had given baptism, when they had knowledge of these things, gave glory to God.

When these two men did not have [the money] to repay him, the moneylender canceled [the debts of] both of them. Now which of them will love him more?"

and certain women who had been healed from [domination by] evil spirits and diseases. [These women were] Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven evil spirits had been driven out,

Joanna, the wife of Herod's household manager Chuza; Susanna; and many others. These women continued to support them out of their personal resources.

And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

And he said, To you it hath been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God; but to others [these things are spoken] in parables; that while seeing they may not see, and while hearing they may not understand.

They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

And that which fell among the thorns, these are they that have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

And that in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it fast, and bring forth fruit with patience.

And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.

It happened on one of these days that he embarked in a boat alone with his disciples and said to them, "Let us cross to the other side of the lake." So they set sail.

and there was there a herd of many swine feeding in the mountain, and they were calling on him, that he might suffer them to enter into these, and he suffered them,

But Jesus at these words said to him, Have no fear, only have faith, and she will be made well.

Now Herod the king had news of all these things: and he was in doubt, because it was said by some people that John had come back from the dead;

But Herod said - John, I myself, beheaded; but, who is this, concerning whom I am hearing such things as these? And he was seeking to see him.

And the day went on; and the twelve came to him and said, Send these people away so that they may go into the towns and the country round about and get resting-places and food for themselves, for we are in a waste place.

But he said to them, "You give them [something] to eat!" And they said, "{We have no} more than five loaves and two fish, unless perhaps we go [and] purchase food for all these people."

For there were about five thousand men [there]. So, He said to His disciples, "Have these people recline [on the grass. See Matt. 14:19] in groups of about fifty each."

But I say to you, of a truth, there are some of these who stand here that shall not taste of death till they see the kingdom of God.

And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.

These appeared in glory and talked about his departure which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

And as these were leaving Him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles: one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not realizing what he was saying.

And while he said these things, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud.

When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found there alone. And they kept silent, and told no one at that time any of the things which they had seen [concerning the divine manifestation].

Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.

But they knew not the meaning of these words, and it was hidden from them, that they might not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask him about these words.

and sent messengers before him. These went and entered into a Samaritan village to make ready for him.

And these Samaritans did not welcome Him because He was heading for Jerusalem. [Note: They perceived He was a Jew and Samaritans did not associate with Jews].

After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

Then the next day he gave the lodge keeper two coins [Note: These coins amounted to two days of a farm laborer's pay, or about $140 in 1994] and told him, 'Take care of this [injured] man; and whatever more you have to spend on him I will repay you when I come back [this way] again.'

Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.

But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

And one of the doctors of the law answering says to him, Teacher, in saying these things thou insultest us also.

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.

For this reason also the wisdom of God has said, I will send to them prophets and apostles, and of these shall they kill and drive out by persecution,

And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things:

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.

'And I say to you, my friends, be not afraid of those killing the body, and after these things are not having anything over to do;

"But God said to him, "'Foolish man, this night your life is demanded from you; and these preparations--for whom shall they be?'

Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

So you must stop seeking what to eat and what to drink, and must stop being in suspense about these things.

For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

And Peter said to him, Lord, are these words said to us only, or to all men?

O false ones! the face of the earth and the heaven is clear to you; how is it that the signs of these times are not as clear to you?

And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?

'Or those eighteen, on whom the tower in Siloam fell, and killed them; think ye that these became debtors beyond all men who are dwelling in Jerusalem?

Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?

But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus healed on the sabbath, answering said to the crowd, There are six days in which people ought to work; in these therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.

And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?

And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.

But He said to them: "Go and tell that fox, 'Here I am, driving out demons and performing cures, today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will finish these tasks.

And they could not answer him again to these things.

Then you will receive a blessing, because these people do not have anything to pay you back with, for you will be paid back when righteous people are raised from the dead."