just as they were passed down to us by those who had been eyewitnesses and servants of the word from the beginning,

They had no children because Elizabeth was barren and because both of them were getting old.

But when he did come out, he was unable to speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept motioning to them but remained unable to speak.

Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.

On the eighth day they went to circumcise the child. They were going to name him Zechariah after his father,

So they motioned to the baby's father to see what he wanted to name him.

While they were there, the time came for her to have her baby,

An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

So they went quickly and found Mary and Joseph with the baby, who was lying in the feeding trough.

When they saw this, they repeated what they had been told about this child.

Then the shepherds returned to their flock, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.

They also offered a sacrifice according to what is specified in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."

When Jesus was twelve years old, they went up to the festival as usual.

When the days of the festival were over, they left for home. The young man Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it.

They thought that he was in their group of travelers. After traveling for a day, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends.

When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching desperately for him.

Three days later, they found him in the Temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them, and posing questions to them.

When Jesus' parents saw him, they were shocked. His mother asked him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been worried sick looking for you!"

But they did not understand what he told them.

Even some tax collectors came to be baptized. They asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?"

where he was being tempted by the Devil for 40 days. During that time he ate nothing at all, and when they were over he became hungry.

With their hands they will hold you up, so that you will never hit your foot against a rock.'"

All the people began to speak well of him and to wonder at the gracious words that flowed from his mouth. They said, "This is Joseph's son, isn't it?"

All the people in the synagogue became furious when they heard this.

They got up, forced Jesus out of the city, and led him to the edge of the hill on which their city was built, intending to throw him off.

They were utterly amazed at what he taught, because his message was spoken with authority.

Overwhelmed with amazement, they all kept saying to one another, "What kind of statement is this? because with authority and power he gives orders to unclean spirits, and they come out!"

Then Jesus got up to leave the synagogue and went into Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was sick with a high fever, so they asked Jesus about her.

Even demons came out of many people, screaming, "You are the Son of God!" But Jesus rebuked them and ordered them not to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.

At daybreak he left and went to a deserted place, while the crowds kept looking for him. When they came to him, they tried to keep him from leaving them.

After the men had done this, they caught so many fish that the nets began to tear.

So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats until the boats began to sink.

because Simon and all the people who were with him were amazed at the number of fish they had caught,

Then Jesus told Simon, "Stop being afraid. From now on you will be catching people." So when they brought the boats to shore, they left everything and followed Jesus.

Some men were bringing a paralyzed man on a stretcher. They were trying to take him into the house and place him in front of Jesus.

When they couldn't find a way to get him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down on his stretcher through the tiles into the middle of the room, right in front of Jesus.

Because Jesus knew that they were arguing, he asked them, "Why are you arguing about this among yourselves?

Amazement seized all the people, and they began to praise God. They were filled with fear and declared, "We have seen wonderful things today!"

Then they told him, "John's disciples frequently fast and pray, and so do those of the Pharisees. But your disciples keep right on eating and drinking."

But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and at that time they will fast."

But Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he told the man with the paralyzed hand, "Get up, and stand in the middle of the synagogue." So he got up and stood there.

The others were furious and began to discuss with each other what they could do to Jesus.

They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Even those who were being tormented by unclean spirits were being healed.

If you lend to those from whom you expect to get something back, what thanks do you deserve? Even sinners lend to sinners to get back what they lend.

He also told them a parable: "One blind person can't lead another blind person, can he? Both will fall into a ditch, won't they?

They are like a person building a house, who dug a deep hole to lay the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the floodwaters pushed against that house but couldn't shake it, because it had been founded on the rock.

So they went to Jesus and begged him repeatedly, "He deserves to have this done for him,

Fear gripped everyone, and they began to praise God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said, and "God has helped his people."

When the men had come to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, "Are you the Coming One, or should we wait for someone else?'"

They're like little children who sit in the marketplace and shout to each other, "A wedding song we played for you, the dance you all did scorn. A woeful dirge we chanted, too, but then you would not mourn.'

When they couldn't pay it back, he generously canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?"

So I'm telling you that her sins, as many as they are, have been forgiven, and that's why she has shown such great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven loves little."

Others fell on stony ground, and as soon as they came up, they dried up because they had no moisture.

But others fell on good soil, and when they came up, they produced 100 times as much as was planted." As he said this, he called out, "Let the person who has ears to hear, listen!"

So he said, "You have been given knowledge about the secrets of the kingdom of God. But to others they are given in parables, so that "they might look but not see, and they might listen but not understand.'"

The ones on the path are the people who listen, but then the Devil comes and takes the word away from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.

The ones on the stony ground are the people who joyfully welcome the word when they hear it. But since they don't have any roots, they believe for a while, but in a time of testing they fall away.

The ones that fell among the thorn bushes are the people who listen, but as they go on their way they are choked by the worries, wealth, and pleasures of life, and their fruit doesn't mature.

His mother and his brothers came to him, but they couldn't get near him because of the crowd.

One day, Jesus and his disciples got into a boat. He told them, "Let's cross to the other side of the lake." So they started out.

Now as they were sailing, Jesus fell asleep. A violent storm swept over the lake, and they were taking on water and were in great danger.

So his disciples went to him, woke him up, and kept telling him, "Master! Master! We're going to die!" He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves. They stopped, and there was calm.

Then he asked the disciples, "Where's your faith?" Frightened and amazed, they asked one another, "Who is this man? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him!"

They landed in the region of the Gerasenes, which is just across the lake from Galilee.

Now when those who had been taking care of the pigs saw what had happened, they ran away and reported it in the city and in the countryside.

So the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone out sitting at Jesus' feet, dressed and in his right mind, they were frightened.

Then all the people from the region surrounding the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were terrified. So he got into a boat and started back.

They laughed and laughed at him, because they knew she was dead.

So they left and went from village to village, spreading the good news and healing diseases everywhere.

The apostles came back and told Jesus everything they had done. Then he took them away with him privately to a city called Bethsaida.

As the day was drawing to a close, the Twelve came to him and said, "Send the crowd away to the neighboring villages and farms so they can rest and get some food, because we are here in a deserted place."

But he told them, "You give them something to eat." They replied, "We have nothing more than five loaves of bread and two fish unless we go and buy food for all these people."

They did this and got all of them seated.

All of them ate and were filled. When they collected the leftover pieces, there were twelve baskets.

They answered, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others one of the ancient prophets who has come back to life."

I tell you with certainty, some people who are standing here won't experience death until they see the kingdom of God."

Suddenly, two men were talking with him. They were Moses and Elijah.

They had a glorified appearance, and were discussing Jesus' departure that he would shortly bring about in Jerusalem.

Now Peter and the men with him had been overcome by sleep. When they woke up, they saw Jesus' glory and the two men standing with him.

But while he was saying this, a cloud appeared and surrounded them, and they became terrified as they were being overshadowed by the cloud.

After the voice had spoken, Jesus was alone. The disciples kept silent and at that time told no one about what they had seen.

The next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a large crowd met Jesus.

I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn't."

But they didn't know what this meant. Indeed, the meaning was hidden from them so that they didn't understand it; and they were afraid to ask him about this statement.

So he sent messengers on ahead of him. On their way they went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him.

When his disciples James and John observed this rejection, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?"

and they all went on to another village.

While they were walking along the road, a man told him, "I will follow you wherever you go."

Stay with the same family, eating and drinking whatever they provide, because the worker deserves his pay. Don't move from house to house.

"Whenever you go into a town and the people welcome you, eat whatever they serve you,

"How terrible it will be for you, Chorazin! How terrible it will be for you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that happened in you had taken place in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

After careful consideration, Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell into the hands of bandits. They stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead.

Now as they were traveling along, Jesus went into a village. A woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.

Since he knew what they were thinking, he told them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is devastated, and a divided household collapses.

If I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own followers drive them out? That is why they will be your judges!

Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all go in and settle there. And so the final condition of that person is worse than the first."

The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment and condemn the people living today, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. But look, something greater than Jonah is here!"

So you are witnesses and approve of the deeds of your ancestors, because they killed those for whom you are building monuments.

That is why the Wisdom of God said, "I will send them prophets and apostles. They will kill some of them and persecute others,'

They watched him closely in an effort to trap him in something he might say.