just as they reported them to us, who were from beginning eye-witnesses and ministers of the word,

who was a descendant of Aaron. They were both righteous in the sight of the Lord, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the law, blameless.

Now they had no child, for Elizabeth was barren, and both were far advanced in years.

And when he came out he could not speak to them, and then they knew that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept making signs to them and remained dumb.

and her neighbors and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy toward her; and they rejoiced with her,

and came on the eighth day to circumcise the child. They were about to call him "Zachariah," after his father,

Said they, "You have no relatives of that name!"

Then they asked his father by signs what he wished to call the child.

But while they were there the days were fulfilled for her delivery.

When suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round them; and they feared with a great fear. The angel said to them.

so they made haste, and came and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger.

When they had seen, they made known about the words which had been spoken to them concerning the child.

And the shepherds returned, glorifying God and praising him for all those things that they had seen and heard, even as it was told to them.

And when the days for purification according to the law of Moses had passed, they took him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord,

And they also offered a sacrifice as commanded in the Law of the Lord A pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.

As soon as all that the law required had been done, they returned to Galilee to their own town, Nazareth.

And when he was twelve years old they went up, as was customary, at the time of the feast

After spending the full number of days they started home, but the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem. Joseph and his mother did not know this,

but supposed that he was in the company, and went a days journey. Then they hunted for him among his kinsfolk and acquaintance;

and when they did not find him they returned to Jerusalem, making anxious inquiry for him.

On the third day they found him sitting in the Temple, among the Rabbis, both listening to them and asking questions.

When they saw him they were astonished, and his mother said to him "Child, why have you treated us so? Behold your father and I have been looking for you in anguish."

But they did not understand the words that he spoke to them.

And the crowd began to ask him questions. "What shall we do then?" they asked. In reply he said to them.

There came to him publicans also to be baptized, and they said to him, "Master, what must we do?"

"They will bear thee up in their hands, Lest thou dash thy food against a stone."

And they all spoke well of him, and marveled at the words of charm that fell from his lips. "Is not this the son of Joseph?" they asked.

When they had heard these words, those in the synagogue were filled with fury;

they rose, hurried him outside the town, and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, intending to cast him down headlong.

They were deeply impressed by his teaching because his speech was with authority.

All were amazed, and began to ask one another, saying. "What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits and they come out."

Now when he rose and left the synagogue, he entered into the house of Simon, where Simon's mother-in-law lay sick of a great fever. And they kept entreating him for her.

At sunset all they who had any sick with any sort of disease brought them to him; and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.

Demons also came out of many, screaming and saying, "You are the Son of God." But he rebuked them, and did not permit them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

And when it was daybreak he left the town, and went away to a solitary place; and the crowd kept seeking him. Coming at length upon him, they attempted to detain him so that he should not leave them.

And when they had done this they enclosed a great multitude of fish; and their nets began to break.

So they motioned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink.

(For he was amazed, and all who were with him, at the haul of fish which they had made;

So when they had brought their boats to land they left everything and followed him.

And behold there came men carrying a paralytic on a bed; and they tried to bring him and lay him before Jesus, but they could not because of the crowd.

So they went up on the roof, and let him down through the tiling, with his bed, into the crowd, before Jesus.

And the Scribes and Pharisees began to cavil. "Who is this?" they asked, "speaking blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Astonishment fell upon them all, and they began to glorify God, and they were filled with awe, and they said, "We have seen strange things today."

Jesus answered them saying. "They who are well have no need of a physician, but they who are ill.

Again they said unto him. "Why do the disciples of John fast frequently, and make supplications, as also do the disciples of the Pharisees, but your disciples are eating and drinking?"

"But there is coming a day when the Bridegroom will have been taken away from them; then at that time they will fast."

Now the Scribes and Pharisees kept watching to see if he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might be able to bring on accusations to him.

He did so; and his hand was restored. But they were filled with fury, and they began to talk over together what they could do to Jesus.

They were Simon, whom he had also called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John;

"Pardon, and you shall be pardoned; Give, and gifts shall be given to you; Full measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they shall pour into your bosom. For with what measure you measure, they will measure back to you."

He also told them a parable. "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?

And they, when they reached Jesus, asked him earnestly to do this. "He deserves that you should do this," they said,

Now when he drew near the gate of the city, behold, they were there carrying out one who was dead, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.

And awe took hold on them all, and they began to glorify God saying. "A great prophet has risen among us;" and, "God has visited his people."

"To What are they like, they are like children sitting in the market-place and calling to one another. "'We have piped to you,' they say, 'and you have not danced; we have wailed, and you did not cry.'

"When they had nothing pay he forgave them with such charm. "Tell me, then, which of these will love him most?"

"This is why I tell you that her sins, many as they are, are forgiven, for her love is great; but he who is forgiven little, loves but little.

He answered. "To you it is given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God; But all others are taught in parables so that seeing they shall not see, and hearing they shall not hear.

"Those by the wayside are people who hear, but then comes the devil and carries off the word from their heart, so that they may not believe and not be saved.

"Those on the rock are people who, upon hearing, receive the word with joy; but they have no root. For a time indeed they all believe, but in time of temptation they fall away.

"And that which fell upon thorns is those who have heard, but as they go on their way of word is choked with the cares and riches and pleasures of life; so they bring no fruit of perfection.

There came to him his mother and his brothers, and they could not reach him because of the crowd.

So they set sail. While they were sailing he fell asleep. And there fell on the lake a squall of wind, so that the boat began to fill, and they to be in deadly peril.

Then they came to him and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we are lost!" Then he awoke, and rebuked the winds and the raging of the sea. They ceased, and there was a calm.

"Where is your faith?" he asked them, In their terror they were filled with amazement, and said to one another, "Who is this who commands even the winds and the sea, and they obey him?"

Then they put in at the country of Gadarenes, which is across from Galilee.

For Jesus was already commanding the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For many times it had seized him and held him, and they again and again kept him under guard, and put him in chains and fetters. But he would break his bonds asunder, as he was driven by the demon in to the desert.

So they besought Jesus not to command them to go away into the abyss.

Then the people came out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man out of whom the demons had gone sitting clothed and in his right mind, at the feet of Jesus. And they were terrified.

And the whole populace of Gadarenes and the surrounding territory besought Jesus to go away from them; for they were terror-stricken. So he entered a boat and returned.

for they were all waiting for him. Just then there came a man named Jarius, and he was ruler in the synagogue. He fell down at Jesus' feet and begged him to come into his house;

They began to laugh him to scorn, because they knew well that she was dead.

So they went forth, and walked from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

On their return the apostles told him what they had done. and he took them and withdrew in private to a town called Bethsaida.

But when the crowd learned this they followed him. He received them kindly and spoke to them concerning the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed restored to good health.

But now the day began to decline, and the twelve came to him and said: "Send away the crowd so that they may go into the villages and surrounding the country to lodge and buy provisions; for here we are on a solitary place."

"Do you yourselves give them food," he answered. "We have nothing," they replied "Except five loaves, and a couple fish, unless you mean for us to go and buy provisions for all the crowd."

This they did, and made them all sit down.

So they ate and were filled, all of them. And there was picked up that which remained over to them, of broken pieces, twelve basketfuls.

"John the Baptist," they answered, "But others say Elijah, and others that one of the ancient prophets is risen again."

"But I tell you truly there are some of those standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God."

Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep; but when they were fully awake they saw his glory, and the two men were standing beside him.

And when they were preparing to depart from him Peter said to Jesus. "Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah"??ot knowing what he was saying.

And while he was saying this, there came a cloud and began to overshadow them; and they were awestruck as they entered into the cloud.

When the voice ceased Jesus was found alone. And they held their peace, and told no one at that time about what they had seen.

It happened the next day, when they were come down from the mountain, that a large crowd came to meet him;

"I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not."

And they were all awestruck at the mighty power of God. But while everyone was marveling at what he was doing, he said to his disciples.

But they did not understand this saying; it was hidden from them so that they perceived it not, and they were sore afraid to ask him about his saying.

But they did not receive him because his face was set to go to Jerusalem.

And when his disciples, James and John, saw this they said, "Lord, are you willing for us to bid fire come down from heaven and destroy them?" As Elijah did.

"You know not what kind of spirit you share, for the Son of man came not to destroy men's lives, but to save them." And they went to another village.

As they were going on their way, a man came to him and said, "I will follow wherever you go."

"Stay in that same house, eating and drinking what they give. for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Do not go from house to house.

"And whatever town you come to, and they receive you, eat whatever they put before you.

"But whatever town you enter, and they do not receive you, Go out into the streets and cry,

"Woe unto you, Chorazin! Woe unto you, Bethsaida! For had the mighty been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

It happened as they went on their way that he entered into a certain village were a woman named Martha received him into her house.

"Do you say that I am casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub? If I then am casting out demons by Beelzebub, by whom are your sons casting them out? They therefore shall be your judges.

"Then it goes off and fetches seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the last state of that man is worse than the first."