They were both righteous in the sight of God, following all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.

But they did not have a child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both very old.

Now the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they began to wonder why he was delayed in the holy place.

When he came out, he was not able to speak to them. They realized that he had seen a vision in the holy place, because he was making signs to them and remained unable to speak.

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

On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they wanted to name him Zechariah after his father.

They said to her, "But none of your relatives bears this name."

So they made signs to the baby's father, inquiring what he wanted to name his son.

He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And they were all amazed.

While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child.

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

So they hurried off and located Mary and Joseph, and found the baby lying in a manger.

When they saw him, they related what they had been told about this child,

But Mary treasured up all these words, pondering in her heart what they might mean.

So the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; everything was just as they had been told.

So when Joseph and Mary had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.

When he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom.

But when the feast was over, as they were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it,

but (because they assumed that he was in their group of travelers) they went a day's journey. Then they began to look for him among their relatives and acquaintances.

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

After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

When his parents saw him, they were overwhelmed. His mother said to him, "Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously."

Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher, what should we do?"

While the people were filled with anticipation and they all wondered whether perhaps John could be the Christ,

where for forty days he endured temptations from the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were completed, he was famished.

and 'with their hands they will lift you up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'"

All were speaking well of him, and were amazed at the gracious words coming out of his mouth. They said, "Isn't this Joseph's son?"

When they heard this, all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage.

They got up, forced him out of the town, and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff.

They were amazed at his teaching, because he spoke with authority.

They were all amazed and began to say to one another, "What's happening here? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!"

After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her.

Demons also came out of many, crying out, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them, and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

The next morning Jesus departed and went to a deserted place. Yet the crowds were seeking him, and they came to him and tried to keep him from leaving them.

When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets started to tear.

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

For Peter and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken,

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

Just then some men showed up, carrying a paralyzed man on a stretcher. They were trying to bring him in and place him before Jesus.

But since they found no way to carry him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down on the stretcher through the roof tiles right in front of Jesus.

Then astonishment seized them all, and they glorified God. They were filled with awe, saying, "We have seen incredible things today."

Then they said to him, "John's disciples frequently fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours continue to eat and drink."

But those days are coming, and when the bridegroom is taken from them, at that time they will fast."

The experts in the law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they could find a reason to accuse him.

But they were filled with mindless rage and began debating with one another what they would do to Jesus.

Then he came down with them and stood on a level place. And a large number of his disciples had gathered along with a vast multitude from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon. They came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases,

"Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject you as evil on account of the Son of Man!

And if you lend to those from whom you hope to be repaid, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, so that they may be repaid in full.

He also told them a parable: "Someone who is blind cannot lead another who is blind, can he? Won't they both fall into a pit?

When they came to Jesus, they urged him earnestly, "He is worthy to have you do this for him,

So when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave well.

Fear seized them all, and they began to glorify God, saying, "A great prophet has appeared among us!" and "God has come to help his people!"

When the men came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?'"

(Now all the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, acknowledged God's justice, because they had been baptized with John's baptism.

However, the Pharisees and the experts in religious law rejected God's purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)

"To what then should I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like?

They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another, 'We played the flute for you, yet you did not dance; we wailed in mourning, yet you did not weep.'

When they could not pay, he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"

Other seed fell among the thorns, and they grew up with it and choked it.

He said, "You have been given the opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that although they see they may not see, and although they hear they may not understand.

Those along the path are the ones who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.

Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in a time of testing fall away.

As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the worries and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.

Now Jesus' mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not get near him because of the crowd.

One day Jesus got into a boat with his disciples and said to them, "Let's go across to the other side of the lake." So they set out,

and as they sailed he fell asleep. Now a violent windstorm came down on the lake, and the boat started filling up with water, and they were in danger.

They came and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we are about to die!" So he got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; they died down, and it was calm.

Then he said to them, "Where is your faith?" But they were afraid and amazed, saying to one another, "Who then is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him!"

So they sailed over to the region of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee.

And they began to beg him not to order them to depart into the abyss.

When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran off and spread the news in the town and countryside.

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

Then all the people of the Gerasenes and the surrounding region asked Jesus to leave them alone, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and left.

Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, because they were all waiting for him.

Then Jesus asked, "Who was it who touched me?" When they all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the crowds are surrounding you and pressing against you!"

Now they were all wailing and mourning for her, but he said, "Stop your weeping; she is not dead but asleep."

And they began making fun of him, because they knew that she was dead.

Wherever they do not receive you, as you leave that town, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them."

Then they departed and went throughout the villages, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.

When the apostles returned, they told Jesus everything they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew privately to a town called Bethsaida.

But when the crowds found out, they followed him. He welcomed them, spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and cured those who needed healing.

Now the day began to draw to a close, so the twelve came and said to Jesus, "Send the crowd away, so they can go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging and food, because we are in an isolated place."

But he said to them, "You give them something to eat." They replied, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish -- unless we go and buy food for all these people."

So they did as Jesus directed, and the people all sat down.

They all ate and were satisfied, and what was left over was picked up -- twelve baskets of broken pieces.

They answered, "John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others that one of the prophets of long ago has risen."

But I tell you most certainly, there are some standing here who will not experience death before they see the kingdom of God."

They appeared in glorious splendor and spoke about his departure that he was about to carry out at Jerusalem.

Now Peter and those with him were quite sleepy, but as they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.

As he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.

After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. So they kept silent and told no one at that time anything of what they had seen.

Now on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a large crowd met him.

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

But they did not understand this statement; its meaning had been concealed from them, so that they could not grasp it. Yet they were afraid to ask him about this statement.

He sent messengers on ahead of him. As they went along, they entered a Samaritan village to make things ready in advance for him,

Now when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do you want us to call fire to come down from heaven and consume them?"

and they went on to another village.

As they were walking along the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."

Stay in that same house, eating and drinking what they give you, for the worker deserves his pay. Do not move around from house to house.

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