Just as they were reported to us by those who from the beginning were eye-witnesses, and afterwards became bearers of the Message.

They were both righteous people, who lived blameless lives, guiding their steps by all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.

But they had no child, Elizabeth being barren; and both of them were advanced in years.

When he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision there. But Zechariah kept making signs to them, and remained dumb.

A week later they met to circumcise the child, and were about to call him 'Zechariah' after his father,

"You have no relation of that name!" they exclaimed;

And they made signs to the child's father, to find out what he wished the child to be called.

While they were there her time came,

When an angel of the Lord suddenly stood by them, and the Glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were seized with fear.

So they went quickly, and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in a manger;

And, when they saw it, they told of all that had been said to them about this child.

While Mary treasured up all that they said, and dwelt upon it in her thoughts.

And the shepherds went back, giving glory and praise to God for all that they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

When the child's parents had done everything enjoined by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.

When Jesus was twelve years old, they went according to custom to Jerusalem,

And had finished their visit; but, when they started to return, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, without their knowing it.

Thinking that he was with their fellow-travelers, they went one day's journey before searching for him among their relations and acquaintances;

And then, as they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching everywhere for him.

It was not till the third day that they found him in the Temple Courts, sitting among the Teachers, now listening to them, now asking them questions.

His parents were amazed when they saw him, and his mother said to him: "My child, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been searching for you in great distress."

And 'On their hands they will upbear thee, Lest ever thou shouldst strike thy foot against a stone.'"

All who were present spoke well of him, and were astonished at the beautiful words that fell from his lips. "Is not he Joseph's son?" they asked.

All the people in the Synagogue, as they listened to this, became enraged.

Starting up, they drove Jesus out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town stood, intending to hurl him down.

They were amazed at his teaching, because his words were spoken with authority.

And they were all lost in amazement, and kept saying to one another: "What words are these? For he gives his commands to the foul spirits with a marvelous authority, and they come out."

On leaving the Synagogue, Jesus went into Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a severe attack of fever, and they asked Jesus to cure her.

And even demons came out from many people, screaming 'You are the Son of God.' Jesus rebuked them, and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

At daybreak, Jesus went out and walked to a lonely spot. But crowds of people began to look for him; and they came to where he was and tried to detain him and prevent his leaving them.

They did so, and enclosed such a great shoal of fish that their nets began to break.

So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them; and they came and filled both the boats so full of fish that they were almost sinking.

For he and all who were with him were lost in amazement at the haul of fish which they had made;

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

On one of those days, when Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and Doctors of the Law were sitting near by. (They had come from all the villages in Galilee and Judea, and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was upon Jesus, so that he could work cures.)

And there some men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed. They tried to get him in and lay him before Jesus;

But, finding no way of getting him in owing to the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him through the tiles, with his pallet, into the middle of the people and in front of Jesus.

The Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees began debating about this. "Who is this man who speaks so blasphemously?" they asked. "Who can forgive sins except God?"

When Jesus became aware of the way in which they were debating, he turned to them and exclaimed: "What are you debating with yourselves?

The people, one and all, were lost in amazement, and praised God; and in great awe they said: "We have seen marvelous things to-day!"

"John's disciples," they said to Jesus, "Often fast and say prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, while yours are eating and drinking!"

But the days will come--a time when the bridegroom will be parted from them; and they will fast then, when those days come."

The Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely, to see if he would work cures on the Sabbath, so that they might find a charge to bring against him.

But the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees were goaded to madness, and consulted together what they could do to Jesus.

They were Simon (whom Jesus also named Peter), and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,

Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they expel you from among them, and taunt you, and reject your Name as an evil thing--on account of the Son of Man.

Give, and others will give to you. A generous measure, pressed and shaken down, and running over, will they pour into your lap; For the measure that you mete will be meted out to you in return."

Then, speaking in parables, Jesus said: "Can one blind man guide another? Will they not both fall into a ditch?

But those who have listened and not acted upon what they have heard may be compared to a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation. The river swept down upon it, and the house immediately collapsed; and great was the crash that followed."

When they found Jesus, they earnestly implored him to do so. "He is a man who deserves that you should show him this favor," they said,

And, when the messengers returned to the house, they found the slave recovered.

Every one was awe-struck and began praising God. "A great Prophet has arisen among us," they said; "and God has visited his people."

When these men found Jesus, they said: "John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask--'Are you 'The Coming One,' or are we to look for somebody else?'"

(All the people, when they heard this, and even the tax- gatherers, having accepted John's baptism, acknowledged the justice of God.

"To what then," Jesus continued, "shall I compare the people of the present generation? What are they like?

They are like some little children who are sitting in the market-place and calling out to one another--'We have played the flute for you, but you have not danced; We have wailed, but you have not wept!'

As they were unable to pay, he forgave them both. Which of them, do you think, will love him the more?"

And for this, I tell you, her sins, many as they are, have been pardoned, because she has loved greatly; but one who has little pardoned him, loves but little."

As well as some women who had been cured of wicked spirits and of infirmities. They were Mary, known as Mary of Magdala (from whom seven demons had been expelled),

"To you," he said, "the knowledge of the hidden truths of the Kingdom of God has been imparted, but to others in parables only, that 'though they have eyes they may not see, and though they have ears, they may not understand.'

By the seed which fell upon the rock are meant those who, as soon as they hear the Message, welcome it joyfully; but they have no root, and believe it only for a time, and, when the time of temptation comes, they draw back.

By that which fell among the brambles are meant those who hear the Message, but who, as they go on their way, are completely choked by this world's cares and wealth and pleasures, and bring nothing to perfection.

Take care, then, how you listen. For, to all those who have, more will be given; while, from all those who have nothing, even what they seem to have will be taken away."

Presently Jesus' mother and brothers came where he was, but they were not able to join him on account of the crowd.

So they put off. While they were sailing, Jesus fell asleep. A squall swept down upon the lake, and their boat was filling and they were in danger.

So the disciples came and roused him. "Sir, Sir," they cried, "we are lost!" Jesus rose and rebuked the wind and the rushing waves, and they fell, and a calm followed.

"Where is your faith?" he exclaimed. But in great awe and amazement they said to one another: "Who can this be, that he commands even the winds and the waves, and they obey him?"

And they reached the country of the Gerasenes, which is on the opposite side to Galilee;

They came out from the man and took possession of the pigs; and the drove rushed down the steep slope into the lake and were drowned.

When the men who tended them saw what had happened, they ran away, and carried the news to the town, and to the country round.

The people went out to see what had happened, and, when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting, clothed and in his right mind, at Jesus' feet; and they were awe-struck.

Upon which all the people in the neighborhood of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, for they were terrified. Jesus got into a boat and returned.

They began to laugh at him, for they knew that she was dead.

Her parents were amazed, but Jesus impressed on them that they were not to tell any one what had happened.

Then they set out and went from village to village, telling the Good News and curing people everywhere.

When the Apostles returned, they related to Jesus all that they had done. Then Jesus retired privately to a town called Bethsaida, taking the Apostles with him.

The day was drawing to a close, when the twelve came up to him, and said: "Send the crowd away, so that they may make their way to the villages and farms round about, and find themselves lodgings and provisions, for we are in a lonely spot here."

But Jesus said: "It is for you to give them something to eat." "We have not more than five loaves and two fishes," they answered; "unless indeed we are to go and buy food for all these people."

This they did, and got all the people seated.

Indeed, I tell you, some who are standing before me will not know death, till they have seen the Kingdom of God."

And all at once two men were talking with Jesus; they were Moses and Elijah,

Peter and his companions had been overpowered by sleep but, suddenly becoming wide awake, they saw Jesus glorified and the two men who were standing beside him.

And, while he was speaking, a cloud came down and enveloped them; and they were afraid, as they passed into the cloud;

And, as the voice ceased, Jesus was found alone. The Apostles kept silence, and told no one about any of the things that they had seen.

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

I entreated your disciples to drive the spirit out, but they could not."

But the disciples did not understand the meaning of this; it had been concealed from them so that they did not see it, and they were afraid to question him as to what he meant.

On their way, they went into a Samaritan village to make preparations for him,

When James and John saw this, they said: "Master, do you wish us to call for fire to come down from the heavens and consume them?"

And they made their way to another village.

And, while they were on their way, a man said to Jesus: "I will follow you wherever you go."

Remain at that same house, and eat and drink whatever they offer you; for the worker is worth his wages. Do not keep changing from one house to another.

Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida! For, if the Miracles which have been done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have sat in sackcloth and ashes and repented long ago.

When the seventy-two returned, they exclaimed joyfully: "Master, even the demons submit to us when we use your name."

As they continued their journey, Jesus came to a village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him to her house.

Jesus himself, however, was aware of what they were thinking, and said to them: "Any kingdom wholly divided against itself becomes a desolation; and a divided house falls.

But, if it is by Baal-zebub's help that I drive out demons, by whose help is it that your own sons drive them out? Therefore they shall themselves be your judges.

Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in, and make their home there; and the last state of that man proves to be worse than the first."

At the Judgment the men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation, and will condemn it, because they repented at Jonah's proclamation; and here is more than a Jonah!

You are actually witnesses to your ancestors' acts and show your approval of them, because, while they killed the Prophets, you build tombs for them.

Some of whom they will persecute and kill, in order that the 'blood' of all the prophets 'that has been spilt' since the creation of the world may be exacted from this generation--