Zacharias said to the angel, "How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."

The angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news.

But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be.

Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?"

Behold, Elizabeth, your relative, also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.

They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name."

All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, "What then will this child be?" The hand of the Lord was with him.

This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

For there is born to you, this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough."

It happened, when the angels went away from them into the sky, that the shepherds said one to another, "Let's go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us."

When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child.

Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.

and Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, his mother, "Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against.

When they saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us this way? Behold, your father and I were anxiously looking for you."

added this also to them all, that he shut up John in prison.

The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread."

The devil said to him, "I will give you all this authority, and their glory, for it has been delivered to me; and I give it to whomever I want.

He began to tell them, "Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

All testified about him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, and they said, "Isn't this Joseph's son?"

He said to them, "Doubtless you will tell me this parable, 'Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done at Capernaum, do also here in your hometown.'"

Amazement came on all, and they spoke together, one with another, saying, "What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!"

But he said to them, "I must preach the good news of the Kingdom of God to the other cities also. For this reason I have been sent."

When they had done this, they caught a great multitude of fish, and their net was breaking.

The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this that speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?"

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

For I also am a man placed under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, 'Go!' and he goes; and to another, 'Come!' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

This report went out concerning him in the whole of Judea, and in all the surrounding region.

This is he of whom it is written, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.'

When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they declared God to be just, having been baptized with John's baptism.

"To what then will I liken the people of this generation? What are they like?

Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, "This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner."

Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered into your house, and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head.

Those who sat at the table with him began to say to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"

Then his disciples asked him, "What does this parable mean?"

Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

He said to them, "Where is your faith?" Being afraid they marveled, saying one to another, "Who is this, then, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?"

Herod said, "John I beheaded, but who is this, about whom I hear such things?" He sought to see him.

But he warned them, and commanded them to tell this to no one,

A voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him!"

But they didn't understand this saying. It was concealed from them, that they should not perceive it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

and said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in my name receives me. Whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For whoever is least among you all, this one will be great."

When his disciples, James and John, saw this, they said, "Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from the sky, and destroy them, just as Elijah did?"

Into whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house.'

'Even the dust from your city that clings to us, we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the Kingdom of God has come near to you.'

Nevertheless, don't rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

He said to him, "You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live."

When the multitudes were gathering together to him, he began to say, "This is an evil generation. It seeks after a sign. No sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah, the prophet.

For even as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will also the Son of Man be to this generation.

The Queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and will condemn them: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, one greater than Solomon is here.

The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, one greater than Jonah is here.

One of the lawyers answered him, "Teacher, in saying this you insult us also."

that the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;

from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary.' Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation.

He said, 'This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns, and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.

But if this is how God clothes the grass in the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith?

But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and not allowed his house to be broken into.

Peter said to him, "Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everybody?"

You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you don't interpret this time?

He spoke this parable. "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it, and found none.

He said to the vine dresser, 'Behold, these three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and found none. Cut it down. Why does it waste the soil?'

He answered, 'Lord, leave it alone this year also, until I dig around it, and fertilize it.

Ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan had bound eighteen long years, be freed from this bondage on the Sabbath day?"

and he who invited both of you would come and tell you, 'Make room for this person.' Then you would begin, with shame, to take the lowest place.

saying, 'This man began to build, and wasn't able to finish.'

The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, "This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them."

He told them this parable.

Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living.

for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.' They began to celebrate.

But when this, your son, came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.'

But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.'"

He also said to his disciples, "There was a certain rich man who had a manager. An accusation was made to him that this man was wasting his possessions.

He called him, and said to him, 'What is this that I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management, for you can no longer be manager.'

"His lord commended the dishonest manager because he had done wisely, for the children of this world are, in their own generation, wiser than the children of the light.

He cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue! For I am in anguish in this flame.'

Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that those who want to pass from here to you are not able, and that none may cross over from there to us.'

for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, so they won't also come into this place of torment.'

The Lord said, "If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you would tell this sycamore tree, 'Be uprooted, and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.

Were there none found who returned to give glory to God, except this stranger?"

But first, he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

yet because this widow bothers me, I will defend her, or else she will wear me out by her continual coming.'"

He spoke also this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others.

The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: 'God, I thank you, that I am not like the rest of men, extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."

who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the world to come, eternal life."

They understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they didn't understand the things that were said.

Hearing a multitude going by, he asked what this meant.

Jesus said to him, "Today, salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham.

But his citizens hated him, and sent an envoy after him, saying, 'We don't want this man to reign over us.'

They asked him, "Tell us: by what authority do you do these things? Or who is giving you this authority?"

He began to tell the people this parable. "A man planted a vineyard, and rented it out to some farmers, and went into another country for a long time.

"But when the farmers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.'

But he looked at them, and said, "Then what is this that is written, 'The stone which the builders rejected, the same was made the chief cornerstone?'

The chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on him that very hour, but they feared the people -- for they knew he had spoken this parable against them.

Jesus said to them, "The children of this age marry, and are given in marriage.

He said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow put in more than all of them,

Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who nurse infants in those days! For there will be great distress in the land, and wrath to this people.

Most certainly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things are accomplished.

"So be careful, or your hearts will be loaded down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day will come on you suddenly.

He said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer,