"By what proof," asked Zechariah, "shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is far advanced in years."

"I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God," answered the angel, "and I have been sent to talk with you and tell you this good news.

And now you will be dumb and unable to speak until the day when this has taken place; because you did not believe my words--words which will be fulfilled at their appointed time."

"How can this be," Mary replied, "seeing that I have no husband?"

The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for this reason your holy offspring will be called 'the Son of God.'

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

Not long after this, Mary rose up and went in haste into the hill country to a town in Judah.

But why is this honour done me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

Because He has not turned from His maidservant in her lowly position; For from this time forward all generations will account me happy,

All who heard the story treasured it in their memories. "What then will this child be?" they said. For the lord's hand was indeed with him.

Just at this time an edict was issued by Caesar Augustus for the registration of the whole Empire.

And this is the token for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."

Then, as soon as the angels had left them and returned to Heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go over as far as Bethlehem and see this that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us."

Symeon blessed them and said to Mary the mother, "This child is appointed for the falling and the uprising of many in Israel and for a token to be spoken against;

after staying the full number of days, when they started back home the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not discover this,

now added this to crown all the rest, that he threw John into prison.

Then the Devil said to Him, "If you are God's Son, tell this stone to become bread."

And the Devil said to Him, "To you will I give all this authority and this splendour; for it has been handed over to me, and on whomsoever I will I bestow it.

Then He proceeded to say to them, "To-day is this Scripture fulfilled in your hearing."

And they all spoke well of Him, wondering at the sweet words of kindness which fell from His lips, while they asked one another, "Is not this Joseph's son?"

But Jesus rebuked the demon. "Silence!" He exclaimed; "come out of him." Upon this, the demon hurled the man into the midst of them, and came out of him without doing him any harm.

All were astonished and awe-struck; and they asked one another, "What sort of language is this? For with authority and real power He gives orders to the foul spirits and they come out."

But He said to them, "I have to tell the Good News of the Kingdom of God to the other towns also, because for this purpose I was sent."

This they did, and enclosed a vast number of fish; and their nets began to break.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell down at the knees of Jesus, and exclaimed, "Master, leave my boat, for I am a sinful man."

Then the Scribes and Pharisees began to cavil, asking, "Who is this, uttering blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?"

Well aware of their reasonings, Jesus answered their questions by asking in turn, "What is this that you are debating in your hearts?

After this He went out and noticed a tax-gatherer, Levi by name, sitting at the Toll office; and He said to him, "Follow me."

This led the Pharisees and Scribes of their party to expostulate with His disciples and ask, "Why are you eating and drinking with these tax-gatherers and notorious sinners?"

But a time for this will come, when the Bridegroom has been taken away from them: then, at that time, they will fast."

"Have you never read so much as this," answered Jesus--"what David did when he and his followers were hungry;

And they, when they came to Jesus, earnestly entreated Him, pleading, "He deserves to have this favour granted him,

For I too am a man obedient to authority, and have soldiers under me; and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this or that,' and he does it."

The men came to Jesus and said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you with this question: 'Are you the Coming One, or is there another that we are to expect?'"

Noticing this, the Pharisee, His host, said to himself, "This man, if he were really a Prophet, would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching him--and would know that she is an immoral woman."

Then turning towards the woman He said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house: you gave me no water for my feet; but she has made my feet wet with her tears, and then wiped the tears away with her hair.

This is the reason why I tell you that her sins, her many sins, are forgiven--because she has loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little."

Then the other guests began to say to themselves, "Who can this man be who even forgives sins?"

Shortly after this He visited town after town, and village after village, proclaiming His Message and telling the Good News of the Kingdom of God. The Twelve were with Him,

The disciples proceeded to ask Him what this parable meant.

"Where is your faith?" He asked them. But they were filled with terror and amazement, and said to one another, "Who then is this? for He gives orders both to wind and waves, and they obey Him."

And Herod said, "John I have beheaded; but who is this, of whom I hear such reports?" And he sought for an opportunity of seeing Jesus.

But the immense crowd, aware of this, followed Him; and receiving them kindly He proceeded to speak to them of the Kingdom of God, and those who needed to be restored to health, He cured.

"You yourselves," He said, "must give them food." "We have nothing," they replied, "but five loaves and a couple of fish, unless indeed we were to go and buy provisions for all this host of people."

And Jesus strictly forbad them to tell this to any one;

It was about eight days after this that Jesus, taking with Him Peter, John, and James, went up the mountain to pray.

Then there came a voice from within the cloud: "This is My Son, My Chosen One: listen to Him."

After this voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They kept it to themselves, and said not a word to any one at that time about what they had seen.

and said to them, "Whoever for my sake receives this little child, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives Him who sent me. For the lowliest among you all--he is the greatest."

When the disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Master, do you wish us to order fire to come down from Heaven and consume them?"

After this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them before Him, by twos, to go to every town or place which He Himself intended to visit.

"Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house!'

"'The very dust of your town that hangs about us we wipe off as a protest. Only be sure of this, that the Kingdom of God is close at hand.'

Nevertheless rejoice not at this, that the spirits submit to you; but rejoice that your names are registered in Heaven."

"For this reason also the Wisdom of God has said, 'I will send Prophets and Apostles to them, of whom they will kill some and persecute others,'

"And he said to himself, "'This is what I will do: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and in them I will store up all my harvest and my wealth;

"But God said to him, "'Foolish man, this night your life is demanded from you; and these preparations--for whom shall they be?'

Then turning to His disciples He said, "For this reason I say to you, 'Dismiss all anxious care for your lives, inquiring what you are to eat, and for your bodies, what you are to put on.'

Of this be sure, that if the master of the house had known what time the robber was coming, he would have kept awake and not have allowed his house to be broken into.

"Master," said Peter, "are you addressing this parable to us, or to all alike?"

For from this time there will be in one house five persons split into parties. Three will form a party against two and two will form a party against three;

Vain pretenders! You know how to read the aspect of earth and sky. How is it you cannot read this present time?

"Do you suppose," He asked in reply, "that those Galilaeans were worse sinners than the mass of the Galilaeans, because this happened to them?

So he said to the gardener, "'See, this is the third year I have come to look for fruit on this fig-tree and cannot find any. Cut it down. Why should so much ground be actually wasted?'

"But the gardener pleaded, "'Leave it, Sir, this year also, till I have dug round it and manured it.

And this woman, daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan had bound for no less than eighteen years, was she not to be loosed from this chain because it is the Sabbath day?"

When He had said this, all His opponents were ashamed, while the whole multitude was delighted at the many glorious things continually done by Him.

This prompted Him to say, "What is the Kingdom of God like? and to what shall I compare it?

Just at that time there came some Pharisees who warned Him, saying, "Leave this place and continue your journey; Herod means to kill you."

"Go," He replied, "and take this message to that fox: "'See, to-day and to-morrow I am driving out demons and effecting cures, and on the third day I finish my course.'

This led Jesus to ask the lawyers and Pharisees, "Is it allowable to cure people on the Sabbath?"

To this they could make no reply.

Then, when He noticed that the invited guests chose the best seats, He used this as an illustration and said to them,

and the man who invited you both will come and will say to you, 'Make room for this guest,' and then you, ashamed, will move to the lowest place.

On the contrary, when you are invited go and take the lowest place, that when your host comes round he may say to you, 'My friend, come up higher.' This will be doing you honour in the presence of all the other guests.

After listening to this teaching, one of His fellow guests said to Him, "Blessed is he who shall feast in God's Kingdom."

saying, 'This man began to build, but could not finish.'

and this led the Pharisees and the Scribes indignantly to complain, saying, "He gives a welcome to notorious sinners, and joins them at their meals!"

Then he called one of the lads to him and asked what all this meant.

but now that this son of yours is come who has eaten up your property among his bad women, you have killed the fat calf for him.'

We are bound to make merry and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has come back to life, he was lost and has been found.'"

He called him and said, "'What is this I hear about you? Render an account of your stewardship, for I cannot let you hold it any longer.'

"And the master praised the dishonest steward for his shrewdness; for, in relation to their own contemporaries, the men of this age are shrewder than the sons of Light.

To all this the Pharisees listened, bitterly jeering at Him; for they were lovers of money.

So he cried aloud, and said, "'Father Abraham, take pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.'

And, besides all this, a vast chasm is immovably fixed between us and you, put there in order that those who desire to cross from this side to you may not be able, nor any be able to cross over from your side to us.'

For I have five brothers. Let him earnestly warn them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'

"If your faith," replied the Lord, "is like a mustard seed, you might command this black-mulberry-tree, 'Tear up your roots and plant yourself in the sea,' and instantly it would obey you.

Perceiving this, He said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the Priests." And while on their way to do this they were made clean.

Have none been found to come back and give glory to God except this foreigner?"

And to some who relied on themselves as being righteous men, and looked down upon all others, He addressed this parable.

The Pharisee, standing erect, prayed as follows by himself: "'O God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people--I am not a thief nor a cheat nor an adulterer, nor do I even resemble this tax-gatherer.

"I tell you that this man went home more thoroughly absolved from guilt than the other; for every one who uplifts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be uplifted."

On one occasion people also brought with them their infants, for Him to touch them; but the disciples, noticing this, proceeded to find fault with them.

On receiving this answer Jesus said to him, "There is still one thing wanting in you. Sell everything you possess and give the money to the poor, and you shall have wealth in Heaven; and then come, follow me."

who shall not certainly receive many times as much in this life, and in the age that is coming the Life of the Ages."

Nothing of this did they understand. The words were a mystery to them, nor could they see what He meant.

When they all saw this, they began to complain with indignation. "He has gone in to be the guest of a notorious sinner!" they said.

Turning towards him, Jesus replied, "To-day salvation has come to this house, seeing that he too is a son of Abraham.

"So he said to this one also, "'And you, be the governor of five towns.'