So it seemed good to me as well, because I have followed all things carefully from the beginning, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

Now the whole crowd of people were praying outside at the hour of the incense offering.

Joy and gladness will come to you, and many will rejoice at his birth,

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.

"This is what the Lord has done for me at the time when he has been gracious to me, to take away my disgrace among people."

And blessed is she who believed that what was spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled."

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

All who heard these things kept them in their hearts, saying, "What then will this child be?" For the Lord's hand was indeed with him.

Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus to register all the empire for taxes.

Now there were shepherds nearby living out in the field, keeping guard over their flock at night.

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

and all who heard it were astonished at what the shepherds said.

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

At the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

(just as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male will be set apart to the Lord"),

and to offer a sacrifice according to what is specified in the law of the Lord, a pair of doves or two young pigeons.

It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

So Simeon, directed by the Spirit, came into the temple courts, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what was customary according to the law,

So the child's father and mother were amazed at what was said about him.

She had lived as a widow since then for eighty-four years. She never left the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.

At that moment, she came up to them and began to give thanks to God and to speak about the child to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

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

And all who heard Jesus were astonished at his understanding and his answers.

Yet his parents did not understand the remark he made to them.

As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "The voice of one shouting in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make his paths straight.

So John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."

So the crowds were asking him, "What then should we do?"

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

Then some soldiers also asked him, "And as for us -- what should we do?" He told them, "Take money from no one by violence or by false accusation, and be content with your pay."

His winnowing fork is in his hand to clean out his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his storehouse, but the chaff he will burn up with inextinguishable fire."

the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,

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

Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'Man does not live by bread alone.'"

And he said to him, "To you I will grant this whole realm -- and the glory that goes along with it, for it has been relinquished to me, and I can give it to anyone I wish.

Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'You are to worship the Lord your God and serve only him.'"

for it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,'

Jesus answered him, "It is said, 'You are not to put the Lord your God to the test.'"

and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him.

Then he began to tell them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled even as you heard it being read."

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?"

Jesus said to them, "No doubt you will quote to me the proverb, 'Physician, heal yourself!' and say, 'What we have heard that you did in Capernaum, do here in your hometown too.'"

Yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to a woman who was a widow at Zarephath in Sidon.

And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, yet none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian."

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.

Now in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice,

But Jesus rebuked him: "Silence! Come out of him!" Then, after the demon threw the man down in their midst, he came out of him without hurting him.

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!"

So he stood over her, commanded the fever, and it left her. Immediately she got up and began to serve them.

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.

But Jesus said to them, "I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, for that is what I was sent to do."

He saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets.

He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then Jesus sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water and lower your nets for a catch."

Simon answered, "Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing! But at your word I will lower the nets."

But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!"

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

So he stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing. Be clean!" And immediately the leprosy left him.

Yet Jesus himself frequently withdrew to the wilderness and prayed.

After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax booth. "Follow me," he said to him.

Then Levi gave a great banquet in his house for Jesus, and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others sitting at the table with them.

But the Pharisees and their experts in the law complained to his disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"

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."

He also told them a parable: "No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old garment. If he does, he will have torn the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old.

Jesus was going through the grain fields on a Sabbath, and his disciples picked some heads of wheat, rubbed them in their hands, and ate them.

But some of the Pharisees said, "Why are you doing what is against the law on the Sabbath?"

Jesus answered them, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry --

how he entered the house of God, took and ate the sacred bread, which is not lawful for any to eat but the priests alone, and gave it to his companions?"

Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do evil, to save a life or to destroy it?"

After looking around at them all, he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." The man did so, and his hand was restored.

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

Now it was during this time that Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and he spent all night in prayer to God.

The whole crowd was trying to touch him, because power was coming out from him and healing them all.

Then he looked up at his disciples and said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God belongs to you.

"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.

And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same.

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.

Give, and it will be given to you: A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be poured into your lap. For the measure you use will be the measure you receive."

Why do you see the speck in your brother's eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own?

The good person out of the good treasury of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasury produces evil, for his mouth speaks from what fills his heart.

"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and don't do what I tell you?

"Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and puts them into practice -- I will show you what he is like:

He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep, and laid the foundation on bedrock. When a flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built.

But the person who hears and does not put my words into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against that house, it collapsed immediately, and was utterly destroyed!"

A centurion there had a slave who was highly regarded, but who was sick and at the point of death.

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

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him. He turned and said to the crowd that followed him, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith!"

As he approached the town gate, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother (who was a widow), and a large crowd from the town was with her.

Then he came up and touched the bier, and those who carried it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!"

At that very time Jesus cured many people of diseases, sicknesses, and evil spirits, and granted sight to many who were blind.

So he answered them, "Go tell John what you have seen and heard: The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news proclaimed to them.

Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me."

When John's messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

What did you go out to see? A man dressed in fancy clothes? Look, those who wear fancy clothes and live in luxury are in kings' courts!

What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

This is the one about whom it is written, 'Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.'