Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;

so that you may know the certainty concerning the things about which you were taught.

And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marvelled while he tarried in the temple.

And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.

The Lord has done this to me, for his eyes were on me, to take away my shame in the eyes of men.

And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

He has manifested His supreme strength. He has scattered those who were haughty in the thoughts of their hearts.

“He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
And has exalted those who were humble.

and the neighbours and her kindred heard that the Lord was making His kindness great with her, and they were rejoicing with her.

And it came to pass, on the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child, and they were calling him by the name of his father, Zacharias,

and they were making signs to his father, what he would wish him to be called,

And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote as follows, “His name is John.” And they were all astonished.

And his mouth and his tongue were opened immediately, and he began to speak, praising God.

And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.

And everyone who heard about this incident remembered it [i.e., for some time]. They were saying, "What will this child become? For the hand of the Lord was [surely] with him."

Even as he promised by the mouth of his holy prophets which were since the world began.

to shine upon them who were sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

and all were going to be enrolled, each to his proper city,

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

Then suddenly there appeared with the angel a large number of the heavenly "army" [i.e., of angels], who were praising God and saying,

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child,

And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;

by the divine direction he came into the temple, just as the parents of Jesus were bringing in the child to perform what the law required in his behalf.

And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.

And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.

And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks unto God, and spake of him to all them that were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

And when they had accomplished all things that were according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.

And his parents were going yearly to Jerusalem, at the feast of the passover,

and when they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and his parents knew it not;

and, having supposed him to be in the company, they went a day's journey, and were seeking him among the kindred and among the acquaintances,

And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.

And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.

And he said unto them, 'Why is it that ye were seeking me? did ye not know that in the things of my Father it behoveth me to be?'

Now it was the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod was ruler of Galilee, his brother Philip was ruler of the regions of Ituraea and Trachonitus [Note: These two men were sons of Herod the Great (See Matt. 2:1) and ruled over provinces east of the Jordan River] and Lysanias was ruler of Abilene [Note: This was a province just north of the two previously mentioned ones].

When Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of the Lord came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the waste land.

And he came into all the country round about Jordan, preaching baptism as a sign of forgiveness of sin for those whose hearts were changed.

He was saying, therefore, unto the multitudes who were going forth to be immersed by him - Broods of vipers! who suggested to you, to flee from the coming wrath?

And the multitudes were questioning him, saying, 'What, then, shall we do?'

And questioning him also were those warring, saying, 'And we, what shall we do?' and he said unto them, 'Do violence to no one, nor accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.'

And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;

whether perhaps he were the Christ, John answered, saying to all of them. "I indeed am baptizing you in water, but One is coming after me, mightier than I, whose shoe-latchet I am not worthy to unloose. He shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and in fire.

Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,

When beginning his work, Jesus was about thirty years old. He was regarded as the son of Joseph, whose ancestors were--Eli,

Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.

And when all these tests were ended the Evil One went away from him for a time.

And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him, and he began to say to them, "Today is this scripture fulfilled in your hearing."

And all bore witness to him, and wondered at the words of grace which were coming out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this the son of Joseph?

And he said to them, Without doubt you will say to me, Let the medical man make himself well: the things which to our knowledge were done at Capernaum, do them here in your country.

But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;

And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.

And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

And rising up, they cast Him out of the city, and were leading Him to the brink of the mountain on which their city was built, to hurl Him down;

And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.

Now there was a man in the synagogue who was dominated by the spirit of an evil demon [Note: These "evil spirits" or "demons" were powerful beings sent by Satan to inhabit people, causing physical, mental and spiritual harm to them]. He was shouting with a loud voice,

And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.

While the sun was setting [marking the end of the Sabbath day], all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Jesus; and laying His hands on each one of them, He was healing them [exhibiting His authority as Messiah].

And demons also were coming forth from many, crying out and saying -- 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of God;' and rebuking, he did not suffer them to speak, because they knew him to be the Christ.

And day having come, having gone forth, he went on to a desert place, and the multitudes were seeking him, and they came unto him, and were staying him -- not to go on from them,

Once, when the people were pressing round Jesus as the listened to God's Message, he happened to be standing by the shore of the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats close to the shore.

And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

And Simon, answering, said, Master, we were working all night and we took nothing: but at your word I will let down the nets.

And when they had done this, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes; and their nets were breaking;

And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:

And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

Then He ordered the man not to tell anyone [about the healing], saying, "Go on your way and show yourself to the priest and offer the proper sacrifice for your healing that Moses required [Lev. 13:49; 14:2ff] as evidence to people [that you were healed]."

but the more was the report going abroad concerning him, and great multitudes were coming together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities,

And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

And lo, men bearing upon a couch a man, who hath been struck with palsy, and they were seeking to bring him in, and to place before him,

And the scribes and Pharisees were having an argument, saying, Who is this, who has no respect for God? who is able to give forgiveness for sins, but God only?

Because Jesus knew that they were arguing, he asked them, "Why are you arguing about this among yourselves?

And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.

And after these things he went out, and saw Levi, a tax-farmer, seated at the place where taxes were taken, and said to him, Come after me.

And Levi made him a great feast in his house: and there was a great multitude of publicans and of others that were sitting at meat with them.

and the scribes and the Pharisees among them were murmuring at his disciples, saying, 'Wherefore with tax-gatherers and sinners do ye eat and drink?'

And it came to pass on the second-first sabbath, that he went through cornfields, and his disciples were plucking the ears and eating them, rubbing them in their hands.

And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him;

How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone?

And the scribes and the Pharisees were watching if he would heal on the sabbath, that they might find something of which to accuse him.

But Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he told the man with the paralyzed hand, "Get up, and stand in the middle of the synagogue." So he got up and stood there.

And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.

Simon, whom He also named Peter, and his brother Andrew; and [the brothers] James and John; and Philip, and Bartholomew [also called Nathanael];

And coming down with them, He stood on a level place. And a crowd of His disciples, and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon (who came to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases) were there;

And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.

and all the multitude were seeking to touch him, because power from him was going forth, and he was healing all.

rejoice in that day, and leap, for lo, your reward is great in the heaven, for according to these things were their fathers doing to the prophets.

Woe to you when all men shall speak well of you -- for according to these things were their fathers doing to false prophets.

but he that does not practise what he hears, is like a man who built his house upon the loose earth without any foundation: the current beat impetuously against it: in the instant down it fell, and great were its ruins.

After Jesus had finished saying all these things to the people who were there listening, he went to Capernaum.

And they, having come near unto Jesus, were calling upon him earnestly, saying -- 'He is worthy to whom thou shalt do this,

And when these things were said to Jesus, he was surprised, and, turning to the mass of people coming after him, said, I have not seen such great faith, no, not in Israel.