Both were righteous in God’s sight, living without blame according to all the commands and requirements of the Lord.

But they had no children because Elizabeth could not conceive, and both of them were well along in years.

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary.

When the days of his ministry were completed, he went back home.

When they came to circumcise the child on the eighth day, they were going to name him Zechariah, after his father.

He asked for a writing tablet and wrote:

HIS NAME IS JOHN.

And they were all amazed.

Fear came on all those who lived around them, and all these things were being talked about throughout the hill country of Judea.

While they were there, the time came for her to give birth.

In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock.

Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

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

and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

When the eight days were completed for His circumcision, He was named Jesus—the name given by the angel before He was conceived.

And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were finished, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord

His father and mother were amazed at what was being said about Him.

At that very moment, she came up and began to thank God and to speak about Him to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

After those days were over, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but His parents did not know it.

And all those who heard Him were astounded at His understanding and His answers.

When His parents saw Him, they were astonished, and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for You.”

“Why were you searching for Me?” He asked them. “Didn’t you know that I had to be in My Father’s house?”

“What then should we do?” the crowds were asking him.

Now the people were waiting expectantly, and all of them were debating in their minds whether John might be the Messiah.

When all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized. As He was praying, heaven opened,

for 40 days to be tempted by the Devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over, He was hungry.

He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. And the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on Him.

They were all speaking well of Him and were amazed by the gracious words that came from His mouth, yet they said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”

But I say to you, there were certainly many widows in Israel in Elijah’s days, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months while a great famine came over all the land.

And in the prophet Elisha’s time, there were many in Israel who had serious skin diseases, yet not one of them was healed —only Naaman the Syrian.”

They were astonished at His teaching because His message had authority.

Amazement came over them all, and they kept saying to one another, “What is this message? For He commands the unclean spirits with authority and power, and they come out!”

Also, demons were coming out of many, shouting and saying, “You are the Son of God!” But He rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew He was the Messiah.

When it was day, He went out and made His way to a deserted place. But the crowds were searching for Him. They came to Him and tried to keep Him from leaving them.

He saw two boats at the edge of the lake; the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets.

For he and all those with him were amazed at the catch of fish they took,

and so were James and John, Zebedee’s sons, who were Simon’s partners.

“Don’t be afraid,” Jesus told Simon. “From now on you will be catching people!”

On one of those days while He was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea, and also from Jerusalem. And the Lord’s power to heal was in Him.

Then everyone was astounded, and they were giving glory to God. And they were filled with awe and said, “We have seen incredible things today!”

Then Levi hosted a grand banquet for Him at his house. Now there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others who were guests with them.

But the Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to His disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

On a Sabbath, He passed through the grainfields. His disciples were picking heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them.

Jesus answered them, “Haven’t you read what David and those who were with him did when he was hungry—

how he entered the house of God, and took and ate the sacred bread, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat? He even gave some to those who were with him.”

The scribes and Pharisees were watching Him closely, to see if He would heal on the Sabbath, so that they could find a charge against Him.

They, however, were filled with rage and started discussing with one another what they might do to Jesus.

They came to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases; and those tormented by unclean spirits were made well.

Soon afterward He was on His way to a town called Nain. His disciples and a large crowd were traveling with Him.

When the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching Him—she’s a sinner!”

Those who were at the table with Him began to say among themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?”

Soon afterward He was traveling from one town and village to another, preaching and telling the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with Him,

Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward; Susanna; and many others who were supporting them from their possessions.

As a large crowd was gathering, and people were flocking to Him from every town, He said in a parable:

and as they were sailing He fell asleep. Then a fierce windstorm came down on the lake; they were being swamped and were in danger.

He said to them, “Where is your faith?”

They were fearful and amazed, asking one another, “Who can this be? He commands even the winds and the waves, and they obey Him!”

Then people went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man the demons had departed from, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.

Then all the people of the Gerasene region asked Him to leave them, because they were gripped by great fear. So getting into the boat, He returned.

When Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed Him, for they were all expecting Him.

because he had an only daughter about 12 years old, and she was at death’s door.

While He was going, the crowds were nearly crushing Him.

Her parents were astounded, but He instructed them to tell no one what had happened.

(For about 5,000 men were there.)

Then He told His disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about 50 each.”

While He was praying in private and His disciples were with Him, He asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”

Suddenly, two men were talking with Him—Moses and Elijah.

They appeared in glory and were speaking of His death, which He was about to accomplish in Jerusalem.

Peter and those with him were in a deep sleep, and when they became fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who were standing with Him.

As the two men were departing from Him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it’s good for us to be here! Let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said.

And they were all astonished at the greatness of God.

While everyone was amazed at all the things He was doing, He told His disciples,

But they did not understand this statement; it was concealed from them so that they could not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask Him about it.

When the days were coming to a close for Him to be taken up, He determined to journey to Jerusalem.

As they were traveling on the road someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go!”

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes!

While they were traveling, He entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.

Now He was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon came out, the man who had been mute, spoke, and the crowds were amazed.

And others, as a test, were demanding of Him a sign from heaven.

As the crowds were increasing, He began saying: “This generation is an evil generation. It demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.

“Woe to you experts in the law! You have taken away the key of knowledge! You didn’t go in yourselves, and you hindered those who were going in.”

they were lying in wait for Him to trap Him in something He said.

In these circumstances, a crowd of many thousands came together, so that they were trampling on one another. He began to say to His disciples first: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

“I came to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already set ablaze!

And He responded to them, “Do you think that these Galileans were more sinful than all Galileans because they suffered these things?

Or those 18 that the tower in Siloam fell on and killed—do you think they were more sinful than all the people who live in Jerusalem?

When He had said these things, all His adversaries were humiliated, but the whole crowd was rejoicing over all the glorious things He was doing.

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem! She who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!

One Sabbath, when He went to eat at the house of one of the leading Pharisees, they were watching Him closely.

He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noticed how they would choose the best places for themselves:

At the time of the banquet, he sent his slave to tell those who were invited, ‘Come, because everything is now ready.’

For I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will enjoy my banquet!’”

Now great crowds were traveling with Him. So He turned and said to them:

All the tax collectors and sinners were approaching to listen to Him.

And the Pharisees and scribes were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them!”

He longed to eat his fill from the carob pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him any.

The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and scoffing at Him.

“The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then, the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is strongly urged to enter it.

It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to stumble.

In the same way, when you have done all that you were commanded, you should say, ‘We are good-for-nothing slaves; we’ve only done our duty.’”

When He saw them, He told them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And while they were going, they were healed.

Then Jesus said, “Were not 10 cleansed? Where are the nine?

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else:

Some people were even bringing infants to Him so He might touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

As they were listening to this, He went on to tell a parable because He was near Jerusalem, and they thought the kingdom of God was going to appear right away.

So those who were sent left and found it just as He had told them.

As they were untying the young donkey, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the donkey?”