just as those who were eyewitnesses and servants of the word from the beginning passed on to us,

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

And they were both righteous in the sight of God, living blamelessly in all the commandments and regulations of the Lord.

And {they did not have} a child, because Elizabeth was barren. And they were both advanced {in years}.

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

And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and began to wonder [when] he was delayed in the temple.

And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were wanting to name him {after} his father Zechariah.

and he asked for a writing tablet [and] wrote, saying, "John is his name." 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 those who lived near them, and in all the hill country of Judea all these events were discussed.

And it happened that while they were there, {the time came} for her to give birth.

And there were shepherds in the same region, living out of doors and keeping watch, guarding over their flock by night.

And an angel of the Lord stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and {they were terribly frightened}.

And all who heard [it] were astonished concerning what had been said to them by the shepherds.

And when eight days were completed {so that he could be circumcised}, he was named Jesus, his name [that] [he] was called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

And when the days of their purification were completed according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present [him] to the Lord

And his father and mother were astonished at what was said about him.

And at [that] same hour she approached [and] began to give thanks to God, and to speak about him to all those who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

And [after] the days were completed, while they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. And his parents did not know [it],

And all who heard him were amazed at his insight and [his] answers.

And [when they] saw him, they were astounded and his mother said to him, "Child, why have you done this to us? Look, your father and I have been searching for you anxiously!"

And he said to them, "{Why} were you searching for me? Did you not know that it was necessary [for] me to be in the [house] of my Father?"

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

And those who served in the army were also asking him, saying, "What should we also do?" And he said to them, "Extort from no one, and do not blackmail [anyone], and be content with your pay."

And [while] the people were waiting expectantly and all were pondering in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he might be the Christ,

Now it happened that when all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized, and [while he] was praying, heaven was opened,

forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days, and [when] they were completed, he was hungry.

And he rolled up the scroll [and] gave [it] back to the attendant [and] sat down. And the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were looking intently at him.

And they were all speaking well of him, and were astonished at the gracious words that were coming out of his mouth. And they were saying, "Is this man not the son of Joseph?"

But in truth I say to you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut for three years and six months while a great famine took place over all the land.

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

And all [those] in the synagogue were filled with anger [when they] heard these [things].

And they were astounded at his teaching, because {he spoke} with authority.

Now [as] the sun was setting, all who had those who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and placing [his] hands on every one of them, he healed them.

And demons also were coming out of many, crying out and saying, "You are the Son of God!" And he rebuked [them] [and] did not permit them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

And [when it] was day, he departed [and] went to an isolated place. And the crowds were seeking him, and came to him and were trying to prevent him from departing from them.

and he saw two boats there beside the lake, but the fishermen had gotten out of them [and] were washing their nets.

For amazement had seized him and all those [who were] with him at the catch of fish that they had caught,

and so also [were] James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were business partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid! From now on you will be catching people!"

But the report about him spread even more, and large crowds were gathering to hear [him] and to be healed of their illnesses.

And it happened that on one of the days as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting [there] who {had come} from every village of Galilee and Judea and [from] Jerusalem, and the power of the Lord was [there] in order [for] him to heal.

And behold, men [came] carrying on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and place [him] before him.

And amazement seized [them] all, and they began to glorify God. And they were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen wonderful things today!"

And Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house, and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others who were reclining for the meal with them.

Now it happened that on a Sabbath he went through the grain fields, and his disciples were picking and eating the heads of grain, rubbing [them] in [their] hands.

And Jesus answered [and] said to them, "Have you not read this, what David did when he and those [who were] with him were hungry--

So the scribes and the Pharisees were watching closely [to see] if he would heal on the Sabbath, in order that they could find [a reason] to accuse him.

But they were filled with fury, and began discussing with one another what they might do to Jesus.

who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases, and those who were troubled by unclean spirits were cured.

And he came up [and] touched the bier, and those who were carrying [it] stopped. And he said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!"

Now [when] the Pharisee who invited him saw [this], he spoke to himself, saying, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman [this is] who is touching him, that she is a sinner."

"There were two debtors [who owed] a certain creditor. One owed five hundred denarii and the other fifty.

[When] they were not able to repay [him], he forgave [the debts] of both. Now which of them will love him more?"

{For this reason} I tell you, her sins--[which were] many--have been forgiven, for she loved much. But [the one] to whom little is forgiven loves little."

And those who were reclining at the table with [him] began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"

And it happened that {afterward} also he was going about from [one] town and village [to another] preaching and proclaiming the good news concerning the kingdom of God, and the twelve [were] with him,

and Joanna the wife of Chuza (Herod's household manager), and Susanna, and many others who were helping to support them from their possessions.

And [while] a large crowd was gathering and [they] were going to him from town [after town], he spoke by means of a parable:

Now his mother and brothers came to him, and they were not able to meet with him because of the crowd.

and [as] they were sailing, he fell asleep. And a storm of wind came down on the lake, and they were being swamped and were in danger.

And he said to them, "Where [is] your faith?" But they were afraid [and] were astonished, saying to one another, "Who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the water and they obey him?"

So the demons came out of the man [and] entered into the pigs, and the herd rushed headlong down the steep slope into the lake and were drowned.

So they went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone out sitting [there] clothed and in his right mind, at the feet of Jesus, and they were afraid.

Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, because they were all waiting for him.

because {he had} an only daughter, about twelve years [old], and she was dying. Now as he was going, the crowds were pressing against him.

And they were all weeping and mourning for her, but he said, "Do not weep! For she is not dead, but is sleeping."

And her parents were astonished, but he ordered them to tell no one what had happened.

(For there were about five thousand men.) So he said to his disciples, "Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each."

And [they] all ate and were satisfied, and what was left over was picked up by them--twelve baskets of broken pieces.

And it happened that while he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, saying, "Who do the crowds say [that] I am?"

And behold, two men were talking with him, who were Moses and Elijah,

who appeared in glory [and] were speaking [about] his departure which he was about to fulfill in Jerusalem.

Now Peter and those with him were {very sleepy}, but [when they] became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men who were standing with him.

And it happened that as they were going away from him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good [for] us to be here. And let us make three shelters, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah," not knowing what he was saying.

And [while] he was saying these [things], a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered into the cloud.

And I begged your disciples that they would expel it, and they were not able [to do so]."

And they were all astounded at the impressiveness of God.

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

Now it happened that when the days were approaching {for him to be taken up}, he set [his] face to go to Jerusalem.

And [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!

And he was expelling a mute demon. Now it happened that [when] the demon came out, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were astonished.

And others, [in order to] test [him], were demanding from him a sign from heaven.

And [as] the crowds were increasing, he began to say, "This generation is an evil generation! It demands a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah!

Woe to you, legal experts, because you have taken away the key to knowledge! You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering!"

During {this time} [when] a crowd of many thousands had gathered together, so that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, "Beware for yourselves of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

And he answered [and] said to them, "Do you think that these Galileans were sinners worse than all the Galileans, because they suffered these [things]?

Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them--do you think that they were sinners worse than all the people who live in Jerusalem?

And [when] he said these [things], all those who opposed him were humiliated, and the whole crowd was rejoicing at all the splendid things that were being done by him.

"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How many times I wanted to gather your children together {the way} a hen [gathers] her own brood under [her] wings, and you were not willing!

And it happened that when he came to the house of a certain one of the leaders of the Pharisees on a Sabbath to eat {a meal}, they were watching him closely.

And they were not able to make a reply to these [things].

Now he told a parable to those who had been invited [when he] noticed how they were choosing for themselves the places of honor, saying to them,

For I say to you that none of those persons who were invited will taste my banquet!'"

Now large crowds were going along with him, and he turned around [and] said to them,

Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were drawing near to hear him.

And both the Pharisees and the scribes were complaining, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them!"

And he was longing to fill his stomach with the carob pods that the pigs were eating, and no one was giving [anything] to him.

And he also said to the disciples, "A certain man was rich, who had a manager. And charges were brought to him that this person was squandering his possessions.

Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these [things], and they ridiculed him.