it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus;

They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.

But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.

Now it happened, while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his division,

The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.

But the angel said to him, "Don't be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.

You will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at his birth.

For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.

He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord, their God.

He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for the Lord."

Zacharias said to the angel, "How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."

Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things will happen, because you didn't believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time."

Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and will call his name 'Jesus.'

He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David,

and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom."

The angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God.

Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!"

for he has looked at the humble state of his handmaid. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.

His mother answered, "Not so; but he will be called John."

He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." They all marveled.

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

All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, "What then will this child be?" The hand of the Lord was with him.

salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us;

In holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.

And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways,

because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn from on high will visit us,

Now it happened in those days, that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.

All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city.

It happened, while they were there, that the day had come that she should give birth.

The angel said to them, "Don't be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people.

This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough."

"Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men."

All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds.

But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart.

The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.

which you have prepared before the face of all peoples;

Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

Coming up at that very hour, she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of him to all those who were looking for redemption in Jerusalem.

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

All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth. He was subject to them, and his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

He came into all the region around the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for remission of sins.

Every valley will be filled. Every mountain and hill will be brought low. The crooked will become straight, and the rough ways smooth.

All flesh will see God's salvation.'"

As the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he was the Christ,

John answered them all, "I indeed baptize you with water, but he comes who is mightier than I, the latchet of whose sandals I am not worthy to loosen. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire,

whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

but Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias, his brother's wife, and for all the evil things which Herod had done,

added this also to them all, that he shut up John in prison.

Now it happened, when all the people were baptized, Jesus also had been baptized, and was praying. The sky was opened,

and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form as a dove on him; and a voice came out of the sky, saying "You are my beloved Son. In you I am well pleased."

The devil, leading him up on a high mountain, showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

The devil said to him, "I will give you all this authority, and their glory, for it has been delivered to me; and I give it to whomever I want.

If you therefore will worship before me, it will all be yours."

for it is written, 'He will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you;'

and, 'On their hands they will bear you up, lest perhaps you dash your foot against a stone.'"

Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and news about him spread through all the surrounding area.

He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him.

All testified about him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, and they said, "Isn't this Joseph's son?"

He said to them, "Doubtless you will tell me this parable, 'Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done at Capernaum, do also here in your hometown.'"

But truly I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land.

They were all filled with wrath in the synagogue, as they heard these things.

Amazement came on all, and they spoke together, one with another, saying, "What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!"

When the sun was setting, all those who had any sick with various diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.

Demons also came out from many, crying out, and saying, "You are the Christ, the Son of God!" Rebuking them, he didn't allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

Now it happened, while the multitude pressed on him and heard the word of God, that he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret.

Simon answered him, "Master, we worked all night, and took nothing; but at your word I will let down the net."

For he was amazed, and all who were with him, at the catch of fish which they had caught;

and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid. From now on you will be catching people alive."

It happened, while he was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man full of leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell on his face, and begged him, saying, "Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean."

Amazement took hold on all, and they glorified God. They were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen strange things today."

He said to them, "Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast, while the bridegroom is with them?

But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them. Then they will fast in those days."

He also told a parable to them. "No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old garment, or else he will tear the new, and also the piece from the new will not match the old.

No one puts new wine into old wineskins, or else the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed.

Then Jesus said to them, "I will ask you something: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do harm? To save a life, or to kill?"

He looked around at them all, and said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did, and his hand was restored as sound as the other.

It happened in these days, that he went out to the mountain to pray, and he continued all night in prayer to God.

He came down with them, and stood on a level place, with a crowd of his disciples, and a great number of the 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;

as well as those who were troubled by unclean spirits, and they were being healed.

All the multitude sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.

Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.

Woe to you, you who are full now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.

Woe, when men speak well of you, for their fathers did the same thing to the false prophets.

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.

Don't judge, and you won't be judged. Don't condemn, and you won't be condemned. Set free, and you will be set free.

"Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be given to you. For with the same measure you measure it will be measured back to you."

A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.

Everyone who comes to me, and hears my words, and does them, I will show you who he is like.

Therefore I didn't even think myself worthy to come to you; but say the word, and my servant will be healed.

Those who were sent, returning to the house, found that the servant who had been sick was well.

Fear took hold of all, and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and, "God has visited his people!"

This report went out concerning him in the whole of Judea, and in all the surrounding region.

The disciples of John told him about all these things.

This is he of whom it is written, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.'

When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they declared God to be just, having been baptized with John's baptism.

"To what then will I liken the people of this generation? What are they like?

Wisdom is justified by all her children."

When they couldn't pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most?"