"Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife home, for what is begotten in her is by the Holy Spirit; and she will bear a son, and you are to call him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

but did not live with her until after the birth of her son, whom he called Jesus.

"And thou Bethlehem in the land of Judah, Thou are not least among the princes of Judah, For out of thee shall come a ruler Who shall shepherd my people, Israel."

So Joseph arose, took the child and his mother, by night, and departed to Egypt.

And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father'?? tell you that out of these very stones God is able to raise up descendants for Abraham.

And already the axe is lying at the roots of the trees. Any tree, therefore, that does not bear good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.

I indeed am baptizing you in water, unto repentance; but One is coming after me, mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire.

But he tried to prevent him. "It is I," he said, "who need to be baptized by you, and are you coming to me?"

Jesus answered him, "It is written, Not by bread alone shall man live, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God."

"It is written again," answered Jesus, "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God."

And as he was walking by the see of Galilee, he saw two brothers??imon who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother??asting their net into the sea, for they were fishermen.

And his fame spread throughout all Syria. They brought all the sick to him, those who were suffering from various diseases and troubles??emoniacs, epileptics, paralytics??nd he healed them.

"Do not suppose that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I am come not to destroy, but to fulfil.

"In solemn truth I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a comma, will pass from the Law until all has taken place.

"For I assure you that unless your righteousness exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not find entrance into the kingdom of heaven.

"You have heard that it was said to the ancients, "Thou shall not commit murder, and "He who commits murder shall be liable to condemnation by the court;

"I tell you truly that you would certainly not get out from there until you had paid back the last cent.

"You have heard that it was said, "Thou shalt not commit adultery.

"Again you have heard that it was said to the men of old, "You must not forswear yourselves, but must perform your vows to the Lord.

"But I say to you, swear not at all; neither by the sky, for it is God's throne;

"But I tell you not to retaliate the injury; but whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him also;

"Give to him who asks, and from him who wants to borrow from you, do not turn away.

"Even the tax-gatherers do that, do they not? And if you show courtesy to your brother only, what are you doing more than others? Even the Gentiles do that, do they not?

"Be careful not to do your good deeds in the sight of men, in order to be observed by them. If you do, you have no reward with your heavenly Father.

"And whatever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and streets, in order that men may praise them. In solemn truth I tell you they already have their reward in full.

"But when you give alms, do not let your right hand know what your left is doing,

"And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the corners of the avenues, in order that men may see them. In solemn truth I tell you that they have their reward in full.

"While praying do not say the same words over and over again, as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that by their much speaking they will gain attention.

"Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the Evil One; For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory. Amen.

"but if you do not forgive men your offenses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your offenses.

"When you fast, do not look downcast like the hypocrites; for they disfigure their faces so that it may be apparent to men that they are fasting. In solemn truth I tell you, they already have received their reward.

"so that he may not appear to men to be fasting, but to his Father who is in secret; and his Father who sees in secret will reward him.

"but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.

"For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious about your life, inquiring what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor yet for your body, inquiring what you shall wear. Is not your life more than its food, and your body than its clothing?

"Behold! the birds in the sky! They neither sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them; and are not you worth more than they?

"Why be anxious then about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They toil not, neither do they spin.

"But I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory was robed like one of these.

"If God then so clothes the grass of the field, which blooms today, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, you of little faith?

"Then do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'"

"For all these are things that the Gentiles are eagerly seeking; for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of them all.

"Do not then be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own anxieties. Enough for each day are its own troubles."

"Judge not, that you may be judged, yourselves;

"Do not give what is holy to the dogs, nor cast your pearls before swine; lest in turn they trample them under their feet, and then turn and attack you.

"Every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

"Many in that day will say to me, "'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, and in your name cast out demons, and in your name done many mighty works?'

"And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon the house, but it fell not, for it was founded upon the rock.

"And every one who hears these words of mine and does them not, I will liken to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand.

for he was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes taught them.

"Lord, "said the captain in reply, "I am not worthy to have you under my roof, but speak the word only, and my slave will be cured,

"Foxes have their holes," answered Jesus, "and wild birds their roosting-places, but the Son of man has not where to lay his head."

"It is not those who are well," said Jesus, when he heard this, "but the sick, who need a doctor.

"But go and learn what this means, "It is mercy I desire, and not sacrifice; for I am come not to call just men, but sinners."

At that time the disciples of John came and asked him, "Why are we and the Pharisees always fasting, while your disciples are not?"

"Leave the room, for the little girl is not dead, she is sleeping." And they began laughing at him.

These men, the Twelve, Jesus sent forth, after giving them the following instructions. "Do not go among the Gentiles, or enter any Samaritan town,

"not even a bag for the journey, or a change of clothes, or sandals, or even a stick; for the worker is worth his rations.

"And whoever will not receive you or listen to your words, as you go out from that house or that city, shake off the very dust from your feet.

"But whenever they apprehend you, do not be anxious about how you shall speak or what you shall say; for it will be given you in that very hour what to say.

"For it will not be you who is speaking, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

"But when they persecute you in one city, flee to the next. In solemn truth I tell you that you shall not have completed the cities of Israel, before the Son of man comes.

"A pupil is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his masters.

"So do not fear them; for there is nothing concealed which shall not be revealed, nor anything secret which shall not become known.

"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul; but fear rather him who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.

"Are not two sparrows sold for a half-penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your father.

"Do not suppose that I am come to bring peace on the earth; I am come not to bring peace, but a sword.

"He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;

"and he who does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.

"And whoever gives to drink to one of these little ones a cup of cold water only, because he is a disciple, I tell you in solemn truth, he shall not lose his reward.

"What did you go out into the desert to behold?" he asked; "A reed shaken by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, those who wear soft raiment dwell in kings' palaces!

"In solemn truth I tell you that there has not arisen among those born of women a greater than John the Baptist; yet one of the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

"saying. 'We have piped to you and you have not danced; We have wailed, but you have not beaten your breasts.'

Then he began to upbraid the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they had not repented.

But the Pharisees, when they perceived it, said to him. "Look! Your disciples are doing what it is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!"

"Have you not read," answered Jesus, "what David did when he was hungry, and his men, too?

"Have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the Temple break the Sabbath and are guiltless?

"And if you knew what this means, "It is mercy I desire, not sacrifice,

"you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath."

"Is there a man of you," he replied, "who has but a single sheep, who will not lay hold of it and lift it out, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath Day?

He will not strive nor cry aloud, Nor shall anyone hear is voice in the streets.

The bruised reed will not break; The dimly burning wick will not quench; Till he has led justice on to victory.

Because Jesus knew what was in their minds, he said to them. "Any kingdom divided against itself will become desolate; and any city or household divided against himself will not stand.

"He who is not with me is against me; and he who is not gathering with me, scatters.

"Therefore I tell you that every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men; but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven.

"And if any man say a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in that which is to come.

Some fell on rocky ground where there was not much earth. Now because it had no depth of soil, it sprang up at once;

"Why do you speak to them in parables?" Jesus answered. "To you it has been granted to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; but to them it has not been granted.

"For whoever holds, to him shall more be given, and he shall have abundance; but whoever does not hold, from him shall be taken away even what he holds.

"This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

And in them is being fulfilled that prophecy of Isaiah which says. "Hearing you will hear and not understand; Seeing you will see and not perceive;

"In solemn truth I tell you that many prophets and holy men have seen it not, and to hear what you are hearing, and have not heard it.

"Whenever any one hears the message of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.

"The slaves of the owner went to him and said: "'Was it not good seed, sir, that you sowed in your field? From whence then, do you get tares?'

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea and gathered fish of every kind.

"Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? and his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?

"Are not his sisters all living among us? Where, then, did he get all these powers?"

This kept them from believing in him. Wherefore Jesus said, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and among his own family."

because John kept telling him, "It is not right for you to have her."

"They need not go away," said Jesus, "do you, yourselves, give them something to eat."