Judah was the father (by Tamar)

Salmon (by Rahab)

Jesse of David--the King. David (by Uriah's widow)

The circumstances of the birth of Jesus Christ were these. After his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they were united in marriage, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.

But while he was contemplating this step, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to bring home your wife Mary, for she is with child through the Holy Spirit.

"Mark! The maiden will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call His name Immanuel" --a word which signifies 'God with us'.

Now after the birth of Jesus, which took place at Bethlehem in Judaea in the reign of King Herod, excitement was produced in Jerusalem by the arrival of certain Magi from the east,

So he assembled all the High Priests and Scribes of the people, and anxiously asked them where the Christ was to be born.

"'And thou, Bethlehem in the land of Judah, by no means the least honorable art thou among princely places in Judah! For from thee shall come a prince--one who shall be the Shepherd of My People Israel.'"

But being forbidden by God in a dream to return to Herod, they went back to their own country by a different route.

So Joseph roused himself and took the babe and His mother by night and departed into Egypt.

There he remained till Herod's death, that what the Lord had said through the Prophet might be fulfilled, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."

Then were these words, spoken by the Prophet Jeremiah, fulfilled,

"A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and bitter lamentation: It was Rachel bewailing her children, and she refused to be comforted because there were no more."

But hearing that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod on the throne of Judaea, he was afraid to go there; and being instructed by God in a dream he withdrew into Galilee,

and went and settled in a town called Nazareth, in order that these words spoken through the Prophets might be fulfilled, "He shall be called a Nazarene."

and were baptized by him in the Jordan, making full confession of their sins.

And already the axe is lying at the root of the trees, so that every tree which does not produce good fruit will quickly be hewn down and thrown into the fire.

Just at that time Jesus, coming from Galilee to the Jordan, presents Himself to John to be baptized by him.

John protested. "It is I," he said, "who have need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"

"Let it be so on this occasion," Jesus replied; "for so we ought to fulfil every religious duty." Then he consented;

At that time Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the Desert in order to be tempted by the Devil.

and leaving Nazareth He went and settled at Capernaum, a town by the Lake on the frontiers of Zebulun and Naphtali,

in order that these words, spoken through the Prophet Isaiah, might be fulfilled,

"Zebulun's land and Naphtali's land; the road by the Lake; the country beyond the Jordan; Galilee of the Nations!

"Blessed are the mourners, for they shall be comforted.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be completely satisfied.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for it is they who will be recognized as sons of God.

Be joyful and triumphant, because your reward is great in the Heavens; for so were the Prophets before you persecuted.

"*You* are the salt of the earth; but if salt has become tasteless, in what way can it regain its saltness? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown away and trodden on by the passers by.

*You* are the light of the world; a town cannot be hid if built on a hill-top.

Nor is a lamp lighted to be put under a bushel, but on the lampstand; and then it gives light to all in the house.

Whoever therefore breaks one of these least commandments and teaches others to break them, will be called the least in the Kingdom of the Heavens; but whoever practises them and teaches them, he will be acknowledged as great in the Kingdom of the Heavens.

"You have heard that it was said to the ancients, 'Thou shalt not commit murder', and whoever commits murder will be answerable to the magistrate.

But I say to you that every one who becomes angry with his brother shall be answerable to the magistrate; that whoever says to his brother 'Raca,' shall be answerable to the Sanhedrin; and that whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be liable to the Gehenna of Fire.

Come to terms without delay with your opponent while you are yet with him on the way to the court; for fear he should obtain judgement from the magistrate against you, and the magistrate should give you in custody to the officer and you be thrown into prison.

I solemnly tell you that you will certainly not be released till you have paid the very last farthing.

If therefore your eye, even the right eye, is a snare to you, tear it out and away with it; it is better for you that one member should be destroyed rather than that your whole body should be thrown into Gehenna.

And if your right hand is a snare to you, cut it off and away with it; it is better for you that one member should be destroyed rather than that your whole body should go into Gehenna.

But I tell you not to swear at all; neither by Heaven, for it is God's throne;

nor by the earth, for it is the footstool under His feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the City of the Great King.

And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.

But let your language be, 'Yes, yes,' or 'No, no.' Anything in excess of this comes from the Evil one.

You however are to be complete in goodness, as your Heavenly Father is complete.

When you give in charity, never blow a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and streets in order that their praises may be sung by men. I solemnly tell you that they already have their reward.

that your charities may be in secret; and then your Father--He who sees in secret--will recompense you.

"And when praying, you must not be like the hypocrites. They are fond of standing and praying in the synagogues or at the corners of the wider streets, in order that men may see them. I solemnly tell you that they already have their reward.

"And when praying, do not use needless repetitions as the Gentiles do, for they expect to be listened to because of their multitude of words.

"In this manner therefore pray: 'Our Father who art in Heaven, may Thy name be kept holy;

let Thy kingdom come; let Thy will be done, as in Heaven so on earth;

"When any of you fast, never assume gloomy looks as the hypocrites do; for they disfigure their faces in order that it may be evident to men that they are fasting. I solemnly tell you that they already have their reward.

that it may not be apparent to men that you are fasting, but to your Father who is in secret; and your Father--He who sees in secret--will recompense you.

For where your wealth is, there also will your heart be.

"The eye is the lamp of the body. If then your eyesight is good, your whole body will be well lighted;

but if your eyesight is bad, your whole body will be dark. If however the very light within you is darkness, how dense must the darkness be!

"No man can be the bondservant of two masters; for either he will dislike one and like the other, or he will attach himself to one and think slightingly of the other. You cannot be the bondservants both of God and of gold.

For this reason I charge you not to be over-anxious about your lives, inquiring what you are to eat or what you are to drink, nor yet about your bodies, inquiring what clothes you are to put on. Is not the life more precious than its food, and the body than its clothing?

Which of you by being over-anxious can add a single foot to his height?

And why be anxious about clothing? Learn a lesson from the wild lilies. Watch their growth. They neither toil nor spin,

Do not be over-anxious, therefore, asking 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'

But make His Kingdom and righteousness your chief aim, and then these things shall all be given you in addition.

Do not be over-anxious, therefore, about to-morrow, for to-morrow will bring its own cares. Enough for each day are its own troubles.

"Judge not, that you may not be judged;

for your own judgement will be dealt--and your own measure meted--to yourselves.

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.

Everything, therefore, be it what it may, that you would have men do to you, do you also the same to them; for in this the Law and the Prophets are summed up.

"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad the road which leads to ruin, and many there are who enter by it;

By their fruits you will easily recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thorns or figs from brambles?

So by their fruits at any rate, you will easily recognize them.

"Every one who hears these my teachings and acts upon them will be found to resemble a wise man who builds his house upon rock;

And every one who hears these my teachings and does not act upon them will be found to resemble a fool who builds his house upon sand.

Upon descending from the hill country He was followed by immense crowds.

So Jesus put out His hand and touched him, and said, "I am willing: be cleansed." Instantly he was cleansed from his leprosy;

and Jesus said to him, "Be careful to tell no one, but go and show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift which Moses appointed as evidence for them."

"Sir," replied the Captain, "I am not a fit person to receive you under my roof: merely say the word, and my servant will be cured.

while the natural heirs of the Kingdom will be driven out into the darkness outside: there will be the weeping aloud and the gnashing of teeth."

And Jesus said to the Captain, "Go, and just as you have believed, so be it for you." And the servant recovered precisely at that time.

in order that this prediction of the Prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled, "He took on Him our weaknesses, and bore the burden of our diseases."

On His arrival at the other side, in the country of the Gadarenes, there met Him two men possessed by demons, coming from among the tombs: they were so dangerously fierce that no one was able to pass that way.

No one ever mends an old cloak with a patch of newly woven cloth. Otherwise, the patch put on would tear away some of the old, and a worse hole would be made.

Nor do people pour new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the skins would split, the wine would escape, and the skins be destroyed. But they put new wine into fresh skins, and both are saved."

for she said to herself, "If I but touch His cloak, I shall be cured."

When however the place was cleared of the crowd, Jesus went in, and on His taking the little girl by the hand, she rose up.

So He touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith let it be to you."

Then their eyes were opened. And assuming a stern tone Jesus said to them, "Be careful to let no one know."

But the Pharisees maintained, "It is by the power of the Prince of the demons that he drives out the demons."

I solemnly tell you that it will be more endurable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of Judgement than for that town.

and you will even be put on trial before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles.

But when they have delivered you up, have no anxiety as to how you shall speak or what you shall say; for at that very time it shall be given you what to say;

for it is not you who will speak: it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

And you will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name; but he who holds out to the End--he will be saved.

Enough for the learner to be on a level with his teacher, and for the servant to be on a level with his master. If they have called the master of the house Baal-zebul, how much more will they slander his servants?

Fear them not, however; there is nothing veiled which will not be uncovered, nor secret which will not become known.

and a man's own family will be his foes.

But what did you go out to see? A man luxuriously dressed? Those who wear luxurious clothes are to be found in kings' palaces.

But from the time of John the Baptist till now, the Kingdom of the Heavens has been suffering violent assault, and the violent have been seizing it by force.

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they exclaim, 'See this man! --given to gluttony and tippling, and a friend of tax-gatherers and notorious sinners!' And yet Wisdom is vindicated by her actions."

Only I tell you that it will be more endurable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of Judgement than for you.

And thou, Capernaum, shalt thou be exalted even to Heaven? Even to Hades shalt thou descend. For had the mighty works been done in Sodom which have been done in thee, it would have remained until now.

Only I tell you all, that it will be more endurable for the land of Sodom on the day of Judgement than for thee."