This is the record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa,

Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah,

Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,

and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

When he had contemplated this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

"Look! The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call him Emmanuel," which means "God with us."

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, in the time of King Herod, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem

saying, "Where is the one who is born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him."

"In Bethlehem of Judea," they said, "for it is written this way by the prophet:

Then Herod privately summoned the wise men and determined from them when the star had appeared.

He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and look carefully for the child. When you find him, inform me so that I can go and worship him as well."

As they came into the house and saw the child with Mary his mother, they bowed down and worshiped him. They opened their treasure boxes and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

After they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to look for the child to kill him."

When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he became enraged. He sent men to kill all the children in Bethlehem and throughout the surrounding region from the age of two and under, according to the time he had learned from the wise men.

"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

For he is the one about whom Isaiah the prophet had spoken: "The voice of one shouting in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make his paths straight.'"

Then people from Jerusalem, as well as all Judea and all the region around the Jordan, were going out to him,

and he was baptizing them in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.

and don't think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones!

Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

"I baptize you with water, for repentance, but the one coming after me is more powerful than I am -- I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clean out his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the storehouse, but the chaff he will burn up with inextinguishable fire."

So Jesus replied to him, "Let it happen now, for it is right for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then John yielded to him.

After Jesus was baptized, just as he was coming up out of the water, the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming on him.

And a voice from heaven said, "This is my one dear Son; in him I take great delight."

But he answered, "It is written, 'Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you' and 'with their hands they will lift you up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'"

Jesus said to him, "Once again it is written: 'You are not to put the Lord your God to the test.'"

Then Jesus said to him, "Go away, Satan! For it is written: 'You are to worship the Lord your God and serve only him.'"

so that what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled:

From that time Jesus began to preach this message: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen).

Rejoice and be glad because your reward is great in heaven, for they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way.

"You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its flavor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people.

But I say to you that anyone who is angry with a brother will be subjected to judgment. And whoever insults a brother will be brought before the council, and whoever says 'Fool' will be sent to fiery hell.

If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away! It is better to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into hell.

If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is better to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into hell.

But I say to you, do not take oaths at all -- not by heaven, because it is the throne of God,

not by earth, because it is his footstool, and not by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King.

Let your word be 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no.' More than this is from the evil one.

But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer. But whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well.

So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Thus whenever you do charitable giving, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in synagogues and on streets so that people will praise them. I tell you the truth, they have their reward.

But when you do your giving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

may your kingdom come, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread,

and forgive us our debts, as we ourselves have forgiven our debtors.

And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

so that it will not be obvious to others when you are fasting, but only to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

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

"The eye is the lamp of the body. If then your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light.

But if your eye is diseased, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

And if this is how God clothes the wild grass, which is here today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven, won't he clothe you even more, you people of little faith?

But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

For by the standard you judge you will be judged, and the measure you use will be the measure you receive.

Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye,' while there is a beam in your own?

Do not give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls before pigs; otherwise they will trample them under their feet and turn around and tear you to pieces.

Is there anyone among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?

In everything, treat others as you would want them to treat you, for this fulfills the law and the prophets.

"Enter through the narrow gate, because the gate is wide and the way is spacious that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.

But the gate is narrow and the way is difficult that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

A good tree is not able to bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree to bear good fruit.

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

"Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them is like a wise man who built his house on rock.

Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

Then Jesus said to him, "See that you do not speak to anyone, but go, show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

"Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible anguish."

Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go; just as you believed, it will be done for you." And the servant was healed at that hour.

In this way what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet was fulfilled: "He took our weaknesses and carried our diseases."

As he got into the boat, his disciples followed him.

So they came and woke him up saying, "Lord, save us! We are about to die!"

And the men were amazed and said, "What sort of person is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him!"

They cried out, "Son of God, leave us alone! Have you come here to torment us before the time?"

Then the demons begged him, "If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs."

Then some of the experts in the law said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming!"

Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven' or to say, 'Stand up and walk'?

As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. "Follow me," he said to him. And he got up and followed him.

As Jesus was having a meal in Matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with Jesus and his disciples.

Jesus said to them, "The wedding guests cannot mourn while the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days are coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they will fast.

And no one pours new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the skins burst and the wine is spilled out and the skins are destroyed. Instead they put new wine into new wineskins and both are preserved."

As he was saying these things, a ruler came, bowed low before him, and said, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and she will live."

he said, "Go away, for the girl is not dead but asleep." And they began making fun of him.

As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, shouting, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!"

As they were going away, a man who could not talk and was demon-possessed was brought to him.

Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

Jesus sent out these twelve, instructing them as follows: "Do not go to Gentile regions and do not enter any Samaritan town.

As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near!'

Whenever you enter a town or village, find out who is worthy there and stay with them until you leave.

As you enter the house, give it greetings.

And if the house is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.

And if anyone will not welcome you or listen to your message, shake the dust off your feet as you leave that house or that town.

"I am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

And you will be brought before governors and kings because of me, as a witness to them and the Gentiles.

For it is not you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

"A disciple is not greater than his teacher, nor a slave greater than his master.

It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house 'Beelzebul,' how much more will they defame the members of his household!

"Do not be afraid of them, for nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing is secret that will not be made known.

What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops.

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.