So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to Christ, fourteen generations.

This all happened so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled:

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."

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."

After listening to the king they left, and once again the star they saw when it rose led them until it stopped above the place where the child was.

When they saw the star they shouted joyfully.

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.

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.

saying, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child's life are dead."

So he got up and took the child and his mother and returned to the land of Israel.

Now John wore clothing made from camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his diet consisted of locusts and wild honey.

But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "You offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

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!

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 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.'"

While in Galilee, he moved from Nazareth to make his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,

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

"Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way by the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles --

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).

Going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in a boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. Then he called them.

So a report about him spread throughout Syria. People brought to him all who suffered with various illnesses and afflictions, those who had seizures, paralytics, and those possessed by demons, and he healed them.

When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain. After he sat down his disciples came to him.

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

"Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on account of me.

In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.

So anyone who breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever obeys them and teaches others to do so will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

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.

So then, if you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,

But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to desire her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

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

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.

And if someone wants to sue you and to take your tunic, give him your coat also.

But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you,

so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

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.

so that your gift may be in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

"Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray while standing in synagogues and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward.

So pray this way: Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored,

"When you fast, do not look sullen like the hypocrites, for they make their faces unattractive so that people will see them fasting. I tell you the truth, they have their reward.

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.

Look at the birds in the sky: They do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you more valuable than they are?

So then, don't worry saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?'

So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.

"Do not judge so that you will not be judged.

Why do you see the speck in your brother's eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own?

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

You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

"Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves.

So then, you will recognize them by their fruit.

On that day, many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons and do many powerful deeds?'

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."

But the centurion replied, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. Instead, just say the word and my servant will be healed.

For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I say to this one, 'Go' and he goes, and to another 'Come' and he comes, and to my slave 'Do this' and he does it."

Now when Jesus entered Peter's house, he saw his mother-in-law lying down, sick with a fever.

Now when Jesus saw a large crowd around him, he gave orders to go to the other side of the lake.

And a great storm developed on the sea so that the waves began to swamp the boat. But he was asleep.

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

But he said to them, "Why are you cowardly, you people of little faith?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was dead calm.

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

When he came to the other side, to the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were extremely violent, so that no one was able to pass by that way.

And he said, "Go!" So they came out and went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep slope into the lake and drowned in the water.

Then the entire town came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.

Just then some people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Have courage, son! Your sins are forgiven."

When Jesus saw their reaction he said, "Why do you respond with evil in your hearts?

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

But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" -- then he said to the paralytic -- "Stand up, take your stretcher, and go home."

When the crowd saw this, they were afraid and honored God who had given such authority to men.

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.

When the Pharisees saw this they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"

Then John's disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don't fast?"

But when Jesus turned and saw her he said, "Have courage, daughter! Your faith has made you well." And the woman was healed from that hour.

When Jesus entered the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the disorderly crowd,

And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly warned them, "See that no one knows about this."

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were bewildered and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Jesus called his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits so they could cast them out and heal every kind of disease and sickness.

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

Whenever they hand you over for trial, do not worry about how to speak or what to say, for what you should say will be given to you at that time.

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

Aren't two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will.

So do not be afraid; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

and a man's enemies will be the members of his household.

Whoever receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward. Whoever receives a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward.

Jesus answered them, "Go tell John what you hear and see:

The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news proclaimed to them.

While they were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

What did you go out to see? A man dressed in fancy clothes? Look, those who wear fancy clothes are in the homes of kings!

What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon!'

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look at him, a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."

But when the Pharisees saw this they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is against the law to do on the Sabbath."

A man was there who had a withered hand. And they asked Jesus, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" so that they could accuse him.

How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

Then they brought to him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute. Jesus healed him so that he could speak and see.

So if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

How else can someone enter a strong man's house and steal his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can thoroughly plunder the house.

Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say anything good, since you are evil? For the mouth speaks from what fills the heart.