Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by [the power of] the Holy Spirit.

All this happened in order to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophet [Isaiah]:

Then Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and he took Mary [to his home] as his wife,

Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.”

So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt.

Then Joseph got up, and took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.

Then the devil took Him into the holy city [Jerusalem] and placed Him on the pinnacle (highest point) of the temple.

Again, the devil took Him up on a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory [splendor, magnificence, and excellence] of them;

But I say to you, do not resist an evil person [who insults you or violates your rights]; but whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other toward him also [simply ignore insignificant insults or trivial losses and do not bother to retaliate—maintain your dignity, your self-respect, your poise].

so that He fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He Himself took our infirmities [upon Himself] and carried away our diseases.”

But when the crowd had been sent outside, Jesus went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up.

He gave them another parable [to consider], saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field;

He told them another parable, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and worked into three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”

And they took offense at Him [refusing to believe in Him]. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.”

And John’s disciples came and took away the body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.

Then He ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and He took the five loaves and the two fish and, looking up toward heaven, He blessed and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people,

and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and when He had given thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples [gave them] to the people.

Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many large baskets you picked up?

Peter took Him aside [to speak to Him privately] and began to reprimand Him, saying, “May God forbid it! This will never happen to You.”

Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John the brother of James, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves.

As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve [disciples] aside, and along the way He said to them,

But the tenants took his servants and beat one, and killed another, and stoned a third.

So they took the son and threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.

And [you scribes and Pharisees say], ‘Whoever swears [an oath] by the altar, that is nothing (non-binding), but whoever swears [an oath] by the offering on it, he is obligated [as a debtor to fulfill his vow and keep his promise].’

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.

For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take any [extra] oil with them,

but the wise took flasks of oil along with their lamps.

Now as they were eating Jesus took bread, and after blessing it, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”

And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you;

Those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court) had gathered [illegally] together.

After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them too; for even your [Galilean] accent gives you away.”

Then the words spoken by Jeremiah the prophet were fulfilled: “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of Him on whom a price had been set by the sons of Israel;

So when Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but rather that a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands [to ceremonially cleanse himself of guilt] in the presence of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this [righteous] Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.”

Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium, and they gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him.

They spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him repeatedly on the head.

Immediately one of them ran, and took a sponge, soaked it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink.

And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth (burial wrapping),

So they took the money [they were paid for lying] and did as they were instructed; and this [fabricated] story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to the present day.

Jesus went to her, and taking her by the hand, raised her up; and the fever left her, and she began to serve them [as her guests].

So leaving the crowd, they took Him with them, just as He was, in the boat. And other boats were with Him.

Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are His sisters not here with us?” And they were [deeply] offended by Him [and their disapproval blinded them to the fact that He was anointed by God as the Messiah].

When his disciples heard about this, they came and took away John’s body and laid it in a tomb.

And the disciples picked up twelve full baskets of the broken pieces [of the loaves], and of the fish.

He directed the people to sit down on the ground; and taking the seven loaves, He gave thanks and broke them, and [repeatedly] gave them to His disciples to set before them, and they served the crowd.

And the people ate and were satisfied; and they picked up seven large baskets full of the broken pieces that were left over.

He was stating the matter plainly [not holding anything back]. Then Peter took Him aside and began to reprimand Him.

Six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured (changed in form) before them [and began to shine brightly with divine and regal glory];

Peter responded and said to Jesus, “Rabbi (Master), it is good for us to be here; let us make three [sacred] tents—one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him; and he stood up.

Taking a child, He set him before them; and taking him in His arms, He said to them,

And He took the children [one by one] in His arms and blessed them [with kind, encouraging words], placing His hands on them.

Now they were on the road going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking on ahead of them; and they were perplexed [at what Jesus had said], and those who were following were alarmed and afraid. And again He took the twelve [disciples] aside and began telling them what was going to happen to Him,

They took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed.

So they took him and killed him, and threw his body outside the vineyard.

There were seven brothers; the first [one] took a wife, and died leaving no children.

While they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed it [giving thanks and praise], and He broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take it. This is My body.”

And when He had taken a cup [of wine] and given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.

He took Peter and James and John with Him, and He began to be deeply distressed and troubled [extremely anguished at the prospect of what was to come].

and when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked intently at him and said, “You were with Jesus the Nazarene, too.”

Early in the morning the chief priests, with the elders and scribes and the whole Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), immediately consulted together; and they bound Jesus, they took Him away [violently] and handed Him over to Pilate.

After they had mocked Him, they took off the purple robe and put His own clothes on Him. And they led Him out [of the city] to crucify Him.

Joseph of Arimathea came, a prominent and respected member of the Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God—and he courageously dared to go in before Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus.

When Zacharias saw the angel, he was troubled and overcome with fear.

Simeon took Him into his arms, and blessed and praised and thanked God, and said,

She, too, came up at that very moment and began praising and giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all who were looking for the redemption and deliverance of Jerusalem.

Then he led Jesus up [to a high mountain] and displayed before Him all the kingdoms of the inhabited earth [and their magnificence] in the twinkling of an eye.

Then he led Jesus to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the pinnacle (highest point) of the temple, and said [mockingly] to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here;

how he went into the house of God, and took and ate the consecrated bread, which is not lawful [for anyone] to eat except the priests alone, and [how he also] gave it to the men who were with him?”

Then Jesus came down with them and stood on a level place; and there was a large crowd of His disciples, and a vast multitude of people from all over Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon,

When the apostles returned, they told Him all that they had done. He took them with Him and He privately withdrew [across the Jordan] to a city called Bethsaida.

Now about eight days after these teachings, He took along Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray.

But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, took a child and had him stand beside Him,

and went to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them [to sooth and disinfect the injuries]; and he put him on his own pack-animal, and brought him to an inn and took care of him.

On the next day he took out two denarii (two days’ wages) and gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I return.’

But Martha was very busy and distracted with all of her serving responsibilities; and she approached Him and said, “Lord, is it of no concern to You that my sister has left me to do the serving alone? Tell her to help me and do her part.”

It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his own garden; and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the sky found shelter and nested in its branches.”

It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three peck measures of flour until it was all leavened.”

But they kept silent. Then He took hold of the man and healed him, and sent him on his way.

for I have five brothers—in order that he may solemnly warn them and witness to them, so that they too will not come to this place of torment.’

The Pharisee stood [ostentatiously] and began praying to himself [in a self-righteous way, saying]: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of men—swindlers, unjust (dishonest), adulterers—or even like this tax collector.

Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this household, because he, too, is a [spiritual] son of Abraham;

Now there were seven brothers; and the first took a wife and died childless.

and the third married her, and in the same way all seven died, leaving no children.

And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves;

And when He had taken bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup, which is poured out for you, is the new covenant [ratified] in My blood.

And a servant-girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight and looking intently at him, said, “This man was with Him too.”

After about an hour had passed, another man began to insist, “This man was with Him, for he is a Galilean too.”

And [after receiving permission] he took it down and wrapped it in a linen [burial] cloth and laid Him in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had yet been laid.

And it happened that as He reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them.

While they were talking about this, Jesus Himself [suddenly] stood among them and said to them, “Peace be to you.”

and He took it and ate it in front of them.

Then He said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter [of the banquet].” So they took it to him.

Then the Jews replied, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and You will raise it up in three days?”

So they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi (Teacher), the Man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan [at the Jordan River crossing]—and to whom you have testified—look, He is baptizing too, and everyone is going to Him!”

So when He arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed Him, since they had seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they too came to the feast.

But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now [He has never ceased working], and I too am working.”

Then Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed them to those who were seated; the same also with the fish, as much as they wanted.

and they got into a boat and started to cross the sea to Capernaum. It was already dark, and Jesus had still not come [back] to them.

So Jesus said to the twelve [disciples], “You do not want to leave too, do you?”