Solomon of Rehoboam; Rehoboam of Abijah; Abijah of Asa;

Asa of Jehoshaphat; Jehoshaphat of Jehoram; Jehoram of Uzziah;

Uzziah of Jotham; Jotham of Ahaz; Ahaz of Hezekiah;

and Jacob of Joseph the husband of Mary, who was the mother of JESUS who is called CHRIST.

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.

She will give birth to a Son, and you are to call His name JESUS for He it is who will save His People from their sins."

"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'.

When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded, and brought home his wife,

inquiring, "Where is the newly born king of the Jews? For we have seen his Star in the east, and have come here to do him homage."

When they were gone, and angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise: take the babe and His mother and escape to Egypt, and remain there till I bring you word. For Herod is about to make search for the child in order to destroy Him."

"Repent," he said, "for the Kingdom of the Heavens is now close at hand."

He it is who was spoken of through the Prophet Isaiah when he said, "The voice of one crying aloud, 'In the desert prepare ye a road for the Lord: make His highway straight.'"

and do not imagine that you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our forefather,' for I tell you that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones.

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.

I indeed am baptizing you in water on a profession of repentance; but He who is coming after me is mightier than I: His sandals I am not worthy to carry for a moment; He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire.

His winnowing-shovel is in His hand, and He will make a thorough clearance of His threshing-floor, gathering His wheat into the storehouse, but burning up the chaff in unquenchable fire."

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

while a voice came from Heaven, saying, "This is My Son, the dearly loved, in whom is My delight."

"It is written," replied Jesus, "'It is not on bread alone that a man shall live, but on whatsoever God shall appoint.'"

and said, "If you are God's Son, throw yourself down; for it is written, "'To His angels He will give orders concerning thee, and on their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any moment thou shouldst strike thy foot against a stone.'"

"Again it is written," replied Jesus, "'Thou shalt not put the Lord thy God to the proof.'"

"Begone, Satan!" Jesus replied; "for it is written, 'To the Lord thy God thou shalt do homage, and to Him alone shalt thou render worship.'"

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

From that time Jesus began to preach. "Repent," He said, "for the Kingdom of the Heavens is now close at hand."

So they immediately left their nets and followed Him. As He went further on,

"Blessed are the meek, for they as heirs shall obtain possession of the earth.

"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.

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.

Just so let your light shine before all men, in order that they may see your holy lives and may give glory to your Father who is in Heaven.

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.

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.

But I tell you not to resist a wicked man, but if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well.

that so you may become true sons of your Father in Heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the wicked as well as the good, and sends rain upon those who do right and those who do wrong.

And if you salute only your near relatives, what praise is due to you? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

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

"But beware of doing your good actions in the sight of men, in order to attract their gaze; if you do, there is no reward for you with your Father who is in Heaven.

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.

But when you are giving in charity, let not your left hand perceive what your right hand is doing,

But you, whenever you pray, go into your own room and shut the door: then pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father--He who sees in secret--will recompense you.

"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.

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

give us to-day our bread for the day;

and forgive us our shortcomings, as we also have forgiven those who have failed in their duty towards us;

and bring us not into temptation, but rescue us from the Evil one.'

"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!

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?

And if God so clothes the wild herbage which to-day flourishes and to-morrow is thrown into the oven, is it not much more certain that He will clothe you, you men of little faith?

And why do you look at the splinter in your brother's eye, and not notice the beam which is in your own eye?

Or how say to your brother, 'Allow me to take the splinter out of your eye,' while the beam is in your own eye?

"Give not that which is holy to the dogs, nor throw your pearls to the swine; otherwise they will trample them under their feet and then turn and attack you.

For it is always he who asks that receives, he who seeks that finds, and he who knocks that has the door opened to him.

What man is there among you, who if his son shall ask him for bread will offer him a stone?

If you then, imperfect as you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

"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;

because narrow is the gate and contracted the road which leads to Life, and few are those who find it.

Every tree which does not yield good fruit is cut down and thrown aside for burning.

"Not every one who says to me, 'Master, Master,' will enter the Kingdom of the Heavens, but only those who are obedient to my Father who is in Heaven.

"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 the heavy rain falls, the swollen torrents come, and the winds blow and beat against the house; yet it does not fall, for its foundation is on rock.

The heavy rain descends, the swollen torrents come, and the winds blow and burst upon the house, and it falls; and disastrous is the fall."

for He had been teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their Scribes taught.

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," he said, "my servant at home is lying ill with paralysis, and is suffering great pain."

Jesus listened to this reply, and was astonished, and said to the people following Him, "I solemnly tell you that in no Israelite have I found faith as great as this.

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.

After this Jesus went to the house of Peter, whose mother-in-law he found ill in bed with fever.

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."

So they came and woke Him, crying, "Master, save us, we are drowning!"

and the men, filled with amazement, exclaimed, "What kind of man is this? for the very winds and waves obey him!"

They cried aloud, "What hast Thou to do with us, Thou Son of God? Hast Thou come here to torment us before the time?"

So the demons entreated Him. "If Thou drivest us out," they said, "send us into the herd of swine."

"Such language is impious," said some of the Scribes among themselves.

Why, which is easier? --to say, 'Your sins are pardoned,' or to say 'Rise up and walk'?

He heard the question and replied, "It is not men in good health who require a doctor, but the sick.

But go and learn what this means, 'It is mercy that I desire, not sacrifice'; for I did not come to appeal to the righteous, but to sinners."

"Can the bridegroom's party mourn," He replied, "as long as the bridegroom is with them? But other days will come (when the Bridegroom has been taken from them)

While He was thus speaking, a Ruler came up and profoundly bowing said, "My daughter is just dead; but come and put your hand upon her and she will return to life."

And Jesus rose and followed him, as did also His disciples.

and He said, "Go out of the room; the little girl is not dead, but asleep." And they laughed at Him.

As Jesus passed on, two blind men followed Him, shouting and saying, "Pity us, Son of David."

And as they were leaving His presence a dumb demoniac was brought to Him.

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

Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is abundant, but the reapers are few;

And as you go, preach and say, 'The Kingdom of the Heavens is close at hand.'

And whoever refuses to receive you or even to listen to your Message, as you leave that house or town, shake off the very dust from your feet.

"Remember it is I who am sending you out, as sheep into the midst of wolves; prove yourselves as sagacious as serpents, and as innocent as doves.

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.

"The learner is never superior to his teacher, and the servant is never superior to his master.

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

What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what is whispered into your ear, proclaim upon the roofs of the houses.