David fathered Solomon by the wife of Uriah, Solomon fathered Rehoboam, Rehoboam fathered Abijah, Abijah fathered Asaph,

So all the generations from Abraham to David totaled fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon totaled fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah there were fourteen generations.

After he had thought about it, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. "Joseph, son of David," he said, "don't be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he is the one who will save his people from their sins."

and asked, "Where is the one who was born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."

He called together all the high priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Messiah was to be born.

"O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, you are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, because from you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.'"

After listening to the king, they set out, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.

When they saw the star, they were ecstatic with joy.

Herod flew into a rage when he learned that he had been tricked by the wise men, so he ordered the execution of all the male children in Bethlehem and all its neighboring regions, who were two years old and younger, according to the time that he had determined from the wise men.

"Get up," he said. "Take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead."

John had clothing made of camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist. His diet consisted of grasshoppers and wild honey.

But when John saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he told them, "You children of serpents! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

But John tried to stop him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and are you coming to me?"

Then the tempter came. "Since you are the Son of God," he said, "tell these stones to become loaves of bread."

He told Jesus, "Since you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, because it is written, "God will put his angels in charge of you,' and, "With their hands they will hold you up, so that you will never hit your foot against a rock.'"

Jesus responded to him, "It is also written, "You must not tempt the Lord your God.'"

Then Jesus told him, "Go away, Satan! Because it is written, "You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.'"

While Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers Simon (also called Peter) and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, because they were fishermen.

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

"How blessed are those who are destitute in spirit, because the kingdom from heaven belongs to them!

"How blessed are those who mourn, because it is they who will be comforted!

"How blessed are those who are humble, because it is they who will inherit the earth!

"How blessed are those who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness, because it is they who will be satisfied!

"How blessed are those who are merciful, because it is they who will receive mercy!

"How blessed are those who are pure in heart, because it is they who will see God!

"How blessed are those who make peace, because it is they who will be called God's children!

"How blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, because the kingdom from heaven belongs to them!

"How blessed are you whenever people insult you, persecute you, and say all sorts of evil things against you falsely because of me!

Rejoice and be extremely glad, because your reward in heaven is great! That's how they persecuted the prophets who came before you."

"You are the salt of the world. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty again? It's good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled on by people.

"You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can't be hidden.

In the same way, let your light shine before people in such a way that they will see your good actions and glorify your Father in heaven."

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I didn't come to destroy them, but to fulfill them,

because I tell all of you with certainty that until heaven and earth disappear, not one letter or one stroke of a letter will disappear from the Law until everything has been accomplished.

because I tell you, unless your righteousness greatly exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom from heaven!"

"You have heard that it was told those who lived long ago, "You are not to commit murder,' and, "Whoever murders will be subject to punishment.'

"So if you are presenting your gift at the altar and remember there that your brother has something against you,

leave your gift there before the altar and first go and be reconciled to your brother. Then come and offer your gift.

Come to terms quickly with your opponent while you are on the way to court, or your opponent may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison.

"You have heard that it was said, "You are not to commit adultery.'

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

And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away from you. It is better for you to lose one of your body parts than to have your whole body go into hell."

"Again, you have heard that it was told those who lived long ago, "You must not swear an oath falsely,' but, "You must fulfill your oaths to the Lord.'

Nor should you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.

Instead, let your message be "Yes' for "Yes' and "No' for "No.' Anything more than that comes from the evil one."

If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat as well.

"You have heard that it was said, "You must love your neighbor' and hate your enemy.

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

so that you will become children of your Father in heaven, because he makes his sun rise on both evil and good people, and he lets rain fall on the righteous and the unrighteous.

And if you greet only your relatives, that's no great thing you're doing, is it? Even the unbelievers do the same, don't they?

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

"Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of people in order to be noticed by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

But when you give to the poor, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

so that your giving may be done in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

But whenever you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees from the hidden place will reward you.

"When you are praying, don't say meaningless things like the unbelievers do, because they think they will be heard by being so wordy.

Don't be like them, because your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Therefore, this is how you should pray: "Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.

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 sins, as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.

Because if you forgive people their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

But if you do not forgive people their offenses, your Father will not forgive your offenses."

"Whenever you fast, don't be gloomy like the hypocrites, because they put on sad faces to show others they are fasting. I tell all of you with certainty, they have their full reward!

But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,

so that your fasting will not be noticed by others but by your Father who is in the hidden place. And your Father who watches from the hidden place will reward you."

"Stop storing up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moths and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.

But keep on storing up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal,

because where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

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

But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. Therefore, if the light within you has turned into darkness, how great is that darkness!"

"No one can serve two masters, because either he will hate one and love the other, or be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and riches!"

"That's why I'm telling you to stop worrying about your life what you will eat or what you will drink or about your body what you will wear. Life is more than food, isn't it, and the body more than clothing?

Look at the birds in the sky. They don't plant or harvest or gather food into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. You are more valuable than they are, aren't you?

Can any of you add a single hour to the length of your life by worrying?

And why do you worry about clothes? Consider the lilies in the field and how they grow. They don't work or spin yarn,

"So don't ever worry by saying, "What are we going to eat?' or "What are we going to drink?' or "What are we going to wear?'

because it is the unbelievers who are eager for all those things. Surely your heavenly Father knows that you need all of them!

"Why do you see the speck in your brother's eye but fail to notice the beam in your own eye?

Or how can you say to your brother, "Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when the beam is in your own eye?

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

"Never give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls before pigs. Otherwise, they will trample them with their feet and then turn around and attack you."

Or if he asks for a fish, he wouldn't give him a snake, would he?

So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who keep on asking him!

"Go in through the narrow gate, because the gate is wide and the road is spacious that leads to destruction, and many people are entering by it.

"Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are savage wolves.

You will know them by their fruit. Grapes aren't gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles, are they?

Many will say to me on that day, "Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name, drove out demons in your name, and performed many miracles in your name, didn't we?'

When Jesus had finished saying all these things, the crowds were utterly amazed at his teaching,

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and told those who were following him, "I tell all of you with certainty, not even in Israel have I found this kind of faith!

When evening came, people brought to him many who were possessed by demons. He drove out the spirits by speaking a command and healed everyone who was sick.

This was to fulfill what was declared by the prophet Isaiah when he said, "It was he who took our illnesses away and removed our diseases."

He asked them, "Why are you afraid, you who have little faith?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

The men were amazed. "What kind of man is this?" they asked. "Even the winds and the sea obey him!"

When Jesus arrived on the other side in the region of the Gerasenes, two demon-possessed men met him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so violent that no one could travel on that road.

All at once some people brought him a paralyzed man lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he told the paralyzed man, "Be courageous, son! Your sins are forgiven."

But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking, replied, "Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts?

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

But so you will know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"" he told the paralyzed man, "Get up, pick up your stretcher, and go home!"