I am deeply angry with the nations who are complacent, with whom I was only a little displeased but they made things worse!"

I asked the angel who was talking to me, "What are those?" So he answered me, "Those are the forces that have dispersed Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem."

Look! That angel who was talking to me left, and another angel came forward to meet him.

For this is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "In pursuit of glory I was sent to the nations who plundered you, because whoever injures you injures the pupil of my eye.

Now Joshua was wearing filthy clothes as he stood in the presence of the angel.

Then I said, "Let them place a pure diadem on his head." So they placed the pure diadem on his head and clothed him with fine garments while the angel of the LORD was standing beside them.

Look, a round lead cover was being lifted, and there was one woman seated inside the basket!

So I asked the angel who was talking to me, "Where are they taking the basket?"

Isn't this what the LORD proclaimed through the former prophets, when a prosperous Jerusalem was inhabited, as were its surrounding cities, the Negev, and the Shephelah?'"

"I will scatter them to all of the nations, which they have not known.'" Now the earth was left desolate after them. As a result, no one came or went because they had turned a pleasant land into a desert.

"This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "Be strong so the Temple can be built, you who are now listening to this message spoken by the prophets when the foundation was laid to the Temple of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies.

Before then, everyone was unemployed even the draft animals and no one was safe coming or going because of the enemy, because I caused everyone to oppose each other.

Then I took the staff that I had named "Pleasant" and broke it, showing I was breaking my covenant that I had made with all of the people.

It was broken at that time so the oppressed of the flock who were observing me would know that it had been a message from the LORD.

"Was not Esau Jacob's brother?" declares the LORD, "yet I loved Jacob, hated Esau, turned his mountains into a wasteland, and gave his inheritance to desert jackals.

"My covenant with him was for life and peace, and I gave the commandments to him so he would fear me. He did fear me as he stood in my presence.

True teachings were in his mouth, and falsehood was not found on his lips. He walked with me peacefully and righteously, and he turned many from sin.

Judah has become unfaithful, and a detestable thing was committed in Israel and Jerusalem. Indeed, Judah profaned the Holy Place of the LORD, which he loves, and married a daughter of a foreign god.

Did he not make them one? And the vestige of the spirit remains in him. And why did he make them one? He was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and don't be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.

Then the offering to the LORD by Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable as it was in the past, even as in former years.

Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other. The LORD listened and took note, and a scroll of remembrance was written in his presence about those who fear the LORD and honor His name.

Jacob fathered Joseph, the husband of Mary, who was the mother of Jesus, who is called the Messiah.

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah happened in this way. When his mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, before they lived together she was discovered to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit.

Now all this happened to fulfill what was declared by the Lord through the prophet when he said,

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."

When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, as was all of Jerusalem.

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

They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, because that is what was written by the prophet:

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.

He stayed there until Herod's death in order to fulfill what was declared by the Lord through the prophet when he said, "Out of Egypt I called my Son."

Then what was declared by the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled when he said,

"A voice was heard in Ramah: wailing and great mourning. Rachel was crying for her children. She refused to be comforted, because they no longer existed."

But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, after having been warned in a dream. So he left for the region of Galilee

and settled in a town called Nazareth in order to fulfill what was said by the prophets: "He will be called a Nazarene."

He was the one the prophet Isaiah was referring to when he said, "He is a voice calling out in the wilderness: "Prepare the way for the Lord! Make his paths straight!'"

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?

After this, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil.

in order to fulfill what was declared by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

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.

His fame spread throughout Syria, and people brought to him everyone who was sick those afflicted with various diseases and pains, the demon-possessed, the epileptics, and the paralyzed and he healed them.

"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.'

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

"It was also said, "Whoever divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce.'

"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.'

"You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'

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

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

but I tell you that not even Solomon in all of his splendor was clothed like one of them.

The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, but it did not collapse because its foundation was on the rock.

The rain fell, the floods came, the winds blew and battered that house, and it collapsed and its collapse was total."

because he was teaching them like a person who had authority, and not like their scribes.

So Jesus reached out his hand, touched him, and said, "I do want to. Be clean!" And instantly his leprosy was made clean.

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!

"Go," Jesus told the centurion, "and it will be done for you, just as you have believed." And his servant was healed that very hour.

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.

Now a large herd of pigs was grazing some distance away from them.

While he was having dinner at Matthew's home, many tax collectors and sinners arrived and began eating with Jesus and his disciples.

While Jesus was telling them these things, an official came up and fell down before him. "My daughter has just died," he said. "But come and lay your hand on her, and she will live."

When Jesus turned and saw her, he said, "Be courageous, daughter! Your faith has made you well." And from that very hour the woman was well.

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

As the men were going out, a man who couldn't talk because he was demon-possessed was brought to him.

When he saw the crowds, he was deeply moved with compassion for them, because they were troubled and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Yes, Father, because this is what was pleasing to you.

How is it that he went into the house of God and ate the Bread of the Presence, which was not lawful for him and his companions to eat but was reserved for the priests?

Suddenly, a man with a paralyzed hand appeared. The people asked Jesus if it was lawful to heal on Sabbath days, intending to accuse him of doing something wrong.

This was to fulfill what was declared by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to talk was brought to him. Jesus healed him so that the man could speak and see.

because just as Jonah was in the stomach of the sea creature for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.

While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him.

As he was sowing, some seeds fell along the path, and birds came and ate them up.

Other seeds fell on stony ground, where they did not have a lot of soil. They sprouted at once because the soil wasn't deep.

But other seeds fell on good soil and produced a crop, some 100, some 60, and some 30 times what was sown.

When anyone hears the word about the kingdom yet doesn't understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.

As for what was sown on the stony ground, this is the person who hears the word and accepts it joyfully at once,

As for what was sown among the thorn bushes, this is the person who hears the word, but the worries of life and the deceitful pleasures of wealth choke the word so that it can't produce a crop.

But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the person who hears the word, understands it, and produces a crop that yields 100, 60, or 30 times what was sown."

He told them another parable: "The kingdom from heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened."

This was to fulfill what was declared by the prophet when he said, "I will open my mouth to speak in parables. I will declare what has been hidden since the creation of the world."

When it was full, the fishermen hauled it ashore. Then they sat down, sorted the good fish into containers, and threw the bad ones away.

Although Herod wanted to kill him, he was afraid of the crowd, since they regarded John as a prophet.

But when Herod's birthday celebration was held, the daughter of Herodias danced before the guests. She pleased Herod

His head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she took it to her mother.

All of them ate and were filled. Then the disciples picked up what was left of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full.

After dismissing the crowds, he went up on a hillside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.

By this time the boat was in the middle of the sea and was being battered by the waves, because the wind was against them.

But when he noticed the strong wind, he was frightened. As he began to sink, he shouted, "Lord, save me!"

When the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word throughout that region and brought him everyone who was sick.

They kept begging him to let them touch just the tassel of his garment, and everyone who touched it was completely healed.

"Why do your disciples disregard the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands when they eat."

But he replied, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the nation of Israel."

Then Jesus answered her, "Lady, your faith is great! What you want is granted." That very hour her daughter was healed.

As a result, the crowd was amazed to see those who were unable to talk speaking, the crippled healed, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. So they praised the God of Israel.

All of them ate until they were filled, then the disciples picked up what was left of the broken pieces seven baskets full.

How can you fail to understand that I wasn't talking to you about bread? Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!"

Then he strictly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

His appearance was changed in front of them, his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light.

He was still speaking when a bright cloud suddenly overshadowed them. A voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love. I am pleased with him. Keep on listening to him!"

Then Jesus rebuked the demon and it came out of him, and the boy was healed that very hour.