In that same country-side were shepherds out in the open fields, watching their flocks that night,

When suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round them; and they feared with a great fear. The angel said to them.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

and having seen it they made known about the country the thing which had been said to them concerning this child.

And all who heard it wondered at the things said to them by the shepherds.

While Mary treasured up all that they said, and dwelt upon it in her thoughts.

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all things which they had heard and seen, as it had been said to them.

Then when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were completed [Note: This was a set procedure required for a Jewish mother on the birth of a child. See Lev. 12:1-8], Joseph and Mary brought Jesus up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord.

(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy [set apart and dedicated] to the Lord)”

And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,

Now you are letting your servant go in peace, O Lord, as you have said;

for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast provided in the sight of all people,

Which Thou hast made ready in the sight of all nations--

And his father and mother wondered at the things which were said concerning him.

And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;

And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual to the festival and made their customary stay.

And when they had kept the full number of days, and had set out to return, the child Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew it not.

And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.

And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?

And they understood not the thing that he said to them.

However he went down with them to Nazareth, and submitted himself to their control; and his mother treasured all that was said in her heart.

This was in fulfillment of what is said in the writings of the Prophet Isaiah--'The voice of one crying aloud in the wilderness: "Make ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight.

Then said he to the multitudes,

Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

And the crowd began to ask him questions. "What shall we do then?" they asked. In reply he said to them.

And he answered and said unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath food, let him do likewise.

Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?

And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.

And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.

John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.

And Jesus made answer to him, It has been said in the Writings, Bread is not man's only need.

And the Devil led Jesus up, and showing him in a single moment all the kingdoms of the earth, said to him:

And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:

and with their hands they shall stay thee up, that thou dash not thy foot against a stone.'"

And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

And the book of the prophet Isaiah was given to him and, opening the book, he came on the place where it is said,

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

Then he said to them, Today this word has come true in your hearing.

And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?

And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.

And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.

And all who were in the Synagogue were very angry when these things were said to them.

And there was a man in the Synagogue who had an unclean spirit; and he gave a loud cry and said,

But Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet and come out of him!”

And throwing him down before them, the demon came out of him without hurting him at all.

They were all astonished and in awe, and began saying to one another, “What is this message? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits and they come out!”

And [after he] set out from the synagogue, he went into Simon's house. And Simon's mother-in-law was afflicted with a high fever, and they asked him on behalf of her.

As soon as the sun was set, all sorts of diseased persons were brought before him by their friends, and he healed them all, by laying his hands upon them.

And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.

And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, because I’m a sinful man, Lord!”

And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

Another time when he was in one of their cities, there was a man there full of leprosy. And he, upon seeing Jesus, fell on his face and implored him. "Lord," he said, "if only you choose you can make me clean."

and having stretched forth his hand, he touched him, having said, 'I will; be thou cleansed;' and immediately the leprosy went away from him.

Jesus ordered him to tell no one [that he might happen to meet], “But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your purification, just as Moses commanded, as a testimony (witness) to them [that this is a work of Messiah].”

And it happened on a certain day, that he taught: and there sat the Pharisees, and doctors of law, which were come out of all the towns of Galilee, Jewry, and Jerusalem, and the power of the Lord was to heal them.

Just then some men came, carrying on a mat a man who was paralyzed. They tried to bring him in and set him down before Him.

And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?

But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.

Then everyone was astounded, and they were giving glory to God. And they were filled with awe and said, “We have seen incredible things today!”

And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me.

And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.

And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled about it to his disciples, and said, "Why do you eat and drink with tax-collectors and irreligious people?"

And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.

And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?

And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?

And he spoke also a parable to them: No one puts a piece of a new garment upon an old garment, otherwise he will both rend the new, and the piece which is from the new will not suit with the old.

And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?

And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him;

And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.

Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?

And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

With these He came down till He reached a level place, where there was a great crowd of His disciples, and a multitude of people from every part of Judaea, from Jerusalem, and from the sea-side district of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and to be cured of their diseases;

And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

It is too bad for you people when everyone speaks well about you, because the forefathers said the same thing about the false prophets.

To him who gives you a blow on one side of the face offer the other side also; and to him who is robbing you of your outer garment refuse not the under one also.

Don't judge, and you won't be judged. Don't condemn, and you won't be condemned. Set free, and you will be set free.

Then, speaking in parables, Jesus said: "Can one blind man guide another? Will they not both fall into a ditch?

A student is not superior to his teacher; but everyone, after he has been completely trained, will be like his teacher.

He is like to a man building a house, who digged, and deepened, and set the foundation upon the rock: and there having been an overflow, the river dashed against that house, and was not able to move it: for it was founded upon the rock.

When they found Jesus, they earnestly implored him to do so. "He is a man who deserves that you should show him this favor," they said,

for, they said, He loves our nation, and he has built us a synagogue.

And Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, and said to him: Lord, give thyself no trouble; for I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof.

For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.

And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.

And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.

All were awe-struck, and they gave glory to God--some saying, "A Prophet, a great Prophet, has risen up among us." Others said, "God has not forgotten His People."

And John called to him two of his disciples, and sent them to Jesus, and said: Art thou he that was to come, or must we look for another?