Blessed [is] the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest [heaven]!"

And on the next day [as] they were departing from Bethany, he was hungry.

And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered into the temple [courts] [and] began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple [courts], and overturned the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those who were selling doves.

And the chief priests and the scribes heard [it], and began considering how they could destroy him. For they were afraid of him because the whole crowd was astounded by his teaching.

And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive [him], so that your Father who [is] in heaven will also forgive you your sins."

and said to him, "By what authority are you doing these [things], or who gave you this authority that you do these [things]?"

The baptism of John--was [it] from heaven or from men? Answer me!"

But if we say, 'From men'"--they were afraid of the crowd, because they all looked upon John {as truly a prophet}.

This came about from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?"

And they were seeking to arrest him, and they were afraid of the crowd, because they knew that he had told the parable with reference to them. And they left him [and] went away.

And [when they] came, they said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are truthful and {you do not care what anyone thinks}, {because you do not regard the opinion of people} but teach the way of God in truth. Is it permitted to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?"

But [because he] knew their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius so that I can look at [it]!"

And Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar the things of Caesar, and to God the things of God!" And they were utterly amazed at him.

There were seven brothers, and the first took a wife. And [when he] died, he did not leave descendants.

Jesus said to them, "Are you not deceived because of this, [because you] do not know the scriptures or the power of God?

For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

Now concerning the dead, that they are raised, have you not read in the book of Moses {in the passage about the bush} how God spoke to him, saying, 'I [am] the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob'?

He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are very much mistaken!"

Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

And you shall love the Lord your God from your whole heart and from your whole soul and from your whole mind and from your whole strength.'

The second [is] this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

And to love him from your whole heart and from your whole understanding and from your whole strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."

And Jesus, [when he] saw that he had answered thoughtfully, said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And no one dared to put a question to him any longer.

David himself said by the Holy Spirit, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet." '

And he sat down opposite the contribution box [and] was observing how the crowd was putting coins into the contribution box. And many rich people were putting in many [coins].

"Tell us, when will these [things] happen, and what [will be] the sign when all these [things] are about to be accomplished?"

For nation will rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in [various] places. There will be famines. These [things] [are] the beginning of birth pains.

And when they arrest you [and] hand you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you should say, but whatever is given to you at that hour, say this. For you are not the ones who are speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

"But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be" (let the one who reads understand), "then those in Judea must flee to the mountains!

The one who is on his housetop must not come down or go inside to take anything out of his house,

And woe to those {who are pregnant} and to those who are nursing [their babies] in those days!

"But concerning that day or hour no one knows--not even the angels in heaven nor the Son--except the Father.

Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming--whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or early in the morning--

Now after two days it was the Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread, and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how, [after] arresting him by stealth, they could kill [him].

But some were expressing indignation to one another: "Why has there been this waste of perfumed oil?

And [when] they heard [this], they were delighted, and promised to give him money. And he began seeking how he could betray him conveniently.

And on the first day of the feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, "Where do you want us to go [and] prepare, so that you can eat the Passover?"

and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?" '

And [while] they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, that one of you who is eating with me will betray me."

And [while] they were eating, he took bread [and], [after] giving thanks, he broke [it] and gave [it] to them and said, "Take [it], this is my body."

But he kept saying emphatically, "If it is necessary for me to die with you, I will never deny you!" And they all were saying the same [thing] also.

And going forward a little he fell to the ground and began to pray that, if it were possible, the hour would pass from him.

And he said, "Abba, Father, all [things] [are] possible for you! Take away this cup from me! Yet not what I will, but what you [will]."

And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, "Simon, are you sleeping? Were you not able to stay awake one hour?

And he came the third [time] and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.

But a certain one of the bystanders, drawing [his] sword, struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear.

Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death, and they did not find [it].

And the high priest stood up in the midst [of them] [and] asked Jesus, saying, "Do you not reply anything? What are these [people] testifying against you?"

But he was silent and did not reply anything. Again the high priest asked him and said to him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?"

And [when] she saw Peter warming himself, she looked intently at him [and] said, "You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus."

But he denied [it] again. And after a little [while], again the bystanders began to say to Peter, "You really are [one] of them, because you also are a Galilean, and your accent {shows it}!"

And he began to curse and to swear with an oath, "I do not know this man whom you are talking about!"

And Pilate asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" And he answered him [and] said, "You say [so]."

So Pilate asked him again, saying, "Do you not answer anything? See how many [charges] they are bringing against you!"

And they repeatedly struck him on the head with a reed, and were spitting on him, and {they knelt down} [and] did obeisance to him.

In the same way also the chief priests, along with the scribes, were mocking [him] to one another, saying, "He saved others; he is not able to save himself!

Let the Christ, the king of Israel, come down now from the cross, so that we may see and believe! Even those who were crucified with him were reviling him.

And there were also women observing from a distance, among whom [were] Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and Joses, and Salome,

Now Mary Magdalene and Mary the [mother] of Joses saw where he was placed.

And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?"

And [as they] were going into the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene who was crucified. He has been raised, he is not here! See the place where they laid him!

And they went out [and] fled from the tomb, because trembling and amazement had seized them. And they said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

She went out [and] announced [it] to those who were with him [while they] were mourning and weeping.

And after these [things], he appeared in a different form to two of them [as they] were walking, [while they] were going out into the countryside.

And later, [while] they were reclining at table, he appeared to the eleven. And he reprimanded their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen him [after he] had been raised.

just as those who were eyewitnesses and servants of the word from the beginning passed on to us,

so that you may know the certainty concerning the things about which you were taught.

And they were both righteous in the sight of God, living blamelessly in all the commandments and regulations of the Lord.

And {they did not have} a child, because Elizabeth was barren. And they were both advanced {in years}.

And the whole crowd of the people were praying outside at the hour of the incense offering.

But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will call his name John.

For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he must never drink wine or beer, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit [while he is] still in his mother's womb.

And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and began to wonder [when] he was delayed in the temple.

And behold, your relative Elizabeth--she also has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren.

So Mary said, "Behold, the Lord's female slave! May it happen to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

And she cried out with a loud shout and said, "Blessed [are] you among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of your womb!

For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy!

He has filled those who are hungry with good [things], and those who are rich he has sent away empty-handed.

just as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants {forever}."

And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were wanting to name him {after} his father Zechariah.

And they said to her, "There is no one of your relatives who is called by this name."

and he asked for a writing tablet [and] wrote, saying, "John is his name." And they were all astonished.

And his mouth and his tongue were opened immediately, and he began to speak, praising God.

And fear came on all those who lived near them, and in all the hill country of Judea all these events were discussed.

salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all those who hate us,

to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,

the oath that he swore to Abraham our father, to grant us

[that] we, being rescued from the hand of [our] enemies, could serve him without fear

in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

because of the merciful compassion of our God by which the dawn will visit to help us from on high,

to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to direct our feet into the way of peace."

And it happened that while they were there, {the time came} for her to give birth.

And there were shepherds in the same region, living out of doors and keeping watch, guarding over their flock by night.

And an angel of the Lord stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and {they were terribly frightened}.

And all who heard [it] were astonished concerning what had been said to them by the shepherds.

And when eight days were completed {so that he could be circumcised}, he was named Jesus, his name [that] [he] was called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

And when the days of their purification were completed according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present [him] to the Lord

and to offer a sacrifice according to what was stated in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."

"Now dismiss your slave in peace, Lord, according to your word.