So it seemed good to me as well, because I have followed all things carefully from the beginning, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

Now while Zechariah was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty,

And he will go as forerunner before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him."

Zechariah said to the angel, "How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is old as well."

as he promised to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."

as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from long ago,

in holiness and righteousness before him for as long as we live.

So the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; everything was just as they had been told.

(just as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male will be set apart to the Lord"),

Indeed, as a result of him the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed -- and a sword will pierce your own soul as well!"

She had lived as a widow since then for eighty-four years. She never left the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.

But when the feast was over, as they were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it,

As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "The voice of one shouting in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make his paths straight.

Therefore produce fruit that proves your repentance, and don't begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones!

Then some soldiers also asked him, "And as for us -- what should we do?" He told them, "Take money from no one by violence or by false accusation, and be content with your pay."

So Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years old. He was the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,

Now Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read,

Then he began to tell them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled even as you heard it being read."

As the sun was setting, all those who had any relatives sick with various diseases brought them to Jesus. He placed his hands on every one of them and healed them.

Then he ordered the man to tell no one, but commanded him, "Go and show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do evil, to save a life or to destroy it?"

"Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject you as evil on account of the Son of Man!

To the person who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other as well, and from the person who takes away your coat, do not withhold your tunic either.

Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask for your possessions back from the person who takes them away.

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

As he approached the town gate, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother (who was a widow), and a large crowd from the town was with her.

and sent them to Jesus to ask, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?"

When the men came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?'"

As she stood behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. She wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfumed oil.

"A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled on, and the wild birds devoured it.

But other seed fell on good soil and grew, and it produced a hundred times as much grain." As he said this, he called out, "The one who has ears to hear had better listen!"

As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the worries and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.

But as for the seed that landed on good soil, these are the ones who, after hearing the word, cling to it with an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with steadfast endurance.

and as they sailed he fell asleep. Now a violent windstorm came down on the lake, and the boat started filling up with water, and they were in danger.

As Jesus stepped ashore, a certain man from the town met him who was possessed by demons. For a long time this man had worn no clothes and had not lived in a house, but among the tombs.

because he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds pressed around him.

Wherever they do not receive you, as you leave that town, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them."

So they did as Jesus directed, and the people all sat down.

As he was praying, the appearance of his face was transformed, and his clothes became very bright, a brilliant white.

Now Peter and those with him were quite sleepy, but as they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.

Then as the men were starting to leave, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three shelters, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah" -- not knowing what he was saying.

As he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.

As the boy was approaching, the demon threw him to the ground and shook him with convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.

But they did not understand this statement; its meaning had been concealed from them, so that they could not grasp it. Yet they were afraid to ask him about this statement.

Now an argument started among the disciples as to which of them might be the greatest.

He sent messengers on ahead of him. As they went along, they entered a Samaritan village to make things ready in advance for him,

As they were walking along the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."

But Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God."

He said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.

The expert answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself."

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him as a guest.

Now Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he stopped, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."

"So I tell you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.

If you then, although you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

So if Satan too is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? I ask you this because you claim that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.

As he said these things, a woman in the crowd spoke out to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed!"

As the crowds were increasing, Jesus began to say, "This generation is a wicked generation; it looks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.

For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be a sign to this generation.

If then your whole body is full of light, with no part in the dark, it will be as full of light as when the light of a lamp shines on you."

As he spoke, a Pharisee invited Jesus to have a meal with him, so he went in and took his place at the table.

You fools! Didn't the one who made the outside make the inside as well?

But Jesus replied, "Woe to you experts in religious law as well! You load people down with burdens difficult to bear, yet you yourselves refuse to touch the burdens with even one of your fingers!

When he went out from there, the experts in the law and the Pharisees began to oppose him bitterly, and to ask him hostile questions about many things,

So if you cannot do such a very little thing as this, why do you worry about the rest?

Instead, pursue his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

As you are going with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, so that he will not drag you before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.

No, I tell you! But unless you repent, you will all perish as well!

No, I tell you! But unless you repent you will all perish as well!"

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would have none of it!

If he cannot succeed, he will send a representative while the other is still a long way off and ask for terms of peace.

"Now his older son was in the field. As he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.

And in hell, as he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his side.

As he was entering a village, ten men with leprosy met him. They stood at a distance,

When he saw them he said, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went along, they were cleansed.

Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man.

Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot, people were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building;

But Jesus called for the children, saying, "Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging.

But Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, half of my possessions I now give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone of anything, I am paying back four times as much!"

But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be their king, bring them here and slaughter them in front of me!'"

So those who were sent ahead found it exactly as he had told them.

As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, "Why are you untying that colt?"

As he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road.

As he approached the road leading down from the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen:

Now one day, as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the gospel, the chief priests and the experts in the law with the elders came up

He answered them, "I will also ask you a question, and you tell me:

But those who are regarded as worthy to share in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.

For they did not dare any longer to ask him anything.

As all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples,

They devour widows' property, and as a show make long prayers. They will receive a more severe punishment."

"As for these things that you are gazing at, the days will come when not one stone will be left on another. All will be torn down!"

This will be a time for you to serve as witnesses.

They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led away as captives among all nations. Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

So they went and found things just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

For the Son of Man is to go just as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!"

So they began to question one another as to which of them it could possibly be who would do this.

A dispute also started among them over which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.

For who is greater, the one who is seated at the table, or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is seated at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

Thus I grant to you a kingdom, just as my Father granted to me,

Then Jesus went out and made his way, as he customarily did, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him.