And, sending them to Bethlehem, he said: "Go and make careful inquiries about the child, and, as soon as you have found him, bring me word, that I, too, may go and do homage to him."

After they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, and said: "Awake, take the child and his mother, and seek refuge in Egypt; and stay there until I bid you return, for Herod is about to search for the child, to put him to death."

About that time John the Baptist first appeared, proclaiming in the Wilderness of Judea:

"If you are God's Son, throw yourself down, for Scripture says- -'He will give his angels commands about thee, And on their hands they will upbear thee, Lest ever thou shouldst strike thy foot against a stone.'"

Blessed are you when people taunt you, and persecute you, and say everything evil about you--untruly, and on my account.

That is why I say to you, Do not be anxious about your life here--what you can get to eat or drink; nor yet about your body-- what you can get to wear. Is not life more than food, and the body than its clothing?

And why be anxious about clothing? Study the wild lilies, and how they grow. They neither toil nor spin;

Therefore do not be anxious about to-morrow, for to-morrow will bring its own anxieties. Every day has trouble enough of its own.

Which, I ask, is the easier?--to say 'Your sins are forgiven'? or to say 'Get up, and walk about'?

But the men went out, and spread the news about him through all that part of the country.

About the same time Jesus walked through the corn-fields one Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and began to pick some ears of wheat and eat them.

Then he added: "So every Teacher of the Law, who has received instruction about the Kingdom of Heaven, is like a householder who produces from his stores things both new and old."

The men who ate were about five thousand in number, without counting women and children.

Hypocrites! It was well said by Isaiah when he prophesied about you--

And the crowds were astonished, when they saw the dumb talking, the cripples made sound, the lame walking about, and the blind with their sight restored; and they praised the God of Israel.

But the disciples began talking among themselves about their having brought no bread.

On noticing this, Jesus said: "Why are you talking among yourselves about your being short of bread, O men of little faith?

How is it that you do not see that I was not speaking about bread? Be on your guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

"Why ask me about goodness?" answered Jesus. "There is but One who is good. If you want to enter the Life, keep the commandments."

"What commandments?" asked the man. "These," answered Jesus:-- "'Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not say what is false about others.

On going out again, about nine o'clock, he saw some others standing in the market-place, doing nothing.

So the men went. Going out again about mid-day and about three o'clock, he did as before.

When he went out about five, he found some other men standing there, and said to them 'Why have you been standing here all day long, doing nothing?'

Now when those who had been hired about five o'clock went up, they received two shillings each.

On hearing of this, the ten others were very indignant about the two brothers.

It is about John's baptism. What was its origin? divine or human?" But they began arguing among themselves: "If we say 'divine,' he will say to us 'Why then did not you believe him?'

After listening to these parables, the Chief Priests and the Pharisees saw that it was about them that he was speaking;

"What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?" "David's," they said.

But about that Day and Hour, no one knows--not even the angels of Heaven, nor yet the Son--but only the Father himself.

At daybreak all the Chief Priests and the Councillors of the Nation consulted together against Jesus, to bring about his death.

And about three Jesus called out loudly: "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabacthani"--that is to say, 'O my God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?'

The beginning of the Good News about Jesus Christ.

Now about that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

Now Simon's mother-in-law was lying ill with fever, and they at once told Jesus about her.

And he went about making his proclamation in their Synagogues all through Galilee, and driving out the demons.

The man, however, went away, and began to speak about it publicly, and to spread the story so widely, that Jesus could no longer go openly into a town, but stayed outside in lonely places; and people came to him from every direction.

Jesus, at once intuitively aware that they wee debating with themselves in this way, said to them: "Why are you debating in your minds about this?

Which is easier?--to say to the paralyzed man, 'Your sins are forgiven'? or to say 'Get up, and take up your mat, and walk about'?

Afterwards, when he was alone, his followers and the Twelve asked him about his parables;

Jesus gave them leave. They came out, and entered into the pigs; and the drove--about two thousand in number--rushed down the steep slope into the Sea and were drowned in the Sea.

Then those who had seen it related to them all that had happened to the possessed man, as well as about the pigs;

Heard about Jesus, came behind in the crowd, and touched his cloak.

But Jesus looked about to see who had done it.

The little girl stood up at once, and began to walk about; for she was twelve years old. And, as soon as they saw it, they were overwhelmed with amazement;

Seeing them laboring at the oars--for the wind was against them--about three hours after midnight Jesus came towards them, walking on the water, intending to join them.

For they had not understood about the loaves, their minds being slow to learn.

Hurried over the whole country-side, and began to carry about upon mats those who were ill, wherever they heard he was.

His answer was: "It was well said by Isaiah when he prophesied about you hypocrites in the words--'This is a people that honor me with their lips, While their hearts are far removed from me;

When Jesus went indoors, away from the crowd, his disciples began questioning him about this saying.

About that time, when there was again a great crowd of people who had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him, and said:

There were about four thousand people. Then Jesus dismissed them.

They began talking to one another about their being short of bread.

And, noticing this, Jesus said to them: "Why are you talking about your being short of bread? Do not you yet see or understand? Are your minds still so slow or comprehension?

The man looked up, and said: "I see the people, for, as they walk about, they look to me like trees."

On which Jesus charged them not to say this about him to anyone.

"What are you arguing about with them?" Jesus asked.

They brought him to Jesus; but no sooner did the boy see him than the spirit threw him into convulsions; and he fell on the ground, and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.

On leaving that place, Jesus went into the district of Judea on the other side of the Jordan. Crowds gathered about him again; and again, as usual, he began teaching them.

When they were indoors, the disciples asked him again about this,

You know the commandments--'Do not kill. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not say what is false about others. Do not cheat. Honor thy father and thy mother.'"

One day, when they were on their way, going up to Jerusalem, Jesus was walking in front of the Apostles, who were filled with misgivings; while those who were following behind were alarmed. Gathering the Twelve round him once more, Jesus began to tell them what was about to happen to him.

On hearing of this, the ten others were at first very indignant about James and John.

They came to Jerusalem again. While Jesus was walking about in the Temple Courts, the Chief Priests, the Teachers of the Law, and the Councillors came up to him.

It is about John's baptism. Was it of divine or human origin? Answer me that."

As to the dead, and the fact that they rise, have you never read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the Bush, how God spoke to him thus--'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?

In the course of his teaching, Jesus said: "See that you are on your guard against the Teachers of the Law, who delight to walk about in long robes, and to be greeted in the streets with respect,

But about 'That Day,' or 'The Hour,' no one knows--not even the angels in Heaven, nor yet the Son--but only the Father.

But he began to swear with the most solemn imprecations: "I do not know the man you are speaking about."

Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months, and then returned to her home.

A week later they met to circumcise the child, and were about to call him 'Zechariah' after his father,

All their neighbors were awe-struck at this; and throughout the hill-country of Judea the whole story was much talked about;

About that time an edict was issued by the Emperor Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole Empire.

To be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was about to become a mother.

And, when they saw it, they told of all that had been said to them about this child.

While the child's father and mother were wondering at what was said about him,

At that moment she came up, and began publicly to thank God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the deliverance of Jerusalem.

When beginning his work, Jesus was about thirty years old. He was regarded as the son of Joseph, whose ancestors were--Eli,

For Scripture says--'He will give his angels commands about thee, to guard thee safely,'

Moved by the power of the Spirit, Jesus returned to Galilee. Reports about him spread through all that neighborhood;

And rumors about Jesus traveled through every place in the neighborhood.

However, the story about Jesus spread all the more, and great crowds came together to listen to him, and to be cured of their illnesses;

The Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees began debating about this. "Who is this man who speaks so blasphemously?" they asked. "Who can forgive sins except God?"

Which is the easier?--to say 'Your sins have been forgiven you'? or to say 'Get up, and walk about'?

Now about that time, Jesus went out, up the hill, to pray, and spent the whole night in prayer to God.

And, hearing about Jesus, he sent some Jewish Councillors to him, with the request that he would come and save his slave's life.

And this story about Jesus spread all through Judea, and in the neighboring countries as well.

One day about that time, Jesus got into a boat with his disciples and said to them: "Let us go across the lake."

Because his only daughter, who was about twelve years old, was dying. As Jesus was going, the people were pressing closely round him.

But the people recognized him and followed him in crowds; and Jesus welcomed them and spoke to them about the Kingdom of God, while he cured those who were in need of help.

The day was drawing to a close, when the twelve came up to him, and said: "Send the crowd away, so that they may make their way to the villages and farms round about, and find themselves lodgings and provisions, for we are in a lonely spot here."

(For the men among them were about five thousand.) "Get them seated in companies," was his reply, "about fifty in each."

About eight days after speaking these words, Jesus went up the mountain to pray, taking with him Peter, John, and James.

And, as the voice ceased, Jesus was found alone. The Apostles kept silence, and told no one about any of the things that they had seen.

"Martha, Martha," replied the Master, "you are anxious and trouble yourself about many things;

And Jesus said to his disciples: "That is why I say to you, Do not be anxious about the life here--what you can get to eat; nor yet about your body--what you can get to wear.

And, if you cannot do even the smallest thing, why be anxious about other things?

Just at that time some people had come to tell Jesus about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.

So the master called him and said 'What is this that I hear about you? Give in your accounts, for you cannot act as steward any longer.'

You know the commandments--'Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not say what is false about others, Honor thy father and thy mother.'"

It is about John's baptism--was it of divine or of human origin?"