But while he was contemplating this step, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to bring home your wife Mary, for she is with child through the Holy Spirit.

inquiring, "Where is the newly born king of the Jews? For we have seen his Star in the east, and have come here to do him homage."

Reports of this soon reached the king, and greatly agitated not only him but all the people of Jerusalem.

He then directed them to go to Bethlehem, adding, "Go and make careful inquiry about the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and do him homage."

So they entered the house; and when they saw the babe with His mother Mary, they prostrated themselves and did Him homage, and opening their treasure-chests offered gifts to Him--gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

When they were gone, and angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise: take the babe and His mother and escape to Egypt, and remain there till I bring you word. For Herod is about to make search for the child in order to destroy Him."

Then Herod, finding that the Magi had trifled with him, was furious, and sent and massacred all the boys under two years of age, in Bethlehem and all its neighbourhood, according to the date he had so carefully ascertained from the Magi.

But after Herod's death an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said to him,

Then large numbers of people went out to him--people from Jerusalem and from all Judaea, and from the whole of the Jordan valley--

and were baptized by him in the Jordan, making full confession of their sins.

Just at that time Jesus, coming from Galilee to the Jordan, presents Himself to John to be baptized by him.

and Jesus was baptized, and immediately went up from the water. At that moment the heavens opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him,

Then the Devil took Him to the Holy City and caused Him to stand on the roof of the Temple,

Then the Devil took Him to the top of an exceedingly lofty mountain, from which he caused Him to see all the Kingdoms of the world and their splendour,

and said to Him, "All this I will give you, if you will kneel down and do me homage."

"Begone, Satan!" Jesus replied; "for it is written, 'To the Lord thy God thou shalt do homage, and to Him alone shalt thou render worship.'"

Thereupon the Devil left Him, and angels at once came and ministered to Him.

So they immediately left their nets and followed Him. As He went further on,

And they at once left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

Thus His fame spread through all Syria; and they brought all the sick to Him, the people who were suffering from various diseases and pains--demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He cured them.

And great crowds followed Him, coming from Galilee, from the Ten Towns, from Jerusalem, and from beyond the district on the other side of the Jordan.

Seeing the multitude of people, Jesus went up the Hill. There He seated Himself, and when His disciples came to Him,

Come to terms without delay with your opponent while you are yet with him on the way to the court; for fear he should obtain judgement from the magistrate against you, and the magistrate should give you in custody to the officer and you be thrown into prison.

"It was also said, 'If any man puts away his wife, let him give her a written notice of divorce.'

But I tell you not to resist a wicked man, but if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well.

If any one wishes to go to law with you and to deprive you of your under garment, let him take your outer one also.

And whoever shall compel you to convey his goods one mile, go with him two.

To him who asks, give: from him who would borrow, turn not away.

Do not, however, imitate them; for your Father knows what things you need before ever you ask Him.

For it is always he who asks that receives, he who seeks that finds, and he who knocks that has the door opened to him.

What man is there among you, who if his son shall ask him for bread will offer him a stone?

Or if the son shall ask him for a fish will offer him a snake?

If you then, imperfect as you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

And a leper came to Him, and throwing himself at His feet, said, "Sir, if only you are willing you are able to cleanse me."

So Jesus put out His hand and touched him, and said, "I am willing: be cleansed." Instantly he was cleansed from his leprosy;

and Jesus said to him, "Be careful to tell no one, but go and show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift which Moses appointed as evidence for them."

After His entry into Capernaum a Captain came to Him, and entreated Him.

"I will come and cure him," said Jesus.

Jesus listened to this reply, and was astonished, and said to the people following Him, "I solemnly tell you that in no Israelite have I found faith as great as this.

He touched her hand and the fever left her: and then she rose and waited upon Him.

In the evening many demoniacs were brought to Him, and with a word He expelled the demons; and He cured all the sick,

in order that this prediction of the Prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled, "He took on Him our weaknesses, and bore the burden of our diseases."

Seeing great crowds about Him Jesus had given directions to cross to the other side of the Lake,

when a Scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."

Another of the disciples said to Him, "Sir, allow me first to go and bury my father."

Then He went on board a fishing-boat, and His disciples followed Him.

So they came and woke Him, crying, "Master, save us, we are drowning!"

and the men, filled with amazement, exclaimed, "What kind of man is this? for the very winds and waves obey him!"

On His arrival at the other side, in the country of the Gadarenes, there met Him two men possessed by demons, coming from among the tombs: they were so dangerously fierce that no one was able to pass that way.

So the demons entreated Him. "If Thou drivest us out," they said, "send us into the herd of swine."

So at once the whole population came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they besought Him to leave their country.

Here they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith Jesus said to the paralytic, "Take courage, my child; your sins are pardoned."

Passing on thence Jesus saw a man called Matthew sitting at the Toll Office, and said to him, "Follow me." And he arose, and followed Him.

And Jesus rose and followed him, as did also His disciples.

But a woman who for twelve years had been afflicted with haemorrhage came behind Him and touched the tassel of His cloak;

and He said, "Go out of the room; the little girl is not dead, but asleep." And they laughed at Him.

As Jesus passed on, two blind men followed Him, shouting and saying, "Pity us, Son of David."

And when He had gone indoors, they came to Him. "Do you believe that I can do this?" He asked them. "Yes, Sir," they replied.

And as they were leaving His presence a dumb demoniac was brought to Him.

Then He called to Him His twelve disciples and gave them authority over foul spirits, to drive them out; and to cure every kind of disease and infirmity.

Simon the Cananaean, and Judas the Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.

"And do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul; but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.

"Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives Him who sent me.

"All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one fully knows the Son except the Father, nor does any one fully know the Father except the Son and all to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.

But the Pharisees saw it and said to Him, "Look! your disciples are doing what the Law forbids them to do on the Sabbath."

how he entered the House of God and ate the Presented Loaves, which it was not lawful for him or his men to eat, nor for any except the priests?

where there was a man with a shrivelled arm. And they questioned Him, "Is it right to cure people on the Sabbath?" Their intention was to bring a charge against Him.

But the Pharisees after leaving the synagogue consulted together against Him, how they might destroy Him.

Aware of this, Jesus departed elsewhere; and a great number of people followed Him, all of whom He cured.

"This is My servant whom I have chosen, My dearly loved One in whom My soul takes pleasure. I will put My spirit upon Him, and He will announce justice to the nations.

At that time a demoniac was brought to Him, blind and dumb; and He cured him, so that the dumb man could speak and see.

Then he goes and brings back with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they come in and dwell there; and in the end that man's condition becomes worse than it was at first. So will it be also with the present wicked generation."

While He was still addressing the people His mother and His brothers were standing on the edge of the crowd desiring to speak to Him.

So some one told Him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and desire to speak to you."

when a vast multitude of people crowded round Him. He therefore went on board a boat and sat there, while all the people stood on the shore.

(And His disciples came and asked Him, "Why do you speak to them in figurative language?"

For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but whoever has not, from him even what he has shall be taken away.

It has struck no root, however, within him. He continues for a time, but when suffering comes, or persecution, because of the Message, he at once stumbles and falls.

"So the farmer's men come and ask him, "'Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed on your land? Where then does the darnel come from?'

When He had dismissed the people and had returned to the house, His disciples came to Him with the request, "Explain to us the parable of the darnel sown in the field."

So they turned angrily away from Him. But Jesus said to them, "There is no prophet left without honour except in his own country and among his own family."

and he said to his courtiers, "This is John the Baptist: he has come back to life--and that is why these miraculous Powers are working in him."

For Herod had arrested John, and had put him in chains, and imprisoned him, for the sake of Herodias his brother Philip's wife,

because John had persistently said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."

And he would have liked to put him to death, but was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a Prophet.

Upon receiving these tidings, Jesus went away by boat to an uninhabited and secluded district; but the people heard of it and followed Him in crowds from the towns by land.

But when evening was come, the disciples came to Him and said, "This is an uninhabited place, and the best of the day is now gone; send the people away to go into the villages and buy something to eat."

Immediately afterwards He made the disciples go on board the boat and cross to the opposite shore, leaving Him to dismiss the people.

When the disciples saw Him walking on the waves, they were greatly alarmed. "It is a spirit," they exclaimed, and they cried out with terror.

"Come," said Jesus. Then Peter climbed down from the boat and walked upon the water to go to Him.

Instantly Jesus stretched out His hand and caught hold of him, saying to him, "O little faith, why did you doubt?"

and the men on board fell down before him and said, "You are indeed God's Son."

and the men of the place, recognizing Him, sent word into all the country round. So they brought all the sick to Him,

and they entreated Him that they might but touch the tassel of His outer garment; and all who did so were restored to perfect health.

For God said, 'Honour thy father and thy mother'; and 'Let him who reviles father or mother be certainly put to death';

Then, when He had called the people to Him, Jesus said, "Hear and understand.

It is not what goes into a man's mouth that defiles him; but it is what comes out of his mouth--*that* defiles a man."

Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were greatly shocked when they heard those words?"

But He answered her not a word. Then the disciples interposed, and begged Him, saying, "Send her away because she keeps crying behind us."

Then she came and threw herself at His feet and entreated Him. "O Sir, help me," she said.