Now the birth of Christ happened this way: When His mother Mary was engaged to marry Joseph, [but] before they had a sexual relationship, she was discovered to be pregnant by [the power of] the Holy Spirit.

But while he was thinking about the matter, [suddenly] an angel from the Lord appeared to him in a dream [i.e., a supernatural revelation given during sleep], saying, "Joseph, you descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary to be your wife, for the baby she is carrying is by [the power of] the Holy Spirit.

She is going to have a son and you should name Him Jesus, for He is the One who will save His people from their sins."

[But] he did not have sexual relations with her until [after] she had a son, whom he named Jesus.

[Jer. 31:15], "A voice was heard in [the town of] Ramah [Note: This was a village near Jerusalem, where Rachel was buried], with crying and deep mourning. It was Rachel crying for her children [Note: Initially this was a reference to the Israelites who were taken to Babylonian captivity. See Jer. 29-31]. She refused to be comforted because they were dead."

But I say to you, every person who divorces his wife makes her become sexually unfaithful to him [i.e., since she will probably marry someone else], unless the reason for the divorce is that she had [already] become sexually unfaithful to him. And whoever marries a woman who has been divorced commits sexual sin with her [i.e., because she is still rightfully married to her first husband].

He touched her hand and [immediately] her fever subsided and she got up [out of bed] and waited on Him.

While Jesus spoke these things, a leader [of the Jewish synagogue, named Jairus. See Mark 5:22-43] came and worshiped Him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but if you come and place your hand on her, she will live [again]."

For she had said to herself, "If I can just touch His robe, I will be healed."

The queen of the South [Note: This queen was from Sheba, I Kings 10:1, which was probably in Arabia] will stand up on the judgment day along with the people of this generation and will condemn them because she came from a great distance to hear [and see] Solomon's wisdom [I Kings 10:1ff] and [now] Someone greater than Solomon is here [i.e., Jesus].

[Herod was so pleased with her performance that] he promised, with an oath, to give her whatever she asked for [i.e., with limitations. See Mark 6:23].

His head was brought on a [large] platter and given to the young woman [i.e., Salome], and she took it to her mother [i.e., Herodias].

But He did not say a word to her. His disciples came and begged Him, "Send her away, for she is [continually] shouting at us [as we go along]."

But she came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, help me."

But she replied, "Yes, Lord, but even dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their owner's table."

And I tell you, whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits sexual unfaithfulness [toward her], unless the reason for the divorce was sexual unfaithfulness [on his wife's part]. And the person who marries a woman who has been divorced commits sexual sin with her [i.e., because she is still rightfully married to her first husband]."

He responded to her, "What would you like me to do for you?" She answered, "Appoint my two sons to sit at your right side and at your left in your [coming] kingdom."

Now whose wife will she be in the resurrected state, since all seven of them were married to her?"

"But immediately after the terrible trouble of those days, [i.e., the next major event on God's calendar], the sun will become dark, and [therefore] the moon will not [be able to] shed its [reflected] light. The stars will fall from the sky and the forces of the heavens will be shaken [Note: From the description of these same events in Luke 21:25-26, it is possible that this is figurative language for great calamities happening on the earth].

But Jesus was aware [of what they were up to], so said, "Why are you bothering this woman? For she has done a kind deed to me.

For in the act of pouring this perfume on my body she was preparing it for my burial.

Then while he was seated in Pilate's courtroom of justice, Pilate's wife sent [word] to him, saying, "You should have nothing to do with that innocent man. For I was very troubled in a dream over him today." [Note: That is, she was troubled over a dream she had before waking up that morning].

so He went to her, took her by the hand and raised her up [from bed]. The fever left her and she began serving them.

He begged Him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter is about to die; [please] come and place your hands on her so she may be healed and live."

She had suffered much at the hands of many doctors [i.e., through treatments and medication that only increased her discomfort] and had spent all her money [on medical bills] and yet got worse instead of better.

She had heard what Jesus was doing so came from the crowd behind Jesus and touched His robe.

For she had told herself, "If only I can touch his clothing, I will be healed."

And immediately her flow of blood stopped and she felt healed in her body from the affliction.

But the woman became afraid and trembled with fear, for she knew what had happened to her [i.e., the healing], so she came and fell down in front of Jesus and told Him the whole truth.

And immediately the little girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years old. [Upon seeing this] the people were completely amazed.

And when Herodias' daughter [Note: According to Josephus her name was Salome] came in and danced [in front of them, sensually], she pleased Herod and his party guests so much that the king said to the young woman, "Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you."

So, she went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?" And her mother said, " [Ask for] the head of John the Immerser."

At once she hurried in to the king and said, "I would like you to give me the head of John the Immerser on a [large] platter right away."

and brought his head on a [large] platter and gave it to the young woman. She [in turn] gave it to her mother [Herodias].

Now the woman was a Greek [i.e., a Gentile], a Syrophoenician by nationality. [Note: This was a region just north of Galilee and consisted of Syria and Phoenicia]. She begged Him to drive out the evil spirit from her daughter.

But she answered Him, "Yes Lord, but even the dogs under the table eat the crumbs dropped by the children."

And she went away to her house and found her child lying on her bed with the evil spirit gone from her.

And if she herself divorces her husband and marries another [man], she commits sexual unfaithfulness [toward him]."

[Now] whose wife will she be in the resurrected state, for all seven [brothers] were married to her?"

A poor widow came and threw in two small copper coins [Note: These two coins each amounted to about ten minutes' worth of a farm laborer's pay, or about one dollar in 1994]. The total she gave was equivalent to a larger coin [i.e., worth twice as much].

For all of them threw in from their abundance, but being very poor, she threw in everything she had, even all she had to live on."

"But after those days of terrible trouble [i.e., the next major event on God's calendar will be], the sun will become dark, and [therefore] the moon will not [be able to] shed its [reflected] light,

But Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why are you bothering this woman? For she has done a kind deed to me.

She has done what she could. She has applied this aromatic oil to my body in anticipation of my burial.

and seeing Peter warming himself by the fire, she looked at him and said, "You were with Jesus from Nazareth, too."

When the servant girl saw him [there], she again began saying to those nearby, "This man is one of them [i.e., a disciple of Jesus]."

Then she went and told those disciples who had been with Him what had happened. They were sorrowful and began to cry.

After those days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and she stayed in seclusion for five months, saying,

But she became very troubled by what he said and wondered what such a greeting could mean.

And consider this, your relative Elizabeth is also pregnant with a son in spite of her old age, and [even though] she was said to be unable to have children, she is now six months along.

[Upon arriving] she entered the home of Zacharias and greeted [his wife] Elizabeth.

And it happened when Elizabeth heard Mary greet her, the baby in Elizabeth's womb "kicked," and she was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Then she spoke out in a loud voice and said, " [Mary], you are [truly] blessed [from] among [all] women, and the child you will bear [i.e., Jesus] is blessed [as well].

And she who [has] believed [the promises made by the Lord] is [truly] blessed, for the things which have been spoken to her [i.e., to Mary] by the Lord will [indeed] be fulfilled."

Now when Elizabeth was due to deliver, she gave birth to a son.

So, she bore her firstborn Son and wrapped Him in [linen] cloths and laid Him in an animal's feeding trough because there was no room for them in the lodge.

And there was a woman prophet named Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, from the tribe of Asher [i.e., she was a descendant of one of Jacob's son]. (She was very old, having lived with her husband for [only] seven years after being married,

and has been a widow [all these years], and is now eighty-four years old.) She has never left the Temple, but worships [God] by fasting [i.e., going without food and/or water for religious reasons] and praying night and day.

She came forward at that very time and thanked God [in prayer] and spoke about the child [Jesus] to everyone [in the Temple area] who was expecting the redemption of the people of Jerusalem [i.e., their liberation from sin].

who was the son of Cainan, who was the son of Arphaxad, who was the son of Shem, who was the son of Noah, who was the son of Lamech,

So, He stood over her and spoke sternly to the fever. It left her and she got up [out of bed] and began serving them.

And when a sinful woman from the town learned that He was having dinner at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster [i.e., stone] jar of liquid perfume,

and stood behind Jesus, at His feet, crying. She began wetting His feet with her tears and wiping them dry with the hair of her head. Then she kissed His feet and poured the perfume on them.

Now when the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who touched him and what kind of a woman she was --- a sinner."

Then Jesus turned to the woman [who had just poured the perfume on Him] and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house and you did not give me any water for [washing] my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them dry with her hair.

You did not give me a kiss [of greeting], but from the time I came in [to your house] she has not stopped kissing my feet.

You did not pour [aromatic] oil on my head, but she poured perfume on my feet.

For this reason, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven, for she has loved much. [Note: This suggests that her forgiveness was the result of her loving, but the point Jesus makes better fits the idea that her forgiveness produced love]. But the person who is forgiven of little [i.e., of only a few sins], loves [only] a little bit."

And when the woman realized that she had not escaped notice, she came trembling [with fear] and fell down in front of Him, declaring before all the people why she had touched Him and how she had been immediately healed.

But when Jesus heard this, He said [to the man], "Do not be afraid. Just believe [i.e., in my power to restore your daughter] and she will be made well [i.e., restored to life]."

And they laughed at Him scornfully, knowing that she was [already] dead.

And immediately her spirit returned and she stood up. Then Jesus ordered them to give her something to eat.

And she had a sister named Mary who was also sitting at the Lord's feet, listening to what He said.

The queen of the South [Note: This queen was from Sheba, which was probably in Arabia. See I Kings 10:1] will stand up on the judgment day, along with the people of this generation, and will condemn them because she came from a great distance to hear [and see] Solomon's wisdom [I Kings 10:1ff] and [now] Someone greater than Solomon is here [i.e., Jesus].

so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the beginning of the world, may be required of this generation of people.'

And just then [He met] a woman who had an [evil] spirit that had caused her to be deformed for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not raise herself up. [Note: This was probably osteomyelitis or osteoporosis].

Then He placed His hands on her and immediately she straightened up and praised God.

Or what woman, who has ten silver coins [Note: These coins each amounted to about one day of a farm laborer's pay, or about $60-$84 in 1994], and if she loses one of them, would not light a lamp, sweep the house and search for it diligently until she finds it?

And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I found the coin I had lost.'

"Every person who divorces his wife and marries another woman becomes sexually unfaithful to her [i.e., because he is still regarded by God as married to his first wife. See Matt. 19:9]. And the person who marries someone who has been divorced by her husband commits sexual sin with her [i.e., because she is still rightfully married to her first husband].

I will grant her a [favorable] judgment because she keeps bothering me [about the matter] and is about to exhaust my patience by her persistent visits.'"

[Now] whose wife will she be in the resurrected state, for all seven [brothers] were married to her?"

For all of them threw in from their abundance, but she threw in from her poverty all she had to live on."

Then a certain [servant] girl saw Peter sitting there in the light of the fire. As she stared at him she said, "This man was with Jesus, too."

And when they heard [what He had said], they [all] left, one at a time, beginning with the oldest men. So, Jesus was left alone with the woman [still standing] there where she was.

She replied, "No sir, no one did." Then Jesus said, "[Well], I do not condemn you either. Go on your way and from now on, do not sin anymore."}}

So, when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went [out to the edge of town. See verse 30] to meet Him, but Mary [just] sat at home [i.e., probably grief-stricken].

After saying this, she left and called her sister Mary and said to her privately, "The Teacher is here and is asking for you."

And when Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to Jesus.

When Martha's Jewish friends, who had been comforting her at her house, saw Mary getting up quickly and leaving, they followed her, thinking she was going to the grave site to mourn.

So, when Mary arrived at where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell down at His feet and said, "Lord, if [only] you had been here, my brother would not have died."

Jesus shed tears.

A woman has pain when giving birth because her time has come. But when the child is born, she does not remember the intense suffering because she is so happy over the child being born into the world.

So, she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved [i.e., probably the apostle John], and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we do not know where they have put Him."

but Mary [from Magdala] was standing outside of the cave-like tomb crying. While she was [still] crying she stooped down to look in the tomb,

and there she saw two angels [dressed] in white [clothing] sitting where Jesus' body had lain, one at His head and one at His feet.

They said to Mary, "[My dear] woman, why are you crying?" She answered, "They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have put Him."

After she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but did not know it was Him.

[Then] Jesus said to her, "[My dear] woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?" Assuming He was the grounds keeper, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away from here, tell me where you laid Him, and I will go and get Him."

[Then] Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned toward Him and replied in the Hebrew language, "Rabboni," which means "Teacher."