'Behold! the virgin shall be with child and shall give birth to a son, And they will give him the name Immanuel'--a word which means 'God is with us.'

The Astrologers heard what the King had to say, and then continued their journey. And the star which they had seen in the east led them on, until it reached, and stood over, the place where the child was.

When Herod found that he had been trifled with by the Astrologers, he was very angry. He sent and put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and the whole of that neighborhood, who were two years old or under, guided by the date which he had ascertained from the Astrologers.

And from the heavens there came a voice which said: "This is my son, the Beloved, in whom I delight."

Afterwards, leaving Nazareth, he went and settled at Capernaum, which is by the side of the Sea, within the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali;

But which of you, by being anxious, can prolong his life a single moment?

If God so clothes even the grass of the field, which is living to-day and to-morrow will be thrown into the oven, will not he much more clothe you, O men of little faith?

All these are the things for which the nations are seeking, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

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

Do not, therefore, be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed which will not be revealed, nor anything hidden which will not become known.

Then Jesus began to reproach the towns in which most of his miracles had been done, because they had not repented:

"Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida! For, if the miracles which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

And you, Capernaum! Will you 'exalt yourself to Heaven'? 'You shall go down to the Place of Death.' For, if the miracles which have been done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have been standing to this day.

But Jesus said to them: "Which of you, if he had only one sheep, and that sheep fell into a pit on the Sabbath, would not lay hold of it and pull it out?

Then it says 'I will go back to the home which I left'; but, on coming there, it finds it unoccupied, and swept, and put in order.

And in them is being fulfilled that prophecy of Isaiah which says--'You will hear with your ears without ever understanding, And, though you have eyes, you will see without ever perceiving,

For I tell you that many Prophets and good men have longed for the sight of the things which you are seeing, yet never saw them, and to hear the things which you are hearing, yet never heard them.

When any one hears the Message of the Kingdom without understanding it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what has been sown in his mind. This is the man meant by the seed which was sown along the path.

By the seed which was sown on rocky places is meant the man who hears the Message, and at once accepts it joyfully;

By the seed which was sown among the brambles is meant the man who hears the Message, but the cares of life and the glamour of wealth completely choke the Message, so that it gives no return.

But by the seed which was sown on the good ground is meant the man who hears the Message and understands it, and really yields a return, sometimes one hundred, sometimes sixty, sometimes thirty fold."

Another parable which Jesus told them was this-- "The Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.

Another parable which he told them was this-- "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard-seed, which a man took and sowed in his field.

This was another parable which Jesus related-- "The Kingdom of Heaven is like some yeast which a woman took and covered up in three pecks of flour, until the whole had risen."

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again, and then, in his delight, went and sold everything that he had, and bought that field.

Or again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a net which was cast into the sea, and caught fish of all kinds.

And, if he succeeds in finding it, I tell you that he rejoices more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine which did not stray.

At the conclusion of this teaching, Jesus withdrew from Galilee, and went into that district of Judea which is on the other side of the Jordan.

On which they began to grumble at their employer.

"Who is this?", to which the crowd replied--"This is the Prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee."

Which of the two sons did as his father wished?" " The second," they said. "I tell you," added Jesus, "that tax-gatherers and prostitutes are going into the Kingdom of God before you.

Then Jesus added: "Have you never read in the Scriptures?-- 'The very stone which the builders despised--Has now itself become the corner-stone; This corner-stone has come from the Lord, And is marvelous in our eyes.'

Show me the coin with which the tax is paid." And, when they had brought him a florin,

"The Emperor's," they answered: on which he said to them: "Then pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and to God what belongs to God."

The second, which is like it, is this--'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thou dost thyself.'

Fools that you are and blind! Which is the more important? The gold? Or the Temple which has given sacredness to the gold?

Blind indeed! Which is the more important? The offering? or the altar which gives sacredness to the offering?

Alas for you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed look fair outside, while inside they are filled with dead men's bones and all kinds of filth.

"Do you see all these things?" was his answer. "I tell you, not a single stone will be left here upon another, which will not be throne down,"

for that will be 'a time of great distress, the like of which has not occurred from the beginning of the world down to the present time'--no, nor ever will again.

In those days before the flood they went on eating and drinking, marrying and being married, up to the very day on which Noah entered the ark,

That servant's master will come on a day when he does not expect him, and at an hour of which he is unaware,

Then he will say to those on his left 'Go from my presence, accursed, into the 'aeonian fire which has been prepared for the Devil and his angels.'

For this is my Covenant blood, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

On which Jesus said to him: "Friend, do what you have come for." Thereupon the men went up, seized Jesus, and arrested him.

But in that case how would the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that this must be?"

Then the High Priest stood up, and said to Jesus: "Have you no answer? What is this evidence which these men are giving against you?"

and Peter remembered the words which Jesus had said-- 'Before a cock has crowed, you will disown me three times'; and he went outside, and wept bitterly.

Yet Jesus made no reply--not even a single word; at which the Governor was greatly astonished.

So, when the people had collected, Pilate said to them: "Which do you wish me to release for you? Barabbas? Or Jesus who is called 'Christ'?"

The Governor, however, said to them: "Which of these two do you wish me to release for you?" "Barabbas," they answered.

they gave him some wine to drink which had been mixed with gall; but after tasting it, Jesus refused to drink it.

He went to see Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus; upon which Pilate ordered it to be given him.

And laid it in his newly-made tomb which he had cut in the rock; and, before he left, he rolled a great stone against the entrance of the tomb.

Being, however, unable to get him near to Jesus, owing to the crowd, they removed the roofing below which Jesus was; and, when they had made an opening, they let down the mat on which the paralyzed man was lying.

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'?

The man got up, and immediately took up his mat, and went out before them all; at which they were amazed, and, as they praised God, they said: "We have never seen anything like this!"

How he went into the House of God, in the time of Abiathar the High Priest, and ate 'the consecrated bread,' which only the priests are allowed to eat, and gave some to his comrades as well?"

So he appointed the Twelve--Peter (which was the name that Jesus gave to Simon),

James, the son of Zebediah, and his brother John (to whom he gave the name of Boanerges, which means the Thunderers),

Upon which they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood.

Taking her hand, Jesus said to her: "Taleitha, koum!"--which means 'little girl, I am speaking to you--Rise!'

When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the Synagogue; and the people, as they listened, were deeply impressed. "Where did he get this?" they said, "and what is this wisdom that has been given him? and these miracles which he is doing?

On which Jesus said: "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own relations, and in his own home."

They had noticed that some of his disciples ate their food with their hands 'defiled,' by which they meant unwashed.

When they come from market, they will not eat without first sprinkling themselves; and there are many other customs which they have inherited and hold to, such as the ceremonial washing of cups, and jugs, and copper pans).

You say 'If a man says to his father or mother "Whatever of mine might have been of service to you is Korban"' (which means 'Given to God')--

In this way you nullify the words of God by your traditions, which you hand down; and you do many similar things."

There is nothing external to a man, which by going into him can 'defile' him; but the things that come out from a man are the things that defile him."

"What, do even you understand so little?" exclaimed Jesus. "Do not you see that there is nothing external to a man, which by going into a man, can 'defile' him,

Then, looking up to Heaven, he sighed, and said to the man: "Ephphatha!" which means 'Be opened.'

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

But they were silent; for on the way they had been arguing with one another which was the greatest.

"Go to the village facing you," he said; "and, as soon as you get there, you will find a foal tethered, which no one has ever ridden; untie it, and bring it.

Many of the people spread their cloaks on the road, while some strewed boughs which they had cut from the fields;

Then Peter recollected what had occurred. "Look, Rabbi," he exclaimed, "the fig-tree which you doomed is withered up!"

Have you never read this passage of Scripture?--'The very stone which the builders despised has now itself become the corner- stone;

But one poor widow came and put in two farthings, which make a half-penny.

"Do you see these great buildings?" asked Jesus. "Not a single stone will be left here upon another, which shall not be thrown down."

For those days will be a time of distress, the like of which has not occurred from the beginning of God's creation until now-- and never will again.

"This is my Covenant-blood," he said, "which is poured out on behalf of many.

Then the High Priest stood forward, and questioned Jesus. "Have you no answer to make?" he asked. "What is this evidence which these men are giving against you?"

Upon which Pilate questioned Jesus again. "Have you no reply to make?" he asked. "Listen, how many charges they are bringing against you."

But Jesus still made no reply whatever; at which Pilate was astonished.

They brought Jesus to the place which was known as Golgotha- -a name which means 'Place of a Skull.'

And, at three, Jesus called out loudly: ??Eloi, Eloi, lama sabacthani?'" which means 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?'

The Roman Officer, who was standing facing Jesus, on seeing the way in which he expired, exclaimed: "This man must indeed have been 'God's Son'!"

Joseph, having bought a linen sheet, took Jesus down, and wound the sheet round him, and laid him in a tomb which had been cut out of the rock; and then rolled a stone up against the entrance of the tomb.

But they set out, and made the proclamation everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the Message by the signs which attended it.

[To his Excellency, Theophilus. Many attempts have been already made to draw up an account of those events which have reached their conclusion among us,

In order that you may be able to satisfy yourself of the accuracy of the story which you have heard from the lips of others.]

"This is what the Lord has done for me," she said, "now that he has deigned to take away the reproach under which I have been living."

Happy indeed is she who believed that the promise which she received from the Lord would be fulfilled."

This was the oath which he swore to our forefather Abraham--

Now, when the angels had left them and gone back to Heaven, the shepherds said to one another: "Let us go at once to Bethlehem, and see this thing that has happened, of which the Lord has told us."

Which thou hast prepared in the sight of all nations--

Starting up, they drove Jesus out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town stood, intending to hurl him down.

So, getting into one of the boats, which belonged to Simon, Jesus asked him to push off a little way from the shore, and then sat down and taught the people from the boat.

For he and all who were with him were lost in amazement at the haul of fish which they had made;

When Jesus became aware of the way in which they were debating, he turned to them and exclaimed: "What are you debating with yourselves?