and Jacob of Joseph the husband of Mary, who was the mother of JESUS who is called CHRIST.

She will give birth to a Son, and you are to call His name JESUS for He it is who will save His People from their sins."

"'And thou, Bethlehem in the land of Judah, by no means the least honorable art thou among princely places in Judah! For from thee shall come a prince--one who shall be the Shepherd of My People Israel.'"

"Rise from sleep, and take the child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child's life are dead."

He it is who was spoken of through the Prophet Isaiah when he said, "The voice of one crying aloud, 'In the desert prepare ye a road for the Lord: make His highway straight.'"

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he exclaimed, "O vipers' brood, who has warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

I indeed am baptizing you in water on a profession of repentance; but He who is coming after me is mightier than I: His sandals I am not worthy to carry for a moment; He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire.

John protested. "It is I," he said, "who have need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"

while a voice came from Heaven, saying, "This is My Son, the dearly loved, in whom is My delight."

The people who were dwelling in darkness have seen a brilliant light; and on those who were dwelling in the region of the shadow of death, on them light has dawned."

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.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be completely satisfied.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for it is they who will be recognized as sons of God.

"Blessed are those who have borne persecution in the cause of Righteousness, for to them belongs the Kingdom of the Heavens.

Just so let your light shine before all men, in order that they may see your holy lives and may give glory to your Father who is in Heaven.

But I say to you that every one who becomes angry with his brother shall be answerable to the magistrate; that whoever says to his brother 'Raca,' shall be answerable to the Sanhedrin; and that whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be liable to the Gehenna of Fire.

But I tell you that every man who puts away his wife except on the ground of unfaithfulness causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries her when so divorced commits adultery.

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

that so you may become true sons of your Father in Heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the wicked as well as the good, and sends rain upon those who do right and those who do wrong.

For if you love only those who love you, what reward have you earned? Do not even the tax-gatherers do that?

"But beware of doing your good actions in the sight of men, in order to attract their gaze; if you do, there is no reward for you with your Father who is in Heaven.

that your charities may be in secret; and then your Father--He who sees in secret--will recompense you.

But you, whenever you pray, go into your own room and shut the door: then pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father--He who sees in secret--will recompense you.

"In this manner therefore pray: 'Our Father who art in Heaven, may Thy name be kept holy;

and forgive us our shortcomings, as we also have forgiven those who have failed in their duty towards us;

that it may not be apparent to men that you are fasting, but to your Father who is in secret; and your Father--He who sees in secret--will recompense you.

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?

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!

"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad the road which leads to ruin, and many there are who enter by it;

because narrow is the gate and contracted the road which leads to Life, and few are those who find it.

"Beware of the false teachers--men who come to you in sheep's fleeces, but beneath that disguise they are ravenous wolves.

"Not every one who says to me, 'Master, Master,' will enter the Kingdom of the Heavens, but only those who are obedient to my Father who is in Heaven.

"Every one who hears these my teachings and acts upon them will be found to resemble a wise man who builds his house upon rock;

And every one who hears these my teachings and does not act upon them will be found to resemble a fool who builds his house upon sand.

for He had been teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their Scribes taught.

And the crowds were awe-struck when they saw it, and ascribed the glory to God who had entrusted such power to a man.

He heard the question and replied, "It is not men in good health who require a doctor, but the sick.

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

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

"Remember it is I who am sending you out, as sheep into the midst of wolves; prove yourselves as sagacious as serpents, and as innocent as doves.

for it is not you who will speak: it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

And you will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name; but he who holds out to the End--he will be saved.

"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.

"Every man who acknowledges me before men I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in Heaven.

But whoever disowns me before men I also will disown before my Father who is in Heaven.

Any one who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and any one who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;

and any one who does not take up his cross and follow where I lead is not worthy of me.

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

Every one who receives a prophet, because he is a prophet, will receive a prophet's reward, and every one who receives a righteous man, because he is a righteous man, will receive a righteous man's reward.

and blessed is every one who does not stumble and fall because of my claims."

But what did you go out to see? A man luxuriously dressed? Those who wear luxurious clothes are to be found in kings' palaces.

This is he of whom it is written, "'See I am sending My messenger before Thy face, and he will make Thy road ready before Thee.'

"I solemnly tell you that among all of woman born no greater has ever been raised up than John the Baptist; yet one who is of lower rank in the Kingdom of the Heavens is greater than he.

Listen, every one who has ears!

"But to what shall I compare the present generation? It is like children sitting in the open places, who call to their playmates.

"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.

And if you knew what this means, 'It is mercy I desire, not sacrifice', you would not have condemned those who are without guilt.

"Which of you is there," He replied, "who, if he has but a single sheep and it falls into a hole on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out?

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.

"The man who is not with me is against me, and he who is not gathering with me is scattering abroad.

Then He was accosted by some of the Scribes and of the Pharisees who said, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign given by you."

"Who is my mother?" He said to the man; "and who are my brothers?"

To obey my Father who is in Heaven--that is to be my brother and my sister and my mother."

Listen, every one who has ears!"

When a man hears the Message concerning the Kingdom and does not understand it, the Evil one comes and catches away what has been sown in his heart. This is he who has received the seed by the road-side.

He who has received the seed on the rocky ground is the man who hears the Message and immediately receives it with joy.

He who has received the seed among the thorns is the man who hears the Message, but the cares of the present age and the delusions of riches quite stifle the Message, and it becomes unfruitful.

But he who has received the seed on good ground is he who hears and understands. Such hearers give a return, and yield one a hundred for one, another sixty, another thirty.")

Another parable He put before them. "The Kingdom of the Heavens," He said, "may be compared to a man who has sown good seed in his field,

The enemy who sows the darnel is *the Devil*; the harvest is the Close of the Age; the reapers are the angels.

The Son of Man will commission His angels, and they will gather out of His Kingdom all causes of sin and all who violate His laws;

Then will the righteous shine out like the sun in their Father's Kingdom. Listen, every one who has ears!

"Again the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a jewel merchant who is in quest of choice pearls.

"Therefore," He said, "remember that every Scribe well trained for the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a householder who brings out of his storehouse new things and old."

So Jesus went out and saw an immense multitude, and felt compassion for them, and cured those of them who were out of health.

Those who had eaten were about 5,000 adult men, without reckoning women and children.

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.

Then there came to Jesus a party of Pharisees and Scribes from Jerusalem, who inquired,

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

"'This is a People who honour Me with their lips, while their heart is far away from Me;

Soon great crowds came to Him, bringing with them those who were crippled in feet or hands, blind or dumb, and many besides, and they hastened to lay them at His feet. And He cured them,

Those who ate were 4,000 adult men, without reckoning women and children.

When He arrived in the neighbourhood of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus questioned His disciples. "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" He asked.

"But you, who do you say that I am?" He asked again.

I solemnly tell you that some of those who are standing here will certainly not taste death till they have seen the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom."

He was still speaking when a luminous cloud spread over them; and a voice was heard from within the cloud, which said, "This is My Son dearly beloved, in whom is My delight. Listen to Him."

Then it dawned upon the disciples that it was John the Baptist about whom He had spoken to them.

When they had returned to the people, there came to Him a man who fell on his knees before Him and besought Him.

"Yes," he replied, and then went into the house. But before he spoke a word Jesus said, "What think you, Simon? From whom do this world's kings receive customs or capitation tax? from their own children, or from others?"

Just then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who ranks higher than others in the Kingdom of the Heavens?"

Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this young child, he it is who is superior to others in the Kingdom of the Heavens.

But whoever shall occasion the fall of one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung round his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

"Alas for the world because of causes of falling! They cannot but come, but alas for each man through whom they come!

"Beware of ever despising one of these little ones, for I tell you that in Heaven their angels have continual access to my Father who is in Heaven.

I also solemnly tell you that if two of you here on earth agree together concerning anything whatever that they shall ask, the boon will come to them from my Father who is in Heaven.

"For this reason the Kingdom of the Heavens may be compared to a king who determined to have a settlement of accounts with his servants.

But as soon as he began the settlement, one was brought before him who owed 10,000 talents,

But no sooner had that servant gone out, than he met with one of his fellow servants who owed him 100 shillings; and seizing him by the throat and nearly strangling him he exclaimed, "'Pay me all you owe.'