11 Bible Verses about Boys

In the reign of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the Division called after Abijah. His wife, whose name was Elizabeth, was also a descendant of Aaron. They were both righteous people, who lived blameless lives, guiding their steps by all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. But they had no child, Elizabeth being barren; and both of them were advanced in years.read more.
One day, when Zechariah was officiating as priest before God, during the turn of his Division, It fell to him by lot, in accordance with the practice among the priests, to go into the Temple of the Lord and burn incense; And, as it was the Hour of Incense, the people were all praying outside. And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right of the Altar of Incense. Zechariah was startled at the sight and was awe-struck. But the angel said to him: " Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth shall bear you a son, whom you shall call by the name John. He shall be to you a joy and a delight; and many shall rejoice over his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord; he shall not drink any wine or strong drink, and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit from the very hour of his birth, And shall reconcile many of the Israelites to the Lord their God. He shall go before him in the spirit and with the power of Elijah, 'to reconcile fathers to their children' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, and so make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him." "How can I be sure of this?" Zechariah asked the angel. "For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years." "I am Gabriel," the angel answered, "who stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And now you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when this takes place, because you did not believe what I said, though my words will be fulfilled in due course." Meanwhile the people were watching for Zechariah, wondering at his remaining so long in the Temple. When he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision there. But Zechariah kept making signs to them, and remained dumb. And, as soon as his term of service was finished, he returned home. After this his wife, Elizabeth, expecting to become a mother, lived in seclusion for five months. "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."

When Elizabeth's time came, she gave birth to a son; And her neighbors and relations, hearing of the great goodness of the Lord to her, came to share her joy. A week later they met to circumcise the child, and were about to call him 'Zechariah' after his father,read more.
When his mother interposed: "No, he is to be called John." "You have no relation of that name!" they exclaimed; And they made signs to the child's father, to find out what he wished the child to be called. Asking for a writing-tablet, he wrote the words--'His name is John.' Every one was surprised; And immediately Zechariah recovered his voice and the use of his tongue, and began to bless God. All their neighbors were awe-struck at this; and throughout the hill-country of Judea the whole story was much talked about; And all who heard it kept it in mind, asking one another-- "What can this child be destined to become?" For the Power of the Lord was with him.

Six months later the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, To a maiden there who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. Her name was Mary. Gabriel came into her presence and said: "Hail, you who have been highly favored! The Lord is with you."read more.
Mary was much disturbed at his words, and was wondering to herself what such a greeting could mean, When the angel spoke again: "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you shall be with child and give birth to a son, and you shall give him the name Jesus. The child shall be great and shall be called 'Son of the Most High,' and the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David, And he shall reign over the descendants of Jacob for ever; And to his kingdom there shall be no end." "How can this be?" Mary asked the angel. "For I have no husband." "The Holy Spirit shall descend upon you," answered the angel, "and the Power of the Most High shall overshadow you; and therefore the child will be called 'holy,' and 'Son of God.' And Elizabeth, your cousin, is herself also expecting a son in her old age; and it is now the sixth month with her, though she is called barren; For no promise from God shall fail to be fulfilled." "I am the servant of the Lord," exclaimed Mary; "let it be with me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

He had been dwelling upon this, when an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. "Joseph, son of David," the angel said, "do not be afraid to take Mary for your wife, for her child has been conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. She shall give birth to a son; and you shall give him the name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins."

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

Eight days after the birth of the child, when it was time to circumcise him, he received the name Jesus--the name given him by the angel before his conception.

Every year the child's parents used to go to Jerusalem at the Passover Festival. When Jesus was twelve years old, they went according to custom to Jerusalem, And had finished their visit; but, when they started to return, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, without their knowing it.read more.
Thinking that he was with their fellow-travelers, they went one day's journey before searching for him among their relations and acquaintances; And then, as they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching everywhere for him. It was not till the third day that they found him in the Temple Courts, sitting among the Teachers, now listening to them, now asking them questions. All who listened to him marveled at his intelligence and his answers. His parents were amazed when they saw him, and his mother said to him: "My child, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been searching for you in great distress." "What made you search for me?" he answered. "Did not you know that I must be in my Father's House?" His parents did not understand what he meant.

When they came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus, and, kneeling down before him, said: "Master, take pity on my son, for he is epileptic and suffers terribly; indeed, he often falls into the fire and into the water; I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him."read more.
"O faithless and perverse generation!" Jesus exclaimed, "how long must I be among you? how long must I have patience with you? Bring the boy here to me." Then Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy; and he was cured from that very hour.

When they came to the other disciples, they saw a great crowd round them, and some Teachers of the Law arguing with them. But, as soon as they saw Jesus, all the people, in great astonishment, ran up and greeted him. "What are you arguing about with them?" Jesus asked.read more.
"Teacher," answered a man in the crowd, "I brought my son to see you, as he has a dumb spirit in him; And, wherever it seizes him, it dashes him down; he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth, and he is pining away. I asked your disciples to drive the spirit out, but they failed." "O faithless generation!" exclaimed Jesus. "How long must I be with you? how long must I have patience with you? Bring the boy to me." 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. "How long has he been like this?" Jesus asked the boy's father. "From his childhood," he answered; "and it has often thrown him into fire and into water to put an end to his life; but, if you can possibly do anything, take pity on us, and help us!" Why say 'possibly'?" Jesus replied. "Everything is possible for one who has faith." The boy's father immediately cried out: "I have faith; help my want of faith!" But, when Jesus saw that a crowd was quickly collecting, he rebuked the foul spirit: "Deaf and dumb spirit, it is I who command you. Come out from him and never enter him again." With a loud cry the spirit threw the boy into repeated convulsions, and then came out from him. The boy looked like a corpse, so that most of them said that he was dead. But Jesus took his hand, and lifted him; and he stood up.

The next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met Jesus. And just then a man in the crowd shouted out: "Teacher, I entreat you to look at my son, for he is my only child; All at once a spirit will seize him, suddenly shriek out, and throw him into convulsions till he foams, and will leave him only when he is utterly exhausted.read more.
I entreated your disciples to drive the spirit out, but they could not." "O faithless and perverse generation!" Jesus exclaimed; "how long must I be with you and have patience with you? Lead your son here." While the boy was coming up to Jesus, the demon dashed him down and threw him into convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the foul spirit, and cured the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all present were struck with awe at the majesty of God. In the midst of the general astonishment at all that Jesus was doing, he said to his disciples:

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.