Revision as of 19:28, March 13, 2020

For now I'm just setting up this page. This way I'll have a place to assemble and put materials together in developing new articles for Conservapedia as a contributor. I noticed that other people have already done the same thing.

I'm planning on using it first to create an adapted narrative form of the nine pages of the Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version). I just finished my first proposal of boldfacing every occurrence of "Lord" there. I have listened to Read aloud of every page of the shorter form and there's potential for some unexpected insights that you only get from hearing it. The text really needs some phonetic adaptations of some of the spellings on the page for listening. That way an audio computer "Read aloud" will not give weird readings of some of the words in the text when listened to. I really want to do this for the benefit of people who just want to listen to the narrative. Mainly because I care about people who have impaired eyesight or are blind and just want to hear how the whole New Testament fits together with first century Roman history, like you have it here. --IndependentSkeptic (talk) 17:57, 5 March 2020 (EST)

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Draft of Pages

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Draft of Index page for narrative form of Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version)

Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form - Index for audio computer Read aloud

Main article

Index

Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 1-7 adapted for audio computer Read aloud

Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 8-14 adapted for audio computer Read aloud

Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 15-21 adapted for audio computer Read aloud

Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 22-28 adapted for audio computer Read aloud

Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 29-35 adapted for audio computer Read aloud

Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 36-42 adapted for audio computer Read aloud

Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 43-49 adapted for audio computer Read aloud

Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 50-56 adapted for audio computer Read aloud

Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 57-63 adapted for audio computer Read aloud

Click here to go to the next page: Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form - Introduction for audio computer Read aloud.

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Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form - Introduction for audio computer Read aloud

click here to go to the Main article - Introduction

The narrative form of the Harmony of the Gospel Conservative Version is an adaptation of the redacted text of this same encyclopedic feature, using unusual phonetic spellings on the page, and some very peculiar punctuation. This is so that the mechanical limitations of audio computer "Read aloud" function reads it more naturally, as a kind of "radio narrative" for people with bad vision or who are blind, or are simply unable to look at a computer screen or read the printed page for very long. People who simply listen to the Bible being read often get unexpected insights when they can hear it. This is a benefit.

Chapter headings

Chapter headings are not properly a part of the narrative text, so they are not included in the text adapted here for a computer audio narrative of the page readings. Each page of the normal print form of this Harmony of the Gospel text is seven chapters. Each of these seven-chapter pages is presented in the narrative form of this feature as a continuous reading for listening instead, without any mention of the chapter headings. The chapters of each page being read are mentioned in the heading of the page.

Text additions

Some minor additions to the text of Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) have been made, so that the reading is more understandable. For example, instead of abruptly beginning the reading of some of the epistles or some of the historical documents suddenly without any warning, an introductory statement is used, such as "Now this is what he wrote". In some places it's enough to begin the reading of it with the simple word, "Now", followed by the reading. This is so the listener will know what's happening. In the same way, to make clear that the epistle or document reading is finished, a statement saying so is added before going on with the narrative. Some few instances of the information found in the marginal notes of the longer form of Harmony of the Gospel are very briefly condensed and essentially summarized and inserted for the benefit of the listener. For example, an additional summary statement inserted in the text of Chapter Two, immediately after the quotations from the law of Moses about the vowing of persons to the service of God, as dedicated living offerings set apart as holy to the Lord, and why a daughter, vowed by her parents as a consecrated virgin to "know not a man", should be pledged to become a wife to a man. It says, "And Mary, being vowed to the Lord by her parents when she was a child, and consecrated to him by them as a perpetual virgin to not know a man, a vow she had not made, which her husband therefore could not make void; when the angel told her she would conceive in her womb and bear a son; for this reason she said, 'How can this be?' " The reasoning behind this is dealt with in detail in the marginal notes of the longer form of Harmony of the Gospel. This is followed by a repeat of the conversation with the angel Gabriel. Most questions raised by parts of the New Testament texts that are controversial are tackled by the marginal notes of the longer form.

Adapting large paragraphs

In some places of the reading of the text of this Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) the computer sometimes skips reading whole sections of large continuous paragraphs. For this audio adaptation they have been broken up into smaller segments on the page, to compensate for this kind of mechanical failure to process the whole of the copy. This is in order for the computer to read all of the text it otherwise mechanically fails to read in the normal printed form, without any such omissions, whole and entire, like the Genealogies, and the more extensive sections of the history narrative from Josephus.

Punctuation

Visual punctuation on the page has been adapted so that the computer reading of the narrative is smoother and more natural to listen to. These odd-looking punctuations are not errors that need to be corrected by a proofreader. They have been carefully checked for audio accuracy. Mechanical computer reading sometimes abruptly pauses or falters over some of the standard punctuation of regular printed text. In other cases some odd pauses in the mechanical computer reading occur when it encounters a particular word or phrase. Many commas have been removed simply because they produce unnatural pauses in the audio computer reading. But some commas or other useful punctuation marks have been added to provide a pause where necessary, to avoid an unintended hurried reading-through of a sentence without pause, so that the computer reading aloud of the page makes more sense to the listener. A period is sometimes inserted to force a necessary pause in the reading where vocal emphasis is appropriate and natural, where the computer fails to provide for it. Some periods have been removed, because the computer actually reads them as the word "dot", yes, "dot". Question marks, which can be inflected by the human reader as a rising tone of query, or as representing a falling tone at the end of a sentence posing a question, much like the "sound" of a period, are here in this narrative form sometimes positioned after an end-quotation mark to cause a normal rising tone of query, and before an end-quotation mark to cause a normal tone of finality in the sentence of a question, so that the peculiar placement of it on the printed page is not a typographical error, but an accommodation to the limitations of mechanical computer reading in order to cause a proper inflection of tone. With this in mind, almost all quotation marks have been removed for the most part from the page, as unnecessary for a vocal narration. The punctuation of "dashes" in the printed text, normally intended to indicate a pause for emphasis, is totally ignored by the computer reading as if they don't exist, entirely omitting a pause, sometimes even when the dash is disconnected or isolated by a space before and after; and a comma or semi-colon or colon, even a period, or the capitalization of a word in the middle of a sentence, is used instead to produce the same intended effect.

Inverted phrases

In some cases, phrases have been rearranged from the end of a sentence to its beginning or its middle, either because the structure of the sentence as it is, is hard to follow, or because the mechanical reading of the computer breaks up the sentence of the normal text into two or more parts, which it then reads as separate sentences, or dangling phrases, that don't make much sense as read aloud by the computer. It doesn't change the meaning. It's just a necessary adaptation to get around the limitations of mechanical computer reading, which simply makes more sense of the text of the narrative when read that way.

Weird mispronunciations

Mechanical computer reading also weirdly mispronounces some proper names of people and even some ordinary words. For example, the name Onesimus is read by the computer as "One sime us". For this reason phonetic spellings have been substituted on the visual display of the page for the sake of proper pronunciation by the Read aloud and Read out loud audio functions of the computer. In the particular case of the computer misreading the name of Onesimus the visual spelling of his name is rendered "O-nessymus". Charism is mechanically read wrongly with a soft "c h" by the computer as if it's the name of a belief called "char-ism", when it should be pronounced with the hard form of "c h" as "care-ism". The name of Decebalus in Suetonius is rendered phonetically on the page as "Desseb ball us". A similar technique of phonetic adaptation is made for other names of people and places, so the computer audio reading will say it right.

Useless dictionary phonetic forms

Substituting the standard forms of dictionary phonetic spellings of these words with the phonetic characters of their dictionary definitions just doesn't work. Available audio computer Read aloud functions are not currently adapted for reading dictionary phonetical spellings with special phonetic characters, and they are not phonetically read right by the computer according to the sounds they are intended to represent. The same goes for any computer Read aloud of any words spelled with the International Phonetic Alphabet. It doesn't work.

Vocal tense

The computer often cannot distinguish the past and present tenses of some words. Sometimes it doesn't use the right inflexion or accentuation of syllables of words in the context of the reading. For example, the past tense of "read", r e a d, is sometimes given by the computer as the verb to read something as if reading right now, "to read it", but for the narrative form on the page the intended past tense of the word needs to be phonetically corrected to r e d, "red", within the context of the text, "I have red this". On the page it doesn't look right, but in the audio computer reading these odd spellings sound right. The word "live" is sometimes read as in "alive", when it should be pronounced "liv", l i v, without the misleading cue of the silent 'e' on the end of the word, which the machine mindlessly interprets as a direction to pronounce the alphabetic character, "eye", ' i ', as a long vowel, instead of the proper short vowel, according to the context of the verbal tense of the setting within the sentence. The word "untie" is O.K., but the computer reads "untying" as "un-tee-ing". And the computer sometimes pronounces "present" with the accent on the second syllable as presenting something, to "pree Zent" it, and sometimes reads it with the accent on the first syllable as "Prezent" now. The computer forms of pronunciation can also change between episodes of reading the words of the same ordinary text, as when you log off and go away and come back and log on for a second reading of it again and the uncommon words are read differently from before, sometimes changing their meanings, which can be confusing for the listener who can't read print, especially for students who study class-assigned books and materials with the aid of audio readings. For this reason phonetic spellings are used in this narrative form of Harmony of the Gospel in order to produce the right pronunciation in the computer narrative of the text each time. To accommodate the sighted reader of this narrative form of Harmony of the Gospel Conservative Version, all necessary phonetic spellings on the page are bracketed by quotation marks, to show the sighted reader that they are not misspelling accidents or "typos" overlooked by tired proofreaders.

An illustration

As an illustration, turn on the Read aloud function on your computer or device, and listen to this page. The term "Read aloud function" can be phonetically adapted as "Reed aloud function", which looks wrong but reads right. Vocally, context is everything when reading out loud. Compare the reading of the text here below of the genealogy from Chapter Five of Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) shorter form and the phonetic adaptation of the same text from the Harmony of the Gospel Conservative Version narrative form. In the first part of this example the computer's reading omits a large section of the block of text after the fact that Joseph died, skipping everything in the genealogy up to the words "the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, the son of Amminadab". Then it reads it from there all the way to the words at the end, "Adam, the son of God", and then it repeats everything it had already read from the same place, starting again with "the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, the son of Amminadab", down to the end again, with "Adam, the son of God". This defect in the mechanical computer reading of the regular existing text of this Harmony of the Gospel is eliminated with the adapted phonetic spellings of the narrative form.

Example:

Harmony of the Gospel Shorter Form, the legal genealogy of Joseph the husband of Mary

Now Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ, died. And Jesus himself, who was born of the offspring of David according to the flesh, when he began, was about thirty years old, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah, the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er, the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim, the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, the son of Aram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

Harmony of the Gospel Narrative Form, the legal genealogy of Joseph the husband of Mary

Now Joseph, the husband of Mary from whom was born Jesus who is called Christ: died.

And Jesus himself who was born of the offspring of David according to the flesh, when he began was about thirty years old, being the son as was supposed of Joseph, the son of "He-lye", the son of "Matt That", the son of Levi, the son of "Mel-kye", the son of "Jan-nigh".

the son of Joseph, the son of "Matt-athigh-us", the son of Amos, the son of "Nay-hum", the son of "Ess-lie", the son of "Nag-gai", the son of "Ma Hath".

the son of "Matt-athigh-us", the son of "Sem-e-inn", the son of Joseph, the son of Judah, the son of "Jo-annan", the son of "Reesa", the son of "Zer Rub Abell".

the son of "She-al-tiel", the son of "Neeri", the son of "Mel-kye", the son of "Ad Die", the son of "Co-sam", the son of "Elmo-dam", the son of "Erh".

the son of "Joes-ehh", the son of "A-lee-ayzer", the son of Jorim, the son of "Matt That", the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah.

the son of Joseph, the son of "Jo-nan", the son of "A-lee-aykim", the son of "Mellee-ah", the son of Menan, the son of "Matt-atha", the son of Nathan.

the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of "O-bed", the son of Boaz, the son of "Sallmon", the son of Nahshon, the son of "Am-min-adab".

the son of Aram, the son of "Hezzron", the son of "Pairezz", the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham.

the son of Terah, the son of "Nay-hore", the son of "Sair-ugh", the son of "Ree-you", the son of "Pel-egg", the son of "E-ber", the son of "Shella".

the son of "Kigh-nan", the son of "Arh Faxad", the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch.

the son of Jared, the son of "Ma Halla-leel", the son of "Kigh-nan", the son of "Enos", the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

You can hear the difference.

Listening times

At the top of each page of seven-chapters, just before the reading of the text, is a note telling the total reading time of the whole page. Except for the first page, Chapters 1-7, each page is over two hours listening time. The Read aloud function bar features back-up, pause, and skip-forward, and also a choice of audio reading voice.

Here is an Index of direct links to each of the pages of the narrative form of Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version)

Click here to go to the next page: Chapters 1-7.

Click here to go to the narrative form Index

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Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 1-7, adapted for audio computer Read aloud

Reading time 1 hour 5 minutes.

Prologue

Peace be with you. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen. Hear O Israel. The Lord our God, the Lord is one!

Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us, even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the Word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order most excellent Friend of God, that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were "in-struct-ted".

Let us begin.

The beginning of the everlasting Good News of Jesus Christ the Son of God (which is being interpreted: Jesus Anointed, the Son of God).

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him. Without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we saw, and our hands touched, concerning the Word of life (and the life was revealed, and we have seen and testify and declare to you the life, the eternal life which was with the Father and was revealed to us). That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. And we write these things to you that our joy may be fulfilled.

For God having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds. His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, who when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as the more excellent name he has inherited is better than theirs.

For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honor and glory when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. We heard this voice come out of heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain of transfiguration. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. From his fullness we all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses. But grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The one and only Son, God, who is in the bosom of the Father has declared him.

Without "contro-versy" the core mystery of truly godly religion is great: God was revealed in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.

He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world did not recognize him. He came to his own, and those who were his own did not receive him. But as many as received him, to them he gave the power to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name: who were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also. Therefore as for you, let that remain in you which you heard from the beginning. If that which you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. This is the promise which he promised us, the eternal life.

This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ. Let him who glories glory in this, that he has understanding, and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises loving kindness, justice, and righteousness in the earth; for I delight in these things says the LORD.

No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man who is in heaven. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up in the sight of all, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him. He who believes in him is not judged. He who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works would be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed that they have been done in God.

He who comes from above is above all. He who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. What he has seen and heard, of that, he testifies; and no one receives his witness. He who has received his witness has set his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for God gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Not everyone who calls him Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of his Father in heaven.

God will pay back to everyone according to their works: to those who by perseverance in well-doing seek for glory, honor, and incorruptibility, eternal life; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness, will be wrath, indignation, oppression, and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile. But glory, honor, and peace, go to every man who does good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile. For there is no partiality with God.

Jesus said, This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent:

Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do what I say? Belief by itself, if it has no works, is dead. You say you believe in God. Even the demons believe: and they shudder. As a body without the spirit is a dead corpse, so belief without works is dead. We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as the Savior of the world. And he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen him after he had risen. But Jesus said to them, As the Father has sent me: even so I send you. Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me. Whoever rejects me, rejects him who sent me. He said My Teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. If anyone desires to do his will, he will know about the Teaching, whether it is from God, or if I am speaking from myself. And he said, If a man loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him: and we will come to him and make our home with him.

Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot endure to hear my word. Whoever is of God hears the words of God; the reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with me.

Amen. Yes. Come Lord Jesus.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

Now. As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before your face who will prepare your way before you: the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ready the way of the Lord, make his paths straight! There came a man sent from God whose name was John. The same came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the light. The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world.

And so it was, that in the days of Herod the king of Judea there was a certain priest named "Zacka-rye-us" of the priestly division of "Abbyeja". He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years. Now while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priest’s office his lot was to enter into the Temple of the Lord and burn incense. The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.

An angel of the Lord appeared to him standing on the right side of the altar of incense. "Zacka-rye-us" was troubled when he saw him and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid "Zacka-rye-us", because your request has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. You will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb. He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for the Lord.

"Zacka-rye-us" said to the angel, How can I be sure of this, for I am an old man and my wife is well advanced in years.

The angel answered him, I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak before the day that these things will happen, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.

The people were waiting for "Zacka-rye-us", and they marveled that he delayed in the Temple. When he came out he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the Temple. He continued making signs to them and remained mute. When the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house.

After these days, Elizabeth his wife conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying, Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked on me to take away my reproach among men.

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary. She was consecrated to the Lord as a perpetual virgin according to the law of the Lord; and possessing an inheritance of her father according to the law of the Lord, a descendant of David according to the flesh, she was pledged to be married to one of the family of the tribe of her father according to the law of the Lord. And Joseph of David’s house, was a just man who feared the Lord, and according to the law of the Lord he would not make void her consecration to the Lord. Having come in, the angel said to her, I salute you full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!

But when she saw him she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be. The angel said to her, Do not be afraid Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son and will call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.

Mary said to the angel, How can this be, seeing I am a virgin, I do not know man. For she was consecrated to the Lord.

The angel answered her, The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God. Behold, Elizabeth your relative also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing spoken by God is impossible.

Mary said, Behold the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.

The angel then departed from her. And the Word became flesh and lived among us. For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. Therefore when he comes into the world he says, You did not desire sacrifice and offering, but you prepared a body for me. You had no pleasure in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin. Then I said Behold, I have come (in the scroll of the book it is written of me) to do your will O God. When He brings in the firstborn into the world He says Let all the angels of God worship him.

Now as it is written in the law of the Lord: according to the law of the Lord:

Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes concerning the descendants of Israel saying, This is what the Lord has commanded. If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that "pro seeds" out of his mouth.

If a woman also vows a vow to the Lord and binds herself by a bond in her father’s house in her youth; and her father hears her vow and her bond with which she has bound her soul and her father shall hold his peace: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond with which she has bound her soul shall stand. But if her father does not allow her vow in the day he hears it, none of her vows or of her bonds with which she has bound her soul shall stand: and the Lord shall forgive her because her father did not allow her vow. And if she had at all a husband when she vowed or uttered any vow from her lips with which she bound her soul, and her husband heard and held his peace in the day that he heard: then her vows shall stand, and her bonds with which she bound her soul shall stand. But if her husband does not allow her vow on the day that he heard, then he shall make her vow which she vowed and what she uttered with her lips with which she bound her soul of no effect, and the Lord shall forgive her. And if she vowed in her husband’s house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath, and her husband heard and held his peace and did not disallow her vow, then all her vows shall stand, and every bond with which she bound her soul shall stand. But if her husband has utterly made them void on the day he heard, whatever "pro seeded" from her lips concerning her vows or concerning the bond of her soul shall not stand: her husband has made them void, and the Lord shall forgive her. Every vow and every binding oath to afflict the soul her husband may establish, or her husband may make void. But if her husband entirely holds his peace from day to day, then he establishes all her vows, or all her bonds which are on her: he confirms them, because he held his peace in the day he heard of them. But if he shall in any way make them void after he has heard, then he shall bear her iniquity. These are the statutes which the Lord commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, and between the father and his daughter in her youth in her father’s house.

The Lord spoke to Moses saying, When a man makes a special vow of persons to the Lord, the estimated value of a male from twenty years old even to sixty years old shall be fifty shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary. And if it be a female, then the estimation shall be thirty shekels. And if from five years old even to twenty years old, then your estimation of the male shall be twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels. And if from a month old even to five years old, then your estimation of the male shall be five shekels of silver, and for the female your estimation shall be three shekels of silver. And if from sixty years old and above, if a male, then your estimation shall be fifteen shekels, and for the female ten shekels. But if he is poorer than your estimation then he shall present himself before the priest and the priest shall value him, according to his ability who vowed shall the priest value him. No devoted thing that a man shall devote to the Lord of all he has, of man and beast, of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing is most holy to the Lord.

And the Lord spoke to Moses saying, Speak to Aaron and to his sons, that they keep away from the holy things of the people of Israel which they dedicate to me, so that they may not profane my holy name in what they consecrate to me: I am the Lord. Say to them, ‘Whoever of all your descendants throughout your generations who approaches the holy things which the people of Israel dedicate to the Lord, having an uncleanness, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am the Lord.

Every daughter who possesses an inheritance in any tribe of the descendants of Israel, shall be wife to one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the descendants of Israel may enjoy every man the inheritance of his fathers. Neither shall the inheritance be transferred from tribe to tribe, but every one of the tribes of Israel shall keep to himself his own inheritance, this is the law of Moses.

For this reason, possessing an inheritance, even a consecrated virgin vowed to the Lord to know no man, is pledged to be wife to one of the family of the tribe of her father according to the law of Moses, and still remain a virgin consecrated to God, bound by vow to the Lord. And Mary, being vowed to the Lord by her parents when she was a child, and consecrated to God by them as holy to the Lord, as a perpetual virgin to not know a man, a vow she had not made, which her husband therefore could not make void; when the angel told her she would conceive in her womb and bear a son, for this reason Mary said to the angel, How can this be, seeing I am a virgin, I do not know man. For she was consecrated to the Lord.

The angel answered her, The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God. Behold, Elizabeth your relative also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing spoken by God is impossible.

And Mary said, Behold the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word. The angel departed from her, and the Word became flesh.

Mary arose in those days and went from Galilee south into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah called Ain Karim, just southwest of Jerusalem, and entered into the house of "Zacka-rye-us" and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She called out with a loud voice and said, Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb! Why am I so favored that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy! Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!

Mary said, My soul magnifies the Lord, my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior, for he has looked at the humble state of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed, for he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name, His mercy is for generations of generations on those who fear him. He has shown strength with his arm, He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down princes from their thrones, And has exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, He has sent the rich away empty. He has given help to Israel his servant that he might remember mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his offspring forever.

And Mary stayed with her about three months.

Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy toward her and they rejoiced with her. Then Mary returned to her house.

On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him "Zacka-rye-us" after the name of his father. His mother answered Not so; but he will be called John.

They said to her, There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.

They made signs to his father what he would have him called. He made signs to them and asked for a writing tablet and wrote, His name is John.

They all marveled. His father "Zacka-rye-us" was filled with the Holy Spirit, his mouth was opened immediately and his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God and prophesied saying, Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people; and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets who have been from of old) salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us. To show mercy toward our fathers, to remember his holy covenant, the oath which he swore to Abraham our father to grant to us that we; being delivered out of the hand of our enemies; should serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life. And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the dawn from on high will visit us, to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea. All who heard them laid them up in their heart saying What then will this child be.

The hand of the Lord was with him.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ occurred this way. (Christ means Anointed).

After his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph as his wife, before they came together she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly. As it is written in the law of Moses, When a man takes a wife and marries her, then it shall be if she finds no favor in his eyes, because he has found some unseemly thing in her, that he shall write her a certificate of divorce, and put it in her hand, and send her out of his house.

But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying, Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take to yourself Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She shall give birth to a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.

Now all this has happened that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet saying, Behold, the virgin shall conceive and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel; which is being interpreted, God with us. Joseph arose from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself; and he did not know her sexually at any time before she had given birth to her firstborn son. He named him Jesus (which means God saves).

Now this is an account of the ancestry of Joseph son of David. Jacob was the father of Joseph the son of "Heeligh", according to what is written in the law of the Lord, If brethren dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead shall not be married outside to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. It shall be that the firstborn whom she bears shall succeed in the name of his brother who is dead, that his name not be blotted out of Israel.

And Jacob was the half-brother of "Heeligh", according to "You see be-us", born of one woman, "Esstha" their mother, who was wife to "Matt than" and to "Matt that", first to one and then to the other in succession; for the law of Moses does not forbid a widow to marry again. Thus Jacob the son of "Matt than" of the house of David became the father of Joseph the son of "Heeligh" the son of "Matt that" of the house of David.

And this is the genealogy of Joseph son of David. The sons of David who were born to him in "Heb-ron": "Ammnon", Daniel, Absalom, "Ad-doh-nighja", "Shepha-tiah", "Ithree-amm": six were born to him in Hebron. And these were born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon, Ibhar, "Eleeshama", "Elleefellet", Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, "Eleeshama", "El-yada", and "Elleefellet", nine. All these were the sons of David. These are the heads of the clans of the house of David.

David became the father of Solomon. Solomon became the father of "Reho-boam". "Reho-boam" became the father of "Abbyeja". "Abbyeja" became the father of Asa. Asa became the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat became the father of Joram. Joram became the father of "Uz-zigha". "Uz-zigha" became the father of "Joetham". "Joetham" became the father of "Eh-haz". "Eh-haz" became the father of "Hezzy-kigh-ah". "Hezzy-kigh-ah" became the father of Manasseh. Manasseh became the father of "A-mon". "A-mon" became the father of "Jo-sigh-ah". "Jo-sigh-ah" became the father of "Jecho-niya". "Jecho-niya" became the father of "She-al-tiel". "She-al-tiel" became the father of "Zerrubba-bell". "Zerrubba-bell" became the father of "Ab-eye-udd". "Ab-eye-udd" became the father of "Eli-akim". "Eli-akim" became the father of "A-zor". "A-zor" became the father of "Zad-ock". "Zad-ock" became the father of "Ah-kim". "Ah-kim" became the father of "E-lie-ood". "E-lie-ood" became the father of "Elee-a-zar". "Elee-a-zar" became the father of "Matt than". "Matt than" became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of Joseph, the son of "Heeligh", the son of "Matt that", the son of Levi, the son of "Mel-kye", the son of "Jan-nai", the son of Joseph, the son of "Matt-athigh-us", the son of Amos, the son of "Nay-hum", the son of "Ess-lie", the son of "Nag-gai", the son of "Ma Hath", the son of "Matt-athigh-us", the son of "Semmy-in", the son of Joseph, the son of Judah, the son of "Jo-annan", the son of "Reesa", the son of "Zerrubba-bell", the son of "She-al-tiel", the son of "Nair-rye", the son of "Mel-kye", the son of "Ad Die", the son of "Co-sam", the son of "Elmo-dam", the son of "Erh", the son of "Joes-ehh", the son of "A-lee-ayzer", the son of Jorim, the son of "Matt that", the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of "Jo-nan", the son of "A-lee-aykim", the son of "Mellee-ah", the son of Menan, the son of "Matt-atha", the son of Nathan, the son of David.

Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, made later when "Kye-rinnius" was governor of Syria. All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city. But Joseph moreover went up from Galilee, out of his own city the city of Nazareth, into Judea instead, to David’s city which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David; to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant.

While they were there, the day had come for her to give birth. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough because there was no room for them in the inn. As it is written in the law of Moses, If a woman conceives and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of her monthly period she shall be unclean. As it is written, She shall be in her impurity seven days. Whoever touches her shall be unclean before the evening. Everything that she lies on in her impurity shall be unclean. Everything also that she sits on shall be unclean. Whoever touches her bed shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean before the evening. Whoever touches anything that she sits on shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean before the evening. If it is on the bed or on anything she sits on, when he touches it he shall be unclean before the evening. And Thus you shall separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, so they will not die in their uncleanness when they defile my tabernacle that is among them, this is the law of Moses.

Now there were shepherds in the same country, staying in the field and keeping watch by night over their flock. Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. The angel said to them, Do not be afraid, for behold I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. For there is born to you today in David’s city a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.

Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God and saying Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.

When the angels went away from them into heaven the shepherds said to one another, Let us go to Bethlehem now and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.

They came with haste and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough. When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child. All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen just as it was told them.

When eight days were fulfilled for the circumcision of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Behold the blood of the Lord, begone you hostile powers! His name shall be called in Israel, Yeshua ben David, ben Avraham, ben Adonai, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his offspring forever.

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, Jesus Anointed, the son of David the son of Abraham. Now the number of the name of David by the reckoning of "gem-ah-tria" is fourteen. And this is the reckoning of the generations.

Abraham, one, became the father of Isaac, two. Isaac became the father of Jacob, three. Jacob became the father of Judah and his brethren, four. Judah became the father of "Pairez" and Zerah by "Tay Mar", five. "Pairez" became the father of Hezzron, six. Hezzron became the father of Ram, seven. Ram became the father of "Am-min-adab", eight. "Am-min-adab" became the father of "Nah-shon", nine. "Nah-shon" became the father of "Sallmon", ten. "Sallmon" became the father of Boaz by Rahab, eleven. Boaz became the father of "O-bed" by Ruth, twelve. "O-bed" became the father of Jesse, thirteen. Jesse became the father of King David, fourteen.

David became the father of Solomon by her who had been "You-riah's" wife, one. Solomon became the father of "Reho-boam", two. "Reho-boam" became the father of "Abbyeja", three. "Abbyeja" became the father of Asa, four. Asa became the father of Jehoshaphat, five. Jehoshaphat became the father of Joram, six. The son of Joram was "A-ha-zigha", seven. The son of "A-ha-zigha" was "Jo-ash", eight. The son of "Jo-ash" was "Amma-zigha", nine. The son of "Amma-zigha" was "Azza-riah", also called "Uz-zigha", ten (But "Jo-ram" was the father of "Uz-zigha"). "Uz-zigha" became the father of "Joetham", eleven. "Joetham" became the father of "Eh-haz", twelve. "Eh-haz" became the father of "Hezzy-kigh-ah", thirteen. "Hezzy-kigh-ah" became the father of Manasseh, the first of that generation deported to Babylon, fourteen. (The king of Assyria took Manasseh in chains, bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.) Manasseh became the father of Amos, who was called "A-mon", the second generation. "A-mon" became the father of "Jo-sigh-ah", the third generation. "Jo-sigh-ah" became the father of "Jecho-niya" and his brethren, the fourth generation, at the time of the exile to Babylon, according to what is written, In the fourth generation they will come here again.

After the exile to Babylon, "Jecho-niya" became the father of "She-al-tiel", one. "She-al-tiel" became the father of "Zerrubba-bell", two. "Zerrubba-bell" became the father of "Ab-eye-udd", three. "Ab-eye-udd" became the father of "Eli-akim", four. "Eli-akim" became the father of "A-zor", five. "A-zor" became the father of "Zad-ock", six. "Zad-ock" became the father of "Ah-kim", seven. "Ah-kim" became the father of "E-lie-ood", eight. "E-lie-ood" became the father of "Elee-a-zar", nine. "Elee-a-zar" became the father of "Matt than", ten. "Matt than" became the father of Jacob, eleven. Jacob became the father of Joseph, twelve. Joseph became the husband of Mary, thirteen (a full generation younger than he). From Mary was born Jesus who is called Christ, Anointed, fourteen.

When the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law, that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children.

So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the exile to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon to the Christ the Anointed, fourteen generations.

Now, as it is written in the Law of the Lord: The LORD spoke to Moses saying, Speak to the children of Israel saying, If a woman conceives and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of her monthly period she shall be unclean. In the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. She shall continue in the blood of purification thirty-three days. She shall not touch any holy thing, nor come into the sanctuary, before the days of her purifying are completed, this is the law of Moses.

When the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord) and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ, the Lord’s Anointed. He came in the Spirit into the Temple. When the parents brought in the child Jesus, that they might do concerning him according to the custom of the law, then he received him into his arms and blessed God, and said, Now you are releasing your servant Master according to your word in peace; for my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared before the face of all peoples; a light for revelation to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel.

Joseph and his mother were marveling at the things which were spoken concerning him, and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against. Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

There was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of "Phan-you-el" of the tribe of Asher (she was of a great age, about one hundred and six years, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity, from about the age of fifteen to the age of twenty-two, and she had been a widow for about eighty-four years) who did not depart from the Temple, worshiping with fastings and petitions night and day. Coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of him to all those who were looking for redemption in Jerusalem.

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, behold, two years later wisemen from the east came to Jerusalem saying, Where is he who is born King of the Jews, for we saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.

When King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ the Anointed One would be born. They said to him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is written through the prophet, You, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way least among the princes of Judah: for out of you shall come a Governor who shall shepherd my people Israel.

Then Herod secretly called the wisemen, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go-and-search" diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word so that I also may come and worship him.

Having heard the king, they went their way; and behold, the star which they saw in the east went on ahead of them, and they did not see it before it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. They came into the house and saw the young toddler-child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him offerings of gifts: gold, "frankin-cense", and myrrh. Being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.

Now when they had departed, behold an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother and flee into Egypt, and stay there up to when I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

He arose and took the young child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt, and was there up to the death of Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet saying, Out of Egypt I called my Son.

Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wisemen, was exceedingly angry, and sent out and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the wisemen. Then that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying, A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; she would not be comforted, because they are "No-more"

But when Herod was dead, behold an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child’s life are dead.

He arose, and took the young child and his mother and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that "Arkay-lay-us" was reigning over Judea in the place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee. When they had thus accomplished all things that were according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee to their own city Nazareth. He came and lived in a city called Nazareth that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets, He will be called a Nazarene, which is being interpreted, Branch. As it is written in Isaiah, A Shoot will come out of the stock of Jesse, and a Branch out of his roots will bear fruit.

And in Jeremiah, Behold, the days come says the LORD that I will raise to David a righteous Branch, and, In those days and at that time I will cause a Branch of righteousness to grow up to David.

And in Zechariah: Behold, I will bring out my servant the Branch; Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: and he shall grow up out of his place; and he shall build the LORD’s Temple.

The child was growing and was becoming strong in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him. As it is written in the Psalms, Let your hand be on the man of your right hand, on the son of man whom you made strong for yourself.

Now his parents went every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast, and when they had fulfilled the eight days of Passover called Unleavened Bread, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. Joseph and his mother did not know it, but supposing him to be in the company they went a day’s journey, and they looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances. When they did not find him they returned to Jerusalem looking for him anxiously. After three days they found him in the Temple, sitting in the middle of the Teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. Jesus, from infancy having known the holy Scriptures, said to them:

What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if this one falls into a pit on the Sabbath day, will he not grab on to it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day.

Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him; how he entered into God’s house and ate the show bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath day the priests in the Temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?

David himself says in the book of Psalms, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, up to the moment I make your enemies the footstool of your feet. David therefore calls him Lord, so how is he his son?

One of the scribes asked him, Which commandment is the greatest of all?

Jesus answered, The greatest is: Hear Israel. The Lord our God, the Lord is one: you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. The second is like this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.

When they saw him they were astonished, and his mother said to him, Son, why have you treated us this way? Behold your father and I were anxiously looking for you.

He said to them, Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house”?

They did not understand the saying which he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth. He was "sub-ject" to them, and his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men, according to what is written, Do not let kindness and truth forsake you, bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

All testified about him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, and they said: Is this not Joseph’s son"?

Now Joseph, the husband of Mary from whom was born Jesus who is called Christ. Died.

And Jesus himself who was born of the offspring of David according to the flesh, when he began was about thirty years old, being the son as was supposed of Joseph, the son of "Heeligh", the son of "Matt that", the son of Levi, the son of "Mel-kye", the son of "Jan Eye".

the son of Joseph, the son of "Matt-athigh-us", the son of Amos, the son of "Nay-hum", the son of "Ess-lie", the son of "Nag-gai", the son of "Ma Hath".

the son of "Matt-athigh-us", the son of "Semmy-in", the son of Joseph, the son of Judah, the son of "Jo-annan", the son of "Reesa", the son of "Zerrubba-bell".

the son of "She-al-tiel", the son of "Nair-rye", the son of "Mel-kye", the son of "Ad Die", the son of "Co-sam", the son of "Elmo-dam", the son of "Erh".

the son of "Joes-ehh", the son of "A-lee-ayzer", the son of Jorim, the son of "Matt That", the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah.

the son of Joseph, the son of "Jo-nan", the son of "A-lee-aykim", the son of "Mellee-ah", the son of Menan, the son of "Matt-atha", the son of Nathan.

the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of "O-bed", the son of Boaz, the son of "Sallmon", the son of Nahshon, the son of "Am-min-adab".

the son of Aram, the son of "Hezzron", the son of "Pairezz", the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham.

the son of Terah, the son of "Nay-hore", the son of "Sair-ugh", the son of "Ree-you", the son of "Pel-egg", the son of "E-ber", the son of "She-lah".

the son of "Kigh-nan", the son of "Arh Faxad", the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch.

the son of Jared, the son of "Ma Halla-leel", the son of "Kigh-nan", the son of "Enos", the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

So all the generations from Adam to Jesus are seventy-seven generations: from Adam to Enoch seven generations, and from Enoch to "She-lah" seven generations, and from "She-lah" to Abraham seven generations, and from Abraham to Admin seven generations, and from Admin to David seven generations, and from David through Nathan to Joseph seven generations, and from Joseph to Joshua seven generations, and from Joshua to "She-al-tiel" seven generations, and from "She-al-tiel" through "Reesa" son of "Zer-rubba-bell" to "Matt-athigh-us" seven generations, and from "Matt-athigh-us" to Joseph seven generations, and from Joseph to Jesus seven generations.

And the child John the son of "Zecha-rye-us" and Elizabeth was growing and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert to the day of his public appearance to Israel. He was by birth a priest descended from Aaron the priest the brother of Moses, of the sons of Levi son of Jacob called Israel.

Now at this time, in A.D. 20 Parthian generals conquered the regions of northern India and declared independence to form the Indo-Parthian Kingdom. Roman-Parthian relations had become increasingly centered on Armenia, which was situated geo-politically between the Roman Empire and Parthia, Rome’s implacable foe in the east, the kings of the east. In both Crassus’s and Antony’s campaigns (ending 53 and 31 B.C., near the end of the Roman Republic in 27 B.C.) the Armenians had already played an influential role in the early history of Roman-Parthian relations; the Armenian king had a large role as a guide, and betrayer, as some sources state. Since the reign of Augustus Caesar it had been Roman policy to appoint vassal kings there and so make Armenia a buffer state against Parthia and the kings of the east. An advance on Armenia from one side was often interpreted as a pretext for war by the other. Throughout the remaining history of Roman-Parthian relations Armenia would have the role of a buffer state between the two powers.

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and "Lye-say-nias" tetrarch of Abilene, in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of "Zecha-rye-us" in the wilderness. He who sent him to baptize with water said to him, On whomever you will see the Spirit descending and remaining on him is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.

In those days John the Baptizer came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

He came into all the region around the Jordan preaching the baptism of repentance for remission of sins. For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make the way of the Lord ready, make his paths straight! As it is written in the Book of the Words of Isaiah the Prophet, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ready the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley will be filled, every mountain and hill will be brought low. The crooked will become straight, and the rough ways smooth. All flesh will see God’s salvation.

John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins.

Now John himself wore clothing made of camel’s hair, John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey, he ate locusts and wild honey. Then people from Jerusalem, all of Judea and all the region around the Jordan, all the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins.

He preached saying, After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen. I baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

He said therefore to the multitudes who went out to be baptized by him, You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore produce fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say among yourselves ‘We have Abraham for our father;’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones! Even now the ax also lies at the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not produce good fruit, is cut down and thrown into the fire.

The multitudes asked him, What then must we do?

He answered them, He who has two coats, let him give to him who has none. He who has food, let him do likewise.

Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, Teacher, what must we do?

He said to them, Collect no more than that which is appointed to you.

Soldiers also asked him, saying What about us? What must we do?

He said to them, Extort from no one by violence, neither accuse anyone wrongfully. Be "cunTent" with your wages.

As the people were in expectation and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he was the Christ, the Anointed One, John answered them all, I indeed baptize you with water, but he comes who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to loosen. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire, whose winnowing-fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor and will gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

Then with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance! Do not think to yourselves ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not produce good fruit, is cut down and cast into the fire.

I indeed baptize you with water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.

If you are willing to receive it, John is Elijah who is to come. As it is written in the book of the prophet Malachi, Behold, the day comes, it burns as a furnace; and all the proud and all who work wickedness will be stubble; and the day that comes will burn them up’ says the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. And, Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.

It is as the angel Gabriel sent from God declared to "Zacka-rye-us" concerning John before he was conceived, He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for the Lord.

Then in those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him. But John would have hindered him saying, I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me”?

But Jesus answering, said to him Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.

Then he allowed him; and Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan.

Now when all the people were baptized, and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying; when Jesus was baptized he went up directly from the water. Immediately on coming up from the water the sky was opened. He saw the heavens parting, and behold the heavens were opened to him! He saw the Spirit, the Spirit of God, descending as a dove, descending like a dove and alighting on him. The Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form as a dove on him, and a voice came out of the sky saying, You are my beloved Son, in you I am well pleased. Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.

Immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness of Judea west of the Jordan, and John cried out saying, This was he of whom I said, He who comes after me has surpassed me, for he was before me.

Jesus full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan westward. And then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And he was there in the wilderness for forty days. He fasted forty days and forty nights, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals; tempted by the devil; and he ate nothing in those days.

When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, when they were completed, he was hungry afterward; he was hungry.

The devil said to him, If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.

Jesus answered him saying, It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

The devil leading him up on a high mountain, showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. The devil said to him, I will give you all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I want. If you therefore will worship before me, it will all be yours.

Jesus answered him, Get behind me Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.

He led him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the Temple, and said to him, If you are the Son of God, cast yourself down from here, for it is written, He will put his angels in charge of you to guard you; and On their hands they will bear you up, lest perhaps you dash your foot against a stone.

Jesus answering said to him, It has been said, You shall not test the Lord your God.

The tempter came close, and said to him, If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.

But he answered, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that "pro-seeds" out of the mouth of God.

Then the devil took him into the holy city. He set him on the pinnacle of the Temple and said to him, If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, He will command his angels concerning you, and On their hands they will bear you up, so that you do not dash your foot against a stone.

Jesus said to him, Again, it is written, You shall not test the Lord your God.

Again, the devil took him to an exceedingly high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. He said to him, I will give you all of these things if you will fall down and worship me.

Then Jesus said to him, Get behind me Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.

Then when the devil had completed every temptation, the devil left him; he departed from him, awaiting another time. And behold, angels came and served him; and the angels were serving him.

To which of the angels did he say at any time, You are my Son, today I have become your father, and again, I will be to him a Father and he will be to me a Son. When he again brings in the firstborn into the world he says, Let all the angels of God worship him. Of the angels he says, He makes his angels powerful winds, and his servants a flame of fire. But of the Son he says, Your throne O God is forever and ever. The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your Kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows, and, You Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth. The heavens are the works of your hands. They will perish, but you continue. They all will grow old like a garment does. You will roll them up like a mantle and they will be changed; but you are the same, your years will not fail. But which of the angels has he told at any time, Sit at my right hand, to the day I make your enemies the footstool of your feet. Are they not all serving spirits sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation"?

And behold, angels came and served him; and the angels were serving him. And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee.

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Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 7-14 adapted for audio computer Read aloud

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Now this is John’s testimony, when the Jews sent priests and "Lee-vytes" from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” he declared and did not deny, but he declared “I am not the Christ.”

They asked him, “What then, are you Elijah”?

He said “I am not.”

“Are you the Prophet?”

He answered “No.”

(They asked this because it is written, Moses said, "The LORD your God will raise up to you a Prophet from among you of your brethren, like me. You shall listen to him. This is according to all that you desired of the LORD your God in Horeb, in the day of the Assembly, saying ‘Let me not hear again the LORD my God’s voice, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I not die.’ The LORD said to me, ‘They have well said that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like you. I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him. It shall happen that whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.’ ”)

They said therefore to him: “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”

The ones who had been sent were from the Pharisees. They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one whom you do not know. He is the one who comes after me who is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loosen.”

These things were done in Bethany beyond the Jordan where John was baptizing.

The next day, he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who is preferred before me, for he was before me.’ I did not know him, but for this reason I came baptizing with water: that he would be revealed to Israel.”

And John testified, saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending like a dove out of heaven, and it remained on him. I did not recognize him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘On whomever you will see the Spirit descending and remaining on him is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.”

Again, the next day, John was standing with two of his followers, his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”

The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following, and said to them, “What are you looking for?”

They said to him, “Rabbi” (which is to say being interpreted, Teacher), “where are you staying?”

He said to them, “Come, and see.”

They came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about the tenth hour (which is about four o'clock in the afternoon, sixteen hundred hours military time). One of the two who heard John and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother, Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah!” (which is being interpreted, Christ, Anointed).

He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter, being interpreted, Rock: both Cephas in Aramaic and Peter in Greek mean Rock or Stone).

On the next day, he was determined to go out into Galilee, and he found Philip. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.”

Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote: Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?”

Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said about him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!”

Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?”

Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”

Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are King of Israel!”

Jesus answered him, “Because I told you, ‘I saw you underneath the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these!”

And He said to him, “Most certainly, I tell you all, hereafter you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

The third day, there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’s mother was there. Jesus also was invited, with his followers, his disciples, to the wedding: Jesus, Peter, John, Andrew, Philip, and Nathanael, six. When the wine ran out, Jesus’s mother said to him, “They have no wine.”

(No more wine for the marriage feast would shame and disgrace the bridegroom, the bride, and their families. Remember the word that Isaiah spoke, that his virgin mother would conceive and bear a son, and call him Emmanuel, which means, God with us. She therefore interceded in saying to Jesus, “They have no wine.”)

Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with you and me? My hour has not yet come.”

His mother said to the servants, “Whatever he says to you, do it.”

Now there were six water pots of stone set there after the Jews’ way of purifying, containing two or three firkins or metretes apiece, each holding twenty or thirty gallons, a total volume of one hundred twenty to one hundred eighty gallons. Jesus said to them, “Fill the water pots with water.”

So they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the ruler of the feast.”

So they took it. When the ruler of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the ruler of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when the guests have drunk freely, then that which is worse. You have kept the good wine to now!”

This beginning of his signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

After this, he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, his brethren, and his disciples; and they stayed there a few days.

The Passover of the Jews was at hand, the days of Unleavened Bread, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the Temple those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, and the changers of money sitting. He made a whip of cords, and threw all out of the Temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the changers’ money and overthrew their tables. To those who sold the doves, he said, “Take these things out of here! Do not make my Father’s house a marketplace!”

His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will eat me up.”

The Jews therefore answered him, “What sign do you show us, seeing that you do these things?”

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

The Jews therefore said, “It took forty-six years to build this Temple! Will you raise it up in three days?”

But he spoke of the Temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his followers, his disciples remembered that he said this, and they believed the Scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in his name, observing his signs which he did. But Jesus did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people everywhere, and because he did not need for anyone to testify concerning mankind; for he himself knew what was in man.

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to him by night, and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a Teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.”

Jesus answered him, “Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see God’s Kingdom.”

Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?”

Jesus answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter into God’s Kingdom. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’ The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Nicodemus answered him, “How can these things be?”

Jesus answered him, “You are the Teacher of Israel, and do not understand these things? Most certainly I tell you, We speak that which We know, and testify of that which We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?”

After these things, Jesus came with his disciples, Peter, John, Andrew, Philip, and Nathanael, into the land of Judea. He stayed there with them and baptized. John also was baptizing in E-non near Salim, because there was much water there. They came, and were baptized; for John was not yet thrown into prison. Therefore a dispute arose on the part of John’s followers with some Jews about purification. They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, he baptizes, and everyone is coming to him.”

John answered, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven. You yourselves testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before him.’ He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. This, my joy, therefore is made full. He must increase, but I must decrease.”

But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things which Herod had done, added this also to them all, that he shut up John in prison. For Herod himself had sent out and arrested John, and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. For John said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her”; for he had married her. For John said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”

When Herod would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

Herodias set herself against him, and desired to kill him, but she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. When he heard him, he did many things, and he heard him gladly.

Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more followers, more disciples than John (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but his disciples), when Jesus heard that John was delivered up, he left Judea and departed into Galilee.

He needed to pass through Samaria. So he came to a city of Samaria, called "Sy-car", near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son, Joseph. As it is written, “I have given to you one portion above your brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.”

Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being tired from his journey, sat down by the well. For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. It was about the sixth hour of the day, about noon, twelve hundred hours military time.

A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.”

The Samaritan woman therefore said to him, “How is it that you, being a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?”

(For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”

The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. So where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father, Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his children and his livestock?”

Jesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I do not get thirsty, neither come all the way here to draw.”

Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”

The woman answered, “I have no husband.”

Jesus said to her, “You said well, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands; and he whom you now have is not your husband. This you have said truly.”

The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.”

Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour comes, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, will you worship the Father. You worship that which you do not know. We worship that which we know; for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to be his worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah comes, he who is called Christ. When he has come, he will declare to us all things.”

Jesus said to her, “I AM: the one who speaks to you.”

At this, his disciples came. They marveled that he was speaking with a woman; yet no one said, “What are you looking for?” or, “Why do you speak with her?” So the woman left her water pot, went away into the city, and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything that I did. Can this be the Christ?”

They went out of the city, and were coming to him. In the meanwhile, the disciples urged him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.”

But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.”

The disciples therefore said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?”

Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months before the harvest?’ Behold, I tell you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, that they are white for harvest already. He who reaps receives wages and gathers fruit to eternal life; that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this the saying is true, ‘One sows, and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

From that city many of the Samaritans believed in him because of the word of the woman, who testified, “He told me everything that I did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they begged him to stay with them. He stayed there two days. Many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of your speaking; for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”

After the two days he went out from there and went into Galilee. Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee. He withdrew into Galilee, for Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. So when he came into Galilee, the Galileans received him, having seen all the things that he did in Jerusalem at the feast, for they also went to the feast. Jesus came therefore again to Cana of Galilee, where he made the water into wine.

There was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum, a full day's journey from Cana, more than twenty-six miles. When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to him, and begged him that he would come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Jesus therefore said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders, you will in no way believe.”

The nobleman said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”

Jesus said to him, “Go your way. Your son lives.”

The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. As he was now going down, his servants met him and reported, saying “Your child lives!”

So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. They said therefore to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour, the fever left him.”

The seventh hour is one o'clock in the afternoon, thirteen hundred hours military time. So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” He believed, as did his whole house. This is again the second sign that Jesus did, having come out of Judea into Galilee.

And news about him spread through all the surrounding area. He Taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Good News of God’s Kingdom, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and God’s Kingdom is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News.”

He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. He entered, as was his custom, into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. The book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He opened the book, and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began to tell them, “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

All testified about him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, and they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”

He said to them, “Doubtless you will tell me this parable, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done at Capernaum, do also here in your hometown.’ ”

He said, “Most certainly I tell you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. But truly I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land. Elijah was sent to none of them, except to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. There were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed, except Naaman, the Syrian.”

They were all filled with wrath in the synagogue, as they heard these things. They rose up, threw him out of the city, and led him up to the brow of the hill that their city was built on, that they might throw him off the cliff. But he, passing through the middle of them, went his way—the greatest among them did not grasp him, they could not hold him.

Leaving Nazareth, he came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,

“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sat in darkness saw a great light, to those who sat in the region and shadow of death, to them light has dawned.”

From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say, “Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”

He was Teaching them on the Sabbath day, and they were astonished at his Teaching, for his word was with authority.

Passing along by the sea of Galilee, walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon, two brethren: Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.

He, Jesus, said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you into fishers for men.”

Immediately they left their nets, they immediately left their nets and followed him.

Going on a little farther from there, he saw two other brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. Immediately he called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father; they left their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him, and followed him.

They went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and Taught. They were astonished at his Teaching, for he Taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes.

Immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon, according to what is written, “To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. They profess that they know God, but by their deeds they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work”; and he cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Ah! what have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God!”

Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!”

When the demon had thrown him down in the middle of them, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, he, the unclean spirit, came out of him, having done him no harm. They were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying “What is this? A new Teaching? For with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him!”

Amazement came on all, and they spoke together, one with another, saying, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!”

The report of him went out immediately everywhere. News about him went out into every place of the surrounding region, into all the region of Galilee and its surrounding area.

Immediately, he rose up from the synagogue, and when they had come out of the synagogue, they came and entered into Simon’s house, the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. (The house was next door to the synagogue.) Now Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told him about her: Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a great fever, and they begged him for her. He came and stood over her and rebuked the fever, and took her by the hand, and raised her up; and it left her, the fever left her. Immediately she rose up, and she served them.

When the sun was setting, at evening, when the sun had set, all those who had any sick with various diseases brought them to him; they brought to him all who were sick, and those who were possessed by demons. All the city was gathered together at the door. He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons, and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. Demons also came out of many, crying out, and saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of God!”

Rebuking them, he did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew him. He did not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ, the Anointed One of God.

Early in the morning, while it was still dark, he rose up; and when it was day, he departed and went out into an uninhabited place, a deserted place, and prayed there. Simon and those who were with him searched for him. They found him and told him, “Everyone is looking for you.”

He said to them, “Let us go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because I came out for this reason.”

And the multitudes looked for him, and came to him, and held on to him, so that he would not go away from them. But he said to them, “I must preach the good news of God’s Kingdom to the other cities also. For this reason I have been sent.”

He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons.

He was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee. Jesus went about in all Galilee, Teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people. The report about him went out into all Syria. They brought to him all who were sick, afflicted with various diseases and torments, possessed with demons, epileptics, and paralytics; and he healed them.

While he was in one of the cities a leper came to him, begging him, kneeling down to him, and saying to him, “If you will it, you can make me clean.”

Being moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, “I will it. Be made clean.”

When he had said this, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean. He strictly warned him, and immediately sent him out, and said to him, “See you say nothing to anyone, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.”

But he went out, and began to proclaim it much, and to spread about the matter, so that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was outside in desert places. People came to him from everywhere. Great multitudes from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and from beyond the Jordan followed him.

Seeing the multitudes, he went up onto the mountain. When he had sat down, his followers, his disciples came to him. He opened his mouth and Taught them, saying, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

“Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

“You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men. You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house. Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

“Do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For most certainly, I tell you, before heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, before all things are accomplished. Whoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and Teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and Teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, ‘You shall not murder;’ and ‘Whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause will be in danger of the judgment. Whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ will be in danger of the council. Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of Gehenna.

“If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are with him on the way; lest perhaps the prosecutor deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison. Most certainly I tell you, you shall by no means get out of there, before you have paid the last penny.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery;’ but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna. If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.

“It was also said, ‘Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce,’ but I tell you that whoever puts away his wife, except for the cause of sexual immorality, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries her when she is put away commits adultery.

“Again you have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall perform to the Lord your vows,’ but I tell you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God; nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Neither shall you swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No.’ Whatever is more than these is of the evil one.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also. Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and do not turn away him who desires to borrow from you.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

“Be careful that you do not do your charitable alms-giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Therefore when you do merciful deeds, do not sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may get glory from men. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you do merciful deeds, do not let your left hand know what your right hand does, so that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

“When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward. But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. In praying, do not use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking. Therefore do not be like them, for your Father knows what things you need, before you ask him. Pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Amen.’

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

“Moreover when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face; so that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

“It is more blessed to give than to receive. Do not lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves do not break through and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Mammon. Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing? See the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of much more value than they?

“Which of you, by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan? Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They do not toil, neither do they spin, yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, you of little faith?

“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient.

“Do not judge, so that you will not be judged. For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the wooden beam that is in your own eye? Or how will you tell your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye;’ and behold, the beam is in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.

“Do not give that which is holy to the dogs, neither throw your pearls before the pigs, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

“Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. Or who is there among you, who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.

“Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it. How narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it.

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree produces good fruit; but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit. A good tree cannot produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not grow good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’ Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’

“Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

“Everyone who hears these words of mine, and does not do them will be like a foolish man, who built his house on the sand. The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the multitudes were astonished at his Teaching, for he Taught them with authority, and not like the scribes. When he came down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.

Behold, a leper came to him and worshiped him, saying, “Lord, if you will it, you can make me clean.”

Jesus stretched out his hand, and touched him, saying, “I will it. Be made clean.”

Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one, but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

When he entered again into Capernaum] after some days, when he came into Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking him, and saying, “Lord, my servant lies in the house paralyzed, grievously tormented.”

Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”

The centurion answered, “Lord, I am not worthy for you to come under my roof. Just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I am also a man under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and tell another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and tell my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to those who followed, “Most certainly I tell you, I have not found so great a faith, not even in Israel. I tell you that many will come from the east and the west, and will sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven, but the children of the Kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way. Let it be done for you as you have believed.”

His servant was healed in that hour.

When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her. She got up and served him. When evening came, they brought to him many possessed with demons. He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,

“He took our infirmities, and bore our diseases.”

Now while the multitude pressed on him and heard the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, the lake of Galilee. He saw two boats standing by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them, and were washing their nets. He entered into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. He sat down and Taught the multitudes from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch.”

Simon answered him, “Master, we worked all night, and took nothing; but at your word I will let down the net.”

When they had done this, they caught a great multitude of fish, and their net was breaking. They beckoned to their partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them. They came, and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus’s knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man Lord.”

For he was amazed, and all who were with him, at the catch of fish which they had caught; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will be catching people alive.”

When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything, and followed him.

A scribe came, and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”

Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”

Another of his followers said to him, “Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father.”

But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”

When he got into a boat, his disciples followed him.

Behold, a violent storm came up on the sea, so much that the boat was covered with the waves, but he was asleep. They came to him, and woke him up, saying, “Save us Lord! We are dying!”

He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?”

Then he got up, rebuked the wind and the sea, and there was a great calm.

The men marveled, saying, “What kind of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

When he came to the other side, into the country of the Gergesenes, two people possessed by demons met him there, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. Behold, they cried out, saying, “What do we have to do with you, Jesus, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?”

Now there was a herd of many pigs feeding far away from them. The demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of pigs.”

He said to them: “Goh!”

They came out, and went into the herd of pigs: and behold, the whole herd of pigs rushed down the cliff into the sea, and died in the water. Those who fed them fled, and went away into the city, and told everything, including what happened to those who were possessed with demons. Behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus. When they saw him, they begged that he would depart from their borders.

He entered into a boat, and crossed over, and came into his own city. Behold, they brought to him a man who was paralyzed, lying on a bed. Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Son, cheer up! Your sins are forgiven you.”

Behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man blasphemes.”

Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven;’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk?’ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (then he said to the paralytic), “Get up, and take up your mat, and go to your house.”

He arose and departed to his house. But when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

As Jesus passed by from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax collection post, the tax station. He said to him, “Follow me.”

He got up and followed him. As he sat in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his followers. When the Pharisees saw it, they said to his followers, his disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

When Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do. But you go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

It was heard that he was in the house. Immediately many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even around the door; and he spoke the word to them. Four people came, carrying a paralytic to him. When they could not come near to him for the crowd, they removed the roof where he was. When they had broken it up, they let down the mat that the paralytic was lying on. Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

But there were some of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak blasphemies like that? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

Immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you reason these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to tell the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven;’ or to say, ‘Arise, and take up your bed, and walk?’ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”: he said to the paralytic, “I tell you, arise, take up your mat, and go to your house.”

He arose, and immediately took up the mat, and went out in front of them all; so that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

On one of those days, he was Teaching; and there were Pharisees and Teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every village of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was with him to heal them. Behold, men brought a paralyzed man on a cot, and they sought to bring him in to lay before Jesus. Not finding a way to bring him in because of the multitude, they went up to the housetop, and let him down through the tiles with his cot into the middle before Jesus. Seeing their faith, he said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”

The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this that speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?”

But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, answered them, “Why are you reasoning so in your hearts? Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you;’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk?’ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (he said to the paralyzed man), “I tell you, arise, take up your cot, and go to your house.”

Immediately he rose up before them, and took up that which he was laying on, and departed to his house, glorifying God. Amazement took hold on all, and they glorified God. They were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today.”

After these things, He went out again by the seaside. All the multitude came to him, and he Taught them.

And as he passed by, he saw a tax collector named Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax post, and he said to him, “Follow me.”

And he arose and followed him. He left everything, and rose up and followed him.

Levi made a great feast for him in his house. There was a great crowd of tax collectors and others who were reclining with them. Their scribes and the Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?”

Jesus answered them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

They said to him, “Why do John’s disciples often fast and pray, likewise also the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink?”

He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them. Then they will fast in those days.”

He also told a parable to them. “No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old garment, or else he will tear the new, and also the piece from the new will not match the old. No one puts new wine into old wine skins, or else the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. But new wine must be put into fresh wine skins, and both are preserved. No man having drunk old wine immediately desires new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’ ”

John’s followers and the Pharisees were fasting, and they came and asked him, “Why do John’s followers and the followers of the Pharisees fast, but your followers do not fast?”

Jesus said to them, “Can the groomsmen fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, or else the patch shrinks and the new tears away from the old, and a worse hole is made. No one puts new wine into old wineskins, or else the new wine will burst the skins, and the wine pours out, and the skins will be destroyed; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins.”

Then John’s disciples came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”

Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch would tear away from the garment, and a worse hole is made. Neither do people put new wine into old wine skins, or else the skins would burst, and the wine be spilled, and the skins ruined. No, they put new wine into fresh wine skins, and both are preserved.”

While he told these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.”

Jesus got up and followed him, as did his disciples.

Behold, a woman who had a discharge of blood for twelve years came behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment; for she said within herself, “If I just touch his garment, I will be made well.”

But Jesus, turning around and seeing her, said, “Daughter, cheer up!' Your faith has made you well.”

And the woman was made well from that hour.

When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players, and the crowd in noisy disorder, he said to them, “Make room, because the girl is not dead, but sleeping.”

They were ridiculing him. But when the crowd was put out, he entered in, took her by the hand, and the girl arose. The report of this went out into all that land.

As Jesus passed by from there, two blind men followed him, calling out and saying, “Have mercy on us, son of David!”

When he had come into the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

They told him, “Yes Lord.”

Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.”

Their eyes were opened. Jesus strictly commanded them, saying, “See that no one knows about this.”

But they went out and spread abroad his fame in all that land.

As they went out, behold, a mute man who was demon possessed was brought to him. When the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke. The multitudes marveled, saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!”

But the Pharisees said, “By the prince of the demons, he casts out demons.”

Jesus went about all the cities and the villages, Teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his followers, “The harvest indeed is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest will send out laborers into his harvest.”

He was going on the Sabbath day through the grain fields, and his followers, his disciples began as they went, to pluck the ears of grain. The Pharisees said to him, “Behold, why do they do that which is not lawful on the Sabbath day?”

He said to them, “Did you never read what David did, when he had need, and was hungry—he, and those who were with him? How he entered into God’s house at the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the show bread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and gave also to those who were with him?”

He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

He entered again into the synagogue, and there was a man there who had his hand withered. They watched him, whether he would heal him on the Sabbath day, that they might accuse him. He said to the man who had his hand withered, “Stand up.”

He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath day to do good, or to do harm? To save a life, or to kill?”

But they were silent. When he had looked around at them with anger, being grieved at the hardening of their hearts, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”

He stretched it out, and his hand was restored as healthy as the other. The Pharisees went out, and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him. (The Pharisees and the Herodians previously had no dealings with each other; the Pharisees hated the Herodians, and the Herodians despised the Pharisees.)

Now on the second Sabbath after the first, he was going through the grain fields. His disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate, rubbing them in their hands. But some of the Pharisees said to them, “Why do you do that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath day?”

Jesus, answering them, said, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he, and those who were with him; how he entered into God’s house, and took and ate the show bread, and gave also to those who were with him, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests alone?”

He said to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

It also happened on another Sabbath that he entered into the synagogue and Taught. There was a man there, and his right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against him. But he knew their thoughts; and he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Rise up, and stand in the middle.”

He arose and stood. Then Jesus said to them, “I will ask you something: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do harm? To save a life, or to kill?”

He looked around at them all, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”

He did, and his hand was restored as sound as the other. But they were filled with rage, and talked with one another about what they might do to Jesus. For he was exposing their lack of compassion.

Jesus withdrew to the sea with his disciples, and a great multitude followed him from Galilee, from Judea, from Jerusalem, from Idumaea, beyond the Jordan, and those from around Tyre and Sidon. A great multitude, hearing what great things he did, came to him. He spoke to his followers that a little boat should stay near him because of the crowd, so that they would not press on him. For he had healed many, so that as many as had diseases pressed on him that they might touch him. The unclean spirits, whenever they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, “You are the Son of God!”

He sternly warned them that they should not make him known.

After these things, there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now in Jerusalem by the sheep gate, there is a pool, which is called in Hebrew, “Bethesda”, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, or paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water; for an angel went down at certain times into the pool and stirred up the water. Whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was healed of whatever disease he had. A certain man was there who had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had been sick for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to be made well?”

The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”

Jesus said to him, “Arise, take up your mat, and walk.”

Immediately, the man was made well, and took up his mat and walked.

Now it was the Sabbath on that day. So the Jews said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath. It is not lawful for you to carry the mat.”

(They said this according to their interpretation of what is written in the law of Moses,

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. You shall labor six days, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy.”

The Pharisees had added to this word by declaring that healing is work.)

He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your mat and walk.’ ”

Then they asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your mat and walk’?”

But he who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a crowd being in the place. Afterward Jesus found him in the Temple, and said to him, “Behold, you are made well. Sin no more, so that nothing worse happens to you.”

The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. For this cause the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill him, because he did these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, “My Father is still working, so I am working, too.”

For this cause therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the Sabbath, but also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God. Jesus therefore answered them, “Most certainly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father doing. For whatever things he does, these the Son also does likewise. For the Father has affection for the Son, and shows him all things that he himself does. He will show him greater works than these, that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom he desires. For the Father judges no one, but he has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

“Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. Most certainly I tell you, the hour comes, and now is, when the dead will hear the Son of God’s voice; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, even so he gave to the Son also to have life in himself. He also gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for the hour comes in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice, and will come out; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment. I can of myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous; because I do not seek my own will, but the will of my Father who sent me.

“If I testify about myself, my witness is not valid. It is another who testifies about me. I know that the testimony which he testifies about me is true. You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. But the testimony which I receive is not from man. However, I say these things that you may be saved. He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But the testimony which I have is greater than that of John, for the works which the Father gave me to accomplish, the very works that I do, testify about me, that the Father has sent me. The Father himself, who sent me, has testified about me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form. You do not have his word living in you; because you do not believe him whom he sent.

“You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me. Yet you will not come to me, that you may have life. I do not receive glory from men. But I know you, that you do not have God’s love in yourselves. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, who receive glory from one another, and you do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

“Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you, even Moses, on whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote about me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

After these things, Jesus went away to the other side of the sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A great multitude followed him, because they saw his signs which he did on those who were sick.

In these days he went out into the hills to pray; and all night he continued in prayer to God. When it was day, he called his followers.

Jesus went up into the mountain. He went up into the mountain, and called to himself those whom he wanted, and they went to him, and he sat there with his disciples. And from them he chose twelve, whom he also named apostles: Simon, whom he also named Peter, Rock; Andrew, his brother; James; John; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus; Simon, who was called the Zealot; Judas the son of James; and Judas Iscariot, who also became a traitor. He appointed twelve, that they might be with him, and that he might send them out to preach, and to have authority to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter, Rock); James the son of Zebedee; and John, the brother of James, (whom he called "Boan-erges", which means, Sons of Thunder); Andrew; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus; Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

He came down with them, and stood on a level place, with a crowd of his followers, his disciples, and a great number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; as well as those who were troubled by unclean spirits, and they were being healed. All the multitude sought to touch him, for power came out of him and healed them all.

He lifted up his eyes to his disciples, and said, “Blessed are you who are poor, God’s Kingdom is yours. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude and mock you, and throw out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake. Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven, for their fathers did the same thing to the prophets.

“But woe to you who are rich! For you have received your consolation. Woe to you, you who are full now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe, when men speak well of you, for their fathers did the same thing to the false prophets.

“But I tell you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other; and from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your coat also. Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask him who takes away your goods to give them back again. It is more blessed to give than to receive.

“As you would like people to do to you, do exactly so to them. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.

“Therefore be merciful, even as your Father is also merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Set free, and you will be set free.

“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be given to you. For with the same measure you measure it will be measured back to you.”

He spoke a parable to them. “Can the blind guide the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above his Teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his Teacher. Why do you see the speck of chaff that is in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the wooden beam that is in your own eye? Or how can you tell your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck of chaff that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the beam that is in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck of chaff that is in your brother’s eye. For there is no good tree that produces rotten fruit; nor again a rotten tree that produces good fruit. For each tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings out that which is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings out that which is evil, for out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks.

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say? Everyone who comes to me, and hears my words, and does them, I will show you who he is like. He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep, and laid a foundation on the rock. When a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it was founded on the rock. But he who hears, and does not do, is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”

After he had finished speaking in the hearing of the people, he entered into Capernaum. Then he came into a house.

A certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and at the point of death. When he heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and save his servant. When they came to Jesus, they begged him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy for you to do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he built our synagogue for us.”

Jesus went with them. When he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy for you to come under my roof. Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to you; but say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man placed under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude who followed him, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith, no, not in Israel.”

Those who were sent, returning to the house, found that the servant who had been sick was well.

Soon afterward, he went to a city called "Nay-in". Many of his disciples, along with a great multitude, went with him. Now when he came near to the gate of the city, behold, one who was dead was carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. Many people of the city were with her. When the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said to her, “Do not cry.”

He came near and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!”

He who was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother. Fear took hold of all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited his people!”

This report went out concerning him in the whole of Judea, and in all the surrounding region. The followers of John told him about all these things. John, calling to himself two of his followers, sent them to Jesus, saying, “Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for another?”

When the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptizer has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?’ ”

In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits; and to many who were blind he gave sight. Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John the things which you have seen and heard: that the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me.”

When John’s messengers had departed, he began to tell the multitudes about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are gorgeously dressed, and live delicately, are in kings’ courts. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ For I tell you, among those who are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptizer, yet he who is least in God’s Kingdom is greater than he.”

When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they declared God to be just, having been baptized with John’s baptism. But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the counsel of God, not being baptized by him themselves.

“To what then should I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children who sit in the marketplace, and call to one another, saying, ‘We piped to you, and you did not dance. We mourned, and you did not weep.’ For John the Baptizer came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man, and a drunkard; a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet Wisdom is justified by all her children.”

One of the Pharisees invited him to eat with him. He entered into the Pharisee’s house, and sat at the table. Behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that he was reclining in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. Standing behind at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner.”

Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

He said, “Teacher, say on.”

“A certain lender had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most?”

Simon answered, “He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most.”

He said to him, “You have judged correctly.”

Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered into your house, and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave me no kiss, but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”

He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Those who sat at the table with him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Soon afterward, he went about through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of God’s Kingdom. With him were the twelve, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out; and Joanna, the wife of Chuzas, Herod’s steward; Susanna; and many others; who served them from their possessions.

When a great multitude came together, and people from every city were coming to him, he spoke by a parable. “The farmer went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell along the road, and it was trampled under foot, and the birds of the sky devoured it. Other seed fell on the rock, and as soon as it grew, it withered away, because it had no moisture. Other fell amid the thorns, and the thorns grew with it, and choked it. Other fell into the good ground, and grew, and produced one hundred times as much fruit.”

As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Then his disciples asked him, “What does this parable mean?”

He said, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of God’s Kingdom, but to the rest in parables; that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those along the road are those who hear, then the devil comes, and takes away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock are they who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; but these have no root, who believe for a while, then fall away in time of temptation. That which fell among the thorns, these are those who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. Those in the good ground, these are those who with an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it tightly, and produce fruit with perseverance.

“No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a container, or puts it under a bed; but puts it on a stand, that those who enter in may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be revealed; nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light. Be careful therefore how you hear. For whoever has, to him will be given; and whoever does not have, from him will be taken away even that which he thinks he has.”

His mother and brethren came to him, and they could not come near him for the crowd. Some people told him, “Your mother and your brethren stand outside, desiring to see you.”

But he answered them, “My mother and my brethren are these who hear the word of God, and do it.”

The multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. When his friends heard it, they went out to seize him; for they said, “He is insane.”

The scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul,” and, “By the prince of the demons he casts out the demons.”

He summoned them, and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. If Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end. But no one can enter into the house of the strong man to plunder unless he first binds the strong man; then he will plunder his house. Most certainly I tell you, all sins of the descendants of man will be forgiven, including their blasphemies with which they may blaspheme; but whoever may blaspheme against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation.” —because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

His mother and his brethren came, and standing outside, they sent to him, calling him. A multitude was sitting around him, and they told him, “Behold, your mother, your brethren, and your sisters are outside looking for you.”

He answered them, “Who are my mother and my brethren?”

Looking around at those who sat around him, he said, “Behold, my mother and my brethren! For whoever does the will of God is my brother, my sister, and mother.”

Now on one of those days, again he began to Teach by the seaside. A great multitude was gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat in the sea, and sat down. All the multitude were on the land by the sea. He Taught them many things in parables, and told them in his Teaching, “Listen! Behold, the farmer went out to sow, and as he sowed, some seed fell by the road, and the birds came and devoured it. Others fell on the rocky ground, where it had little soil, and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of soil. When the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. Others fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing. Some produced thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times as much.”

He said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”

When he was alone, those who were around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. He said to them, “To you is given the mystery of God’s Kingdom, but to those who are outside, all things are done in parables, that ‘seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest perhaps they should turn again, and their sins should be forgiven them.’ ”

He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How will you understand all of the parables? The farmer sows the word. The ones by the road are the ones where the word is sown; and when they have heard, immediately Satan comes, and takes away the word which has been sown in them. These in the same way are those who are sown on the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy. They have no root in themselves, but are short-lived. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they stumble. Others are those who are sown among the thorns. These are those who have heard the word, and the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. Those which were sown on the good ground are those who hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, some thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times.”

He said to them, “Is the lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not put on a stand? For there is nothing hidden, except that it should be made known; neither was anything made secret, but that it should come to light. If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.”

He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you, and more will be given to you who hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he who does not have, even that which he has will be taken away from him.”

He said, “God’s Kingdom is as if a man should cast seed on the earth, and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, though he does not know how. For the earth bears fruit: first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the fruit is ripe, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

He said, “How will we liken God’s Kingdom? Or with what parable will we illustrate it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, though it is less important than all the seeds that are on the earth, yet when it is sown, grows up, and becomes greater than all the herbs, and puts out great branches, so that the birds of the sky can lodge under its shadow.”

With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. Without a parable he did not speak to them; but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.

Now on that day, when evening had come, he entered into a boat, himself and his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.”

Leaving the multitude, they took him with them, even as he was, in the boat. Other small boats were also with him. So they launched out. But as they sailed, he fell asleep.

A big wind storm arose. A wind storm came down on the lake, and the waves beat into the boat, and they were taking on dangerous amounts of water, so much that the boat was already filled. He himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. They came to him, and awoke him, saying, “Master, master, we are dying!” They woke him up, and told him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are dying?”

He awoke, and rebuked the wind, and the raging of the water, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” and they ceased, The wind ceased, and there was a great calm; it was calm.

He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith?”

And he said to them, “Where is your faith?”

Being afraid they marveled, saying to one another, “Who is this then, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?”

They were greatly afraid, and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

They came to the other side of the sea. They arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.

When Jesus stepped ashore, when he had come out of the boat, into the country of the Gadarenes, immediately a certain man out of the city with an unclean spirit who had demons for a long time met him out of the tombs. He wore no clothes, and did not live in a house, but he lived in the tombs. Nobody could bind him any more, not even with chains, because he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him, and the fetters broken in pieces. Nobody had the strength to tame him. Always, night and day, in the tombs and in the mountains, he was crying out, and cutting himself with stones. For the unclean spirit had often seized the man. He was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters. Breaking the bonds apart, he was driven by the demon into the desert. When he saw Jesus from afar he cried out! And the man immediately began running toward him. He ran toward him and Jesus said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”

He immediately bowed down to him, for Jesus was commanding the unclean spirit to come out of the man, for he said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”

Jesus commanded the unclean spirit to come out. And he fell down before him, and crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have I to do with you, Jesus, you Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, I beg you, do not torment me, do not torment me!”

Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

He asked him, “What is your name?”

He said to him, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”

He said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered into him. He begged him much that he would not send them away out of the country. They begged him that he would not command them to go into the abyss.

Now on the mountainside there was there a great herd of many pigs feeding on the mountain, and they begged him that he would allow them to enter into those. All the demons begged him, saying, “Send us into the pigs, that we may enter into them.”

Then at once he allowed them, Jesus gave them permission. The unclean spirits came out. The demons came out of the man, and entered into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake, the sea of Galilee. The herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and they were drowned in the sea.

When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled. Those who fed them fled, and told it in the city and in the country.

People went out to see what had happened. The people came to see what it was that had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, and saw him who had been possessed by demons sitting at Jesus’s feet, clothed, and in his right mind, even him who had the legion; and they were afraid.

Those who saw it declared to them what happened to him who was possessed by demons, told them how he who had been possessed by demons was healed, and about the pigs. All the people of the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from them. They began to beg him to depart from their region, for they were very much afraid.

As he was entering into the boat, he who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. He did not allow him, but said to him, “Go to your house, to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how he had mercy on you.”

Then he entered into the boat. But the man from whom the demons had gone out begged him that he might go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your house, and declare what great things God has done for you.”

He went his way, and began to proclaim in Decapolis how Jesus had done great things for him, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

When Jesus had crossed back over in the boat to the other side and returned, a great multitude was gathered to him; the multitude welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him; and he was by the sea.

Behold, a man named Jairus came. He was a ruler of the synagogue. One of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, came; and seeing him, he fell down at Jesus’s feet. He fell at his feet, and begged him to come into his house, and begged him much, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Please come and lay your hands on her, that she may be made healthy, and live.”

For he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.

He went with him, and a great multitude followed him. But as he went, the multitudes pressed against him, and they pressed upon him on all sides.

A certain woman, who had a discharge of blood for twelve years, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things by many physicians, who had spent all her living on physicians and could not be healed by any, and had spent all that she had, and was no better, but rather grew worse, having heard the things concerning Jesus, came up behind him in the crowd, and touched his clothes, the fringe of his cloak. For she said, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be made well.”

Immediately the flow of her blood stopped, was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Jesus said, “Who touched me?”

Jesus, immediately perceiving in himself that the power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd, and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

This he said to test her, for he himself knew who had touched him. His disciples said to him, “You see the multitude pressing against you, and you say, ‘Who touched me’?”

When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes press and jostle you, and you say, ‘Who touched me’?”

But Jesus said, “Someone did touch me, for I perceived that power has gone out of me.”

He looked around to see her who had done this thing. But when the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had been done to her, saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. Falling down before him she declared to him in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. He said to her, “Daughter, cheer up. Your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be cured of your disease.”

While he was still speaking, people came from the synagogue ruler’s house saying, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher any more?”

While he still spoke, one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house came, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.”

But Jesus hearing it, answered him, “Do not be afraid. Only believe, and she will be healed.”

Jesus, when he heard the message spoken, immediately said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid, only believe.”

He allowed no one to follow him, except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.

He came to the synagogue ruler’s house, and he saw an uproar, weeping, and great wailing. When he came to the house, he did not allow anyone to enter in, except Peter, John, James, the father of the child, and her mother. All were weeping and mourning her, but he said, “Do not weep. She is not dead, but sleeping.”

They ridiculed him.

When he had entered in, he said to them, “Why do you make an uproar and weep? The child is not dead, but is asleep.”

They were ridiculing him, knowing that she was dead. But he put them all outside; he, having put them all out, took the father of the child, her mother, and those who were with him, and went in where the child was lying. Taking the child by the hand, he said to her, “Talitha cumi!” which means, being interpreted, “Girl, I tell you, get up!”

And taking her by the hand, he called, saying, “Child, arise!”

Her spirit returned, and she rose up immediately. Immediately the girl rose up and walked, for she was twelve years old. They were amazed with great amazement. Her parents were amazed, but he commanded them to tell no one what had been done. He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and commanded that something should be given to her to eat.

He called to himself his twelve disciples. He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over unclean spirits, over all demons, to cast them out, and to cure diseases, to heal every disease and every sickness. He sent them out to preach God’s Kingdom and to heal the sick. He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey. no staffs, nor wallet, nor bread, nor money. Do not have two coats each. Into whatever house you enter, stay there, and depart from there. As many as do not receive you, when you depart from that city, shake off even the dust from your feet for a testimony against them.”

Now the names of the twelve apostles are these. The first, Simon, who is called Peter; Andrew, his brother; James the son of Zebedee; John, his brother; Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus; Lebbaeus, who was also called Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

Jesus sent these twelve out, and commanded them, saying, “Do not go among the Gentiles, and do not enter into any city of the Samaritans. Rather, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, preach, saying, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Freely you received, so freely give. Do not take any gold, silver, or brass in your money belts. Take no bag for your journey, neither two coats, nor shoes, nor staff: for the laborer is worthy of his food. Into whatever city or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy; and stay there, before you go on. As you enter into the household, greet it. If the household is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. Whoever does not receive you, nor hear your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet. Most certainly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.

“Behold, I send you out as sheep among wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you. Yes, and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations. But when they deliver you up, do not be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

“Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death. You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved. But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next, for most certainly I tell you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man has come.

“A disciple is not above his Teacher, nor a servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be like his Teacher, and the servant like his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household! Therefore do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed; and hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim on the housetops. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.

“Are not two sparrows sold for an assarion coin? Not one of them falls on the ground apart from your Father’s will, but the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore do not be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows. Everyone therefore who confesses me before men, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven.

“Do not think that I came to send peace on the earth. I did not come to send peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s foes will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. He who does not take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me. He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it. He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. He who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you he will in no way lose his reward.”

When Jesus had finished directing his twelve disciples, he departed from there to Teach and preach in their cities. They departed and went throughout the villages, preaching the Good News and healing everywhere.

Now when John heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to him, “Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?”

Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me.”

As these went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written,

“ ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’

“Most certainly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptizer; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptizer to now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied up to John. If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

“But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces, who call to their companions and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance. We mourned for you, and you did not lament.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”

Then he began to denounce the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. “Woe to you "Ko-razin"! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. You, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, you will go down to Hades. For if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in you, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom, on the day of judgment, than for you.”

At that time, Jesus answered, “I thank you Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants. Yes Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight. All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him.

“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

At that time, Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the grain fields. His disciples were hungry and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to him, “Behold, your disciples do what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.”

But he said to them, “Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him; how he entered into God’s house, and ate the show bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law, that on the Sabbath day, the priests in the Temple profane the Sabbath, and are guiltless? But I tell you that One greater than the Temple is here. But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ “you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

He departed from there, and went into their synagogue. And behold there was a man with a withered hand. They asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?” that they might accuse him.

He said to them, “What man is there among you, who has one sheep, and if this one falls into a pit on the Sabbath day, will he not grab on to it, and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day.”

Then he told the man, “Stretch out your hand.”

He stretched it out; and it was restored whole, just like the other. But the Pharisees went out, and conspired against him, how they might destroy him. Jesus, perceiving that, withdrew from there. Great multitudes followed him; and he healed them all, and commanded them that they should not make him known: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,

“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen; my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my Spirit on him. He will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not strive, nor shout; neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets. He will not break a bruised reed. He will not quench a smoking flax, before he leads justice to victory. In his name, the nations will have confident expectation.”

Then one possessed by a demon, blind and mute, was brought to him and he healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. All the multitudes were amazed, and said, “Can this be the son of David?”

But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “This man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons.”

Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then God’s Kingdom has come upon you. Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man, and plunder his goods, unless he first bind the strong man? Then he will plunder his house.

“He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters. Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, neither in this age, nor in that which is to come.

“Either make the tree good, and its fruit good, or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by its fruit. You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. The good man out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings out evil things. I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”

But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, someone greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the south will rise up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, someone greater than Solomon is here.

“When an unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places, seeking rest, and does not find it. Then he says, ‘I will return into my house from which I came out,’ and when he has come back, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes, and takes with himself seven other spirits more evil than he is, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the first. Even so will it be also to this evil generation.”

While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brethren stood outside, seeking to speak to him. One said to him, “Behold, your mother and your brethren stand outside, seeking to speak to you.”

But he answered him who spoke to him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brethren?”

He stretched out his hand toward his disciples, and said, “Behold, my mother and my brethren! For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

On that day Jesus went out of the house, and sat by the seaside. The twelve were away, preaching the Good News throughout the villages and healing everywhere. Great multitudes gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat, and sat, and all the multitude stood on the beach. He spoke to them many things in parables, saying, “Behold, a farmer went out to sow. As he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds came and devoured them. Others fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of earth. When the sun had risen, they were scorched. Because they had no root, they withered away. Others fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and choked them. Others fell on good soil, and yielded fruit: some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

The disciples came, and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”

He answered them, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them. For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance, but whoever does not have, from him will be taken away even that which he has. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing, they do not hear, neither do they understand. In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, ‘By hearing you will hear, and will in no way understand; Seeing you will see, and will in no way perceive: for this people’s heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of hearing, they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again; and I would heal them.’

“But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. For most certainly I tell you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which you see, and did not see them; and to hear the things which you hear, and did not hear them.

“Hear, then, the parable of the farmer. When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil one comes, and snatches away that which has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown by the roadside. What was sown on the rocky places, this is he who hears the word, and immediately with joy receives it; yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. What was sown among the thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. What was sown on the good ground, this is he who hears the word, and understands it, who most certainly bears fruit, and produces, some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.”

He set another parable before them, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while people slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel seeds also among the wheat, and went away. But when the blade sprang up and produced fruit, then the darnel weeds appeared also. The servants of the householder came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where did these darnel weeds come from?’

“He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’

“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and gather them up?’

“But he said, ‘No, lest perhaps while you gather up the darnel weeds, you root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together to the harvest, and in the harvest time I will tell the reapers, “First, gather up the darnel weeds, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

He set another parable before them, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field; which indeed is smaller than all seeds. But when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches.”

He spoke another parable to them. “The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, not stopping before it was all leavened.”

Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the multitudes; and without a parable, he did not speak to them, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying,

“I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.”

Then Jesus sent the multitudes away, and went into the house. His disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the darnel weeds of the field.”

He answered them, “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the children of the Kingdom; and the darnel seeds are the children of the evil one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. As therefore the darnel weeds are gathered up and burned with fire; so will it be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and those who do iniquity, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in the field, which a man found, and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a merchant seeking fine pearls, who having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a dragnet, that was cast into the sea, and gathered some fish of every kind, which, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach. They sat down, and gathered the good into containers, but the bad they threw away. So will it be in the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked from among the righteous, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.”

Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?”

They answered him, “Yes, Lord.”

He said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been made a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a householder, who brings out of his treasure new and old things.”

When Jesus had finished these parables, he departed and went out from there. He came into his own country, and his disciples followed him. Coming into his own country, he Taught them in their synagogue. When the Sabbath had come, he began to Teach in the synagogue, so that they were astonished; and many hearing him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things?” and, “What is the wisdom that is given to this man, that such mighty works come about by his hands? Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, Jo-sess, Judah, and Simon? Are not his sisters here with us?”

They were offended at him, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brethren, James, Jo-sess, Simon, and Judas? Are not all of his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all of these things?”

They were offended by him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own relatives, and in his own house.”

He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. He could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people, and healed them. He marveled because of their unbelief.

He went around the villages Teaching.

He called to himself the twelve, and began to send them out two by two; and he gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a staff only: no bread, no wallet, no money in their purse, but to wear sandals, and not put on two tunics. He said to them, “Wherever you enter into a house, stay there to the day you depart from there. Whoever will not receive you nor hear you, as you depart from there, shake off the dust that is under your feet for a testimony against them. Assuredly, I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!”

They went out and preached that people should repent. They cast out many demons, and anointed many with oil who were sick, and healed them.

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Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 15-21 adapted for audio computer Read aloud