Difference between revisions of "User:IndependentSkeptic/draft page"

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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.
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Note: this contributor has permanently withdrawn from Conservapedia.
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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. --[[User:IndependentSkeptic|IndependentSkeptic]] ([[User talk: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)=
 
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==[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form - Index for audio computer Read aloud]]==
 
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[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version)|Main article]]
 
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;Index
 
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===[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 1-7 adapted for audio computer Read aloud]]===
 
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===[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 8-14 adapted for audio computer Read aloud]]===
 
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===[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 15-21 adapted for audio computer Read aloud]]===
 
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===[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 22-28 adapted for audio computer Read aloud]]===
 
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===[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 29-35 adapted for audio computer Read aloud]]===
 
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===[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 36-42 adapted for audio computer Read aloud]]===
 
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===[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 43-49 adapted for audio computer Read aloud]]===
 
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===[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 50-56 adapted for audio computer Read aloud]]===
 
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===[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 57-63 adapted 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 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]]=
 
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[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version)|'''click here to go to the Main article - Introduction''']]
 
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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.
 
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;Chapter headings
 
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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.
 
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;Text additions
 
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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.
 
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;Adapting large paragraphs
 
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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]].
 
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;Punctuation
 
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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. 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 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. 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, sometimes even when 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.
 
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;Inverted phrases
 
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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.
 
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;Weird mispronunciations
 
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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.
 
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;Useless dictionary phonetic forms
 
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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 [[IPA|International Phonetic Alphabet]]. It doesn't work.
 
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;Vocal tense
 
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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.
 
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;An illustration
 
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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.
 
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Example:
 
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;Harmony of the Gospel Shorter Form, the legal genealogy of Joseph the husband of Mary
 
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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.
 
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;Harmony of the Gospel Narrative Form, the legal genealogy of Joseph the husband of Mary
 
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Now Joseph, the husband of Mary from whom was born Jesus who is called Christ: died.
 
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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".
 
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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".
 
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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".
 
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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".
 
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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.
 
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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.
 
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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".
 
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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.
 
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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".
 
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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.
 
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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.
 
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You can hear the difference.
 
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;Listening times
 
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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.
 
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;Here is an Index of direct links to the pages of the narrative form of ''Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version)''
 
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===[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 1-7 adapted for audio computer Read aloud|Chapters 1-7]]===
 
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===[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 8-14 adapted for audio computer Read aloud|Chapters 8-14]]===
 
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===[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 15-21 adapted for audio computer Read aloud|Chapters 15-21]]===
 
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===[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 22-28 adapted for audio computer Read aloud|Chapters 22-28]]===
 
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===[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 29-35 adapted for audio computer Read aloud|Chapters 29-35]]===
 
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===[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 36-42 adapted for audio computer Read aloud|Chapters 36-42]]===
 
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===[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 43-49 adapted for audio computer Read aloud|Chapters 43-49]]===
 
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===[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 50-56 adapted for audio computer Read aloud|Chapters 50-56]]===
 
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===[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 57-63 adapted for audio computer Read aloud|Chapters 57-63]]===
 
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[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 1-7 adapted for audio computer Read aloud|Click here to go to the next page: Chapters 1-7]].
 
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[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form Index for audio computer Read aloud|Click here to go to Index]]
 
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=[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 1-7 adapted for audio computer Read aloud]]=
 
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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!
 
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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 instructed.
 
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Let us begin.
 
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The beginning of the everlasting Good News of Jesus Christ the Son of God (which is being interpreted: Jesus Anointed, the Son of God).
 
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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.
 
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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.
 
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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.
 
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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.
 
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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.
 
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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.
 
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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.
 
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“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.
 
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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.
 
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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.
 
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Not everyone who calls him “Lord”, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of his Father in heaven.
 
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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.
 
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Jesus said, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent”:
 
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“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.”
 
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“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.”
 
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“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.”
 
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Amen. Yes. Come Lord Jesus.
 
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He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
 
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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.
 
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And so it was, that in the days of Herod the king of Judea there was a certain priest named Zacharias of the priestly division of "Abea". 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.
 
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An angel of the Lord appeared to him standing on the right side of the altar of incense. Zacharias was troubled when he saw him and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid Zacharias, 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.”
 
−
 
 
−
Zacharias 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 Zacharias, 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.
 
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:“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.”
 
−
 
 
−
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.
 
−
 
 
−
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 Zacharias 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 Zacharias 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 Zacharias 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 Heli 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 Heli, according to Eusebius, born of one woman, Estha their mother, who was wife to Matthan and to Matthat, 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 Matthan of the house of David became the father of Joseph the son of Heli the son of Matthat of the house of David.
 
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−
And this is the genealogy of Joseph son of David. The sons of David who were born to him in Hebron: Amnon, Daniel, Absalom, Adonijah, Shephatiah, Ithream: six were born to him in Hebron; and these were born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon, Ibhar, Elishama, Eliphelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine. All these were the sons of David. These are the heads of the clans of the house of David.
 
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−
David became the father of Solomon. Solomon became the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam became the father of Abijah. Abijah became the father of Asa. Asa became the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat became the father of Joram. Joram became the father of Uzziah. Uzziah became the father of Jotham. Jotham became the father of Ahaz. Ahaz became the father of Hezekiah. Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh. Manasseh became the father of Amon. Amon became the father of Josiah. Josiah became the father of Jechoniah. Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel became the father of Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel became the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim. Eliakim became the father of Azor. Azor became the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim. Achim became the father of Eliud. Eliud became the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan. Matthan became the father of Jacob. And Jacob became the father 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.
 
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−
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 Quirinius 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 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.”
 
−
 
 
−
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.
 
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−
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 [[gematria]] 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 Perez and Zerah by Tamar, five. Perez became the father of Hezron, six. Hezron became the father of Ram, seven. Ram became the father of Amminadab, eight. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, nine. Nahshon became the father of Salmon, ten. Salmon became the father of Boaz by Rahab, eleven. Boaz became the father of Obed by Ruth, twelve. Obed became the father of Jesse, thirteen. Jesse became the father of King David, fourteen.
 
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−
David became the father of Solomon by her who had been Uriah’s wife, one. Solomon became the father of Rehoboam, two. Rehoboam became the father of Abijah, three. Abijah 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 Ahaziah, seven. The son of Ahaziah was Joash, eight. The son of Joash was Amaziah, nine. The son of Amaziah was Azariah, also called Uzziah, ten. (But Joram was the father of Uzziah.) Uzziah became the father of Jotham, eleven. Jotham became the father of Ahaz, twelve. Ahaz became the father of Hezekiah, thirteen. Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh, fourteen, the first of that generation deported to Babylon. (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 Amon, the second generation. Amon became the father of Josiah, the third generation. Josiah became the father of Jechoniah 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.”
 
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−
After the exile to Babylon, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel, one. Shealtiel became the father of Zerubbabel, two. Zerubbabel became the father of Abiud, three. Abiud became the father of Eliakim, four. Eliakim became the father of Azor, five. Azor became the father of Zadok, six. Zadok became the father of Achim, seven. Achim became the father of Eliud, eight. Eliud became the father of Eleazar, nine. Eleazar became the father of Matthan, ten. Matthan 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.
 
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−
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.
 
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−
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.” ’ ”
 
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−
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.”
 
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−
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 Phanuel 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.
 
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−
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, behold, two years later wise men 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.”
 
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−
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.’ ”
 
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−
Then Herod secretly called the wise men 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.”
 
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−
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 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.
 
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−
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.”
 
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−
Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, 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 wise men. 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.”
 
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−
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.”
 
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−
He arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that "Ark-e-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 means “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 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.”
 
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−
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 days of Passover, 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. 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''':'''
 
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−
“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.”
 
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−
“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 subject 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 "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.
 
−
 
 
−
So all the generations from Adam to Jesus are seventy-seven generations: from Adam to Enoch seven generations, and from Enoch to Shelah seven generations, and from Shelah 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 Shealtiel seven generations, and from Shealtiel through Rhesa son of Zerubbabel to Mattathias seven generations, and from Mattathias to Joseph seven generations, and from Joseph to Jesus seven generations.
 
−
 
 
−
And the child John the son of Zech-a-rias 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.
 
−
 
 
−
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 [[Geopolitics|geopolitically]] situated 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 Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias 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 content 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 Zacharias 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; he was hungry afterward.
 
−
 
 
−
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 proceeds 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 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 Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee.
 
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[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 8-14 adapted for audio computer Read aloud|Click here to go to the next page]].
 
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[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form Index for audio computer Read aloud|Click here to go to Index]]
 
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[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 22-28 adapted for audio computer Read aloud|Click here to go to the next page]].
 
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[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version) narrative form of Chapters 29-35 adapted for audio computer Read aloud|Click here to go to the next page]].
 
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[[Harmony of the Gospel (Conservative Version)|Click here to go to Main article]]
 

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