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THE BIRTH OF JESUS Now the birth of Jesus Christ
was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before
they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And
Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her,
planned to send her away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold,
an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of
David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has
been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you
shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."
Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through
the prophet: "BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON,
AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which translated means, "GOD WITH
US. And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded
him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth
to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.
THE VISIT OF THE MAGI Now after Jesus was born in
Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived
in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?
For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him." When Herod
the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Gathering
together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of
them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, "In Bethlehem
of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: 'AND YOU, BETHLEHEM,
LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT
OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.'" Then
Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time
the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search
carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so
that I too may come and worship Him." After hearing the king, they went
their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before
them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they
saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into
the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the
ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented
to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned by
God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country
by another way. -- 2:1-12
THE MINISTRY OF JOHN THE BAPTIZER I say to you that from these
stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. The axe is already
laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear
good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. As for me, I baptize you
with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than
I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the
Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly
clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn,
but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. -- 3:9-12
THE BAPTISM OF JESUS After being baptized, Jesus
came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened,
and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him,
and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in
whom I am well-pleased." -- 3:16-17
THE THREE TEMPTATIONS OF JESUS The tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." But He answered and said, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'" Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand 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 WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.'" Jesus said to him, "On the other hand, it is written, 'YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.'" Again, the devil took Him
to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and
their glory; and he said to Him, "All these things I will give You, if
You fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Go, Satan! For
it is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR
THE BEATITUDES Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
THE SALT OF THE EARTH You are the salt of the earth;
but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It
is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under
foot by men. -- 5:13
THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD You are the light of the world.
A city set on a [6]hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp
and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to
all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way
that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
-- 5:14-16
THE FULFILMENT OF THE LAW Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. -- 5:17-20 TURN THE OTHER CHEEK You have heard that it was said, "AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH." But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. -- 5:38-39 LOVE YOUR ENEMIES Love your enemies and pray
for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who
is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and
sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those
who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do
the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than
others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect,
as your heavenly Father is perfect. -- 5:44-48
GIVE IN SECRET But when you give to the poor,
do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your
giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret
will reward you. -- 6:3-4
THE LORD'S PRAYER Pray, then, in this way: "Our
Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your
will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do
not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. ( For Yours is the
kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. )" -- 6:9-13
TREASURE IN HEAVEN Do not store up for yourselves
treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break
in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither
moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for
where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. -- 6:19-21
THE LAMP OF THE BODY The eye is the lamp of the
body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light.
But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then
the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! -- 6:22-23
TWO MASTERS No one can serve two masters;
for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted
to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. -- 6:24
DO NOT BE ANXIOUS Do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, "What will we eat?" or "What will we drink?" or "What will we wear for clothing?" For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. -- 6:25-34 JUDGE NOT... Do not judge so that you will
not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged. Why
do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice
the log that is in your own eye? Or how [2]can you say to your brother,
"Let me take the speck out of your eye," and behold, the log is in
ASK ... SEEK ... KNOCK Ask, and it will be given
to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who
knocks it will be opened -- 7:7-8
THE NARROW GATE Enter through the narrow gate;
for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and
THE HOUSE BUILT ON THE ROCK Everyone who hears these words
of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house
on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds
blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had
been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine
and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house
on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew
and slammed against that house; and it fell -- and great was its fall.
-- 7:24-27
THE AUTHORITY TO FORGIVE SINS "Which is easier, to say,
'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, and walk'? But so that
you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"
-- then He said to the paralytic, "Get up, pick up your bed and go home."
-- 9:5-6
NEW WINESKINS But no one puts a patch of
unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment,
and a worse tear results. Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins;
otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins
are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.
-- 9:16-17
PROCLAIM IT FROM THE HOUSETOPS There is nothing concealed
that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What
I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered
in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. Do not fear those who kill
the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able
to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold
for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from
your Father.
REST FOR YOUR SOULS Come to Me, all who are weary
and heavy-laden, 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.
-- 11:28-30
KINGDOMS IN CONFLICT Any kingdom divided against
itself is laid waste; and
THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER AND THE SEED Behold, the sower went out
to sow; and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds
came and ate them up. Others fell on the rocky places, where they
did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had
no depth of soil.
Hear then the parable of the
sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand
it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart.
This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. The one on
whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word
and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself,
but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because
of the word, immediately he falls away. And the one on whom seed
was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the
worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and
it becomes unfruitful. And the one on whom seed was sown on the good
soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed
bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some
thirty. -- 13:18-23
THE FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND When He went ashore, He saw
a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick.
WALKING ON WATER And in the fourth watch of
the night He came to them, walking on the sea. When the disciples
saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, "It is a ghost!"
And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them,
saying, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid." Peter said to
Him, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." And
He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the
water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened,
and beginning to sink, he cried out, Lord, save me!" Immediately
Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, "You
of little faith, why did you doubt?" When they got into the boat,
the wind stopped. -- 14:25-32
UNCLEANNESS The things that proceed out
of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. For out
of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts,
false witness, slanders. These are the things which defile the man;
but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man. -- 15:18-20
PETER'S CONFESSION OF FAITH Now when Jesus came into the
district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, "Who do
PETER'S LACK OF FAITH But He turned and said to
Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you
are
TAKE UP YOUR CROSS If anyone wishes to come after
Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For
whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life
for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains
the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in
THE LOST SHEEP If any man has a hundred sheep,
and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the
mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? If it turns
out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than
over the ninety- nine which have not gone astray. So it is not the
will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.
-- 18:12-14
THE POWER OF PRAYER Truly I say to you, whatever
you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose
on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, that
if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall
be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or
three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst. --
18:18-20
FORGIVENESS Peter came and said to Him,
"Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up
SELF DENIAL Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name's sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life ... many who are first will be last; and the last, first. -- 19:30 Whoever wishes to become great
among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you
shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served,
but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. -- 20:26-28
THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT "Teacher, which is the great
commandment in the Law?" And He said to him, "'YOU SHALL LOVE THE
LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART,
THE SIGNS OF THE LAST DAYS As He was sitting on the Mount
of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when
will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and
of the end of the age?"
THE SHEEP AND GOAT JUDGMENT When the Son of Man comes
in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious
throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will
separate them from one another, as the
THE BODY AND THE BLOOD While they were eating, Jesus
took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the
THE CRUCIFIXION And Jesus cried out again
with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. And behold, the veil
of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and
the rocks were split. The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the
saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after
His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many. -- 27:50-53
THE RESURRECTION Do not be afraid; for I know
that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not
here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was
lying. Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the
dead. -- 28:5-7
THE GREAT COMMISSION All authority has been given
to Me in heaven and on
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