Day 23 of 365

¹Now it happened in those days, that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.

²This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

³All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city.

⁴Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David;

⁵to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him, being pregnant.

⁶It happened, while they were there, that the day had come that she should give birth.

⁷She brought forth her firstborn son, and she wrapped him in bands of cloth, and placed him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.

⁸There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock.

⁹Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

¹⁰The 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.

¹¹For there is born to you, this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Messiah, the Lord.

¹²This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough."

¹³Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying,

¹⁴"Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased."

¹⁵It happened, when the angels went away from them into the sky, that the men, the shepherds, said one to another, "Let us go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us."

¹⁶They came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough.

¹⁷When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child.

¹⁸All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds.

¹⁹But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart.

²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.

²¹When eight days were fulfilled to circumcise him, his name was called Jesus, which was given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

²²When 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

²³(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord"),

²⁴and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the Law of the Lord, "A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons."

²⁵Behold, 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.

²⁶It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah.

²⁷He came in the Spirit into the temple. When the parents brought in the child, Jesus, that they might do concerning him according to the requirement of the Law,

²⁸then he received him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,

²⁹"Now you are releasing your servant, Master, according to your word, in peace;

³⁰for my eyes have seen your salvation,

³¹which you have prepared before the face of all peoples;

³²a light for revelation to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel."

³³And his father and his mother were marveling at the things which were spoken concerning him,

³⁴and 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.

³⁵Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

³⁶There was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher (she was of a great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity,

³⁷and she had been a widow for about eighty-four years), who did not depart from the temple, worshipping with fastings and petitions night and day.

³⁸Coming up at that very hour, she gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all those who were looking for redemption in Jerusalem.

³⁹When they had accomplished all things that were according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.

⁴⁰The child was growing, and was becoming strong, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

⁴¹His parents went every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover.

⁴²When he was twelve years old, they went up according to the custom of the feast,

⁴³and when they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it,

⁴⁴but supposing him to be in the company, they went a day's journey, and they looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances.

⁴⁵When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking for him.

⁴⁶It happened after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them, and asking them questions.

⁴⁷All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

⁴⁸When 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."

⁴⁹He said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"

⁵⁰They did not understand the saying which he spoke to them.

⁵¹And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth. He was subject to them, and his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

⁵²And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

¹Now 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,

²in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the wilderness.

³He came into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming the baptism of repentance for remission of sins.

⁴As it is written in the scroll 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.

⁵Every valley will be filled. Every mountain and hill will be brought low. The crooked will become straight, and the rough ways smooth.

⁶All flesh will see God's salvation.'"

⁷He 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?

⁸Bring forth therefore 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!

⁹Even now the axe also lies at the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bring forth good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire."

¹⁰The multitudes asked him, "What then must we do?"

¹¹He answered them, "He who has two coats, let him give to him who has none. He who has food, let him do likewise."

¹²Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher, what must we do?"

¹³He said to them, "Collect no more than that which is appointed to you."

¹⁴Soldiers 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."

¹⁵As the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he was the Messiah,

¹⁶John 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 with fire,

¹⁷whose fan is in his hand, to thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

¹⁸Then with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people,

¹⁹but Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias, his brother's wife, and for all the evil things which Herod had done,

²⁰added this also to them all, that he shut up John in prison.

²¹Now it happened, when all the people were baptized, Jesus also had been baptized, and was praying. The sky was opened,

²²and 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."

²³Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years old, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Eli,

²⁴the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,

²⁵the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,

²⁶the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Shimei, the son of Josech, the son of Joda,

²⁷the son of John, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,

²⁸the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,

²⁹the son of Jesus, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,

³⁰the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,

³¹the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattathah, the son of Nathan, the son of David,

³²the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,

³³the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,

³⁴the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,

³⁵the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,

³⁶the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,

³⁷the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Kenan,

³⁸the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

¹Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness

²for forty days, being tempted by the devil. He ate nothing in those days. When they were completed, he was hungry.

³The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread."

⁴Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone.'"

⁵He led him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

⁶The 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.

⁷If you therefore will worship before me, it will all be yours."

⁸Jesus answered and said to him, "It is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.'"

⁹He 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,

¹⁰for it is written, 'He will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you;'

¹¹and, 'On their hands they will bear you up, lest perhaps you dash your foot against a stone.'"

¹²Jesus answering, said to him, "It is said, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'"

¹³When the devil had completed every temptation, he departed from him until another time.

¹⁴Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and news about him spread through all the surrounding area.

¹⁵He taught in their synagogues, being praised by all.

¹⁶He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. He entered, as was his custom, into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.

¹⁷The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He opened the scroll, and found the place where it was written,

¹⁸"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed,

¹⁹and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."

²⁰He closed the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him.

²¹He began to tell them, "Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

²²All testified about him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, and they said, "Is not this Joseph's son?"

²³He said to them, "Doubtless you will tell me this parable, 'Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done at Capernaum, do also here in your hometown.'"

²⁴He said, "Truly I tell you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.

²⁵But truly I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land.

²⁶Elijah was sent to none of them, except to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.

²⁷There were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed, except Naaman, the Syrian."

²⁸They were all filled with wrath in the synagogue, as they heard these things.

²⁹They rose up, threw him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill that their city was built on, that they might throw him off the cliff.

³⁰But he, passing through the midst of them, went his way.

³¹He came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. He was teaching them on the Sabbath day,

³²and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word was with authority.

³³In the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon, and he shouted with a loud voice,

³⁴saying, "Ah! what have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know you who you are: the Holy One of God!"

³⁵Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" When the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm.

³⁶Amazement came on all, and they spoke together, one with another, saying, "What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!"

³⁷News about him went out into every place of the surrounding region.

³⁸He rose up from the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. Simon's mother-in-law was afflicted with a great fever, and they begged him for her.

³⁹He stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her. Immediately she rose up and served them.

⁴⁰When the sun was setting, all those who had any sick with various diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.

⁴¹Demons also came out from many, crying out, and saying, "You are the Son of God!" Rebuking them, he did not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Messiah.

⁴²When it was day, he departed and went into an uninhabited place, and the multitudes looked for him, and came to him, and held on to him, so that he would not go away from them.

⁴³But he said to them, "I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God to the other cities also. For this reason I have been sent."

⁴⁴He was proclaiming in the synagogues of Judea.

¹The Lord is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing.

²He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.

³He restores my soul. He guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

⁴Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

⁵You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup runs over.

⁶Surely goodness and loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the Lord's house forever.

¹When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you;

²put a knife to your throat, if you are a man given to appetite.

³Do not be desirous of his dainties, seeing they are deceitful food.

⁴Do not weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint.

⁵Why do you set your eyes on that which is not? For it certainly sprouts wings like an eagle and flies in the sky.

⁶Do not eat the food of him who has a stingy eye, and do not crave his delicacies:

⁷for as he thinks about the cost, so he is. "Eat and drink!" he says to you, but his heart is not with you.

⁸The morsel which you have eaten you shall vomit up, and lose your good words.

⁹Do not speak in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.

¹⁰Do not move the ancient boundary stone. Do not encroach on the fields of the fatherless:

¹¹for their Defender is strong. He will plead their case against you.

¹²Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge.

¹³Do not withhold correction from a child. If you punish him with the rod, he will not die.

¹⁴Punish him with the rod, and save his soul from Sheol.

¹⁵My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad, even mine:

¹⁶yes, my heart will rejoice, when your lips speak what is right.

¹⁷Do not let your heart envy sinners; but rather fear the Lord all the day long.

¹⁸Indeed surely there is a future hope, and your hope will not be cut off.

¹⁹Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path!

²⁰Do not be among ones drinking too much wine, or those who gorge themselves on meat:

²¹for the drunkard and the glutton shall become poor; and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

²²Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.

²³Buy the truth, and do not sell it. Get wisdom, discipline, and understanding.

²⁴The father of the righteous has great joy. Whoever fathers a wise child delights in him.

²⁵Let your father and your mother be glad! Let her who bore you rejoice!

²⁶My son, give me your heart; and let your eyes keep in my ways.

²⁷For a prostitute is a deep pit; and a wayward wife is a narrow well.

²⁸Yes, she lies in wait like a robber, and increases the unfaithful among men.

²⁹Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?

³⁰Those who stay long at the wine; those who go to seek out mixed wine.

³¹Do not look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly.

³²In the end, it bites like a snake, and poisons like a viper.

³³Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will imagine confusing things.

³⁴Yes, you will be as he who lies down in the midst of the sea, or as he who lies on top of the rigging:

³⁵"They hit me, and I was not hurt! They beat me, and I do not feel it! When will I wake up? I can do it again. I can find another."