He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

They were both righteous in the sight of God, following all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.

Now the whole crowd of people were praying outside at the hour of the incense offering.

When his time of service was over, he went to his home.

After some time his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, and for five months she kept herself in seclusion. She said,

to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.

But she was greatly troubled by his words and began to wonder about the meaning of this greeting.

So the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God!

as he promised to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

So Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then returned to her home.

They said to her, “But none of your relatives bears this name.”

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because he has come to help and has redeemed his people.

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High. For you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,

to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

and to offer a sacrifice according to what is specified in the law of the Lord, a pair of doves or two young pigeons.

Indeed, as a result of him the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed – and a sword will pierce your own soul as well!”

So when Joseph and Mary had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.

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

So Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years old. He was the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,

Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness,