After assembling all the chief priests and experts in the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.

‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me,

In reply all the people said, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!”

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

Now the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they began to wonder why he was delayed in the holy place.

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

Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized. And while he was praying, the heavens opened,

After Jesus had finished teaching all this to the people, he entered Capernaum.

(Now all the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, acknowledged God’s justice, because they had been baptized with John’s baptism.

but they could not find a way to do it, for all the people hung on his words.

Thus they were unable in the presence of the people to trap him with his own words. And stunned by his answer, they fell silent.

The chief priests and the experts in the law were trying to find some way to execute Jesus, for they were afraid of the people.

A great number of the people followed him, among them women who were mourning and wailing for him.

(Now it was Caiaphas who had advised the Jewish leaders that it was to their advantage that one man die for the people.)

Every person who does not obey that prophet will be destroyed and thus removed from the people.’

angry because they were teaching the people and announcing in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.

“Go and stand in the temple courts and proclaim to the people all the words of this life.”

Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.

Before Jesus arrived, John had proclaimed a baptism for repentance to all the people of Israel.

Simeon has explained how God first concerned himself to select from among the Gentiles a people for his name.