“We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands and in three days build another not made with hands.’”

Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer? What is this that they are testifying against you?”

But he denied it: “I don’t even understand what you’re talking about!” Then he went out to the gateway, and a rooster crowed.

When they had finished mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

The soldiers forced a passerby to carry his cross, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country (he was the father of Alexander and Rufus).

In the same way even the chief priests – together with the experts in the law – were mocking him among themselves: “He saved others, but he cannot save himself!

When he was in Galilee, they had followed him and given him support. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were there too.

Then as they went into the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.

But they did not have a child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both very old.

“And look, your relative Elizabeth has also become pregnant with a son in her old age – although she was called barren, she is now in her sixth month!

She exclaimed with a loud voice, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child in your womb!

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! Listen carefully, for I proclaim to you good news that brings great joy to all the people:

So the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; everything was just as they had been told.

After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

But he replied, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be brought low, and the crooked will be made straight, and the rough ways will be made smooth,

So John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

where for forty days he endured temptations from the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were completed, he was famished.

Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘You are to worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’”

“Ha! Leave us alone, Jesus the Nazarene! Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One of God.”