He said to them, “This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, that is poured out for many.

He took Peter, James, and John with him, and became very troubled and distressed.

A man named Barabbas was imprisoned with rebels who had committed murder during an insurrection.

So Pilate asked them, “Do you want me to release the king of the Jews for you?”

So the soldiers led him into the palace (that is, the governor’s residence) and called together the whole cohort.

They had been asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?”

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.

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

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

He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end.”

Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened and his tongue released, and he spoke, blessing God.

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

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

While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child.

When they saw him, they related what they had been told about this child,

But Mary treasured up all these words, pondering in her heart what they might mean.

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

So the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him.

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.