Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ The second man replied, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ The manager said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’

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

Now while Zechariah was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty,

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

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

Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?”

In those days Mary got up and went hurriedly into the hill country, to a town of Judah,

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

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

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

Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus to register all the empire for taxes.

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 the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him.

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

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

Then he began to tell them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled even as you heard it being read.”

And he added, “I tell you the truth, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.

So he stood over her, commanded the fever, and it left her. Immediately she got up and began to serve them.