Just then ¹  some men showed up, carrying a paralyzed man ²  on a stretcher. ³  They ⁴  were trying to bring him in and place him before Jesus. ⁵ 

What ¹  did you go out to see? A man dressed in fancy ²  clothes? ³  Look, those who wear fancy clothes and live in luxury ⁴  are in kings’ courts! ⁵ 

This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, ¹  who will prepare your way before you.’ ² 

The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him, ¹  a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ ² 

Then ¹  when a woman of that town, who was a sinner, learned that Jesus ²  was dining ³  at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar ⁴  of perfumed oil. ⁵ 

Then ¹  a man from the crowd cried out, ²  “Teacher, I beg you to look at ³  my son – he is my only child!

A ¹  spirit seizes him, and he suddenly screams; ²  it throws him into convulsions ³  and causes him to foam at the mouth. It hardly ever leaves him alone, torturing ⁴  him severely.

Now ¹  an expert in religious law ²  stood up to test Jesus, ³  saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” ⁴ 

and a woman was there ¹  who had been disabled by a spirit ²  for eighteen years. She ³  was bent over and could not straighten herself up completely. ⁴ 

But ¹  he said to them, “Go ²  and tell that fox, ³  ‘Look, I am casting out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day ⁴  I will complete my work. ⁵ 

Then another ¹  slave ²  came and said, ‘Sir, here is ³  your mina that I put away for safekeeping ⁴  in a piece of cloth. ⁵ 

While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd appeared, ¹  and the man named Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He walked up ²  to Jesus to kiss him. ³ 

For this is certain: ¹  The days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore children, and the breasts that never nursed!’ ² 

While ¹  they were perplexed ²  about this, suddenly ³  two men stood beside them in dazzling ⁴  attire.

Now ¹  that very day two of them ²  were on their way to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles ³  from Jerusalem. ⁴ 

And now, ¹  because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, ²  you will be silent, unable to speak, ³  until the day these things take place.”

Now ¹  there was a man in Jerusalem ²  named Simeon who was righteous ³  and devout, looking for the restoration ⁴  of Israel, and the Holy Spirit ⁵  was upon him.

Then ¹  Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “Listen carefully: ²  This child ³  is destined to be the cause of the falling and rising ⁴  of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be rejected. ⁵ 

When ¹  his parents ²  saw him, they were overwhelmed. His ³  mother said to him, “Child, ⁴  why have you treated ⁵  us like this? Look, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.” ⁶ 

Rejoice in that day, and jump for joy, because ¹  your reward is great in heaven. For their ancestors ²  did the same things to the prophets. ³