It was the day of preparation<n id="1" /> and the Sabbath was beginning.<n id="2" />

But they did not have a child, because Elizabeth was barren,<n id="1" /> and they were both very old.<n id="2" />p>

because this son of mine was dead, and is alive again &#8211; he was lost and is found!&#8217;<n id="1" /> So<n id="2" /> they began to celebrate.p>

They<n id="1" /> were amazed<n id="2" /> at his teaching, because he spoke<n id="3" /> with authority.<n id="4" />p>

So<n id="1" /> he continued to preach in the synagogues of Judea.<n id="2" />p>

Yet Jesus himself<n id="1" /> frequently withdrew<n id="2" /> to the wilderness<n id="3" /> and prayed.p>

Whatever<n id="1" /> house you enter, stay there<n id="2" /> until you leave the area.<n id="3" />

but the villagers<n id="1" /> refused to welcome<n id="2" /> him, because he was determined to go to Jerusalem.<n id="3" />

Whenever<n id="1" /> you enter a house,<n id="2" /> first say, &#8216;May peace<n id="3" /> be on this house!&#8217;

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues<n id="1" /> on the Sabbath,

There<n id="1" /> right<n id="2" /> in front of him was a man suffering from dropsy.<n id="3" />

But when the man<n id="1" /> heard this he became very sad,<n id="2" /> for he was extremely wealthy.

John&#8217;s baptism<n id="1" /> &#8211; was it from heaven or from people?&#8221;<n id="2" />

There was also an inscription<n id="1" /> over him, &#8220;This is the king of the Jews.&#8221;p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now<n id="1" /> there was a man in Jerusalem<n id="2" /> named Simeon who was righteous<n id="3" /> and devout, looking for the restoration<n id="4" /> of Israel, and the Holy Spirit<n id="5" /> was upon him.

<t /><p class="bodytext">On<n id="1" /> another Sabbath, Jesus<n id="2" /> entered the synagogue<n id="3" /> and was teaching. Now<n id="4" /> a man was there whose right hand was withered.<n id="5" />

As he approached the town gate, a man<n id="1" /> who had died was being carried out,<n id="2" /> the only son of his mother (who<n id="3" /> was a widow<n id="4" />), and a large crowd from the town<n id="5" /> was with her.

Now<n id="1" /> the whole crowd<n id="2" /> of people were praying outside at the hour of the incense offering.<n id="3" />

<p class="bodytext">Now<n id="1" /> the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they began to wonder<n id="2" /> why he was delayed in the holy place.<n id="3" />

<p class="bodytext">So<n id="1" /> the child&#8217;s<n id="2" /> father<n id="3" /> and mother were amazed<n id="4" /> at what was said about him.