a son:

56 and her neighbours and kindred heard how the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her; and they rejoiced with her.

57 And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him, after the name of his father, Zachariah:

58 and his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called JOHN:

59 and they said to her, There is no one of thy kindred who is called by that name:

60 and they made a sign to his father, how he would have him called:

61 and he asked for a writ

ing-table, and wrote, saying,

His name is JOHN; and they all marvelled:

62 and immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue was loosed, and he spake, and praised God.

63 And fear came on all that dwelt around them: and all these things were told throughout all the hill-country of Judea :

64 and all that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What will this child be! For the hand of the Lord was with him.

65 And his father Zachariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,

66 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited, and wrought redemption for his people:

67 and hath raised up for us an horn of Salvation, in the house of his servant David; (as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, ever since the world began):

68 Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;

69 performing his mercy to our fathers; and remembering his holy Covenant, the oath which he sware to our father Abraham:

70 that he would grant to us, that being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, we might serve him without fear,

71 in holiness, and justification in his sight, all our days.

72 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord, to prepare his ways;

73 by giving knowledge of salvation to his people, by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercies of our God; 74 by which a day-spring will visit us from on high, to give to us who sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, light to guide our feet into the way of peace!

75 And the child grew, and was strengthened in spirit; and was in the deserts, until the day of his manifestation to Israel.

CHAPTER II.

AND it came to pass, that during those days a decree went forth from Cesar Augustus, that all the inhabited earth should be enrolled:

2 the enrolment itself first took place, while Quirinius governed Syria; and all went to be enrolled, each to his own city:

3 and Joseph, also, went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, (because he was of the house and lineage of David ;)

4 to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was great with child.

5 And it came to pass, while

they were there, that the days were accomplished when she should be delivered:

6 and she brought forth her first-born son; and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

7 And in the same country were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night:

8 and an angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were greatly afraid :

9 and the angel said to them, Fear not for, behold, I bring

you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all the people;

10 for to you is born, this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord:

11 and this will be a sign to you; Ye will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

12 And suddenly, a multitude of the heavenly host was with the angel, praising God, and saying,

66

66

13"Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace, good will toward men!"

c. i. 31.

14 And it came to pass, when the angels were gone from them into heaven, that the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go to Bethlehem, and see the thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known to us:

15 and they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the

manger:

16 and when they saw him, they made known the word which had been spoken to them, concerning this child.

17 And all that heard them, wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds:

18 but Mary kept all their words, and laid them up in her heart:

19 and the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard, and had seen, had been told them.

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20 And when eight days for circumcising him were completed, his name was called JESUS, which had been so called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

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21 And when the days of their Lev. xii. 6, 7. purification, according to the law of Moses, were plished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;

22 (according as it is written

in the law of the Lord," Every Exod. xiii. 2. "male that openeth the womb "shall be called holy to the "Lord ;)"

" A Lev. xii. 8.

23 and to offer a sacrifice, according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, "pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons."

24 And, behold, there was in Jerusalem a man whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Spirit was upon him:

25 and it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ:

26 and he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, he took him in his arms, and blessed God, and said,

27 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:

28 for mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

29 which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; 30 a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel!

31 And his father and mother marvelled at the things which were spoken concerning him:

32 and Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the falling, and rising, of many in Israel;

33 and for a sign to be spoken against, (yea, a sword will pierce through thy own soul,) that the thoughts of the hearts of many may be revealed.

34 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher: 35 she was very far advanced in days; having lived, with her husband, only seven years from her virginhood, but alone, a widow, to fourscore and four

years;

36 who departed not from the temple, worshipping with fastings and prayers, night and day:

37 and being present at the time, she joined in confessing the Lord; and spake of him to all those that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

38 And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their city Nazareth:

39 and the child grew, and was strengthened, filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon him.

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40 And his parents went every year to Jerusalem, at the feast of the Passover.

41 And when he was twelve

years old, after they had gone up, according to the custom of the feast, and had completed the days; when they returned, the child Jesus remained in Jerusalem;

42 and Joseph and his mother knew it not; but, supposing him to be in the company, they went a day's journey, when they sought for him among their kindred and acquaintance:

43 and not finding him, they turned back to Jerusalem, to seek him.

44 And it came to pass, after three days, that they found him sitting in the temple, in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them, and asking them questions:

45 and all were astonished at his understanding, and his answers.

46 And when they saw him, they were amazed and his mother said to him, Son, why hast thou dealt thus with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing:

47 and he said to them, Wherefore did ye seek me? knew ye not that I must be about my Father's business? 48 and they understood not the saying which he spake to them.

49 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them: but

his mother kept all his sayings in her heart:

50 and Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.

CHAPTER III.

7 He said, therefore, to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, O offsprings of vipers, who hath warned. you to escape from the wrath which is about to come? 8 Bring forth, therefore, fruits suitable to repentance and

of the reign of Tiberius Cesar, Pontius Pilate being then governor of Judea; and Herod, tetrarch of Galilee; and his brother Philip, tetrarch of Iturea and of the region of Trachonitis; and Lysanias, tetrarch of Abilene;

2 Annas and Caiaphas being high priests; the word of God came to John, the son of Zachariah, in the wilderness:

3 and he went into all the country on both sides of the Jordan; preaching the baptism of repentance, for remission of

selves, We have Abraham for our father; for I tell you, That God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham : 9 and already the axe is laid at the root of the trees; every tree, therefore, that bringeth not forth good fruit, is cut down and cast into the fire.

10 And the multitudes asked him, saying, What then should we do?

11 and he answered and said to them, Let him that hath two coats, impart to him that hath none; and let him that hath food, do the like.

12 And publicans also came to be baptized; and they said to him, Master, what should we do?

13 and he said to them, Exact nothing more than that which is enjoined you.

14 And the soldiers going on service, likewise asked him, saying, And what should we do?

15 and he said to them, Neither do violence to any one, nor accuse any one falsely; and be content with your pay.