⁴⁰ And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.^(A)

The Boy Jesus at the Temple

⁴¹ Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.^{(B) 42} When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. ⁴³ After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. ⁴⁴ Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. ⁴⁵ When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. ⁴⁶ After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ Everyone who heard him was amazed^(C) at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸ When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother^(D) said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father^(E) and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

⁴⁹ “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”^{[a](F) 50} But they did not understand what he was saying to them.^(G)

⁵¹ Then he went down to Nazareth with them^(H) and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.^{(I) 52} And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.^(J)

¹⁰ In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists,^(A) should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.^{(B) 11} Both the one who makes people holy^(C) and those who are made holy^(D) are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.^{[a](E) 12} He says,

¹³ And again,

And again he says,

¹⁴ Since the children have flesh and blood,^(I) he too shared in their humanity^(J) so that by his death he might break the power^(K) of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil^(L)— ¹⁵ and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear^(M) of death. ¹⁶ For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants.^{(N) 17} For this reason he had to be made like them,^[e](O) fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful^(P) and faithful high priest^(Q) in service to God,^(R) and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.^{(S) 18} Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.^(T)

¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest^(A) who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are^(B)—yet he did not sin.^{(C) 16} Let us then approach^(D) God’s throne of grace with confidence,^(E) so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

⁷ During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions^(A) with fervent cries and tears^(B) to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard^(C) because of his reverent submission.^{(D) 8} Son^(E) though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered^{(F) 9} and, once made perfect,^(G) he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him

John the Baptist Prepares the Way^(A)

3 In those days John the Baptist^(B) came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea ² and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven^(C) has come near.” ³ This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

⁴ John’s^(E) clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist.^(F) His food was locusts^(G) and wild honey. ⁵ People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. ⁶ Confessing their sins, they were baptized^(H) by him in the Jordan River.

⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers!^(I) Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?^{(J) 8} Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.^{(K) 9} And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’^(L) I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ¹⁰ The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.^(M)

¹¹ “I baptize you with^[b] water for repentance.^(N) But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with^[c] the Holy Spirit^(O) and fire.^{(P) 12} His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”^(Q)

The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

⁵ In the time of Herod king of Judea^(A) there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah;^(B) his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. ⁶ Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.^{(C) 7} But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

⁸ Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,^{(D) 9} he was chosen by lot,^(E) according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.^{(F) 10} And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.^(G)

¹¹ Then an angel^(H) of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.^{(I) 12} When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.^{(J) 13} But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid,^(K) Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.^{(L) 14} He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,^{(M) 15} for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink,^(N) and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit^(O) even before he is born.^{(P) 16} He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ And he will go on before the Lord,^(Q) in the spirit and power of Elijah,^(R) to turn the hearts of the parents to their children^(S) and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”^(T)

¹⁸ Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this?^(U) I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”^(V)

¹⁹ The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel.^(W) I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. ²⁰ And now you will be silent and not able to speak^(X) until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”

²¹ Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. ²² When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs^(Y) to them but remained unable to speak.

²³ When his time of service was completed, he returned home. ²⁴ After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. ²⁵ “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace^(Z) among the people.”

The Birth of John the Baptist

⁵⁷ When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. ⁵⁸ Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

⁵⁹ On the eighth day they came to circumcise^(A) the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, ⁶⁰ but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”^(B)

⁶¹ They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”

⁶² Then they made signs^(C) to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. ⁶³ He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.”^{(D) 64} Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak,^(E) praising God. ⁶⁵ All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea^(F) people were talking about all these things. ⁶⁶ Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.^(G)

Zechariah’s Song

⁶⁷ His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit^(H) and prophesied:^(I)

⁸⁰ And the child grew and became strong in spirit^[b];^(AB) and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

⁵ “See, I will send the prophet Elijah^(A) to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes.^{(B) 6} He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children,^(C) and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike^(D) the land with total destruction.”^(E)