Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

In the days of Herod [the Great], king of Judea, there was a certain priest whose name was Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was a descendant of Aaron [the first high priest of Israel], and her name was Elizabeth.

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, because your petition [in prayer] was heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.

to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

Listen carefully: you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.

“For He who is mighty has done great things for me; And holy is His name [to be worshiped in His purity, majesty, and glory].

It happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child [as required by the Law], and they intended to name him Zacharias, after his father;

And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by that name.”

And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote as follows, “His name is John.” And they were all astonished.

Jesus Presented at the Temple

At the end of eight days, when He was to be circumcised, He was named Jesus, the name given [to Him] by the angel [Gabriel] before He was conceived in the womb.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout [carefully observing the divine Law], and looking for the Consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

Call of Levi (Matthew)

After this Jesus went out and noticed a tax collector named Levi (Matthew) sitting at the tax booth; and He said to him, “Follow Me [as My disciple, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk].”

When day came, He called His disciples and selected twelve of them, whom He also named apostles (special messengers, personally chosen representatives):

Simon, whom He also named Peter, and his brother Andrew; and [the brothers] James and John; and Philip, and Bartholomew [also called Nathanael];

Blessed [morally courageous and spiritually alive with life-joy in God’s goodness] are you when people hate you, and exclude you [from their fellowship], and insult you, and scorn your name as evil because of [your association with] the Son of Man.

Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And he answered, “Legion”; because many demons had entered him.

Now a man named Jairus, a synagogue official, came [to Him]; and he fell at Jesus’ feet and began begging Him to come to his house;

and He told them, “Whoever welcomes this child in My name welcomes Me; and whoever welcomes Me [also] welcomes Him who sent Me; for the one who is least among all of you [that is, the one who is genuinely humble—the one with a realistic self-view]—he is the one who is [truly] great.”

John replied, “Master, we saw someone driving out demons in Your name; and we tried to stop him because he does not follow along with us.”

The Joyous Results

The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”

Nevertheless do not rejoice at this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”

Martha and Mary

Now while they were on their way, Jesus entered a village [called Bethany], and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.

She had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord’s feet and was continually listening to His teaching.

He said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.

Listen carefully: your house is left to you desolate [abandoned by God and destitute of His protection]; and I say to you, you will not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed [to be celebrated with praise] is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

And a poor man named Lazarus, was laid at his gate, covered with sores.