Study Desk

But while he was contemplating this step, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to bring home your wife Mary, for she is with child through the Holy Spirit.

She will give birth to a Son, and you are to call His name JESUS for He it is who will save His People from their sins."

inquiring, "Where is the newly born king of the Jews? For we have seen his Star in the east, and have come here to do him homage."

"At Bethlehem in Judaea," they replied; "for so it stands written in the words of the Prophet,

"`And thou, Bethlehem in the land of Judah, by no means the least honorable art thou among princely places in Judah! For from thee shall come a prince--one who shall be the Shepherd of My People Israel.'"

Thereupon Herod sent privately for the Magi and ascertained from them the exact time of the star's appearing.

When they were gone, and angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise: take the babe and His mother and escape to Egypt, and remain there till I bring you word. For Herod is about to make search for the child in order to destroy Him."

"Rise from sleep, and take the child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child's life are dead."

"Repent," he said, "for the Kingdom of the Heavens is now close at hand."

He it is who was spoken of through the Prophet Isaiah when he said, "The voice of one crying aloud, `In the desert prepare ye a road for the Lord: make His highway straight.'"

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he exclaimed, "O vipers' brood, who has warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

and do not imagine that you can say to yourselves, `We have Abraham as our forefather,' for I tell you that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones.

I indeed am baptizing you in water on a profession of repentance; but He who is coming after me is mightier than I: His sandals I am not worthy to carry for a moment; He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire.

"Let it be so on this occasion," Jesus replied; "for so we ought to fulfil every religious duty." Then he consented;

There He fasted for forty days and nights; and after that He suffered from hunger.

and said, "If you are God's Son, throw yourself down; for it is written, "`To His angels He will give orders concerning thee, and on their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any moment thou shouldst strike thy foot against a stone.'"

"Begone, Satan!" Jesus replied; "for it is written, `To the Lord thy God thou shalt do homage, and to Him alone shalt thou render worship.'"

From that time Jesus began to preach. "Repent," He said, "for the Kingdom of the Heavens is now close at hand."

And walking along the shore of the Lake of Galilee He saw two brothers--Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew--throwing a drag-net into the Lake; for they were fishers.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for to them belongs the Kingdom of the Heavens.