Study Desk

And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,

and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,

For my eyes have seen your salvation,

a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."

Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover.

Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.

When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.

When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you."

"Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?"

He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.

Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.

For it is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully;