Chapter 1
Dedication to the Reader
Verse 1: Now many have undertaken to compose a narrative concerning the events that have long since been completed, | Luke 1:1
2 which they claim were handed down by the initial eyewitnesses and servants of the word, | Luke 1:2
3 it seemed prudent to write an account for you, weaving together the four separate narratives from Mark, Matthew, Luke and John into a unified literary form, | Luke 1:3
4 so that the word may be more accessible and understood, and that you may have a solid understanding of the teachings and events they contain. | Luke 1:4
The Birth of Jesus
5 In a town in Galilee called Nazareth a virgin called Mary was engaged to a man whose name was Joseph. | Luke 1:26, Luke 1:27
6 In the sixth month of the first year of the first CE, a child was conceived and then later born in Nazareth.
Jesus Is Named
7 When eight days had passed after the birth of the child, it was time to circumcise him and his name was Jesus, the name by the father Joseph before he had been conceived in the womb. | Luke 2:21
8 It was customary that within 40 days of being born, the child had to be taken to the temple according to the law. So Joseph and Mary travelled to Jerusalem. | Luke 2:22
Jesus Is Presented in the Temple
9 According to the law of Moses, they presented him to the Lord of the land (as it is written, “Every first-born male shall be declared as holy to the Lord”), | Luke 2:23
10 and they also offered a sacrifice as commanded by the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.” | Luke 2:24
The Return to Nazareth
11 When they had accomplished everything according to the law of their Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. | Luke 2:39
12 The child became strong and gained wisdom and knowledge. | Luke 2:40
The Boy Jesus in the Temple
13 Every year the child's parents went to Jerusalem and celebrated the Passover festival. | Luke 2:41
14 And when he became twelve years old, they attended the festival as was customary. | Luke 2:42
15 After the festival was over and the parents started to return, the boy remained behind in Jerusalem, and his parents did not realize he was still there. | Luke 2:43
16 Assuming that he was with their fellow-travelers, they went ahead a day’s journey before searching the rest of their traveling party for him; | Luke 2:44
17 and then, as they did not find him, they turned back to Jerusalem in order to search for him. | Luke 2:45
18 It was not until the third day of searching, that they found him in the temple courts, sitting amid the teachers, both listening to them and asking questions. | Luke 2:46
19 And all those who heard him were both amazed and astonished at his understanding and his answers about questions on the law. | Luke 2:47
20 When his parents saw him they were overwhelmed, and his mother said to him, “My child, why would you put us through this? Your father and I have been desperately searching for you everywhere.” | Luke 2:48
21 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Didn't you know that I had to be in your Father’s house?” | Luke 2:49
22 But his parents did not understand what he meant. | Luke 2:50
23 Then he returned Nazareth with them, where he was obedient; and his mother held these memories as if they were precious jewels, the way only a mother can. | Luke 2:51
24 And Jesus increased in stature and wisdom, and as the years passed working as a craftsman, in favour with other men. | Luke 2:52
John the Baptist
25 It was the fifteenth year of Emperor Tiberius’s reign. At that time, Pontius Pilate held the governorship of Judea, Herod ruled over Galilee, and his brother Philip governed the territories of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, | Luke 3:1
26 under the religious leadership of Annas and Caiaphas, a man who came from the Essene tribe emerged out of the wilderness. | Luke 3:2
27 He went into the surrounding region around the Jordan, preaching a ritual washing to signify a change of heart and the washing away of past sins as was customary to the religious sect that John was part of. | Luke 3:3
28 And seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to receive the ritual cleansing, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who forewarned you to get out of the way, before the axe hits the tree? | Matthew 3:7
29 Therefore, you must change your ways, prove your repentance; | Matthew 3:8
30 and do not imagine that you can tell yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father and ancestor’ for I tell you. | Matthew 3:9
31 Right now the ax lies ready at the root of the trees and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and hurled into the fire.” | Matthew 3:10
The Baptism of Jesus
32 Now John was baptizing many in the Jordan, and Jesus also came from Galilee to be baptized by him. | Luke 3:21
33 John was stirred and tried to dissuade him as if seeing a kindred spirit and asked him, “You want me to baptize you?” | Matthew 3:14
34 But Jesus answered him, “Let it happen now, for I must cleanse myself of this world to fulfill all righteousness and repentance.” Then John consented. | Matthew 3:15
35 And as soon as Jesus was baptized, just as he came up out of the water, his old life was shed. | Matthew 3:16
The Testing of Jesus
36 Then Jesus wandered into the wilderness to fast himself from the world. Only to be tested by Yahweh, the devil of this world. | Matthew 4:1
37 Having fasted for forty days and nights, he eventually began to hunger for the pleasures of life. | Matthew 4:2
38 And the devil of the world came to him and said, “If you are the Son of the Most High, command these stones to become a king's banquet, for I have given you dominion over all material things.” | Matthew 4:3
39 But he answered, “Whoever drinks from my mouth will become like me; I myself shall become that person, and the hidden things will be revealed to them.” | Gospel of Thomas 108
40 Then the devil ushered him to the holy city of the people and placed him on the highest precipice of the temple, | Matthew 4:5
41 and said to him, “If you are the Son of the Most High, throw yourself down. For I had it written: ‘Your father will assuredly command his angels as your guardians,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, to keep your feet from crashing against the stones below. Show these people a sign, and they will follow you in this kingdom I have fashioned.’” | Matthew 4:6
42 Jesus said to him, “You quote the scriptures of this world, but they do not bind me. I'm the light which is above them all. It is I who am the all. From me did all things come forth, and unto me did the all return.” | Gospel of Thomas 77
43 Again, the devil gestured him to the top of a jagged mountain, where he unveiled the glittering sprawl of every earthly kingdom, revealing their glory and splendor, | Matthew 4:8
44 and he said to him, “All these things, I will hand it all over to you, if you prostrate yourself and worship me. I am the LORD your God” | Matthew 4:9
45 Then Jesus said to him, “When you bring forth that which is within you, what you manifest will save you. But if you do not bring it forth from within, what you fail to manifest will destroy you.” | Gospel of Thomas 70
46 Then the devil withdrew in fury, and the powers that followed him trembled, for beings of the realm above appeared and attended to Jesus. | Matthew 4:11