The royal line of David is like a tree that has been cut down; but just as new branches sprout from a stump, so a new king will arise from among David's descendants.

The LORD says, "The time is coming when I will choose as king a righteous descendant of David. That king will rule wisely and do what is right and just throughout the land.

This is what the Sovereign LORD says: "I will take the top of a tall cedar and break off a tender sprout; I will plant it on a high mountain,

All the trees in the land will know that I am the LORD. I cut down the tall trees and make small trees grow tall. I wither up the green trees and make the dry trees become green. I, the LORD, have spoken. I will do what I have said I would do."

Tell him that the LORD Almighty says, 'The man who is called The Branch will flourish where he is and rebuild the LORD's Temple.

Isn't he the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon? Aren't his sisters living here?" And so they rejected him.

She gave birth to her first son, wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger---there was no room for them to stay in the inn.

When Joseph and Mary had finished doing all that was required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to their hometown of Nazareth in Galilee.

The child grew and became strong; he was full of wisdom, and God's blessings were upon him.

So Jesus went back with them to Nazareth, where he was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.

Jesus grew both in body and in wisdom, gaining favor with God and people.

Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lie down and rest."

What the Law could not do, because human nature was weak, God did. He condemned sin in human nature by sending his own Son, who came with a nature like our sinful nature, to do away with sin.

He always had the nature of God, but he did not think that by force he should try to remain equal with God.

Instead of this, of his own free will he gave up all he had, and took the nature of a servant. He became like a human being and appeared in human likeness.

Many people were shocked when they saw him; he was so disfigured that he hardly looked human.

His answer was, "Elijah is indeed coming first in order to get everything ready. Yet why do the Scriptures say that the Son of Man will suffer much and be rejected?

The Word was in the world, and though God made the world through him, yet the world did not recognize him.

Some, however, did receive him and believed in him; so he gave them the right to become God's children.

The Word became a human being and, full of grace and truth, lived among us. We saw his glory, the glory which he received as the Father's only Son.

They insulted him and said, "You are that fellow's disciple; but we are Moses' disciples.

We know that God spoke to Moses; as for that fellow, however, we do not even know where he comes from!"

They answered him with a shout, "No, not him! We want Barabbas!" (Barabbas was a bandit.)

So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, "Look! Here is the man!"

It was then almost noon of the day before the Passover. Pilate said to the people, "Here is your king!"

They shouted back, "Kill him! Kill him! Crucify him!" Pilate asked them, "Do you want me to crucify your king?" The chief priests answered, "The only king we have is the Emperor!"

and to the governors, who have been appointed by him to punish the evildoers and to praise those who do good.