Luke 2:21 'Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.' Three ceremonies took place after the birth of Jesus, just as they did for every Jewish baby boy. F...
Luke 1:46-49 Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One is holy, and he has...
Luke 1:42-45 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. Why am I so honoured, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb j...
Luke 1:38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her. We know very little about Mary. When Matthew and Luke provided a family tree for Jesus they did so through Jose...
Luke 1:28-30 Gabriel appeared to Mary and said, “Greetings, favoured woman! The Lord is with you!” Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favour wi...
Luke 1:19-20 The angel said to Zechariah, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the ...
Luke 1:8-10 'One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his section was on duty that week. As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. While the incense was being burne...
Luke 1:6-7 'Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.' Luke begins his Gos...
Colossians 4:7-9 'Tychicus will give you a full report about how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper who serves with me in the Lord’s work. I am also sending Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, one of your ow...
Colossians 4:5-6 'Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.' Whether we have a short or a lon...
Colossians 4:2-3 'Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains.' There is...
Colossians 3:22 'Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord. Work willingly at whatever you do, ...
Colossians 3:15 'Let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.' The world is full of conflict. Whether you look at international relations, na...
Colossians 3:14 'Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.' The famous Victorian poet, Robert Browning, wrote: “Take away love and our earth is a tomb.” It is impossible to exaggerate the importan...
Colossians 3:13 'Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.' Any happy and harmonious community relies upon forgiveness. It isn’t an optional extra b...
