The ¹  smoke coming from the incense, ²  along with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand.

When ¹  Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their towns.

“To ¹  what should I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to one another, ² 

And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, ¹  we would not have participated with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’

The ¹  foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’

But the angel said ¹  to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know ²  that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ³ 

Now ¹  in those days Jesus came from Nazareth ²  in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River. ³ 

Now ¹  immediately, when Jesus realized in his spirit that they were contemplating such thoughts, ²  he said to them, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts? ³ 

In those days there was another large crowd with nothing to eat. So ¹  Jesus ²  called his disciples and said to them,

In his teaching Jesus ¹  also said, “Watch out for the experts in the law. ²  They like walking ³  around in long robes and elaborate greetings ⁴  in the marketplaces,

“But in those days, after that suffering, ¹  the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light;

they will pick up snakes with their hands, and whatever poison they drink will not harm them; ¹  they will place their hands on the sick and they will be well.”

But they did not have a child, because Elizabeth was barren, ¹  and they were both very old. ² 

And the child kept growing ¹  and becoming strong ²  in spirit, and he was in the wilderness ³  until the day he was revealed ⁴  to Israel.

While the people were filled with anticipation ¹  and they all wondered ²  whether perhaps John ³  could be the Christ, ⁴ 

where for forty days he endured temptations ¹  from the devil. He ²  ate nothing ³  during those days, and when they were completed, ⁴  he was famished.

But Jesus ¹  said to them, “I must ²  proclaim the good news of the kingdom ³  of God to the other towns ⁴  too, for that is what I was sent ⁵  to do.” ⁶ 

When Jesus perceived ¹  their hostile thoughts, ²  he said to them, ³  “Why are you raising objections ⁴  within yourselves?

Jesus ¹  was going through the grain fields on ²  a Sabbath, ³  and his disciples picked some heads of wheat, ⁴  rubbed them in their hands, and ate them. ⁵ 

Now ¹  it was during this time that Jesus ²  went out to the mountain ³  to pray, and he spent all night ⁴  in prayer to God. ⁵