And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.

For he shall be great before the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, while still in his mother's womb.

John answered, saying to all, "I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire;

and said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all shall be great."

And turning to His disciples He said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see what you see;

for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and they did not see [them], and to hear what you hear, and they did not hear."

"Assuredly I say to you, among [those] born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

"But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears, because they hear.

For assuredly I say to you, that many prophets and righteous [men] desired to see what you see, and they did not see, and to hear what you hear, and they did not hear."

To me, the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

and to enlighten all [as to] what is the administration of the mystery, which had been hidden from the ages in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ;

of which I became a minister according to the stewardship of God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God,

To whom God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the nations, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory;

And all these, having obtained witness through their faith, did not receive the promise,

God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

Concerning this salvation the prophets have sought out and inquired carefully, having prophesied of the grace [that would come] to you,

To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to you they were ministering these things, which things were now announced to you by those who proclaimed the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven--things which angels desire to look into.